Games of the Year 2012

[StarBound]

So I've been thinking about this a while and decided these are my top 5 games of the year in order:

1 - Guild Wars 2
It was not the drop in rolls but rather the casual approach to socialization. No quests keep you back from moving around. No collecting westfall boar livers. Go to an area, help someone out by doing something random like watering plants, feeding cows, killing worms or bandits. Random events that awards you for contributing. No longer missing that escort because someone was too eager to start it and didn't wait on the group. No need to group and no competition for resources. Just a fun casual experience.

2 - Journey
A PS3 downloadable title that simply can be described: Journey is.
It is hard to put into words what makes the game so good. It is just one of those titles you need to experience for yourself. Be sure to be connected to the net though as a companion can change the way you play the game.

3 - Torchlight 2
Diablo 3 came up short. Torchlight 2 filled the gap that did not really needed to have happened. A responsive hack n slash rpg, plenty of loot drops, the music that sounded more like Diablo than Diablo. Over all a solid game. Decent visuals, but sadly it lacks a proper story.

4 - XCOM Enemy Unknown
I've played 1 xcom game in the past. Turn based strategy was never my thing. This game however was well worth waiting on and could not have been played any other way. Each decision is a risk and reward. Finishing a mission with everyone alive is saticefying. Finishing a mission with 1 survivor is just nailbiting. Saving the world from destruction has never felt so hopeless and inspiring at the same time.

5 - The Walking Dead
I have not read the comic. I have not seen the TV series. I just played the game. A spin off of the point and click genre the game is well told and you ponder your decisions. The relationship between Clementine and Lee is something to behold. Few games makes you wonder what could have happened if you rather took the blue pill over the red pill. This is one of those games.

[hamin_aus]

No Far Cry 3?

In terms of time spent playing and raw enjoyment, my personal GOTY would be Borderlands 2 - first time an FPS ever topped my list - doesn't say much for the games of 2012...

From your list I'd have to pick The Walking Dead and I haven't played XCOM yet.

[petrivanzyl]

I'd say:

1. Assassin's Creed 3
2. Far Cry 3
3. Max Payne 3
4. Dishonored

[StarBound]

Visually Far Cry 3 was stunning but it was nothing really new. I do put FC3 on the best fps I've played for the year though. But each of those games I listed did something special that broke off from the main stream approach.

I've had a bit of a mixed feel with Torchlight 2 as we had so many hack and slash games this year but in the end it had single player, LAN/Online multiplayer and was a good improvement over the first. It was not marred by latency if your alone although multiplayer can use some work.

[THE_STIG]

For me Far Cry 3 or Borderlands 2. Have not played many of the new games but of those which I did play these two were the best. F1 2012 was not bad either

[D3PART3D]

... I played quite a few games this year but only a couple of those were released in 2012. So I'm just going to say Diablo 3, which I enjoyed a lot.

I hope you're going to do a "most anticipated 2013" thread SB

[StarBound]

I hope you're going to do a "most anticipated 2013" thread SB

Maybe I should but sadly I only have 3 games I am looking forward to and that is Bioshock Infinite, Starcraft 2 HotS and Tomb Raider. I'm not even sure on TR. Maybe it will be the year where I move to iOS gaming or all indie. Those kick starter and greenlight games are looking fine in their own right.

[rustypup]

- AAA

• Borderlands 2
  XCOM:EU
  Torchlight 2

- Indie

• Hawken
  Walking Dead
  Avernum:EftP
  Legend of Grimrock
  FTL
  Stacking
  DayZ, (yes, it's a mod on ARMA 2's engine but...)

- OK-ish

• Risen 2
  SOL: Exodus
  SoaSE: Rebellion
  Diablo 3

- Over-hyped Meh

• Max Payne 3
  Kingdoms of Amalur

- MIA

• ARMA 3
  STALKER 2
  Metro: Last Light
  Thief 4
  Grim Dawn

the rest were unadulterated badger sputum or allocated to barge-pole territory as a result of prior experience...

MMORPGs require far too much of an investment in time, so not even bothering there...

E&OE