Games Of The Year

Journey by Austin Wintory. This beautiful orchestral soundtrack is at times tense, dramatic and thrilling while managing to convey a range of emotion through its subtlety and delicacy. It has such an integral part in what made Journey an unforgettable experience for so many that it seems neither the game nor the soundtrack could properly exist without the other.


1. Journey
2. Mass Effect 3
3. Halo 4
4. Sound Shapes
5. Velocity
6. Asura’s Wrath
7. Dishonored
8. Super Hexagon
9. Max Payne 3
10. Rayman Origins (Vita)
11. Metal Gear Solid HD
12. Fez
13. Kindgoms of Amalur: Reckoning




Letterpress from Atebits. Loren Brichter has done more to influence the app user interface than almost anyone else. He invented the “pull-to-refresh” mechanic that many apps, including Apple’s own Mail app, have adopted. He pioneered “swipe-across” menus too. He created the much beloved Tweetie app for Twitter before eventually selling up to the social giant themselves and crafting their mobile apps. Then he left, set up Atebits and took a stab at creating a game.

Letterpress is an iOS word game that has a beautifully simplistic interface. It is littered with small flourishes that make using the most mundane elements of a user interface pleasurable. More than that, it taps into a turn-based, network-enabled competitive system that has been so popular for other big apps like Draw Something and Song Pop.


1. Letterpress
2. Angry Birds Star Wars
3. Rayman Jungle Run
4. Plague Inc.
5. Super Hexagon
6. New Star Soccer
7. Draw Something
8. Fieldrunners 2
9. Rico: A Tale of Two Brothers
10. Fuel Tiracas
11. Leyenda
12. Pizza vs Skeletons
13. The Room
14. Bad Piggies
15. Curiosity



Gravity Rush by Sony’s Japan Studio. This action RPG was hotly anticipated during the PlayStation Vita’s early, slightly barren days. With a unique gameplay mechanic that played around with gravity itself, and a striking visual style, it was a breath of fresh air when it finally made its way west in June.

Gravity Rush made good use of the Vita’s peculiar control methods, with targeting possible via the tilt controls. It was directed by Keiichiro Toyama, who is best known for his work on the Silent Hill and Siren games but Gravity Rush had more of a kitsch comic-book sci-fi feel to it that matched that pseudo-cel-shaded visual style perfectly.


1. Gravity Rush
2. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
3. MotorStorm RC
4. LittleBigPlanet Vita
5. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
6. Velocity
7. Rayman: Origins
8. WipEout 2048
9. Assassin’s Creed: Liberation
10. MGS Snake Eater 3D
11. Everybody’s Golf
12. Pokemon Black & White 2
13. When Vikings Attack!
14. New Super Mario Bros 2
15. NfS: Most Wanted



FIFA 13 from EA. The annual sporting leviathan continues to make improvements that keep it ahead of all competitors. This year saw the customary inclusion of a wide range of real-world stadiums and officially licensed teams to take through a newly revamped career mode or various other game modes – online and off.

The game was one of the fastest, biggest sellers of the year. It was the first non Call of Duty game to break a million sales in its first week in the UK and sold 4.5 million copies around the world in only five days. EA has claimed it as the biggest sports videogame launch of all time. Quite an achievement.


1. FIFA 13
2. SSX
3. FIFA Street
4. UFC Undisputed 3
5. Everybody’s Golf (Vita)
6. NBA 2K13
7. Football Manager 2013
8. Sports Champions 2
9. FIFA Football
10. Madden 2013



XCOM: Enemy Unknown from Firaxis Games. This small-squad turn based strategy and base management sim put you in command of Earth’s defence against alien invasion. Perhaps the most difficult part of the whole game – and difficulty did ramp up in quite an unforgiving manner – was keeping the world’s political leaders satisfied with your management skill. Lose too many backers from your international task force and your budget would suffer, making it all the more difficult to protect the Earth.

Enemy Unknown was smart and difficult without being too unnecessarily punishing – unless you were crazy enough to play the Ironman modes which limited you to a single, rolling save file. It also achieved something that many strategy games don’t even attempt: it was equally as playable on consoles as it was on PC.


1. XCOM
2. Crusader Kings II
3. Worms Revolution
4. Endless Space
5. Awesomenauts
6. Wrath of Heroes (MOBA)
7. Football Manager 13
8. SMITE

More Still To Come Over The Next Few Days.

I wonder which game will win shooter of the year

Xcom is awesome. Unbelievable difficulty curve, but it's a great game.

Mass Effect 3 from BioWare. The third entry in the space opera’s epic main line may have become most notorious thanks to complaining fans – many didn’t agree with how BioWare defined Shepherd’s ending but that doesn’t negate the quality of the game in itself.

BioWare’s subsequent decision to provide DLC that tidied up the ending a little more might have placated some fans but the unfortunate legacy, which Mass Effect 3 still seems unable to shake, is one of controversy. That’s a shame because before all of the coordinated message board campaigns and online petitions, there was a clever, engaging universe to play in and some great dialogue and action to be had.


1. Mass Effect 3
2. Diablo III
3. Witcher 2 (360)
4. Torchlight 2
5. Pokemon Black & White 2
6. Final Fantasy XIII-2
7. Dragon’s Dogma

Perfect Jack wrote:

I wonder which game will win shooter of the year

I think the same game that wins it every year unfortunately COD

Journey from thatgamecompany. This was potentially the most difficult category to vote on because of the wide range of games included. We felt that it was necessary to have a place where all the odd games, which don’t fit into old-fashioned genres, could be highlighted. Unfortunately, that leads to something of a bucket category, into which we cast everything we’re not sure how to classify.

Journey, though, would be a strong contender for whatever category we had been able to squeeze it into. This enigmatic classic is part platform, part adventure and all emotion. We’ve talked at length about its qualities, possible interpretations of its meaning and the general emotional trip it took us on. It’s safe to say that many of us absolutely adored what Journey set out to do and the way in which it achieved its goals.


1. Journey
2. The Walking Dead
3. The Unfinished Swan
4. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
5. Sound Shapes
6. Joe Danger 2
7. Fez
8. Minecraft 360 Edition
9. Dust: An Elysian Tail
10. LittleBigPlanet Vita

boschbourne06 wrote:

Perfect Jack wrote:

I wonder which game will win shooter of the year

I think the same game that wins it every year unfortunately COD

Yeah I agree, last year it should of been Gears of War 3 but MW3 won it. Not sure about who will win it this year though.

Far Cry 3 from Ubisoft. This large, vibrant open world gave us so much to do, aside from the more linear story missions, that it is hardly surprising that it managed to firmly cement itself in our minds during voting.

Whether you were stalking wildlife with a bow, clearing outposts with a machete or blowing stuff up with an RPG and bundles of C4, Far Cry 3 seemed to give you countless little stories of your own that were totally unscripted and completely beguiling. A few hours with this game, just getting along in the world, is enough to generate at least one – and often several – hilarious stories about animal attacks, burning grasslands or other such hazards from which you made a daring escape (or not).



1. Far Cry 3
2. Borderlands 2
3. Halo 4
4. Black Ops II
5. Spec Ops: The Line
6. Max Payne 3
7. Counter Strike: Global Offensive
8. PlanetSide 2
9. Starhawk
10. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
11. Hotline Miami
12. The Darkness II

Wow so Far Cry wins, not surprised really. From the videos I've watched it does look a top notch game. Might pick it up in January.

Not surprised with Black Ops 2 coming forth, many of the hardcore base are losing interest because of the consistent problems it has.

Grecian wrote:

Xcom is awesome. Unbelievable difficulty curve, but it's a great game.

Did you play the original back on the Amiga?, I've been checking the steam sale for the last week waiting for Xcom to come on offer.

Perfect Jack wrote:

Wow so Far Cry wins, not surprised really. From the videos I've watched it does look a top notch game. Might pick it up in January.

Not surprised with Black Ops 2 coming forth, many of the hardcore base are losing interest because of the consistent problems it has.

i was surprised Max Payne wasn't higher the shooting mechanics are probably the a game has this year of what ive played.

Dishonored from Arkane Studios and Bethesda. Perhaps the most striking thing, at least initially, about Dishonored was the aesthetic of the game world. It was a kind of diesel punk style, mixed with an almost Soviet utilitarianism in its building design but set upon an ageing layer of Edwardian London.

Its success wasn’t just about how it looked though. Dishonored offered a little bit of something different in its gameplay too. The freedom to play how you wanted – even though the game encouraged stealth – meant that you really could approach each of the missions as a kind of challenge room. Go in loud and messy or think of it like a puzzle and nibble around the edges until you crack it.

Dishonored was a joy but it had some stiff competition to win this category. Assassin’s Creed III saw a jaw-dropping return to form for the series after dalliances with tower defence and often repetitive mission structures. The breadth of things to do in colonial-era Northeastern America offered plenty of replayability and Connor’s frustration and sense of justice was a refreshing direction to take the lead character in after Ezio’s charm and arrogance.

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1. Dishonored
2. Assassin’s Creed III
3. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
4. Sleeping Dogs
5. Gravity Rush
6. Borderlands 2
7. Darksiders II
8. Asura’s Wrath
9. Rayman (Vita)
10. LEGO LotR
11. MGS HD
12. Mark of the Ninja
13. Resident Evil 6

Mass Effect 3 from BioWare. The epic trilogy is one of this generation’s most compelling narrative arcs and this third instalment seemingly got the mix of dialogue, planning and action just right to make it a big hit with our staff.

Mass Effect 3 brought a thrilling conclusion to the many hours of gameplay that had led up to it. Although there was some discussion around how that final moment played out in the game – and whether that was a fitting conclusion to the story leading up to it – Mass Effect 3 did enough before that moment to leave an indelible mark on the hearts of millions of fans. Mass Effect 3’s early release date may have led to some writing off its chances but it has been a strong favourite with many of our staff for much of the year thanks, in part, to the engaging multiplayer mode it added to the series.

There was stiff competition for this grand prize, with Journey and The Walking Dead finishing strongly and Far Cry 3 still fresh in the memories of many. Perhaps the most exciting thing to note about the list of games we voted on is the diversity on show. From big-budget epics and billion-earning-blockbusters right down to tiny indie projects and niche titles, the gaming landscape in 2012 was packed with quality.



1. Mass Effect 3
2. Journey
3. The Walking Dead
4. Far Cry 3
5. Halo 4
6. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
7. XCOM
8. The Unfinished Swan
9. Assassin’s Creed III
10. Velocity
11. Asura’s Wrath
12. Dirt Showdown
13. Spec Ops: The Line
14. Gravity Rush
15. Black Ops II
16. Diablo III
17. Max Payne 3
18. Dishonored
19. Sound Shapes
20. Borderlands 2
21. New Star Soccer
22. Rayman: Origins (Vita)
23. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
24. UFC Undisputed 3

randy-poffo wrote:

Grecian wrote:

Xcom is awesome. Unbelievable difficulty curve, but it's a great game.

Did you play the original back on the Amiga?, I've been checking the steam sale for the last week waiting for Xcom to come on offer.

No, I had a spectrum back in the day.

how fuck did fifa street get so many votes in sport one :s . Iv always thought of it has pointless and shit.... not a great argument im aware , but its just well pointless imo