Finally, before this year comes to its end, my own Games of the Year-list which I decided is neither ranked nor distinguished by platform as I consider it inappropriate to establish ranks for games belonging to different categories, and to give platform-related awards to games released for multiple systems.
So this is the list of my personal favorites for each category, taking into account (only) the games I've been playing myself during 2013, with a deliberate accent on action games, of course. In brackets the platform(s) on which the game has been played, not necessarily an exclusive one.
- Sci-Fi Shooter: Killzone: Shadow Fall (PS4) - a somewhat redesigned Killzone game allowing for opener levels and featuring an all-round combat drone called Owl
- Military Shooter: Battlefield 4 (PC/AND) - with its action-packed campaign, great multiplayer, and new Commander mode, the most complete warfare simulation to date
- Action: Dead Space 3 (PS3/PC) - a long, varied campaign that can as well be played co-operatively, with an impacting plot and excellent visual settings
- Adventure: The Last of Us (PS3) - Ellie and Joel would both merit an Oscar for their roles in this enthralling survival story revealing the beast within every individual
- Open-World: Grand Theft Auto V (PS3) - of course not every game can be open-world, yet GTA V sure makes one feel real-world inhabitant of Los Santos, CA
- Role-Playing: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Wii U/3DS) - monster-hunting with survival appeal on a vast variety of maps giving great use to the GamePad
- Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing: Path of Exile (PC) - a Diablo III-like free-to-play adventure providing an infinity of individual upgrade possibilities
- Multiplayer Online Battle Arena: DOTA 2 (PC) - addictive online battles letting one choose between a considerable variety of colorful heroes
- Real-Time Strategy: Company of Heroes 2 (PC) - the best out of this category I've been playing this year, and since Command & Conquer has been canceled on Alpha
- Hack 'n' Slash: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD (PS3) - successful port of the original 3DS title, satisfying gameplay and original design in spite of its rather modest resolution
- Platforming: Guacamelee (Vita/PS3) - rewarding platforming adventure in exquisitely designed Mexican style
- Fighting: Injustice: Gods Among Us (PS3) - nourished by the familiar DC toons, probably the best fighting game I've been playing so far
- Racing/Driving: Gran Turismo 6 (PS3) - the thrilling pleasure to use Madrid as circuit and to photo-tour in Ronda or Valencia makes me prefer this title over the other racing games this year
- Sports: FIFA 14 (PS3/PS4) - revamped: the FIFA developers really succeed in keeping the game fresh with new stuff every year
- Indies: Doki-Doki Universe (Vita/PS4) - a truly heart-warming adventure in Le Petit Prince-style
- Tablet Apps: Heroes of Dragon Age (AND) - based in the familiar Dragon Age ambiance, allowing for tactical squad upgrade choices without forcing purchase
- Sequel: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3/Vita) - it's so comforting to see Sly, Bentley, and Murray reunited in this long anticipated sequel of the great Trilogy cross-playable on PS3/Vita that one might long for yet another one
- Narrative: Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (Dan Pinchbeck) - by far the most literary of the games I've been playing this year
- Music/Soundtrack: ex aequo Remember Me (Olivier Derivière) and Crysis 3 (Borislav Slavov) for being the two most emblematic of this years video game musics I heard, maybe better than their games --in case someone needs to refresh their memory: Crysis 3 | Remember Me
- Design originality: Bioshock: Infinite - while I had some problems with both story and gameplay, its original design is probably what most makes this game stand out
- Best Female Character - Ellie, The Last of Us (runner-up: Jodie, Beyond: Two Souls) - besides, don't they have something in common?
- Best Male Character - Michael De Santa, GTA V (runner-up: Joel, The Last of Us) - besides, don't they have something in common?
- Characters, further mention: the Lutece Twins, probably one of the most original ideas in Bioshock: Infinite
- Personality: Mark Cerny, Sony (PS4/Knack)
- Platform: PS4 (Sony)
- Hoax of the Year: Gabe Newell, new CEO of Microsoft (cf. Interview Vida Extra)
So much for 2013: I know, it's a long list... (*_*;) --however, any comments welcome!
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