I haven’t played a JRPG for some time, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to. I skipped FFXIII because it just didn’t look like the type of game that I wanted to play at the time. Then, after hearing all the bad about it, I decided to not give it a try. I still haven’t played it and have no plans. So, what happened to my once strong love of JRPGs? I just don’t think most of them live up to the higher standards that modern games achieve now.

Now we have Ni no Kuni. Produced by Level 5 in collaboration with Ghibili Studios. From what I’ve heard this seems to be a good marriage of the two. I love Ghibili Studio films, even though I don’t particularly like anime. Ghibili studio films just seem to add the depth, heart, mystery, and fantasy that Pixar has to traditional animated films - something Disney films never had was the originality in their fantasy and storytelling that Ghibili Studios and Pixar found (in different ways of course, but still they set themselves above Disney in this way).

A Ghibili Studio co-produced game excited me a lot. I almost ran right out to buy it, but instead waited to see the review and the quick look instead. Initial reviews are favorable and the quick look showed a game that I could probably get into.

HOWEVER, I don’t think I can play the game. And, for a very strange reason. During the quick look, at the part where the the little stuffed animal comes to life, I couldn’t get over the damn lantern pierced to its nose... You know that feeling you get when something is floating near your eyes or just in front of your nose? I started to get that uncomfortable sensation, and it wouldn’t go away. No, it actually kept growing stronger as the scene unfolded. It got to the point that I started getting nauseated and kept yelling out, get that thing off your damn face!!!

I tried watching it again a little later, but with the same result. I don’t think I can do it. I don’t think I will be able to play this game. I’m disappointed that I physically won’t be able to play a game that I’ve been looking forward to for such a strange reason. I don’t fault the artists; it seems like a simple enough anime troupe to put a strange piercing in a strange place, but it just ruined the game for me... Oh well, I’ll have to find something else to play until the big games start to come out in March. I still haven’t played Giant Bomb’s game of the year, XCOM yet, maybe I’ll play that instead. Any aliens with strange, overly-large nose piercings in XCOM?

So, I started making a list of the games that I’m looking forward to in 2013. However, I began to realize that, unlike 2012, there aren’t a lot of upcoming games I feel really passionate about right now. This is partially due to the release of the new consoles, but also because most of the major releases are sequels to franchises that I didn’t get into like others may have. For now here are a few games that I’m looking forward to:

- Tomb Raider - I loved the original and Anniversary. Could this be a beneficial re-imagining for Lara? I hope so.

- Bioshock Infinite - I’ll admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first Bioshock, but this game still looks like it has potential.

- Watch Dogs - I loved the Assassin’s Creed series. This game looks like that, but placed in a near-future setting. Looking forward to this one.

- Metal Gear Solid 5 - Yeah, I love the MGS series. I played MGS4 this year for the first time and really liked it. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

- Pixeljunk Monsters 2 - Wishful thinking here, but I really loved the first one. It’s the best game to play while listening to a podcast. Please make another one!

Well, that’s about it. So, with few games to look forward to in the next few months, I’ve come up with a plan. Since I didn’t get a few games in this year that I wanted to, and it looks like the DLC for Mass Effect 3 may have improved things from the janky, incomplete version released last March, I think this is what I’m going to do:

1. Finish Sleeping Dogs. I’m currently playing this and enjoying it for the most part.

2. Play Halo 4 and get a review up.

3. Start Mass Effect 3 again from the beginning (my save was erased just before the ending). I know it was cheap and sleazy that BioWare (EA?) didn’t include the entire game with the retail version, but I went ahead and paid for the DLC that any honest company would have included in the retail version. Given, I bought these with the PSN money that I got back because I purchased Most Wanted and AC3 from PSN. So, I don’t feel too bad about paying “nothing” to complete an unfinished game. It may be the last time BioWare gets any money from me though. Anyway, I plan to play through Mass Effect again and see how I like it now (I gave it my “Disappointment of the Year” award for 2012).

Because of these three prospects, I’m actually very excited for Q1 2013. Then when the big titles start to roll out in late Q1 and Q2, I’ll be somewhat caught up!

I have to admit, I like doing these "best of the year" lists. It feels like I get to give out awards that matter. I really didn't play a ton of games this year (nightmare year from hell at work that made me work a lot of late nights). But, I've had time lately to fit in some games. For this reason, my list will only be five instead of the usual 10. I will follow this up with a few honorable mentions (games I liked, but just couldn’t fill out a list of 10), and games that I missed and I really want to play (badly!). Lastly, how about we hit the disappointment of the year award.

My favorite games of the year:

Number 5: Dust: An Elysian Tail

Cartoonish characters? Check. Immature, anime humor? Double check. Short, ten hour length? Checkers. All the things that normally keep me from liking a game? Yes, many accounted for! So, why the hell did I like this game??? And, why the hell is it number 5 on my list instead of Mass Effect 3? Have you played this game? It is fucking awesome! Yeah, it's a little short, but the fact that I felt it was too short is only a testament to how much I wanted more by the end. Even the anime-like humor was mostly bearable and entertaining - I’m embarrassed to admit that I found myself chuckling from time to time. The story was unique, and although I'll admit the cartoonish look to the characters distracted slightly from the plot, I still enjoyed it a lot. Give it a chance.

Number 4: Assassin's Creed 3

I love this series. I disagree with most out there; I thought the game started out strong. I loved the Hatham character too. The new, main character, Connor, was a great addition, Hatham could have been a better main if they had pursued it. I loved the setting, the art, the characters, and the blunt honesty of the interactions with famous American's that I've always felt were untouchable by video games. Unfortunately, signs that the game was farmed out to several smaller studios within Ubisoft became much too evident throughout the game and caused the pacing to go to hell. Also, the controls were often unresponsive and jank was rampant throughout. The ending came too quickly and too much focus was given to the ass-terrible Desmond story (Ubisoft, I beg you, please kill Desmond so we can just focus on the historical characters!!!!! please!). Even with these big downfalls, the game is still one of the best of the year and a joy to play.

Number 3: The Walking Dead

Check out my review on this game. It made me cry... Do I need any other reasons for it to make my list? Okay, the art is great, the writing is better than most TV shows and movies, the characters are endearing, the voice acting was perfect, the choices and situations kept me on the edge of my seat, etc. The only thing that I can think of to say against it is that it kept throwing those darn item-grab sections that slowed down the pace of the game a bit (VERY small gripe).

Number 2: Borderlands 2

I loved the humor. I loved the endless guns to collect. I loved the long length of the campaign. But, most of all, I loved the co-op! I would sometimes stalk my friends on PSN and wait until they logged in so I could invite them to my game. Many nights were well wasted trying to finish all the rounds in the arenas. Also, the new game plus version is great too. All I want to do right now is get my friends online and play some Borderlands 2 co-op. Gearbox, please raise the level cap!!!!

Number 1: Journey

Yep, I thought I'd join the VGA bandwagon and give my Game of the Year award to a Downloadable game. Truthfully, that isn't the case though. I knew Journey was going to be a game that I would like well before it came out. However, when I finally did play it, it was better than I imagined. I loved the vast, desolate expanses. I loved the artwork. The music haunted me. The steady progression and simple, yet fun, puzzles kept me entertained. But, in the end, it was the original take on online play that surprised me. The lack of voice chat (or any chat at all other than a single chirping sound) made the occasional companion that joined you a welcome comrade. I had several emotionally impacting experiences with other players. It was raw and I loved it. I even drew a heart in the sand with my footsteps at the end without know if the person I was playing with was a guy or a gal - this single gaming experience helped break down the years of subjective prejudice that’s been instilled in me. It felt great. Although the online anonymity was part of this, I think it was more a kinship that I felt with my comrade that followed me through the virtual trials that make Journey so great. What a beautifully polished, transcendent game.

Honorable Mentions:

- Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Not Paradise City 2, but still a great game to play when you want to listen to a podcast. Not Paradise City 2.....

- Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy. I played this on the iOS. It is a freaking micro-transaction money-grab from hell... I can't stop playing this game... Please help me because I am now part of the problem... Please help!

Games I missed (lack of money and time) that I wished I would have gotten to:

- Halo 4 - Got just got this as a gift for Christmas. Will follow up later with a review.

- XCOM: Enemy Unknown

- Dishonored

- Farcry 3

And, now for the award you've all been waiting for (drum-roll): The Disappointment of the Year Award

This has to go to Mass Effect 3. Not because it was a bad game. And not because of the ending - I never finished it because my save file was erased just before the ending. It was disappointing because it had, "released too early" and "not made by the same team that made 1 and 2" written all over it. Oh, how I just wanted a continuation of Mass Effect 2 (without the Terminator), but, instead I got a 3/4 finished game full of jank and bugs all over. Most of the best parts were kept from the game for pre-orders and DLC (purely, sleazily, dishonest if you ask me). I still enjoyed the parts that were finished, but I just couldn't bring myself to suffering through that game again after my first save was erased. I can go to my grave without knowing the ending to the Mass Effect series I guess.

So I don't end on a negative note, please play the games in my top 5; they are worth it! Here's to a safe and wonderful 2013 for you all.

So, the news just came out this week that the next Borderlands 2 DLC will be coming out soon and that it would be following the Sir Hammerlock theme. Well, today, we just found out more about the DLC. Here's my thoughts on it.

The title of the DLC is "Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt". When I first heard that it would be centered around Hammerlock, I was very disappointed. I thought that the Sir Hammerlock side missions in the main campaign were boring and felt more like fetch quests than hunts. However, after delving into today’s news a little more, it seems that this DLC will be a little more than that.

But, before I get started talking about what I'm excited about, how about we just get the negative out of the way first. The biggest bit of disappointing news is that the level cap will not be raised.... My character is now at level 50, and once I lost that ability to gain levels, I got very bored of that character. I really want to play through that DLC with this character, but because I won't gain any levels, I guess I'll be using my other character who is at level 34 now. This might be a better fit anyway because of the next bit of news that came straight from the developer's mouth.

They suggest that those that begin the DLC be at at least level 30. The reason being that the enemies in the new areas begin at level 30 and are designed to be more difficult than the enemies in the main campaign. The new enemies have shields, healing abilities, and other added mechanics to increase the difficulty of even the most common encounters. So, get ready to massage that gray matter.

Some of the hunts you will go on will snag you some special Sir Hammelock themed gear. Thankfully, the hunts won't just be simple fetch quests like in the main campaign. Now, when you arrive at a hunt location, you may need to meet certain requirements to meet the creature you are hunting. Some examples that have been given so far are arriving at the area at night, or having the scent of blood in the air. Not sure what that last one means, but it will be fun to find out.

The developers have said that there will be 8-10 new types of enemies - not sure why such an arbitrary number, but that seems like a good amount. Some popular enemies are returning from the first game, including the drifters (think tall spider-like creatures reminiscent of Half-life 2).

Last, but not least, the DLC takes place on a new continent. The aesthetic is modeled after Jacob's Cove from the first game. The developer's said that this aesthetic was popular with the fans of the series. I agree; I really enjoyed the foggy, swampland setting. It made things feel more mysterious and added to the atmosphere, which is something that Borderlands has not had a lot of due to the cartoony art style.

Other than the lack of a level cap increase, I'm really looking forward to this DLC. Should be out January 15, 2013. Also, they’ve mentioned that the level cap will finally be raised sometime in Q1 2013.

Here's a list of my favorite games of the 00's (2000-2009):

10. Halo 2

9. Oblivion

8. God of War

7. Mario Kart: Double Dash

6. Metal Gear Solid 3

5. Half Life 2

4. Metroid Prime

3. Resident Evil 4

2. Final Fantasy XII

1. Shadow of the Colossus

Just thought I'd throw that out there for prosperity.

By now I'm sure you've heard a million times that TellTale's The Walking Dead won game of the year at the VGAs. Also, the response to this decision has probably found its way in to your ears too. A lot of video game commentators and journalists have either praised the selection or complained that games like The Walking Dead and Journey should not be allowed in this category. Why shouldn't they? That's what I'd like to discuss. Shane Satterfield of Games Trailers tried to defend his misgivings towards independent (or small budget) games getting the Game of the Year nod, by saying that they don't have enough "work that goes into them." A week later he responded to the internet's response to his comments by saying that "these two particular games... (aren't) transcendent enough to be game of the year." He goes on to qualify this by saying that if a game is "only a couple hours long... it absolutely must blow my doors off sideways".

Don't worry, I'm not going to berate Shane's opinion; I think he brings up some good points. In the end, this is Shane's opinion and shouldn't be taken as the industry's opinion on what should win game of the year - we obviously heard that on Friday night when The Walking Dead won.

I also don't want to talk about the validity of the VGAs. Although they are trying to accomplish something that I've wanted to see in years (ie a Oscar-like awards show for video games), I think their method is disappointingly misguided. I enjoy the world exclusives, but after the second or third trailer I've had enough. I have to keep myself from mentioning the God awful comedy stints and celebrity appearances...

I just want to give my opinion on whether Journey and The Walking Dead should be on that list and whether they should win. Short answer: Yes. Long answer: I don't see the Game of the Year award as a recognition of who accomplished the most with the most resources, who used the most money, or spent the most time to polish the best game. I think the Game of the Year award should be given to the game that best represented what the community enjoyed the most over the past year.

So, lets look at the candidates and see how they fit in this criteria.

A few notes before we get started:

1. I follow the game journalist community closely and have since I read EGM in middle school in the late 80s and early 90s.

2. I played each game on the list except for Dishonored (I still really want too, but I also want to pay rent and eat too...)

3. I enjoyed the other four candidates and some have been sequels in series that I've enjoyed a lot.

Lets begin with, arguably, the biggest game on the list: Mass Effect 3. I loved the Mass Effect series. It gave me what I've wanted ever since The Phantom Menace took it away from me; a good, gritty Scifi reminiscent of the 70s Scifi that took me to new worlds and introduced me to interesting species, environments, and conflicts. Mass Effect 3 delivered on each of these, but it fell short because it was janky as hell and never delivered on its greatest promise that the story would be molded to the gamer's choices. Us gamers are used to undelivered promises, but this one was felt deeper across the community because BioWare came so close, but failed. I never actually finished the game because my save was erased by a bug after I saved at the last save point... I regrettably cannot comment on the ending.

The next "big" game on the list, Assassin's Creed 3 was also a joy to play through. It looked beautiful, the story was rich, the ship sequences were unique and fun, and the new characters were interesting enough. On a personal note, I enjoyed the father to the son as the main character. However, the issue of having so many parts of this game farmed out to so many studios was unforgivably noticeable all over the game. The pacing was terrible, the ending was short and disappointing, and many systems in the game didn't jive or feel necessary. AC3 was a good argument why large budget, over-encompassing games should have a hard time gaining the community's vote for game of the year.

Next up is Journey. This is (so far) my favorite gaming experience this year. Yes, it was short and concise, but it gave me something I've never had. It broke down the walls that games get trapped in, and brought emotion to my gaming plate. It looked good. It played well with no jank. It gave me a feel good online experience, that Call of Duty could never, with only a single button to communicate with.

Lastly, the game that won the votes, The Walking Dead. Given, I've only finished through episode 3, but I can say that it has given me a better "gaming" experience than Mass Effect 3 did. The writing is next to none, the art is catchy, and the timer on the dialogue wheel is a lesson that BioWare could learn.

I don't want these next comments to be taken as analogues, but as the Motion Pictures Academy failed to vote for Citizen Kane, I'm very proud that the Video Game journalist community was savvy enough to pick The Walking Dead. This game, stepped outside the box with its brutal realism and writing that is second to none (it's better than the TV series). In the end, the VGA's voting system worked. Now they just need to ditch their terrible writing, uncomfortable celebrity appearances, and reduce the world premiers. Could the gaming community once again trump the Oscars by showing how an award show should be done? Maybe I'm asking too much...