When I got to thinking about making this end of year list, it really seemed to me that 2012 was a really bad year for gaming. But sitting down, looking at my collection on steam, psn, xbla and on my physical shelves it seems I was wrong. Dude there was a shit ton of games in 2012. My list to be totally honest with you will be pretty much generic. Mainly big ass, mainstream AAA titles. So I wouldn’t really expect any gaming surprises on my list this year.

This year was the year of the PC for me, most of the games I played I chose to play on the PC. Thats not to say that console gaming is bad but games at the moment look so much better and run so much smoother on a fairly recent rig compared to the 7 year old consoles.

Before we begin with my list of games I would like to mention the games that never got the chance to appear. Not because they are bad per say. Its actually because I didn’t manage to find enough time to play them to completion. Games like ZombiU which I received a few days ago. After dying over a dozen times I really got this game. It just hit me. This is a first person shooter game that totally steals from Dark Souls. The game is fucking brutal but tense as hell. Also XCom: Enemy Unknown, my first foray into turn based strategy. I usually do not have the patience for games like this but XComs style and story really hooked me. What about Sleeping Dogs too, a free roaming sandbox game set in Hong Kong where you ride both sides of the law in a hope to bring down a huge triad gang. Sleepy Dogs’ combat really feels amazing in an Arkham City kind of way. With combat like that how can you go wrong. Finally Dishonoured, bought earlier in the week in the steam sale. Dishonoured is a game I haven’t even managed to put a single second into yet but the stealth action gameplay I read about really interest me.

10. Diablo 3

To be honest with you Diablo 3 barely made it onto my list this year. Up until the last minute I really couldn’t decide between this and Counter Strike: Global Offensive. In the end I just had to think what game I had put more time in to and of that time which was more entertaining. In the end that answer was Diablo 3. Playing this game with friends is too much fun. Dungeon crawling, sharing loot and shooting the shit while taking down huge bosses is an amazing experience and one that I am really glad I had this year.

9. Forza Horizon

There are some games that you just sit down and play for hours on end, there are other that you can bang some music on zone out and pick up and play anytime. Forza Horizon would fit into the latter category for me. The driving is so much fun, the realistic feeling the handling model has is really enjoyable. But I love this game because I can bang a podcast on, zone out and not really pay that much attention and still have fun with the game.

8. Spec Ops: The Line

Spec Ops was honestly a really late entry on to my list. I actually only completed this game a couple of nights ago. The story of this game is fantastic. This is how a shooters plot should be told. I don’t care that its 5 hours long, I don’t care that the shooting feels altogether only mediocre. Spec Ops is on my list of favourite games for the sole reason that the storyline and the choices given to the character are purely amazing. The way the game makes you feel after the late game plot twist as well...damn do you feel like shit.

7. Max Payne 3

I have never even touched the first 2 Max Payne games by Remedy Entertainment, although I am told they are pretty good games. I just can not see how they could be any better than Rockstars attempt with Max Payne 3. The gritty noir style to the gameplay really stands out against other third person shooters. The game looks fantastic too especially running at max settings on my PC.

6. The Darkness 2

The first Darkness game came out way back near the launch of the Xbox 360 ad it was good,but you couldn’t really call it a great game. I personally think The Darkness 2 is great. The plot is quirky and stupid as fuck but really fits in with the comic book style the game has. The look too damn the game looks great. The Darkness 2 decided to adapt a comicbook, cell shaded style and it really stands out next to your greys and browns of the common shooter. The game feels great too, quad wielding 2 guns with your 2 Demon arms is really unique and they are so much fun to use.

5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Are Call of Duty games still fun or am I just playing them because my friends do? I honestly don’t know because truthfully even the worst game is fun with a group of mates. But if this list were a list of games that gave me enjoyment in 2012 Black Ops 2 has to be on it. The story is short and thrilling as ever and the Multiplayer which to be honest is really the Black Ops draw is a laugh with a group of friends shooting the shit, killing fools and making them cry and shout racist remarks to me. By the way I am white why would that word insult me.

4. Halo 4

I am a Halo fan and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about a Bungee less Halo game. Saying that 343 have really done Halo right. I like the new enemies and new weapons and even though it is most peoples criticism of Halo 4 is love that they still brought back the covenant . Chief is back in Halo 4 and it does not disappoint a Halo fan.

3. Need For Speed: Most Wanted

The single player sucks, lets get that out of the way right now. The multiplayer though, damn is that hectic as hell. Even getting to the start of an event is a competition. The game really promotes high octane crashes and doing whatever possible to get the job done. The driving feels amazing too. I would say if you think that Forza’s driving style is a simulation and is realistic, Need For Speeds is quite the opposite. It looks and feels like a childs imagination when he or she is playing with toy cars. Swinging your vehicle round corners and bashing and crashing into other vehicles in a spectacular manner. Need For Speed looks and feels amazing to play.

2. Far Cry 3

What is not to like about Far Cry 3. A vast beautiful island to freely roam around in. Great side quests, hunting missions and crafting. Yes I said it. Great crafting. I never, ever like crafting in a game but in far cry 3 collecting the animal skins and making your new wallet or ammo bag is actually really fun. Imagine this, getting in a boat and driving it out to the middle of the ocean. Sitting on the deck looking overboard and spotting a fin. Then climbing onto the boats turret and blasting the fuck out of that shark. Finally jumping in the water diving down and skinning the shark to later make a holster that will carry 4 weapons not 3. Far Cry makes things like that which I would usually find tedious and boring allot of fun. Okay so the story became a bit of a let down but everything else surrounding it is spectacular.

1. The Walking Dead

I would really struggle to call The Walking Dead by Tell Tale a game. Its a choose your own adventure is what it is. Its also extremely entertaining. By no means though is it fun, its actually brutal, terrifying and extremely tense. But that is why I enjoyed the walking dead. The characters are amazing. So is the voice acting, the writing and the overall plot. The Walking dead is by far the best thing to come out of “gaming” in 2012. I also think it was to the games benefit that The Walking Dead was released in episodic format. It built up suspense for the game. I was constantly waiting for the next episode to hit wondering what would happen next. Where next would my choices take Lee and Clem.