These are my favorite 10 games I played and enjoyed in 2013:
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
The atmosphere and soundtrack of Vice City completely took me by surprise. It originally came out in 2002, and it holds up very well. The 80's soundtrack is cool.
This game is brutally difficult and requires a LOT of grinding to upgrade one's armor, but the online hunting parties are very fun. Yes, I put over 100 hours into it.
08. Diablo III (PC)
I tried playing the PS3 version this year, and soon realized I was hooked on that sweet, sweet loot grind yet again! The console port is bogged down by its complicated menu screens which are too difficult to navigate with a controller, but the PC version is as awesome as ever.
This game has a very "zen" quality about it... I pick cherries, I pick up sea shells. I dig up fossils, I talk to townsfolk. My cute animal neighbors remember who I am, and sometimes ask me for favors. I am the mayor of Nugville, afterall. Delightful.
06. Pokémon Y
It's Pokemon... in 3D... and I can't stop playing it! Blaziken and Litleo are awesome for fire damage. Skitty is a competent supporter with her ability to put the opponent to sleep and heal my entire party. Honedge is a sword... It's a sword pokemon! This game is weird. GOTA CATCH 'EM ALL!!
05. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Wii U)
Online multiplayer deathmatch ALL DAY, E'R DAY! So intense. My preferred loadout allowed me to run around at maximum speed, blasting clueless enemies in the back with my SMG or shotgun. Snipers are lame. Much like Jeff's experience with DiveKick, I got really into playing this game in bed, on my Wii U gamepad screen.
One of my favorite gaming experiences this year was attempting to clear the last few Secret Star levels, with my little brother helping me. When I finally put the game down, I had completed it 100%, unlocked all levels, and collected every Star Coin. And I had a blast the entire time. Side Note: New Super Luigi U DLC was kinda disappointing compared to the main game.
Only a game this engrossing could possibly compel me to "give up my life of crime," and spend several hours of game time doing taxi missions as Michael. Along the way, Michael took in $50,000 in taxi fare, ran over a lot of pedestrians, realized he wasn't meant to earn an honest living, and finally reunited with Franklin and Trevor... Michael also totally murdered his psychiatrist... because f*** that guy!
02. Borderlands 2
This game is crazy fun! My Hyperion pistol, which increases in accuracy the more I fire it, is my favorite gun... No wait, It's my shock damage sniper rifle. No wait! My incendiary SMG... I can't decide. I've been playing co-op campaign as a healing Siren with my friend playing as a Commando. #LootTheWorld
01. Fallout 3
This game was in contention for Giant Bomb's game of the year 2008 (It was Patrick Klepek's GotY that year.) I had played New Vegas before, but this year I finally got around to playing this phenomenal title. I've now put in well over 100 hours, finished the main story, wandered the wasteland doing numerous side quests, played through 3 of the 5 DLC expansions... and I'm still NOT DONE. I keep coming back for more gory action, more bleak landscapes, more witty "Speech Check" dialog options... It's so weird and awesome! I found a talking tree in an Oasis and became a follower of the Tree Father's cult when I discovered the tree's roots had miraculous power to restore life to the wasteland. I glitched all of the temporary followers to become my permanent companions (now I have 6 of them trapped in my house in Megaton!) Fallout is sick, twisted fun of the best kind. It's a nearly perfect game, and it's my game of the year 2013.
Thanks for reading!
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