GOTY 2013
My Game of the Year List for 2013.
List items
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It's hard to describe this game without going into gushing depths that will see this post go beyond what the average person is willing to read. But suffice it to say that this game is a once in a lifetime experience that I urge anyone with an interest in great storytelling and pacing to give this game a go. The game was exactly what I love in a game, or a media experience for that matter. A do anything you want type of gameplay experience that mixes some Deus Ex, Hitman and Uncharted all into one. A horror atmosphere where every environment felt dangerous, even when you were in reality safe. Pacing that was absolutely top notch moving from frantic chases, to stealth moments of high tension, to serene moments to even the moments created yourself just admiring the scenery or carnage ahead!
The story and graphics were a class above just about anything else that has come before. Taking the time to tell a complete story and develop the characters over rushing through the story was a bold move and one that ultimately payed off at the end. Then there's the multiplayer that offered a change of pace to the normal as well, adding in the outstanding build mechanic that makes for some incredibly tense moments. Had some great times with some of my brethren in the MP.
The DLC, Left Behind, was equally incredible in filling in some of the 'missing parts' from the Single Player story.
Wonderful.
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What a terrific little game. Gorgeous look, unique controls that while difficult to get used to, work exactly as intended.
And what a story that ends up being told, I'm amazed at how people can find ways to tell a story without any real spoken dialogue (at least any that is in any actual language). I didn't expect it to get so dark either.
I loved how many things in the game were interactive, going up to anything and seeing if there'd be a reaction from one of the brothers and seeing unique one's for each was great. The little touches in regards to the brothers was very well done too.
Most of all I think though, I loved the little stories that went on as you go through the main journey with the two brothers that didn't do anything in terms of the brothers story but told wonderful side stories, even if some were more implied as well.
All of that, not only added in emotion to the story but was all really well told, again without a word of proper dialogue.
And that ending, or end sequence! Wow, did not see any of that coming. The whole set of emotions going off right there.
Gameplay wise, everything worked really well too. The puzzles weren't overly hard but didn't feel stupid or boring or overused. And I thought the controlling of both characters worked really well for what could've been pretty damn annoying.
Starbreeze brought the first game of what proved to be one of my favourite franchises on the PS3 (The Darkness) and they ended it on extremely high note with Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Outstanding effort!!
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Takes what Origins did so amazingly well and bumps it up by about 14,000 notches! A absolute SHITLOAD of levels that are all extremely well polished and offer an insane amount of variety. The musical levels are some of the most fun I've had with gaming and continue to impress at how well timed and executed they are. The standard platforming still has that old school vibe of the SEGA/Nintendo days of yore. Simply a phenomenally polished and executed game that everyone needs to play.
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GTA is back with a bang with the biggest world yet! While I did enjoy the game immensely it sits at number 3 as it just didn't grab me as hard as it could've. Franklin was a miss for me overall, just didn't care for him as a character and his dialogue was generally deplorable. Michael and Franklin brought the awesome but on the whole the story didn't really bring to as much of a cohesive pinnacle as I would've hoped. Still, fantastic game with plenty of missions (took me over 40 hours to complete) and a very cool online element that is still lacking in some features that could push it towards the top of my list. One thing I am still baffled by with GTA games though is how they just can't properly incentivise collectibles, they added a proper 'story element' to them but are completely and utterly boring to collect. Plenty of other games have done it right and yet GTA games continue to lag behind? So weird.
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I wouldn't have thought this could make the list after what was looking to be an average upgrade on PS3. But the movement to next-gen has added a realism, fun and variety to the game that well surpasses the previous generations efforts. I have only cracked the surface in Career, Ultimate Team is as strong as ever and the copious amount of modes cater for whatever need or urge I have for the day.
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Hands down the best piece of DLC ever! So perfectly themed and executed with an amazing soundtrack to boot. Using the already pitch perfect mechanics of Far Cry 3, but cutting to the chase with an awesome throwback story. Great gameplay variety, some hilarious one liners and good pacing overall too. Great piece of DLC.
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Pirates, ships, naval combat and parkour? Yes, yes, yes and yes.
Unfortunately Black Flag stumbles when you get around to the main story missions, however when just sailing the open seas and doing the side missions and grabbing every collectible available this game shines unlike many before it.
The inconsistency knocks it down the list, we're all sick of the "trail that guy for 5 minutes staying inside this very small ring and then kill him after long expository dialogue plays out". There really needs to be a freshen up of the main story content for Assassin's Creed games as they've fallen into a funk. These games still remain fun, but have definitely faltered at the main content.
Kudos, however must go to the 'real world' content this time around that provides a fun, albeit much slower paced loot hunt with some decent puzzles thrown in.
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Uncharted with a woman, is how I'd describe Tomb Raider. But then again, wasn't Uncharted just Tomb Raider with a dude?
Whatever both were, we now have a solid entry and refresh of an ailing series back with a vengeance. Nice, big open environments coupled with some good, solid combat. A pretty decent 'coming of age' type story as well and plenty of collectibles along the way makes Tomb Raider a damn fun title.
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Back on the NBA game bandwagon with NBA 2K14. Clearly now at the peak of their powers with regards to graphics, gameplay and just starting to explore the length and breadth of their mode offerings. There's a lot to like about what has happened to Basketball games of recent times, as long as you don't have a Live after the NBA...
Special mention must go to the MyNBA2K App on phones, which includes a super addictive version of Pokemon with Basketballers in MyTeam Mobile. I spent several days at work just glued to this app as it fed into what I was doing while playing the game as well as just enjoying what the app had to offer in and of itself.
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Resogun, the first PS+ offering for the PS4 sneaks onto this list as an old school shooter.
Fairly simple, but very fun and quite addictive. For a while, it was the amongst the best titles on the PS4.
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