Here's my top five games of the year as of right now. There are a few games I haven't played yet that would surely end up on this list (looking at you XCOM and possibly FarCry 3). I chose games that personally struck me one way or another that demanded devotion, sweat, and sometimes tears. It is worth mentioning that I am mostly a PS3 gamer with a scatter of PC-ness.
Journey was just that. The effects of playing it start to finish in the span of a night hit me so hard, I took the trip over and over again. Immersible, expansive, and beautiful for both for the eyes and ears.
Dim the lights, grab some popcorn, and start up The Walking Dead. That's how five great nights began with each new release. Though the controls were limiting and graphical glitches sparked here and there, this game soared by its writing and decision-based character exploration. It's my top recommendation to both hardcore and leisure players.
A game marred by trying to find the balance between a finality of a trilogy and the expectations of its players. Mass Effect 3 will no doubt go down as one of 2012's tragedies. As with all great tragedies, this one ended with tears on my face. It made me realize the end will one day come, no matter what. Mass Effect 3 tried it's best to do right with all it's characters I've come to care for. Some stories don't end well and with that I knew what I won; the acceptance of fate. (Note: I have not played any DLC and did not get sucked into the mess of the retcon endings.)
I didn't want Blops2. I really enjoyed Black Ops 1, but the sour taste of disappointment from MW3 (and I played A LOT of MW3) was palatable. Then I watched the Quicklook and how Jeff described the changes in this edition. A redbox rental lead me to dive deep into multiplayer and the addition of the true skill ranking system drove me to make the purchase. It's been in the system since.
I was in middle school when Diablo 1 grabbed onto me and didn't let go. I made hundreds of Throne of Destruction runs in D2. This time I fought my way to the heavens and found myself satisfied. Click, click, click, click. Though the staying power hasn't been what it once was, it was worth the trip and in another twelve years I might be ready for another.
