My Top Ten Games of 2012

2012 was a strange year, with a sense that the generation was beginning to wind down. The volume of quality games was decreased, but the variety of releases was booming. It probably had me playing more types of games than any previous year, and while there were fewer stellar releases it was still an incredibly rich and rewarding time to be playing video games. I continued to play the now badly aging 360 and PS3, and the PC continued to get in plenty of time with me. I also increased my time with the 3DS. The end of the year also had the release of the Wii U, which I did not buy until 2014, but it was great to see the launch of a new console and the retirement of the Wii.

List items

• 

  1. Far Cry 3

  This was a huge surprise to me. I never liked the Far Cry games. I was never really into the series and it always looked like a version of Crysis without the suit. Far Cry 3 on the other hand, was one of the most atmospheric and fun open world settings I had played through, with a story that has so much potential and mystique. Yes, they do not fulfill on the narrative by the end, but the majority of the game, the way the missions are structured, the incredible soundtrack and the whole sense of chaos and style combine to make it a truly powerful whole. An amazing game.

• 

  2. Mass Effect 3

  The finale of my favourite story in gaming, and possibly my favourite game series, I had pretty monumental expectations for Mass Effect 3. I was not disappointed once I got my hands on it. The combat had been further refined from 2, with lovely visuals, a continuation of the lore and setting I adored complete with the amazing arrival of the big threat, and the chance to visit parts of the setting I had still not seen. Everything was amazing...until the end, which was a big slap in the face. Despite that, the vast majority of this game is incredible, and is easily one of the best of 2012. It only the ending had been up to the task it could have been the greatest finale to a series of all time.

• 

  3. Crusader Kings II

  Strategy games have always been a love of mine, but never had I encountered a political simulator like Crusader Kings II. This game allows you to control a character (not country) from its time periods and scheme, battle and assert your way to the top of the feudal ladder - or die trying. I won't go into its heavy layered mechanics here but suffice to say it is incredibly engrossing, consumed hundreds of hours of my time and is easily the best time I had on PC since Wings of Liberty.

• 

  4. Dishonored

  What a way to introduce a brand new stealth game to the world. While not as smooth as something like Deus Ex HR had been, Dishonored did manage to quickly establish its world and allow players great freedom in how to approach missions, deal with enemies and build up there version of Corvo. It is a dark game with few compromises, and did the assassin thing better then Assassin's Creed ever has.

• 

  5. The Walking Dead

  Heavy Rain really showed me what a "point and click" game could achieve, and while Telltale's The Walking Dead is more simplistic than Quantic Dream's stuff, it was still somehting of a revelation. Yes the gameplay is close to non-existant, but the story, the decisions (however misleading their impact) and the characters all combined

• 

  6. Darksiders II

  Darksiders was an ambitious and fun if deeply flawed game. Darksiders 2 on the other hand took the strengths of the first game and moved to a more open world setting. The Zelda elements were still present, but the mechanics had been greatly improved and the whole thing was a more concise package. The music was beautiful and I really enjoyed the storyline, and the progress through different worlds really helps bring the whole setting to life. I felt that Darksiders II was badly underrated when it released, and it remains the closest to a new Soul Reaver that I am ever likely to get.

• 

  7. XCOM: Enemy Unknown

  I have never been a big fan of the Civ games, and I had never played the original XCOM, so I was taken by surprise with how intensely I enjoyed Firaxis' Enemy Unknown. The game is filled with tension on a constant basis as one mistake can get the whole team you have been building up for hours wiped out mercilessly. It is a strategy game at its finest, with all the additions I would expect from a full retail release. It is also extremely challenging, and I appreciate that in an age of easy games.

• 

  8. Journey

  Rarely is a game's title so apt as Journey, because that is exactly what you do in this game: go on a journey. With a presentation reminiscent of Ico, and a stunning soundtrack, Journey has its players wandering through a desert without the ability to communicate with other players beyond chimes. It is almost a spiritual game, with a beautiful aesthetic and design, short and simple yet also deep and evocative. A fantastic achievement and the type of game that I would normally hate.

• 

  9. Call of Duty: Black Ops II

  The formula had definitely been getting long in the tooth, but Black Ops II shook up things with what is, in my personal opinion, the best campaign and story in any of the Call of Duty games. The villain is intense, the story is exciting and full of twists, and the combat is the same snap response orientated shooting that we all know. The futuristic setting was a great change and the multiplayer remained intense with a group of friends.

• 

  10. Halo 4

  343's first outing with the series was a big narrative disappointment for me personally, as they missed so many opportunities to do something new with my beloved Halo. Despite that, it was great to take control of the Masterchief again in one of the most visually impressive games on the 360 and what would prove to be my final exclusive outing with the console that had defined a generation. I also loved the multiplayer, big improvement on the problems of Reach.