GOTY 2012

Here are my picks for best 10 games I played this year! Unfortunately, several possible contenders (Far Cry 3, Zero Escape, etc.) aren't in the running simply because I haven't got to play them yet.

Also, Persona 4: Golden would have easily topped the list, but I didn't include it for two reasons. One, the game actually came out originally in 2008. Feels a little weird giving it the award for 2012. Two, I haven't actually played through it yet. I know it's still excellent, (and the new content I've seen is pretty damn sharp) but I still would feel bad giving a spot on my list to something I didn't finish.

List items

• 

  1. The Walking Dead

  This game made me feel things I've never felt about a game. I was invested in the characters more than I had been for any game before and was nearly brought to tears for the first time by a game. This game is so meaningful and important that I put it on the top of my list even though I didn't really like playing it (like most adventure games). Seeing the story unfold and the extremely well-written character interactions play out made suffering through the bland gameplay worthwhile.

• 

  2. Journey

  God damn, what a beautiful piece of art (yes, I'm saying this game is art). This is the level of artistry that most developers only dream of attaining, held back by their budgets or their publishers. thatgamecompany didn't have these problems and made one of the coolest looking games I've ever seen. Combine that with a short but sweet length and a co-op experience that was almost more interesting because of its lack of communication and you have one hell of an experience.

• 

  3. Mass Effect 3

  I really don't get all the hate for this game, even with the ending. Sure, it was a bit lazy and ill-conceived, but it was still the conclusion to the best trilogy of games ever made. The plot points were a little cliche, but the things you were doing (curing the genophage, uniting the quarians and the geth, etc.) were so damn meaningful for the universe that it didn't matter. It doesn't quite live up to Mass Effect 2, but the killer multiplayer gives it something that that perfection of a game didn't include.

• 

  4. Sleeping Dogs

  This was a game I just finished a week ago, and I am so glad that I did. I thought I had hit my limit on GTA-style games but Sleeping Dogs surprised me with its interesting setting and engaging combat. The story is predictable at every turn, but it's still a fun romp to watch. It's also an amazingly gorgeous game on the PC (where I played it). All this from a game I didn't even expect to ever come out.

• 

  5. Mark of the Ninja

  This game didn't really grab me at first. Sure, it was kinda neat slicing and dicing enemies from the shadows, but it moved a little slow for my taste. As the game progressed and I got more options for destruction, the game really got under my skin. I wanted each and every seal for the levels, and I didn't care how many retries it took me. It's pure fun, from a stealth game no less. Kudos to Klei for making one of the few stealth games that are fun and rewarding and not just frustratingly trial-and-error based.

• 

  6. Ys Origin

  I wasn't expecting to like this game as much as I did. I picked it up on a Steam sale because of my curiosity for the Ys series, having never played it. It was like nothing I had expected, and I was hooked. It introduced me to a series I wish I had played before because of how enjoyable the combat was. It enthralled me for a couple of days before I finished it and moved on to something new. I can't wait to try more Ys games in the future.

• 

  7. Rhythm Heaven Fever

  I LOVED the DS Rhythm Heaven and was immediately on board when the sequel was announced. It wasn't quite as memorable as the DS version, but the new minigames and always-catchy music made playing it a complete joy. More than anything, this just made me want more of these games, on a more frequent basis. I can't wait three years in between these games!

• 

  8. Borderlands 2

  Borderlands refined in every way imaginable. Tighter shooting, more engaging missions, better loot diversity - the game has it all. It didn't grab me as hard as the original game did (like most people, it seems), but I still played through it with several of the characters around its release. I look forward to going back to it some time in 2013 when I'm not bogged down with all my Steam sale games!

• 

  9. Syndicate

  This was my biggest surprise of 2012. I didn't pay any attention to this game before the Quick Look, having no familiarity with the original and not bothering to watch any pre-release coverage. Jeff's enthusiasm for the game got under my skin, and I picked up the game. While the campaign didn't really impress, the co-op was immediately addictive. It was such a simple concept but done so well. I also loved the steampunk setting and the art design was unbelievably cool. I only wish I had spent more time with the co-op around its release, as it's now next to impossible to find games online.

• 

  10. Halo 4

  I wasn't even going to pick this up before it was released, not really interested in more Halo. The Quick Look made me intrigued and I went against my original judgement. I'm glad I did. The campaign was probably the best in Halo history, 343 Industries managing a better pacing job than Bungie ever managed. While I still have some misgivings about the feel of the multiplayer, I still had enough fun with the single-player to add it on my list.