Overall, 2012 wasn't exactly a banner year for video games. There were a handful of standouts in the mix, lots of sequels that did an adequate job of pushing their respective series along, and even a few new IPs that managed to turn some heads. But it's been quite a few years since I had such an easy time selecting the handful of titles that would be considered for my “best of” list.
I guess that's to be expected at this point in a console generation's life cycle. Fewer big games are coming out for the current hardware while developers ramp up production on the launch titles for the next batch of gaming machines. We've had a couple of new handheld consoles get rolling this year and Nintendo even launched its newest proper system, the Wii U. But the Wii's successor, the 3DS and the Vita are all still in their infancy. Developers are still feeling them out, meaning that few truly spectacular games have started popping up on this latest batch of consoles.
But none of that should take away from the more humble list of truly epic games we all got to play this year. Some of these titles will stand the test of time, spurring on discussion and being warmly remembered for years to come.
While 2012 may not have been overstuffed with gaming greatness, there are at least a few titles that managed to grab me by the throat and command my full and undivided attention. These games would be considered great no matter what year they came out, and so now it's time to give them a little recognition.
#5: The Pinball Arcade
I don't expect many gamers to know what The Pinball Arcade even is, which is a real shame. Coming from FarSight Games, this meticulously crafted love letter to classic pinball machines is the best, and pretty much only, source for exquisitely detailed versions of pinball games you can find in the real world. Actually, the simple fact of the matter is that the physical versions of these machines are becoming harder and harder to come by, making The Pinball Arcade that much more important. With a steady stream of DLC tables being added to the mix, The Pinball Arcade kept me coming back for more throughout 2012. And perhaps most importantly, playing these virtual tables inspired me to seek out their real life counterparts, kick-starting a love affair with a bygone era of gaming I may have never had the opportunity to enjoy had The Pinball Arcade never been made available on my home console.
#4: Need For Speed: Most Wanted
One of my favorite games of this entire generation is Burnout: Paradise. I spent an ungodly number of hours tearing up the virtual street of Paradise City and the surrounding mountains, completing nearly every task on the game's ridiculous set of single player objectives and careening into the wee hours of the morning with online friends on more than a few occasions. While Criterion's treatment of this latest title in the Need for Speed series was scorned by many longtime fans, what the developers have effectively done is provide me with the long-awaited sequel to a game that owns a pretty big chunk of my gaming heart. Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a beautiful game with loads of content, an engaging multiplayer offering and more than enough insanely fast vehicles to keep any virtual gearhead revving the engine for hours on end. As far as arcade racers go, this one stands toe to toe with the best the genre has to offer.
#3: Far Cry 3
Confession time! I haven't actually finished Far Cry 3 yet. But with more than 20 hours poured into its single player campaign, every one of which I have enjoyed tremendously, I have little trouble adding this title to my game of the year list. While Far Cry 3's story might not be Shakespeare, some of its writing is nothing shy of poetry. Sporting some of the most memorable characters to come along in a long time, a nice variety of missions and side tasks to keep things fresh, a massive island that's exciting to explore and FPS gameplay that's silky smooth, some of my best gaming memories of 2012 were made on Far Cry 3's Rook Island. And that's not even touching the game's separate co-op campaign or online multiplayer. So, no, I have not yet reached the end of Far Cry 3's campaign. But if we're looking at this solely from the perspective of how much enjoyment a game is giving me, then the time I've spent with Far Cry 3 easily outshines the vast majority of titles I've sunk my teeth into this year.
#2: The Walking Dead
If you would have told me six months ago that one of my favorite games of the year would be coming from Telltale Games, I would have likely chuckled and chalked the statement up to momentary insanity. That's not to say that Telltale doesn't make quality games, just that what they have to offer doesn't usually set the bar so damn high. That, and then there's also the fact that, until now, no adventure game has ever been able to hold my attention for more than a few hours. But Telltale pulled off the impossible with The Walking Dead, crafting a beautiful, haunting, terrifying, wonderful, disturbing, joyful, upsetting delight of a game that had me eagerly anticipating each and every chapter of its five-part series. Lee Everett, Clementine and the rest of the cast breathed life into a game that, quite honestly, had more than a few technical flaws. But smart gameplay choices, a gripping story and the courage to demand that the player make unimaginable decisions and live with their consequences makes The Walking Dead something of a gaming milestone. This is a game I think about frequently, and I don't expect that to change anytime soon.
#1: Journey
Journey is a wonder to behold. It's an exercise in simplicity while still managing to warrant deep contemplation and conversation. Without speaking a word, Journey says in two hours what no other game has managed to say in thirty years. It's hard to talk about Journey without heading straight into the land of hyperbole, but few games have ever deserved this degree of praise. Journey demands attention. It should be studied. It evokes emotion in a way typically reserved for the most notable pieces of art. It's one of two games that have ever made me cry and, nearly a year after first stepping foot on that ocean of sand, the haunting soundtrack alone is enough to squeeze my heart and make my eyes misty. Journey is a beautiful, heartbreaking and utterly inspiring experience, and a game that easily takes its place among history's best.
