Game of the Year Awards 2013

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"With Metro: Last Light, the developers have bolstered the previously uneven game play and further improved on the setting and narrative aspects, resulting in a significantly improved sequel that almost completely lives up to the series' lofty potential. Last Light is a compelling and engrossing experience that fans of post-apocalyptic settings and immersive first person games will relish from beginning to end." - Tim Reid

The Stanley Parable, Antichamber, Gone Home

 

"The Last of Us is a very solid outing for one of the best PlayStation 3 developers. It’s a game that caters to zombie fans, with great stealth mechanics and even more impressive presentation. It’s a fun ride that genre enthusiasts can easily get on board with. The addition of online play that so closely resembles the campaign prompts no complaints of being a tacked-on feature. The Last of Us is a standout and enjoyable experience." - Alex V

Ni no Kuni, Puppeteer, Gran Turismo 6

 

"Resogun is an incredibly well-crafted game, a must-play for anyone picking up the PlayStation 4. While new consoles like to flaunt their new graphics, having something like Resogun, this video game comfort food, feels like an important addition to any launch line up. After you’ve popped in Battlefield or Killzone, to show off the pursuit of photorealism to your friends, turn on Resogun, hand them the controller, and show how old-fashioned arcade shooters can still amaze and excite, no matter what generation they are a part of." - Josh Hinke

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Contrast

 

"The game plays, sounds, and looks just as the main trilogy, making it easily recommendable to any fans that are looking for their next Gears fix. It's a solid enough experience for action fans as well. The Unreal Engine still has the power to showcase the aging Xbox 360 hardware, and some sound design is well produced. The potentially final Gears on the current generation of Xbox." - Alex V

Grand Theft Auto V, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, State of Decay

 

"Dead Rising returns to exclusivity on the Xbox One with its third numerical entry. On the whole, Dead Rising 3 is a solid zombie adventure, filled with plenty of gory fun for you to get lost in. Running around, grabbing collectibles and finding new ways to slay the undead has a solid rhythm and the layout of side quests is a strength of the design. For fans of the combo making series or even fans of zombies, there is plenty to enjoy." - Josh Hinke

Ryse: Son of Rome, Forza Motorsport 5, NBA 2K14

 

"3D World is a brilliant Mario game. The imagination on display here is so consistent that you won’t be able to stop smiling throughout most of the experience, and it’s hard to ask for much more from a game. A game, for better or worse, that seems designed around four-player co-op. Multiplayer is great fun with a competitive edge. It’s a marvelous ride for what it is, and it’s the best Mario in years." - Alex Moore

Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, Rayman Legends

 

"If you are a completionist, this is a great game for you. Getting 100% will turn Guacamelee into a pretty good length for the price. However, even if you only play the game for the main story, you will still have an enjoyable time. You can even bring in a friend for some co-op action. It’s quite short, but the old saying about good things coming in small packages rings true here." - Matt Porter

Antichamber, Gone Home, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

 

"Heart of the Swarm is an expansion in every sense of the word. New units, new abilities, new story elements, new characters; even a new interface and new multiplayer battle system! Every single aspect of the game has been toyed with and given a variant, and the depth of the changes is truly surprising. A few quibbles about Blizzard’s particular form of storytelling simply aren’t enough to stop a wave of good things to say about this expansion. If you are playing Wings of Liberty, buy this expansion and rediscover the thrill." - Evan Witt

Enemy Within - XCOM Enemy Unknown, Burial At Sea - Bioshock Infinite, Rising Storm - Red Orchestra 2

 

"If you’re one of those types (like me) who likes to play games for their thematic content and revelation of interesting dilemmas, Papers Please is well worth the ten dollars and ten hours. It has strongly developed themes and an intriguing premise, but perhaps not enough of a gameplay core to attract casual players." - Evan Witt

Antichamber, Puppeteer, The Stanley Parable

 

"Developers Naughty Dog are known for their franchises on PlayStation, from Crash Bandicoot (PS), Jak (PS2), and finally Uncharted on PlayStation 3. It’s with high interest, then, that most fans approached one of their few brand new IPs in over 15 years. Thankfully, The Last of Us is a worthwhile stealth survival experience with high production values and solid gameplay design, as Naughty Dog prove once again that they are very capable of creating great new experiences." - Alex V

Remember Me, Puppeteer, The Wolf Among Us

 

"Following the good, but somewhat underwhelming Assassin’s Creed III, the development teams across Ubisoft’s numerous studios have once again produced a full-fledged title just a year later. With Black Flag, the franchise finally has a fresh gameplay focus, interesting characters, and well organized multiplayer. It’s one of the best releases the series has seen in quite some time." - Alex V

Metro: Last Light, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Payday 2

 

"The Devil May Cry game series has acquired a huge fanbase since it was first introduced in 2001, and it is considered a classic among hack n’ slash fans. So when a reboot of the series was announced it was met with both great excitement and skepticism. This time around the DMC game is developed by Ninja Theory, the team behind Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the west. Being a big fan of the franchise I have to admit that I also was a bit skeptical, but on the other hand you cannot really judge a game until you play it, and in the end the new DMC, no matter the changes, is still a worthy part of the Devil May Cry franchise." - Annie H

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Call of Juarez: The Gunslinger

 

"Colonial Marines isn’t an abject failure, it’s just incredibly disappointing. Dated textures, rubbery characters, poor animation and a lack of lighting effects fail to capture the feel of the films. A terrible story accompanies the by-the-numbers FPS gameplay. The co-op campaign suffers from lag, making targeting some enemies a nightmare. The constant loading times hidden by slow doors are all the more annoying when the game is only loading another identical corridor." - Brendan Griffiths

Beyond: Two Souls, God of War: Ascension, Grid 2

 

"Crysis 3 is a flawed entry in a series that held amazing creative potential from its first iteration. The sandbox qualities have faded behind scripted sequences, linear vehicle segments and frequently spawning enemies. The AI is inadequate because they fumble grenades, spot you unrealistically and execute bizarre tactics. The campaign is trapped between a desire to stay true to the franchise and an attempt to emulate shallow modern shooters." - Ben Thomas

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Dead Island: Riptide, Cities in Motion 2