Top 5 Games of 2013

2013 has really been a big year for games. I played through tons of fantastic ones, but there are still a lot of amazing looking games that I haven’t even had the chance to buy yet! But of what I have played, there are several games that I think are completely outstanding and I can’t wait another second to gush all about them. I also have a couple of honorable mentions...there were a few too many games to condense this to a top 5, but not quite enough to stretch out to a top 10. Regardless, here it is, my top 5 games of 2013!

…also I haven’t beaten GTA5 or Tomb Raider yet. So…um…onto the list!









Honorable Mention: Pikmin 3 (Wii U)

I love Pikmin. A lot. I played the first two games as a kid and was beyond excited to try out the third one, but…I couldn’t quite convince myself it beat out any of the following games in terms of overall content. It’s a really creative game, it’s gorgeous in terms of visuals, there’s certainly not much to dislike! It’s just that…well, in retrospect, the game doesn’t offer as much length or challenge as I would’ve liked for it to. It’s a great feeling commanding Pikmin around with more options and variety in types than ever, but after the relatively short and easy campaign you don’t have much to go back and play besides the mission mode and the fun but not particularly exciting multiplayer. I still think it’s a great game worthy of any Wii U owner checking out, but I feel like there were a handful of games that I played that deserve the top spot a bit more.

Check out my full review of Pikmin 3 here.

Honorable Mention: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies (3DS)

Personally, this game probably brought me more enjoyment than half of the games on the following list. However, this is mostly because I'm a huge fan of the other games in the Ace Attorney series. This means that a lot of the characters and story points I understood and appreciated a lot more than someone who hadn't played the older games would have. Indeed, I can't really under any circumstance recommend this game to anyone who hasn't played the previous installments. In a way that's kind of a shame, but in a way, it makes the game a lot more meaningful for someone who was a big fan of those games. Seeing so many returning characters (now rendered in 3D for the first time) is really an awesome feeling. The soundtrack doesn't fail to live up to the standards set by its predecessors, the new graphics and animations are full of personality and excitement, the new cases are creative, the new widget mechanic is fun and well-utilized, it's really long but none of the cases really drag, the new characters are as fun and memorable as those of past games, there's nothing not to love for a longtime Ace Attorney fan in this game!

5. Bioshock Infinite (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Although Infinite doesn’t have much in common with Bioshock or Bioshock 2 in terms of character or setting, things like the combat and other gameplay mechanics clearly call back to the other installments of the franchise. The game takes place in Columbia, the city in the sky, and has you taking control of Booker DeWitt, a pretty average guy. While Booker isn’t the most exciting character at first, other characters like the beloved Elizabeth and the quirky yet mysterious Lutece Twins really do an excellent job of bringing your interest into the story and setting. The city itself is one of rich history, and the game does an excellent job of letting you slowly learn about its secrets without forcing it all down your throat. It’s very deep and full of fun little details, and it’s hard not to find yourself wandering around just exploring all the intricacies. In terms of gameplay itself, the combat starts off fun and varied! You have guns and vigors (AKA plasmids) that give you plenty of options, but you also have Elizabeth, who aids you by handing you ammunition, health, etc. in the heat of battle, and other options like riding with your skyhook through the air at high speeds then jumping down and striking a fatal blow to the enemy. While it seems like you have a lot of options at first, there are some unnecessary limitations (only able to carry 2 guns? Really?) and lack of differing enemy types that make combat get repetitive after a while. That said, the extraordinary job done with graphics, setting, dialogue, and all the other little details make playing through the game more than worth your time. Not the longest game, but the city of Columbia leaves quite an impression.

4. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3, PS Vita)

Admittedly, Sly’s newest outing is about as safe as a game can get. Sanzaru Games really did a good job at sticking to Sucker Punch’s source material and hardly changing a thing. But is that a bad thing? Not at all. If you’ve played an older Sly game, you generally know what to expect from this one: a variety of playable characters with their own variety of playstyles, a huge assortment of various jobs to complete, and sharp writing delivered by fun and animated characters. It’s interesting when you realize how different the game is depending on just what character you picked: you go from feeling the satisfaction of sneaking around undetected as Sly to feeling like an unstoppable powerhouse as Murray with the click of a button. The game’s not perfect; annoying and abundant mini-games and perhaps a few too many playable characters feel like they take away from the game’s focus, and the loading times start to seriously get annoying when you just want to jump in and play. However, the game’s lengthy, pretty to look at, full of variety, has a top-notch soundtrack, and is generally really goddamn fun. Is it new or innovative? Not really. In this case, does it need to be?

Not a bit.

Check out my full review of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time here.

3. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Xbox 360, PS3)

I’m a big Metal Gear fan, but that doesn’t really mean much with this game. The only real links to the series are a couple of characters and fun little cameos and references. Different? Yeah, by a longshot. But does the game suffer because of this? Not at all. Long-gone are sneaking in the shadows and delicately tranquilizing enemy guards, and in their place you’ll find a cyborg ninja wielding a sword tearing gigantic robots apart. While the plot is definitely not up to the standards Metal Gear has set, you do feel a connection to Raiden as the game progresses. You have so many options with your combat that he begins less to feel like a character you’re controlling and more as an extension of yourself on the screen; the way he moves around, his timing with parrying and dodging, even the precise angle at which he swings down his sword is determined entirely by the player. Once you master all of Raiden’s moves, fighting a huge group of enemies on the screen feels intensely fun and rewarding. The slow-motion “blade mode” cutting is some of the most satisfying stuff I experienced in a game this year, and unleashing it on the huge variety of enemy types and over-the-top bosses was a great feeling. The game’s not super long or anything, but there’s so much to go back to and so many ways to get through that I can’t see someone shelving this game after a single playthrough. Throw in an assortment of different weapons and what may be the greatest game soundtrack this year and you’ve really, really got something special.

2. The Last of Us (PS3)

Naughty Dog is one of my favorite developers around. Installments from Crash Bandicoot, Jak & Daxter, and Uncharted could easily all find their way onto a greatest games of all time list in my book. So naturally, myself and just about everyone else went into this game with high expectations. Were they lived up to? Well…yeah. While Uncharted was pretty cinematic, The Last of Us expects you from the very beginning to know how important the story and character development will be to your enjoyment of this game. Hearing all the subtleties between Joel and Ellie’s conversations, listening to how they grow to trust each other, simply feeling like you’re getting to know these two characters is a pleasure unrivaled by any other game’s cast this year, all supported by very well-done acting and well-delivered dialogue. Of course, story isn’t all there is to it; the gameplay brings with it a feeling of intensity that fits the whole theme of survival and dread that the setting of a post-apocalyptic America would imply. Frantically scouring through your backpack, picking up every supply you can find, and even healing yourself are all done in real-time, meaning that if you aren’t smart about when you do these things, you can be attacked by an enemy and interrupted in the middle of the process. You’ve also got a weapon crafting and upgrading system, adding further depth to an otherwise solid third-person shooter. And the visuals? Most likely the best of any console graphics this past generation. I’ll be honest, the game is more than a little bit overrated and was pretty overhyped to say the least, but I still think that the time I spent meeting and getting to know Joel and Ellie is among the most interesting and rewarding experiences in a game this year.

Check out my full review of The Last of Us here.

1. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

I’m no completionist. I rarely, VERY rarely take so much of my freetime that I just sit down and play a game until I’ve completed every little thing in it. It has to be a game that brings me so much pleasure that I’d honestly feel guilty not exploring every single little nook and cranny, completing every single task the game offers me. It would have to be a really fuckin’ good game. For the first time in God knows how long, I’ve found  one of those games:

Super Mario 3D World.

Okay, okay, we all know how a 3D Mario game works. This one is more linear than others in the series, more reminiscent of Mario 3D Land than Sunshine or Galaxy. You move around on a world map rather than exploring a hub world, there’s not much room for exploration in the levels themselves, and you’re generally going through a straight path. However, ironically, this game perhaps offers you the most options of any 3D Mario game to date: instead of just playing through as Mario, you also have Luigi, Toad, Peach, and a 5^th unlockable character. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses, meaning that a level requiring super precise timing may be better left to Peach and her floating ability, but going through a level as quickly as possible is a task better left to Toad. There are also several items hidden in every level, and the rewards you get from collecting them all more than justify the means of picking them all up. The levels all feel different from one another, even when they share similar motifs; they’re never so long that they overstay their welcome, but also never too short to not be worthwhile and memorable. I’d also like to say that this is probably the greatest assortment of diverse and fun to use power-ups in a Mario game to date: from classics like the fire flower and tanooki suit to the new cat suit and double cherry. The newer power-ups in particular feel like they encourage so many different ways to go through levels and new ways to play, it’s seriously ridiculous how much fun it is scaling up walls and pouncing on enemies or controlling 5 different Marios at once.

The graphics are outstanding, finally seeing a 3D Mario game on an HD console is outstanding. The music is a brilliant combination of tracks, ranging from jazzy and fun to serene and beautiful. While not as grand in scale as the Galaxy games, Mario 3D World does an excellent job at offering its players a big variety of fun and options. I was honestly sad to see the game end after completing the secret final level, but I know that it’ll be a great game to play with friends and family for years to come with its hilarious and excellent multiplayer co-op. I love the way it looks, the way it plays, the way it sounds. I love all the fun little touches, like being able to pick up a piranha plant and have it snack on other enemies. I love the variety of playable characters, the variety of power-ups, the variety of levels. I love all the throwbacks to older Mario games, be it through musical numbers or long-forgotten enemies like Chargin’ Chuck or Bully. Be it during the easier beginning or the absolutely brutal final levels in the special worlds, this is a game that does an excellent job of keeping a smile on your face. Right now, this game is the reason I would say a Wii U is a better purchase than a PS4 or an Xbox One.