The best games of 2013 (so far)
2012 was a fairly good year for games, but there's no denying that something was missing. Many of the biggest AAA titles simply vanished, and though we were happy with what we got, we were still wanting for what we didn't. But those games didn't disappear altogether--they were whisked away to a magical land of rainbows and unicorns. AKA, 2013. As such, this year has been crazy so far, and it's only going to get better.
Want to know what the best games of the year were so far? Look no further! We'll keep this article updated so you can know what the best two games were every month, giving you all the knowledge you need to get your hands on the best of the best.
Updated with the best games of October 2013!
October: Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag (Runner-up)
Who would have thought that sea shanties would have been just the thing to get Assassin's Creed series back on track? And yet, here we are, with Black Flag arriving as arguably the best game in the franchise. Everything clicks together so well it makes Assassin's Creed 3's faulty mishmash even more confusing. Whereas the last game struggled to connect any of the dots, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is an grand, cohesive experience.
Everything you do--be it boarding enemy ships or air assassinating an iguana (seriously, you can air assassinate a freaking iguana) has some sort of meaningful implication on the gameplay. That iguana? Covered in skin to make a new holster for one of your guns. That boat? Packed with supplies you can use to upgrade your boat. It definitely distances itself a little from the typical tropes of the franchise, but so long as you don't mind the shift away from the AC formula, you're in for an incredible, beautiful game.
October: Battlefield 4 (Winner)
The simple fact is that, right now, there's no better multiplayer shooter than Battlefield 4. Its better-than-ever mix of vehicular and infantry combat, coupled with an absurd amount of customization and unlockables, makes it the complete package. And that's to say nothing of its spectacular "levolution" events, in which some maps are completely altered by a near-apocalyptic event, such as the collapse of a huge skyscraper, or the flooding of a city.
Even its single-player campaign has been greatly improved compared to Battlefield 3, which felt far too linear and restrictive in its level design. Battlefield 4 successfully incorporates the openness of its multiplayer maps into its story missions, and though the narrative is a bit janky, its characters at least have some personality, harking back to the Bad Company sub series. It's no wonder that such a comprehensive offering nabbed our Game of the Month award for October.
September: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Runner-up)
When Final Fantasy XIV launched back in 2010, it was a broken mess. A questionable fatigue system reduced your experience rewards the longer you played; an impossibly complex interface made playing it a nightmare; and even if you were willing to look past these horrible flaws, countless bugs and glitches made it all but unplayable. Fast forward three years, and FFXIV has been rebuilt from the ground up in the form of Version 2.0: A Realm Reborn. And it's incredible.
Gone are the horrible systems and bugs that plagued the original launch, replaced with an awesome main quest line, terrific public quests called FATEs, a slew of great instanced dungeons, and a bewildering amount of Final Fantasy fan service. All of this is layered upon a traditional yet polished MMO foundation of go-there-do-this quests and hotbar-driven combat. It may not be revolutionary, but FFXIV: ARR more than makes good on Square Enix's promise to provide its fanbase with a FF MMO that's worth their time and money.
September: Grand Theft Auto 5 (Winner)
Hey, guys, GTA 5 is really good. It's shocking, we know--no one saw this one coming. But while the quality of Rockstar's open-world paradise wasn't a surprise, the sheer size of the game is. Even by Grand Theft Auto's standards, Los Santos is absolutely massive, with three interesting, unique heroes with their own motives, personalities, and gameplay styles. Even if you've played all the GTA games before it, you're still going to be overwhelmed by the scale of GTA 5.
And the heists--oh, the heists. Planning and executing the game's robberies are standout moments of the generation, and we're holding out hope that the inevitable downloadable content packs will add in more banks to knock over and buildings to rob. Maybe a train robbery? Or we can break into another few banks? Anything that gives us more excuses to explore Los Santos is good in our books. Oh, wait, isn't GTA Online about to release? Never mind. See you in a few months!
August: Gone Home (Runner-up)
Many most memorable games transport you to some fantastical, impossible world, while Gone Home takes players to the seemingly simple reality a suburban home in the mid-1990s. Despite its mundane appearance, Gone Home finds a way to hide dark truths and stirring mysteries in its humanistic approach to first person adventure. The game may have some puzzles to solve, but it's at its strongest when the player is slowly piecing together that story of an American family in crisis.
You play as Kaitlin--a young woman home from her first year in college--as she explores her family's new house after being away for a year. The spooky dwelling is full of clues for why it's so eerily quiet on this stormy night, and Kaitlin learns more than she ever expected about her family. Though some might dismiss the game for its relatively short playtime, Gone Home's incredible approach to storytelling deserves to be experienced by all gamers out there.
August: Pikmin 3 (Winner)
It took Nintendo almost ten years before the company created another entry in the Pikmin franchise, and Pikmin 3's quality proves the developers weren't wasting their time. Pikmin 3 improves on the previous games in virtually every way while still capturing what's always been great about the colorful, nature-loving, action-strategy game. And it came at just when the Wii U needed it.
You play as three different space explorers searching for food on an alien world that's surprisingly similar to Earth. You quickly build an army of multi-colored ant men that help you collect fruit and ship parts while battling back the savage beasts all around you. The battles are brutal and it's smart design pushes players to use their time wisely. Arguably the best Wii U game to date, Pikmin 3 is a must buy for anyone that owns Nintendo's newest console.
July: NCAA Football 2014 (Runner-up)
For American gamers, the game release calendar slows down during the summer, the only sign of it heating up again is when EA Sports starts releasing football games. This July’s NCAA Football 14 will certainly get gridiron junkies prepared for Madden in August, but on its own this year’s trip to the college gridiron is one of the best yet. It’s thanks in large part to it finally taking advantage of the game engine upgrades that Madden enjoyed the year before.
The added physics to the gameplay makes for a much realer college ball experience, making collisions in the physical sport look great. The realism extends to the deeper playbook too, giving more options for taking on the enhanced AI. You expect incremental improvements in a sports game, but this year’s NCAA took it farther than expected, making us wonder just how advanced the next-gen version could be in 2014.
July: Shin Megami Tensei IV (Winner)
The Shin Megami Tensei series earned its cult acclaim over the last two decades as one of the most hardcore JRPGs. Shin Megami Tensei IV continues that tradition as well as the franchise’s emphasis on mature, branching storylines, but this new entry modernizes the series in refreshing ways. The streamlined combat kept its challenging and addicting feel, but the nuances were much clearer to see for new players. The same goes for the title’s deep demon collecting and fusion systems.
Shin Megami Tensei IV’s narrative is also one of the strongest that the 3DS has hosted. The group of teenage samurais think their search for demons is withheld to their feudal kingdom, but beneath their simple world is post-apocalyptic Tokyo. As the twisting story unfolds, players have to answer tough questions about free will, fate, caste systems, and the very nature of spirituality, all while exploring SMTIV’s unique vision of Tokyo. If you’ve always been interested in the SMT series but never gave it a chance before, this is a great starting point.
June: Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Runner-up)
You're the mayor in the adorable Animal Crossing: New Leaf, a game that's impossible to describe to people without them rolling their eyes. Seriously, we can't do it. Whenever we try people think we're insane. What is it that makes the series so good? Is it the cute, kind townspeople? The living world? The ability to upgrade your town? Or is it something else? Something that can't be described?
No, wait, it's all of those things and more. It's also the dog that DJs in Club LOL, and the boar that visits every weekend to sell turnips. It's also about fishing tournaments and catching bugs for your neighbors. We've logged a few hundred hours into New Leaf as an office, and plan on continuing to play for the coming months.
June: The Last of Us (Winner)
Shocker: Naughty Dog made an amazing game. Everyone be surprised! But don't look at the developer and assume you're in for some sort of feel-good tale of adventure and excitement like the ones found in the Uncharted series. The Last of Us is a dour, depressing take on a post-apocalyptic world, where disgusting monsters roam the streets--and those are just the humans. There are zombies, too, infected with a spore that turns people into plant-like monsters.
Every action feels real and impactful, whether you're shooting a whimpering enemy or bashing a brick into the head of a screaming Clicker. But most impressive is the narrative, which spins the most mature yarn gaming has ever seen. From beginning to end, Joel and Ellie's cross-country trip is engaging, making for an incredibly memorable duo that you won't soon forget.
May: Grid 2 (Runner-up)
The first Grid earned a number of fans for its great visuals and accessible-but-deep racing gameplay. After almost a half-decade break Grid 2 throws players behind the wheel again to race all around the world. And while the title doesn't offer a ton of enhancements over the original, that won't matter to most fans once they've returned to Grid's high-octane embrace.
Grid 2 quickly throws you into the action, sending you to tracks like California's redwood forests and the Champs D’Elysses in Paris. The dozens of raceways look spectacular, as do the 50-plus unlockable cars, though race sim fans might miss the ability to heavily modify the vehicles. And with some of the best online racing currently available, it's hard to knock Grid 2 for not innovating too much while sticking with what it does best.
May: Metro: Last Light (Winner)
Metro: Last Light was one of the many promising projects in danger of being lost in the closure of THQ. But fortunately for gamers the Ukrainian-developed title couldn't be stopped. The newest entry in the Metro franchise creates an incredibly engrossing vision of post-apocalyptic Russia. It's a world of poisonous air and deadly mutants, and the last humans are warring over what's left in the wreckage. The incredibly atmospheric setting fits the dire story wonderfully.
The sequel also improves on Metro 2033 in just about every way, with better gameplay and pacing. It also simplifies some of the more complicated concepts of the original. Plus, as dark as the world may be, you'll still have fun trying out every weapon in combat against the clever enemy AI. With a fraction of the budget of most AAA games, Metro creates a distinct adventure that deserves attention.
April: Injustice: Gods Among Us (Runner-up)
Superheroes are sweet. Superheroes (and supervillains) punching each other in the face with earth-cracking force is even sweeter. Injustice is one of the most accessible fighting games of recent years, finely tuned to appeal to hardcore fighter fans, diehard comic readers, and the average gamer alike. Watching someone pull a crazy grappling hook combo with Batman, or calling down the thunder as Black Adam, or pummeling someone through the entire planet twice as Doomsday is utterly thrilling, every time.
Injustice also furthers the concept put forth by the most recent Mortal Kombat: fighting games can have a great single-player story--one that doesn’t rely on text-heavy exchanges between still images of your character. The plot of Superman losing his cool and going full dictator is gripping, and every hero and villain gets a chance to shine during the campaign. As we mentioned in our review, with such a strong presentation for solo players and great netcode for the online warriors, Injustice is the fighting game that DC fans deserve.
April: Guacamelee (Winner)
Just when we thought to ourselves, "Hmm, there sure is a lack of Mexican themed Metroidvania games out there," Guacamelee came along from the heavens. As described in our review, we experienced the riveting tale of Juan Aguacate, who happens upon a magical luchador mask that imbues him with the power to swap between the World of the Living and the World of the Dead. Only by doing so can he save El Presidente's daughter from the evil Carlos Calaca.
Guacamelee's extremely smart in its presentation, as all of its special combat abilities are just as integral to the platforming as they are to battling sombrero-wearing skeletons. Best of all, the intelligent combat and platforming are wrapped in a deliciously alluring art style based on Mexican folklore.
March: Tomb Raider (Runner-up)
Lara Croft was big in the 32-bit days, but it seemed like she’d been left in the past up until this year’s Tomb Raider reboot. By stripping down the character to her essentials, developer Crystal Dynamics made the character more human and relatable, which you can read more about in our review. Lara was now cast as a hardscrabble survivor, pushed to brutally take out her attackers before they could get her. Fortunately the visceral combat gameplay was easily good enough to meet the new characterization, which also went well with the cleverly implemented leveling system. Plus, the lush but treacherous island is the perfect place for some of the best platforming of the generation. Lookout Nathan Drake, Lara is ready to take back her crown.
March: BioShock: Infinite (Winner)
We've been waiting for what feels like forever to explore BioShock Infinite's Columbia, hoping it would live up to the absurdly high bar set by Irrational's original BioShock. And, believe it or not, it actually reaches those heights, with stellar gameplay, a wonderful setting, and a story we'll be talking about for years. Columbia is a remarkable location, but it's really Elizabeth that stole our hearts, proving to be a better companion than any game character we've ever interacted with. We're not sure Infinite trumps the original BioShock--only time will be able to tell if the complex, brilliant story has the lasting power of Rapture's tale of a crumbling dystopia--but, for now, we're confident that the game will go down as one of the best of the generation.
February: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Runner-up)
Though Raiden's initial introduction in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was off-putting for many MGS loyalists, his recreation as a cyborg ninja had us all thinking the same thing: "Man, wouldn't it be cool to play an action game where Raiden's just as badass as he is during that cinematic fight with Vamp in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots?" Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is that game. It's flashy, fun, and challenging (and admittedly a tad broken at times)--and we'd expect nothing less from an action game designed by Platinum Games. The fact that that development team collaborated with Kojima Productions to create Revengeance is surprising. But we're sure glad it happened.
February: Fire Emblem: Awakening (Winner)
The Fire Emblem series is one of the granddaddies of the strategy genre, but it’s just as famous for its old school difficulty as it is for its enthralling turn-based gameplay.Fire Emblem: Awakening was the first game in the series that was truly approachable without compromising the what’s most important to the franchise. It told an impressively involved story that took players into theoretical futures while also exploring Fire Emblem’s deep past. And even if the core of the game was the continuous battles, the clever writing and characterization off the frontlines made us invested in every member of our party, especially when it was time to marry them off. Awakening proved ably that an old Nintendo franchise can still learn new tricks.
January: Ni no Kuni: The Wrath of the White Witch (Winner)
Thanks in no small part to the beautiful animation of Studio Ghibli, Ni No Kuni forced its way into our hearts (and our PlayStation 3s) in January. Level-5 did an amazing job at wrapping a surprisingly touching story around fun, imaginative gameplay that taps into our love of action RPGs and Pokemon-style games alike. The magical world is stunning and we couldn't get enough of it, making Ni No Kuni one of the best JRPGs on the PlayStation 3--and likely of the year.
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