The Best Games of 2012

Today marks the beginning of a new year. It’s that time of year where people make silly resolutions that they will never follow through with. I’m going to quit smoking, stop eating, read more, write a book, and bang a model, whatever. My resolution this year was going to be not having a resolution, but the whole principle of the thing contradicts itself so I decided to not even bother with calling it a resolution. To me, the New Year means a fresh new slate of games are on their way and I cannot wait to play all of them. But before I move on to the new, I’d like to recognize the best games of the year that just passed. Here are my top ten games of 2012. 

Number 10: Rock Band Blitz

I approached Rock Band Blitz with much skepticism because it didn’t involve me strumming a plastic guitar or screaming sexy lyrics into a microphone. No, instead I found myself jamming out to my favorite hits using nothing but a controller. Unlike other Rock Band games that require you to be properly skilled to hit enough of the notes in order to complete the song, Blitz only requires that you aim for the highest score possible. There are five instruments, including vocals, lined up and it is my job to switch back and forth between them in order to connect with power ups that can help me boost my final score. The game offers a fresh perspective on rhythm games and the hours are endless because Rock Band Blitz comes with a plethora of songs.  You can also play songs from previous Rock Band games and that is to include downloadable content. 

Number 9: Deadlight

Side scrollers, puzzles, guns, and freaking zombies. Deadlight offers a fresh new zombie experience in the form of a side-scrolling apocalypse set in a 1986 Seattle. The gamer plays as Randall Wayne, a small town Sherriff searching for his wife and daughter. The melancholy city matches the dreary plot, which is full of many satisfying twists and turns. Four hours of intense gameplay that is more focused on running away from the Shadows rather than killing all of them. That isn’t to say that there isn’t any fun melee combat or gunplay. At times you get to slather the world with zombie brains, but playing smart and focusing on your limited resources will go a long way. Many of the ways to escape from the shadows involve short and challenging puzzles that keep the game interesting between the intense moments where Randall is running a way from a helicopter or hordes of Shadows. If you haven’t picked up Deadlight yet, go do so now.

Number 8: Alan Wake: American Nightmare

Oh yes, Alan Wake made his second appearance in 2012 and it was in the form of a television show he wrote for “Night Springs.” The show itself has a familiar Twilight Zone feel to it. Alan is portrayed as the main character of this show and he stuck in a world controlled by his copycat, Mr. Scratch. Mr. Scratch is exactly what Alan Wake would be like if alcoholic serial killers raised him. Alan is trying to defeat Mr. Scratch so he can be reunited with his old life, but in a Groundhog Day fashion, Alan continually relives the same experience because he is unable to complete the right actions to defeat his evil doppelganger. The game is mildly repetitive due to replaying each of the three sections three different times, but each experience is unique in it’s own way, getting darker and scarier each time. The game also offers a survival mode that brings the terrifying combat into a much hectic scenario that it literally made me jump on multiple occasions. Alan Wake: American Nightmare was one of my favorite titles of the year, but I would only recommend it to fans of the series, or else you won’t really understand the real story.

Number 7: Lollipop Chainsaw

Lollipop chainsaw is probably the dumbest game I’ve every played, but it is the stupidity of this game that makes it so much fun. Playing as Juliet, a high school cheerleader with zombie hunting lineage, is the first hint of how crazy this game is. An evil Goth child named Swan releases five zombie demons that plague Juliet’s city with zombies. Her boyfriend, Nick, gets bitten at the beginning of the game, but Juliet manages to save just his head after she performs a magical ritual. Hacking and slashing with Juliet’s pom pom bashes and chainsaw attacks is how this game is played. It starts off very slow, but as you unlock new combos and attacks, the game become much more fun to run through. Juliet can even use Nick attacks which have her throwing her boyfriends head around, which is a very normal way to bash zombies to death. The game is ultimately a score attack that can be played over and over so you can compete with your friends. Don’t expect much of a satisfying story, but do expect the most exciting boss fights ever and tons of replayability.  Just imagine a giant, fat, zombified Elvis, oh yeah baby.

Number 6: Assassins Creed III

Assassins Creed III is the fifth installment in the series and quite honestly it wasn’t nearly the best. That is not to say that it isn’t one of the year’s top video games. Although the story was lackluster and the new Assassin was unimpressionable, the unique new gameplay and style managed to saved it. Climbing around on trees and a new combat system were a couple of new things added into the game and it made it a much better experience. The best part of the game is the Revolutionary War setting in colonial America. Getting to walk the streets of Boston and New York were very fulfilling as well as being able to be a part of the historical acts that lead towards the start of the war. Watching the Boston Massacre and dumping tea overboard during the Boston Tea Party are very memorable experiences. Also, the Frontier was developed to perfection and is the best experience for those who like to go on an adventure. The attention to detail is impeccable. Finally, naval combat is a new feature to the Assassins Creed realm and it is by far the best feature this game has to offer. The controls felt simple and smooth and it brought much satisfaction when it came to sinking enemy ships. If you can get past the lacking story and forgettable characters, you’ll find yourself loving this game just as much as I did.

Number 5: The Walking Dead

I haven’t even finished this game yet and it made it this far on my list. The style of the game is set up so it feels like a movie (or television show). The voice acting is absolutely fantastic and living through a zombie apocalypse from the very beginning is very unique. Playing as Lee, a man convicted of murder, you escape the clutches of death and stumble upon an eight-year-old girl, Clementine, who is all by herself. The game is very emotional at times and very suspenseful at other times. The best part about it is that the choices you make in the game effect the outcome of the story, thus far anyway. It reminds me a lot of Indigo Prophecy (or Fahrenheit if you’re from Canada) in the way that you have to make tough choices. Should you save a strapping young man who can be a valuable asset to fight off the Walkers, or should you save a young eight-year-old boy who is as innocent as they come? It’s a tough choice to make and there will be consequences, but it’s this type of moral dilemma that the game will throw at you and it’s an experience that everyone should try out.

Number 4: Max Payne 3

Oh how I have missed my favorite train wreck. Max Payne epitomizes the broken man who has nothing to live for. It’s been a long time since Max has graced our consoles with his presence and I’m super stoked that he is back. Max is now an alcoholic whose new role in life is to play bodyguard to a rich family in Sao Palo, Brazil. Of course it wouldn’t be a proper Max Payne story if everything was chocolate and rainbows right? From the very get go everything goes to hell in Max’s world and he finds himself chasing down a group of thugs in order to save a dame. Same story different game is what you might be thinking, but the story is very well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The combat is non stop and intense. Bullet time makes an epic return and it doesn’t end there. You can trigger bullet time whenever you want, but a new feature in Max Payne 3 makes it so when you kill the last enemy in a certain location, you can watch a violent kill cam. Not only can you watch it, but you can also continue to squeeze the trigger, peppering this last enemy into hamburger meat. The third installment also features a multiplayer mode, which is the first time in the series. I thought it was going to be a flop, but it was very engaging and fun. It doesn’t matter if you played the first two games (which were both epic), you need to check out Max Payne 3, it’s a keeper.

Number 3: Halo 4

People who know me probably thought this game was going to be my number one of the year. I was skeptical about playing another Halo game at first considering the two games before it were major flops (in my eyes). Heck, a different company developed the game, how great can it be? It’s near perfect for a Halo game, and that is hard to do. The campaign is golden because of the magnificent story. Cortana and Master Chief are more involved and make themselves likeable, believable, hell they’re lovable. They’re the dynamic duo that has given us many years of fun and Halo 4 really makes you care for them on a level that you didn’t know was possible. The Prometheans, a new enemy to the series, changes what die-hard Halo fans consider to be normal combat, but it’s not a bad thing. It’s a refreshing new take on the game that is executed perfectly. The battles you go through are intense and fun. I dare to say that Halo 4 is one of the best shooters of the year campaign wise. The multiplayer makes a return and it’s a very special treat to have. I actually enjoy playing it again compared to Halo Reach, however I have never really adapted fully to any Halo multiplayer that isn’t Halo 2. However Halo 4’s has taken in new features that were probably drawn from popular modern shooters such as Call of Duty and utilized them in an enjoyable way. You can sprint whenever you want now and you can even make unique loadouts specific to your likes and needs. On top of what this game already has to offer, there is Spartan Ops, an episodic series that continues the Halo story through the eyes of the UNSC Infinity and it’s Spartan IV’s.

Number 2: Borderlands 2

This game is unbelievably fun. Following up a very thrilling game in Borderlands, this second game takes us a bit further into the mysteries of Pandora. We get to play as four different vault hunters in this new story arc that has us fighting an extreme up hill battle against the evil Handsome Jack. He is the most evil bastard I’ve ever played against in any video game but at the same time he made me laugh my ass off with his demented dialogue. Borderlands 2 offers a gazillion more guns than the first game did and a much larger area to explore. The characters you get to meet in this new journey are truly what define how well this game was put together. There is a main plot that you can go through, but the rewarding side missions have you doing work for the characters from the first game as well as new quirky characters such as Tiny Tina who emits a loveable strangeness. Exploring Pandora and killing scores of enemies is rewarding and it is made so much better to go at it with friends. Please play this game if you haven’t already; it’s topping many people’s game of the year lists.

Number 1: Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3 has set the standard for how an epic space role playing game should be. You get to continue your story as Commander Sheppard on the most epic scale against the biggest threat to the galaxy, the Reapers. The opening sequence of the game has Sheppard and the rest of Earth running for their lives as the Reapers bare down on them, destroying everything in their path. Sheppard now has to unify the universe and get them prepared for an epic battle for survival. He meets many struggles along the way but it is what helps mold this game into the best experience I’ve had all year. The dialogue is touching and the story has even brought a tear to my eye quite a few times. I know people are going to read this and think, “what about that shit hole of an ending?” Well all I can say to that is I won’t penalize such a great game because of how the last ten minutes played out. Hell, Bioware even mended their mistake because of the backlash of the fans. If this game weren’t as great as it is, then we wouldn’t have seen such a reaction out of the people who love it. If you haven’t played this game, disregard all of the negative attention it has garnered. Play it for yourself and see why it is so great.

So there you have it, my top ten. Please realize that I based my choices off of games that I have actually played this year. I’m sure Dishonored, Sleeping Dogs, and Far Cry 3 are great games, and I just have yet to test those waters out. Tell me your thoughts on the best games of 2012. Oh, and stay the hell away from resolutions, they’re pointless.