Twenty thirteen! I had a lot of fun with the games that came out this year. Although I didn't play a lot of the bigger titles, the ones I did give my attention to were well worth the time and money I spent on them.
Some games that I did play, I didn't spend enough time with, and won't appear on this list (unless I drop some more time into them by the end of the year). Without further ado, here are my top games of 2013!
1. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Ni no Kuni has a lot of charm. Being one part Pokemon, one part Studio Ghibli movie, I knew I would love this game as soon as I heard about it. The story is heartwarming and fun, and although the combat gets a little tedious, it doesn't detract from the overall experience I had with this game. Musically, this game does not disappoint; the sweeping orchestral score is fantastic and fills you with a sense of adventure. I would be crazy not to label this game my top pick for Game of the Year.
2. The Last of Us
What a journey The Last of Us is. Right from the start, it grabs your attention with a story and characters worth caring about. Naughty Dog knows how to craft a compelling narrative that you want to see to the end. The music is gripping and suits the mood perfectly. It really does feel like it's the end of days.
3. Super Mario 3D World
The completionist in me loves this game. Finding every star and every stamp on a level before moving onto the next is probably not the ideal way to play this game, but it's how I did it, and I had a great time. The music is upbeat, and the level design is impressively creative.
4. Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V was a blast! At first, I wasn't sure how playing as three separate characters was going to play out, but my uncertainty was unwarranted. Michael, Franklin and Trevor each felt unique, and certainly had their own personalities. The mechanics seem vastly improved over GTA IV, and is so graphically impressive I almost don't believe it's a PS3/360 game.
5. Pokémon X/Y
It's Pokemon! I haven't cared a whole lot about Pokemon since Yellow, but with X & Y's transition to 3D models of every Pokemon, everything feels new again. Battles are fast paced with animations that feel like they're actually doing something. Anyone who thinks Pokemon is running out of ideas needs to play X/Y.
6. Rogue Legacy
Rogue-likes are not my usual cup of tea, but I had a lot of fun with Rogue Legacy. The random traits made planning your next run fun: Am I going to go in and go straight for a boss with a character that does a lot of damage, or am I going to explore the castle with a character who has a lot of health and collect as much gold as I can? Having upgrades gave a sense of progression which I appreciated a lot.
So that's it! Does anyone else have their own list for Game of the Year?
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