PixlBit

2013 was a great year for video games in my opinion. There was a pretty wide range of enjoyable titles throughout the year for all platforms, and it's been a joy trying to get my hands on them all. I'd rather not rank them, but rather recognize them for their qualities. Here's my list!

Fire Emblem Awakening 

"I knew that there was something special about this game from the get go. The astounding presentation was top notch, something I hadn’t expected since Fire Emblem is generally treated as a B tier franchise here in America. Thankfully, Awakening was able to build upon that great presentation with extremely solid gameplay, which is basic enough for beginners and challenging enough to engage veterans like myself." - from our collective Review earlier this year.

Tomb Raider

Of all the games on my list, this one I didn't expect to be on here. I rented this game with the assumption that it would be a fun game, but nothing more. It ended up being one of my favorite experiences this year. Tomb Raider has solid gameplay, great environments and built a solid foundation for future games in the series. I'm definitely looking forward to more from Ms. Croft.

Bioshock Infinite

Though some were disappointed with certain aspects of Bioshock Infinite, I found this game to be really outstanding. I loved the world, the characters and the gameplay. The powers were fun to use in combat, and the gunplay felt better to me than it did in previous games. Sure, the emphasis on combat was a bit overdone at some points, but I felt that the narrative payoff was more than worth it. The ending of this game was one of my favorites this year. I talked about it for weeks after finishing it, and I can't wait to get the DLC to dive back into that universe.

The Last of Us

For me, The Last of Us provided one of this years best narratives in all of games. This was due to the great writing, acting and graphics that helped get the message across. Every peice of this game fell into place for me, whether it was scrambling to gather enough materials to survive an area, or sneaking around trying to avoid enemies that would lead to my certain doom. It was a tense adventure, that was complemented by great moments and characters. And again, the ending was one of the best I've seen to date. It was really something.

Tales of Xillia

In a year full of great RPG's, Tales of Xillia hit all the right marks for me. It had great characters, combat and music - everything that I want from a Tales of game. I poured 90 hours into this game, and plan to play it once more to see the other story elements that I may have missed. Not to mention, with a sequel and a new Tales of game coming in 2014 and 2015 respectively, my enthusiasm for the Tales series hasn't been much higher.

Pokemon X

Pokemon X helped me fall back in love with a series that helped me fall in love with gaming as a whole. Nostalgia, and community were the biggest assets in this, but solid gameplay mechanics keep this game in rotation for me. Training up teams for competitive battle has been consuming much of my time lately, and I can't wait to import my old Pokemon to battle with them once again. 

Super Mario 3D World

I've been playing a lot of Mario 3D World recently and what a fun experience it has been. Every time I play it, I get this huge grin and can't help but have fun and marvel at what the game has to offer. The Wii U has had a rocky year, but games like this will surely make sure that my Wii U stays in use.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

I didn't play the original LttP (yet) but man, ALBW does so much right that its almost not fair. Solid gameplay, interesting and innovative puzzles and just the right amount of challenge helped this game keep surprising me as I played. I love how the game manages to keep tradition in some ways, while completely diverging in other ways but overall manage to be exactly what I want from the game. I only hope the next home console, main series Zelda title manage to itterate on this.

Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends had a tough year with the delay and sluggish sales, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the tightest platforming experiences out there. Not only is it extremely enjoyable, but the beautiful art and wonderful music add to what is already a great package. I urge people to pick up this game - it really shouldn't be missed.

Batman: Arkham Origins

This game might seem like an odd addition to some - and for good reason. It's not the best Batman game by any means. That said, its still a really good game with a memorable story, and had some really satisfying gameplay as well. While this game did bring about issues that didn't exist before, it still was a game that I enjoyed playing. That said, I hope the next one manages to get rid of the mistakes and as Julian would agree - I wouldnt mind if Batman took a small break from games. Give Superman or Green Lantern a shot please? K thanks! 

Saints Row IV

Saints Row IV is just plain, silly fun and thats why its onl my list. I've only played the first 2 hours in a demo I tried out earlier this year, but I can't wait to sink into this game because of how off the wall and genuinely fun it is to play. 

Gone Home

Gone Home makes my list because of its minimalistic approach to story telling that was both effective and memorable. I really enjoyed searching the house wondering just what happened to everyone that was there. There was a lot to enjoy and while it may not have the same appeal to everyone - I certainly felt that it was very well done and one of this years best titles.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

Brothers is a great game, because of its use of mechanics to tell a story. This is one thing that took me a while to realize, but the more I thought about it, the more it sank in. That said, even with that taking a while to hit me, there were other things that were really upfront and memorable about Brothers, whether it was the story or the beautiful art, or the unique gameplay. I urge everyone to give Brothers a shot, it was quite the experience. 

Edit ( I completely forgot about this game, and Im sad that I did, because I really enjoyed my time with it)

Splinter Cell: Blacklist

I'm pretty upset that I left Blacklist off of my list. I went into the game expecting nothing much, but I was rewarded with so much more. The amount of ways I could utilize stealth in this game really intrigued me and kept me playing the really well done campaign. Not to mention the game boasted a very interesting thriller campaign, and some well done open ended level designs that helped it really resonate with me. Hopefully people tried this one out!

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Now as a disclaimer, there are a bunch of games that I haven't gotten around to yet, like Assassins Creed or Pikmin 3 but these are the games that made big impressions on me this year. I didn't count episodic games like Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us because they aren't done. Anyway, what do you think? Agree or disagree, leave a comment below! Also, Happy New Year!