Game(s) of the Year 2012?

[AJvsRonin]

I know it's a little early but I'd like to get the discussion going as I'll be away on holiday for most of December.
Feel free to edit your post if something stunning comes out.

For me the top three are:

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Damn challenging and leads to some almost "emergent gameplay" like events, I found myself weirdly giving story lines to my soldiers that combined with in game events to crate a narrative that stuck with me.

Here's just a fraction of some of the stories that played out.

During a civilian rescue operation my heavy was forced to make a horrible decision. We'd just unwittingly uncovered a cluster of 2 cyberdiscs some chryssalids and heavy floaters. Basically all the maps enemies in one area who were unfortunately in a position wipe half our team out in 1 turn if we were lucky (I'd made a bad strategic decision). With only 1 turn left, for my Heavy. The use of the rocket launcher seemed obvious as it would get most of them but for one problem. In the middle of the cluster was a likely very terrified young woman. My heavy let the rocket fly, and which made his

Spoiler: Spoiler

final sacrifice on the final mission somewhat bitter sweet

Mid way into the game my lead sniper took on a rookie student who he was paired with on many missions, they went everywhere together, she used his 2nd hand equipment and followed his same upgrade path, and between them they saved a lot of asses. Near the end she (the student) was brutally beaten by a berserker who was immediately killed by her mentor. Critically wounded and bleeding out I couldn't get a support unit to her in time. She died right next to him.

While I have some issues with the game it was refreshingly new and these games tend to live in the realm of "indie" so it's great to see it as an almost AAA release.

Mass Effect 3:

Yes the final 10 minutes was fucking weird and putting serious story elements in DLC is retarded (what about those without Xbox LIVE? Rare I know but I'm one of them!) what it did well it did really fucking well. The culmination of the Genophage story, my bromance with Garrus, my actual romance with Liara, saying a prayer for Thane, giving the rock to Tali and (my favourite character in the whole series) saying farewell to Legion. A lot of tear jerker moments. Though I'm aware these moment's were really only great because the previous games were so great so that my cloud my judgement a little.
While people complained about the combat I thought it flowed better than 2 and customising my weapons was fun and brought it back closer to it's RPG origins.

Kerbal Space Program:

Ok and this last one is technically not a full game and is in Alpha stage but it's a game I got into this year and the latest updates this year have taken it from meh to great and the upcoming update is looking even better. I have sunken more hours into this game and it's mods than I did in Skyrim. It even seriously started effecting my relationship (not actually kidding on that one, she was worried we had serious issues that I was hiding behind video games so I had to show her the space station I was building to ease her worry).

So which am I calling number 1? Geez, tough one. So I'm gonna qualify it.

XCom: Enemy Unknown wins the "Breath of Fresh Air" and "Back From Retirement" awards.
Mass Effect 3 wins "Best Story" and "Returning Champion" awards.
Kerbal Space Program wins "Best Newcomer" and "Sandbox" awards.

MVP goes to...

Spoiler: Drum roll please....

Mass Effect 3

There I said it, now yell at me and tell me I'm wrong and why.
I'm hearing great things about "Faster Than Light". Thoughts?

Note: I did a quick search and didn't see the thread already existing, if it does just let me know and I'll close this one.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Well I didn't think I'd be saying this but my top two Games Of The Year are both Modern Military Shooters, namely Spec Ops: The Line and Call Of Duty: Black Ops II. Although admittedly, I haven't played any of the November/Christmas rush games besides Blops II, so that could well change. Mass Effect 3, I did believe was really good, but I would still say both of those were better.

Besides that it's mainly been the year of nostalgia for me, with HD Collections and remakes/re-releases aplenty. And I didn't think it would be fair to include them since these were games that weren't technically released this year. If they did though, then Sonic Adventure 2 would win, because I have so much love and nostalgia for that game it is unreal.

 

[Zhukov]

Top spots: Mass Effect 3, despite rolling over on the finish line and shitting itself inside out, and Telltale's The Walking Dead.. TWD probably sneaks ahead due to the tear factor and fantastic ending.

Runner-ups: XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Dishonored and Journey.

Honourable mentions: Hitman Absolution and Spec Ops: The Line.

Haven't played Far Cry 3 yet, but have seen and heard good things.

 

[AJvsRonin]

Yeah, it's a problem when thinking of these that you're limited to what you've played obviously.
I haven't played Halo 4, Dishonoured and I'm hearing good things about Far Cry 3. I was too busy obsessing over Skyrim and Kerbal Space Program to notice some of them. Spec Ops: The Line was good, but I don't think it struck me the same way it did with other people.

 

[DustyDrB]

Mark of the Ninja for me. Fantastic stealth game and very satisfying. I will be going back to it again and again.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

I was going to say Mass Effect 3 for first place, but I've just finished Persona 4: Golden... so yeah
1)Persona 4: Golden
2)Mass Effect 3
3)The Walking dead

 

[PrimitiveJudge]

The VGA on december 7th will reveal is all.

My votes are going to:

1). Borderlands 2
2). Dishonored
3). Mass Effect 3 (mentioned Skyrim but the DLC's take to long)

 

[Lucyfer86]

Gonna hop in to the Mass Effect 3 train here, just amazing experience overall.

Let's see what else... i quess this might sound abit sad but; Mists of Pandaria.
Yeah that's right, personally i think it's the best expansion since The Burning Crusade.

 

[krazykidd]

Persona 4 Arena . Easy to pick up fighting game with a proper story? Yes please! They even have auto combo for newbs and a proper tutorial . The game has a nice pace and proper depth for anyone looking for it , and just plain fun to play for non-tournament players .

To be honest i haven't played many 2012 game since most don't appeal to me . I have yet to buy Last story and xenoblade ( which came out this year in Canada).

 

[Pickles]

I'd have to go with The Walking Dead. Finished it today and that final chapter was amazing.
Haven't played many of this years huge ones though, I can't really bring myself to finish Borderlands 2 and I've yet to try Spec Ops, Far Cry 3 or Hitman.
Dishonored would probably be my second pick given how few I've played this year.

 

[hazabaza1]

Walking Dead. No doubt about it.
Also had a hell of a time with Max Payne 3 and Tokyo Jungle.

 

[Mordekaien]

If you would ask me 2 months ago, I would've said Dishonored. Now the positions shifted slightly.

1. Walking Dead
2. Dishonored
3. FTL

I haven't played many new released this year though.

 

[viranimus]

For my money, hands down, easily Mass effect 3. The gameplay and story were surprisingly good from beginning to end. Im sure I will generate aggro with this, I apologize in advance. I am stating an opinion. I personally feel it was the greatest ending to a video game... ever. It did something that no game has been able to accomplish in its narrative thus far. Transcend its media and have it.... transubstantiate in real world parallels

Id go with Legend of Grimrock for a second place. While short and far from flawless, it gives us that good old school vibe, without falling back on tedious old school mechanics to emulate that vibe (looking at you Isometric RPGs)

Third? Id go with ehh... Kingdoms of Amalur. Perhaps simply out of lament of its fate.

My list is certainly lopsided, but rightly so as I am still trying to work off 2011s backlog.

 

[Pero]

Top 4 (not in any paricular order becouse I can't choose): XCOM Enemy Unknown, Dishonored, Mark of the Ninja and Rayman Origins (came this year for PC).
Still waiting to play AC3 and Far Cry 3.

 

[FEichinger]

FTL is pretty much the only 2012 game at all that I genuinely enjoyed playing ... So, yeh, vote's simple.

 

[Sonicron]

Well, I was impressed with Dishonored, and Spec Ops: The Line blew me away in terms of writing, but my overall favourite game of this year has to be Darksiders 2. The first game was already great, and the sequel was bigger and better in every way. More, please.