Best Adventure Game
Assassin’s Creed IV
The Assassin’s Creed series has always been more of an action game, what with its assassinations and prompt-based combat. It’s strange, then, that Black Flag manages to deliver what is quite possibly the greatest backdrop in which to adventure: the Caribbean. With pirates, sea shanties, and rum aplenty, there are few games that can hold a flintlock pistol to the grand scope of Assassin’s Creed IV. Sailing the waters in search of treasure, uncovering Aztecan secrets across dozens of locations and exploring the piratically-themed world blend harmoniously with the established mechanics we’ve come to adore. Black Flag makes for one of the greatest adventures of all time, if only for its massive world, exciting setting and its anarchic themes.
Best Action Game
The Last of Us
It’s not often that an experience like The Last of Us comes along; a game in which action and adventure merely fuel a beautifully told story. There are guns, yes, and people shooting them, too. Although, it’s what you don’t see that makes the games strongest point abundantly clear. A world destroyed by natures hands; desperation and violence turning the gears of humanity as it slowly feeds on its final crops. In such a setting, the Zombie-like abominations are the least of the worlds problems, but in what is possibly the greatest escort mission in history, they’re something you’ll find yourself concerned with as you and your young companion calculatingly escape harms fungal grip. It’s world is far from perfect; dark, cruel and derelict, but The Last of Us is the perfect game in its genre, balancing narrative and action seamlessly.
Best Platforming Game
Rayman Legends
Despite this year having a lot of great platformers, no game could outmatch Rayman Legends. After starting like your average platformer, Rayman Legends really starts to shine with Castle Rock. The stage, which is your standard run to the end level, is played to the tune of Black Betty and extremely well done. This is just one of the music levels that make Rayman Legends such a memorable title. Beyond that, everything just comes together so well. Every level is lush and vibrant, with a real attention to detail. Especially on some of the later stages with some of the crazier enemies. Even when you do everything Rayman Legends has to offer, you can try your luck at the daily challenges. These randomly generated levels put your skills to the test to see how fast, far or well you can complete any given challenge. Needless to say, you could spend a year playing Rayman Legends and still have new things to do.
Best Racing Game
Need for Speed: Rivals
The Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted reboots were well-received, but had some rough edges. The team behind Rivals smoothed them out and combined the best elements of each game for the franchise’s first entry on next-gen systems. Rivals impresses visually with some stunning lightning and rain effects, while the wails of car sirens and hard crashes bring about panic in players. Its always-connected gameplay allows you to race online whenever you want to and the violent nature of the crashes makes every race fun.
Best Shooter
Bioshock Infinite
Beyond its landmark storytelling and smart use of historical aesthetic, Bioshock Infinite was a big step forward for the shooter genre. With inventive use of the Vigor powers and lots of creative enemies to defeat, the action was blisteringly intense, but it was that magic little Skyhook item and the Skyline rails that sent the game into the stratosphere. Fluid motion across massive battlegrounds, simple controls for Skyline combat; it all contributed to a rollercoaster ride through the cloud. Irrational Games’ jump beyond the suspenseful combat of the first Bioshock was startling, a tremendous progression for the shooter genre and an over-the-top joyride that easily wins the award for the best experience seen down the barrel of a gun.
Best PS3 Game
The Last of Us
It’s the end of the world again, dark and grim but maybe not completely hopeless. The Last of Us’s mushroom zombie apocalypse takes place in a brutal, vicious world where the people are every bit as troublesome as the monsters, and it’s not made any easier by needing to protect Ellie. The heart of the story is the relation between Joel and Ellie as they roadtrip through a destroyed America, surviving whatever comes their way while transforming from protector and protected into something much more like a family, but it’s never heavy-handed in its emotional payload. The stealth action of the gameplay is good, solid, brutal stuff, but combined with the very human story of Joel and Ellie’s journey it becomes a desperate struggle for survival where nothing is too brutal to keep the family together...
Best Wii U Game
Super Mario 3D World
I would be lying if I said Super Mario 3D World redefines the platforming genre or Mario for that matter, but that doesn’t stop it from delivering an amazing experience. A lot of this has to do with Nintendo having fun with the stages, such as adding a murky swamp, a Zelda inspired level, a haunted pirate ship and even a solid gold train loaded with coins. In addition to having fun with the concept, Super Mario 3D World offers different challenges for each character. What might be easy for Peach could be next to impossible as toad and vice versa. This allows games to not only “adjust” the difficulty, but makes multiplayer a lot more challenging than before. With eight worlds to explore, several post game worlds to discover and a special bonus for getting all the collectibles, it’s no surprise why fans can’t stop talking about Super Mario 3D World.
Best Xbox 360 Game
Battleblock Theater
While it was a slow year for Xbox exclusives, BattleBlock Theater gave Xbox gamers plenty to do. This all starts off with the story, which is told via paper cutouts on Popsicle sticks and is narrated by the infamous Will Stamper. Sure, the story isn’t that deep, but you’ll be too busy laughing to care. Especially when you get the to the end and… well, it’s definitely one of those games you need to finish. Upon finishing the game, you can take your antics online and experience redesigned levels that force you to work with your partner. However, don’t be surprised if your partner decides to troll you instead. If co-op isn’t your thing, there is also a robust community section, where you can try your hand at user created content or make your own stages. These stages could end up becoming a Furbottom’s Feature, which not only highlights your work, but also typically offers a unique prisoner for completing. With so much to do, it’s hard to believe this gem is only $14.99.
2013 Game of the Year
The Last of Us
2013 was one of the strongest years ever in video game history. Never before have so many AAA and indie titles with such overwhelming quality debuted in the same short timespan. In any other year, games like BioShock Infinite or Grand Theft Auto V would have easily walked away with this award. Unfortunately for them, however, they were not only released in this tough year but also alongside The Last of Us. It was clear upon release and even more so six months later how important of an achievement The Last of Us is for the medium. It’s not the deepest story to ever grace a game, but it’s one of the most realistic and perfectly paced ones we’ve experienced in one. Thanks to its mature manner, it’s one of the few video game stories that could truly be adapted into a film and preserve its integrity. It doesn’t succumb to convoluted, branching plotlines or crucial story elements told through side stories or item pickups, but instead presents everything in a single perfectly unfolded story. Better yet, Nauighty Dog resisted implementing any larger than life boss battles with a clicker as tall as a skyscraper — with one of the most memorable “boss battles” simply seeing Joel face of against another man. Most importantly, however, The Last of Us proved how far video games have evolved and gave hope for where the medium would go — and managed to do so on seven year old hardware.
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