The Best of 2012

Best Shooter Game ~ Far Cry 3

Far Cry 3 is the best of not both, but all worlds for fans of the shooter genre! the game simply has it all. Adrenaline filled action sequences, one of the coolest villains I’ve ever seen in a game to date, one of the best hunting and stealth mechanics I’ve ever seen, and a beautiful, wide open world to explore right at your fingertips. Once you arrive on the island for the first time, you choose what you want to do next. This is one game that should be on anyone’s Christmas list this holiday, no matter what you’ve thought of shooter games in the past.

Best Sports Game ~ Madden 13

Madden has managed to pull together a very rotten reputation over the last few years, with many of its so-called fans complaining for more in the game, many upset claiming that the game is “just another $60 roster update!” But if you’re upset with this year’s entry into the franchise, I don’t know how else to tell you that your just plain wrong. With the new Infinity Engine dynamically changing up the game to make each play look different from the last and the major presentation overhaul add up to make the game look far better than just another roster update. This year’s Madden was a triumphant “Touchdown!” in my books.

Best Racing Game ~ Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Need for Speed: Most Wanted put all other racing games to shame for me. Fairhaven is your very own world to explore as you see fit. Race your way through story mode, or challenge the record-setting times of your friends online. Or, just cruise through the streets and enjoy the open road. And if you include how gorgeous the game looks and the streamlined control/menu system, the game really couldn’t have been any more polished in my books.

Best Fighting Game ~ PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

Sure you could argue that this is just Sony’s port of Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series to the PlayStation, but the game does have its own unique twist on the formula to make it stand out on its own. From the unique scoring system to the emphasis on actual fighting mechanics, the game all comes to together in one fantastic multiplayer package that should keep you and your friends entertained for a very, very long time.

Best Action Game ~ Dishonored

Dishonored is perhaps the most fun first-person stealth game I’ve ever played. Set in a ridiculously cool, steampunk-esque world where you play as a supernatural assassin named Corvo Attano –awesome name alert– the game branches down through an exciting, windy road until you reach the end of the story. Dishonored is the perfect game for those who wish to choose how they want to approach a situation and how they want to kill their target. Dishonored forces you into nothing and lets you lose to carry out the goal no matter how you choose. I never once thought killing would be so fun!

Best MMO ~ Guild Wars 2

This year was a busy year for MMOs. The Old Republic went free-to-play, both Rift and LotRO had fantastic expansion releases, and yet, Guild Wars 2 managed to work its way through all that and capture my attention most. ArenaNet gave an enormous amount of dedication towards reworking the many longstanding conventions in MMOs in trying to give the genre a bit of fresh air. The result was astonishing. Exploring the world and getting rewarded for it couldn’t have been more fun, partaking in the many dynamic events occurring at the same time is a blast, and the ginormous world versus world PVP events are one of the coolest memories I’ll ever have from an MMO game. Guild Wars 2 couldn’t have been any better, and for the cost of $0 a month, it’s most definitely worth a try for the first time!