Posted 10:43 pm Friday, December 14, 2012
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Year balanced with indies, blockbusters, new IPs
It's been an interesting year for video games. We've seen the release of two new gaming platforms with the PlayStation Vita and the Nintendo Wii U. We've seen Kickstarter become the go-to method for small developers to find financial traction for games that might otherwise flounder (though we've yet to see the final results of those crowd-sourced projects). And we've also seen independently developed gather more and more of the gaming public's attention.
What's been most heartening to me, however, is that my list of the year's top games contains so many new IPs. The gaming industry has become obsessed with milking as much mileage as possible out of a property that it can often seem like there are no new ideas or projects anymore. Thankfully, 2012 proved most certainly not to be the case.
What we got was a year with some excellent AAA material (some of it original, some of it not) with a respectable mix of indie offerings.
10. "Hotline Miami"
At first glance, "Hotline Miami" looks crude, offensive and garish. A top-down shooter bathed in a psychedelic aesthetic and dripping with pixilated violence, "Hotline Miami" likely would have elicited the same sort of derision and anger from parents and politicians that "Mortal Kombat" received back in the '90s. But beneath its stark approach to violence and brilliant, pulsating electronica soundtrack is a rather sly commentary on the nature of violence in video games and the acceptance that we as gamers have toward it. It is a game that both revels in and comments on its very existence and is by far one of the most arresting games of the year.
9. "Halo 4"
I'm positively shocked that I even played this game, much less enjoyed it as much as I did. I've enjoyed the "Halo" series for the most part, but to say I was ambivalent toward "Halo 4" would be an understatement. And yet. 343 Industries took a series that largely felt rote and infused it with a new spark while somehow still making it feel like a legacy game. That they managed to make me care about Master Chief's struggle to save the life of his deteriorating A.I. companion is something of a minor miracle, but also a significant reason why I connected with the game. Combined with exceptionally satisfying multiplayer and graphics that go farther than I thought the Xbox 360 capable of and you have a game of undeniable quality.
8. "Dragon's Dogma"
What I said then:
If nothing else, "Dragon's Dogma" feels like a highly polished proof of concept. There are some wonderful ideas at play even if it struggles to craft a unique identity. It's interesting to see a Japanese developer attempt to emulate the work of American game makers, and while it's not always successful in what it sets out to do, I still found it to be a remarkably compelling experience. There's a wonderful foundation that's been laid here and I sincerely hope Capcom finds a way to further refine them as this could be the start of a great new franchise.
What I think now:
In a year brimming with sequels, "Dragon's Dogma" was a welcome attempt at something new yet familiar. Its flaws are no less glaring now than when I first played the game, but it remains one of the most compelling gaming experiences I've had all year. Here's hoping Capcom refines it on the next go 'round.
7. "Mass Effect 3"
What I said then:
BioWare has set the bar for how long form storytelling and character development should be handled in a video game. ... It's not perfect and there is plenty other teams can do to improve what's been established, but in short this is one of the most significant accomplishments we'll see in this generation of video gaming.
What I think now:
All anyone ever seems to talk about with "Mass Effect 3" is whether or not the game's final few minutes are the worst thing ever or not. To me, that shortchanges the game to an enormous degree. BioWare got so much right with this franchise and handled the final chapter of this trilogy in a way that few studios likely could, regardless of what the "ending" does or does not do. My farewell to Thane Krios and final bro-date with Garrus Vakarian remain two of the most memorable moments I had in any medium this year. I could hardly ask more of such a game.
6. "Need for Speed: Most Wanted"
This is just about everything I want out of a racing game. Cool cars, fun physics and a sense of speed that has quite literally kept me at the edge of my seat. Criterion Games have once again shown that no other developer else makes arcade-style racing games as thoughtfully and to such a level of quality.
5. "Max Payne 3"
What I said then:
"Rockstar's biggest accomplishment, though, is how all of these features consistently come together so that we are always being pushed forward in Max's story. The gun battles, the increasingly dangerous and decrepit environments, Max's dour (yet often poetic) inner monologue, it's never there simply to be stylish or cool, it's always in service of putting us further in the shoes of our battered hero. There are plenty of non-interactive cutscenes, but one always flows seamlessly into the other so the dividing line between them often feels invisible. You may not always interact with the story, but you always feel a part of it.
What I think now:
This is a game that has settled nicely into a year filled with fantastic offerings. It remains one of the most memorable and fully-realized visions, seamlessly moving between gameplay and story. It's far from the most original games this year, but there's something to be said for doing one thing and doing it better than nearly everyone else. It's graphically stunning, has an equally exceptional soundtrack and crafts an engaging story around solid mechanics. It's difficult to ask for much more than that from a video game.
4. "Mark of the Ninja"
What I said then:
"'Mark of the Ninja' probably has some flaws, but at the moment I'm hard-pressed to think of any that really matter. This is an excellent game that I can't wait to play through again."
What I think now:
There is no title out in 2012 that does stealth gameplay better than "Mark of the Ninja." Gorgeous, exhilarating and, quite simply, brilliantly executed, the folks at Klei have given us a modern classic.
3. "Dishonored"
This came oh so close to being my top game on the list. This one hit the sweet spot of providing a unique and memorable world and gameplay that allows the player to use said world as their own personal sandbox of creativity. It's one of those games where thinking, "I wonder if I can..." results in you being able to do just that. But doing so in the wonderfully crafted world of Dunwall - a quasi-Steampunk
Like "Mark of the Ninja," "Dishonored" does an incredible job of empowering the player. There aren't a multitude of tools at your disposal but each one provides so many options when combined with the others. "Dishonored" is this year's "Deus Ex: Human Revolution," a compellingly crafted and presented world that I can't wait to dip back into and see what new ways exist for me to explore it.
2. "Spec Ops: The Line"
What I said then:
I'm not sure I can classify "Spec Ops: The Line" as a great game (intentional or not, its gameplay really is too rote to feel anything more than standard), but it's entirely possible that we'll look back in 20 years on it as a point in gaming history when we began to see games tackle mature themes and become introspective rather than aiming to simply be glossy thrill rides.
What I think now:
This is the most important video game of 2012. This is the definitive proof that, with the right creative voices behind them, video games can successfully break free of the mold of simply being mindless entertainment and be something much more subversive and thought-provoking. Yes, its gameplay remains fairly rote, but everything else "Spec Ops: The Line" accomplishes makes up for it by being a game that dares to stretch the confines of what a combat-focused game can and should be.
1. "Journey"
What I said then:
"The best I can say is that this is a game that should be experienced by all. There are moments and images in this game that will stick with me for a very long time, moments that define what makes video games such an engrossing medium and that truly can help make the argument that they are indeed a form of art."
What I think now:
No other game this year moved me the way "Journey" did. It's odd, somewhat, admitting that a video game provided a unique and affecting emotional experience, but such is the marvelous and ever-evolving nature of video games. "Journey" is a beautiful experience that embodies everything that makes the medium great.
