2013 "Of the Year" awards Part 1

2013's 2011 Game finished in 2013

Far less tactical but more dynamic and fluid, Dragon Age II was rightly criticised for it's tiny scope and asset reuse. More of an expansion than a full game, if you burn through only the story quests, the narrative is rewarding with fun familiar mechanics. A far more attractive and well animated game than the original I am glad I finished it.

2013 Worst Game I Finished

Aliens: CM is an embarrassment for all involved. Ostensibly a Gearbox joint until it was apparently surreptitiously handed off to Timegate to finish while Borderlands 2 was in developement, A:CM is an abuse of the franchise. Ugly, often broken and creatively bankrupt has burned Gearbox's goodwill with any licensed IP and will be remembered as the Duke Nukem of 2013.

  

2013 Best "Heavy Rain"

Beyond is a further extension of Developer Quantic Dream's long term vision to remove gameplay completely from their games. A deeply flawed narrative bounces around cinema's greatest hits and adds nothing. Pretty put dumb, Beyond is an interesting experiment.

2013's Most Polished Turd

Grand Theft Auto V is a technical masterpiece of stunning scale and detail. Its vision of modern Los Angeles is sprawling but familiar as the trisected story winds in and around the city. Jumping from character to character at will allows emergent discovery of the open world but unfortunately the characters tread worn Rockstar ground. Essentially a mashup of Max Payne, San Andreas & Manhunt, the lead characters are colorful but trite stereotypes designed to shock but simply bore.

2013's Best Missed Opportunity

Bioshock Infinite is a startling beautiful horribly linear game that struggles to balance its epic vision with stilted mechanics. Touching upon themes of race, American Exceptionalism, oppressed becoming oppressor, and the desperate choices parents make, it fails to explore any of them, wrapping up in a dense spout of exposition. Essentially a Disney princess moved surrounded by graphic murder, Bioshock Infinite fails to live up to the standard it sets for itself.

2013 Best Broken Batman

Arkham Origins is a rushed broken sequel to Arkham City. It reuses levels and assets from AC and was plagued by glitches and lack of polish. However, the combat mechanics remain as satisfying as ever and that alone makes this game worth playing.