The best of the best!
The end of the worlds has been a somewhat boring affair, but it also means we have to carry on doing what we do, and as promised last week when we posted our Game of The Year nominations, which you can read here if you already haven’t, today is the day we let you in on our Game of The Year winners and in some cases, losers.
Check out the full list below, there’ even some pictures to keep your eyes happy:
Xbox 360
Halo 4
Without a doubt the most anticipated game of 2012. Halo 4 provided more thrills and action than anything else in the now decade old series. It wasn’t without its faults though, and nobody will forget the early leak…
Playstation 3
Journey
Journey really is a game that lived up to its name. The game itself was a journey through one of the most beautifully crafted worlds we have ever seen in video games. Graphics alone don’t make a game, the music was also top-notch and even got a nomination at this years Grammy Awards.
Nintendo Wii
Xenoblade Chronicles
Whilst not technically a 2012 release, Xenoblade Chronicles was first available in Europe and Australia in 2011, it did get a release in North America in April 2012. The Japanese RPG let you roam an open world and play out the adventurous story in your own time, and is no doubt one of the best games to have ever released on the Nintendo Wii console.
Nintendo Wii U
ZombiU
Few zombie games manage to convey the sense of despair as well as ZombiU. Annoyingly difficult at times, but also one of the finest zombie games in recent years.
Playstation Vita
LittleBigPlanet Vita
LittleBigPlanet Vita is the rarest of all gaming gems, it’s a game that keeps on giving, at zero cost to you. A fun campaign and well implemented touch controls bundled with thousands of user-created levels makes for a game that you can be playing well into next year. (Read the review here)
PC
Diablo III
An unfortunately buggy launch may have tarnished the reputation, but it didn’t do any damage to the number of copies Diablo III managed to shift. The follow-up to Diablo II is this years longest awaited sequel, nearly ten years actually. Incredible gameplay and brilliant visuals make it a no brainer this year.
Nintendo 3DS
New Super Mario Bros. 2
Yes it’s more of the same, but that’s not always a bad thing. The day they turn Super Mario into a first person shooter will be the day Mario really does die. Collecting coins is just too much fun!
Mobile
Rayman Jungle Run
It’s easy to disregard mobile games are “real” games, but if any this year showed that they are here to stay, it’s Rayman Jungle Run. It’s a simple formula of run from left to right, but for less than the cost of a McDonalds, it’s a longer lasting and ultimately more fulfilling purchase.
Best Exclusive
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation was a breath of fresh air for the Playstation Vita. A huge open world to run around and brutally assassinate your victims, but in your pocket. Like any other release, it has its issues, but once you look past them, theirs more than enough here to make you hug your shiny little Playstation Vita.
Best Single-Player
The Walking Dead
No game has offered so much choice and made you really think about your actions like The Walking Dead does. Without a doubt the best example of why point-and-click adventures need to be taken seriously.
Best Multiplayer
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
It’s the tried and tested formula of Call of Duty‘s multiplayer that keeps fans coming back, however this year Treyarch have once again taken the initiative to breathe fresh life into the limping series. Hours of competitive fun that will surely keep you busy well until the inevitable sequel. (Read the review here)
Best Graphics
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3‘s graphical fidelity is just one of the things the game has got going for it. The luscious environments put you in the heart of the island, so much so that you may actually forget your sat in your undies with crisps round you mouth.
Best Sound Design
Journey
As we mentioned earlier, Journey was nominated for a Grammy at this years Grammy Awards. That speaks for itself, the music was immense and without it, it would have only been half a game.
Best Open World
The Amazing Spider-Man
Webheads return to form in The Amazing Spider-Man is no small achievement. The best open-world experience this year is down to the fact you can literally swing your skinny little arse around New York and feel close than ever to the hero you play as.
Best Racing
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Criterion Games’ best efforts have not gone unnoticed, Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a force to be reckoned with. Drifting through the city streets of Fairhaven is a breeze and online multiplayer is just as rewarding as any other racer out today.
Best RPG
Mass Effect 3
Many will cite Mass Effect 3‘s controversial ending as reason to hate the game forever, but the build up was more than worth the stinging disappointment. So long Commander Sheppard!
Best Fighter
Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale
Thought it didn’t set the charts alight like Sony hoped, Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale is a true brawler worthy of your time. The massive character list and moves to learn and master, as well as some classic local multiplayer will have you and your mate beating each other in the game, then on the couch for “cheating” to win. (Read the review here)
Best Sports
Tony Hawks Pro Skater HD
Tony Hawks games have been terrible in recent years, so Tony Hawks Pro Skater HD marked a return to form for the ageing franchise. The button mashing fun and pretty visuals just reek of nostalgia, a smell we love more than any other.
Best Platformer
LittleBigPlanet Vita
Another award for Sackboy and his buddies with LittleBigPlanet Vita. We don’t need to go through it again, but just know that it’s worth getting a Playstation Vita just for the hundreds of hours you could sink into this jewel.
Best First-Person Shooter
Far Cry 3
Amidst the flood of military first-person shooters, Far Cry 3 came out and blew the competition away with not only solid shooting mechanics, but a decent story to go with it, as well as a massive open world for you to traverse and explore.
Best Third-Person Shooter
Max Payne 3
Max Payne returns with less hair and a few more lines on his ageing face. Don’t let that stop you from playing through his thirds story, it’s fantastic. The story takes inspiration from several Hollywood hits, most notably Man on Fire, which Max Payne really is. The brutal shoot outs and bullet-time action let us know that Max Payne is far from done.
Best Puzzle
Bad Piggies
Rovio’s Angry Birds will forever be their top title, but Bad Piggies won’t be far behind. Instead of flinging birds at pigs, you need to use a bit of grey matter to solve some ridiculously challenging but fun levels. Easy gaming at it’s hardest some would say.
Best Indie
Journey
A hat-trick for Journey. Developer Thatgamecompany really did a number with Journey and showed that you don’t need a powerhouse publisher with millions thrown at advertising to make a good game (though it does of course help). If you’re still yet to play it, why?!
Biggest Disappointment
Assassin’s Creed III
A drawn out tutorial and too many bugs for what should have been the years biggest blockbuster. Instead its handheld counterpart Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation has found more favour than this multi-million mess. It’s not a bad game by any means, but it’s just not what we were all promised.
Most Under-Hyped/Unappreciated
Spec Ops: The Line
A dark story that shows war isn’t all pretty explosions and little red dot iron sights, Spec Ops: The Line failed to achieve the big numbers it deserved. It’s a war shooter with more brains that most of copy and paste gruel we’re served up year after year.
Best Downloadable Game
The Walking Dead
Even with the likes of Journey and Tony Hawks Pro Skater HD being download only titles, The Walking Dead gets our vote. It’s video game storytelling on par with the best dramas on television, we’ll take some of that any day of the week.
Worst Game
007 Legends
A game so bad I only image playing it in a fiery hell whilst being force-fed my own insides by the Devil himself. Eurocom actually went bust after releasing this steaming pile of mess. Here’s a tip to any future developers who take on the Bond license, take what Eurocom did with 007 Legends, and then do the exact opposite.
Game of The Year
The Walking Dead
It’s a tight one, but The Walking Dead just about stumbles past Journey for this years The Games Cabin Game of The Year Award. If you have any love of good story telling, characters that are more than just pixels, and gameplay that sucks you in and fights when you try to get out, The Walking Dead is for you. If not, go and play 007 Legends.
That concludes this years The Games Cabin Game of The Year Awards. Hopefully some of your favourite gaming experiences made the list and if you’ve yet to play some of them, you know what to look out for when you next decide to put some money down for a new game. Just don’t get 007 Legends, it’s a criminal waste of money, and you will have more fun watching paint dry, then waiting for it to peel.
Agree with the winners? Think something else should have been Game of The Year? Let us know what your game of the year is in the comments below.