Game of the Half Year 2013

[piinyouri]

Hoping for Borderlands 2. Solely so they release a GOTY/Ultimate edition with all the DLC already included so I can buy it (I dun wanna buy all ze DLC sep'rat, 's 'spensive).

That is actually a legitimate reason to wait for the GOTY edition. Hopefully, they include the creature slaughter dome, mechromancer, and psycho dlcs as well as the story ones.

By the way, have you played Zero and if so, which build would be best: sniping/cunning or cunning/bloodshed

I've never played the game so I have no idea what you're talking about.

Also, I don't give a shit about optimum builds.

Ever.

Good man/woman.

I get far more enjoyment out of it this way as well. I have a bunch of sub-optimum builds that are crazy fun.
A word of warning, you will almost assuredly not make it to the final play through with anything but a super optimized build. You'll have to throw out all uniqueness a character may have and farm certain weapons and equipment for just about everyone who goes into said play through.

Yeah, I've been noticing that Borderlands 2 is starting to become more mathematical in terms of loot, skills, and team composition. It all feels like that there is a giant diagram of stats and components interconnected and in the web are both the quirky and the optimal

By the way, got any images of optimal builds for all classes, been trying to create them (note will not try to use anarchy or hellborn trees for mechromancer or psycho receptively, higher risk than reward in my analysis)

I'm afraid I don't. You could try the character sub-forums on the Gearbox forum. There's several guides for all the optimal builds for each character I'm sure.

 

[Evonisia]

I haven't played many releases of 2013, thankfully I've gotten a copy of Bioshock: Infinite to see what that's all about (though I've decided to complete 1 before it).

My favourite game out of the ones I know have came out combined with ones I've seen all the way through or played is Remember Me. I love this game and despite the fact that the majority say that it's spread too thin or doesn't live up to it's own expectations etc. I think that's all a load of nonsense and it didn't bother me while playing it.

 

[Lesz Banham]

For me though I enjoyed Tomb Raider probably the most my game of the year so far is Last Of Us or Infinite. I enjoyed Tomb Raider more though

 

[Lucyfer86]

Crysis 3, just love that series. That, and also haven't really bought that many games that came out this year so far.

 

[The Lyre]

We do NOT need a "Game of the Half Year." I already hate seeing the acronym "GOTY" everywhere at the end of the year, since to me it sounds like a creepy goat fetish. And "GOTHY" just sounds like how a grandmother would describe a group of people she saw walking down the street who were headed to a Black Sabbath concert.

I've only read half the thread, but this is definitely Post of the Half-Thread (PotHY)...so far (PotHYos).

GOTY contenders?

Unfortunately this year I'm apparently entirely out of touch, because I dislike The Last of Us and my opinions on Bioshock Infinite make people want to hit me.

At least quite a few people have said Metal Gear Rising, which, as far as the game part of gaming goes, is my favourite by far. It's my Hotline Miami of 2013 - incredible gameplay and a great, if somewhat cheesy soundtrack.

Soul Sacrifice is sort of on my GOTHY list, too, for its atmosphere and lore.

Blood Dragon and Call of Juarez: Gunslinger get honourable mentions for finally injecting some passion into the FPS genre.

GOTY contenders?

Anti-Game of the Half Year

Compared to my expectations for it, as a massive fan of the Shock franchise? Infinite.

But that game wasn't that bad...sort of.

My actual "Jesus Christ why does this exist?" of the half-year would be The War Z - or whatever it's calling itself now.

Not that I actually played it, of course. The controversy and 'marketing tactics' alone earn it the honour of being AGotHY.

 

[Talentino Max]

#1 The Last of us
#2 Bioshock infinite
#3 Tomb Raider Tied with Metro.

Tomb raider and metro were damn good gaming, and Bioshock infinite BLEW MY MIND! I thought for sure bioshock was Game of the year, but then I started hearing non stop about the Last of us, So I dusted off my ps3 that hasnt been used in over a year and gave the Last of Us a try.. all I can say is WOW!! Not only hands down the game of the year but easily in the running for the best game of this Generation of console. Which sucks cus I'm all about the xbox.. but I totally gotta give it up to sony on this exclusive, It's amazing. I would go as far as putting it somewhere in the top 10, no top 5 games of all time, right next to Zelda Ocarina of time.

p.s I find it hard to believe metal gear is even around in a game of the year discussion... must be the young kid voters.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Bioshock Infinite by a long shot. The story was absolutely brilliant. Not sure why some people are raving about plot holes because every single one I've seen mentioned is answerable. The combat was fun even though it was repetitive (but that tends to be the problem with every single FPS and even the original Bioshock) mostly because the skyline sections helped elevate it beyond generic. This game made me care about Elizabeth more than any other video game character for a very long time. I loved how the ending just kind of happens without thoroughly explaining it (it does beat you over the head with the multiverse thing but I suspect that's because a large percentage of people are not familiar at all with the theory) and expects the player to connect everything. It was a significantly more intelligent story than most other games. Honestly, I think it soured me on other video game stories because Mass Effect just seems so average now...

Since The Last of Us is being mentioned a lot in direct comparison to Infinite (they're completely different so I'm not sure why) I'll add my two sense. While the Last of Us of definitely a great game and had probably the best atmosphere I've ever experience (maybe tied with Limbo) everything about it just felt so "been there, done that". I'm not really sure how to explain it other than it feels so generic but still outstanding at the same time. It was great but I liked Infinite more. Who knows though, I only JUST completed Infinite (thought it was going to be overrated as hell) so I could just be running off the highs of it. I just know that it's really all I've been thinking about for the past day since I completed it last nigh. The Last of Us didn't have that same effect.

 

[briankoontz]

I really like threads like this - these should be every 3 months, not every 6.

My Top 6 for Jan 2013 through Jun 2013:

#1 - Out of the Park Baseball 14
#2 - Rogue Legacy
#3 - Borderlands 2 Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep DLC
#4 - Fieldrunners 2
#5 - Don't Starve
#6 - Tomb Raider

 

[Inconspicuous Trenchcoat]

Trials Evolution Gold Edition (PC) (I recommend you demo it first, as the port may run horribly on your particular PC)

Platformers are one of my favorite genres, I loved Trials 2 and HD, and I also loved Excite Bike as a kid. A modern Excite Bike and sequel to a loved game would of course capture my love. It's kind of like a really intricate platformer--you have to really pay attention to the nuances of the physics engine, and then manipulate it. You race across zany obstacles, as quickly as possible, without falling off your motorcycle. And that's it. It's an arcadey, try again instantly, high scoring, fun game of constant self improvement. It's really satisfying to completely wreck a stage with so little effort, when just days/weeks ago you could barely finish it. The mulitplayer's not bad either. Especially in local play: had a few hilarious sessions.

 

[stroopwafel]

Favorite games so far this year are Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite, Metro Last Light and Tomb Raider. I really enjoyed Dead Space 3 and Devil May Cry as well despite these games being pretty much just by the numbers affaires. I thought co-op would ruin DS3 for me but no such thing, as the level lay-out suited the single-player campaign as well. Yeah it was low on atmosphere and it had absolutely none of the creepy vibe its predecessors often had but judged solely as a third person shooter it was still pretty good. My only gripes were the poor hit detection of the human opponents and the controls which were too sluggish to fight any other enemy but Necromorphs.

I played and enjoyed all the classic DmC games(except 2) but really enjoyed the 'reboot' as well. Yeah emo Dante sucked but I was never too fond of camp Dante either. The gameplay was excellent, and I actually found it a bit more intuitive than the classics as well.

Honorable mention goes to Metal Gear Revengeance and Deadly Premonition Director's Cut. Most of Revengeance was great but I found some of the bosses really frustrating and the story was just so unbelievably stupid. I know it was probably intended to be bad comedy but I think it even failed at that. Still, having the opportunity to re-enact the fight against Gekkos as seen in that MGS4 cutscene alone makes this game worhwhile.

I liked Deadly Premonition as well. I'm not a big fan of murder mysteries but the 'out there' style of the game and eccentric characters more than made up for that. I actually became pretty engaged in the story up until the ending when it just fell apart for me. And unfortunately the game didn't have much more going for it but the story. It actually reminded me of a PS2 game they forgot to release(and that's a compliment) and I also doubt considering some of the twisted subject matter(espescially later on) any publisher would greenlight such a project nowadays.

Biggest surprise was the Tomb Raider reboot. Never been a big fan of the previous games but I found the new one totally awesome and a consistenly fun game without any boring slogs. Kinda reminded me of a mix between Resident Evil 4 and Uncharted.

In all some great games so far this year already. Now looking forward to GTA5 and Arkham Origins.

 

[Dominic Crossman]

Got to be Last of Us for me on the basis I didn't enjoy bioshock, xcom came out last year not this year and honestly can't think of any titles that came out this year that I enjoyed.

 

[bfgmetalhead]

I would vote for Metro:LL, i just had a blast with that game. No game for a while has left me that satisfied and pleased.

 

[Thoughtful_Salt]

There are five games so far which should be included in the discussion
1.Tomb Raider-better than many people give it credit for

2.Papers, Please-One of the best beta's i've ever played

3.Bioshock Infinite-because everyone else says it has to be a GOTY contender

4.The last of us

5.fire emblem awakening

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

You know, for a long time my answer to Game Of The Year 2013 was Bioshock Infinite, which is still great in my opinion, don't get me wrong.
And then The Last Of Us came along and kind of knocked Bioshock off it's throne for me.

 

[TheYellowManalishi]

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon for me. Partly because it was great, neon soaked fun, but mainly because it's the only game I've played that was released this year.

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

I'm pretty sure the only games I bought this year so far that actually came out THIS year would be Etrian Odyssey 4 and Mighty Switch Force! 2

So I'd have to go with EO4, but both are good.

Of the games out this year that I haven't played, I think the one that has impressed me the most would be Rogue Legacy. If it made its way to 3DS I'd buy it. I hate using a keyboard to play those kinds of games. I tried Mega Man Unlimited and it was pretty much unplayable for me. I refuse to buy an Xbox controller or ANY controller specifically for the handful of PC games I can actually run on my rig at an acceptable level.

The process of using my PS3 controller is substantially more complicated/not possible for most games from what I've heard.

 

[endtherapture]

Well since Dota 2 is officially out now...Dota 2.