I'm just realizing I've played two and a half games released in this year (the half being Sword & Sworcery if you don't count iOS release), but either way, Journey's definitely on my all time favorite list now, and may have overthrown Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker as my pick for best looking game ever.
Game of the Half Year
- Thread starter Aerosteam
- Start date
It has a niche target audience for sure, but I played it during beta and I'm surprised by the amount of bugs they fix each patch. It's like it's a whole different game than it was two months ago, in a good way. So far, it's been one of the smoothest MMO launches I've seen.LetalisK said:
It does require patience and perception, though.
Mass Effect 3 or Diablo 3. Both games have glaring flaws, but this year has been very weak so far. I can't even think of another game released this year that I'm even remotely interested in.
Mass Effect 3. Although, I'm trudging through The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition, but I'm scared to play the game because its so damn difficult.
Crusader Kings II!
...okay, I haven't even played that, I just felt like being hipster for a moment...
It could've been Diablo III, but that game falls down somewhere between the "This game is cool because I'm slaughtering things with cool abilities" phase and the "This game is cool because I'm doing something arcadey with other people." Namely, it fails to reach the second phase. Which is a damn shame, because if it did reach that other phase I think it might've been the best arcade RPG ever. But it didn't reach that phase, and that is the single most important thing a longform internet arcade RPG needs to do, so it's kind of a flop.
So... I guess Mass Effect 3 so far? It's depressing that so few titles even enter my head when I try to think of games that came out this year.
...okay, I haven't even played that, I just felt like being hipster for a moment...
It could've been Diablo III, but that game falls down somewhere between the "This game is cool because I'm slaughtering things with cool abilities" phase and the "This game is cool because I'm doing something arcadey with other people." Namely, it fails to reach the second phase. Which is a damn shame, because if it did reach that other phase I think it might've been the best arcade RPG ever. But it didn't reach that phase, and that is the single most important thing a longform internet arcade RPG needs to do, so it's kind of a flop.
So... I guess Mass Effect 3 so far? It's depressing that so few titles even enter my head when I try to think of games that came out this year.
I'm going with Mass Effect 3 as the most enjoyable game so far this year. My second most enjoyable would have to be the Darkness 2. Sure it was short, but it was fuckin' awesome. For that 6-8 hours I played it, I was just THERE. Seriously love any game that can do that.
Crusader Kings 2. It's my favourite new strategy game to come out in years and it absolutely nails what it set out to do: Simulate the politics, backstabbing, conflict and personal relations of the era. It's also one of the most smooth new releases I've played in quite some time as well, I've yet to have experience a bug, crash or even any issue at all in around 70 hours of play to date. Brilliant game.
I'm going to cheat and pick three, because I have room in my heart for all of them:
Mass Effect 3:
I will complete this post without mentioning everyone's "favorite" part, so let me just say that the other 99% is sheer greatness. The gameplay was improved, the characters were as good as ever, and seeing the ends to all of these plot arcs that I had begun and seen through was something that blew me away and provided some of the most emotional moments I've ever seen in a video game.
Mordin, good sir, I won't forget you...
Journey:
Despite its short length, Journey is worth every penny of the money that I spent for it. It is quite possibly the most gorgeous thing I have ever played, with a beautiful art style and amazing, sweeping vistas. The true source of its greatness, however, lies in playing through with another human being. I was lucky enough to find one partner who stuck with me from beginning to end, and the whole experience was something truly magical. When the end came, I felt genuinely moved.
Xenoblade Chronicles:
I live in America, so it counts. Now that I've played it, I am just eternally grateful that this gem made it to our shores eventually. I still consider The World Ends With You to be the greatest JRPG of this generation, but Xenoblade Chronicles has firmly entrenched itself in second place. Combining the best of the glory days of JRPGs with new and innovative concepts that help make the experience more user-friendly works marvelously, the world is MASSIVE and has enough content for more than 100 hours of gameplay, and once the story really gets going, it keeps you absolutely hooked. It is certainly a masterpiece in my eyes.
Mass Effect 3:
I will complete this post without mentioning everyone's "favorite" part, so let me just say that the other 99% is sheer greatness. The gameplay was improved, the characters were as good as ever, and seeing the ends to all of these plot arcs that I had begun and seen through was something that blew me away and provided some of the most emotional moments I've ever seen in a video game.
Mordin, good sir, I won't forget you...
Journey:
Despite its short length, Journey is worth every penny of the money that I spent for it. It is quite possibly the most gorgeous thing I have ever played, with a beautiful art style and amazing, sweeping vistas. The true source of its greatness, however, lies in playing through with another human being. I was lucky enough to find one partner who stuck with me from beginning to end, and the whole experience was something truly magical. When the end came, I felt genuinely moved.
Xenoblade Chronicles:
I live in America, so it counts. Now that I've played it, I am just eternally grateful that this gem made it to our shores eventually. I still consider The World Ends With You to be the greatest JRPG of this generation, but Xenoblade Chronicles has firmly entrenched itself in second place. Combining the best of the glory days of JRPGs with new and innovative concepts that help make the experience more user-friendly works marvelously, the world is MASSIVE and has enough content for more than 100 hours of gameplay, and once the story really gets going, it keeps you absolutely hooked. It is certainly a masterpiece in my eyes.
Mass Effect 3, followed by Max Payne 3 for me. Its not really saying much considering how slow this year has been so far for games. Although ME3 for me will remain a strong contender by the end of the year. Anything else I've played this year were either less memorable or from 2011.
The Witcher 2 enhanced edition. Yeah the original came out last year, but I have it for 360 so it counts! Best purchase I've made recently too.
I'll have what he's having, because apparently we are of a like mind. Though, I'd put Journey a bit higher than Mass Effect 3, but only just. I have Xenoblade Chronicles, and I'm waiting to get into it until I finish playing catch up on some games I missed. Prototype 2 could have been good, but I don't even remember it now.Zhukov said:
The best game I've played halfway through this year easily goes to Dragon's Dogma combat-wise.
ME3's combat is fun, but I think I honestly liked my adventure through Gransys more. The combat was far more memorable, anyway.
ME3's combat is fun, but I think I honestly liked my adventure through Gransys more. The combat was far more memorable, anyway.
Is Conquest really any good? I saw a bit of it and thought it looked a hell of a lot like the MD games.Furioso said:
Well I've only bought Dragon's Dogma thus far, so...That.
Considering I was up until 4am playing it when I had to be awake for 8am suggests it's doing something right.
Considering I was up until 4am playing it when I had to be awake for 8am suggests it's doing something right.
It's been a pretty weak year so far in my opinion. Lots of mediocrity, a few good titles, nothing that would qualify as great.
I'll give my vote to Serious Sam 3: BFE, just because I had the most fun with it by far. A much-needed dose of over-the-top oldschool shooter madness.
I'll give my vote to Serious Sam 3: BFE, just because I had the most fun with it by far. A much-needed dose of over-the-top oldschool shooter madness.
Diablo 3 is easily the game I've spent the most time with so far this year. It's had some deserving criticism due to the invasive DRM and the morally ambiguous RMAH, but in pure gameplay terms it's a very tight game and a worthy sequel.
Other than that, Tribes: Ascend has been a surprise for me. I mean it's in a genre that I'm not usually interested in, and I wasn't actively looking forward to it's release or anything. If there wasn't such an interest among vloggers I wouldn't have heard about it at all. But I tried it out on a whim (actually to help out a vlogger with the buddy thing) and found it surprisingly fun. It's the first FPS game I've played where I've found the multiplayer genuinely enjoyable. First time I captured a flag at full velocity to take the winning point in a tight match I literally jumped out of my seat and punched the air, and I'm normally quite a stoic gamer.
Other than that, Tribes: Ascend has been a surprise for me. I mean it's in a genre that I'm not usually interested in, and I wasn't actively looking forward to it's release or anything. If there wasn't such an interest among vloggers I wouldn't have heard about it at all. But I tried it out on a whim (actually to help out a vlogger with the buddy thing) and found it surprisingly fun. It's the first FPS game I've played where I've found the multiplayer genuinely enjoyable. First time I captured a flag at full velocity to take the winning point in a tight match I literally jumped out of my seat and punched the air, and I'm normally quite a stoic gamer.