Best Game of 2012

A number of games are released each and every year. Some are horrible, some are great. But which game that came in 2012 stands out above and beyond the rest? The nominees are:

Borderlands 2
Mass Effect 3
Guild Wars 2
Dishonored

And the winner of the 2012 Best Gameslave Game of the Year is Borderlands 2. This game has it all. It has an excellent shooting mechanic, masterful use of RPG elements, single and mutli-player gameplay this game deserves Game of the Year. Want to know more about what makes this game so freaking awesome? Check out the review IrishPride did on it.

Most Disappointing Game of 2012

Every year there are games that people expect great things from. They expect them to be the epitome of gaming, they expect nothing but the best. Too bad some of these game let down the player. The game is not what they expected and it disappoints the player. We did not have a bunch of games this year that let us down, but that does not mean we did not have any.

Diablo III was expected to be great. It was expected to be the next great game we played over and over. But, while it was a good game, it was not the game we expected. We had fun with it, but it was not the greatness we expected. Sure they are still patching it and making changes, but as of now the game, while good, was a disappointment to a number of gamers.

Most Anticipated Game of 2012

WIth each new year we see more and more great games. We cannot wait to play the newest things that come out, but a few always stand out above the rest. Here are the games that we cannot wait to play.

Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
BioShock Infinite
Whatever the next Zelda game is
The Wonderful 101
Tomb Raider

Of these one stands above the rest. Bioshock Infinite is set to come out on March 26, 2013. Given how good the original BioShock, and that the same team is making this one, people cannot wait to play this game.

Best Game of 2012 That is Older Then a Year

Every year people find that games keep their attention far past their initial release date. THey continue to be fun for a long time. Sometime the game came out just the last year, other times the game came out several years ago but we never stopped playing it. Here is our list of game for this years awards.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Plants Vs Zombies
Dungeon Defenders
League of Legends

And this year we choose The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Yes this was the game of the year last year, no these will not always match up like that. It just happened to be that way. Mix this with continues expansions and long gameplay to begin with, this game earned this award.

Best Game We Wish We Played for 2012

Every year there are games that are great games, but I did not get a chance to play them. For some reason or another I failed to purchase them, or I purchased them and did not play them. This happens to all of us, but there are times that it is a shame we missed the game. Our choices for these games this year are:

Journey
The Walking Dead

Yeah, that is a pretty short list. The game that we all wish we had played is Journey. Everyone has said the game is great and that it has to be played. It has been released for the PS3 is both PSN form and disc. Had we played it it most likely would have been on a few more of these lists. Here is hoping that we take time to play it this year.

Best Voice Acting of 2012

When used properly, and with proper talent, voice acting can enhance a gaming experience beyond what we expect, beyond what can be programmed alone. Sure if it is done poorly it can make a serious section of a game pure comedy, but that is not what we are worried about here. The nominees for best voice acting of 2012 are:

Guild Wars 2
Borderlands 2
Halo 4
Mass Effect 3

And the winner is Borderlands 2. With the voices of Dameon Clarke (Handsome Jack) and David Eddings (Claptrap) they give great dialog and make the game very entertaining. Serious moments are taken as serious as needed and comedy is pulled off without a hitch.

Funniest Game of 2012

Humor, it is all important to making sure we enjoy life. It has even been said that humor can heal a person. Given that, which game do we think should be in hospitals to help speed the recovery rate?

Borderlands 2
Scribblenaughts Unlimited
Penny Arcade Adventures - Episode 3

The award goes to Borderlands 2, which is the most obvious to me. The game is ripe with humor from the main villain, Handsome Jack, to side questions about renaming Bullymongers.  If you, for some reason known to only the Flying Spaghetti Monster, you have been playing this game on mute then turn up the volume and enjoy the hilarity!

Best Graphics of 2012 - Artistic

There are more the graphics than how realistic you can make it. Some games take a much more artistic few to what they create. Cell shaded, pixels, or something else, a game allows a creator to express themselves and the world they helped created, and that is something that deserves recognition. Or nominees for Best Graphics - Artistic are:

Guild Wars 2
Borderlands 2
Scribblenaughts Unlimited
The Walking Dead
Journey

And the award, selected by the artist in the group, is Guild Wars 2. The game does not have an overly realistic view to it and the way cutscenes are transitioned is pretty cool. I could talk more about this but it would not mean much coming from me. So just trust us that it is a really pretty game.

Best Graphics of 2012 - Technical

As time has gone on, games have started to look nicer and nicer. Once was once just arranged pixels has moved on 3D modeled characters that are bordering on realistic. This is no small feet and takes a number of man hours and amazing skill to pull off. As such we feel that it should be awarded. But whom are we choosing from?

Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Dishonored
Assassin’s Creed 3

And the winner is Far Cry 3. Each time they release a game they kick it up a notch visually, and this year was not exception. Everything in this game is absolutely gorgeous and truly deserves some recognition.

Best Story of 2012

A good story can transplant you to another place and time. It can take you from a dingy one room apartment to a world filled with magical creatures or to a starship speeding through the galaxy. A well told story will keep you playing a game longer than thought possible, and can make or break a series. Our choices for this are:

Halo 4
Mass Effect 3
Borderlands 2
Dishonored

Ready for some controversy? Despite all the hate that it received, we felt that Mass Effect 3 deserves this award. Yes, I even did a long article on the ending of the game, and did even complain a little. But it did something that so few games actually do. It ended the entire thing. There is no continuing on from here. There is no sequel for Sheppard. His story had ended, and it ended epically. For that, I still salute BioWare for what they did and support their decisions.