Sound Off: What Were Your Favorite Games of 2012?

2012 is about to come to an end and a presumably great year is ahead of us. I am sure a lot has happened to you in these last 365 days. The years bring new friends, different lovers, and experiences you will never forget (or do because, you know, alcohol). We charge into 2013 with the hopes that we can improve ourselves and get a better understanding of the world we live in.

But, video games are far more important.

2012 was an adequate year for video games, in my opinion. It wasn’t amazing, but it offered up a different perspective on gaming. The rise of the indie games has created some interesting discussions in these last few weeks. The fact that a TellTale game is making its way on everyone’s top 10 lists amazes me (and I totally agree). One other thing to note in 2012 is the “fall” of Triple-A games. Now, don’t get me wrong, Mass Effect 3 and Assassin’s Creed III are fine games, but there was quite a bit of public disappointment when people got their hands on them. I have never seen such a volume of people come out against relatively decent games. Does this have to do with how the internet has evolved, or is this just the way gaming is headed? I can assume that with each passing title, the expectations are put higher and higher. I guess the best way to relate this to film would be the case of The Godfather III. People waited years for the story to complete itself but it ended up being limp compared to the earlier entries.

With that said, I found gaming to be rather pleasant this year. My favorites include: Journey, The Walking Dead, Sleeping Dogs, and Persona 4: Arena. Yeah, I know, these are not games that scream GOTY to many of you, but they are ones that I got the most enjoyment out of. Max Payne 3 and Mass Effect 3 were up there, but I had too many problems with them in terms of mechanics (Max Payne) and narrative (Mass Effect 3). Like I said, it seems that the big name games are just missing that final punch home to make it truly rewarding. For me, both Journey and The Walking Dead moved me in an emotional way that I am not used to feeling from playing a video game. If a game has that much power, it is worth more than its gameplay. Unfortunately, you run into problems with games like Papo y Yo where the gameplay actually ruins what could’ve been a rewarding emotional experience.

There were also games I just couldn't get to because I have to work and don't have all the time in the world (contrary to popular belief). I am getting Far Cry 3 today, which is probably going to be on my list of favorite games of the year. I also wanted to check out XCOM, but my wallet is so thin these days.

So, fellow readers, I want you to sound off in the comments section with what games were your favorites this year. There is no incentive other than giving yourself a voice. I will try to interact with as many of you as I can.