KBD's Top Ten Best Video Games of 2013
It's been a month since a new year of gaming began, so enough time has passed to make a fine judgement towards what shined the brightest on consoles and computers everywhere! Here now are my Top Ten Video Games of 2013:
10. Chaos Code
It's been a real long time since I've gone hands-on with a fighter that was this much fun. Chaos Code may not have had the familiar characters to pull you in (not to mention a plethora of spelling mistakes), but what it did have was a fantastic combo system and more personality than any other fighter that came out this year. (Yes, even you, Injustice: Gods Among Us!) With a great batch of characters to play as, an old-school look, and killer moves to lay upon your opponents Chaos Code threw the biggest uppercut of 2013. A definite must-own for fighter aficionados.
9. Metro: Last Light
I wasn't a big fan of Metro 2033, but its sequel took everything that turned me off about it and replaced it with some of the most immersive and scariest moments ever found in a FPS. A great selection of weapons, dark and beautiful worlds, monsters that will scare the crap out of anyone who comes their way, and a misunderstood Dark One made this one of the most exciting and frightening games to play on any console and PC. Bring plenty of air tanks and spending bullets, because you'll want to spend plenty of time in the realms of Metro: Last Light.
8. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Starbreeze Studios, the same guys who made the excellent Chronicles of Riddick adaptations, did something unexpected: they made the saddest game ever concocted. Controlling two siblings as they search for a cure to what ails their dying father Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons takes you on a journey filled with giants, wolves, and some of the most heart-aching moments put to pixels. One moment you're complimenting the coolness factor of the puzzles at hand, and the next...well, let's just say get those tissues ready.
7. Tomb Raider
This could've been a disaster. Rebooting Lara Croft sounded sacrilege, but Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics managed to not keep with the character of Ms. Croft, but improved her by placing her in perilous situations that went on to create the character we've all come to love. Breathtaking in every since, it revitalized the Tomb Raider name in a way we never imagined possible, stuffing it with emotional aspects, nice stealth tactics, and some pretty sweet kills. We may not have asked to see Lara Croft reborn, but we're incredibly happy she was.
6. The Stanley Parable
Do you follow what the narrator says, or do you explore on your own terms? Whatever you did, The Stanley Parable was there to make you laugh harder than anything else released this year. Taking the first-person adventure experience and turning it over its head this indie title from Galactic Cafe gave players many choices, many endings, and plenty of chuckles from its narrator. It may confuse you in some areas, and at times the game will yell at you for some of the decisions made, but in the end The Stanley Parable will leave you with a big smile and a sore belly obtained from all the chuckling you'll be doing.
5. The Last of Us
Naughty Dog, what can't you do? The sights and sounds that Joel and Ellie bear witness to in The Last of Us will stay with you for many years. What's more it showed how humans can be a whole world scarier when pushed to the brink of extinction, more-so than a Clicker ever could. This game does a fantastic job at giving you the frights, and even if you see the danger far ahead you cannot help but hold your breath until it all passes by. The Last of Us puts a mirror right in our faces, and asks us what we would do if placed in a situation like this. Our answer was obvious: survive at all costs.
4. BioShock Infinite
Columbia would be an awesome place to live...if it weren't for the racist jerks running the place. The beauty of Comstock's world is quickly drowned out in blood as you and Elizabeth seek to escape the not-so-hidden evils of this place. With a story that puts all of Hollywood to shame BioShock Infinite delivered with great plot-twists, unique weaponry, fine voice-acting, and memorable shootouts (which, thanks to a more improved aiming system, wasn't a major pain in the ass this time around!). It's a shame you have to destroy such a gorgeous world, but nevertheless the time you spend in it is plenty enough to see why its crumbling is necessary. If you have yet to take the lighthouse up, then you really are quite the Dimwit.
3. Grand Theft Auto V
I was incredibly skeptical about the latest in Rockstar Games' popular series, as I wasn't a big fan of its fourth incarnation. Fortunately all worries went away as soon as the game started up. Playing as three characters, exploring the world of Los Santos, the memorable dialogue, and the craziness of GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas rolled into one tight package made Grand Theft Auto V the monster of a video game it was (not to mention a fine online experience that, while not great right out the gate, got more fun as the weeks went by). As beautiful as it was violent Rockstar Games ended the era of Xbox 360 and PS3 with one of the baddest mofos in gaming history. Just don't tell Trevor I put it at number three on my list, as he'll probably torture me until I push it to the top.
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
There was a lot of pressure given from the gaming world, both from fans and developers, but the sequel to A Link To The Past not only exceeded expectations, but managed to one-up the SNES predecessor. The gameplay in A Link Between Worlds may seemed all too familiar, but the world of Hyrule still has as much magic as it had before. With using the power to merge with walls new discoveries and mystical artifacts were to be found, along with some clever boss battles and sharped weaponry. If there was ever a reason to own a 3DS, it's The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.
1. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Now this is how you do a proper JRPG! When you've got both Level-5 and Studio Ghibli teaming up to create an immersive world, there's no way you could be disappointed. With as much heart and beauty as a Miyazaki production and a battle system that combined the best of Tales of Symphonia and Pokémon, Ni No Kuni gave players a story that knew how to make players feel as much as they're having fun. Imaginative creatures, beautiful lands, great dialogue, and characters both good & evil that know how to put a smile on your face were what this game offered, and what's more it showed how a AAA title can still contain so much artistic merit. If you didn't play Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, then you didn't truly experience the grandest adventure of 2013.
Honorable mentions:
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
BattleBlock Theater
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Pokemon X/Y
Rayman Legends (Wii U version)
Saints Row IV
Super Mario 3D World
Did I miss any? Comment below, and share your favorites of 2013!
Originally posted on the ESH EGMNOW Page.
