Okay is now the best time? June is over. Which means the first six months of this year are over! Which means this is as good a time as ever to declare your game of the half-year! So what is it?
I am about halfway through The Last Of US, the game I expect most people to chose as their game of the half-year, but to be perfectly honest I don’t see it dislodging my own personal choice: Luigi’s Mansion 2.
Actually the 3DS has had a good innings so far this year. I expect there’ll probably be a few of you out there who think Fire Emblem or the new Animal Crossing is the game of the half-year.
Okay so I’m declaring Luigi’s Mansion 2 as my choice — what about you guys and girls? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments
119 responses to “Tell Us Dammit: Game Of The Half-Year!”
*cough* There’s a big picture of it above. *cough*
But Beyond isn’t out yet
So it can’t be game of the early half of the year then!
Please cover your mouth.
You picked Luigi’s Mansion 2 as your favorite? What the hell am I missing out on Mark?
It’s surprisingly great. I was expecting a good game, but not like this. Definitely give it a go if you can.
Although I’m backing Bioshock Infinite personally, The Last of Us had an unbeatable story, but the gameplay was average.
Tomb Raider for me – that’s AAA big budged blockbuster done right
For me, the game felt too much like a series of set pieces with too many unnecessary fights.
It was a solid game but I felt like the narrative and gameplay were at odds with each other far too often. I honestly preferred DmC: Devil May Cry over the new Tomb Raider simply because DmC was more consistent in its delivery.
EDIT: Not saying you’re wrong to like it, just saying why I didn’t.
Tomb Raider gets my vote too.
It wasn’t flawless but the set peices were fantastic.
Some of the plot points did annoy me incessantly though*
*Take a jacket off one of the people you’ve killed if you’re cold.
*When she inadvertantly killed the helicopter pilot without remorseTell me about it! Same with all the phoney righteous stuff. Also, henchmen are people too.
Yep, I vote Tomb Raider too. Although I’m only part way through The Last Of Us, so that may change.
I think I need a bit of a cooling off period after playing games so that I don’t just say that the last great game I played is the best game of the year.
That being said, of the games that have come out this year that I’ve finished, The Last of Us is the best. Even if I did finish it on Sunday.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 is the only game that I think could usurp that position though. Completely different games, going for completely different tones but if Luigi’s Mansion scratches the right itch, I could definitely make the argument for it over The Last of Us.
On the other hand, Luigi’s Mansion 2 probably doesn’t have (TLOU ending spoiler)
giraffes!The Last of Us is definitely my pick. I’m all about the story with a game, and man, what a story. The gameplay was really engaging too, so that’s why it gets my pick over other good games I’ve played this year like Bioshock and Tomb Raider.
im going to say Bioshock Infinite, ive yet to play TLOU or LM2 but how i felt after beating that game was just incredlible, a whole new feeeling of joy for me from such a well told story
Bioshock Infinite would have been it for me too, but then TLoU came out and few games manage to rival its ability to captivate and immerse me into its world.
yes but as i said, ive yet to play the Last of US, its on my list of games to go buy and play but just havent yet
I was in EB at lunchtime, it’s on sale there for $77 atm.
$68 here http://www.ozgameshop.com/ps3-games/the-last-of-us-game-ps3, your point being, im not up to it on my list of games to buy, its about 5th down my current list
I personally felt Bioshock Infinite immersed me more, it was the whole envronment and setting, not just cutscenes that drew me in.
The Last of Us had a superb story line, but the gameplay in between ruined some of the immersion for me.
I don’t have a PS3 so its Tomb Raider on Xbox for me.
Same here
Dude, I’ll happily lend you my PS3 and the game just so you can play this!
EDIT: For the record I’m mainly on the 360, so the PS3 had a bit of dust on it before this game came out.
I intend to buy a PS3 at some point. Maybe when the PS4 comes out (since I’m not going near next gen until they’ve been out for a while).
Exactly the same here, bought ps3 for this game a year ago, now its finally come out and took top spot from Tomb Raider on 360, really hate the ps3 control pad though.
I know exactly what you mean, I was mainly an XBox gamer until this year. I find the PS3 controller to be too small, I don’t like the triggers or the Convex thumbsticks either (my thumbs and trigger fingers always fell like they’re going to slip off).
Can you guys recommend any good third party controllers.
Clicking L3 and R3 is horrible, no wonder the sticks are the first thing to go on them. A mate of mine has a converter that works with a wired xbox360 controller, he got it from some chinese website http://dx.com/p/xbox-360-controller-adapter-for-ps3-100cm-cable-51556
I’d say it’s a personal preference thing. I got a 360 earlier in the year for the exclusives on that side I’d missed this gen, but game mainly on the PS3 and PC (with a dualshock-like gamepad), and found the 360 pad very painful to deal with. I’ve put in over a hundred hours with it now, and it still feels awkward and unnatural, and much prefer the DS3. It’s nothing to do with the games – really enjoying them, I’ve just spent so much time on the Dualshock-style stick setup that the offset sticks of the 360 pad just feel whack (and the deadzone feels larger as well, although that’s just a feeling, I haven’t really tested anything). I’m sure that, d-pad aside, the 360 pad is a great controller, but it takes a long time to become equally comfortable with both if you’ve only used the other for most of your gaming time.
Funny enough, my Mum has a PS3 (and more games than me!) so hopefully I can borrow it from her!!
I can ask her tonight if you want. 😉
All jokes aside, I highly recommend that you grab the PS3 and give it a spin. I can’t recommend this game enough.
This is what keeps me reading comments on Kotaku, even when most of the time I wish I hadn’t. 😀
The only 2013 games I’ve bought so far as Bioshock Infinite, Dead Space 3, Crysis 3 and The Last of Us. I finished BSI, only played half an hour of Dead Space 3, haven’t started Crysis 3, and I’m only halfway through TLoU.
I don’t think I’m allowed to call myself a gamer anymore.
That said, TLoU is way better than BSI.
You’re not alone, of the games in my collection that I’ve started there aren’t really a lot that I’ve finished. It’s not that they’re bad games, It’s just that I tend to keep buying new games and want to play them or I’m in the mood for something different.
I never used to be like that, I always used to play a game to completion (end of the campaign).
Starting today I am going to make a concerted effort to not play a game until I’ve finished the game I’m currently on.
It’s also Shameless Gaming month! Time to clear out that pile of shame.
ITT: People trying to justify why, despite being carried by their stories and having average (or below) gameplay elements, Bioshock and The Last of Us are the best games of this half year.
My vote goes to Metro Last Light, with Fire Emblem Awakening a close second.
Or people just really like those games, and you didn’t?
opinions, they are a funny thing.
If you’re nominating for a GOTY (or GOTHY in this case) on the basis of whether you ‘like’ it or not, you’re already missing the point.
Hey everyone, stop judging a game based on how much you like it. That’s the wrong way to enjoy games!
No, you’ve misunderstood, GOTY is not about ENJOYING games. I’m perfectly happy for someone to say they enjoyed BS:I or TLOU, that’s fine. If this article was ‘Tell Us What Your Favourite Game of This Half Year Was?’, they would be fine answers, but this is about presenting a title, an award. I ENJOYED Cabin In The Woods, but that doesn’t mean it deserves an Oscar. I enjoy watching Archer, but do I feel it deserves a Best Comedy Emmy? No.
The problem is, if we start throwing awards and recognition at good stories layered inside average gameplay mechanics, the innovation stops. We get more average shooters with good stories. The difference between movies and games is the GAMEPLAY, no? The more we lean towards putting story before mechanics, the further towards movie we get. Is it ok to enjoy these games? Sure. But should they be given GAME of the year for increasingly taking control away from the player in lieu of more cut scenes (which BS:I and TLOU had in droves)? I don’t think so.
Enjoyment WILL factor into a GOTY choice because typically, people enjoy things that are fun, and the amount of fun that a game is to play is very relevant to the quality of the game. But to say that the reason I think this is game of the year is because I liked it best, not necessarily because it was the best game, is rather dumb.
A “game of the year” is generally a consideration for what is generally felt to be the “best” game, and is a highly subjective consideration. A game is many things. It is visual design, sound design, a setting, a set of rules that adhere to those of the game world, gameplay elements that allow you to interact with said world, written dialogue, a plot, a narrative, a physics engine, set pieces, etc.
A great story can set a game apart from it’s peers in the same way that poor game mechanics can drag it well down. What most people look for in a “GOTY” candidate is a game that balances all of these well – because no game will ever do all of them in the best possible way.
The Last of Us (which I haven’t finished, myself) apparently has an excellent setting, plot and narrative, the gameplay works well enough most of the time, and leaves people generally feeling positive about it because it achieved what it set out to do. Bioshock Infinite on the other hand had a great setting, interesting characters and solid gameplay, but was rather thin on actual story and left behind some plot holes once it finally stopped playing coy and let you actually know what was supposed to be going on.
I can’t comment at all on Metro Last Light, but you apparently thought… well actually you haven’t particularised why you ‘voted’ on it at all. you criticised BSI and TLoU for their “gameplay elements” without really qualifying that in any way, so I assume you consider Last Light to be the opposite of that. Maybe you could use your reasoning to support why you felt like Last Light was a GOTY contender instead of simply dismissing out of hand the thoughts put forth by everyone else?
Not much point really. Scrolling through the rest of the responses and it’s just a TLOU circlejerk. I’d rather point out why 99% are being silly than to try and present a case for another game that’s going to be immediately skipped by the 99% because it’s not about TLOU.
Do you really think a GAME where the GAMEplay ‘works well enough most of the time’ is deserving of GOTHY? It’s not like it’s innovating or trying something new and didn’t know how to execute it properly. These are recycled mechanics we’re talking about; for each mechanic you can find an earlier game that did exactly the same thing.
A lot of people are throwing around ‘immersion’ too. For me, the glass-shatter moment was when I was in combat, and my 14 year old ‘whole reason for the plot’ device ran right across my screen, in the middle of open battle, and just stood there, with everyone ignoring her. I just couldn’t take any combat seriously after that. At least Elizabeth in BS:I actually reacted somewhat realistically in combat, she would actively search for cover and would ‘scrounge for supplies’. In this way, the gameplay disconnects me entirely from the story, and once you realise that, shock horror, you’re in a game but not actually playing the likeable, charismatic superhero, I don’t even think the story raises itself above predictable.
Well, I can see why you’d be disinclined to put forward an actual case for why you thought something was good. As you’ve demonstrated, it’s much easier to complain about things you think are bad.
Absolutely, and when coming up against such well-reasoned arguments as “The Last of Us. No question,” and “The Last Of Us. That is all.”, ie people judging on the game they liked the most rather than any sort of objective, or at least semi-objective scale, I may as well be banging my head against the wall 🙂
Kermitron hit the nail on the head there, but if we don’t base game of the year on how much we enjoyed the game, then what do we base it on?
i can see reviews based on your logic now.
“Metro last light wasn’t an enjoyable game, but it wasn’t buggy and when you shoot people they die. GOTY”
i haven’t played metro last light, and I’m not making fun of it in any way, it actually looks good. just trying to point out how ridiculous you are being. What i’m saying is, you are right in your opinion to not like the Last of Us and Bioshock, but saying that we shouldn’t give games merit on how much we “like” them is plain dumb.
I tried to reply to you and Kermitron at the same time, not sure if you saw it:
Enjoyment WILL factor into a GOTY choice because typically, people enjoy things that are fun, and the amount of fun that a game is to play is very relevant to the quality of the game. But to say that the reason I think this is game of the year is because I liked it best, not necessarily because it was the best game, is rather dumb.
can you follow your own advice and get back to banging your head against the wall pls
I really like the gameplay in the TLOU, that’s why I picked it. I just don’t have the same gripes with the combat that some other people have had, I really liked it.
Yep, there was nothing “average” or “below average” about the gameplay of TLOU. It was outstanding. Combine that with what was probably the high-water mark for graphics in this console generation, a damn near perfect soundtrack and backed up by some of the best writing and acting this medium has played host to and you have one very strong GOTHY contender.
The Last of Us is an amazing story perfectly reinforced by its gameplay elements.
I agree. Seeing as TLOU is a game about a hostile, unpredictable environment that **SPOILER ALERT** leads into eventual betrayal . Perfect reinforcement. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Tlou being ps3 exclusive has limited its audience so it’s gotta be bioshock for me although I’m desperate to play tlou.
I really dont get all the love for TLOU – I am at the University, game says 70% through, and all I’ve been experiencing is a great story interrupted by a terrible shooting game
What is all the love for this game? What am I missing? I loved UC2, but since then ND has focused more on graphics and movie-scenes then the actual game play
I agree, although I wouldn’t call the gameplay terrible, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t spectacular either.
I’m not as far in as you are… but I’m not enjoying it either.
I will freely admit that I despise stealth games.
My main interest in playing is for the story. Just wish they would stop putting AAA titles as exclusives it makes no sense to me, playstation may have paid the developer money to be exclusive but was that more money than they would have made on Xbox and pc sales?
It sells consoles. If the title is good enough. I have two friends that bought PS3 just recently to play the sony exclusives (uncharted killzone and last of us). Last of Us was the tipping point for them.
Naughty Dog is owned by Sony… unless they buy themselves out (the way Bungie did from Microsoft) they’re never going multiplatform.
The Last of Us is the best game I have played IN years…
Nothing even comes close, it’s in a league of it’s own, and I play a hell of a lot of video games.
The Last of Us. No question.
Luigi’s Mansion 2, definitely Luigi’s Mansion 2. My time with TLoU was … well lets just say it wasn’t fun for me.
Agree about TLOU not being fun… great story, not a fun game
There may be something wrong with me…but I had lots of fun with this game. I genuinely think it was a fun game. I really enjoyed playing it. And I didn’t pull the wings off flies when I was a kid…
Nothing wrong with you at all – people have fun playing different games. The trouble with TLOU was the hype was so enormous, that I feel any publication who dared question the game element of this title was hounded down, so it received a lot of unwarranted 9’s and 10’s.
In a few months time, when the hype train has died down, people will look back and say “great graphics, great story, shame about the actual game” (and all the rules it breaks, I’m sick of walking past another full armed hunter and dont take his weapon/ammo or running into another hunter with seemingly infinite bullets – and the plot holes… for example the shootout after the hydro-power plant and before the ranch – anyone who has played that scene will know what I am talking about – bug stupid plot hole there)
A good example is UC3 – for the first month or so, everyone way saying GOTY, best game ever etc etc, but if you ask most of those people now, I would be surprised if they didnt say that UC2 was better
Polygon gave it a seven or something IIRC and I agree reviewer hype can skew a result one way or another. Look at the initial reviews of Bioshock Infinite versus the mixed views of players afterward.
Persona 4 Golden
I loved The Last of Us, loved it so much. It just gets better and better as it goes, right up until that fantastic conclusion. Easily my game of the year so far. The gameplay was awesome, the atmosphere, characters and story were perfect. It’s the best long game (over 2-3 hours) I’ve played for a while.
Luigi’s mansion (which I haven’t finished yet) is awesome, but for me it’s only awesome for a handheld game, I don’t know if I would feel the same way about it if it was a full console experience.
Bioshock Infinite – I know a lot of people absolutely love this game, but I’m struggling to finish it. Love the art and setting, the story is interesting, but the gameplay is just not inspiring me at all. I felt the same way a little bit about Bioshock 1 actually, but that had a much more atmospheric feel to it, and it felt like it had a better sandbox to play in – the way you could plan your attack on a Big Daddy before triggering it.
Same. Bioshock Infinite was great but something about it didn’t leave me completely satisfied. Whereas with TLoU everything just felt right. It felt complete and it’s one of the few games that I really don’t regret paying full RRP for.
I don’t regret it, but I only paid full RRP for it because my PS3 won’t read dual layer discs anymore 🙁 so I got if the PSN
Fire Emblem: Awakening – Game of the half year and decade.
TESTIFY!
Bioshock Infinite all the way for me. I don’t have a PS3 so haven’t got TLOU. Bioshock Infinite has been one of those games I just couldn’t put down…even after finishing it half a dozen times.
As for the next six months – personally I’m looking forward to Saints Row IV, even if we get an edited version. GTA5 I might get, not as keen on it as I am with Saints Row. And of course the PS4.
The Last of Us. Haven’t even finished it yet, but the magnificently varied environments, sound design, AI, combat, stealth, level design, voice acting… it all just adds up to awesome.
Monaco
The Last Of Us.
That is all.
I’d probably go DMC: Devil May Cry or The Cave
Fire Emblem Awakening. Rarely in my whole life has a game reeled me in like that. I had 90 hours racked up in the first two weeks without even realising.
I don’t know! I’ve played Tomb Raider, The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite, Luigi’s Mansion 2, and others, and they were all very good but, I dunno… I probably had the most fun this year playing Sleeping Dogs, is that eligible? Sure it was highly derivative and was all about punching, shooting and driving, but I enjoyed it. Maybe I’m the problem with the gaming industry?
I’ve been meaning to check out Sleeping Dogs…I really liked True Crime: Streets of LA and I get the sense that SD is like that but better.
Sleeping Dogs was really, really great. There are a few elements that could have used some work, but it lost a few things to budget cuts so it’s understandable. In spite of that, it worked well as a whole. I definitely want to see more games like it.
Pretty sure sleeping dogs was last year, but it sure was fun that’s for sure. Game of the half year for me the last of us, I played and the fiancé watched we both loved it
The Last of Us
I can’t remember any other games coming out this year.
June is almost over? We’re already a few days into July 😛
While TLOU was great, I think I’m still leaning towards Tomb Raider for GOTHY.
I’m glad someone pointed that out…someone’s confused
I KNEW IT! Mark is in possession of a time machine!
DARK. SOULS. >:(
(I haven’t played any 2013 games yet, but I’d still be voting Dark Souls.)The Last Of Us is the best game I’ve ever played, let alone the best game of the half-year. No contest.
Hmm… I’d have to go with Last of Us, with Metro: Last Light a close second, and Bioshock Infinite a close third.
From a storytelling perspective, Last of Us wins hands down, but Metro’s gameplay is superior imo (hard to compare, as they’re different genres). I’m consistently awed by Bioshiock’s plot, but the way it was told was more uneven than LoU, and it didn’t feel like presenting it through an FPS was the right choice – it just felt like there was too much shooting people for the sake of shooting people. An adventure game would have suited its story better, I think. Some of the gameplay in LoU felt forced, too, but it was nowhere near as frequent, and its pacing more than made up for it.
The Last of Us was great, easily one of my favourite games of all time.
Close second is Persona 4 Golden, even though it’s a remake of a 2009 game, and even though it technically came out in 2012 in all the other regions, it came out this year for australia, so it counts!
I haven’t played all the games everyone is talking about. So.
Gunpoint.
Good a choice as any (see Mark Serrels choice)
Luigi is the only game from this year that I have played. So I guess it wins by default.
Don’t want to sound like a pretentious asshat (I know I will though) but I feel insulted when I hear people try to favourably compare a kids game to what I consider the greatest crop of games EVER.
And I feel insulted whenever people label things as being “for kids” (and thereby implying it lacks in any value and is not worth anyone’s time at all), simply because it doesn’t do anything to earn itself a rating higher than PG.
I love the shit out of “kids movies” like Toy Story and co and think they offer something for everyone, not just kids, so I’ll keep enjoying my “kids games” over the various shootybangs that everyone else prefers to rave about.
And I love kids movies as well. But I’d feel like a bit of a tool if I found myself comparing it favourably to say, Schindler’s List…
I wouldn’t if I found such a movie to be utterly boring and overhyped. Like how I thought Blade Runner was pretty terrible 😛
Damn it. I want to disagree with you but I hated Blade Runner as well! That makes us brothers now.
I’d love to say Bioshock Infinite…but no.
It’s The Last of Us for me too, at this stage. But like @markserrels, I’m only about halfway through.
Tomb Raider for me. Played through it 3 times since release. I wish I could say the same for The Last of Us. Picked it up day 1 and seriously can’t be bothered completing it, I’m 3/4’s through it and it’s predictable as all hell. It basically boils down to watch a great looking CG render cutscene then walk or sneak over there and kill something. Every zombie apocalyptic trope is used just about in the story. I will give massive props to the score though. Gustavo is da man! The Uncharted series is way better in my opinion.
i’m 86% through TLOU, and it’s up there with Uncharted 2. there are some annoying aspects, but that comes with any game. you’ll never find a game that pleases people 100%. i picked up tomb raider a couple of weeks ago, but haven’t started it yet. i just want to complete tlou first. absolutely loving it. can’t wait to see this ending that everyone has been going on about. no idea what it is , because i’ve been very careful not to read the wrong articles or comments. plus avoiding all videos of it.
Haven’t got around to most of the biggest games of the year… Hopefully I will start TLOU this weekend.
Anyway, for me… Guacamelee! is the best thing I have played this year, the game is just so polished, controls like a dream, doesn’t take itself seriously, it is fun but also provides a nice challenge that is never cheap.
More people need to play this game.
Not sure if it qualifies however I have been playing a ton of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the WiiU and what’s really hooked me into it is being able to easily play Multiplayer with my young kids on their 3DS’s. I enjoy the whole find the boss and beat it in 50 minutes or fail concept and the capture quests can be quite tricky to damage a beast to the point of being able to capture it but not quite enough to kill it.
Also loved Metro: Last Light, tLoU and Tombraider however BioShock’s latest incarnation was interesting but I wasn’t really compelled to finish it as much as others for some reason.
I can’t even remember half the games that have come out, and I usually buy everything, so I don’t know whether thats a good thing or a bad thing :/ I like Bioshock and The last of us. TLoU has the benefit of having been the last major game I’ve played, so it’s still fresh in my mind – but I want to play both games again – although I’m getting right back into borderlands 2. It’s going to be a tougher choice come the end of the year.
Spartacus: Legends.
is it wrong that im still playing Dark Souls? i love that game so much. for this year I have only got God Of War ascensions, and i think im half way through. once thats done im gona get The last of us. after that im planning to sell the PS3 and upgrade my PC. it is gona be a while till i buy another console since MGS and Dark Souls 2 are coming to PC.
oh i for got about StarCraft expansion, lol the fact i forgot the name shows how much i loved it.
it was alright.
Playing through The Last of Us and it is amazing.
But I have to say I enjoyed Metro Last Night a touch more. GOTHY for me…
There are two types of people. People who think The Last of Us is the greatest game ever. And the people who haven’t played The Last of Us.
The only AAA(?) game I’ve purchased this year is Simcity and the best thing to come out of that was Dead Space 3. So favourite game that I’ve played this year is probably Hotline Miami.
Arma 3.
Honorary mentions to Hotline Miami on Vita, and Company of Heroes 2.
I want my memory erased so I can play Last of Us like a new game again
The Last of Us for me 2
I’m pretty torn between Tomb Raider and Bioshock Infinite. Bio’s story had it all for me. That last hour was fantastic. Exploring Columbia was a joy.
Tomb Raider was more fun during battle in my mind though, and the voice acting really stood out for me.
It’s got to be one of those two. If I have to pick one…. Tomb Raider.
I really want to be able to consider The Last of Us, but I won’t be getting a PS3 until the new consoles drop.
Can I just say, what a great year it’s been for gaming?
Out of the big 3 that have been mentioned so far, I’ve finished all of them. Tomb Raider, Bioshock and Last of Us.
I’m not going to say which one of them was my favourite. They’re all GREAT games. But I’m really looking forward to the DLC for Bioshock, and I can’t wait to replay Last of Us. I think I went straight to new game + as soon as I finished it. I can see why people dont’ like the gameplay, but I think it’s one of the best I’ve ever played. Definitely the best game I’ve played on PS3. Not selling this one!
Came out this year… Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Game I’ve enjoyed the most this half year… Hitman: Absolution
Joining in the Circle Jerk (as someone had so eloquently put it) of TLoU with a few caveats.
Yes, the gameplay (what you did when you were playing it) wasn’t innovative, but it also didn’t have to be. It served as a vehicle to progress through the game and bar some minor texture and animation glitches I encountered no game breaking bugs.
Yes, certain things did break immersion such as AI characters charging around and steel pipes easily breaking, but consider the alternative if you had an unbreakable melee weapon and you needed to rely on the AI to work properly to successfully stealth past things.
The story made me want to keep playing the game and the gameplay never turned me off playing the game. GotHY to TLoU for me.
I expected at lene other person, but no, it shall just be me…
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance
Great gameplay, amazing soundtrack, excellent replayability, jaw dropping boss fights. The whole package blew my mind.
*least. Stupid touch screen.
I was really disappointed with Rising. It was just a soulless, J-Pop nightmare that pisses on the greatness that is Metal Gear.
I had a few nagging issues with The Last of Us and the combat in Bioshock Infinite didn’t do it for me. I’m going to vote for an underdog and say Ni No Kuni. Happy to see that the Tomb Raider reboot and Fire Emblem awakening making it to people’s lists. Kinda sad Metro Last Light isn’t a game getting too many nods.
Injustice: Gods Among Us for me. Not a huge fan of fighting games or DC, but the game turned out to be more than the sum of its parts, and a lot of fun.
Bioshock Infinite, definitely. The Last Of Us would win my “interactive movie of the half year” award.