Top Games of 2012 - Rerez

Once again we take a trip in the way back machine to the end of 2012. I made a list of my favorite games that came out in that year. Let’s see what caught my eye in 2012 and which of those titles still have lustre five years later:

2012 has been a great year for video games. This year there have been some amazing titles that have come out that I actually think are going to become classics in a few years. In no particular order here's my list of my personal top favorite video games of 2012.

Fez
Fez is a fantastic title. Its years in development are really apparent in the quality of its visuals and gameplay. Though it has its quirks, that in some cases might push people away from really enjoying the game, it's still a really awesome experience worth playing.

FTL: Faster Than Light
So you might have seen me blow up while playing this game but that doesn't mean that this game isn't an absolute blast to play. FTL isn't the first rogue like game I've ever played but it's probably the best. Easily makes it on the list.

Retro City Rampage
Retro City Rampage is an open world sandbox game made to look like it was from the late ‘80s. The graphics in this game are beautiful. If you were a kid in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s this visual style totally calls to you. It's an amazingly fun game to play.

Hotline Miami
Violent, dark, hectic and fast. Hotline Miami does an amazing job at making you feel like you're on an acid trip. Clearing a room in this game makes you feel amazed and disgusted all at the same time. The soundtrack is probably one of the best this year, really making the game stand out. This title might not be for everyone but if you want a different experience unlike anything else on my list, try this one out for yourself.

Black Mesa
It's a modification recreating Half-Life using the Half-Life 2 source engine. It's indie, it's free and it's simply way too good not to mention. You will be completely shocked at just how good this mod is. I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's better than the original Half-Life, but Black Mesa could easily have been straight out from Valve.

Natural Selection 2
Speaking of mods, Natural Selection 2 is a game whose predecessor started out as a mod for the original Half-Life. I reviewed the game recently and loved it. So if you're looking for some great team multiplayer action it's simply a must play.

Quantum Conundrum
When I found out that the lead designer on Portal was working on a new game I knew I had to go out and play it. Quantum Conundrum might not be like Portal in many ways, its story might not be as captivating and the first person gameplay might work against it in some instances. But it's still an awesome puzzle game and for that alone it makes the list.

Sleeping Dogs
Grand Theft Auto in Hong Kong would be an easy way to describe this game but I think Sleeping Dogs deserves higher praise than that. The game made me care more about the characters than any recent open world game I've played. With a fantastic fighting system and
beautiful graphics this title made me feel like I was taking part in an epic crime story that never let down.

Dishonored
Dishonored is such a hard game to describe. It’s Bioshock meets Thief with a bit of Hitman thrown in for good measure. Such unique setting and story make this game stand out from the pack. If you want to try out a game that will take you someplace you've never been before this game is the way to go.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown
X-COM was once a powerful and popular franchise that over the years has seen a decline in
popularity. When they announced the series’ survival as a first-person shooter in 2010 the backlash was massive. I think that's why so many people were surprised to find out that Firaxis Games, the creators of Civilization, were developing a totally different game that plays and feels like a refined version of the original X-COM games. It's a blast to play and not many games nowadays use turn-based gameplay but this title really shows you that not only is it still relevant but it really, really works.

Hitman: Absolution
I'll be the first to admit Hitman: Absolution isn't as good as the last game in this series, Hitman: Blood Money, but it still felt great to see Agent 47 again even if it's not the most amazing game on the planet. Absolution definitely makes it more accessible for newcomers to the series and I think that's a great idea. Regardless of its shortcomings Hitman: Absolution is a fun game that takes the Hitman formula and updates it. If you're a fan of the series give it a shot.

Far Cry 3
I've never been a big fan of the Far Cry series. The original Far Cry and its sequels had lots of cool ideas but they never felt like they really fully utilized those ideas in the game play. Far
Cry 3 for me at least is the first game in this series to make full use of all of their ideas and concepts and really make them work. Easily this game has this series’ best story, characters, dialogue and gameplay. It does have some issues here and there but it's a cool experience. Definitely try this one out.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Right, so I know I'm going to get a little flack for this but Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is probably
the best version of the series of games so far. The quality of the main campaign has always been debated amongst players but the online multiplayer plays extremely well. I think that the next Call of Duty game is going to be very different so the gameplay all the fans of the series have grown to love might change. Since this series has not differed much from Call of Duty 4 I don't think that Activision can afford to pump out another similar game. So we will see what happens but Black Ops 2 for now is still a great game to play.

The Simpsons Arcade
I gotta say this isn't a brand new game but its release this year for the first time on any home platform was really important to me. I used to play this game all the time in arcades. It's pretty much the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game with all the characters from The Simpsons. Whether you're a fan of the show or just like playing great beat ‘em up games The Simpsons Arcade is, was and will forever be a classic. And having the ability to play it at home on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network is simply awesome.

This year's been a blast for video games. I recommend you pick up these games yourself and give them a try and make your own opinions. Here’s to 2013.

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