Here's a list of games I enjoyed the most in 2013. Not all of them were released this year, which is why I worded the title like I did. It's been a pretty good year for games. Other games could have easily sneaked onto the list, but this is what I've decided on.
From beginning to end, it was one heck of an experience. The plot, the characters, the setting...you can tell a lot of work was put into everything. The gameplay was great, too. I really liked some of the mechanics. There's so much I liked about the game, but mentioning much more would spoil it. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't already.
It was released this year, so I guess that makes it my GOTY for 2013 (not that I played a lot from this year).
As someone who's a bit fussy when it comes to combat-based games, I was really surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It didn't take me long to get used to the combat. Even when new stuff was thrown in, it didn't result in me getting frustrated. I also loved the aesthetics of the game. It suits the darkness and insanity of Wonderland perfectly. Probably my favourite take on Alice.
I was never really a fan of the older Tomb Raider games (save for locking the butler in the freezer, like I'm sure everyone did). I found them a bit dull. However, after enjoying the Uncharted games so much, I decided to give it a chance. I'm really glad I did. If they make more Tomb Raider games like this, consider me on board with it. I really enjoyed the action and the mystery surrounding the island. The graphics play a big part in setting the atmosphere. Puzzles are well done, too. Not particularly difficult, but satisfying.
I suspect this game will win over a lot of people to the TR franchise. The sequel is only a matter of time, surely...
It wasn't perfect by any means, but I still had a lot of fun playing it. I thought the all the characters were really entertaining. After the seriousness of GTA IV, it was nice to have more comic relief. The heists were the highlight for me (pity there wasn't more of them). The ending (or endings, as I've since seen all of them) was a bit of letdown, but it didn't sour my overall experience with the game. Rockstar still know how to make a good sandbox title.
...oh, and Tangerine Dream worked on the soundtrack. Can't forget that. :D
I played this way back at the start of the year. It came highly recommended from a friend of mine. While I'm not the biggest player of visual novels, it was a worthwhile experience. I liked the various twists and turns the story took. The music was great, too. The only thing I wasn't hot on was having to do certain rooms again in later playthroughs (although I hear they fixed that in sequel). If you're looking for something a bit different, it might be worth checking out.
