Welcome to the Conslayer’s Staff Picks for Game of the Year 2013! This year has been a truly epic year to be a gamer and with so many great games to choose from, we here at Conslayer wanted to let you know what our choice’s were for game of the year, along with our top 5 games that were close to making it to our own personal number one spot. Without further ado, I give to you our Staff Picks for 2013 Game of the Year!
KING
After an amazing year of gaming with 2012, who would’ve thought 2013 would have been so profound for the gaming industry. This year alone we have launched into a new console generation. Slowly but surely more epic games have dropped for the Wii U and the 3DS, while at the same time these 7 to 8-year-old consoles unleashed so many incredible experiences that truly made this year something special. If I had to pick one game this year that completely went beyond my expectations and gave me the most epic experiences, without a doubt it would be Grand Theft Auto V.
I went into the latest outing by Rockstar Games thinking this was going to be another GTA, but boy was I wrong. Everything from the gripping story of the three main protagonists that I actually cared for, to the killer graphics and physics, all the way down to the soundtrack that truly sets the Cali vibe. And if that wasn’t enough, some of my favorite memories were just cruising around the huge playground of Los Santos in GTA Online with some good friends just causing havoc on the city. Bottom line, Grand Theft Auto V gave me a next generation experience on the Xbox 360, and for that I crown it my choice as my favorite game for 2013.
KING’s Top 5 of 2013:
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Tomb Raider
- The Last of Us
- BioShock Infinite
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Espynat0r
If you’re looking for a game that has characters you can fall in love with, an intricate story, and allows you to eff stuff up, then Grand Theft Auto V is the way to go. Not only has Rockstar mastered the art of graphics, their latest title feeling like something out of one’s every day life, but they added realisms to the game that other developers might easily skip over. Traffic stops for red lights, cops will come after you if you steal, and when you get into an accident your character does not come out unscathed. If you’ve got a sick lookin’ car, people will stop, pay you compliments, and sometimes take pictures. There are NPCs that will react to your reckless driving, and when you stand around doing nothing your character will start glancing around – like one might when bored. But most fun of all? Everything you can do within the game. Whether it be a main story mission, something you’ve decided to pick up on the side, or playing online on your own or with your buddies the possibilities seem endless. You can hijack planes, explore the ocean via way of jet ski, or play golf. Despite being able to cause absolute chaos, Grand Theft Auto V is packed, and tied up in a pretty little bundle that is nothing but sheer fun, mindless gunning, destroying, and messing around, and a story that’ll keep you on the edge. It’s definitely a must play, and worthy of reigning as Game of the Year.
Espynat0r’s Top 5 of 2013:
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD reMIX
- BioShock Infinite
- The Last of Us
- Disney Infinity
Novblue
Trying to decide which game is my top pick from 2013 is not an easy undertaking, considering there was a surplus of excellent games to choose from. While I was not able to play every game on my list, I did manage to get my hands on a few. Though they were all brilliant, I would have to say that Bioshock Infinite was my choice of best game of the year. I know that I am not alone in feeling this way, but to me, the story of a game is vital. A game can look beautiful and have great gameplay, but if I don’t feel invested in the characters or the story, it isn’t worth playing.
As a devoted fan of the original Bioshock, as well as Bioshock 2, I was looking forward to Bioshock Infinite with great anticipation. I had high hopes for the game, even though it was departing from my beloved Rapture, and it certainly delivered. The revolution torn city in the sky Columbia was not only one of the most beautiful environments I have ever explored, but also one of the most intriguing. They did not shy away from controversial themes in the game and the mysterious story of Booker and Elizabeth kept me so engrossed that I was constantly thinking about it, even when I wasn’t playing. The last few minutes of the game leave your jaw on the floor, and I love the way they tied in the games of the Bioshock universe in a natural way that did not come off as forced or cheesy. That kind of well designed, thought out story is why I choose Bioshock Infinite as my pick for Game of the Year. There’s always a lighthouse, there’s always a man, there’s always a city. And there is always a super fan, just like me.
Novblue’s Top 5 of 2013:
- BioShock infinite
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
- The Last of Us
- Ni No Kuni
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf
ManaCookies
When asked what my favorite game of this year is, Grand Theft Auto V immediately came to mind. The city of Los Santos is so full of life and is loaded with activities to give you endless amounts of game time. This game has everything you could want from a game: beautiful graphics, stellar voice acting, action-packed missions, and amazingly hilarious and psychotic characters that you can easily grow attached to. This year has been filled with many absolutely wonderful games, but Rockstar hit the nail on the head with GTA V, so although I loved all of the contenders this year, I feel that Grand Theft Auto V is highly deserving of every Game of the Year reward that it receives, and I can’t wait to see what else Rockstar has planned.
Manacookies Top 5 of 2013:
- Grand Theft Auto V
- BioShock Infinite
- The Last of Us
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
- Pokemon X/Y
Brie
Disney Infinity is a great game with some of our favorite characters like Mike and Sully from Monster’s Inc. or my personal favorite, the Toy Story crew; Buzz, Woody and Jessie. Each play set is a completely different game with hours of play that is truly multi-generational. Not only do I feel like a kid at heart, but I feel good knowing my kids can play it no worries. Disney Infinity always promises “Infinite Possibilities” with all that it offers. Overall, it is my pick of 2013 and surely will continue to uphold its playability through the New Year.
Brie’s Top 5 of 2013:
- Disney Infinity
- Defiance
- Rayman Legends
- Call of Duty: Ghosts
- Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Fusromandah
When it comes to games, and why us, the gamers, like them, sometimes it can be difficult to explain why. But then again, when we’re talking about the latest Assassin’s title from Ubisoft, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I think it’s pretty easy to explain why that game is my Game of the Year. From a graphical standpoint alone, the game will blow you out of the water. I remember when I first started to play the game, I just said, “Wut”–looking at the game itself was so pretty. Then once you actually begin to play the game, and experience the new combat mechanics, it’s even more incredible. Assassin’s Creed IV’s combat is so smooth, that when you’re in the middle of a fight, everything flows–there’s no button delay, or lag whatsoever. Any of you who might have played the other games, you will learn to greatly appreciate this smooth gameplay–given the fact that a lot of the previous installments were quite buggy. There’s so many different gameplay aspects to the game, as well. Not only is their foot combat awesome, but the naval combat is incredible too. Ubisoft did an incredible job at really making sure you feel like an authentic pirate. Next, I think it’s time to appreciate the music. The game’s epic soundtrack hypes you up in the most fitting scenarios. There’s also the game’s shanties, which are musical sheets players can chase after, and once caught, your crew will learn to sing the song once you’re out on the open sea. But, as a fair warning, they will get stuck in your head, and you will look like a freak singing them at work, just saying. Now lets attempt to discuss the game’s story without giving anything away. The story is immersive, fun, enjoyable, interesting, and well-written. To prevent possibly giving anything away, I’ll just say this: if any of you enjoyed Assassin’s Creed II’s story, this is the closest thing to how great that was, since II came out. So, why exactly do I love Assassin’s Creed IV? I think I’ve earned the justified right to say this: it’s freaking awesome, and I don’t really need to explain anything else. So, don’t make the mistake in not checking this game out., I promise you won’t regret it.
Fusromandah’s Top 5 of 2013:
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
- BioShock Infinite
- Super Mario 3D World
- Pikmin 3
- Rayman Legends
ReeceFairhead
The Last of Us… Where do I even begin? It’s not the stunning visuals, the immersive gameplay or even the tremendous narrative that makes The Last of Us my game of the year, its Joel and Ellie. Never have I played a game and felt so connected to the characters; so responsible for their fates. For anyone who hasn’t seen Grounded – The Making of The Last of Us may I highly recommend you do specifically for the segment which shows how Troy Baker prepared for the heart wrenching climax of the opening scene. Never, never in any piece of fiction have I ever felt such strong empathy for a characters suffering.
Counter to my almost instant affinity with Joel I was not aware of the intensity of my attachment to Ellie until the implied horror of the restaurant scene which subjected me to every aspect of the emotional spectrum in a little under sixty seconds! For me The Last of Us is the very definition of intensity and in my mind the overall calibre of storytelling within The Last of Us is so far beyond anything we’ve seen up to this point that for me it’s the only real contender for this year’s game of the year award.
ReeceFairhead’s Top 5 of 2013:
- The Last of Us
- Grand Theft Auto V
- BioShock Infinite
- Tomb Raider
- Gone Home
DamnJacquie
I was a little hesitant to purchase and play The Walking Dead: Season 2 at first. Mostly because of the price jump from Season 1 and partly because of the price jump from Season 1. Fair enough right? I thought, “I’ll just watch a Let’s Play of it.” But as most impulse buys go, I purchased it anyways and I’m happy I did.
The game doesn’t start off slow by any means. You are instantly faced with conflict and decisions. Seeing as how you pick up where Season 1 left off, you of course play as Clementine. This makes it seem like your decisions matter more somehow; as for myself it made the game much more intense. While the graphics still have that same comic book feel, they are also stunning. Your surroundings absolutely capture the moment and at some points make you feel just as lost and lonely as Clem. I can’t say that I made all the best choices during my game play. However, I can say that I enjoyed every second of the heart pounding, gut wrenching, teary eyed, and uh-oh moments.
DamnJacquie’s Top 5 of 2013:
- The Walking Dead: Season 2
- The Stanley Parable
- Beyond Two Souls
- Outlast
- Grand Theft Auto V
DagJakeTanner
Pikmin 3: Similar to the situation with Kingdom Hearts 1.5, Pikmin 3 is also something I’ve been waiting for ever since I was a kid. Back when the first two games came out, I played them and became a huge fan almost instantly, and ever since, I’ve been waiting for Nintendo to make a third one. Pikmin 3 adds onto (in what is my opinion) one of Nintendo’s best franchises. Not only is the game fairly difficult, there are plenty of great new additions, a cool story that has a lot going on when you analyze it, and overall, Pikmin 3 was the most satisfying game this year for me. Call it my inner child finally getting his wish, but it can’t be denied that Pikmin 3 is a solid game and definitely worth checking out.
DagJackTanner’s Top 5 of 2013:
- Pikmin 3
- Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD reMIX
- The Last of Us
- BioShock Infinite
- Killer is Dead
Well that ends another amazing year of gaming. Make sure you check out our winner for Game of the Year 2013, and we cannot wait to see all the epicness to come in 2014!
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