Games of the Year 2012
Here are my best/worst game experiences of 2012 (though not all were first released in 2012), shortened for twitter…
5. Skyrim
Never has so much compelled me so little. The Uncanny Valley as place. Not a world.
4. Halo 4 (campaign)
Godawful storytelling, boring new enemy encounters, same old sequel shit.
3. Skyward Sword
I think I’ve covered this one already.
2. New Super Mario Bros. 2
The worst core Mario game of all time.
1. Limbo
The best argument against indie games, and the worst game I’ve played in years.
10. Sleeping Dogs
It seems driving & listening to the radio in a believable place is what I really want out of an openworld game.
9. The Walking Dead
Best incitement to self-examination through a game narrative. Also, Clem.
8. Fez
Perception-altering is a perfect videogame subject. The 2D/3D shift cannot be fully grasped, which is wonderful.
7. Dys4ia
The only game last year to make me cry.
6. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
Breathtaking, intimate, mesmerizing. Most sincere use of irony.
5. Super Hexagon
Because purity and trance and seconds matter.
4. ZiGGURAT
@number108 (Tim Rogers) knows all the pleasures of the arc. Also, best death screen.
3. Spelunky
Encourages mindfulness over mastery. Forces consequential choices on the fly. As fair as life.
2. The Binding of Isaac
Combines the personal, allegorical, and algorithmic like no other. Made me rethink videogame ‘items’.
1. Minecraft
This is a world and I am going into it.
(originally posted to Twitter on January 22, 2013; other years can be found here)