Over the past year a lot has changed in my life. One of the biggest examples of change has been the job I acquired in April at my local Gamestop store. Since I took that job, I have been able to get back into gaming a little more seriously than I have taken it before, and I was able to broaden my library and open up to gaming on a whole new level. I found a hobby and a group of people who were just as passionate about that hobby with me, and it has helped me to get through such an eventful year.
I’m starting this “geek entertainment” news blog with the hopes that I can help impact people’s lives through gaming, movies, and television as they seek fulfilling entertainment and feed their passion! I’ll be posting the latest movie, gaming, and tv news as well as reviews and occasional lists. So without further ado, here are my top 5 games of 2013.
#5. Tearaway
I used the money I got for christmas to purchase a PS Vita. It was an investment moreso as a companion device for my PS4 than it was for the meager lineup of games it offered. However, purchasing Tearaway has changed my perspective on the device as a whole. Tearaway takes advantage of every aspect of the Vita and does so effortlessly providing a charming and creative story as well as innovative and fun gameplay. That in combination with being one of the defining games on the platform puts Tearaway at number 5 on the list.
#4. Lego Marvel Superheroes
I have been a fan of Lego for as long as I can remember. I have been a fan of Marvel since I first saw spiderman on the big screen back when I was just a kid, and my fandom has only grown, just like the ever expanding Marvel universe, since then. Combine the two and you have an instant recipe for success. Travelers tales sticks with the formula they know best with the Lego games, and once again it is a hit. The brick smashing, puzzle solving, and constructive gameplay is tons of fun, especially with friends. The cast of playable characters, which tops out at around 150, covers even the lesser known aspects of the Marvel universe, and is the ultimate fan service to a fanboy such as myself. Top all of that with a fun and engaging story, and Lego Marvel Superheroes sits not only at #4 on the list, but stands as one of the greatest superhero video games in the past few years.
#3.Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
I haven’t spent as much time with this game (yet) as I have with the others on the list, but I sure am looking forward to it. The Legend of Zelda series has one of the richest histories in gaming and also has one of my favorite soundtracks of all time, so when I heard they were coming out with a sequel to “A Link To The Past” it easily became one of my most anticipated games. I’ve only spent about two hours in the game itself, but those two hours were enough to already put it an number three on the list. The same style and map as “A Link To The Past” brings with it a huge nostalgia factor, along with new gameplay mechanics such as the ability to move along walls, definitely makes this game feel like a sequel. I love everything about the story so far, and can’t wait to dive even further into this game.
#2.Grand Theft Auto V
Few games are able to build up such hype that the developer rents out the entire side of a skyscraper to advertise for it. Grand Theft Auto V is one of those games. Rockstar has established themselves as the industry leader when it comes to open world, sandbox games, but they really outdid themselves when it came time for them to shine this year. GTAV is a culmination of years of work, bringing us back to the thriving metropolis of Los Santos. Seeing how “San Andreas” was my favorite in the “GTA” series, I was ecstatic to get back into the open world of Los Santos and the surrounding areas, and boy was I in for a surprise. The attention to detail that Rockstar put into the world, making almost every area of the map available to explore was incredibly satisfying and fun. Now, put 3 different playable characters each with their own storyline that I can switch between at any time, and drop them into this huge, immersive world with an incredible cast of supporting characters and you get the #2 game on the list, and a lot of excitement and anticipation for what Rockstar will do next.
#1. The Last Of Us
Zombies were all the rage this year, the wild success of Robert Kirkman’s and AMC’s “The Walking Dead” combined with zombie movie, after zombie movie, after zombie video game, we found the market over saturated with all things zombie. Enter Naughty Dog. They were able to tell a heart-wrenching story, breathe new life into the survival horror genre, create a linear, story driven game with incredibly high replay value, all while putting a new spin on the term “zombie”. While the creatures that Naughty Dog created technically weren’t zombies, the way that the “infected” interacted with the world around them, within this post-apocalyptic setting felt like it gave new life to a genre that was becoming stale. You play as Joel, a tough and grizzled middle aged man tasked with escorting Ellie, a young girl who has an important role to play in the survival of humanity. The game’s story is told in seasons, with each season building on the next as far as intensity goes. The game keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time, and It is the only video game I have ever had trouble finishing due to my crying like a baby throughout the last level. Naughty Dog created a masterpiece with almost everything about the gameplay and the story being perfect. The Last Of Us was the perfect swan song for it’s generation, gracefully ushering us into the next generation of console gaming.
There you have it folks. My Top 5 games of 2013. If you have yet to play any of these games I encourage you to pick them up as soon as you can. Also let me know in the comments your top 5 for the year! I hope you’ll continue to follow my blog, as I’ll be hoping to update pretty regularly with movie and game reviews and news.
