I haven’t played all the big games released this year but I’ve played a lot of them. So here are my personal top five games I’ve played in 2013 so far in no particular order. All these games are from the first four months of the year. Without further adieu, let’s get started.
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider was my most anticipated game of 2013. For both 2011 and 2012, it was my best game of E3. It was finally released and after playing it, I can say that it was good. Really good. Lara Croft is easily the best thing about this game. The progression from a scared woman trying desperately to stay alive to a hardened survivor is extremely well done. Some feel the violence is over the top but I think it’s appropriate for the setting and circumstances. The transition to it might be weak but it’s appropriate.
The gameplay is also well done as it’s satisfying to scale walls and finish these epic setpieces. Seriously, Nathan Drake can suck it. Gunplay is also really fun, thanks to the automatic cover system (that does work) and the visceral impact the guns have. I completed it 100% because this is also one of those games that actually makes collecting all the little things fun. I’ll be honest, it may not be all that it could’ve been but it’s worth your time because it’s still a great game.
Darkstalkers Resurrection
I didn’t get to play the Darkstalkers series much when I was young because the home releases weren’t something that were popular when I was young. However, I did enjoy playing the original arcade cabinet at a pizza parlor next to the Laundromat I used to go to with my mom. While the original isn’t included here, the second game (which is more like an update to the first game) and the third game are in this collection and they both hold up after all these years.
A lot of the combat has many of the tropes that fighting games have now but in a more distilled, simple way. What is different is Darkstalkers focuses on super moves like ES and EX moves by letting your meter fill up rapidly, especially in Darkstalkers 3. The art design is also really creative and crazy making it very interesting to look at. Girls shooting fire from underneath their dresses, vampires summoning dozens of bats, bigfoot living up to his name, Darkstalkers is a blast and well worth the $15.
DmC: Devil May Cry
One of the first games of this year I played, DmC kicked off my 2013 with a bang. The fast paced and varied combat made me fall in love with this game. All of the weapons you have at your disposal with little to know consequence. The boss fights are also memorable such as the battle with the Succubus or Bob Barcas, the CNN style news pundit. However, what kept it interesting were the diverse and inspired levels.
The level design in DmC is constantly changing and evolving due to the concept of Limbo being like an alternate dimension in the real world. The club levels are especially cool and all of the levels feature a varied color palette. The story is also more substantial than it initially appears to be and the ending satisfyingly concludes the story while setting up a sequel. It makes for a game that is proficient in every one of it’s aspects and its only real problem is you wish there was more of it.
BioShock Infinite
I wasn’t into this game when I first started it. I thought the combat was meh and the story was moving too slowly. But I kept at it and the game got better and better and better until now I’m contemplating whether or not BioShock Infinite is one of the greatest games I’ve ever played. The combat gets really intense and the powers are fun to use in numerous ways that keep combat interesting. The railway combat is also well done so that it’s not too chaotic.
Obviously, the best aspect about the game is the story and art design. Columbia is beautiful in both a visually appealing way and from a graphical standpoint. Sound design is also great. I was stopped cold when I was going through a war torn portion only to find a little black girl singing a slave hymn version of CCR’s Fortunate Son. Oh and the ending. THE ENDING! One of the best endings I’ve ever seen from a game, you need to play this game, for the ending, for the world, for the gameplay, for everything.
Injustice: Gods Among Us
I did not think I was going to like this game. At least not as much as I did. What’s more is a lot of my reservations are justified. The story is dumb, the presentation is below par, the S.T.A.R. Labs mode is awful and there are several characters that are severely unbalanced (Green Lantern, Deathstroke, Doomsday). That said, the combat is SO GOOD! The mechanics are simple yet extremely deep, incorporating combos, juggling, special move priority and stage interactivity. However, none of this is overused. It’s not like Tekken who takes juggling way too far or BlazBlue with it’s insane combos.
What’s more is the characters don’t control like other characters in other fighting games. Each are truly their own characters. What’s more is the online play is pretty good at matching you with a player at your skill level. If you feel like fighting games all feel a little bit the same, you should try Injustice. You’ll love it, flaws and all.
So what are your top five games of 2013 so far? Let me know in the comments below!
