Alberto's Game of the Year

Game of the Year

The fantastic performance work of Troy Baker as Joel and Ashley Johnson as Ellie made this game an incredible experience. The game's mix of superb facial animations, tense atmosphere, and a great ending drew me into it so much that, it’s hard not to consider this the greatest game of the year

(2) From the moment I started this game till the moment I finished it, I was just blown away by the sheer scope of it. The feeling of being in the world Rockstar creates is unparalleled and it really made the game shine. The mediocre online mode did nothing to prevent me from enjoying the game's single player so much.

(3) From the time I joined the beta a couple years back, till now, I have not stopped enjoying Path of Exile. Now that it is released, it can finally go on my game of the year list. The way that the game handles itemization, potions, monsters, skills, and randomization is extremely well done. From what it lacks in a good story, it more than makes up for in great gameplay systems. All of this, coupled with the fact that it is free and premium features are only cosmetic, it most definitely earns its spot.

(4) I never thought I would end up playing an Animal Crossing game so much, but I’m glad I did, because it is just simply nice to do so. I think the fact that I played this game with my girlfriend (me being the mayor, and her being one of my town’s citizens) greatly helped me enjoy the game. Both of us cooperating on completing public works in our town and sharing the experience together was just pure fun. Other than this, the games music is so well done that it just feels cozy playing the game.

(5) The tale that this game plays out is supremely emotional and the way that it does it is expertly done. At first I was a bit skeptical about the dedicated joystick control for the two brothers that you control, but it ended up being a fantastic choice and one that added to the emotional impact it had on me. This, with the support of the fantastic soundtrack (which I still regularly listen to) and the great art, made for a fantastic game.

 

(6) On paper, this game probably sounds far from an enjoyable experience, but the way that this game paints its atmosphere is great. The way that the drab color scheme, with the communist inspired music, and the extremely harsh work/life conditions of the character all mixed is just fantastic. Don’t be dissuaded from the premise of the game, trust me, it’s really good.

(7) This game like several others on this list creates an atmosphere that just instantly draws you in.  Columbia, the game’s setting, is a city in the sky that is so lovingly crafted by Irrational that you wish you learnt more about it. The story was alright throughout but the ending was easily one of the two best ending in games. The only drawback that the game had for me was the combat, but that was not nearly enough for me to not enjoy this incredible game.

(8) After trying to play Assassins Creed III several times and not being able to get into that game, I thought the series had run its course for me. But after playing Assassins Creed IV, I’m glad that this is not the case. I think the game deserves a spot on my list because it manages to bring me back to a series that I thought I would be done with, which is a thing that many games rarely do. There are so many great aspects to Black Flag including the ship sailing, the shanties, the collectibles, and the superb graphics that it’s a must play. 

(9) I'm sure this game is a title that not many people would put on their top 10 but from the 80 or so hours I played of it, I feel it’s safe to say it was a great game. The game's launch was riddled with server problems, then later the game itself was filled with simulation problems, and finally its city sizes were way too small. But even with all of these setbacks, what Maxis tried to do with the game is supremely ambitious. The way that city data is displayed to the user is just incredible and is, safe to say, the most awesome data view of any game. The way that the city looks and sounds is great and easily the best out of any city simulation game. Now that there have been several major patches to the simulation code of the game (in addition to added features), I strongly encourage anyone interested in playing a simulation game to give this a try.

(10) I have never really been into Tomb Raider games so I thought this reboot wouldn't do much for me but I was pleasantly surprised. I felt that the combat in the game felt super fun and really hard hitting. I never got tired of the combat and that is a feat because I usually grow tired of combat in these types of games. Apart from this, the look of the game was really good. Playing this game on the PC really made this game stand out. Overall, I think it was really fin throughout and absolutely recommend anyone looking to play an action-adventure game to give this one a try.