Continuing our march through the holidays, we continue our seasonal giveaways with a shift towards gaming. For the fourth day of our “Better Than Socks” giveaway, we are happy to offer a copy of Hitman Absolution Professional Edition for the PlayStation 3 to one lucky winner.
At first glance you’d be forgiven for not seeing the connection between this game and Christmas, but there are several similarities. Although Agent 47 isn’t known for his mirth and jolly nature, both he and Santa are well known for checking their lists. Granted, they exist on opposite spectrums, with Santa leaning towards the “nice” and Agent 47 firmly focused on the “naughty.” And the similarities don’t end there. Both sneak around without being seen, and Agent 47 has probably made his way down a few chimneys in his time. Plus while Santa tends to leave presents, 47 leaves other things like explosives and poisoned sushi. Two peas in a pod.
Hitman Absolution is a game worth your time, or the time of the gamer in your life that could end up with this under the tree. The Professional Edition that we are offering contains the PS3 game, a book featuring art from the game, and a DVD highlighting the making of the game.
For your chance to win, all you have to do is post a comment below and tell us what your favorite game of the years was. If you aren’t a gamer and don’t have a favorite title, just let us know and we’ll consider you entered. The contest runs from now until Monday.
If gaming isn’t your thing, then keep checking back with us every day from now until Christmas, as the Better Than Socks Holiday Giveaways continue.
Congratulations to our winner, Matt Blackwell!
The Walking Dead. Sucks you in as quickly as the intro to “Up” does, but takes you down a very different path. I felt like I was going to throw up at least twice during the final few scenes in episode 5 from pure stress and concern alone. I think that may be the best written game I’ve ever played.
Minecraft! It has kept my little girl enthralled. I’m more of a Halo 4.
I thought the Walking Dead had a great story and had me engaged from beginning to end. However, I’m not sure if it was my favorite game of the year. I loved Assassins Creed 3, but I also liked the previous AC’s from the years before. So I would say the Walking Dead was my favorite game for providing a unique and gripping experience. :) Thank you!
Halo 4! The best game in this legendary series makes it a shoo in for game of the year!
The Walking Dead!
…has there been a winner picked? I’d love to win it, but I was just wondering in case I need to get it for my PC with the Steam sale 0 : )
I have to admit I was hooked on Super Mario Bro back in the day
Awesome series… Love this game…yes please.
Game of the year for me was definitely “Journey” for the PS3.
It’s beautiful, emotional and unique. Journey is that kind of game that shows us that there’s no point in not seeing games as an art. It invokes emotions, provokes thought, has a wonderful grammy-awarded soundtrack, absolutely not-cliché…
I don’t play much, but so far this year, Assassin’s Creed 3 has been my favorite.
My favorite game of this year was probably journey, short but great, and lots of mechanics that haven’t really been explored in other games.
Game of the Year. . .perhaps its Halo 4. I say that because this year, nothing else really got me excited to purchase. the only reason i don’t have Halo 4 is because i don’t have a 360. …Now that i’m thinking about it, Mass Effect 3 was excellent. those two are the games i sat down and watched a complete walkthrough. I’ve been too busy playing DLC and backlogged games that I’ve purchased earlier this year.
Assassins Creed 3 was my favorite game of 2012 –it brought a different touch from the past games with the tree elements (rope darting from the tree and hanging someone like batman was awesome) and the naval warfare. Also, I thought that the season-changing, hunting animals, and the entire American Revolution story ultimately brought a unique and enjoyable experience.
My favorite game of the year is a toss up between Mass Effect 3 and Borderlands 2. But if I have to choose it will have to go to Borderlands 2.
The Walking Dead.
Pacman
Red Dead Redemption. It definitely needs a sequel
Dishonored. If you played it, unless you were disappointed by the length (a problem you’d only get if you love it), you know why.
Mass Effect 3.
This was a hard decision (damn, I hate hard decisions).First off we’ve got Borderlands 2; a game comprised of unmatchable humour, twists, turns and things that’ll just tug at your heart strings. The storyline was solid, and any game that can cause me to almost cry out of pure connection to characters is a damn good game in my books. It had diverse and well thought out skills and skill trees and the game play was definitely improved from the first one. It didn’t lie when it said there were lots and lots…and lots…and lots of guns, and the fact that there’s a chance to find a MIRV Sticky which will teleport to a target before splitting into 5 different grenades which explode and burn your enemies to death will always lead you on a never-ending quest for the best loot ever, and that’s a rather addictive quest. It does a lot of things well, and sure it could be improved, but doesn’t necessarily need to be.
Then we’ve got Dishonred. Ahh, Dishonored, the game that I rushed to download instanteously as soon as it popped up on my Steam Library. I waited and waited for it to be released, and when it was I played it for hours on end. No doubt my obsession with no only assassins but all things stealthy causes a bias love for this steam-punk-fashioned-ball-of-awesomeness, however the truth is that this game is just…good. Aye, it was played up to be “Hey, you can run across rooftops and stop time and stuff!” but truth is, if you play this completely stealth, you’ll be crouched for 90% of the game. But that’s not a bad thing. In fact, the stealth mechanics at play in this game actually allowed for a better experience. Sure, crouching doesn’t necessarily make you invisible, however the fact that you didn’t rely on shadows allowed the developers to really open up the world and say “Hey, we’ve got a beautiful game here. Why don’t you take a look?” It let you see the beauty of your surroundings, or even just added that atmosphere of oppression and darkness without all those shadows. The only real problem I had was how the faces looked, and how the Heart would say the same thing about every fifth person. However putting that aside, the game felt amazing. You had different paths to take and different ways to kill enemies. And let me tell you this: The last assassination in the game? BEST. ASSASSINATION. EVER. Seriously. I loved the animation for it.
Lastly, we have Spec Ops: The Line. I must admit my experience was sort of ruined with Spec Ops, due to the fact that my friend got it first and sorta rushed me to complete it so we could talk about it. I’ll try not to spoil anything, but here’s why I loved it:
See, I’m not the biggest fan of cover-based shooters. I’m not a huge fan of 3rd person games either, however gameplay alone? Spec Ops did it right. Aye, it did everything that every other cover-based shooter does, but at least it did it right. Staying behind cover meant you didn’t die, you could use blind fire, lob grenades from cover etc. Moving from cover was swift and simple, and vaulting over cover was not only simple and effective, but also fun as f-…lollipops. So gameplay alone? Spec Ops was good. But this game is about story, and by gods…this story will fuck you up. You go through the game, doing what you think is right; trying to be the hero, but you aren’t. And by the end of the game you’re so mentally…lolipopped, that you start to question the game in every aspect. Play this game twice. The first time will be normal, and the second time will open your eyes. The developers of this game had giant…gumdrops, for attempting a story like this, and I really hope that people play this and realize the other side of war.
Well, after reading all that you’re probably going “Koi, shut the lollipop up and tell us your favourite game of the year” and so I shall. My favourite game of the year has to be Dishonored. I LOVE stealth games, and I love stealth games that do it well. Being a super-human transversing mega-assassin which can stop time and cross cities without a whisper? Yes. Yes, yes, yes. This game did so many things right, and has to be my favourite game of the year, followed by Borderlands 2 and Spec Ops: The Line.
Walking dead
Journey had to be my favorite game this year. The game just provides such a unique experience. You meet a random stranger that could possibly live halfway around the world from you, and despite not being able to really communicate, you work with them in unison to ‘advance’ through the game.
I would have to say Skyrim. It’s everything i could’ve asked for in a game and more. The story may be a bit short, but considering the endless things to do in that game surely compensates for it.
My favorite game this year definitely had to be Mass Effect 3.
Despite the bad original ending, I felt it was a strong finish for the trilogy.
Hitman seems really good. Hopefully I’ll be lucky and win ^^
i want it
Call of Duty Black Ops II for the Wii U. First great Wii U game I’ve spent time with. Very enjoyable single player so far.
Dark Souls if applicable, otherwise, Walking Dead.
I loved Assassins Creed 3 and even with it’s flaws, Black ops 2 is usually in my PS3.
I didn’t get a new new game this year – Portal 2 wasn’t really ‘new’ – having been out a while – for my birthday (but I loved it). My husband just got Far Cry 3 but it’s for the PC and I’m too klutzy for keyboard so I’m jealous – it looks very fine.
My favorite is probably Dishonored
Skyrim! I loved it! But Dishonored is really winning me over and taking over my free time now.
Mass Effect 3. Even though it got a lot of negative feedback for its ending, I love it and its predecessors. I still enjoy going back and replaying to see how my decisions affect the outcome of my ending.
Assassin’s Creed 3… I can just run around and kill Redcoats for hours without even doing a mission…
Also, quick typographical note: You accidentally wrote “… below and tell us what your favorite game of the YEARS was…”, instead of the singular “year.” :)
I haven’t played any “official” 2012 games. However, the “Dawnguard” and “Hearthfire” DLCs were released this year, so I guess my favorite “game of the year” was “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.” (It’s still the most recent game that I’ve played.)
Please consider this to be my entry into the contest. Thanks in advance. I hope I win!