It has been an exceptional year for gamers. Sales are up, which helps the industry, and the quality of games released offers everyone a little something in every genre. As it turns out, that makes the job of picking the best even tougher. We went to work in picking our best games of the year in several categories, eventually leading up to our game of the year. It proved to be a much more difficult task than first anticipated.
For a gamer, it sounds like a fun task: List out the best games of the year, then pick a favorite. Proceed to avoid any injuries while vigorously patting yourself on the back, then move on. Unfortunately for us (and maybe fortunately for you), it gets a little more objective than that. We looked at each game through a particular set of criteria. Many of these games are best sellers, but sales were never a consideration. Innovation is important, technical reliability as well as sophistication factors in, how accessible it is also played a part, and the presentation is vital.
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But beyond it all, it comes down to what was the most fun. What games elicited the best reaction and stayed with us the longest? What games would we recommend to people? What games will we go back to when we have time? Maybe it isn’t the most scientific way, but it is still better than the BCS.
With that in mind, we weighed and measured each game in the categories, and then picked our winners.
Even after 25 years, the Zelda franchise continues to surprise us. Combining a new gameplay mechanic that squeezes every inch of innovation out of the Wii, Skyward Sword is one of the best Zelda games ever made. And that is saying something.
While this year’s iteration of the Call of Duty franchise didn’t win over the haters, it is still the best online game of the year. The lack of innovation is a definite issue, but the community knows what it wants. Like an annual sports release, CoD does what it has to in order to keep its massive fan base happy. MW3 does just that, and six months from now there it will still have the most vibrant online community around.
It is one thing to have a robust campaign that other people can join in, and adding a few specific modes for people to team up in is great, but how many other games had a completely original co-op game mode on top of a single-player campaign? Of the few other that games that did, how many were just as good as the solo experience, maybe even better?
There were some incredible racing games this year, but there was one clear winner in this category. Forza 4 is the best racing simulator ever made, which made a difficult choice slightly easier. What with it being amazing and all. “Best driving game” will be a tough title for the franchise to hang onto, but for now, Forza reigns supreme.
In what will no doubt be one of our more controversial choices, there is a reason that the Call of Duty formula continues to be used: It is still the best offering out there. The campaign nicely concludes a storyline that began with Call of Duty 4, the Spec Ops missions offer a solid co-op experience, and the multiplayer is a fine-tuned offering that fans will be playing well into the next year, easily
On the PC, there is no comparison to the new Frostbite 2.0 engine. Someday real life will just be kinda dull looking, and engines like Frostbite 2.0 will be the reason. God help us all when Frostbite 5.0 comes out. It will cripple reality. The engine is simply amazing, and the better the system, the further your jaw will drop. On the console, it takes a bit of a hit as you would expect, but still comes off looking better than any other game this year.
When people discuss video games as art, there are generally two games that are on most gamers’ list: Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. The only problem with these games is that hardly anyone actually played them. Then once word about them got around, there were scant few copies to find, as most held onto their copies, or flipped them on eBay for ridiculous amounts. Now the games have the chance to shine again, as both are available in a single package featuring shiny new graphics and a discounted price.
It used to be tough to pick the best RPG of the year, until we took an arrow to the knee. The source of numerous Internet memes, with more options than most people will ever be able to experience in a lifetime, Skyrim is a game that people will be playing for years and years. And years.
The NBA 2K franchise has quickly climbed the mountain and crowned itself as the preeminent sports franchise around. But the truly amazing thing is that you don’t need to like sports to enjoy it. 2K Sports took a sport that was incredibly difficult to realistically adapt as a video game, and not only made it fun and accessible, but made it look easy. Even people who don’t like the sport of basketball should give this game a try.
Combining the sci-fi and survival-horror genres has given Visceral Games the opportunity to create scenarios that are totally original. Sure, walking down a dark hall until something jumps out at you and tries to eat you isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but floating outside a space station perched on the remains of one of Saturn’s moons, attempting to repair machinery before your air runs out while dodging attacks from enemies you can’t hear is very cool.
Of all the games out this year, few will have as long lasting of an impact in terms of story that AC:R did. Ezio Auditore is one of the best video game characters of the last few years. Part of the reason for that is because we have seen him grow and change, and been with him as he has learned and matured. Now we are forced to say goodbye to the man as he comes to grips with his age, the life he has chosen to live, and the sacrifices he has made. Set against the backdrop of the Ottoman Empire as it rose to power, AC:R is a narrative story grounded in reality, and etched with historical details. And special kudos for Ubisoft to have the guts to end a wildly successful character’s story.
While the 3DS continues to suffer from a lack of decent software, there are a few exceptions. Super Mario 3D Land takes full advantage of the system, including the 3D, and creates a Mario experience that should appeal to fans young and old.
Other nominees: Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection,The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Best PC Game
Battlefield 3
While MW3 is the online king of the consoles, Battlefield 3 dominates on the PC. It is a different experience thanks to the 64 player limits, plus the enhanced PC graphics make it an outstanding game. PC gaming has become a much smaller portion of the gaming industry compared to consoles, but that isn’t something PC gamers should fear — rather it is something console gamers should regret.
There were several great PS3 exclusives this year, but none were as impressive as Uncharted 3. Following the success of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, many critics wondered if developer Naughty Dog had found an incredible formula, or just caught lightning in a bottle. Uncharted 3 proves that Naughty Dog knows what it is doing.
Whether you’re a gearhead looking to tune your way to victory, or just someone who enjoys the odd race, Forza 4 is a must own. With over 500 cars, numerous races, and content that is constantly changing thanks to the online features, Forza 4 is not just the best driving game around, it transcends the genre and is one of the best games of the year.
The Wii is in its twilight years, and soon the Wii U will steal the spotlight. Skyward Sword has proven that the system isn’t quite ready to pack it in yet, as the Wii chugs along like a marathon runner who is close to the finish line but has hit “the wall,” and tries for that elusive 100 million consoles sold mark.
Other nominees: Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, Rayman: Origins
Game of the Year
Portal 2
When people ask for a game recommendation, there is always an asterisk on that recommendation. Maybe it is a good game but too violent for the squeamish. Maybe it is an incredible experience, but only if you have a lot of time and patience to invest in it. Portal 2 is simply a game that does everything right. From the dialog to the voice acting to the clever puzzles, the game has almost no flaws.
The biggest knock that most people (us included) had against Portal 2 was that once you solved the puzzles in the single player campaign, then the co-op campaign, there really wasn’t much left to do. Valve knew that was going to be an issue, so it released a decent-sized expansion pack. For free. It then further sweetened the pot and promised a level editor, also for free.
Throw in two of the funniest protagonists/antagonists in GLaDOS and Wheatley, not to mention the incredibly funny life lessons from Cave Johnson, and you have a winner. Portal 2 is simply a joy to play, and that is why it is our game of the year. Someone should make it a cake.
The Nintendo Switch just got 2 surprise games — and they’re both worth grabbing
If you were unable to catch this week's Nintendo IndieWorld showcase, then you missed a surprisingly loaded show. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes got a May release date, WayForward showed off its Yars' Revenge revival, and Steamworld Heist 2 got an exciting reveal. In the midst of all those headlines, two smaller games were surprise released on the platform: Stitch and Sticky Business. Don't sleep on either of them, as they're both worth a purchase.
Both games are ports of previously released games, but both went a bit under the radar upon their original launch. Sticky Business modestly launched last summer on PC, whereas Stitch has actually been around since 2022 as an Apple Arcade exclusive. The latter even has an Apple Vision Pro version now that can be played in mixed reality. I can't blame anyone for missing either, but their Switch releases offer a good opportunity to catch up with some quiet hidden gems.
Razer has been oddly quiet in the burgeoning world of handheld gaming PCs. When I met up with the company at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) to learn about its new products, I was happy to hear it had an answer to the success of the Steam Deck.
But it was not the type of answer I was expecting.
The market for iPhone games has become so wide and diverse that it can realistically compete with most console and PC offerings. Where we once only got cheap time-wasters, we now have complete experiences that don't feel any less impressive than what the competition offers. In fact, a lot of games made for consoles are appearing on the iPhone now that it is becoming so powerful. However, older games have paradoxically been mostly absent from the app store. That all could be about to change as emulation is now allowed on iPhone, though with some caveats that any retro fan should know about before getting too excited to play all your favorite NES games on your phone. Here's what's up with iPhone emulators, as well as our picks for a few of the best ones you can get right now.
What you need to know about emulation on iPhone
Emulators on iPhone, as well as emulation in general, are in a strange legal gray zone. Previously, the only way to get an emulator on your iPhone was through some workarounds that generally involved jailbreaking your phone, That differs from Android, which has enjoyed native emulators for years. In 2024, Apple updated its App Store guidelines to allow for emulators on its store, but with some important restrictions.
Here's the exact wording: "Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these guidelines and all applicable laws. Software that does not comply with one or more guidelines will lead to the rejection of your app. You must also ensure that the software adheres to the additional rules that follow in 4.7.1 and 4.7.5. These additional rules are important to preserve the experience that App Store customers expect, and to help ensure user safety."
