It's That Time of Year Again: A Personal and Subjective List of the Top 17 Best Games of 2013

As we approach the end of another year, it's that time again – time to make videos about games. Throughout the year, I've played a vast number of titles, but unfortunately, not every single game made it onto my radar. Don't be offended if something is left out; this is a personal and subjective list, after all.

As a gamer, I'm always on the lookout for new experiences, and 2013 was no exception. This year brought us a plethora of amazing games that left me in awe. From the familiar to the unknown, here are my top 17 picks for the best games of 2013.

**Lost Planet 3: A Prequel with a Twist**

My first game on this list is Lost Planet 3, which I highly enjoyed. As a fan of the original, I was hesitant about the third installment, but boy am I glad I played it! It's a prequel that offers a unique blend of action and exploration, set in a futuristic world with a dash of space western flair. The game follows our protagonist as they roam around the planet, taking on quests and listening to an awesome futuristic country and western soundtrack. It's a wild ride, and I'm glad I gave it another chance.

**Peggle 2: A Charming Casual Classic**

Next up is Peggle 2, a casual game that I couldn't get enough of. When I wasn't mindlessly clicking cookies or building megapolises, this was the game I turned to. The simple yet addictive gameplay of the first Peggle was expanded upon in every way, making it an Xbox One exclusive for some baffling reason. And you know what? It worked! The charming graphics and soundtrack only added to its appeal. If you're looking for a relaxing gaming experience, look no further than Peggle 2.

**Cabela's African Adventures: A Budget Title with Heart**

I've never played any of the Cabela's Adventures games before this one, but I'm glad I gave it a shot. Make no mistake, it's a budget title, and you can tell, but the gameplay surprised me. The game takes most of its inspiration from the last two Far Cry games, stripping out the shooting mechanics and replacing them with animal hunting. It's not perfect, but there's something endearing about this humble game that had me hooked.

**Crysis 3: A Mixed Bag**

My next game on this list is Crysis 3, a title that left me feeling conflicted. On one hand, it takes the next logical step from Crysis 2, expanding gameplay options and giving players larger zones to explore. On the other hand, it's pretty much just Crysis 2.5, with a story that jumped the shark in a big way. Still, I couldn't deny how much fun I had playing around with my bow and stealthily taking down enemies.

**Shadow Warrior: A Bloody Good Time**

Next up is Shadow Warrior, a game that's not actually a remake of the 1997 classic – it's more of a reboot. This title stands out from its competitors, particularly Rise of the Triad, which was also released this year. Unlike Rise of the Triad, Shadow Warrior goes all out with its graphics and gameplay evolution, becoming something entirely new in the process. And holy crap, that sword is amazing! If you're looking for a bloody good time, look no further than Shadow Warrior.

**Papers, Please: A Game That Will Make You Think**

My next game on this list is Papers, Please, an investigative puzzle game that will make you think twice about your actions. There's no reason why this game should be so engaging, but it is! The depth of the gameplay and the emotional toll it takes on the player had a profound impact on me. If you're looking for a game that will challenge you, look no further than Papers, Please.

**Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon – A Standalone Masterpiece**

Ah, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon – this standalone game is what Duke Nukem Forever should have been! Solid shooting gameplay, great humor, and an incredible soundtrack make this a must-play experience. The game's '80s action movie and pop culture skewering are on full display, with titanium-plated cyber dragons and Michael Bean spouting one-liners left and right. This is heaven for those who love retro-futurism.

**Bioshock Infinite – A Game That Defies Explanation**

Last but not least, I have Bioshock Infinite, a game that defies explanation. What can I say? It's just... amazing. The game's unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, combined with its innovative gameplay mechanics, make it an experience unlike any other. If you're looking for a game that will blow your mind, look no further than Bioshock Infinite.

And there you have it – my top 17 games of 2013. Each one has been carefully chosen for its unique qualities and the experiences they offered me as a gamer. Whether you agree with my list or not, I hope this article has given you some inspiration to try out these amazing games. Happy gaming!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enIt's that time of year again.It's time to make videos.About games.That happen.Throughout the year.Now, of course, this is going tobe a personal and subjective list,because I just haven't played everysingle game that came out this year.That happens when you're human.So don't be offended if something is left out.I like the games I like and that is that.You might like them, you might not.Whatever the case may be, here is myTop 17 Best Games of the Year 2013.And so, without further ado,or a-don't,let's get right to...#17: Lost Planet 3I highly enjoyed Lost Planet 1,but I hated Lost Planet 2 so muchthat I really didn't give asecond glance to the third.At least at first, but, boy, am I glad I did,because this is quite thefun prequel to the first gamewith a bit of Dead Spacethrown in for good measure.It's actually a kind of space western,if that makes any sense.There's just something about roamingaround the world in a giant mech,taking random quests while listening to afuturistic country and western soundtrackthat appeals to me.#16: Peggle 2When I wasn't mindlessly clicking cookiesor building megapolises,this is the casual game I went for this year.Take the simple yet insanelycompulsive gameplay of the first one,expand on every bit of it,and make it an Xbox One exclusivefor some dumb reason,and there you go!It's Peggle...again,and it's as charming as ever,and that is precisely what I wanted.#15: Cabela's African AdventuresI've never played any of the Cabela'sAdventures games before this one,but I've gotta say, I'm a fan now.Make no mistake: it's abudget title and you can tell,but the gameplay really surprised me.Take most of the stuff fromthe last two Far Cry games,strip out the shooting of dudes andreplace it with the shooting of animals only,and you'll end up with something like this.#14: Crysis 3I'm a bit torn with Crysis games at this point.On the one hand, this takes thenext logical step from Crysis 2,expanding the gameplay options andgiving you some larger zones to explore.On the other hand,it's pretty much just Crysis 2.5,and the story jumped somany sharks, it's ridiculous.Still, I can't deny how much fun I hadstealthing around with a bow in this one.#13: Shadow WarriorA remake of the 1997 classic from 3D Realms,Shadow Warrior *isn't* actually a remake at all,but is more of a reboot, so never mind.It was between this andRise of the Triad for me,and unlike Rise of the Triad, also from this year,it isn't mostly a graphical update to the old gamebut rather goes all out with itsevolution and becomes its own thing,and for that, it stands apart.It's its own bloody, ridiculouslyfun slice-and-dice thingand holy crap, that sword is amazing.#12: Papers, PleaseThere is no reason for an investigative puzzle gameabout a fictional Soviet country'simmigration officer to be so engaging,but holy crap, is it!The depth of the gameplay and theemotional toll of the game had on meas I tried to weigh my morals, myresponsibility and my fear of the authorities,it shocked me as is justlike nothing else I've played.Glory to Arstotzka.#11: Need for Speed RivalsWhile I was not a big fan of last year'sMost Wanted rehash by Criterion,Ghost Games did a superb jobwith this game in my book.Not only does it have thebenefit of not being a reboot,but it takes the best elements from games likeTest Drive Unlimited, Burnout Paradise and Blur,and mixes them into one of the most throughlysatisfying arcade racers I've played in a long time.#10: The Last of UsYeah, this one's only at #10 for me.It may have well been my Game of the Yearif it weren't for one thing.One big thing: the gameplay.Now the story, atmosphere, characters,level design, and thatNaughty Dog touch: amazing!But the gameplay just felt bland to me.It was completely flat.It made me not even want to seethe story through to its conclusion.It felt brutal, but that was about it.Still, I am very glad I saw this one through.#9: Beyond: Two SoulsQuantic Dream has a kind oflove-em-or-hate-em thing going on.David Cage's games are morelike interactive movies nowadays,and Beyond is no exception.But for being basically amodern FMV adventure game,it's also one of the mostenthralling things from this year.Ellen Page, Willem Dafoe andthe other actors are superb,and the story and pacing hadme hooked from start to finish.That homeless scene, holy crap!#8: Far Cry 3: Blood DragonYeah, this standalone game based on Far Cry 3has been described as what Duke NukemForever should have been, and I agree.Solid shooting gameplay, great humor,an incredible soundtrack,titanium-plated cyber dragonsand tons of one-linersspouted by the excellent Michael Bean.This is '80s action movie andpop culture skewering heaven,and I seriously hope formore of this before too long.#7: Bioshock InfiniteI don't even know what to say except \"wow.\"This game is kind of in a leagueof its own, as far as shooters go.Bioshock has always beensomething special since the first one,and this really goes out of its way toscream \"video games are art\" to me.A mind bending story, one of thebest companions I've ever seen,incredible acting and art directionand music and on and on.And, yeah, I really enjoyed the combat, too.Skyhooks, yo!#6: Dead Rising 3So, Dead Rising 2,it was one of my favoritegames of the last generation.This looks like a hugedeparture from that game,but once I got my hands on this,my fears were chopped intolittle pieces and set on fire.While it's a bit darker andgrittier in both look and tone,there's no shortage of silliness on offer here.Plus, there's just way more of everything.Hundreds of weapons and combos,a friggin' HUGE world,and gratuitously satisfying gameplay.Oh, and the Roller Hog is now one ofmy favorite video game vehicles ever.#5: Gone HomeThis game...rattled me to my core.I'm still not sure how or why,but Gone Home is an experience I won't forget.I guess the most direct comparison I can makeis to the also excellent Dear Esther,but this is a lot more hands-on and personal.Not to mention nostalgic for me,being based in 1995.I don't want to say too much, but youexplore a big 7th Guest-y style housein the dark during a thunderstorm,try to find out what happened to itsinhabitants through clues left behind,and just soak in some of the best atmosphereand memorable characters in recent memory.#4: Assassin's Creed IVUh, Assassin's Creed III sucked, and as such,both myself and a lot of peopleI know were turned off to the fourth.But, Jayzus, mate, don't–just don't–let this one pass by.Ubisoft Montreal smartly latched on to thenaval combat of the third game and ran with it,creating one of the best virtualworlds of piracy in gaming.You've got a huge part of the Caribbean to explore,a satisfying main storyline,tons of side quests and crafting,and the protagonist actually *isn't* asboring and relatable as a pile of bricks,so that's nice.#3: Saints Row IVThis game is stupid in the best way and I love it.While it may disappoint fans that longfor another game more like Saints Row II,This one satisfies in waysI never expected from the series.But, wow, it works!Think of it as Saints Row:The Third meets Crackdownwith a *bit* of Prototypeand Infamous thrown in,and then just like Aliensand a bunch of other crap.Not to mention some of the funniestand most self-aware writing this yearwith tons of memorable moments,and gameplay that just feels good.Yes, it's a big departure, but props toVolition for keeping the series fresh.#2: Metro: Last LightThis may just be the most enjoyable first-person shooter I've played since Half-Life 2.I do not say that lightly.In fact, it reminds me of thatgame in more than a few ways,and that's nothing but a good thing.The setting, the shooting,the exploration, the characters, the story,it stuck with me vividly ever since I played it.And it's one of those I know I'll begoing back to play again and again.I wasn't even the biggest fan of the first game,but this one blew me awayat least once during every level.And considering the developers at 4A Gamesand their harsh workingconditions while making this,this is just that much more of anincredible a feat of game design.And #1: Cookie ClickerActually, I could make an argumentfor putting this at #1, but no!Actually...no.My #1, of course, is Grand Theft Auto V.As superb as Last Light was,this is the one game that I put the mosttime into this year, and that is that.Between the top-notch single-player gameand the highly interesting but flawed online game,GTA V may be the crown jewelof the last console generation.The three-character main story is amillion times more interesting than IV's,the world of San Andreas is bigger and moredetailed than anything Rockstar has done previously,the music is great, the graphics–I don't evenknow how they managed this on the old hardware,and the gameplay has beenimproved all over the place.As far as open-world gamesand a modern-day setting go,this is the cream of the crop.And that's it for my Top 17.Whether you agree or not...*pfft* really doesn't matter.Go ahead and leave commentstelling me what your favoritegames of the year were,and we'll see a prime exampleof individuality in action.I do have a few honorable mentions, though,that could have made the listhad a few of the other gamestowards the top of the list not been there.One of them was Tomb Raider,and this is an entire reboot of the series.And, yes, it is very impressive, but I don't know.There was just something aboutit that didn't really click with me.I wasn't that compelledto continue the story very much at all,so it was kind of a slog.I've also got Muri,which is a fantastic little game,a side-scrolling shooter much inthe vein of Duke Nukem I by Apogee.It's a DOS-style platformerand, you know, that aloneis just frickin' amazing to me.It's a very, very short game, though,but I did have a ton of fun with it.I've also got Forza Motorsport 5 and Gran Turismo 6,and they're both on here because they'reboth just kind of a bit disappointing.Forza 5 just because it's such astep back from Forza Motorsport 4,and that game was one of thebest racing games I've ever played.But it's just got way, way too little contentand it just kind of bored me.Gran Turismo 6...the same kind of thing: I just got bored of it.But that's just because the Gran Turismo gameshave never really resonated with me terribly much.They have a ton of features that I love,but the overall experience just isn'tsomething that keeps me for very long.I've also got The Stanley Parable,which is an incredible game that Iwould highly recommend going throughthat is just so meta and self-referential and...It's just a commentary on games and allsorts of interactive entertainment in generalthat is just great. I loved the original mod.But because I have played that mod,this one didn't really hit mein the same exact way.This does a whole lot more, though,and is very much worth picking up.And lastly, there's Super Mario 3D World,which I have a feeling I wouldget a very big kick out of,but I just wasn't able to play it this year.I don't own a Wii U.So who knows if it would have made the list or not.But it looks really frickin' good.And that's all for my Top 17 of 2013.I hope you enjoyed seeing my personal take onthe games that I found most enjoyable this year.And if you'd like to seeother videos that I've done,mostly reviews on games and whatnot,then click some of thesebecause there's a bunch of them.Or just click Subscribe becauseI do more stuff every week,and that'll tell you whenever they're out.And as always, thanks for watching.\n"