Best Videogames of 2013

For me, 2013 was all about three games; Bishock Infinite, GTA V and FIFA 14.

Not only unknown games by any stretch, nor should they be.

FIFA 14 was a highly divisive game, many finding its gameplay mechanics a step backwards and others simply preferring previous iterations, such as '12 and '13. Personally, I've played it to the point that it's essentially blurred into the same as the more recent games, and although there are certain problems, I still find it enjoyable to play every now and then.

GTA V was arguably the biggest game of the year, and I believe was the biggest 'entertainment launch' of the year, racking it insane sales figures and receiving critical acclaim across the board.

This entry in the series, the last to appear on (then) 'next-gen' consoles, was unique in that you were controlling three characters, rather than one as was the case in every other GTA game in the series. Although the premise and previews made it sound a complicated and potentially awkward feature, when it was actually put into practice (not a great deal, it has to be said), it worked well. Off the top of my head, there are only a few actual instances where two or more characters are controlled 'simultaneously' but it was certainly an interesting concept.

That aside, the only other main complaints were the game's music catalogue (and relative lack of quality talk radio) and its somewhat underwhelming ending. While the game has some big and well-known tracks, and some unusual but surprisingly excellent choices (Pure Shores, With Every Heartbeat), players felt a little short-changed in terms of the radio chat shows, which were absolutely fantastic in GTA3, Vice City and San Andreas. It was more a case of what had previously been overshadowing a solid and nevertheless entertaining radio selection.

The biggest complaint for me was the game's ending, although there are actually three choices available to the player. I won't go into detail about any of the options, because you would be unfair on those still to play the game, but it was essentially a case of a very ambitious and intriguing build-up leading to a somewhat anti-climatic finale, leading to many simply wondering "Was that it?"

And indeed, that is it, at least in terms of main storyline gameplay. There have been subsequent multiplayer and 'single player' DLC packs, which have left a lot to be desired, at least from the GTA fans I've heard discussing the situation.

Although The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and Damned single player downloadable content both gave players more of what they wanted from GTA IV last time round, those story packs came a fair while after the main game had shipped, and if Rockstar Games are planning on following suit with more single player DLC for GTAV, people could be waiting a while. With the 'next-gen' in full flow, will anyone bother...?

Bioshock Infinite was almost as big a release for me as GTAV was, in 2013. Released in March, the game promised a departure from Rapture, the fictitious undersea gameworld which basically made the Bioshock franchise what it is. Infinite would instead take place in Columbia, a world that existed in the clouds, and follow very different narrative threads.

There were lots of similarities between Infinite and its predecessors (Bioshock and Bioshock 2), especially in terms of visuals, the only real difference in that sense being that Infinite was a wholly brighter experience, with lots of flushed out colours; yellows, ambers and lighter tones throughout.

Although it was certainly an impressive game, and its ending left many scratching their heads (and one particular moment evoking an almighty "Wow" from everyone), there seemed to be a lot of people left disappointed, especially with its DLC, which has been received somewhat poorly to say the least.

Perhaps as a result of the mild disappointment surrounding the main game, and seemingly as a result of in-house division, Ken Levine (the man in charge of it) has since disbanded Irrational Games, and has moved on with a select number of employees.

In terms of what I intend to play in 2014, the following is a list of mainly-PC games that have piqued my interest:

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
Papers, Please
Gone Home
Stanley Parable
Divekick

Although I have started the first Amnesia (The Dark Descent), my interest has faded somewhat, and I'm looking to see how much a proper PC would actually cost, as that game and its sequel seem somewhat too heavy for my lowly laptop. I have also sampled Papers, Please but again, my interest and enthusiasm for the game has waned somewhat.

Hotline Miami is another, but its difficulty level (or my general ineptitude) means it may be a while before I actually play it again, or even attempt to complete it.

The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead Season Two are both games from TellTale Games that I've dipped my toe into, indeed completing the first episode of each season. I will be continuing both, but not until time allows it, and both games are perfect for playing with my girlfriend, as active decision-making is constantly involved.