This is not one of those awards.
This is the New Fairbank News Video Game of the Year Award 2013!
Honourable Mentions
Now before I get started with the game that has received this truly prestigious award, I feel it necessary to cover the other games that while not being Game of the Year was worth mentioning for one reason or another.
In no particular order:
Aliens: Colonial Marines
I would be lying if I did not acknowledge this game had a rough launch back in Feb 2013,
It's reviews and comments were less than favourable, with people screaming false advertising and much conspiracy and suspicion around the differences between the demoed product and the final release.
I would also be lying if I did not say that Gearbox really turned it around.
By releasing a patch later on the AI was improved, the textures heightened, new filters added and improved lighting.
The game went from being an atmospheric but poorly realised game, to probably my most played offline game this year.
This game has so much in it that is almost movie faithful and it has a terrific feel to it that no other Aliens based game has yet to come close to.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
This was a game that I only discovered towards the end of the year, but it's retro feel, fantastic audio soundtrack and wonderful realisation of the 80/90s Genre is just wonderful!
It's main drawback for me was the repetition of gameplay, however that is something that I have come to expect from the CRY games.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
This is a game that was released back in 2010 on Xbox360, however it was only this year that it was ported to PC giving me the chance to play it.
There is little I can say beyond it is a masterpiece with highs and lows, clever puzzles and a genuine emotional involvement in the characters and their interactions with each other and the world around.
This game would have been my Game of the Year if not for the fact that it's original 2010 release date makes it a little convoluted.
OUTLAST
Outlast is a game that sneaked in at the tail end of the year and boy is it scary.
Out of all the games mentioned this is the only one that has you dreading to continue playing or hurrying to turn the lights off, but it is a wonderful experience to go through. You'll just be very relieved when it is all over.
Bioshock: Infinite
The last of our honourable mentions is of course Bioshock:Infinite.
This game is very very pretty with lots of very serious themes that it tries it's best to tackle in a sensitive but meaningful way. However to an extent this is one of its flaws. The game certainly thinks it's a lot more clever than it actually is and this is reinforced by the many hours of repetitive combat that after a while leaves you a little bored.
Despite these flaws the game does one thievery well, and that is the creating of an emotional tie between you and they leading lady and it is for this reason alone that I believe it deserves a spot in the honourable mention table.
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To Be Continued
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Tune in next time for the winner of the New Fairbank News Video game of the Year Award 2013!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
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