The Top 10 Video games of 2012

This year was an evolutionary, not revolutionary, one for console gaming. Both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3  are long in tooth, likely to be refreshed next year,  and developers acknowledged  it was tough to eke out improvements in graphics. The Wii U’s late-November release lacked “wow” factor, with only lukewarm reviews for its hardware and still-small stable of games.


This was largely a year of the sequel: Nearly all the big games had a II or III or a 4 in its title. The results weren’t always good.

But if gaming in 2012 is remembered for anything, it will likely be for efforts by publishers to more deeply engage gamers in new and different ways. There was the emergence of smartphones and tablets as second screens via companion apps. There was also a proliferation of downloadable content to enhance game play and storytelling. Some chose to cast aside the traditional controller, hoping to turn the gamer into a human joystick. Absent a holiday sales boost, lackluster sales indicate the world may not be quite ready for that.

 And 2012 was also about the knitting of social networking into the fabric of games, pulling niche communities together on company servers, eschewing Facebook FB -1.74%, or at least relegating it to second-tier status.

With those themes in mind, here are Speakeasy’s Top 10 Games of 2012.

1. Dishonored (developed by Arkane Studios, published by Bethesda) – In a year where rhetoric far outstripped results, this game is an epic. As I noted in my full review, Dishonored’s most-interesting feature is its Chaos game engine, which introduces subtlety and nuance into gameplay. Your actions and choices — to kill or not to kill, to kill violently or to use poison, for example — affect the twists and turns in your storyline. Dishonored seldom plays the same way twice. It’s hard to put down the controller once you’re in the middle of the story, perhaps the highest compliment you can give a game. It’s rare to find one that gets you as white-knuckled from sneaking around stealthily as blasting away at enemies. While graphics aren’t spectacular, the dystopic, steampunk world of Dunwall is well-done. Dishonored’s engrossing gameplay had overtones of my favorite game of all-time, Skyrim.


2. Halo 4 (developed by 343 Industries, published by Microsoft MSFT +0.37% Studios) – Just when I thought developers couldn’t squeeze an ounce of mprovement from the Xbox 360, 343 Industries confounded me and produced the year’s best cinematographic grapihcs. But  that’s not the  only reason this shooter is near the top of this list. The first game in a new Halo trilogy has a completely retooled multiplayer mode. Hat tip to developers for keeping the storyline going  through regular serialization. Halo 4 kept gamer interest high via weekly short-movie episodes  and  related downloadable content.

3. Sleeping Dogs (developed by United Front Games, published by Square Enix) – This is the sleeper game of the year, in my book, and to think it almost never made it to market. With cancellation, a change of publishers and a rescue effort and renaming by Square Enix, Sleeping Dogs’ backstory is almost as complex as its gameplay. The open-world action game is set in a vivid, virtual Hong Kong that’s grittier than the real thing. The quest by undercover cop Wei Shen to bring down the Sun Yee On triad and the killers of his sister is marked by morality plays. This dark hero feels straight out of a Hong Kong  kung-fu movie and is, hands down, the most-complex and empathetic character I played as in 2012 games.

4. FIFA Soccer 13 (developed by EA Canada, published by Electronic Arts EA -0.99%) – Faced with serious competition from Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2013, EA upped its game and produced the best sports simulation of the year. Improved collision physics, more-realistic ball control, smarter computer opponents and the return of national team call-ups keep the two-decade franchise going strong.The AI this year also ports real-world performance of actual stars into the fitness and form of those on your virtual team, affecting gameplay. Ultimate Team mode is better than last year, and though I give EA an “A” for effort to make the FIFA community tighter than ever by introducing a companion app, it gets a “D” for the app’s bugginess and rudimentary functionality. It’s a good direction to go, but the execution needs to be better.

5. Mass Effect 3 (developed by BioWare, published by Electronic Arts) — The denouement of the three-part Command Shepard saga generated a lot of buzz — much of it critical — over a controversial extended cut that included an alternative ending to the series.  Kerfuffle aside, it’s a very good third-person shooter with excellent graphics and smooth gameplay. Reaper enemies  are smarter, and overall AI is more-realistic over the second game.  An intriguing twist to the game is the four-person co-op mode, where results can affect how your single-player campaign unfolds.

6. Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (developed by Blitz Game Studios and Junction Point Studios, published by Disney Interactive Studios) – With publishers trying to squeeze as much money out the 18-35 crowd, there’s not that much out there in console gaming for the youngsters. Epic Mickey 2 is wholesome family fun . While it’s fun enough , with music and cartoon characters or the under-12 crowd to just muck around, its plot and puzzles  are  deep and challenging enough to lure in parents to help their kids. It also then becomes a fun jaunt through memory lane. The second in what designer Warren Spector intends to be a three-story arc, is better than the original. The original was Wii-only. This game is available on multiple platforms. Both graphics and gameplay are improved.

7. The Darkness II (developed by Digital Extremes, published by 2K Games) – I’m going to take some heat for this choice, but I really liked The Darkness II. The psychological, horror-tinged first-person shooter gets my nod on this list over other games, like Hitman 3  and Assassin’s Creed 3. It pretty much stands alone in the creepy, violent game category. The Darkness II plays like a noir comic book, turning the gore into something ludicrous and making it bearable.  I never really identified with the sociopathic protagonist, Jackie Estacado, but gameplay was extremely fun and pretty challenging.

8. Street Fighter X Tekken (developed and published by Capcom) – This game beats out UFC 3 by a broken nose. Yes, it’s “just” a 2D fighting game, but the combination of Street Fighter and Namco’s Tekken characters does more than just slap a new coat of paint on an old franchise.  Street Fighter X Tekken is both a familiar enhancement to a genre remembered by gamers in their 30’s and 40’s and a worthy introduction to the younger set. With no over-the-top character development or convoluted plots, there’s not much studying required. Controls are fairly easy to master, letting you focus on picking your fighters and kicking butt in tag-team matches.

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (developed by Treyarch, published by Activision)  -  Black Ops II ‘s gameplay and graphics cement this series as the best first-person war game.  The  Alex Mason single-player campaign mode, set both in the 1980s and the future,  probably won’t win any awards, but it’s better than what Spec Ops: The Line and Medal of Honor: Warfighter had to offer this year. COD has always excelled at multiplayer mode, and this version is the best ever.  Rendering of objects and items is sharper than in the previous game, maps are detailed and well-drawn. Gun choices, various multiplayer games and other personalizations will  keep the headset-wearing crowd and their clans playing long into the night. This game also takes players online, with Call of Duty Elite offering enhanced gameplay, tutorials and other services. Players can sign up for free and use it online or via mobile apps.

10. Diablo III (developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment) – This  action/role-playing game for PC and Macs generated controversy even before it hit the shelves.  Authorities in several countries claimed the publisher hadn’t been clear enough in indicating the game was online-only and required a high-speed Internet connection to play, as well as issues with digital DRM and the lack of resale-ability of the game. That and balky servers marred the first few days after release, but they can’t mar the excitement that comes from Diablo III’s gameplay. You choose from among five character classes as you investigate  a supposed fallen star in New Tristram. Diablo III is a very bloody, dungeon-crawl game. It’s highly customizable and the Havok engine introduces enough randomness so you won’t get bored as you progress. This is the lone computer-only game on this list. It is, from graphics to vastness of fantasy world to smoothness of gameplay, very different from any other game I played this year. I included it because it shows what’s possible when developers aren’t limited by legacy hardware.

By Adam Najberg

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