For a year that was supposed to be devoid of game releases, I had a hard time narrowing my list of top games down to the requisite ten. Even after that, the SideQuesting staff’s top ten only had half of my games on the list. So, I figured I would take the time to highlight some of my favorites that are not on SideQuesting’s Game of the Year 2012 list.
Torchlight 2
For me, Torchlight 2 was an oddity. Generally, I don’t often like dungeon crawlers, or other loot driven games. I find them tedious, and they can get old very quickly. However, as you may know, I loved the hell out of Torchlight 2. In fact, no game in 2012 impressed me more. It was my personal game of the year.
Dat customization. That is my favorite part of the game. I spent around 30 hours with Torchlight 2 and I don’t think I ever saw two weapons, shields, or pieces of armor that were the same. On top of the unique gear, the socketable gems that you can insert into most weapons and pieces of armor added even more customization. If you jumped into a random co-op game to show off your stuff, you were pretty damn certain that you were going to be your own little flower.
Beyond the customization, the incredible world design, from every dungeon to character model had a unique look that gave a sense of newness to each thing you saw. The full spectrum of colors is used to great effect (screw brown, black, and blue designs) and beauty can be seen at every click of the mouse. Even at $20, it provided more visual depth than most full, retail priced games bring.
Trials Evolution
Trials Evolution came out, and four days later I had earned every achievement in the game. I am a Trialholic. I’ve put a good great 100 hours (plus) into the Trials franchise. While I was skeptical of the control changes from Trials HD to Evolution (the changes are minute, but they are there) at first, I feel confident in saying Trials Evolution is the best game to date in the series.
While it was made easier – something I don’t particularly care for, but better for the game on the whole – I believe the track design was far more unique than it has ever been. No more driving through nondescript warehouses, Trials Evolution put you in some amazing outdoor environments. And while it is still a fixed 2D game, the tracks can bend and curve in the 3D space, making for a crazy look on hairpin turns.
The best part of the game was what developer Red Lynx did for fans: Full track creation tools (and proper ways to share the tracks). Every track made for the final XBLA title, could be made using the creation tools given to the end user, and it has paid off. While they still release DLC tracks, an endless supply of tracks continues to flow in from the dedicated community. It’s the game that keeps on giving.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
I KNOW! Another Call of Duty game. How dare I say a Call of Duty game beyond Modern Warfare is any good? Well, I hate to break it to you guys, but CoD never got bad. It did get less good, but that does not make it bad. That said, following Black Ops in 2010, Treyarch finally had the full support of Activision, and a full two years (and over 500 people) to work on a CoD title, and it paid off in a big way.
I come to Call of Duty for the campaign. The bombast always makes me happy, because crazy stuff is often hilarious. This year, however, the choices that could be made in the campaign (usually without the player’s knowledge, which I prefer) made the story feel a bit more unique. Sure, when it comes down to it, it is a Call of Duty-ass Call of Duty campaign, you shoot dudes and stuff blew up. Interspersed inside of the standard campaign was a very personal story being told and it was better for it.
The multiplayer was completely revamped, yet kept the Modern Warfare formula. Full customization of your loadout with the pick ten system gave a stagnant multiplayer a fresh breath of air. I love being able to build my class from nothing, picking exactly what I want to carry at any time. Or that I can make a custom match of 16 dudes running around with nothing but a knife, I mean, who doesn’t want that?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is the best CoD since the original Modern Warfare, and hopefully with the next generation of consoles hitting next year, Activision will allow the Sledgehammer/Infinity Ward combo to change up the formula in an even more significant manner.
Games were good in 2012. I have about a dozen more I could talk about, but quite honestly, I still have games to play that I never got around to last year.
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