#6 -Far Cry 3
- Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- NA Release Date: December 4, 2012
- Read WGTC’s full Far Cry 3 review
Chaz Neeler – Far Cry 3 is exactly how every family vacation I have ever been on goes. Sure, it’s a blast at the beginning, but within a few hours someone has been kidnapped by pirates and I end up covered in tattoos hunting tigers with an RPG. You may think I’m exaggerating a bit here, but I have been officially banned from the state of Ohio thanks to our last excursion.
With the next generation of consoles rumored to be coming next year, Far Cry 3 is a prime example of everything that made this generation great. A beautiful open world ripe for exploration, a detailed story where we witness the complete transformation of the main character and smooth gameplay all around.
It’s damn near impossible to state just what makes Far Cry 3 so great in a few short paragraphs simply because there is such a wealth of activities available for you, and all of them are done expertly. Even the multilayer, which by all accounts looked like it was just another tacked on deathmatch, offers a fairly deep experience, although it probably won’t become your favorite part of the game.
The bottom line is that if you have even a passing interest in the FPS genre, Far Cry 3 is a game that you really need to play. There’s more than enough here to justify it’s price tag, and the narrative stands out as one of the best of the year.
#5 – Journey
- Developer: thatgamecompany
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- NA Release Date: March 13, 2012
- Read WGTC’s full Journey review
Justin Alderman – Prior to playing Journey for the first time, I expected the game to be nothing more than a fun little adventure/exploration title. Two hours later I found myself back at the title screen in stunned silence as I attempted to process all the emotions that I had just experienced during that first playthough. It would be several days before I could fully flesh out and write down all my thoughts on thatgamecompany’s masterpiece; however, in that moment it was obvious that Journey was the most profound work of art that I have ever experienced in the medium.
thatgamecompany chose to make Journey‘s plot a bit of a blank canvas that easily accommodates a wide range of interpretations, so the “true meaning” behind the game’s silent story will likely be different for everyone who makes the trek across the sand dunes. For me it is the story of the complete human experience, from birth to death and to what lies beyond. It caused me to reflect on my life’s journey, examine and appreciate my personal relationships, and to contemplate my own mortality.
What thatgamecompany was able to achieve in Journey‘s two-hour story is unparalleled in the history of video games, and it represents a high water mark for both the industry and the arts. Journey is easily one of the very best video games of 2012, and an experience that nobody should miss.
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