Don't get us wrong, The Last of Us is a great game. It's emotional, tense, and visually gorgeous. But out of all the games we've played this year, there are nine game more deserving of the "Game of the Year" award.
1. Pokemon X & Y
It's everything you love about Pokemon, but on the 3DS — the best handheld with the most impressive gaming library. While you're busy moving around ladders as Joel, we're busy adding Pokemon to our collection and evolving them. That and it has Pikachu. People love Pikachu.
2. Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario 3D World is arguably the best game for the Wii U. And it's the best Mario game we've seen in quite some time. We've got nothing but love for Mario and friends in HD, collecting coins while wearing a cat suit.
3. Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien
Bit.Trip Runner 2 might have been the first must-have game of 2013. It's gorgeous, the music is great and the gameplay is addicting — everything you'd want in a game.
4. BioShock Infinite
As a parent, this game will hit you in the feels. Ken Levine crafted a wonderful story, created a deep, disturbing city with a dark background in Columbia, and had everyone that played it with their mouth hanging open at the ending. And we all theorycrafted and discussed the ending for a month.
5. Rayman Legends
The amazing artwork from Rayman Origins makes a bigger and better return in Rayman Legends, the Nintendo Wii U-exclusive-and-then-not-exlusive platformer that combines great gameplay and music into an smorgasbord of fun.
6. Fire Emblem Awakening
Don't forget about this game just because it came out back in February. This is an accessible-yet-deep tactics RPG that provides hours and hours gameplay on-the-go.
7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
One of the best additions to the 3DS library — and that's saying a lot — A Link Between Worlds is a must-own game for every 3DS owner. It's our favorite adventure in Hyrule since Ocarina of Time, and it changes enough in the Zelda formula to make the series feel fresh.
8. GTA 5
So much deeper than The Last of Us, and you're not forced to babysit a teenage girl all game. You're not forced to do anything. You can do whatever you want. Go get a lapdance. Go crash a helicopter into a building. There's so much to do. Almost… too much. I've lost hours upon hours to this game. I've missed my son's birthday. Sh*t! It's 2014?!!! I have to stop playing… right after this one mission…
9. Dark Souls
I know — Dark Souls definitely didn't come out in 2013. But I got it in 2013. Our editor Andrew Clouther is the Dark Souls fairy. Every time a Steam sale rolls around, he gifts the game to whoever among our friends doesn't have it. We've all played Dark Souls this year. It's the game that keeps on giving — death. Oh, you died in The Last of Us and have to start from a checkpoint? That's cute. I have to go back to my corpse to get my humanity — all the way from the last bonfire I was at.
You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at [email protected]
