This year has been an interesting one, that's for sure. It's been a good year for the fans, with the explosion of Kickstarter into the mainstream conscience, but a bad year for publishers, with companies like THQ struggling to stay afloat. But underneath it all, underpinning everything that has happened, there's been a steady stream of incredible games. Even more than we can hope to credit in our GotY awards.
One group of gamers that have been well served this year is the strategy enthusiasts. The Firaxis crafted sequel to the seminal Xcom: Enemy Unknown was a resounding success, performing admirably on both PC and consoles. It was, without a doubt, my favourite tactical game of the year. I loved the brutal harshness of the permadeath soldiers, and the ups and downs of a genuinely tense and loseable single player campaign. Not enough games let us lose nowadays, and the tightrope walked in Xcom made for a refreshing change.
Perhaps the main campaign could've been a bit shorter, seeing one through to the bitter end is a mammoth task, but it's a small quibble that rears its head only on reflection. All told, Firaxis has done a sterling job whilst navigating tricky waters.
Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai, the stand-alone expansion from Creative Assembly, also scratched an itch when it was released in March, but for my money the most enjoyable historical strategy game of the year was Crusader Kings II from Paradox Interactive. It's a game with less emphasis on war, and more on the business of building dynasties to stand the test of time via political manoeuvring, marriage and conspiracy. The narrative is entirely player-driven, and the huge variety of options, stats and avenues of exploration available means some really hilarious and exciting things happen to your family as you try to navigate them through the annals of history.
As is my way, I've once again tucked a lot of time into my football. First with FIFA 12, and then more recently FIFA 13. I gave PES 2013 a good go too, and really enjoyed the fluidity of the matches. If I had friends to play online I think it would've got more time. But that's not how I do my football games: I like authenticity and a long term challenge (it's the strategist in me I think). Via EA's offerings this year, old head to heads have been resumed online, and managerial campaigns lasting weeks have been undertaken (the strategist in me making an appearance once again). I'm always worrying I spend too much time playing FIFA, and not enough trying other games out, but the latest entries into the core franchise have been the best in the history of the series, and FIFA 13 - despite the glitches and crashes - is more compulsive and addictive than ever before.
The game I was most looking forward to this year was Halo 4, which came out during the usual slew of releases that come the year's end. Whilst it didn't disappoint, I think that's because despite my enthusiasm, my optimism was muted. 343 delivered, of that I'm grateful, but I still can't shake the feeling that the series is still on a downward slide, at least as far as the multiplayer is concerned, but then that's been the case for a while; as far as I'm concerned Halo 3 stands as the pinnacle, and the online experience provided by Bungie has, for me, yet to be bettered.
Amongst the other shooters that descended this year, the one that really stands out is Far Cry 3 (though I loved the visual stylings of Borderlands 2). The single player campaign was superlative, taught, violent, visceral and brutal. An electrifying premise was coupled with an incredible sandbox environment to explore. If I had to identify one shooter as being my favourite of 2012, this - and not Halo 4 - would get the nod.
It's been a good year for the PC. Online shooters don't come bigger, or better, than Planetside 2. There's incredible scope for tactical, team-orientated combat, and it's likely going to remain popular for years to come thanks to SOE's free-to-play model and the incredible scale of the futuristic battles on offer.
Science fiction isn't everyone's bag, and fantasy fans have been well catered for this year too. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings made its way onto Xbox 360, and Guild Wars 2 launched on PC, reinvigorating a tired genre. Apart from that 2012 wasn't a good year for MMOs, with Star Wars: The Old Republic (released at the tail end of 2011 admittedly) recently going free-to-play, and with The Secret World also dropping the subscription model. One thing is certain, the rise of the free-to-play MMO has irrevocably changed the online landscape. I'm expecting plenty of innovation next year as studios try and adapt to new climates.
The Kickstarter funded FTL: Faster Than Light captured my imagination when it was released earlier in the year. An utterly charming game, and one with so much room for expansion and improvement, it's almost scary. Another PC game that evoked a similar level of joy in my heart was Hotline Miami. If you like indie games and you've got a PC, check them both out, they're both brilliantly playable, simple yet deep.
There are plenty of other titles worthy of a mention. Diablo III caught my attention, and I'll be revisiting Sanctuary more in the coming months, with a particular emphasis likely to be on co-op. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier also spent a good chunk of time spinning in my 360; I thought it a lovely alternative to the CoD-esque take on modern combat that most other shooters seem to opt for. Dishonored is one I've been saving for the Xmas holiday, and so along with Assassin's Creed III which is also waiting by my Xbox, it's going to be a stealthy winter break for me.
2012 has been an absolutely stellar year for gaming. There's been so many great games released, new formats announced and released, and industry game-changers like Kickstarter that promise to alter the landscape irrevocably in years to come. I've certainly enjoyed it, and it warms the cockles of my heart to think that next year is looking even better. Roll on 2013.