It’s rare when new memorable characters come along, but this year had some great ones. A memorable character usually has a unique personality or personally personifies a game and is recognized by mainly the character.
When you think of BioShock you think of Big Daddy’s, Little Sisters, and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is a strong character and was the main focal point in Infinite. She’s a mysterious and strong woman and you want to save her, you want to reach into the game and hold her hand. She reminds me of a Disney princess in a way.
A story can turn a bad looking game into something memorable. Before shaders, HDR lighting, and textures games were delivering memorable stories that we talk about to this day. Many games fail in the story department, but there are a select few who really shine and will have you talking about them for years to come.
BioShock’s story was the most talked about thing in the video game industry for months upon release. The ending was so open that you had to guess what happened and that’s ingenious. It’s very hard to do that without making it a cliffhanger. Booker and Elizabeth’s journey is very memorable and the entire trip through Columbia was something that gamers won’t be forgetting.
The technical side of graphics is just as impressive as art. The PC has been leading this category for years thanks to DirectX 11 technology that the current generation of consoles can’t use. Why don’t we see any of the next-generation console games in here? I feel it’s not the time for them yet. There wasn’t anything to graphically impressive that a PC couldn’t do.
Last Light is a technical masterpiece. While next generation games like Killzone, Forza 5, and Ryse looked amazing, it’s just DirectX 11 stuff that the PC can do as well and has done for a few years now. The lighting effects are amazing, the textures look real, and the attention to detail is phenomenal. Stepping outside of the Metro took my breath away, the water splashing on your mask, the way blood splatters. It’s just something that hasn’t been seen this year. This is only for the PC version, the Xbox 360 and PS3 version suffered tremendously technical and lose the magic due to their inferior hardware.
Voice acting is a very important role in games with strong narratives. There were many great games with great voice acting this year and this was one of the toughest categories to decide on. There were a few games that had to get cut, this was a great year for voice acting. Great voice acting usually means the actor sounds unique and brings the character to life.
The back and forth between Booker and Elizabeth along with all the crazy people in BioShock is what edged it over The Last of Us for me. While Ellie and Joel are excellent together you can hear Ellie’s actress lose focus sometimes and says some things in a cheesy way. Infinite has memorable characters and their voices go along with that.
Indie games are on the rise as being better than anything an AAA high budget game can be. 2013 was a great year for indie games and there were many great ones that shined and reached out as far as a big-budget game could get.
Papers, Please is one of the most entertaining games I have played all year. I beat the game 3 times and saw nearly every ending. It’s just so addictive it can’t be put into any game category. I passed up other AAA games sitting on my HDD just to play this game over and over again. Who knew checking passports could be this much fun?
Graphics aren’t just about what looks the prettiest. Artistic graphics are all about the art style and overall feeling the artist gives off in the game. While there is art direction in every game some shine more than others.
Tearaway is another artistic masterpiece from Media Molecule of LittleBigPlanet fame. The game comes to life on Vita’s beautiful OLED screen and just makes you giddy. Playing as papercraft characters and tearing them away from the screen is just something else. The game is bright and colorful and vivid and one of the best-looking games this year.
Sound is much different from music. Every game has sound, but what makes one game better than the other? Immersion, use of the latest sound technology, realism, and diversity. A game with a great sound design will never repeat the same sound and will make you feel like you are right there in the action.
Once again Battlefield claims the crown for best sound design. DICE really knows how to draw you into a battlefield. The bullets whizzing by your ears, the sound differentiation from being outside and indoors. Battlefield 4 adds an extra level of realism and immersion that no other game this year has reached.
An atmosphere can give the environment a character all on its own. Games like BioShock, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls are characters all their own thanks to the atmosphere they give off. It can be scary, bright and vibrant, or desolate and empty. A great atmosphere sucks you into the game and makes you aware of everything around you. Very few games can pull this off.
Metro 2033 was the most atmospheric game of 2010 and it’s no different here. Last Light is deadly and scary. It constantly makes you aware of the darkness and makes you fear it like no other game. You feel alone, scared, and just downright frightened.
Music can define emotions in games and can be almost more important than graphics. It’s what gets your heart racing, your hands sweating, or your heartstrings humming. Whether it’s license music or original music, it can wholly characterize a game. There have been many known famous songs from video games that millions of people can identify. This year we take a look at games that had heart-wrenching and blood pounding soundtracks or licensed tracks.
BioShock has some of the best game music this year thanks to the early 1900’s vibe and just the unique tone that it gives off. From the Songbird melody to the opening cut scene, Infinite gives off this haunting melody that just sticks to you. Old American Revolution tones blended in with fantastical melodies is just something else.
30 Days of Night is a really interesting and unique take on vampires. Dark Days takes place shortly after the original series. Stella Olemaun heads to Los Angeles, where she is trying to expose the Barrow, Alaska, attack via a book. Certain vampires are after her, including the Queen, and the comic gets pretty intense.
I loved how things just happened unabashed, like the main characters dying off. It just happened out of nowhere and shocked me, and the comic just moved on. Ben Templesmith’s art continues to bring the series to life and gives it a very dark and gruesome atmosphere. Stella isn’t really on the run, which is a nice change. The vampires are afraid of her and respect her, but a change of events happens. She ends up trying to get her husband back, who died in Barrow, but I won’t say how. The whole series is so well-paced and keeps you turning pages.
I really can’t complain about this series except that it’s too short. I really wanted to see it go on, but it ended right when you were most curious. I love Stella’s attitude; she’s both brave and makes stupid choices at the same time. She’s a bit too bold and cocky, but she’s also sensitive in a way. Her undying love for her husband is really touching, and the other characters are great. I honestly recommend this series to anyone who has read the original series. Newcomers should stay away because you will have to have read the original series to understand what’s going on here.
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Try multiplayer. A lot of fun !