13 Best Video Games Of 2013

2013 is over now but it has given us hundreds of great game titles, some fully utilizing the potential of current generation consoles, others testing out the very next breed of consoles. Here are the 13 best video games of 2013 from a range of platforms that really made this year memorable:

 

13. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS 3)

A majestic RPG combined with epic storytelling, this game gave gamers a chance to navigate their way through a Studio Ghibli film. The young Oliver and Drippy’s journey through an imaginative, dreamlike universe made this game the very best title that both the development studios, Studio Ghibli and Level-5, have ever produced.

With a great battle system, protracted sessions of grinding have never been more pleasurable.

 

12. Rayman Legends (All Major Platforms)

With more creative surprises in one level than some franchises have in their entire run, Rayman Legends is one of the finest games that we have seen this year. With a heavy focus on joyful benevolence towards the players and ensuring fun permeates every element of its design, this game truly ensures entertainment.

As for those musical levels, simply beautiful. Rarely have a technical design, creativity, and sheer fun combined to create something this great.

 

11. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC, PS3, and Xbox 360)

This standalone expansion of the ever-popular Far Cry 3 is a nostalgia trip to the testosterone-driven films of the ’80s and early ’90s, an era before we started to demand some meaningful plots.

This game takes all the greatness that Far Cry 3 had to offer and improves it fourfold by ensuring that no one takes things seriously this time around. It pokes great fun at modern video games and shows us just how sissy we all have become.

 

10. Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn (PC, PS3, and PS4)

While the initial release of the game was truly awful, Square Enix really did a genuine effort on their part to solve all the issues. Now gone are the horrible server issues and bugs that plagued the original launch. In their place, you’ll find an amazing main quest, terrific side quests called FATEs, a slew of great dungeons, and a surprising amount of Final Fantasy fan service.

Although its roots lie in the usual MMO gameplay style, Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn really fulfills Square Enix’s promise to provide its fanbase with a FF MMO that’s worth both their time and money.

 

9. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (PC, PS3, and Xbox 360)

Even without a lick of understandable dialogue, gamers were captivated by this tale so much that the unique mechanics were almost ignored. The unique gameplay had players controlling both brothers simultaneously which turned the game into a mesh of single-player co-op genre, where you will have to force your left and right hands to work together in harmony, just like the hemispheres of your brain.

The puzzles in the game convey danger without ever being brutal, and even moments like the simple rope-swinging section make you feel like you have accomplished something great.

 

8. Battlefield 4 (All Major Platforms)

No matter what COD fanboys say, Battlefield 4 truly is the best shooter that 2013 had to offer. Apart from the crispiest graphics, and a great single-player campaign, every multiplayer match has the potential to be a thrilling, dynamic, and cinematic combination of explosions – setting the pace for some epic encounters in each session, a feat that no other game has delivered last year.

BF4 is entrancing and has everything you might expect from the best first-person shooter of 2013!

 

7. Gone Home (PC)

Gone Home combines all the uneasy feelings we have in our home, from the fear of being alone in the dark, the spookiness of the sound of our own house settling, and the need to climb upstairs faster than usual after we’ve turned off the downstairs lights, to make a game that unsettles our every nerve.

Without having to shoot or stab anything along the way, Gone Home makes rummaging for important items in a video game more enjoyable than ever previously thought possible.

 

6. DMC: Devil May Cry (PC, PS3, and Xbox 360)

Although this game had a heavy backlash because of the many, many changes Ninja Theory did to the DMC series, upon release, it quickly became 2013’s best action game. Combining all of the aspects of the previous games and updating them to groundbreaking levels has truly made this reboot shine.

The easily swap-able weapons, allow you to combine attacks and create unique combos to unleash the ultimate beatdown on all the evil demons in the limbo. The accompanying graphic style, great boss fights, and superb soundtrack made this game a real jewel for action lovers everywhere.

 

5. Tomb Raider (All Major Platforms)

Tomb Raider’s 2013 reboot really bedazzled video gamers everywhere. This game had Lara explore her roots, not as the fighter we all know, but as a helpless girl stranded on a mysterious island. This entry had stellar gameplay that was only complemented in equal measure by its great pacing and top-notch graphics.

The intense battles are gapped by 30 minutes or more of exploration, giving players plenty of time to take in the beautiful sights and uncover the hidden secrets of the mystical island settings. Nearly everything in the game has astounding quality, making this one of the greatest Tomb Raider games in the series.

 

4. BioShock Infinite (PC, PS 3, and Xbox 360)

BioShock Infinite is a game that sparked more conversations in 2013 than in any of its previous installments. It goes back to its original BioShock and System Shock roots, forcing only the finest intellectuals to truly appreciate all it has to offer, including its grisly facade of smashed skulls, burnt bodies, and cartoonish gore.

Your companion AI, Elizabeth, is no ordinary damsel in distress either, for she’s more than capable of handling herself – and you – if the need arises. Her eager optimism combined with the great gameplay and story mechanics really make this a game to get.

 

3. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (All Major Platforms)

This installation of the Assassin’s Creed series has really turned the heads of all those who looked away from the IP after the mess Assassin’s Creed 3 made. AC 4 has swept away the world by bringing it to the great 18^th century and introducing everyone to the likes of Black Beard and the rest of the dastardly pirates.

The gorgeous open world is immensely fun to explore and has many enjoyable distractions such as underwater salvaging, treasure hunts, and more, including sending out your fleet to do your dirty work for you.

 

2. Grand Theft Auto V (PS 3 and Xbox 360)

From coordinated heists and multiple protagonists to crazy in-game paparazzi and various sports to play, Grand Theft Auto is one of the biggest, most action-packed games of the year. It’s the most refined game Rockstar has ever published, with the game world expanded beyond belief, vehicle physics immaculate, and the driving controls super real; every part of the game seems realistic beyond doubt.

The environment, gunplay, and tactical cover system have been perfected and the well-paced missions bring something new to the lives of each of the 3 main protagonists – allowing this installment to offer three times the fun that any previous title offered.

 

1. The Last of Us (PS 3)

With The Last of Us, Naughty Dog has created a survival-horror game that beautifully blends exploration, an A.I. companion, cover-based shooting, a stealth system, terrifying enemy A.I., and above all else, storytelling that transcends all that has come before it.

Gaining perfect scores throughout the board and setting a benchmark for future games, The Last of Us is truly the best video game of 2013!

Which of the above best video games of 2013 have you missed? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!