What were the best games you played for the first time this year? Your best games don't have to be games released this year, though they can be.
Here's my personal list, and I'll stick with my top 3 for now. I've included for consideration games I started last year but finished this year, and I've excluded games I started this year but haven't finished yet.
1. I don't think it should surprise anyone who has been on this forum long enough that I'm giving my #1 slot to The Last of Us. Even after starting it and finishing it this spring, I still talk about it a lot and recently replayed it. I can make a criticism here and there, but I loved it. It gives a fresh spin on zombie apocalypse, and is presented incredibly well. It holds the most emotional death scene I've seen in a game, made me cry several times, and the infected were plain unnerving to deal with, even at the end of the game when I should've been getting used to the distinctive clicking and the truly horrific things the designers thought up for what the Cordyceps infection does to the human body. It was challenging without being unfair, even with one-hit enemies everywhere. And the soundtrack by Gustavo Santaollala. A must-play.
2. This one was also easy. I have to give it to DontNod Entertainment's solid first release, Remember Me. There was truly original stuff here, primarily the memory remix mechanic. Unique, creative, fun and refreshing. I liked the build-your-own-combo system and the fighting in general, and a strong, solid female protagonist. Put that in a unique setting with some interesting ideas about where technology is headed and a great soundtrack from Olivier DeRiviere, and you get an excellent game, especially considering it was the studio's first. I hope to see more from them.
3. This one was tougher to decide, but I finally realized I had to give it to Bioshock, which I started last year but finished this year. I had to do this because this game made me grow as a gamer. It made me realize I DO like shooters, when they have good single-player campaigns. Considering its amazing atmosphere and willingness to explore contentious and sophistocated ideas, along with solid gameplay, I'm glad I played this game and gave it time and patience to click.
What are your favorite games that you played this year?