It is time to take a look back at the past year in gaming and let everyone on the club know your thoughts on all kinds of gaming awards for 2012 We have come up with a ridiculous amount of categories to choose. As always telling us a little bit about why you picked what is always good. Games should have released in 2012 unless otherwise noted (basically other than that one category). Anyway have at it.

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1.2.
3.
4.
5.

Honorable Mentions:

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. 

Handheld GotY: 

Worst GotY:

Best Remake:

Best Singleplayer:

Best Cooperative Multiplayer:

Best Competitive Multiplayer:

Best Overall Multiplayer:

Best New Character:

Worst New Character:

Best Writing:

Best Story:

Best Voice Acting:

Best Soundtrack:

Best Sound Design:

Best Graphics-Technical:

Best Graphics-Artistic:

Best Overall Graphics:

Biggest Surprise:

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related):

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year:

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012:

Favorite Level:

Favorite Moment:

Worst Moment:

Game You Played the Most:

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: 

Most Overrated Game: 

Most Underrated Game: 

Best New IP: 

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year:

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: 

Okay that will do it. Also feel free to list Top Fives or runners up for any of the categories. I added in numbers for Downloadable games just because Ajapam asked for it and well it was a great year for downloadable games. But feel free to add in your own for other topics if you want. Anyway, we will leave these up for a couple weeks and then tally them and see what the club chose as a group. If I forgot a category let me know. I left out genre awards, but if you feel like mentioning one of them do so in the last question.

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Dead Or Alive 52. Persona 4 Arena
3. Mass Effect 3
4. Tales of Graces f
5. Lollipop Chainsaw

Honorable Mentions: Atelier Meruru, Final Fantasy 13-2, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, SSX, Warriors Orochi 3, Ragnarok Odyssey, Resident Evil 6, Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. Skullgirls (its probably the only one i played this year lol
2.
3.
4.
5. 

Handheld GotY: Ragnarok Odyssey

Worst GotY: Call of Duty Black Ops Declassified, FUCK I haven't played something this bad since Sonic 06 LMAO

Best Remake: Persona 4 Golden

Best Singleplayer: Mass Effect 3

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Mass Effect 3

Best Competitive Multiplayer: Dead or Alive 5

Best Overall Multiplayer: Dead or Alive 5

Best New Character: Marie (Persona 4 Golden)

Worst New Character: Kai Leng (Mass Effect 3)

Best Writing: Persona 4 Arena

Best Story: Persona 4 Arena

Best Voice Acting: Mass Effect 3

Best Soundtrack: Lollipop Chainsaw

Best Sound Design: Mass Effect 3

Best Graphics-Technical: Dead or Alive 5

Best Graphics-Artistic: Atelier Meruru

Best Overall Graphics: Dead or Alive 5

Biggest Surprise: SSX, It felt more like a game from the time when I liked extreme sports games than one released this year the fact that EA actually allowed this to be released this REALLY surpised me

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): There's two EA games on this list.

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: Metal Gear Solid 3 (one of the best games ever made actually)

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: lots of Vita games

Favorite Level: Cerberus Base (Mass Effect 3)

Favorite Moment: The part right before the final mission when you talk to Garrus whether you romanced him or not (Mass Effect 3)

Worst Moment: Every minute spent playing BLOPS Declassified

Game You Played the Most: Mass Effect 3

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: PS3, i guess it had a number of exclusives that i enjoyed this year

Most Overrated Game:  BLOPS Declassified the fact that any reviewer gave this more than a 1/10 makes it overrated

Most Underrated Game: Dead or Alive 5

Best New IP:  Lollipop Chainsaw

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: dunno i havent been around enough

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: Best year in gaming for a long time imo Also i got into MGS this which was also great.

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

*This list is subject to change as I finish playing games... this is just a for now GOTY list.*

Also, my real #1 game is Persona 4 Golden. I know it doesn't count, but after replaying this game, I can slot it without question in my top-3 games of all time.

1. The Walking Dead

Everyone should play this game. Everyone. And don't give me that 'it's not a game' crap, because it totally is. It's just a different genre of game. The choices you have to make involing the story and characters make this a must play. There are some unexcusable glitches and technical hiccups in this game, but actual content in the game is so damn good it doesn't even matter. I'm still thinking about what happened in this game almost a month after I played the last episode. Speaking of episodes, this game kills the conversation about episoding content being successful. This is the new standard.

2. Mass Effect 3

Even though Mass Effect 3 was my least-favorite of the trilogy, I still have to put it at #2. I didn't have as big of a problem with the ending as everyone else, but it was still unsatisfying. Kinda made everything you did in the three games seem pointless. But getting one last romp with Shepard and the gang was really special. 

3. Halo 4

I've always been a casual Halo fan. But I was kind of blown away by this game. The campaign was fun... had a great time playing through it with Greenman. The Spartan Ops is amazing. I can't wait to play more. And most importantly, this is the first Halo game I've been able to sink my teeth into the competitve multiplayer. There's something about it--I can't really explain it--but I just want to keep playing more. So yay, Halo!

4. Need for Speed Most Wanted

This one is kind of weird for me now. This was easily my most anticipated game this year behind Persona 4 Golden... but now I'm not so sure on it. I'll leave it here for now, because my first 20 hours with this game were pretty amazing. But now I have become frustrated with it and can't really find the motivation to play it. I guess I shouldn't penalize a game for losing its luster after 20 hours... but Burnout Paradise and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit didn't do that to me. It also doesn't help that I have been slowly playing through Forza Horizon and the more I play it, the more I realize its a better game than NFS:MW. So ask me in two months which game gets this 4 spot... because I have a feeling it will be Forza. HOWEVER: The multiplayer in NFS is what gives it the edge over Forza. So. much. fun.

5. XCOM

Oh XCOM, you glitchy, beautiful mess. This game would be a lot higher on my list if I was able to play it without it freezing on me all the damn time. I really do love this game, and I will go back to it once I clear my backlog a bit. It's kinda crazy how two of my top 5 games have serious technical issues, but somehow are excusable. The more I think about XCOM the more I realize, I need to play more XCOM.

Honorable Mentions:

Far Cry 3-- Haven't played enough of it yet to slot it anywhere in my top-5, but what I have played so far has been awesome. 

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. The Walking Dead

2. Rock Band Blitz

3. Sound Shapes

4. Counter Strike: Global Offensive

5. Make of the Ninja (Just started playing it, seems pretty neat so far)

Handheld GotY: Persona 4 Golden

Worst GotY:Meh, I don't know. Nothing I played was bad enough to be worst GOTY. I'll just say Assassin's Creed 3 to please Greenman

Best Remake: Persona 4 Golden

Best Singleplayer:The Walking Dead

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Halo 4

Best Competitive Multiplayer: Halo 4

Best Overall Multiplayer: Halo 4

Best New Character:Marie (Persona 4 Golden)

Worst New Character: Ben (The Walking Dead... such a pain in the ass)

Best Writing:The Walking Dead

Best Story:The Walking Dead

Best Voice Acting:The Walking Dead

Best Soundtrack: Journey (come on guys, it's actually really good)

Best Sound Design: Mass Effect 3 (I love the noises the Reapers make)

Best Graphics-Technical: Halo 4

Best Graphics-Artistic:Journey (again, guys... that part where you're sliding through the desert... that was pretty neat)

Best Overall Graphics: Probably Halo 4. There were a few times playing through that game where I stopped and looked around and just went, 'damn'

Biggest Surprise: Halo 4. Was not expecting to like that game as much as I did. Especially the mutliplayer.

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related):Darksiders 2. Just couldn't get into that game.

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year:Mass Effect 1

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012:Borderlands 2

Favorite Level: The sliding part in Journey. I know, Journey. Go ahead and roll your eyes. But that part was really awesome.

Favorite Moment:The finale of The Walking Dead. Oh. my. god. Still has me shaken up.

Worst Moment:That one part in episode three in The Walking Dead. You know, that part. Such a god damn bummer.

Game You Played the Most:Persona 4 Golden

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: Vita. Because it gave me Persona 4 Golden. And I had a great first year with it.

Most Overrated Game: Journey. Its actually a pretty impressive game... But its not that impressive

Most Underrated Game: Persona 4 Golden. Because if its not one of your favorite games of all time, you're not rating it high enough.

Best New IP: I guess the only one I can think of is Gravity Rush. So that.

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year:Persona 4 Golden

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Journey (yeah right) Pokemon Black/White 2- Best Pokemon game ever. First time one felt like it deserved GOTY since 2000.
2. Mass Effect 3- Even though it's not my GOTY, it's in my top 10 and I'll be playing it for the rest of my life. 
3. Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing Transformed- I know I've only had this for a few days, but I'm enjoying this so much more than any game that doesn't have the unfair advantage of being a Pokemon or Mass Effect game.
4. Halo 4- Another great Halo game. I love great Halo games.
5. Walking Dead- A damn great adaptation of the comics to a video game. Shows just how bad the show really is.

Honorable Mentions:

Mark of the Ninja- One of the best stealth games ever. Level design is just fantastic

Far Cry 3- What Assassin's Creed 3 should have been

Xenoblade Chronicles- Such a massive game. One of my favorite JRPGs

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. Walking Dead
2. Mark of the Ninja
3. Tokyo Jungle- I like this game a lot more than most people, but it was a lot of fun.
4. Primordia- Everyone needs to try this game out. It has such a cool universe and is the best old school point and click adventure I've played
5. Counter Strike: Global Offensive- Disappointing with the severe lack of option, but that Arms Race mode was a blast

Handheld GotY:  Pokemon Black/White 2 (Runners up: Uncharted: Golden Abyss/Pokemon

Worst GotY: Do I even need to say it?

Best Remake:

How could this not be Persona 4 Golden?

Best Singleplayer: Mass Effect 3

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Halo 4

Best Competitive Multiplayer: Pokemon Black/White 2

Best Overall Multiplayer: Pokemon Black/White 2 

Best New Character: Crispin (Primordia)

Worst New Character: Charles Lee (Assassin's Creed 3)

Best Writing: Mass Effect 3

Best Story: Mass Effect 3

Best Voice Acting: Garrus (Mass Effect 3)

Best Soundtrack: Halo 4

Best Sound Design: Primordia

Best Graphics-Technical: Halo 4

Best Graphics-Artistic: Primordia 

Best Overall Graphics: Halo 4

Biggest Surprise: Far Cry 3

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): Yeah....

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: Sly 2 (VERY close runner up: Persona 4)

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: Dishonored

Favorite Level: The final Tuchanka level (Mass Effect 3)

Favorite Moment: See above

Worst Moment: Assassin's Creed 3. No moment in particular, just Assassin's Creed 3.

Game You Played the Most: Mass Effect 3

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: 360

Most Overrated Game: Journey 

Most Underrated Game: Primordia

Best New IP: Mark of the Ninja

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: Mass Effect 3

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: I really need to replay Mass Effect 3 again and say, "Fuck Assassin's Creed 3," a few more times.

TheMeat wrote:

Worst GotY:Meh, I don't know. Nothing I played was bad enough to be worst GOTY. I'll just say Assassin's Creed 3 to please Greenman

Right, I started doing htis and realized I LITERALLY only played 2 games from 2012 that were worth mentioning. So it's not really interesting for me to do it. Maybe I'll cheat and fill it out when I play a few more games from 2012 >_>

TripOpt55 wrote:

It is time to take a look back at the past year in gaming and let everyone on the club know your thoughts on all kinds of gaming awards for 2012 We have come up with a ridiculous amount of categories to choose. As always telling us a little bit about why you picked what is always good. Games should have released in 2012 unless otherwise noted (basically other than that one category). Anyway have at it.

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Tales of Graces f
2. Xenoblade
3. Dragon's Dogma
4. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
5. The Last Story

Honorable Mentions:

 Final Fantasy XIII-2, Dishonored, Atelier Meruru, Lollipop Chainsaw, Soulcalibur V

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
2. Okami HD
3. Skullgirls
4. The Simpsons
5. Guilty Gear XX Accent Core +

Handheld GotY:  Persona 4 Arena

Worst GotY: Don't know that I have a worst GOTY.

Best Remake: Okami HD

 

Best Singleplayer: Tales of Graces f

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: The Simpsons

Best Competitive Multiplayer: Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

Best Overall Multiplayer: Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

 

Best New Character:  Dunban (Xenoblade)

Worst New Character:  Don't know. There weren't any characters I found absolutely unpalatable.

Best Writing:

Best Story:

 

Best Voice Acting: Dishonored

Best Soundtrack: Okami HD

Best Sound Design: Dragon's Dogma

 

Best Graphics-Technical: Final Fantasy XIII-2, Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

Best Graphics-Artistic: Okami HD

Best Overall Graphics: Okami HD

 

Biggest Surprise: Dragon's Dogma. The story is paper thin, but the combat is awesome. Wish more action RPGs would have combat like this, that doesn't feel like you're fighting paper dolls.

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): No Bioshock Infinite in 2012

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: Tales of (Eternia) Destiny II (PS1)

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: Lollipop Chainsaw, Resident Evil 6. Also, a lot of Vita games.

 

Favorite Level: The Rockagong in Tales of Graces f

Favorite Moment: The funny, gross dialogue from the Rockagong dungeon. "Let's search for the butt, Cheria."

Worst Moment:

Game You Played the Most: Tales of Graces f, although VF5 Final Showdown would be a close second.

 

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012:  PS3, but at least the Wii went out with a bang. I'd probably say the 360 if I liked Halo.

Most Overrated Game:  Halo 4, but this is kind of hard to categorize. I'm no fan of Halo, but the game is as technically solid as it ever was, and I doubt any Halo fan is really going to miss Bungie after this one.

Most Underrated Game:  Dragon's Dogma

Best New IP:  Dragon's Dogma

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: Final Fantasy VII

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming:  I liked this year better than most other people did, but the stuff I really want comes out in the first half of 2013. Tales of Xillia, Ni no Kuni, Bioshock Infinite, yeah!

 

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. The Walking Dead  

2. Mark of the Ninja 

3. Need for Speed: Most Wanted

4. Persona 4 Arena

5. Spec Ops: The Line 

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. The Walking Dead

2. Mark of the Ninja
3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
4. Hotline Miami. Hey, killin' dudes is fun
5. Journey

Handheld GotY: Wipeout 2048

Worst GotY:

Best Remake: Persona 4 Golden

Best Singleplayer: The Walking Dead

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Journey

Best Competitive Multiplayer: NFS Most Wanted

Best Overall Multiplayer: NFS Most Wanted

Best New Character: Marie (Persona 4 Golden)

Worst New Character: Ben (The Walking Dead) I'm not sure I've ever hated a character as much as this guy. It's not that he's a bad character, I just hate him so much. You all know why

 Best Writing: The Walking Dead

Best Story: The Walking Dead

Best Voice Acting: Persona 4 Arena

Best Soundtrack: Journey

Best Sound Design: Nothing really stood out to me this year

Best Graphics-Technical: I dunno

Best Graphics-Artistic: Journey

Best Overall Graphics: Journey

Biggest Surprise: The Walking Dead

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): SSX. I like this game, it's just that there were SO many stupid design decisions. Also, that wingsuit... ugh

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: Persona 4, thanks to P4G. Runners up: Trackmania 2/Dark Souls

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: Mass Effect 3, Far Cry 3, Xcom

Favorite Level: The sliding section in Journey. That was awesome

Favorite Moment: The Walking Dead ending

Worst Moment: Every time I had to use the damn wingsuit in SSX. I swear the direction you push the analog stick has nothing to do with where you go

Game You Played the Most: Persona 4 Golden. I beat the game and started NG+ the same day. I never do that

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: Ps3

Most Overrated Game: NFS Most Wanted. As much fun as it is online, it lacks quite a bit in the actual racing department and there isn't much content. I'd say Journey, but so many people complain about that already

Most Underrated Game: Dyad. This game takes a very simple gameplay mechanic and expands it in every single level. Then each level has a corresponding trophy level that is a variation on the original. It's quite impressive

Best New IP: Gravity Rush

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: On this site in particular, I'd say The Walking Dead. Overall, though, I'd say Persona 4 Golden

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: Buy Persona 4 Golden. Everything else can wait. I'll have to finish up my second playthrough to be certain, but I think it'll firmly plant itself within my top 5 games of all time. If it wasn't a remake I would give it almost every good award here

Best voice acting Dishonored??????????

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Xcom

2. Mass Effect 3

3. Spec Ops: The Line

4. The Walking Dead

5. Asura’s Wrath

Honorable
Mentions: Dragon’s Dogma, Guardians of Middle-Earth, Far Cry 3, Game of
Thrones

Handheld
GotY:  None played this year

Worst
GotY:
Men in Black: Alien Crisis

Best
Remake: ?

Best
Singleplayer: Mass Effect 3

Best
Cooperative Multiplayer: Borderlands 2

Best
Competitive Multiplayer: Guardians of Middle-Earth

Best
Overall Multiplayer: Guardians of Middle-Earth

Best
New Character: Clementine

Worst
New Character: That goof from Starhawk

Best
Writing: Walking Dead

Best
Story:
Walking Dead

Best
Voice Acting: Walking Dead

Best
Soundtrack: Mass Effect 3

Best
Sound Design: Mass Effect 3

Best
Graphics-Technical: Mass Effect 3

Best
Graphics-Artistic: Asura’s Wrath

Best
Overall Graphics: Mass Effect 3

Biggest
Surprise: Spec Ops: The Line

Biggest
Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): Dishonored

Best
Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year:  Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One

Game
You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: Max Payne

Favorite
Level:
The Moon level of Mass Effect 3

Favorite
Moment: The ending of Walking Dead

Game
You Played the Most: Xcom

Platform/system
with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: ps3 of course

Most
Overrated Game: Journey

Most
Underrated Game: Asura’s Wrath

Best
New IP: Dragon’s Dogma

Favorite
Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: Mass Effect 3

Any
other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: A slow year but it allowed me to play a lot
of lesser known games and find some gems.

Most of my year was spent playing HD classics, and I was perfectly fine with that.  I got some new games for my Vita, but I'm having a hard time remembering other games that I played.  Here's a list of games off the top of my head....

1.  Uncharted: Golden Abyss

2.  Little Big Planet Vita

3.  Playstation All Stars

4.  Ratchet and Clank Full Frontal Assault

5.  Twisted Metal

Those are games that came out in 2012 that I know that I played and liked.  I could be forgetting others.

Honorable Mentions:

Final Fantasy XIII-2.  Even though you're not as good as the PS1 or PS2 games, I bet your'e good.  I own you, I just haven't played you yet.  Also, I'm betting I'd like Persona.

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. Killzone 3 Multiplayer - yup, I'm counting it.

2. Mutant Blob Attacks

3. Killzone 1 HD Remake - Counting this too.

Handheld GotY: Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Worst GotY:Can't recall playing a game that I hated.  Lots of idiots bought that Wipeout game, so I'm gonna use that.

Best Remake: Does HD remakes count?  I'm gonna go with the obvious, Ratchet and Clank Up Your Arsenal.  Also, if these count for games of the year, then...

1.  Ratchet and Clank HD Collection

2.  Metal Gear Solid HD Collection

3.  Ico/Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection

4.  God of War PSP HD Collections

5.  Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Best Singleplayer: Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Little Big Planet for Vita or Ratchet and Clank Full Frontal Assault (haven't tried it yet, but I bet it is fun)

Best Competitive Multiplayer: Fifa 13 or Playstation All Stars or Killzone 3 Multiplayer

Best Overall Multiplayer: Killzone 3 Multiplayer

Best New Character: Kat, she's got lots of potential and she's witty and sarcastic

Worst New Character: not sure

Best Writing: not sure

Best Story: not sure

Best Voice Acting: Playstation All Stars, because it is cool to have all of these awesome characters in one game talking.  Uncharted Golden Abyss for a real pick though.

Best Soundtrack: not sure

Best Sound Design: Playstation All Stars, the voices and music from all of those games is just cool.  Not really a sound design, but I'm picking it.

Best Graphics-Technical: I played too many HD classics to really pick one.  I thought Golden Abyss looked great for a day one Vita launch though.

Best Graphics-Artistic:Journey looks visually pleasing to me, but I haven't played it.

Best Overall Graphics: not sure, really didn't play enough to pick.  

Biggest Surprise: Mutant Blob Attacks.  I had a lot of fun playing that game, reminded me of Loco Roco in a way.

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): Twisted Metal because my cousin never bought it therefore I never really played it.  Playstation All Stars, and all of the negative buzz that game seemed to get despite being really fun to play.

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: Lots of games were played from this, but the best was probably Ico.  As of now, I liked it more than Shadow of the Colossus.  Other great games I played were Dragon Quest V, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Killzone 1, Jak 3, and Batman Arkham City.

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: Final Fantasy XIII-2.  I own it, but no excuse for me not to have played Final Fantasy game day one on a realease.

Favorite Level: not sure

Favorite Moment: Booting up Golden Abyss at midnight on my new Vita the day both came out.

Worst Moment: People not buying a Vita because they think it should be $200 and not $250.  It is an amazing system that should be played.

Game You Played the Most:Killzone 3 Multiplayer.  At least I think.

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: Vita.  I own 4 games, and the 4 games I own are great games.  There are other games I'd like to have, but just haven't got yet.  

Most Overrated Game: The Walking Dead.  Haven't played it and I know I shouldn't be putting that having not played it, but it better be 100 times better than the Back to the Future games because those were in no way fun to play.  

Most Underrated Game: Playstation All Stars.  It is a really great game, and it all works very well.  It should be played, especially if you're a lover of the Sony brand.

Best New IP: I guess the only one I can think of is Gravity Rush. So that.

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year:Persona 4 Golden

Walking Dead is not like BttF at all. It's more like Heavy Rain. But better. A lot better.

I'll try it at some point (I have episode 1 downloaded because I got it for free with PS+), but it better be amazing for all of the glory people give it.  

The best part about it is the story and the characters. The gameplay is nothing to write home about. It's basically just there to drive the story. The reason people rave about it, is the way the game makes you agonize over every decision and all the emotion that comes with it. It's unlike anything in gaming before. Just great stuff.

I wouldn't say Walking Dead is unlike anything in gaming before it. Heavy Rain was unlike anything in gaming before it. Walking Dead just did what Heavy Rain promised... except better. And that's hard for me to admit, but it's true.

Actually Heavy Rain's just a current gen Indigo Prophecy.

Indigo Prophecy didn't have the kind of budjet and production value that Heavy Rain had relative to their respective eras. Also it's much much much more difficult to try and make a creative big budget game now than it was 5 years prior. You're right though. But what makes Heavy Rain so unique is the risk. Beyond will be an even bigger risk as the industry keeps going to shit.

Walking Dead is just another cheap, budget Telltale game. It just had outstanding writting because the source material was so good and that Kirkman is a smart guy. Telltale is great at capturing the source material. Back to the Future was a great game too and it captured the trilogy very well... it's just that Back to the Future isn't nearly as captivating or moving as the Walking Dead.

Goes to show you don't need graphics or fancy tech to tell a really compelling story and use the video game medium (ie choice) to it's full storytelling potential. But the game doesn't even come close to the risks Heavy Rain took. Whatever, semantics. It's not unlike anything in gaming before, it just did it better than anything in gaming before... if that ridiculous sentence makes any sense.

Back to the Future had a good story and was fun to get more of the story, but the gameplay was just so horrendous.  Moving Marty around was like ice skating with a slab of  bologna.  If it even resembles the same control, no story will be able to save it for me.  

Oh pah, Neph, the industry isn't going to shit, you're just being a crochety old man =p

The industry is going to shit.

The middle class game is extinct. The proliferation of tacked on multiplayer and dlc. The profitability of cheap, disposable games. And... the WiiU. What more do you need?

Trophies?

A little late but here's mine and not too many choices:

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Pokemon Black/White Version 2
2. Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed
3. Nintendo Land
4. NSMB2/U
5. Kid Icarus: Uprising

Honorable Mentions: Xenoblade: only because I didn't finish it

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. Mighty Switch Force
2. Counter Strike: GO
3. Sonic Adventure 2 HD
4. Marvel vs. Capcom: Origins
5. Colors! 3D

Handheld GotY: 

Pokemon Black/White Version 2, no other handhled game is worthy of handheld goty other than Pokemon

Worst GotY: N/A

Best Remake: Eh Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge

Best Singleplayer: Pokemon:Black/White Version 2

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Nintendo Land/Sonic ASRT

Best Competitive Multiplayer: Nintendo Land/ Sonic ASRT/Pokemon

Best Overall Multiplayer: Pokemon

Best New Character: Ralph

Worst New Character: N/A

Best Writing: Either Kid Icarus or Pokemon

Best Story: Kid Icarus: Uprising

Best Voice Acting: Sonic ASRT

Best Soundtrack: Sonic ASRT/ Nintendo Land

Best Sound Design: Nintendo Land

Best Graphics-Technical: Pokemon: I'm amazed at how much power Game Freak squeezed out of the DS for B/W2

Best Graphics-Artistic: Nintendo Land

Best Overall Graphics: Nintendo Land/ Sonic ASRT

Biggest Surprise: Sonic because I had my doubts but the game surprised me

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): Nintendo Power is dead

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: Mass Effect, B-K: Nut's and Bolt's, Mirror's Edge, BttF: The Game

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: NFS: Most Wanted, Forza: Horizon, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Favorite Level: The Starry Night level from NSMBU and the Carrier Zone from Sonic

Favorite Moment: Too many to count

Worst Moment: None

Game You Played the Most: Pokemon Black Version 2

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: PS3/360 because they had the same 3rd party games and the 3DS

Most Overrated Game: N/A

Most Underrated Game: N/A

Best New IP: Xenoblade and I didn't play any new IP's this year

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: Sonic I guess

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: Got my Arkham City platinum, I have a Wii U, and Pontypool :P

Mark of the Ninja will definitely make it into my downloadable top 5. Probably my overall top 5, too. I'm just not sure where

Me too, just started it and it is great...

I do not have access to list of games I've played this past year at the moment so I'm winging this.

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Far Cry 32. Mark of the Ninja
3. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
4. Gravity Rush
5. PS All Stars Battle Royale

Honorable Mentions: Lumines: Electronic Symphony, Dust: An Elysian Tail

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. Mark of the Ninja
2. Dust: An Elysian Tail
3. Shank 2
4. Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault 
5. Deadlight

Handheld GotY: Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Worst GotY: Not sure honestly

Best Remake: The Jak Collection because those games are the best even if the remake wasn't.

Best Singleplayer: Far Cry 3

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Shank 2

Best Competitive Multiplayer: PS All Stars Battle Royale

Best Overall Multiplayer: PS All Stars Battle Royale

Best New Character: Kat or Clementine

Worst New Character: Charles Lee

Best Writing: I guess The Walking Dead I need to finish it though

Best Story: The Walking Dead

Best Voice Acting: Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Best Soundtrack: Lumines: Electronics Symphony

Best Sound Design: Lumines: Electronic Symphony

Best Graphics-Technical:Far Cry 3

Best Graphics-Artistic: Dust: An Elysian Tail

Best Overall Graphics: Far Cry 3

Biggest Surprise: Uncharted: Fight for Fortune. Can't believe I enjoyed this as much as I did.

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): Assassin's Creed 3 for games and E3 for something not actualy a game.

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: I can't even recall without my list. Bayonetta maybe?

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: Halo 4? I own it and still haven't played it... haha. Darksiders 2 maybe.

Favorite Level: Need to think about this.

Favorite Moment: And this.

Worst Moment: That drink those two boneheads in AC3 had.

Game You Played the Most: Shank 2 probably. Me and my friend played the co-op way too much.

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: PS3 I guess, but it hasn't been its strongest year lately.

Most Overrated Game: Journey

Most Underrated Game: Mark of the Ninja is actually getting some attention now, so if not it, then Dust

Best New IP: Mark of the Ninja

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: I liked the Top Five Hot Celebrity thread... I'll go with that.

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: Kind of a weak year for games. Next year looks killer though when you think

Wait there was a top five hot celebrity list? Why don't i remember this!?

Spent far too long thinking about GOTY etc! I'll keep it brief, as I've already written long winded explanations for most of these picks over on my blog (link's on the club home page).

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Mass Effect 32. Far Cry 33. Journey4. Sleeping Dogs
5. Uncharted GA

Honorable Mentions: Papo & Yo

Downloadable GotY (do a top five if you want to):

1. Journey
2. Papo & Yo
3. Tokyo Jungle

Handheld GotY: Uncharted GA

Worst GotY: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Best Remake: MGS HD Collection (Came out in '12 here in the UK)

Best Singleplayer: Mass Effect 3

Best Cooperative Multiplayer: Journey

Best Competitive Multiplayer: NFS Most Wanted

Best Overall Multiplayer: NFS Most Wanted

Best New Character: Haytham Kenway (AC3)

Worst New Character: Is Desmond new?

Best Writing: Max Payne 3 and Uncharted GA (can't decide!)

Best Story:

Best Voice Acting: Max Payne 3

Best Soundtrack: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Best Sound Design:

Best Graphics-Technical: Uncharted GA (amazing for a handheld)

Best Graphics-Artistic: Journey

Best Overall Graphics:

Biggest Surprise: Sleeping Dogs

Biggest Disappointment (could be a game or just something gaming-related): Assassin's Creed 3

Best Non-2012 Game You Played For the First Time This Year: PixelJunk Sidescroller. I'd choose Skyrim here, but I started my playthrough in Dec'11.

Game You Wish You Played That Came Out in 2012: Dragon's Dogma

Favorite Level:

Favorite Moment:

Worst Moment:

Game You Played the Most: Skyrim (60 hours of a 100 hour playthrough)

Platform/system with the Best Software Lineup in 2012: PS3

Most Overrated Game: Gravity Rush

Most Underrated Game: Papo & Yo

Best New IP: Sleeping Dogs

Favorite Game to Discuss on 1up/TPS This Year: I'm still enjoying sharing Far Cry 3 stories online, especially those that involve gliders and/or sharks

Any other thoughts on 2012 in gaming: Could've been better!

@Kay: I always wondered why you didn't post in this thread. You must have been on a 1up hiatus at the time. I'm sure no one would mind if you bumped it. I think I secretly hoped it'd be an evergreeen thread where we just posted hot celebrities that caught our eyes recently.

lol posted in it, I think yeah that was during a time when i wasnt on the site like at all, but i posted in it now :)

These lists just make me sad about how little I've played in the past year. Oh well...

List your Top 5 Games of the Year:

1. Need for Speed: Most Wanted
2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
3. Ratchet and Clank Collection
4. The Amazing Spider-Man
5. Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault

haha, that's all y'all are getting out of me