2013 is coming to a close and I’ve decided to jump on the ‘My Game of The Year’ bandwagon. As the proud owner of only two systems (Wii U and 3DS), I haven’t had access to any of the more popular choices. The Wii U hasn’t seen very many particularly stand-out games, but the 3DS has given players an ample amount of high-quality, memorable experiences worthy of consideration for GOTY. For me, the best experiences of 2013 occurred in three places: Fire Emblem: Awakening, Shin Megami Tensei IV, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut. Between them, all three could make a compelling case for my GOTY.
Having never played Deus Ex: Human Revolution
until the release of the Director’s Cut, I’d never experienced the brilliant
sci-fi gameplay and writing that Human Revolution offers. Not since Mass Effect 3 had a game’s ending
sequence so profoundly affected me. I
found myself questioning my stance on some philosophical topics after the
conclusion of the game. Never has my
tendency to live in the grey areas of higher-thinking been put to the
test. The variety of options for
approaching every mission/situation is unparalleled in my experiences with
gaming. The music serves its purpose well, contributing
to a brooding and metallic world of the near future. If Human Revolution had come out for the
first time this year, it’s very likely my GOTY award would have gone to this
crowning achievement in gaming.
Shin Megami Tensei IV offered a dark, mature and engrossing experience while simultaneously providing some of the most addicting gameplay since I played Pokemon Blue as a child. Fighting, conversing with, fusing, and recruiting Demons are the most fascinating, addicting gameplay mechanics I’ve ever experienced in gaming. Following a full game completion taking almost 200 hours, I estimate about 75-80% of those hours was spent talking with enemy demons in hopes increasing the numbers of my morbidly captivating family of Demon companions. I’m definitely not naïve or ignorant to the darker side of storytelling in entertainment mediums, but I admit to being occasionally shocked by the subject matter in SMTIV. The concept of Angels and Demons, God and Satan are still fascinating subjects, and SMTIV (actually, the entire SMT series) provides an almost academic experience in divine mythology, featuring Demons from a staggering amount of historical sources. In a similar way that Deus Ex challenged my philosophical beliefs, SMTIV offers moral choices that impact the narrative (albeit to a less complex, more obvious extent). The techno soundtrack, a common theme in the SMT series, adds to the melancholy, surreal atmosphere of a dystopian Tokyo. Gameplay itself is top-notch, and the difficulty is staggering (next to Viewtiful Joe, I consider SMTIV the hardest game I’ve ever played). SMTIV offers an almost perfect handheld experience. Awful over-world navigation and an occasionally vague story are the only detracting points in a handheld experience that will stick with me for a long, long time.
Fire Emblem: Awakening came out in early 2013 and it sucked me in prior to its release. I remember preparing to purchase the game on the 4th of February, only to find that the physical copies had not yet arrived at Gamestop. No problem, of course, as a digital purchase worked just as well. I must have spent at least 4 hours playing through the first few maps that night, learning the ins and outs of combat and character relationships. Every night for the next few months was dedicated to Fire Emblem. I found myself obsessed with finding a way to keep all my units alive, building up every character relationship and trying out different strategies/character combinations. I even found myself growing attached to my avatar character’s offspring (a little weird? Probably). Fire Emblem provided a challenge unlike anything else I’d encountered on the 3DS. Not quite as punishing as previous entries in the series, but just as rewarding. Awakening builds on the elements that worked in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn (character relationships, pairing units) and adds the consistent difficulty level of Shadow Dragon and the subtitle-less Fire Emblem starring Marth. The ‘future child’ concept is very novel and adds a fascinating level of depth not only to the gameplay, but also to the narrative elements. While not exactly Pulitzer Prize-worthy, the story is interesting and features some of the best characters ever introduced in the franchise. Once again, Fire Emblem has some of the slickest and unique characters seen in video games. The concept art is also fantastic, adding to the level of immersion present in the game (collectors should absolutely get their hands on a copy of Knights of Iris, a Japan-only concept art book featuring gorgeous renditions of every character in the game). Awakening was only rivaled by SMTIV in the total amount of hours I spent playing. The narrative, the characters and the gameplay rarely grew stale, and I found myself returning to Awakening more often than any game I played in 2013. The only low notes I can conceive are a forgettable soundtrack and a terrible use of the online features. I have yet to encounter another player online, though I would love to test my mettle against another player’s army.
Considering all this, it’s difficult to pin down my GOTY. All three of these games stand on incomparable merits, having given me truly unique and memorable experiences in the vast medium of video gaming. All three had grand stories, superb characters, and rock-solid gameplay. In the end, it all has to boil down to which game kept me entertained the longest. All three are comparable in terms of quality gameplay and the copious amount of content available. All three games embrace a fleshed out and complex world filled with character both unscrupulous and gallant. In terms of telling a dazzling story that engaged me as a player and a person, Deus Ex and SMTIV are on a higher level than Awakening. Both Awakening and SMTIV have an excellent assortment of DLC that kept me occupied well after the core narrative had been completed. When it comes to hours played, Awakening stands head and shoulders above the other two. Awakening also features a greater quantity of likable characters, characters I found myself caring about as the narrative progressed. In terms of things to complain about, Awakening has the fewest flaws in terms of gameplay and offers a complaint-free trip through the world of Fire Emblem.
With all the factors mentioned above in mind, I’ve come to the decision that my GOTY award must go to the game that drew me in the fastest, kept me occupied the longest, and inspired/inspires the most excitement every time I sit/sat down to be entertained. While all three games brought me an immeasurable amount of gaming joy throughout 2013, one game stands as a juggernaut of quality gaming that lifts it above the others and continues to rack up ‘hours played.’ Fire Emblem: Awakening set the standard for what AAA titles for the 3DS should strive for, and few games have risen to that standard as of yet. Given that the Fire Emblem franchise had grown stale and was in danger of being shelved forever, Awakening must be given credit for injecting fresh blood and newfound excitement into the tired veins of a beloved series. An awakening, indeed.
My Game of The Year: Fire Emblem: Awakening.