(News)

Sonic Jump has now been made free to play on iOS systems, compared to its previous price of $2. HOPE YOU ENJOY MY TWO BUCKS, SEGA.

UPDATE: Apparently this "free" deal is only up for New Year's Eve. Well, in that case, get it before the deal is up. It's a steal for that price.

(SPECIAL ARTICLE)

A few weeks back, I asked you, the readers, to send in what you thought of games released in 2012. While not many entries were received, the ones I got captured the love for certain games. I was going to have a huge introductory paragraph here, but one of the entries summed it up pretty well, so I'll let him take the reigns.

(Segments written by Nick (@Electivirus) were pulled from this blog post with permission.)

2012 was one hell of a year for gaming. Players got a new console, were treated to AAA titles that
pleased their respective legions of fans, and for the first time ever a video game soundtrack won a
Grammy. Of course, there were plenty of things to detract us from all the awesome games we were
swimming in this year. The Robert Florence “Doritos and Mt. Dew” column set the game journalism
corps to cannibalizing itself; but, important conversations were had. We continued to debate the
legitimacy of day-one DLC, we’ve argued over the potential success of failure or Nintendo’s new
console, and we suffered through the usual throngs of mediocrity one is certain to encounter throughout
an entire year of game releases.
But, as far as I am concerned, all of that pales in comparison to what 2012 did for indie gaming.
Journey, Fez, Botanicula, Awesomenauts, Mark of the Ninja, and Hotline Miami, gave gamers of all ages
something to be grateful for this year. This is the first year I have spent more time playing downloadable
indie titles from Xbox Live, PSN, or Steam than I have playing console titles put out by well-known
publishers and development studios. That, ladies and gentleman, is a big deal. -Jon Hamlin (@WordsmithJon)

FTL: Faster Than Light
[There] is one game that has carved out a place in my heart of hearts: FTL. For those that don’t
know, FTL is a point-and-click space simulation game that has the graphics of a SNES game and operates
on code that is no more complicated than what you can do with Microsoft Excel. It is brilliant good fun
and stands as a testament to the notion that you don’t need a major publisher backing you with millions
of dollars to put out a first-rate game. FTL is a simple space simulation that has provided me hours upon
hours of fun, and that’s what I appreciate about it most. More than any other game I’ve played this year
FTL is the game that has engaged me the most. It is not a passive experience, like the QTE-laden games
that infested the market this year. Every single thing you do requires you to be fully engaged with what
is going on in the game. Every point and every click is the direct result of a conscious choice made by
the player. FTL will have you keeping track of life support systems, diverting power from the engines to
weapon systems, locking down spaceship compartments and venting their unwanted occupants out into
space, all the while making sure that you have the crew to man the essential systems in the ship and the
fuel to get where you want to go. So, you’ll believe me when I say that the game’s simplicity belies only
its unfathomable and astonishing complexity.
FTL, and indeed all the other fantastic indie games that saw successful releases this year, deserve
a standing ovation, as do the gamers who decided that these games were important; in some cases,
important enough to support with their own hard-earned savings. 2012 was hugely important to the indie
game scene and I absolutely cannot wait to see what 2013 will bring for all of the rest yet-to-be-made
little-games-that-could. -Jon Hamlin (@WordsmithJon)

The Walking Dead: The Game
With The Walking Dead, I've completed the first two episodes. Currently Kenny hates me, and Clementine is disappointed in me for killing a man and stealing from a car. I'm trying to be nice, but that doesn't always work as intended. Sorry, Lee. Clearly I am the best at this game. -Sean (@Remolay)

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
It took entirely too long to get this game into my hands, but the wait was so worth it. The revamped art direction is incredible and it really makes it feel like PAPER Mario. Enemies crumple up when hit, backgrounds collapse like cardboard, etc. It’s the first in the series that I can say takes advantage of its namesake. The Paperize mechanic is incredibly fun, letting me interact with the environment in ways I couldn’t even imagine. It rings to mind Okami’s Celestial Brush, which can only be a good thing. The sticker system is quite fun, and brings a lot of strategy to battles that hadn’t been there in previous Paper Mario games. There’s much more variety in what you can do in battles and it keeps them from becoming stale. Indeed, there wasn’t a single point in the game where I ran past enemies just because I didn’t feel like getting into a fight. Battles remain fun throughout and that is a HUGE plus for a game like this. I found myself judging each individual encounter and acting accordingly rather than simply spamming Power Bounce as I would have in any other Paper Mario game. The enemy variety, while slightly lower than usual, is filled with enemies that have never seen the light of day in Mario RPGs until now. Ninjis, Podoboos, Scuttlebugs, etc. The soundtrack is amazing, filled with jazzy tunes, both original and arranged alike. It’s a pretty awesome moment when a jazzy arrangement of Waltz of the Boos, of all things, rears its beautiful head. The humor is classic Paper Mario, though more focused on visual humor this time around. The Thing stickers in particular are some of the funniest bits in any of the games. Ditto with the Sticker Museum entries. I’m already planning my second playthrough, and that’s a pretty obvious sign that this game is AWESOME. -Nick (@Electivirus)

Pokémon Black 2 Version & White 2 Version
With Pokémon Black 2 I've been having simply a series of lucky wins. I know nothing of the gyms, the region, the Pokémon, or even type match ups. I've been playing Pokémon for 7 years now and I still don't know type match-ups.
-Sean (@Remolay)

This was my most anticipated release of the year. So, I remember how ecstatic I was when I got it. I popped it in my DS and was amazed by how much the DS could process. I mean, JUST LOOK AT THOSE 3D GRAPHICS. Anyway, I started up my adventure. It was amazing. I chose an Oshawatt named Revolver. (So original right? No? Aww...) So, I was surprised by all the story elements they throw at you immediately. Especially with the meeting of Alder. I also found it interesting how you could connect with Black/White. I found it sweet how the AI such as gum leaders would mention your character from before, 2 years ago. Another thing was how many Pokemon you could obtain right from the start rather than being restricted to just Unova Pokémon like B/W. The Riolu was my 2nd Pokémon and it was not hard to find at all. WE. KICKED. ASS. HARD. -Charlie (@SonicMoonwalk)

GameFreak tried out something new and it worked wonderfully. Eschewing the usual third version for a sequel with twice the amount of content than usual was a brilliant idea. The regional Pokédex is incredibly varied (Riolu and Growlithe in the first few routes? Holy shit!) and the new interface features are decidedly convenient. Auto-replenishing repels is something that should’ve been added years ago, and the habitat system (which chronicles which Pokemon are in which area and whether or not you’ve caught them yet) makes it much easier to complete the Pokédex. The soundtrack is the best the DS has to offer with a variety of styles and some great sound quality. The new areas are expertly made (Reversal Mountain and the Pokemon World Tournament are among my favorites) and the game as a whole really comes across as an attempt to shake up the formula a bit. AND THERE’S A HARD MODE THAT’S ACTUALLY HARD, YES. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some rage to unleash. -Nick (@Electivirus)

Kid Icarus Uprising
Oh my, where to begin. Oh, I know: SAKURAI IS A FUCKING GENIUS. By far the best 3DS game on the system, and further proves that handheld games can match (or even exceed) console games in production values and content. Some of the best new characters introduced this gen, all of them overflowing with personality and life (and some great voice acting, to boot; this sure as hell ain’t Star Fox 64!). A Saturday morning cartoon story filled with increasingly AWESOME events and quite a few HOLY SHIT moments, a great sense of humor that isn’t the least bit afraid of poking fun at itself… the game is an all-around joy to experience. A deep weapon crafting system combined with TONS of collectibles (This IS a Sakurai game, of course!) kept me coming back for more, long after I’d beaten the main story. The soundtrack is also phenomenal, bringing in an all-star team to show off just what the 3DS can do in the sound department (HOLY SHIT YUZU KOSHIRO AND NORIYUKI IWADARE FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF). The game is friggin’ gorgeous as well. I had no idea the 3DS could pull off such stunning environments (Chapter 8 in particular blows me away every time I play). It uses practically everything the 3DS has to offer and then some, and it shows. This is a lovingly-crafted Sakurai game through and through, and any gamer worth their salt owes it to themselves to give it a shot. HANDHELD GOTYALLYEARS -Nick (@Electivirus)

Persona 4 Golden Alright, I will be honest. I have not completed Persona 4 Golden for the PS Vita. I am far into the game however. I feel like now is a good time for me to give my initial impressions. For starters, Persona 4 Golden is a western styled RPG, probably one of the very few RPG's us American's will see for the Vita.You start off as a high school city-boy, who was sent to rural Inaba by your parents, who went to work abroad. As you get there, strange murders start happening, and even one of your friends go missing. You and a few friends go into a television (they initially don't believe you, but you show them later) to save people before this.... thing.... kills them. That's the story in a nutshell, or at least how far I am so far.
The gameplay, as stated before, is RPG. You go through dungeons and fight various enemies and get to an area boss at the end. However, when you aren't in dungeons, your exploring Inaba and going to school or hanging out with your friends at the local stores.You can even decide if you want to be on a basketball team or be in the school band. Not only is the game a RPG, but might I say, a high school simulator as well. 
The game is actually a remake of a PS2 game, Persona 4. Some of the animations get very repetitive and some characters get very annoying (Chie.... I cannot stand her and her constant yelling). The graphics look good for the Vita, but it's nothing super spectacular. One thing that threw me off was important cutscenes are actually anime. Not the game models, but true anime. It works very well and makes for some good story telling.
 Unfortunately, I haven't beaten the game. I can't say much more, because I'm not finished. I will say I could recommend this game to anyone. Heck, I don't like RPG's and I love this game. Pick it up if your ever have the chance. -Indy (@INDiANATC)

ZombiU
Where do I begin? Well, maybe how I feel about the game: I. FUCKING. LOVE IT. I know it's not for everyone. I recommend it to anyone looking for an actual survival HORROR game. However, I feel like I should talk about why I love this game so damn much. First of all, the environment is great. You always feel like some zombie is lurking right next to you. And I also really liked the real time stuff like looting and picking locks. Spitalfield Greens has two areas where you start to pick locks and explosive hunters attack you. Never fails to scare the shit out of me. The controls feel petty good. ZL and ZR are to aim and then fire, and ZR alone pushes foes. However, now I'm starting to sound like an instruction manual, so I'll stop here. All and all, I just want to get one thing across- as much as I love ZombiU (I could probably write an entire article on that), it's not for everyone. Very slow and dark, unlike, say, CoD zombies. And the characters? Some of my favorites, the Prepper and Sondra are great characters with contrasting views on the situation, and you start to question the Prepper very soon. The controls feel great, the setting is amazing, and it features some impressive voice acting. -Nick (@AnimalCrosser53)

Resident Evil 6
RE6 is really, REALLY fun. 4 awesome campaigns, incredibly fun combat, intertwining stories, etc. I thought it was a blast to play through. Increased focus on melee combat honestly has me considering doing a melee-only run. Hell, the depth of the mechanics packed into the game is extremely impressive. Hiding behind cover to replenish stamina faster, quick shots, melee combo chains, a ton of context-specific melee attacks, sliding, spinning 180 degrees mid-slide to shoot opponents behind you, counters, etc. It’s friggin’ crazy! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Resident Evil this… mobile, but I LOVE it.  It’s an incredible feeling, dodge-jumping backwards from an enemy, shooting it mid-jump, rolling out of the dodge, quick-shotting 3 enemies in a row, and meleeing a 4th. It’s like a symphony of death. No other game has given me that feeling before. It’s incredibly difficult going back to any older RE game now, as I feel bogged down by sluggish controls after spending so much time with this. The game is packed with content (with more on the way), has some very fun boss fights, and has generally given me 25+ hours of great fun so far. Also, Ada + Sherry. Instant best RE game. I mean, come on. One of the best action games I’ve ever played. -Nick (@Electivirus)

Assassin's Creed III
While the fifth installment of the Assassin's Creed series seemed shorter than I had expected, there were several elements of this game that made it a joy to play. For instance, free running and climbing through the trees was smooth and fluent. This was an added feature, and they did it will. Also features like hunting animals and sailing gave players a new experience. Using Revolutionary War-age weapons and roaming the streets of early New York just felt awesome, especially when you'd encounter a prominent American historical figure such as Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, or George Washington. The premise of Connor Kenway's father being English and mother being Native American was also an interesting idea. The multiplayer kept many of the game modes that made it fun in Brotherhood and Revelations, while adding several new ones of its own. Also, loading games was faster.
-David Kimball (http://davidvkimball.com/)

Halo 4
Finally. Innate sprinting. Halo 4's control scheme is the best Halo control scheme yet (of any of the games). Not only does the game look beautiful, it had a compelling story line with new threats and familiar characters. Once again playing as the Master Chief was refreshing, and the new missions had a nostalgic twist. The new aliens, the "Prometheans," were an interesting addition to the Halo universe, and they were not simply a reiteration of the Covenant. The multiplayer is insanely fun as well, with an intense variety of game modes. Also Spartan Ops is a new mode, in which players can join each other online to pursue special mulitplayer missions. Soldier customization and loadout customization online feels a lot like Call of Duty, but I'd argue the games are still distinguishable from each other. 
I may be one of the few that thought the ending to Halo 4 was a bit anticlimactic as well, but a large number of reviews disagree with me. All-in-all, an outstanding rendition of the series, and I say well done, 343.
-David Kimball (http://davidvkimball.com/)

PlanetSide 2
I want to shed some light on PlanetSide 2, the Free-To-Play FPS-MMO on Steam. This game was released mid-late November and is already a popular, successful game. In this game, also referred to as PS2, you can create characters to play as for three different factions, Vanu, Terran, or New Conglomerate. Vanu focusing on technological development, Terran focusing on strict military control, and New Conglomerate focusing on the freedom of Auraxis (the planet they're fighting for). And there is no real end (atleast I don't think so) because your fighting for land on a never-ending match. Land is what shows in this game, the more you have, the more resources your faction has available for creating aircrafts, vehicles, and Max's. There are three huge continents on Auraxis; Esamir, Indar, and Amerish. Your goal is to show the other two factions who's boss and kick their ass! And like most other MMO's they do allow subscriptions, in-game "cash", and other real money opprotunities. However, you do earn points called "certification points", with those you can buy guns, well, really, pretty much just about everything. PS2 does feature squads, so you can play with friends. This game has the best graphics a game could have nowadays, the graphics are so good,  Battlefield 3 says, "When did I get a twin?".  And when you play this game, you can't help but really get into it. So if you want to try it out (which is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), don't forget Terran all the way! Also, once you spawn in, you come in a pod, and are directly taken into battle. So be prepared and take down as many enemies as you can with you! -Josh Adkins

Final Fantasy XIII-2
I had little issue with FFXIII’s linearity, but compared to that, XIII-2 is quite freeing, in more ways than one. Areas focusing more on exploration, tons of customization options, a bigger focus on sidequests/optional areas, a crystarium with far more options to build party members, etc. pretty much secure it as what  XIII should have been. An improvement over it in every way, barring a few performance issues. Noel is one of my favorite protagonists in the series; Confident, likeable, great voice acting/backstory, and some kickass battle animations.  The battle system is largely the same with only a few (very welcome) changes. The monster-raising system in particular is my favorite addition to it. I’m a huge Pokemon fan and this appealed to me in the best way. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun scouting down different colors of Chocobo to add them to my team before. The soundtrack is likely the highest point of the game. An incredible amount of variety and production values abound. From progressive rock, to trance, to electronic, to metal, there’s a lot to enjoy here. Naoshi Mizuta completely blew me away, which is something I didn’t expect at all, given his tepid track record. All in all, XIII-2 shaped up to be my favorite RPG of the year, and by far my favorite Final Fantasy game. When an RPG has me beating it 3 times in 8 months, that’s probably a sign that it’s GotY material! If Lightning Returns is even half as good, 2013 is gonna be a great year. -Nick (@Electivirus)

(News)

A whole batch of DLC packs are now available on the PSN store for PSASBR. You can buy them seperately for $5 or in one large bundle for $15. They are as follows:

•Super Pack: All packs
•Heroes Pack: Sackboy, Nathan Drake, Sir Daniel, and Cole
•Fun Pack: Toro, Nariko, Fat Princess, and PaRappra
•Classic Pack: Jak, Ratchet, Spike, and Sly
•Bad Dudes Pack: Radec, Evil Cole Kratos, and Sweet Tooth

(News)

In a measly two months, Animal Crossing: New Leaf has sold 2 million copies in Japan, being the first 3DS game to do so. This best seller should hit American markets sometime in the first half of 2013.

(News)

Don't have enough of the Blue Blur gracing your Steam library? Well, now's your chance. Every Sonic game available on the Steam store, from Sonic Adventure 2 HD to Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, can either be bought separately at 50% off or all together in one huge bundle for a measly $30. Act fast; this deal will only last for the rest of the day (December 24th).

(News)

Android users, rejoice. The Sonic Jump game, previously an iOS exclusive, is now available for Android devices. However, the game apparently doesn't make complete use of the Galaxy SIII's screen size. This will most likely be fixed with the the next update.

(Thanks to INDiANATC for the tip.)

(News)

The HD remake of the first installment in the popular Kingdom Hearts franchise will be launched digitally in the Japanese PSN store on March 14th, 2013. I'll let you guys know when an American release date is mentioned.

(News)

Down at the bottom of the Wii U Menu is a Nintendo TVii icon, and some people are saying that the feature is now working; no download is required. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

(News)

The first 3DS Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game has been given a release date of March 24th, 2013. Five Pokémon will be available to play as in the game: Pikachu, Snivy, Oshawott, Tepig, and Axew. The game will also utilize the camera of the system to activate in-game "Magnagates" that give you access to new locations. Unlike previous installments of the Mystery Dungeon series, Gates of Infinity will be only a single game; it will not be in some sort of pair.

(News)

Sonic Jump's got another update! This time, two new characters have been added: Silver the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat, as well as new obstacles in stages (and a new set of wallpapers). The namesake of the update, however, comes from the fact that midboss levels have been added to every Zone. Not too sure I'm happy about that one, but I'm looking forward to trying it out.