The first half of the year is a great time to be a gamer. This is the time for big-budget, blockbuster games that publishers pushed beyond the holidays to avoid colliding with other major titles (such as Call of Duty), as well as for cool independently developed titles that fill the gaps in a slow release calendar. Here are the best games of 2012 so far.
Diablo III
The quintessential grind-loot-and-level-up RPG has returned after a
12-year hiatus. Diablo III retakes the throne as the premier way to
waste hours slaying demons with your left mouse button.Trials Evolution
I'm not the first to describe Trials Evolution as "Excitebike on
steroids," but there's really no better summation of the game's
high-flying 2D motorcycle stunts. The sequel to 2012's Trials HD, Trials
Evolution includes multiplayer, a track creator, and (thankfully) a
smoother learning curve than its predecessor.Fez
On the surface, Fez seems like an innocent puzzle game with a clever
gimmick: You can rotate your view of the 2D world to reveal new paths
and hidden doors. But behind this change in perspective is a rabbit
hole, where no video game trope is safe from deconstruction. Fez is
2012's cleverest video game so far--or, at least, the only one that
really can make mush of your mind.Mass Effect 3
Controversial endings
aside, Mass Effect 3 is the epic finale that the series deserved.
Players' decisions from previous games pay off throughout, as favorite
characters pop in for cameos--provided that they survived earlier
battles. Gunplay feels tighter than ever, and galactic resource
harvesting is breezier. What more could you want? Actually, don't answer
that.Journey
No guns, no monsters, no violence. In Journey, you play a mysterious
cloaked entity who trudges through deserts, mountains, and lost cities,
aided only by other anonymous players you meet along the way. The game
is no longer than a movie; compared with the escapist fare of other
video games, however, the experience feels more meaningful.The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
This year, Xbox 360 owners finally get to experience a favorite among
RPG-loving PC gamers, controlling Geralt of Rivia as he slashes his way
through the Northern Kingdoms. The greatest trait of The Witcher 2:
Assassins of Kings is its moral ambiguity--it forces story-altering
decisions on the player, but rarely reveals which choice is right or
wrong.SSX
EA has reined in its previously wacky snowboarding series, pairing
realistic mountains with still-unbelievable jumps and tricks. The
result: a game that captures the spirit of extreme winter sports,
without worrying too much about pesky reality.
Max Payne 3
The forgettable film notwithstanding, Max Payne has been in the shadows
for nearly a decade. The series returns without the comic-noir vibe that
defined the first two games, but makes up for it with sharp dialogue
mixed with scene after scene of intense gunplay. In a half-year devoid
of big-budget shooters, Max shows us that he still knows how to make an
entrance.
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Swordigo
People who think the iPad doesn't count as a serious gaming device probably haven't played Swordigo. This 2D sword-swinging platformer in the style of Zelda 2 is packed with smart level design and some simple RPG elements to keep players hooked. Start playing on a long flight, and you may be compelled to continue--even when you're back home with a real game console.Source : PCWorld
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