2013 will most likely be best known for the year that the ‘big two’ released new consoles in the PlayStation 4 (Sony) and Xbox One (Microsoft) but many excellent games captivated us year round and here’s why!

ALEX BAUMAN (COIN-OP TV writer/contributor)
https://twitter.com/Dr_redruM

BEST GAME: STATE OF DECAY (Undead Labs)
WHY: With focus more on resource management and character interaction rather than the combat heavy formula we’re used to State of Decay is what a zombie apocalypse game should be.

2ND BEST GAME: BIOSHOCK INFINITE (Irrational Games)
WHY: A clever and twisted finale that left players pondering for days, a brilliant story set in an awe inspiring detailed world. Bioshock Infinite raises the bar for storytelling  in action games. https://coin-op.tv/bioshock-infinite-gameplay-showcased

3RD BEST GAME: BATTLEFIELD 4 (Electronic Arts)
WHY: Refining what has made the series great, Battlefield 4 sits as a top tier multiplayer experience. https://coin-op.tv/battlefield-4-beta

JON VENTURE (COIN-OP TV writer/contributor/video producer)
https://twitter.com/jonventure

BEST GAME: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK BETWEEN WORLDS (Nintendo)
WHYNostalgic Legend of Zelda fans don’t want Nintendo’s nearly perfect action-adventure puzzler formula messed with, but new generations need a hook to keep them interested. ALBW balances multiple generations’ worth of innovative gameplay and loads it all into a title that will undoubtedly move 3DS consoles.

2ND BEST GAME: BATTLEBLOCK THEATER (The Behemoth)
WHYIf you thought BattleBlock Theater was fun for the first few hours spent ascending the learning curve and solving platforming puzzles, you’ll soon realize the cats that have you captive aren’t nearly as challenging as players who have honed their abilities for hours on end. The same little kids that push you to the limit in online shooters and fighting games force you to become better here as well, leading to intense free-for-all or team matches in BBT’s Story and Arena modeshttps://coin-op.tv/battleblock-theater-review

3RD BEST GAME: LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES (TT Games)
WHYLEGO Marvel Super Heroes is easily the best LEGO game to have been released thus far, and quite possibly the top Marvel title as well. Don’t let the kid-friendly bright bricks fool you; LEGO Marvel Super Heroes has been crafted with care by serious Marvel fans to give long-time aficionados and kids alike quite a bit to get excited about.” https://coin-op.tv/lego-marvel-super-heroes-review

KEVIN SLACKIE (COIN-OP TV writer/contributor/video producer)
https://twitter.com/KSlackie

BEST GAME: METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE (Konami)
WHYAn amazingly solid hack-and-slash with just the right amount of action and content. https://coin-op.tv/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-review-metal-gear-goes-platinum

2ND BEST GAME: PROJECT X ZONE (Namco Bandai)
WHY One of the best and most engaging SRPGs I’ve played in a long time. Every chapter was exciting in this 60+ hour campaign. https://coin-op.tv/project-x-zone-review

3RD BEST GAME: PHOENIX WRIGHT ACE ATTORNEY: DUAL DESTINIES (Capcom)
WHYEasily one of the most accessible Ace Attorney games. The graphical shift helped characters emote better and the cases had some amazing plot twists. https://coin-op.tv/phoenix-wright-ace-attorney-dual-destinies-e3-expo

BRIAN BENTLEY (COIN-OP TV writer/contributor/video producer)
https://twitter.com/Quiglin

BEST GAME: ASSASSIN’S CREED IV BLACK FLAG (Ubisoft)
WHYA vast improvement over AC3, Black Flag takes all the aspects you love about the Assassin’s Creed franchise and streamlines it into digestible chunks that fulfills and satisfies.  The inclusion of pirates and improved naval combat overcomes the annual fatigue. https://coin-op.tv/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-current-vs-next-gen-comparison

2ND BEST GAME: SPLINTER CELL BLACKLIST (Ubisoft)
WHY:  Ubisoft took all the lessons from previous Splinter Cell games, especially Conviction, and created a homogeneous concoction that rewards players for executing their own style of play.  It took me by surprise how much I enjoyed this game. https://coin-op.tv/splinter-cell-blacklist-review

3RD BEST GAME: PAPERS, PLEASE (Lucas Pope)
WHYIndependent game that taps into the player’s primal urge to follow rules and not buck the system.  The beauty of Papers, Please is in the simplicity that demonstrates how each of us secretly desires to embrace control and structure over our lives.  Long live bureaucracy!

JEFFREY CJ STRIKE  (COIN-OP TV writer/contributor/video producer)
https://twitter.com/DeadlyCyclone

BEST GAME: BIOSHOCK INFINITE (Irrational Games)
WHYBioshock is one of my favorite games of the generation so I was more than hyped to see the concept for Infinite and the game did not disappoint. The combat could use a bit of tweaking but the gameplay is great and the story is phenomenal. Booker and Elizabeth are fantastic characters and very well acted. Infinite is my favorite game of 2013.

2ND BEST GAME: THE LAST OF US (Naughty Dog)
WHYI love the Uncharted series so anything coming from Naughty Dog was going to intrigue me. I was never too deep into stealth games but being the story-lover I am I bit and boy am I glad I did. The Last of Us is an amazing game with fantastic mechanics, top-notch characters, and a great story.

3RD BEST GAME: TOMB RAIDER (Square Enix)
WHY: I was never into the old Tomb Raider games, and had only dabbled with the newer versions so it was to my surprise that I found myself enjoying the reboot as much as I did. The gameplay felt like Uncharted on steroids, the characters were well-thought out and the story had some fun twists and turns. Tomb Raider is finally back, and I’m stoked to see what Lara’s future now holds. https://coin-op.tv/tomb-raider-caves-cliffs-dlc/


ROBERT WELKNER (COIN-OP TV owner/writer/editor-in-chief/video producer)
https://twitter.com/pennyman

BEST GAME: SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE (Activision)
WHY: Just a clever game for all ages with both in-game collecting and treasure hunting and ‘real world’ toy collecting – Skylanders Swap Force took an excellent franchise and bumped it up a notch. https://coin-op.tv/skylanders-swap-force-review/

2ND BEST GAME: XCOM ENEMY WITHIN (2K Games)
WHY: XCOM Enemy Unknown was a solid game a year ago but XCOM Enemy Within was revamped from the ground up to include new gameplay elements like Mechs and Gene Mutations adding even more depth and re-playabilityhttps://coin-op.tv/xcom-enemy-within-review

3RD BEST GAME: RAYMAN LEGENDS (Ubisoft)
WHY: If you thought Rayman Origins was whacky – wait til you pick up Rayman Legends.  We’re thankful that Ubisoft eventually decided to make this game a non-exclusive as everything about it is fun and challenging. https://coin-op.tv/rayman-legends-review