Well Folks, it’s that time of the year again! Where we bring you the low down on the greatest games 2012 had to offer. We break it up by genre, thereby bringing you the best game in its respective category! Let’s get started!

Best RPG Game

Mass Effect 3

In our view, Mass Effect 3 deserves the win as it combined everything from a great story, graphics, improved gameplay mechanics and a stunning sound track. Sure, some may say, the ending was a let down, but if you consider the overall scheme of things, this game really shines and BioWare and EA have really delivered a winner!

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Read our review here

Other Nominations:

• Diablo III
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown
• Rainbow Moon

Best Action Game

Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs was on of those games which really changed the dynamics of action games this year. Isn’t it a GTA clone you say? Yes, but what Rockstar didn’t bring to the table was over the top production values which makes Sleeping Dogs the ‘best action game’ of the year.

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Read our Sleeping Dogs review

But to be fair, it was only challenged by the following Nominees:

• Dishonored
• Spec Ops: The Line
• Max Payne 3

Best Adventure Game

The Walking Dead

Adventure games are always hard to rate, but what make The Walking Dead standout was it production values. A unique delivery system and not to mention the thrills, horror and sense of adventure it brought with it. We had a tough choice between these 3:

• Lone Survivor
• Thirty Flights of Loving

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Best Racing Game

Forza Horizon

I had a really tough call with this one, but I had to hand it to Forza, purely because of its multiplayer capabilities and it’s realism when it comes to car mechanics. Sure sure, disagree all you want – but you know it’s the only way to respect the Ford F-150′s habit of flipping over on fast corners. Like all previous Forza games, once you’ve gotten the handle on things, is a very very rewarding experience.

Available on: Xbox 360

Overtook the following nominees:

• F1 2012
• Need for Speed: Most Wanted
• Trials Evolution

Best Shooter

Halo 4

Halo 4 – hands down this year for us for the best shooter. It probably won, because honestly, there were not a lot of quality shooters released this year – LOL! Just kidding. This actually was the toughest section for us – it really was a toss-up between Borderlands 2 and Halo 4 – but when you really think about it, the depth that Halo 4 brought in this time along with amazing visuals; AND brilliant multiplayer; it just left Borderlands 2 out at the border.

Available on: Xbox 360

Other nominees:

• Borderlands 2
• Call of Duty Black Ops 2
• PlanetSide 2

Best Fighting Game

PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale

This year was a fightfest!! The fighting games really gave us something to fight for. The games that really stood out for us were Persona 4, Skull Girls and PS All Stars. Sf X Tekken was also really good, but compared to the rest, it just fell short.

Available on: PS3

Read our review here

Other that went down fighting:

• Persona 4
• Street Fighter X Tekken
• Skull Girls

Best Sports Game

FIFA Soccer 13

The FIFA games have come a long way – we can recall right back to the SNES days of FIFA and its various iterations on other consoles – and it’s only gone from strength to strength, and this year even, it still stands out as the best sports title of the year. Over the last 3 years or so, FIFA has managed to up the ante on its multiplayer and hence remains one of the best titles to date even for non soccer fans.

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

The others that came close to scoring:

• MLB 13 The Show
• NBA 2K13
• NHL 13
• SSX

Best Strategy Game

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Reviewing strategy games is the most satisfying of the lot. You know that unless you get to spend several hours on a title and enjoy it, it’s not even worthy to be up here. XCOM allows you to do just that. It’s one of those rare titles, that will keep you up all night, just keep success at your finger tips, not hard enough to cry, but just hard enough to try again and see great progress at every turn. It’s one of those games, where failure, IS an option and will only lead to greater things. It’s unique and challenging approach make this turn-based game our strategy game of the year!

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Those that came tactically close:

• FTL (Follow the Light)
• Magic: The Gathering — Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
• Plague Inc

Game of the Year 2012 – Award goes to…..

Journey

Available on: PS3

The Game Druid’s Game of the Year 2012!

Read our review here

Why does Journey Win the Game of the year? It didn’t even fit into any of the categories above!!

For us ‘Journey’  makes for the perfect game of the year, because it’s something so ground breaking in terms of delivering experiences that make you feel at leisure, yet, fill you with a sense of urgency. The discovery as you go along is so rewarding, making players feel that they’re in control. It’s graphics, soundtrack and the message that it brings with it is so amazing that you just can’t get enough.

No matter how you interpret Journey, there’s no denying how memorable the experience is along the way.

on that note….Here’s wishing all you dear readers a very very happy new year!

If WWE ’12 redefined the wrestling genre – then sit tight and see what WWE ’13 has in store.

Drawing massive inspiration from CM Punk and the revolution he started last year, THQ is mirroring that and has drastically changed its approach to the WWE franchise. While WWE ’12 was a revamp from the ‘Smackdown vs. RAW’ series, not everything could be added in there. Hence WWE ’13 is all set to be the BEST wrestling game ever!

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Key Highlights

Road to WrestleMania is gone – Attitude Era Mode is in!

THQ’s goal here is not to reinvent the past nor is to change things just for the sake of doing so. This single-player mode is an abridged recreation of a memorable time in sports entertainment, allowing players to journey through various storylines as eight of the most popular superstars of that time, including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

The chapter-based saga moves through WWE’s struggle and eventual triumph during the so-called “Monday Night Wars,” which saw the company on the brink of defeat at the hands of a powerful rival, WCW. Told from the perspective of the WWE during that period, matches and in-game cut scenes are supplemented by superb video packages assembled by WWE’s own editors. These short vignettes put matches, feuds and larger industry developments into perspective, not only keeping the overall story going, but giving a bit of a history lesson in the process.

THQ is also mindful that wrestling fans want a fun game. Therefore each match is broken down into a series of main or side objectives, which are clearly labeled when on-screen, can be easily accessed, and will disappear from a list when they are completed.

In general, main objectives are simple (pin your opponent, grab the title), allowing players to advance the storyline simply by winning matches. However optional side objectives are more meticulous by nature, setting more specific victory conditions – asking players to put an opponent through a table, for example. Those looking to get the most out of WWE ’13 will want to pay attention to all the game asks of them.

The OMG Factor

With so many tweaks being made, it’s hard to forget the little details in Wrestling history that might have been missed. Actions like breaking the right with two behemoths, or a mid-air finisher, these actions, can only be enabled by certain wrestlers in specific locations and instances. Much like the appearance of a ‘Finisher’ icon, an ‘OMG!!’ logo will appear above a character’s head when they are capable of executing these devastating maneuvers, which can quickly change the tide of a match – or even end it. The developers are also in the process of creating specialized visual and audio methods of presenting these moments, ensuring they feel as significant in the game as they do on television.

Match Pacing

If you remember the first time that Kane fought the Undertaker, it took The Dead Man 3 tombstones to put his brother Kane away for the pin – why? Because that’s how EPIC it is. Matches on PPV and on RAW have a different feel to it. There’s more energy, more excitement about these big match situations…and THQ has taken note.

Players can now choose between “Quick”, “Normal” and “Epic” – will affect the overall pacing of a fight, independent of AI difficulty. Factors such as momentum, damage, enemy aggressiveness and even kick out and reversal rates will be affected. The difference can be staggering. Quick matches feel lightning quick compared to epic ones, where superstars seem to have limitless stamina – and health. Best of all, this concept will make its way into the single player campaign as well.

With all that said, it’s just a small chunk of what to expect with a finished product. The game is currently in “Alpha” mode, which means another 2 months or so of testing before it gets into polishing mode. Lots more to be revealed and wrestling fans should be über excited. Stay tuned as we bring you more on this as it happens!

The Roster

Release Date is set for October 30th 2012 and will be available on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.