What is/are YOUR Game(s) of the Year? 2013 Edition

Haven't played a home console game released in the US since early December, but I think I can make due with what I have played before that point.

Best Console Game: The Last of Us
There are a lot of games I probably could have placed here, but I just feel that The Last of Us came out the strongest for me. It hooked me from start to finish, and even after the ending I wanted to jump back in and replay it over again. While I did enjoy the gameplay, I think that the characters and atmosphere of the game were crafted extremely well, and that's largely the reason why I felt absorbed in the game the entirety of both of my playthroughs. As a whole package, The Last of Us really delivered a great world with great characters, along with gameplay that while probably not the most original, kept me engaged enough to not get bored of it. The multiplayer is pretty solid too, so that's also a nice bonus.

Honorable Mentions: Tales of Xillia, Bioshock Infinite

Best Handheld Game: Fire Emblem Awakening
Out of all the categories, I think this was easily the most difficult to decide. Most of the games I played this year were handheld ones, and all of them were really solid. But, in the end I think Fire Emblem takes it home for me. It brought a lot of my favorite series mechanics all into one game, and from start to finish was a blast to play, not to mention the localization was great as well. I normally don't buy DLC, but for this game I made an exception and bought every single DLC available for it. Support Conversations were also a very welcome return, and they definitely did not disappoint. Also, out of all the games I've played this year, both console and handheld, this still holds the record for overall longest playtime, and I'm still playing it today. Overall, it's my definite handheld game of the year.

Honorable Mentions: YS: Memories of Celceta, Etrian Odyssey 4, Pokemon X/Y

Best Indie Game: Guacamelee
Lots of great indie games, but I think I have to give it to Guacamelee. It was everything I love about Metroidvania style games, and I just really love the style and design of the characters and world. Also, there were a ton of references to other games and other media scattered here and there, and it was funny to find them all. In general, it was a really charming package, and aside from being my favorite indie game this year, it's definitely up there as one of my favorites overall. Oh, and the co-op is pretty fun too.

Honorable Mentions: Kentucky Route Zero, Divekick

Best Import: Sen no Kiseki
I don't know how many people import often, but I've played a ton of imports this year so I decided to pick one out them. Sen no Kiseki had a lot of loading times (fairly long ones too) when it released, so when I first got it I kind of set it aside for a bit. But after that patch that reduced them, I had a complete blast going through this game. This was the series' first full 3D title, and while it probably it doesn't have the greatest graphics around, it's far from a pain on the eyes. With likable characters, solid gameplay, and personally one of the best, if not the best soundtrack out of the games I've gotten to play this year I think it tops the other imports I've played. I hope this sees a stateside release, but who knows when that could happen.

Honorable Mentions: Tales of Hearts R, God Eater 2