PlayStation Blog Game of the Year Awards 2013: The winners

PS4 Game of the Year 2013

Resogun – “Battlefield 4’s majestic multiplayer modes nearly stole the show for me, but ultimately I had to choose Housemarque’s brilliant shmup based solely on the number of hours I pumped into it. The game is almost impossible to put down and, like Spelunky, reinforces the notion that simpler is often better.”
– Sid Shuman, Manager, US PlayStation Blog
Resogun – “Housemarque’s deliriously exciting retro-fabulous shoot ’em up scorched my eyeballs and seduced my senses, taking up permanent residence on my PS4. Gaming at its purest. Love it.”
– Fred Dutton, Manager, EU PlayStation Blog
Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag – “Black Flag has an almost overwhelming amount of content sewn into a breathtaking slice of the Caribbean. It satisfies every craving, from swordplay to stealth, from customisation to crafting. And perhaps most importantly, your crew sings shanties as you sail. The coolness of this cannot be overstated.”
– Ryan Clements, US PlayStation.Blog
Resogun – “When you think “next-generation,” I doubt the first type of game that springs to mind is a cylyindrical, side-scrolling shoot ’em up. Resogun, from industry vets Housemarque, excels in every aspect of its design. The true genius of Resogun, however, lies in its deceptive scoring systems. Just when you think you know the best route to the top of the leaderboards, you discover a new trick that forces you to completely rework your now obsolete strategies. In Housemarque we trust.”
– Justin Massongill, US PlayStation.Blog
Resogun – “The other gents here have been – rightfully – praising Resogun for its devilish good looks and soulfully satisfying shootery, but what’s intrigued me most about it thus far is the almost Dark Souls-like community element of everyone figuring out its secrets and paths to the best scores, together. A game that could just as easily have been a box checked on a launch list that turned out to be a deep, thoughtfully assembled arcade adventure of discovery.”
– Nick Suttner, PlayStation Blogcast

PS3 Game of the Year 2013

The Last of Us – “A highwater mark for PS3, and a welcome shot in the arm for all of us after a little more sophistication and nuance from our AAA gaming. Along with Beyond: Two Souls and GT6 it might have heralded the end of a console era, but it also felt like the start of something – and if this is the direction our blockbusters take henceforth, count me happy.”
– Fred Dutton, Manager, EU PlayStation.Blog
The Last of Us – “Naughty Dog’s blockbuster is buoyed by breakthrough performances and a story that will make you wonder whose side you’re really on. Even the multiplayer mode is a star in its own right. Be sure to play this one before you make the switch to PS4!”
– Sid Shuman, Manager, US PlayStation.Blog
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance – “Who knew that a cyborg samurai, action-RPG hybrid with stealth elements would rock so hard? Everyone. Everyone knew that, because it sounds awesome. In execution, developer Platinum Games crafted a blisteringly fast, endlessly satisfying combat engine with a fine, kung fu gloss.”
– Ryan Clements, US PlayStation.Blog
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons – “In only a few hours, Brothers explores the resilient human element that ties together the very best works of fiction in such a beautiful, fundamental way – and even more impressively, in a manner that only video games can accomplish. I had moments of giddy elation, crushing sadness, and an emotional connection to the protagonists that far exceed the (albeit brilliant) mechanical one.”
– Nick Suttner, PlayStation Blogcast
The Last of Us – “Naughty Dog did it again. Brutal and beautiful at the same time, they created a new IP that surpasses everything we have seen in the industry. Plus, the Santaolalla soundtrack is almost too perfect. Joelbanderas.gif”
– Lorenzo Grajales, LATAM PlayStation Blog

PS Vita Game of the Year 2013

Spelunky – “Simply put, Spelunky is the most impressive platformer I’ve played in years. Despite its murderously punishing difficulty, this randomly generated gem always manages to lure you back for just one more go. And it’s riddled with mouthwatering secrets that’ll keep you playing for months. Anyone visit Hell or pull off an eggplant run?”
– Sid Shuman, Manager, US PlayStation Blog
Velocity Ultra – “Tough category! For my money, Futurlab’s classy, clever blaster just pips the Tearaway, Spelunky and Hotline Miami. No other game I played this year so brilliantly layered mechanic-upon-mechanic, slowly transforming you from slow-witted cannon fodder to master thumb ninja. Bring on Velocity 2X.”
– Fred Dutton, Manager, EU PlayStation Blog
Spelunky – “Another masterclass in game design, Derek Yu’s Spelunky starts the player off slow – almost frustratingly so. About half a day after telling yourself, “Maybe this game just isn’t for me,” new ideas and strategies start to manifest. Before you know it, you’ve barely scraped your way to the end of the Mines… then a while after that you conquer the Jungle… then you start hearing whispers of things like a “City of Gold” and something about eggplants. Spelunky doesn’t grab you at first… but give it some time and it will become a part of your very fabric as a gamer.”
– Justin Massongill, US PlayStation Blog
Dragon’s Crown – “Garbed in eye-popping fantasy art, Dragon’s Crown boasts a staggering degree of replayability. It invites return play, tempting us with glittering treasures and stage-searing spells. With six heroes to master and secret paths to traverse, Dragon’s Crown is as rewarding as it is beautiful.”
– Ryan Clements, US PlayStation Blog
Tearaway – “One of the most creative games in the universe, with a lovable character, awesome level design, and the best use of the PS Vita features, Tearaway should be a lesson in the videogame universities of the future.”
– Lorenzo Grajales, LATAM PlayStation Blog

Best Digital Release 2013

Guacamelee! (PS3/PS Vita) – “Drinkbox threw a bunch of my favourite things into a blender – classic Metroidvania mechanics, primary colours, Mexican food, chicken punching – and came up with a predictably heady confection. In a year of cracking 2D platformers, this was el pijama del gato (thank you, Google Translate).”
– Fred Dutton, Manager, EU PlayStation Blog
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (PS3) – “At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Starbreeze’s daring new PlayStation Store title. Controlling two characters simultaneously, one with each analogue stick, is certainly a novel gameplay idea. But Brothers backs it up with a story worth telling and characters worth caring about. And all without uttering a single (intelligible) word!”
– Sid Shuman, Manager, US PlayStation.Blog
Super Motherload (PS4) – “This surprisingly dark digging game is a superb example of “pick up and play.” There’s a special sort of fun in tunneling deep beneath the surface of Mars, collecting previous ores, and earning money to unlock game-changing upgrades. Not only that, but Super Motherload encourages smart plays with ore combinations, special items, and puzzles. Highly recommended.”
– Ryan Clements, US PlayStation.Blog
Guacamelee! – “Drinkbox took all the coolest things from my childhood and put them in an awesome videogame on both PS3 and PS Vita. Playing the best luchadores-themed game as a Mexican, helped too.”
– Lorenzo Grajales, LATAM PlayStation Blog
Spelunky (PS3/PS Vita) – “Yep, more Spelunky. Learning about how its bits fit together was a near path to madness/obsession in a world where confidence is recklessness, but I’ve enjoyed every one of my hundreds (thousands?) of attempts at the same mad-libbed adventure more than the last. And with the inspired Daily Challenge feature, I think I might slot in into my routine right after brushing my teeth before bed, until I’m stinky bones in the ground.”
– Nick Suttner, PlayStation Blogcast

Most Anticipated 2014 Game

Destiny (PS3/PS4) – “Well, duh. It’s Bungie. If the epic story and seamless co-op play don’t get me, the competitive play surely will. Also: Bungie.”
– Sid Shuman, Manager, US PlayStation Blog
Transistor (PS4) – “The follow-up to Supergiant’s universally-acclaimed debut, Bastion. Everything about Transistor appeals directly to my interests: a surreal, futuristic painted art style, an ominous soundtrack backed by butterfly-inducing, melancholy vocals, a clever new battle system that mixes real-time action with turn-based strategy, and the coolest use of DualShock 4’s light bar we’ve seen yet (it pulses when the sword talks!). We don’t know a ton about Transistor yet, but I’ve got my gaze fixed squarely on it heading into 2014.”
– Justin Massongill, US PlayStation Blog
Dark Souls 2 (PS3) – “Just hook it to my veins.”
– Fred Dutton, Manager, EU PlayStation.Blog
Destiny (PS3/PS4) – “A blissful combination of so many things that make gaming great. Epic science fiction, rich lore, ample loot, cooperative play, special abilities, and giant space-faring spheres protecting humanity for generations. Destiny has it all! Especially the giant sphere.”
– Ryan Clements, US PlayStation Blog
The Witness (PS4) – “I’ve been bestowed with more of a sneak peek than most, so I can’t say too much, but you also don’t need to play very far into The Witness to see the brilliance behind its puzzle design and world-building (and stunning aesthetic, of course). It’s something truly special, and even in an indie paradise of Transistor, N++, Sportsfriends and Octodad (wow!), it’s still my most-anticipated game.”
– Nick Suttner, PlayStation Blogcast