2012 is finally coming to an end, and do you know what the means? It is time for the first annual BagoGames Editor’s Game of the Year Awards, or Bago Awards for short. Each of our writers has chosen what was the one game that they believed to be the best of 2012, and to go along with the celebration we ask the Bago Community to vote for their Game of the Year. With out further ado, let us begin the awards!
Tony Baines- Halo 4
The campaign is fairly short, but the sheer quality of the experience and visuals make up for it and then some. Halo 4 is superb across all modes, singleplayer, co-op, and competitive multiplayer, which is quite an achievement. 2012 has been a great year for gamers, and the decision was not easy, but Halo 4 is a step forward in console gaming technically, a spectacular gameplay experience, and the most highly refined and polished game to be released for a long time. For these reasons Halo 4 gets my vote.
Nathan Braudrick- Darksiders 2
My Game of the Year selection may very well not be the best game released in 2012, but it is certainly the one I had the most fun with. I was a big fan of the original Darksiders and I anxiously anticipated the sequel, looking forward to continuing the story. In a bold move, the developers didn’t continue that story, but rather showed what was going on with War’s brother, Death, during the same time span. Darksiders 2 is the most successful amalgamation of gameplay mechanics I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Equal parts action adventure and brain wracking puzzler, Darksiders 2 scratched just about every gaming itch I have. The combat is deep, yet simple and I never grew weary or tired of plowing through enemies. The game is also beautiful. I absolutely adored the bold and intricate art style that showcased a wide variety of different worlds and settings. Death is also one heck of a fun protagonist to play as. He is a consummate butt-kicker and a wonderfully amusing pessimist. From top to bottom I found very little to not like about Darksiders 2 and I sincerely hope that THQ’s recent financial woes won’t keep us from experiencing the next sequel.
Sabastian Daniels- Spec Ops: The Line
I would like to put forth Spec Ops: The Line for being the first video game to make me feel bad for playing, for making me not want to shoot anyone in the game anymore. Don’t be fooled though, this game is not fun. It is made in such a way to enhance the story, the combat can feel quite off. But if you can work yourself through the first 2 hours of the game or so, the story starts to ramp up to such a quality I find that it doesn’t need to have great combat anymore, it becomes a true Triple A drama, one of the first in its kind.
Trevor D. Kincaid- Dishonored
Dishonored was more than just a game for me, it was a calling. I felt a sense of urgency in my quest and that what I was doing (or my character) was truly a noble, just, and righteous path. I became Corvo. The fallen Lord Protector. Or at least I really wanted to be him. It was my duty to use magic, blades, or my climbing and stealth skills to defeat my enemeis and save the Emperess. Akin to the Assasin’s Creed series or Hitman I think the Dishonored franchise will be with us for sometime.
Aaron Magulick- Persona 4 Golden
My Game of the Year may come as a bit of a surprise, considering that so few people outside of Japan have played it. The game I’m talking about is Persona 4 Golden. You have heard it before- the characters are likeable, the story is well written, battles are enjoyable, and Persona collecting is addicting, and that is all true. However, what makes Persona 4 Golden better than the PS2 version that came out four years ago? Improved graphics, re-localized script, new voice acting, new cutscenes, more Personas, new chapters, new after-school activities, and new social links makes Persona 4 Golden the bigger and better version. Trust me, not only is this the best PlayStation Vita game out on the market, but it is the best game out there for any system.
Chris Newton- Halo 4
The upscale in graphics is amazing, the good old Halo gameplay is improved further, the new weapons and sounds are awesome, and multiplayer is better!
Jeremy B. Tyler – Journey
It’s a beautiful, shorter game that is a perfect metaphor for life.
Read the review here!
Community Game of the Year- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
We gave our community a chance to voice their opinion on what this year’s Game of the Year by running a poll on our Facebook page for a few days, and the results were pretty clear. Call of Duty: Black Ops II won by a landslide with 3,042 votes and is crowned with the BagoGames Community Game of the Year Award. For comparisons sake, Halo 4 came in second place with 992 votes.
If you thought these titles were great check out Bookmaker Advisor’s Blacktype Bet review in 2019.
Congratulations to the games that were showcased in the article! So what do you, the readers have to say? Feel free to leave a comment below stating your Game of the Year, and why it deserves that title.
