All Stories Tagged: Best of 2013

Jeff Cannata is preparing for his play's premiere on Friday night, so that leaves host Garnett Lee to lead Weekend Confirmed into Episode 201 with Shacknews' Ozzie Mejia playing the co-pilot role. They welcome in Sega Mobile's Ethan Einhorn and Area 5's (and former 1up Show alum) Matt Chandronait to break down what happened this week with everything involving Microsoft, EA, and Machinima, discussing how it could potentially affect an audience's perception of YouTube providers.

Created in Nintendo's vacuum, 3D World eschews modern gaming trends. It doesn't aspire to justify the medium to Hollywood types. Instead, it focuses on the singular goal of just being fun, gosh darn it.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds shows Nintendo's understanding of what made the classics so special, paired with a capacity for change and evolution that we haven't seen for years. It's our Shacknews #2 Game of the Year.

Gone Home is remarkable in just how unremarkable it is. It's not avant-garde or experimental. With a first-person perspective and fully explorable 3D world, it feels instantly familiar, but chooses to use these to tell a simple story. Which is great. It may seem obvious enough, but Gone Home has made a great many people suddenly realise this. Thanks, Gone Home.

Perhaps no other game in 2013 could be as easily pointed to by the mainstream as proof that games are art.

BioShock Infinite is #5 in our Best of 2013.

Dota 2 is brilliant, but an absolute pig and a game I cannot recommend you play. You should, because it's the best game. But you won't like it, so don't. But honestly, do.

Proteus is #7 in our Best of 2013.

Pokemon X & Y is #8 in our Best of 2013.

Rayman Legends is #9 in our Best of 2013.