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Into the Fray: 2012 In Review (Spoiler Warning)

Written by James Pope

What a year it has been, not only for me personally but also for the video game industry itself. When I think of all the games I’ve played and all of the moments that we have experienced it makes me almost wish I would have taken more time to soak it all in and truly appreciate it . Featured here will be my favorite moments from the year past and also a few game of the year categories. We will see an overall Game of the Year, Moment of the Year, Indie Game of the Year, Sports Game of the Year and also worst moment in gaming for 2012. This list is a personal reflection on the past year, in no way is this meant to represent the official awards or prospective of LevelSave. With that being said lets take a trip Into the Fray and explore the year that was.

Spoilers are from Mass Effect 3 Leviathan DLC, if you have not played it please proceed with caution 

WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD

-Worst Moment of 2012-

The Moment When My PS3 Died.

While the above picture is not of my personal PS3 this is exactly the feeling I had when I discovered that the disc drive in my PS3 had stopped working completely, it was as if I had lost something extremely close to me.  It was roughly 10 pm on a weekday when my phone lit up and my friend wanted to play some Mass Effect 3 multi-player, I was excited to join him until I inserted the disc and nothing happened. The loading circle in the top right of the screen turned and turned yet no disc showed up on my XMB. Befuddled by this I ejected the disc and tried again but still nothing… “a simple reset should fix it” I thought to myself, but even that didn’t work. It was at this time that I realized something was seriously wrong and I wasn’t going to be able to fix it on my own.

The price to repair my broken PS3 was too much to swallow, so I decided to just save up and purchase a new system. This decision couldn’t have been any better as I now have a new PS3 and am a PS+ subscriber and I couldn’t be any happier with my new PS3.

-Indie Game of the Year-

Awesomenauts

When my Editor in Chief told me that I would be reviewing Awesomenauts the 1st thought that came to my mind was “what the hell is Awesomenauts?” The hilarity and fun that ensued was something I never could have anticipated, this is one of those games that brings friends together in the virtual world, for those who work together get the best results. With endless combinations of 3 person teams and loads of different upgrades Awesomenauts kept us coming back time and time again. We here at Level Save had a lot of fun with this game, many times 3 of us would team up and try to take on all virtual challengers. While we didn’t always win one thing was for sure, we always had a great time because…. Awesomenauts truly is… Awesome.

Spoilers Below!!!

Best Moment of the Year (Spoiler Warning)

Mass Effect 3- Leviathan DLC- Speaking to the Leviathan

 They’re the questions that I always wanted answered from the Mass Effect series. Where did the Reapers originate?  How powerful must the race be that started this gruesome process? In the Leviathan DLC we get the answer to all of those questions and so much more. After chasing clues all over the galaxy Shepard is faced with a one on one confrontation with the face of the 1st race to ever grace the galaxy we have come to know and love. After explaining the process in which the decision was made to begin the harvest you also learn where the Reapers got their shape, indoctrination ability and even that Harbinger is a Reaper made of the essence of the Leviathan themselves.

For these reasons the Leviathan DLC was easily the best paid DLC that the Mass Effect series has ever given us. To learn the things we learned was totally unexpected, for me sitting there watching the conversation that the team at Bioware put together was so incredible and easily made for the #1 moment of 2012.

 

-Sports Game of the Year-

NBA 2k13

It’s no secret that the 2k Sports team has done something recently that none of us who follow video games thought that we would ever see. We’ve seen them force EA Sports to stop making one of their annual titles because there is another game out there that is so far superior that they can no longer even compete. This year was no different, NBA 2k13 is the most complete and realistic basketball game that I have ever played in my life. It’s a game that has completely taken control of 90% of my current gaming time, I am knee-deep into the My Career mode and I do not see an end in sight.

If the guys and girls over at 2k Sports can keep this pace up then basketball games will be in good hands for years to come.

-Game of the Year-

Mass Effect 3

It should come as no surprise that I would give my Game of the Year award the finale of my favorite video game series of all time. Not only do I think it is the greatest and most ambitious story telling venture the world of video games has ever seen but I think the statement holds true for all of media. From the opening scene to the final moments of the Extended Cut I was glued to my television screen. I watched as those I had come to love and care for died and sacrificed themselves for the greater good of the galaxy and those in it. My eyes watered up more than once and time and time again I was shocked at how well the team tied up the loose ends that kept me yearning for more after the end of Mass Effect 2. It is everything I could have asked for and the team at Bioware should be extremely proud of the lofty heights that they have met with the end of Commander Shepards story.

2012 has been such an amazing year and I will look upon it with such fond and special memories both in my personal life and my life within video games. If 2013 can even come close to what we got this year then I would certainly say that  we are in for quite a ride.

About the author

James Pope

Twitter: @Jamespope2 Lead News Editor- Video games aren't just a hobby, they're a way of life!

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