[GOTY] Howard Tsao’s Top Games of 2012

Editor’s Note: We thought it would be fun if we got some of the wonderful people in the industry to tell us their thoughts on this year’s games. Some of these people are developers and, yes, we have reviewed their games. After all is said and done, we hope you enjoy this series of GOTY articles.

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Howard Tsao

GOTY 2012

Hi, everyone, I’m Howard of Muse Games, the maker of Guns of Icarus Onlineand CreaVures.  Mat asked me to come up with my favourites of 2012, and this turned out to be a harder assignment than I thought!  Before I unveil my five picks, let me first set the criteria that I used to make the picks. Firstly, I’m not picking the games we, or my friends made, so I don’t bias too much.  Therefore, no Guns of Icarus Online. Secondly, I’m picking games from console, PC, as well as mobile, to give some variety. Thirdly, these games have to be released in 2012.  Lastly, these picks have to be games that I’ve played extensively, and obsessively.  Okay, having given my disclaimers, here are my 5 favourites of 2012:

1.  Journey

This is probably the most obvious pick, as it is on a lot of people’s best games list, but here’s what I love about it.  It is an amazing blend of visuals, sound, and music, immersing me entirely in the experience.  There is no text to break that immersion, and the story emerges from the pieces of artifacts uncovered.  In the game, the indications of direction and where to go are brilliant and subtle, and the flow of the game is amazing to me.  The game isn’t very long, but when I played, I felt the expansiveness space, the desolation, the adventure as I marched on, and a tinge of melancholy as more of the story of the world is revealed.  The other players in game was a great design choice, with no complex ways to communicate and interact, just strangers, foreigners, signaling to each other in the vastness of the desert. 

2.  Assassin’s Creed III

Staying with the console, my second pick is Assassin’s Creed III.  This is definitely not an easy pick, and I’m conflicted.  The game is buggy (I’ve had my horse stuck in terrain on a mission, character stuck in buildings, achievement not unlocking, and there are a number of visual polish issues), and the story is convoluted.  But I’m a sucker for the Assassin’s Creed franchise and for the type of action-adventure games that have a lot of stats and achievements to chase.  And I’m still a fan of an interactive historical recreation.  Revolutionary America is not as cool as Renaissance Florence or Rome, but it’s still cool. 

3.  Botanicula 

My PC pick is Botanicula.  It brings out the wonder of a beautiful and magical forest.  The players switch between characters’ abilities to solve puzzles.  It is whimsical and funny, with amazing sound effects that really bring the characters and the environment to life.  The wonder and magic of nature and the forest are also what gave us the inspiration to create CreaVures, so I’m particularly drawn to Botanicula.  Overall, it’s just a great visual experience, and while I’m solving puzzles, I’ll also be smiling at the same time. 

4. Plague Inc.

Plague Inc. is arguably my favourite game on the iOS this year.  The player plays as different strains of virus and bacteria, trying to wipe out the world’s population.  Each strain has different properties, and at some point, it’s a race against time and the development of a cure.  I played through all the different strains on all the modes and got all the unlocks.  At first, it was frustrating to try to figure out what to do, and the game is hard, with little margin for error, but it is strangely satisfying to cultivate and watch your disease grow and spread.  The controls are smartly designed and easy, and the news events, I definitely get a kick out of. 

5. Kingdom Rush 

I’m a sucker for tower-defense games, especially on the iOS.  I was dragged kicking and screaming into the first Twilight movie, and I was armed with only a bag of popcorn and my iphone.  At the time my game of choice was TapDefense.  With a fully charged iPhone, I started a great campaign when the movie started.  With about 15 minutes left in the movie, my phone died, and the rest of the 15 minutes in the theater were some of the most torturous I’ve spent in my entire life.  I literally screamed. 

My latest on iOS is Kingdom Rush.  I really enjoy the incorporation of a hero, which adds mobility to tower defense.  The array of enemies are not terribly original, but there is a pretty wide variety.  The towers are also not groundbreaking, but I do like the use of the star system as a way to unlock new weapon upgrades.  The use of reinforcements also makes the engagement a bit more dynamic. 

There are my 5!  Definitely feel free to agree or disagree! 

Happy Holidays, everyone!