Next-Gen Game of the Year for 2013
The next generation of home gaming consoles finally arrived this year, and both are selling at very high rates. After spending the past two months with these excellent machines, I am extremely excited for the gaming future they promise. Here are my top five games for the Xbox One and PS4 in 2013:
 5) Peggle 2 [Xbox One Exclusive]
While a home console seems to be a strange place for the first full-blown sequel to the mobile mega-hit Peggle, the second installment feels right at home on the Xbox One. This game is a delight for anyone willing to pick up the controller due to its addicting puzzle structure, adorable masters with helpful power ups, and an abundance of rainbows, Ode to Joy, and literal jaw dropping fun. Additionally, the game itself offers a variety of different objectives and trials to be completed in addition to the main levels, making Peggle 2 both accessible to all and challenging to those who wish to push their peg clearing skills further.
-Why it didn’t rank higher: Despite how good this mobile game dresses up on Microsoft’s new console, its simple design and lack of any real story makes it stand out less than the more traditional console games
-Best moment/memory from the game: Sitting in a room with a few friends, some gamers and some not, and all experiencing the pure joy given off by this game. It’s hard to match these experiences with any other title
 4) NBA 2K14 [Next Gen Specific Build Available on: PS4/Xbox One] {I Played: Xbox One}
While I enjoy many different sports, professional basketball has grown to be my favorite over the years, and the NBA 2K series has become an annual purchase of mine as a result. Year after year 2K Sports releases an excellent basketball title, and this years’ current generation offering was no different. However, 2013 also brought along the first next generation basketball simulation, and much like the game’s cover athlete LeBron James, it soared. Players look more accurate than ever, their animations match those of the real players like never before, and the overall basketball experience feels authentic. In addition, this is one of the most graphically impressive games of the launch line-up, making it recommended to anyone with a next-gen system.
-Why it didn’t rank higher: In all honesty, this game probably would have taken the top spot on my list a month ago: It’s that good. However, I was unable to play it for almost three weeks due to a combination of 2K server issues and apparent bugs in the game, making it nothing more than a maddening tease on my dashboard. A recent patch righted the ship, and I am back to enjoying everything the game has to offer. But I have to assess a penalty for the rampant issues with the game after launch
-Best moment/memory from the game: Running the devastating D-Wade/King James fastbreak. It is just as unfair and exhilarating in the game as it is in real life. And the dunks have never looked better.
 3) Ryse: Son of Rome [Xbox One Exclusive]
This game followed a very interesting path to becoming the most publicized exclusive for Microsoft’s next generation Xbox. Originally slated to be a Kinect-Only gladiator combat game on the 360, changes in vision and the lack of sales for Kinect’s underwhelming first iteration brought a complete overhaul of the game. Kinect gave way to the controller, and the game was pushed to the next-generation. The resulting adventure takes players through Roman Soldier Marius’ life in the Roman army, and it does so with generous helpings of violence and graphical beauty. The game did not review well, mostly for its simple and semi-repetitive combat system; however, everyone I have talked to about the game really enjoyed the ride. I never got bored with the simple combat system, and the interesting story and gorgeous environments made playing through the game a joy. It is far from perfect, but it had such an excellent foundation that I am really hoping for a sequel in the next few years.
-Why it didn’t rank higher: While I enjoyed all of my time with the game, it was very short (Maybe 7 hours or so). Additionally, the harder difficulty (which I hoped to be an exciting challenge) limited the combat system even further by making certain things useless. This was a disappointment for such a fun game
-Best moment/memory from the game: Experiencing the Roman equivalent of the D-Day invasion
 2) Resogun [PS4 Exclusive]
Resogun is based on a simple goal: shoot ships, save humans, and look great while doing it. Within this simplicity is a wealth of depth, as numerous hours are needed before you even fully understand what is going on around you. This is not to say that the game is inaccessible in the beginning; it just takes trial and error to begin posting big scores on the leaderboards. The game is extremely fun, built with more challenges as you progress, and has some of the best particle effects I have ever seen. This is all made even better by the fact that it was completely FREE to PlayStation Plus members at launch.
-Why it didn’t rank higher: Resogun is all about gameplay, and it nails this is every way, but the lack of any story or motivation beyond getting a higher score kept it from being my favorite game of the next generation launch.
-Best moment/memory from the game: Boosting to safety through a horde of enemy ships and leaving a cascade of falling particles in my wake. Absolutely awesome.
 1) Killzone: Shadow Fall [PS4 Exclusive]
I am currently working on a review for this game, so I am not going to pillage any of that material here. But I absolutely love this game. It has a good campaign, the best graphics seen in 2013, and a perfectly balanced and executed multiplayer offering. I cannot recommend it more to FPS fans.
-Checkout my multiplayer stream tomorrow or read my full review on Sunday, 1/26/14, for more!