"Games of 2012" has never existed – until now. Each game listed I played in 2012. There were a few games I played in 2012, but are in other lists. I scraped together this list using save file and achievement information. The stats are, surprisingly, mostly complete; only a few games are missing "Hours played" and whatnot. This is mostly a list of games, stats, and a few of my thoughts. The paragraphs are memories of what I remember about the games. Royfuss from 2012 might disagree or have more to say about these games. It feels good to fill in this missing piece.
Second Chance
Mass Effect (PC)
Release date: 05/28/2008
Date played: 03/26/2012
Hours played: 34.25
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: NA
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 01/23/2009
Acquired from: Steam
Price: $19.99 (List $19.99)
I bought Mass Effect on Steam back in 2009. I played it for a few hours, but I hated it. Mass Effect 3 looked so good, so I gave it another shot. I loved it. The first few hours are rough, but once I fell into a groove, I just could not stop. The combat is clunky, and the inventory is janky. However, the world and story are rich, and it kept me engaged once it got its hooks into me. The characters are multidimensional and feel like real people. The one good thing about waiting to play this game is I did not have to wait to jump into the sequel.
Twisted Nostalgic
Twisted Metal (PS3)
Release date: 02/14/2012
Date played: 04/29/2012
Hours played: NA
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 13/40 (33%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 02/14/2012
Acquired from: NA
Price: $59.99 (List $59.99)
I have a lot of nostalgia for Twisted Metal. As a kid I always went over to a friend's house who owned Twisted Metal 2 and played coop for hours. I, also, constantly rented Twisted Metal 3. Twisted Metal: Black was a bit too gruesome for me when it first came out, but I played it a few years ago and enjoyed it. Twisted Metal: Head-On was a good sequel to Twisted Metal 2.
That is the past, and Twisted Metal 2012 is the present. It is not the prettiest game on the Playstation 3, but gameplay and maps are some of the best in the Twisted Metal series. My biggest gripe is the hell that is the final level. The story is also a letdown. Focusing on only three characters did give Eat Sleep Play room to flesh out their stories, but they still have a lot of cheese to them. If the stories were epic, I would not have minded them focusing on only three characters; however, I think they should have just stuck with the old formula. Still, I had a lot of fun.
So Much Potential
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (PC)
Release date: 02/07/2012
Date played: 05/05/2012
Hours played: NA
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: NA
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 02/06/2012
Acquired from: Newegg
Price: $47.99 (List $59.99)
I have been following Kingdoms of Amalur, because 38 Studios had R.A. Salvatore writing the lore. I did not have any interest in the MMO, but Reckoning, developed by Big Huge Games, sounded fun. It is not the best game, but it does have a lot of interesting elements to it. The combat is a lot of fun, but it is also easy. There is not a lot of depth to the NPCs, but the setting is at least interesting. There is a lot of potential for this series, and I hope we get a sequel.
Most Improved Sequel
Mass Effect 2 (PC)
Release date: 01/26/2010
Date played: 05/06/2012
Hours played: NA
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: NA
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 03/27/2012
Acquired from: Origin
Price: $36.99 (List $36.99 for base game and DLCs)
I jumped into Mass Effect 2 right after the first. Unlike the first, the sequel got its hooks in me right away. There is a lot less jank, and systems were streamlined. The combat feels infinitely better. Bioware improved everything and managed to retain the deep world and characters. The game has some of my favorite moments out of all the video games I have played.
Foggy Spiders
Limbo (PC)
Release date: 08/02/2011
Date played: 06/26/2012
Hours played: 3.00
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 3/13 (23%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 07/10/2012
Acquired from: Humble Bundle
Price: $2.08 (List $9.99)
It has been almost nine years since I played Limbo, and I only remember a few things about it. The art style is cool, and blends with the gameplay. I remember it is a short game. I remember some of the feelings I had; I remember having "oh shit" moments. I should play it again.
Best Superhero Game
Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC)
Release date: 09/15/2009
Date played: 07/15/2012
Hours played: 21.00
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 31/47 (66%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 03/13/2010
Acquired from: Steam
Price: $11.05 (List NA)
Batman: Arkham Asylum is another game I tried playing a few years ago, but I could not get into it. After playing it in 2012, I love the game. The combat is smooth, and you just feel like Batman. Rocksteady getting Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to reprise their roles from Batman: The Animated Series is icing on this cake of a game.
The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Spec Ops: The Line (PC)
Release date: 06/26/2012
Date played: 07/28/2012
Hours played: 6.25
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 29/50 (58%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 07/17/2012
Acquired from: Steam
Price: $33.49 (List $49.99)
Spec Ops: The Line should be experienced without knowing anything about the game, except for the fact that it is a shooter. The gameplay is good, but does not do anything new. With that said, it is one of the best shooters I have ever played. The story alone carries this game. It is a must play game.
Forget About Two
Bastion (PC)
Release date: 08/16/2011
Date played: 08/06/2012
Hours played: 8.75
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 10/24 (42%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 06/10/2012
Acquired from: Humble Bundle
Price: $5.21 (List $24.98)
Everything you do in Bastion is narrated. It is wonderful. It is a simple game where you explore the levels, kill baddies, and collect weapons. However, the narration and music skyrocket this game into greatness. The seven-person team at Super Giant Games deserve all the praise this game has gotten from critics and players.
Crash and Burn
Battlefield 3 (PC)
Release date: 10/25/2011
Date played: 09/14/2012
Hours played: NA
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 2/34 (6%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 11/01/2011
Acquired from: NA
Price: $59.99 (List $59.99 for Limited Edition)
I do not remember the story for Battlefield 3. I remember it was short. I played mostly the multiplayer with friends. Never got good, but I remember spawning in a helicopter at the beginning of a match and crashing within seconds... full of teammates. Good times. This is why I do not play multiplayer games.
Different from the First
Darksiders II (PS3)
Release date: 08/14/2012
Date played: 10/13/2012
Hours played: NA
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 35/50 (70%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 08/13/2012
Acquired from: Newegg
Price: $47.99 (List $59.99)
"Oh, I just played Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition, so I can just look up my thoughts from ‘Games of 2019.'" Apparently, I did not take good notes. Darksiders II is a fun game. I always will enjoy the lore of the Darksiders games. Death plays differently from War; he is more of a finesse combatant. I look forward to playing Darksiders III one day.
A Meat Bicycle Built for Two
Borderlands 2 (PC)
Release date: 09/18/2012
Date played: 11/3/2012
Hours played: 213.50
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 64/75 (85%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 07/28/2012
Acquired from: Steam
Price: $78.56 (List $104.96 for base game and DLCs)
I have been playing Borderlands 2 for years. I may feel like they took a misstep with the loot, but I still love this game. I think I must give it to Jack; he's just the perfect villain. I have played every character, but I have not spent a lot of time as Maya, Salvador, or Zer0. Gaige, Krieg, and Axton are my main characters.
The Best and Worst Game
Assassin's Creed 3 (PS3)
Release date: 10/30/2012
Date played: 12/09/2012
Hours played: 49.50
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: 42/51 (82%)
Screenshots taken: NA
Acquisition date: 06/26/2012
Acquired from: Newegg
Price: $47.99 (List $59.99)
On November 19, 2012, I called Assassin's Creed 3, "...one of the best games in the series..." The problem with that quote is I was on sequence 10 out of 12. On November 29, 2015, I said, "Assassin's Creed 3 dropped the ball completely, which is why it's considered one of the worst games in the series." It is amazing to me that the last few sequences completely changed my opinion of the game.
The core gameplay was some of the best in the series at the time, but the game is too bloated. Crafting, sailing, hunting, etc. can be fun, but it takes away from the focus of the game, which is being an assassin. The tutorial for this game took hours to complete, and yet I still felt unprepared.
Then you have the story. The American Revolution is such an exciting time period (at least for Americans), and it was cool seeing these figures from American history come to life. Then the ending happens. The ending of Desmond's story is disappointing, which is the game's biggest sin.
2012 Summary
Games played: 12
Total hours: 338.25*
Oldest game played: Mass Effect (PC) - 05/28/2008
Newest game played: Assassin's Creed 3 (PS3) - 10/30/2012
Most achievements earned: Borderlands 2 (PC) - 64
Most hours played: Borderlands 2 (PC) - 213.50
Total spent: $451.32
Game of the year: Borderlands 2 (PC)
*Battlefield 3 (PC), Darksiders II (PS3), Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (PC), Mass Effect 2 (PC), and Twisted Metal (PS3) are not included in total hours.
I was all over the map with video games in 2012. RPGs, car combat, multiplayer, action, shooters, and stealth games. I did not like every game I played, but I was never bored. Even with the number of games I played this year I missed out on a few games that came out this year.
Dishonored. I would have talked about it this year, but it made "Games of 2013" instead. I love this game.
Mass Effect 3. I started playing through the Mass Effect series in preparation for this game. I waited to pick it up for all the DLC and price drop. It made "Games of 2014."
Journey. The multiplayer thing really turned me off. I do not think I would have talked about it in 2012, but it made "Games of 2018."
Diablo III. I actually did play Diablo III for many, many hours in 2012. My final conclusion was that it was an awful game, but you did not know until after about the 100 hour mark. It got better, and made "Games of 2014."
Need for Speed: Most Wanted. I bought it, because I love Criterion racing games. I never did play it.
Dragon's Dogma. I am not sure if I would have talked about this game in 2012. It has gotten a lot of fans through the years, and I ended up picking it up on a Steam sale. It, finally, made "Games of 2022."
Mark of the Ninja. I love stealth games, and this looked like a lot of fun. It took awhile, but it made "Games of 2018." I did buy the remaster in 2021, and that is going to be a perfect excuse to replay the game.
Torchlight II. It does everything the first game did, but better. I talk about it in "Games of 2013."
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. I own War for Cybertron, and played it for a bit. It was fun, but I never beat it. Probably why I never bought this one.
Thank you for taking time to read this blast-from-the-past. I worked hard gathering old data and spent a lot of time trying to remember specifics from these games. Remember to take time to enjoy some classics from your past.
- Royfuss