Top 5 Games of 2013 (Game of the Decade Countdown)

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

As the final year of the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, 2013 was easily one of the best years in gaming. There are few years that have so many amazing releases across their 12 months. 2013 was a wonderful swansong for the seventh generation of consoles and it left me with plenty of favorites.

My top 5 games of 2013 are as follows:

5. Tomb Raider

Objectively speaking, “Tomb Raider” has got to be the best of the franchise. It has been around for ages and Lara Croft has really evolved. “Tomb Raider” was an awesome reboot of the series. The 2013 game had it all. The visuals were stunning in both character models and the treacherous environments and weather Croft underwent. “Tomb Raider” had me stressed out at all times for the life of Lara and her friends alike. The story was paced well, never feeling terribly long. And “Tomb Raider” was also really fun. I found the action-packed gameplay to be entertaining. Whether I was sneaking by and stabbing or choking an enemy out, precisely shooting their heads with a bow and arrow or blasting them from inches away with a shotgun, it was always satisfying. “Tomb Raider” began a great trilogy of modern action-adventure gems and it stands out today as one of the best games of 2013.

4. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

“Tomb Raider,” as well as some of the other notable 2013 games absent from this list are probably better this entry. “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” is silly, over-the-top and ridiculous. It is crazy and unique and it honestly stands out in many ways. I personally feel I am in the minority here but I always rant on about this game. In fact, I kind of stand by it. I have played through “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” short but thrilling campaign multiple times. Every time I play it, whether it is the first fight against an enemy on the street or against the monstrous final boss fight, I just love it. I find the combat to be super satisfying, like few others. The gameplay is super fun and on harder difficulties, it is insanely challenging and engaging. The combat is violent and bloody. This game is intentionally crazy and I am all about it. “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” may not tell the best story or have the deepest gameplay mechanics but it was ridiculously fun game and still is today. And it is something I recommend for action fans, even if it is a major guilty pleasure.

3. Bioshock: Infinite

I remember it was March of 2013 and I was going to buy either “God of War: Ascension” or “Bioshock: Infinite.” It is safe to assume the latter was the best choice as I basically don’t even remember what “Ascension” was and I am sitting here typing away about “Bioshock.” Moving on from Rapture, Colombia proved to be a spectacular world. Exploring the sky city was great when the game allows me to. The gameplay was a lot of fun, albeit challenging. “Bioshock: Infinite” succeeded in giving us fun guns and abilities to use. Combing them made for some spectacular moments. I loved playing this game. Even though the final moments of gameplay stressed me out, I enjoyed getting through those to see the ending. And that is because the narrative is the funniest part. I loved the story in “Bioshock: Infinite,” even if it made my head spin. The story was tackling crazy concepts and really wanted to make you confused and have you thinking. It was a crazy adventure and I genuinely enjoyed my time in it enough to replay it more than once.

2. The Last of Us

In terms of the best games of this decade, I don’t think there is much of a question as to whether or not “The Last of Us” deserves a spot on that list, if not at the very top. “The Last of Us” is a masterpiece. I remember playing it in 2013 and talking to people around me about it. Not many games make me strike a conversation with non-gamers to tell them about moments in a video game’s cutscenes. Whether it was the death of a child, a suicide, a betrayal or sacrifice, “The Last of Us” had far too many amazing moments not to talk about them. This game was something special. The storytelling was done in such an excellent manner. There was never a dull moment, rarely a safe one. Winter, the giraffe scene and the final moments in the hospital will go down in gaming history. “The Last of Us” never leaves my mind. I always think about the story and how it is on par with Oscar-worthy films. And now the sequel is capping off the PS4’s final year and it cannot come soon enough.

1. Grand Theft Auto V

“Grand Theft Auto V” is an anomaly. It is in the upper echelon with games like “Super Mario Bros,” “Tetris” and “Wii Sports.” The sales figures Rockstar pulls monthly, even six years post release for the game are hilariously good. “Grand Theft Auto V” is so much more than a great game. It was a phenomenon on release in September 2013. And it is somehow still absolutely amazing both online and offline. “Grand Theft Auto V” told one of the most entertaining stories a game had done. It balanced three characters brilliantly. It made me feel something for all of them and those around them. “Grand Theft Auto V” had superb writing and even more superb game design in general. The world was brimming with sights to see, people to watch, cars to drive, guns to shoot, stocks to invest in and so much more. The open world design that Rockstar gave to Los Santos and Blaine County is unprecedented. It is a game that is endlessly fun to play and one that represents the industry at its best. A Rockstar game is an event but “Grand Theft Auto V” was a spectacle for seemingly everyone. And I truly loved no game more than it in 2013, perhaps even in the eight years of the console generation it debuted.


Wasn't 2013 a stacked year? Which of these high profile games did you love the most? What 2013 game was your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments.