End of the year

So 2013 is coming to a close, and I figured I'd actually post something this week. I haven't been doing much for a few months because by the time Sunday rolls around I'm usually too tired to care and by the time Wednesday comes by I'm too busy to do anything, and then the cycle repeats.
So, people are choosing their games of the year. I figured I'd list out my top five before I did anything else.
#1: Fire Emblem Awakening.

I haven't been able to play much of this game, but I have to say that it's probably one of the games I've had the most fun with. Tactical strategy is one of my favorite kinds of RPGs, another being action RPGs. Speaking of which, #2 is Pandora's Tower: Until I Return to Your Side.

So yes, technically the game is two years old, but it was only released in the US this year. Combine some of the best looking graphics on any console with a story that's as riveting as it is heart-breaking and gameplay that's some strange combination of Devil May Cry, The Legend of Zelda, and God of War, and you've got a game that's as entertaining as it is fun to play. When I say "strange" I don't mean "bad." Although some (I don't know who, I just figured somebody probably thought that at some point_ might decry the relationship part of the game as boring and unnecessary, it helps you actually learn that the woman you're fighting your way through hordes of monsters to save is actually a person you should care about. A sweet, loving girl who you feel bad about letting down. The game is fun, the story is equal parts sweet and heart-wrenching. Granted, I didn't actually finish the game yet, but I'll get there soon.
And now on the #3, Grand Theft Auto V.

Okay, so I haven't played a whole lot of GTAV, I don't even own the game, I just played some at a Halloween party someone brought a PS3 and a copy of the game to, but I enjoyed what I did play of it. Granted, I didn't play enough to be able to give it any kind of rating, but I did enjoy myself. My one complaint is that running around on foot feels really awkward, and that running shouldn't be mapped to a button when we've had analog control for consoles since 1996!
Moving on to #4, Dead Rising 3.

So yes, I don't own the game or the console it's on, but in the end, it's fun to kill hordes of zombies with a bulldozer. Or alternatively, a chainsaw strapped to a shotgun.
And now to #5: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD.

Okay, at this point I'm just grasping at straws, but to be fair, I only bought two new games this year and it's just pure luck that I was able to have more than two games on my list this year. I'm sorry, what? Okay, my editor has just informed me that I have to put games I've actually played on this list. So Wind Waker HD is going to have to go. By the way, my editors name just so happens to be Alex Shannon.
So here's the actual Number Five of my Games of the Year list: Sonic Lost World.

So I've played less of Lost World than I have of Dead Rising 3, GTAV or FEA, but I've at least PLAYED it. And I enjoyed it. 'Nuff said.














So 2013 has seen the whole two years late entry of Microsoft and Sony into the latest generation of consoles, several revisions of the last gen consoles and a couple of the current-gen ones as well. It has seen the entrance of new IPs and sequels to old hands alike. All in all, another tumultuous year in gaming, as is to be expected every time a new generation of consoles comes about. Personally, I've been working on redesigning the website, but unfortunately Blogger doesn't seem to like the logo that I designed for the header. I also considered at several points in time shortening the URL down to four letters, but then I figured that I'd have a helluva time changing that over, from having to put up a redirect on the old URL to the new one, to changing all of my bookmarks over, to changing what is automatically posted with all of my YouTube videos, to changing my Outlook signature, to etc, etc. Looking back on what could roughly be called my "career" as a journalist, I should have just given up on the whole "Blogdude" thing and just put my name on the damn content. Anyways, a little too introspective there. My name is Alex Shannon, and I'll see you guys in the new year. Hopefully it will bring as many good movies, books and games as the old one.