Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Revengeance already received some high praise from me earlier this year, so it should be no surprise to anyone that it's made my list of most enjoyable titles of 2013. It's not a typical Metal Gear title but that's alright! The game is a lot more friendly to those that just want to pick up and play for a few minutes without wading through detailed story segments or overly complicated scenarios. It's fast paced, full of flash, and you get to chop objects and foes into tiny pieces with your weapons. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll eventually see a sequel released.
Metro: Last Light
Metro: Last Light was a feast for the eyes and ears. It wouldn't be unusual to get caught up watching and listening to the civilians go about their lives in those underground tunnels. Above them a dangerous wasteland will keep you on your toes. While the game may be a linear affair, the rest of the package is enough to warrant more than just a simple glance. It's a great deal of fun and this is one first-person shooter you will want to take your time with as you become absorbed in the environment.
Saints Row IV
The city in Saints Row IV feels like a bit of a cop out since it's the exact same one from the third game. However, the changes to gameplay, the amusing story, and the ability to play through the entire thing with a co-op pal made up for it in spades. Fly around the city as you use your super powers to kick virtual alien ass. Not to mention that this is a better Crackdown title than Crackdown 2 was.
Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army
I quite enjoyed Sniper Elite V2 in 2012. In 2013, the team rolled out a stand alone game that featured, well, Nazi zombies. You and up to three of your buddies could team up to take down Hitler's minions from Hell. It features the same moderately realistic ballistic model from V2 only this time you will put it to use taking out a variety of undead and demonic enemies before they get too close. The co-op was just the icing on the cake and felt a lot like Left 4 Dead if Left 4 Dead took place during World War II and included more realistic weapon ballistics.
The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable is kind of like the anti-game game. It features an omniscient narrator that has a humorous, sarcastic, or condescending remark to anything you, Stanley, do in the game. With multiple paths and stories to experience, some less obvious than others, the game actually includes a tremendous amount of replay value. The Stanley Parable began as one of my favorite modifications for Half-Life 2 and is now one of my favorite full titles of 2013. It's great to pick up at any point just to experience a new chapter in Stanley's life every time you play.
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is a franchise reboot done right. Visually, it's beautiful and includes a great story and gameplay to back it all up. If there was one shortcoming of the game, it would be that the tombs were far too short for my liking. Here's hoping that a sequel is in the works that addresses this minor complaint because I was left wanting more while still being content with the experience that Tomb Raider had to offer.
There were a few titles from 2013 that, while I enjoyed immensely, simply didn't make the cut for one reason or another. For instance, I also really enjoyed the first episodes of The Walking Dead: Season 2 and The Wolf Among Us. Unfortunately, the bulk of these games won't be out until some time in 2014. Chances are you'll see those pop up again in 12 months. I am also really enjoying my time spent with Starbound. The problem with that game is that it's still considered an "Early Access" release on Steam and I was trying to avoid those games as they aren't technically out yet in a "final" release form.
To be even more brutally honest, I also found a lot of fun in games like Battlefield 4 despite ending up on my list of "Biggest Disappointments of 2013." Even with the frustrations that game has given me (from crashes, to lockups, to terrible netcode, to just complete BS and extreme oversights from DICE), I still find myself playing it on a fairly regular basis.
Other games that made other sites' "top 10" were also not included if I did not play them. Games like The Last of Us or The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds were not played by me, so I cannot fairly say if they were enjoyable or not.
You now know what some of my most enjoyable games were of 2013. The only question remaining is: What were your most enjoyable games of 2013?
Lets Play Thief!
Good list again. I think those were good choices by many.