We’re a couple days out of December and less than a month to Christmas (we need to find a more offensive name for it) and people are going to start making lists about top games and whatnot. Let’s fall into the pack shall we?

This list is going to include games released in 2012 and that I played. There are other games out there, such as Journey and Darksiders 2 that I found interesting from other people but never had the change to play. Without further delay, I give you:

Top games I recommend, based on play in 2012!

XCOM

Long have we awaited a return to form for the classic XCOM game. While it does remove a fair amount of strategic elements, the difficulty remains as does the attachment to the crew, which were mainstays of the first game. Play on Classic and Ironman to get the real feel.

Borderlands 2

Rarely does a FPS game hold my attention for any period of time. Put on RPG elements, a lottery style itemization structure and you have a hell of a hook. So much so that two F2P games are coming out to replicate it (Wildstar and Firefall). Great story, solid controls and lots of replay make for a great game.

Dishonored

Like the game itself, this one kind of snuck in there out of nowhere. Set in a dystopian past, this combination of Thief and Assassin’s Creed makes a strong contender for game of the year for major sites. I really like the pacing and exploration portions of the game, with some slight reservations around combat. Sound is really good, as it should be with any stealth game.

Legend of Grimrock

Back to old school dungeon romping. The simplicity of Grimrock is the real selling point. That you’re able to have an atmospheric experience, worried about what’s around the corner while trying to explore every nook and cranny, speaks volumes around the developers’ ability to get the core gameplay down solid. Considering this game is under 5$ now with most vendors, it’s a must buy.

FTL

Indie game that came out of nowhere really, and supplanted my want for Star Commander on the iOS. A space rogue-like game under a time clock is one thing. Being put into perpetual no-win scenarios and still going back for more punishment is another. Don’t let the simple interface and graphics fool you, this is a near perfect representation of what rogue-likes should be.

Torchlight 2

This is what Diablo 3 should have been.  Choices matter, progression is near infinite, the art style is cohesive and there’s no massive penalty for bad design.  Every single frustration I had with D3 I found solace in Torchlight 2’s arms.  For the price you pay for admission, you get a super solid balanced gameplay, enemies with interesting abilities and always, always have the feeling you can get through a tough spot.