2013

2013 in Review: The Tragic Fatalism of BioShock Infinite

One of 2013's most spectacular games was also one of its most disappointing for its failure to heed its predecessor's pivotal philosophy.

2013 in Review: The State of the Japanese Games Industry

We kick off our look back at the year that was with a discussion of how the Japanese side of the games industry has fared in 2013.

2013 in Review: Big Budget Games are a Joke, So Why is Saints Row IV the Only One Laughing?

Volition made its mark by casually skewering the medium's clichés.

2013 in Review: How I Built a Life Worth Returning to in Animal Crossing: New Leaf

For a game about nothing in particular, Animal Crossing: New Leaf manages to create a remarkably engrossing world -- one that remains inviting half a year later.

2013 in Review: Luigi's Mansion and the Best of Two Worlds

The 3DS-based sequel to Luigi's Mansion shone brightly in both single- and multiplayer -- despite the two modes being markedly different from one another. Pete looks back on one of the year's best 3DS games.

2013 in Review: The State of Video Game History and Preservation

How has the year treated the games of eras gone by? Jeremy and Pete look at 2013’s news of the old.

2013 in Review: The Year's Worst Games and Ideas

USgamer's staff and contributors celebrate Festivus with an airing of grievances over the things that sucked the most joy from their lives in 2013.

2013 in Review: Grand Theft Auto V: An Ugly Journey Through a Beautiful World

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of gaming's ability to squander something wondrous on mean-spirited pettiness than the latest GTA. And that's OK.

2013 in Review: Pikmin 3 Puts a Friendly Face on Video Game Violence

Nintendo's strategy adventure was as brutal and violent as any video game in 2013. So why doesn't it seem as off-putting?

2013 in Review: USgamer's Desert Island Games

The cast and crew do some soul-searching to pick the single game they'd want to bring along if ever they became stranded on a desert island (one with power outlets).

2013 in Review: The State of Role-Playing Games

How has the last year treated role-playing games? Jeremy and Pete take a look back on a year of swords, spiky hair and too many zippers.

2013 in Review: Tomb Raider Makes Us Ask, Do We Have to Kill a Classic in Order to Save It?

Square Enix updated Lara Croft for the modern age of games, but the end result barely resembles Tomb Raider as we knew it.

2013 in Review: The State of Narrative in Games

Pete Davison and Jeremy Parish look back at the ways this year's games succeeded and failed at telling great stories.