5. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
A vast, open-world role-playing game that was most remarkable for its combat system, which played more like a God of War clone than a typical RPG. The story wasn’t particularly memorable, but the scenery and controls made this a joy to play.
4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
While nothing special as far as Mario games go, this one makes my list for the sole reason that my wife played through it with me. I can’t remember the last time I had as much fun playing co-op. She got "mad" when I would take all the 1-ups, and I got "mad" when she would bump me into a pit. It was hilarious.
3. Journey
The most atypical game on this list, Journey was an experience that challenged almost every convention in the industry. The cello symphony melded beautifully with a tale about voyaging into the unknown.
2. Dishonored
I’m not particularly partial to first-person shooters, but Dishonored had some of most the creative art direction I’ve ever seen in a game. The ability to play through the entire game without being detected by enemies made this a unique and challenging title that I enjoyed from start to finish.
1. The Walking Dead
This was more of an interactive story than a game. The real hook for me was the fact that decisions I made in the post-apocalyptic world had significant consequences that could haunt me through the rest of the story. Moral dilemmas abounded, pushing the edge of ethical conundrums. Brilliant writing and engaging characters made The Walking Dead extremely engrossing for me. Easily the best story of any game I played this year, which is why it topped my list.