It's that special time of year again, where the SJ writers look back at the games and events of 2013 that deserve special recognition. Special recognition in the form of a awards we pull out of our bums. It's a yearly tradition going all the way back to the print magazine days! So without further ado, here are the 2013 SJ Video Game Awards! 

The year 2013 was one the most important years in video game history. Both Microsoft and Sony launched new machines, thus officially heralding in the "next-gen" era. The Xbox 360 and PS3 are at the end of their life cycles, and we've seen some astonishing games from both machines. 3D gaming and motion-control gaming are dead, and people seem to have gotten over gimmicks and have returned to the basics of gaming—a controller in your hands and a screen of some sort. All in all, it's been an amazing year, so let's give out some awards! 

The “How Come No One Has Made This Before?” Award
Assassin’s Creed 4 

AC4 is a big, bawdy, pirate-themed sandbox game. And a really good one, at that! In fact, it’s my personal pick for game of the year. Other games may have more polish, but none have been more fun or addictive. You’re the captain of your own upgradable ship. And you'll spend the bulk of the game plundering the seas and land to get money and materials for upgrades. Once you get the hang of it, the naval combat is exhilarating. Crippling and boarding other ships is a blast. And when you're not on the boat, you'll spend your time raiding warehouses for supplies, sneaking into secret pirate hideouts, exploring jungle ruins, leaping from rooftop to rooftop in Caribbean shanty towns, harpooning whales, deep-sea diving, and a ton of other stuff. I can’t believe it took this long for someone to make a pirate game like this—seems like a no-brainer.

Urian Brown

Proof that the JPRG Formula Works Just Fine
Ys: Memories of Celceta

In recent years, JRPGs have been getting a bad rap. They’ve been pegged as derivative, devoid of creativity, and even by some detractors as a “dying genre.” Of course, creatively bankrupt, overwrought messes like Final Fantasy XIII might lead some to believe that, but all is not lost! Not when great little games like Ys: Memories of Celceta are out there. Although this game is full of JRPG clichés (starts with an amnesiac hero!), it rises above the trappings of the genre with an intense combat system, beautiful world, great story, and memorable soundtrack. Oh, and it’s really fun! Personally, I consider this the best RPG of 2013.

Urian Brown

Game that Will Inspire Someone to Become a Luchador
Guacamelee!

Guacamelee! is one of those games that really gives me hope for the indie scene. Boasting a creative and fun fighting mechanic, Metroid inspired gameplay, a hilarious sense of humor and amazing aesthetics, it manages to hit everything on the right note. Plus, you can turn yourself into a chicken. That alone pretty much makes this game a must-play.

Michael Revis 

The "Raddest Rip-Roaring Rubbery Ruckus" Award
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2

This game is FUN, FUN, FUN! A rubbery romp through many of the famous settings from the One Piece story, complete with a huge playable character list, tons of special moves, and great two-player functionality—this sequel smoothed out some of the wrinkles of the first game and added a lot more characters and enemies. This is one of those great "buddy" games that really needs to be played with someone else to max out the fun factor. 

Urian Brown

The "Dropped the Ball, Tried to Pick It Up, Fell Down and Broke Something" Award
Microsoft's Xbox One Launch

They had everything going for them. They had the momentum. All they had to do was release a more powerful Xbox with some hot games, and they blew it. Hard. The first mistake was the terrible and confusing name—Xbox One. It's the third Xbox! Second, was the “homeless guy crazy” attempt at restricting gamers' ability to trade or sell used games. Then came the Orwellian "must be connected to the Internet at all times" thing. Plus, bundling the spy camera (I mean Kinect) with the system, which ended up making it $100 more than Sony’s PS4. But I have to give them credit—they heard the backlash and responded the right way. Still, the launch was a pretty amazing train wreck.

Urian Brown

Best Retro Revival of 2013
DuckTales: Remastered 

Originally released in 1989 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Capcom’s video game adaptation of Disney’s hit cartoon DuckTales is a favorite among retro gamers. With non-linear stage selection, bright graphics, tight controls and a boss soundtrack (who doesn’t love “The Moon”?), DuckTales is a favorite among classic game fans. Fast-forward to 2013 and Capcom has enlisted the help of independent developer WayForward Technologies to create an amazing remastered edition of the original DuckTales. How amazing is the remaster? Hand-drawn graphics that look like the original cartoon, and voiced acted by the original cast as well. Music has also been remastered and is on par with the original soundtrack. Plus the challenge is still there, which should be perfect for fans of difficult retro games. WayForward has done such an amazing job with the remaster that this once digital-only title is now being sold as a packaged game, a rare feat in this industry.  

Ray n.

The “Why Don’t Other Games Do This?" Award
Game Commentary in Thomas Was Alone (PS Vita Version)

Thomas Was Alone is side-scrolling platformer where you guide rectangles and squares through a variety of challenging levels. Each one has its own special ability and personality that you learn about through the whimsical narration. And as the story progresses, it gets weirder and darker. But one of the coolest features of the game is—it has commentary! You can listen to the creator’s thoughts on each level. Why don't more games do this? Wouldn't you love to play through a game, then replay it listening to the game creators tell you what went into each level or event? It would add a whole new layer of replay value. 

Urian Brown

Game that Will Join E.T. in the New Mexico Landfill
Ride to Hell: Retribution

To call this game an abomination would be considered a compliment. Horrible controls, horrible visuals, as well as enough glitches and bugs to make one ask if any actual testing was done beforehand. Ride to Hell qualifies as not only the worst game of 2013, but quite possibly the worst game of this past console generation. There are absolutely zero redeeming qualities of this game and should be avoided at all costs. An actual ride to hell would probably be more fun.

Michael Revis

Game that Actually Lived Up to the Insane Hype
The Last of Us

How many times has the hype machine been in overdrive for a highly-anticipated game that came out and fizzled? I can’t count the times, I tell ya! It’s almost like there’s a whole industry of people who exist just to hype up games before they come out. Ha ha, I know that’s crazy talk. Anyway, this is one game that actually over-delivered. It’s a tense, realistic take on what it would be like to be the last survivors of a zombie apocalypse. The game is a success on all accounts with stunning graphics, rich complex characters, believable dialogue, and top-notch voice acting. For once, the hype machine delivered.

Urian Brown

The Game that Makes Being in Debt Fun
Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Best Love Story
Trevor and “Lady X” from Grand Theft Auto V

I’m calling her “Lady X” so I don’t spoil anything for those of you who haven’t played it. Trevor is one of those rare video game characters that will actually surprise you. In an industry full of cookie-cutter characters that speak almost exclusively in clichéd dialogue, Trevor was quite refreshing. At first, you think he’s just another video game psychopath, but as his story unfolds you begin to see another side of him. I mean, he’s still a psychopath, but a very sensitive one who’s capable of a deep and fulfilling love. And his love affair with Lady X was one of the funniest parts of the game.

Urian Brown 

“I Can’t Believe They Localized This!” Award
Senran Kagura Burst

I personally believed that this game was never going to make it to our shores. But XSEED Games pulled some nifty ninja tricks and has succeeded into bringing SENRAN KAGURA Burst into our hometowns. Available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop, this bodacious arcade-style beat 'em up stars a menagerie of buxom ninja schoolgirls who embark on missions and kick some tail along with a heaping pile of fanservice. There’s also a slice-of-life visual novel element to the game’s story mode, where the characters interact with each other in a candid manner between missions. With tons of costumes to unlock and oodles (and I do mean oodles) of pretty girls to look at in 3D, SENRAN KAGURA Burst is definitely not for everyone, but those who enjoy naughty Japanese games will have something to keep them busy.

Ray n.

Biggest Underdog Going into 2014
Wii U

Despite a strong holiday season, the Wii U still has a tough task ahead of it in order to keep up with the PS4 and Xbox One, both of which managed to match the sales numbers of Nintendo’s console in their debut weeks. The Big N is going to have to rely on strong third party titles like Bayonetta 2 and their array of first party affairs planned for this coming year if they hope to gain any headway, and that’s if they actually turn out to be blockbusters. Super Mario 3D World was met with critical acclaim, though, so there may in fact still be hope for the struggling console.

Michael Revis

Most Unlikely Game to Showcase the PS4’s Power
Resogun

Like everybody else, I was jazzed to see how much better games looked on the PS4. And like many others, I was disappointed. Games looked better, but there was nothing that made me think, “Wow, this is truly next-gen.” And then I played Resogun—a bullet hell style shoot ‘em up that quickly became the darling of the launch titles. At first glance, it looks like anything you could play on the PS3. That is until you get deeper into the game and begin to notice how many things are happening at once. And then when you get killed, and the screen dissolves into a waterfall of a million perfectly rendered cubes it clicks—this machine has a lot of power. And that means a lot more things can happen on the screen at once. Far more than the PS3 was capable of rendering. Super fun game, too!

Urian Brown

The "Little Train that Couldn’t" Award
OUYA

The OUYA’s concept seemed promising: an affordable Android-powered console that can play mobile games on the television with a wireless controller, as opposed to a phone or tablet. It had a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign that promised a revolution within the video game industry. It touted itself as a console for homebrew developers who wished to create their own games for the system. But in the end, the promises just fell short. Backers who had funded the OUYA’s development ended up getting a console with very little support from third party publishers, and there were hardware issues reported on the user forums. Homebrew developers more or less didn’t do much with the OUYA either. Ultimately, the OUYA failed to make a dent in the market while Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony have essentially ignored it. The OUYA may have been packaged with a note that read “Thank You for Believing," but what was once a console that showed initial promise has become something difficult to believe in.

Ray n.

Best Minecraft Clone in a Universe Filled with Them
Starbound

The “Best DLC Evar!” Award
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

Now this is how you do DLC! Since the inception of DLC, many companies have blundered their attempts to squeeze more money out of fans. And even the successful ones are often just “more of the game.” But, Blood Dragon is different. It takes the Far Cry 3 formula, adds an 80s retro game backdrop, a ridiculous story, cool new graphics…and dragons! Like, crazy glow-in-the-dark dragons! The result is a hilarious romp through a cool futuristic world that got people excited about word “DLC” again.

Urian Brown

The Craziest Frickin' Game You’ll Ever Play
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

When Platinum Games ended up taking over development of Metal Gear Rising, the results blew everyone away. Crazy over-the-top action that would make Dante proud? Check. A badass main character who just doesn’t give a damn? Check. A way of actually making Metal Gear’s story make sense (somewhat)? Check. In fact, Revengeance did so well, Hideo Kojima stated that the only way a sequel would happen is if Platinum Games developed it, saying, “No one else could do it.” Now that is a confidence booster.

Michael Revis

The “How Is that Even Possible?” Award
Dragon’s Crown

This is one of those games that caused a minor storm before it even came out. Mainly because the female (and often male) body parts were exaggerated to incredible extremes. Extremes I personally found hilarious, but some did not. Yes, when the Witch runs it looks like she’s stolen two basketballs and is making a break for it. Yes, the Amazon’s thighs make Chun-Li's look like spaghetti noodles. But, whatever. The game was a four-player hack-and-slash blast and featured some of the most gorgeous art seen all year. And if you don't like it, you literally don’t have to buy it.

Urian Brown

Most Kid-Friendly Kaiju Game
Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale

Level-5’s Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale is a charming experiment. One of the three games from the Guild02 anthology for the Nintendo 3DS, Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale is a game where you play as a young boy in a quiet Tokyo suburb during the 1970s, back when giant monsters were all the rage and kids actually played outside. It’s a very short game (about three hours long, tops), but it’s an experience. Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale presents itself like something straight out of a Studio Ghibli cartoon with a little bit of Ultraman in the mix. The game is all about exploration. You explore your rural surroundings and learn that monsters come out every Friday night to battle in the countryside. Throughout the adventure, you try to figure out why these monsters come out every week along with other mysteries. Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale is an experience that no 3DS owner should miss out on.

Ray n. (@themistern)
Retro gaming blog: gamecenter199x.tumblr.com

Most Memorable Flying Through the Air Naked Scene
Devil May Cry

I had more-or-less given up on the DMC series. I’ll always give the series credit for bringing the crazy to action games, but over time it grew stale. It seems the folks who made this Devil May Cry set out to shake things up, and that they did! They kept the great combat the series is known for, mixed it up with some of the coolest and most beautiful levels I’ve ever seen, and even added some not-so-subtle political commentary. And it all starts with an eye-popping scene where Dante flies through the air naked and various household items (including pizza!) cover up his naughty bits at just the right time. It was definitely one of my favorite laugh-out-loud moments of 2013 gaming.

Urian Brown

The “Outstanding Fan Service” Award
Project X Zone

Anime and manga are definitely not above a little fan service. Like it or hate, it’s an undeniable part of the culture. Video games have also been known to show an ankle or two to satisfy the baser parts of gamers. But Project X Zone is fan service on a whole new level, because it’s multidimensional. There’s fan service in seeing all your favorite characters from tons of different series on the battlefield at once. And then there’s the usual "women's body parts jiggling around" fanservice. Thank you, Namco! You are doing a service to fans in bringing this game to the States!

Urian Brown