Bioshock Infinite combined exciting gameplay with an engrossing story that looks at issues like nationalism and racism in early 1900s America.
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Available on: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Grand Theft Auto V's multiple characters and ways of tackling heists brought an unprecedented amount of freedom and choice to a series known for its open and interactive worlds.
See our review roundup for Grand Theft Auto V >>
Available on: PS3, Xbox 360
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag took a massive departure from its predecessors by changing its focus from cities in Europe and the Middle East to the islands of the Caribbean.
Critics couldn't get enough of the game's naval travel and combat.
See our review roundup for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag >>
Available on: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U
The Last of Us is the latest game from the studio that made the "Uncharted" series. Gamers expected a fun twist on the zombie-survival genre; what they got was an emotionally gripping tale backed by engaging gameplay.
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Available on: PS3
Injustice: Gods Among Us tells the story of Superman becoming a patriarchal tyrant after failing to stop the death of millions.
With combat from the designers of Mortal Kombat and a story featuring the greatest heroes and villains in the DC Universe, Injustice is the must-play fighting game of the year.
See a trailer for Injustice: Gods Among Us >>
Available on: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Wii U
This year's Tomb Raider reboot borrowed some of the best aspects of the "Uncharted" and "Assassin's Creed" series to create an amazing origin story for Lara Croft, one of gaming's most iconic heroines.
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Available on: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (PS4 and Xbox One in Jan 2014)
The developers of Beyond: Two Souls used motion capture to create a beautiful, interactive story starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe.
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Available on: PS3
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch combines great role-playing gameplay with beautiful artwork by Studio Ghibli, the animation studio behind "Spirited Away" and "Ponyo."
See a trailer for Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch >>
Available on: PS3
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is a direct sequel to 1992's A Link To The Past.
Unlike other Zelda titles, players are free to tackle the temples in A Link Between Worlds in whichever order they prefer.
See a trailer for The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds >>
Available on: Nintendo 2DS/3DS
Super Mario 3D World is the best 3D platformer of the year, hand's down.
If you were on the fence about buying a Wii U and love classic games like "Super Mario 64" and "Super Mario Galaxy," this should make your decision a lot easier.
See our review roundup of Super Mario 3D World >>
Available on: Wii U
Pikmin 3 kicked off a wave of fantastic games hitting the Wii U when it hit stores this summer.
The game's stylized yet realistic graphics are perfect for showing off the Wii U's horsepower.
Available on: Wii U
Gone Home has players piece together what happened to a family in the 1990s by finding clues and making observations about their recently-abandoned home. It's received numerous game of the year awards and near-perfect scores from critics.
If you don't mind interaction and mystery taking precedence over action and horror, this might be the best game you play all year.
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Available on: PC
The Novelist is a game that makes you think about what matters in life.
You play as an entity haunting a house that a novelist and his family are staying in for the summer, and throughout the game you observe their wants and try to help the dad find ways to makes compromises so that he can succeed with his career while being a good father and husband.
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Available on: PC
Pokémon X and Y delivered the series' classic feel while streamlining the gameplay for more experienced gamers.
A warning: X and Y each have exclusive Pokémon that aren't available on the other. This doesn't affect gameplay too much, though many kids have an aesthetic preference. Ask your son or daughter which he/she would prefer to avoid any problems.
See a trailer for Pokemon X and Y >>
Available on: Nintendo 2DS/3DS
In Animal Crossing: New Leaf, you're charged with serving as the mayor of a town full of adorably anthropomorphous animals.
Through mini-games and multiplayer, you improve and customize your town, character, and home. While it might sound silly at first, critics this summer couldn't get over how addictive it all is.
See a trailer for Animal Crossing: New Leaf >>
Available on: Nintendo 2DS/3DS