I feel that everyone putting together a best of 2013 list that truly cares about gaming only does so after slamming a recently emptied bottle of whiskey down on their desk and sighing deeply.

2013 was one of the most packed years in gaming history. From every available outlet poured titles that are without comparison, even when weighed against the entirety of gaming history. Sure, there was the usual flood of crap and frustration, but it seemed that bi-weekly we were getting one of those games that you just had to play. Of course, that’s because we were.

Even if you don’t take into account the launch of two next-gen systems and all the other major industry occurrences and just focus on the quality of the games themselves, you’d be hard-pressed to name to many other years ahead of 2013.

A lot of hard decisions had to be made when putting together this list, but I feel that this is as comfortable with the honors as I’m ever going to be. Just note that if you don’t see your favorite game, it’s either because I didn’t play it, painfully had to cut it, or just didn’t like it. The curious can ask in the comments below.

Without further ado, here are the best games of 2013.

10. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

Let me get “Assassin’s Creed IV’s” biggest problem out of the way first. It’s still an “Assassin’s Creed” game. Therefore, it carries all of the faults of that series, including a far too simplified combat system, some seriously uneven mission quality and obligatory futuristic plot elements that are getting more and more superfluous.

But, sweet Jesus, this game is just pure fun. A lot of that fun derives from the perfect implementation of its pirate elements. “AC:IV” is the absolute greatest pirate game ever made. It gives you nearly everything you could ever want from the romanticized pirate experience many of us are familiar with, and does it with sheer glee. It certainly doesn’t hurt that this is also one of the best written and best acted games I’ve played in some time.

Were this game developed from the ground up as an entirely new series called “Black Flag,” it may be even higher on this list. As it is, though, there are few games more entertaining than “AC:IV” regardless of your feelings towards the series up until this point, or any specific video gaming turn-ons and peeves you may have.

9. Outlast

The age of the true survival horror game seems to be coming to a close as a growing number of developers pussy out and implement more and more action elements into the genre in order to make it more appealing to a larger crowd.

That’s a true shame, as a game like “Outlast” shows the tremendous amount of life left in the traditional horror style. This is quite simply one of the most terrifying games ever released, and at no point does it give a damn if you are enjoying yourself while playing it or whether or not you feel safe. It’s an uncompromising realization of the potential gaming has in terms of conveying pure horror, and you’ll love every minute you hate playing it.

I’m so very thankful the new generation of YouTube players have spread the gossip of “Outlast” and all its terrible wonders and helped let the people know that for all the waves of shitty action games with occasional jump scares that dare label themselves horror, there are still some games that do it right.

8. The Last of Us

Developer Naughty Dog earned a reputation among gamers as a developer that can, at times, seemingly do no wrong. It’s a reputation built upon a history of titles ranging from incredibly fun, to all-time classic, with very few misses on any level. It’s a reputation that made “The Last of Us” almost destined to be a success.

That “The Last of Us” ascended to the throne before its release by virtue of its birth right could have been its undoing, but the game easily carves a legacy of its own dependent on nothing else but the quality of the final product. Its blend of stealth action, environment, character development, and above all else, story, is so effortless at times that you really have to step back from the title to force yourself to appreciate the work that went into making “The Last of Us” possible.

I do have some complaints about certain elements of “The Last of Us” as it pertains to decisions made in its gameplay and storytelling (which is very important to distinguish from just the pure story) that keep it from being game of the year, but the sheer craftsmanship of the game makes it impossible to not distinguish as a highlight in a year absolutely full of them.

7. Super Mario 3D World

Have you ever stopped to consider the nigh impossible level of consistent quality that is the “Mario” series? The natural cynic in me keeps expecting every major release to finally be the one that doesn’t get it right, but without fail, once I actually play the game, I hang my head in shame for daring to doubt it.

“Super Mario 3D World” is a celebration of everything that makes the series great. It’s colorful and lively, it’s got some of the best level design you’ll see in any game this year (or any other), and it’s capable of pumping an almost childish level of joy into your entire being that you thought the world had stomped out long ago.

You’ll find that an important characteristic I use in distinguishing which of the many great games available this year are worthy of being singled out for this list is just how much fun they are. That’s important because, far more important than any critical analysis I can divulge regarding “Super Mario 3D World” is the simple fact that it is just great fun from beginning to end.

6. BioShock Infinite

The original “BioShock” was just such a punch-in-the-gut great game that you were forced to bow to it out of mere reaction. In the world of 24-hour gaming coverage, it’s rare that you play a game that catches you off guard with its excellence, but such was the case with “BioShock.”

Many (rightfully) questioned how you follow up such an experience considering that everyone is now anticipating greatness. “BioShock Infinite” answered that question by providing a game that felt every bit worthy of the “BioShock” name in terms of its mechanics and style, but at no point felt like a $60 retread down memory lane. It used the best parts of “BioShock” as a foundation (because why wouldn’t it?), but really only took advantage of them to allow the team to focus more on creating a story and world worthy of the “BioShock” universe, but never derivative of it.

In that regard, it is a wall-to-wall triumph, and one of the best examples of how to do a proper video game sequel.

5. Gunpoint

Put a gun to my head and force me to classify “Gunpoint” as one specific genre, and I suppose I’d label it a puzzle game. After all, it gives you a series of levels that you are asked to manipulate and navigate through in order to succeed, similar to a game like “Portal,” which I’d also tentatively consider a puzzler.

Where “Gunpoint” gets the idea so very right, though, is in its organic approach to the puzzler genre. Puzzles in “Gunpoint” are not there as mere obligations and hurdles, but rather as genuinely interesting challenges with multiple solutions. The usual satisfaction in any puzzle game is when you finally solve the puzzle. In “Gunpoint,” the satisfaction comes from the process of solving the puzzle, and finding all the different ways to approach it. It makes the work you put into it as thrilling, if not more thrilling, than the eventual payoff.

“Gunpoint” became a runaway indie hit and deserves every dollar thrown its way. There are few games that manage to balance visceral satisfaction and genuine cleverness in equal measure, and “Gunpoint” does it with ease.

4. The Stanley Parable

I’ve never heard an explanation of “The Stanley Parable” that I’ve ever been completely satisfied with when it comes to conveying the full idea of the thing. After all, how do you describe a game that so openly defies nearly every gaming convention?

Fortunately, there is a free “Stanley Parable” demo available that does far better justice to the experience than words ever could. While I’d like to say to just go play that, and come back if you don’t agree with its placement here, in the interest of defending its lofty ranking over other high-profile titles, I feel compelled to tell you that every kind word you’ve heard about this game and how it is smarter, more engaging and more surprising than just about every other game out there is 100% the truth.

“The Stanley Parable” questions the very structure of gaming as we know it and presents a fully realized visual walkthrough of an alternative to those tropes. Once you are done with it, you’ll never catch yourself saying you played it, but rather that you experienced it.

3. Gone Home

As a fan of gaming my whole life, I tend to feel that the medium is capable of anything. However, before “Gone Home,” I never would have thought the next great American novel would come in the form of a video game.

However, lets not call “Gone Home” a video game, because that doesn’t really give an accurate indication of it. It’s an interactive digital expression of humanity and family. It turns the camera on the user, so to speak, and asks us to really take a look at our shared community and everything that makes us, well, us. Not as gamers, mind you, but as people.

A subtle yet profound look at family, life and all the little things that make up the bigger picture, “Gone Home” won’t last you long, but it’ll cling to your soul and forever alter the expectations you have concerning this medium and storytelling.

2. Papers, Please

Can you imagine the looks developer Lucas Pope must have gotten when telling people about “Papers, Please?” How many awkward silences and bit lips followed the explanation of a game where you, from a gameplay perspective, do little more than review paperwork for discrepancies?

Clearly, though, Pope was a man with a clear vision and I’ll be damned if he didn’t make the perfect realization of it. Let’s put aside how strangely compelling it is to go over documents and try to single out any of a number of errors while under a strict time limit, and talk about the real contribution of “Papers, Please?,” which is its unique approach to morality in gaming. Rather than doing what most other games do and give you cut and dry choices on which moral path to pursue, “Papers, Please?” presents one unified experience that is driven by your natural instincts and personality morality. This is in opposition to those other games which solicit morality from you point blank and give you plenty of chances to consciously examine your choices before making them.

“Papers, Please?” is certainly entertaining, but I would in no way call it fun. I understand that goes against an earlier outlined philosophy regarding the selection of this list, but “Papers, Please?” is the type of game that causes you to reexamine a lot of preconceptions you have regarding not only gaming, but yourself. It is one of the most immersive experiences in the history of gaming.

1. Grand Theft Auto V

The beauty of “GTA” selling millions and making billions is that I don’t have to go into too many details about it here, since you’ve probably played it. Instead, I only need justify its appearance at the top spot ahead of some very worthy competition.

Here’s the thing: AAA gaming is in seriously bad shape. Far too many of them have become this sort of futuristic nutrition paste. All of the substance, none of the flavor, and beneficial only for survival. Worse than that, they are becoming plagued with such horrors as micro transactions, an over-reliance on outdated gameplay mechanics, and a growing interest in filling the coffers of their publishers as opposed to using the considerable resources at their disposal to pursue something a little different and take the occasional risk.

Into that world comes a game like “GTA V.” It’s a game that cost somewhere north of $200 million to make, and feels like it. In exchange for $60, it gives you hundreds and hundreds of hours of well-produced content. It feels like nothing was left on the cutting room floor in order to save for a future DLC you’ll be charged for, or to save for the next yearly installment.

It is, in so many ways, the polar opposite of nearly everything that makes AAA gaming so incredibly frustrating these days. Yes, it has its problems, but none of them feel like they were put in the game with malicious intent or out of laziness. It’s a game that shows what happens when a large studio with a considerable budget aims to make a game that the developers can genuinely be proud of — not because of how much money it made, but because of the the quality of the thing itself.

Of course, it would also go on to make all the money in the world anyway. Go figure.

At the end of the day, though, “GTA V” is simply more entertaining and packed with more content than any other game released this year, which is why it snags this honor.

Can’t get enough “Bioshock Infinite?” It’s hard to blame you really, as along with being one of the most stylistically complex and intellectually rewarding games of all time, it’s also somewhat short.

Though the game’s developers are promising a bountiful amount of DLC add-ons for the title, if you really need your “Infinite” fix in the meantime, you may want to consider the somewhat intriguing upcoming board game version.

In production by board game creator PlaidHat Games, “Bioshock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia” will share the rough timeline of the video game, as players choose between warring factions and vie for control of the floating city of Columbia, all while rouge elements Booker and Elizabeth carry out their own adventure, and possibly disrupt or aid yours.

Details concerning the game’s rules are still coming, but it’s meant for 2-4 players, contains 52 impressively detailed miniatures, and sounds like a mix of “Risk,” “Monopoly,” and, thanks to the skyhook system of rails, even “Chutes and Ladders” (yeah I haven’t played a board game in a while…). On an aesthetic level, everything from the board and pieces, to the cards and papers are incredibly well designed and capture the creative spirit of the source material perfectly. Also given the amount of pieces shown so far, and the company’s usual style, it’s likely this will be a pretty in-depth and complex board game that should provide the same level of outside the box thinking fans have come to expect from this series.

While a board game version of a video game may seem like a step back technologically, this is actually a smart complement to “Infinite.” The revolution was one of the game’s biggest themes and plot points, and getting to explore it further (along with everything else about the world of “Infinite”) through an active means like a board game is an enticing proposition. Also considering it is so hard to incorporate multiplayer into the “Bioshock” video game world without it coming across as cheap (see “Bioshock 2”), this may be the perfect alternative.

Available at a pre-order discount price of $59.95, there is no firm release date for the set as of yet, but given the level of care that has seemingly been put into it, this looks to be the furthest thing from a cash-in attempt, and may be worth any serious “Bioshock” fan’s attention.

The game really is just that good, as you’ve probably gathered from nearly every review and impression.

It’s hard to not have had doubts at some point about the title though, considering the substantial development time and departures of major developers during which. There is, however, precedent for games surviving that type of ordeal, as an elite group of titles managed to survive long delays, and massive amounts of hype and expectations, to emerge as great games. I can think of 8 in particular that were well worth the wait.

Honorable Mention – “Fallout 3” – A definite candidate, but “Fallout 3” gets a lot of love on this site, so just once I wanted to give some other titles their dues.

8. Mother 3

I remember seeing the first blurry and ugly screens of the “EarthBound 64” project in Nintendo Power, and being ecstatic about the prospect to a sequel about my favorite game ever.

As time went on screenshots and other news releases became fewer and fewer, until many started to believe the whole thing may have been an elaborate hoax. Then around 2004-2005, word got out that a third entrant in the cult hit “Mother” series would finally see release…in Japan. Not content with letting the land of the rising sun have all the fun, a dedicated group of American fans released an incredible and thorough translation of the title, so almost everyone could finally play the long awaited sequel.

While admittedly not the best game on this list, the “abandon all hope” mentality was strong regarding this one, and the dedicated translation efforts go to show that you can’t get in the way between fans and the games they really want.

7. LA Noire

Not all long awaited game are continuations or sequels.

The only original property on this list, there were rumblings of a 1940’s noire style video game dating back to 2003 when developer Team Bondi was formed. Originally set to be published exclusively by Sony, as the years wore on the game would switch publishers to Take Two, and seemingly grew in ambition as the release date kept slipping and slipping. Until the game graced the cover of a 2010 Game Informer, many even believed it to be quietly axed.

While reception to “L.A. Noire” was somewhat mixed due to its polarizing gameplay style, there is no denying the technical marvel of the graphics, or the pitch perfect execution of its retro style. The first video game to ever be accepted as an entrant to the Tribeca Film Festival, “L.A. Noire” emerged from an endless development cycle quite possibly something greater than it was originally conceived as.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The only reason this one isn’t higher, is because it was somewhat inevitable.

Still it was 1991 when “A Link to the Past” had Nintendo fans the world over gushing over the series’ brilliance, and outside of “Link’s Awakening” for the Game Boy, it would be 1998 before the true follow up to the series would see release. In the middle was a whole lot of nothing, as Nintendo remained mum about their most anticipated theoretical title, only casually referencing it, and often speaking of only delays.

Of course you probably know how this one turned out, as “Ocarina of Time” is widely regarded as one of the best games ever, and shows anticipation is a benefit if you can capitalize off of it.

5. Ninja Gaiden

While not necessarily synonymous with the NES, the “Ninja Gaiden” series had a very loyal following that gutted through the game’s legendary difficulty and found some of the best 2D action games ever crafted.

Following the release of 1991’s “Ninja Gaiden 3,” the series disappeared behind the shroud of a smoke bomb, leaving only a trilogy re-release for the Super Nintendo in its wake. Despite a respectable outcry for more, no one seemed in too much of a hurry to continue the series, and loose talk about a new “Ninja Gaiden” in 1999 became just that in the eyes of many fans.

But in 2004 a re-booted “Ninja Gaiden” was finally released, and brought to the Xbox a modern day 3D action title that took cues from the “Devil May Cry” games that changed the genre in its absence, while maintaining the punishing difficulty and fluid style that made the series originally notable. The “Batman Begins” of the video game world, “Ninja Gaiden” is a case of 13 years being fashionably late.

4. Team Fortress 2

Boasting one of the longest active development times ever, “Team Fotress 2” and “Duke Nukem Forever” may be the poster children for the term “Development Hell.”

There’s hardly a “Team Fortress” fan who doesn’t remember the screenshots that emerged of “Team Fortress 2” around 1999 that showed a highly realistic and detailed military shooter. Based on the amount of details about it, and the polished looks of the game, a release seemed inevitable. However, years and years went by with only passing mentions of the game leading fans to believe that the once concrete title had cracked and fallen. The little remaining hope would unfairly be dashed even further when the game did eventually appear again as a Saturday morning cartoon looking shooter, attached as a pack-in with “The Orange Box.”

Of course, unlike “Duke Nukem Forever,” excitement reached an all time high once people actually played the game, and discovered one of the most unique, stylish, and well developed online shooters of the modern age. After an unbelievable 9 years in development, players were graced with a game that will likely remain at the top of the active server list for far longer than that.

3. Starcraft II

Nobody does delays like Blizzard.

It’s quite possible they gather their development strength from delays, much like Samson and his hair. It’s the only possible explanation for why years in Blizzard development terms is the equivalent to months for everyone else. Even still, it was 1998 when they released the worldwide phenomenon RTS game “Starcraft,” and 2003 when they first hinted at developing a sequel. Seven years from that date fans would finally get “Starcraft II,” 12 years after the original.

While “Starcraft II” didn’t set the world on fire with joy as its anticipation predicted, the game was a prime example of why not to rush a sequel, as it fulfilled the hopes of all but the most jaded of “Starcraft” faithful. Even then this remains one of the more extreme examples of delaying the inevitable.

2. Metroid Prime

While “Metroid” was a revolution for the NES (it even helped coin its own style of gameplay), it was the more fully realized “Super Metroid” released for the Super NES in 1994 that made the series a legend.

It’s not easy to follow up on one of the greatest games of all time, as many sequels have proven, but that has never stopped developers from at least trying. Many figured a “Metroid” follow up was unlikely for the then aging Super Nintendo, but no one guessed that the N64 would follow up on nearly every major franchise except “Metroid.” Instead it took until 2002 and the Gamecube’s “Metroid Prime” for the series to re-invent itself as a first person adventure title, and shock fans across the world.

The reason “Metroid Prime” places so high on the list is simple. An N64 “Metroid” should have by all rights existed, but internal reports cite that no one had any good ideas of how the game would work for the N64 and specifically its controller. “Metroid” didn’t get a sequel until a proper follow up that did justice to the series was possible, which to me is the definition of a worthwhile wait.

1. Half-Life 2

It wasn’t the longest development time ever by a mile, but the wait for “Half-Life 2” was, with few peers, the most heated.

Not satisfied that 1998’s “Half-Life” was one of the most revolutionary and beloved games ever, Valve also had to end it on a cliffhanger as befuddling as it was enticing. It wasn’t until the closing minutes of “Half-Life” that gamers learned there was a lot more to this series than anyone had thought, and the idea of some sort of resolution and follow up tore at gamers as “Half-Life 2” topped most wanted lists year after year.

In retrospect, its eventual release in 2004 wasn’t the eternity it felt like, but considering that “Half-Life 2” far outstripped even the most wild of expectations built during that time, and provided fans with a follow up that, while not conclusive, completely satisfied what was considered an impossible craving, it has to be considered the ultimate showcase of the virtues of patience.

News is slowly pouring in today that two of the biggest developers on “Bioshock: Infinite” are leaving Irrational Games.

Director of product development Tim Gerritsen and art director (and designer of the series’ iconic Big Daddies) Nate Wells have both updated their LinkedIn profiles to indicate that their employment with Irrational Games is now done. While no further official announcement has been made, Nate Wells also made a Twitter post earlier that read “New Job…Details to follow.” That tweet has since been removed. For those who don’t remember, “Bioshock: Infinite” was also delayed earlier this year until 2013, in order to give it “specific tweaks and improvements” that would make the game “into something even more extraordinary,” according to lead designer and Irrational founding member Ken Levine.

Now some sites are already panicking about this pretty hard. I’m not quite there yet myself. For one thing, it’s a sad but true fact that developers at all levels will often leave a studio before a project is completed. Moves of this nature traditionally have no bearing on the quality of the final product on any consistent level.

No the real news here is that there is no real news. Ever since the delay of “Bioshock: Infinite” was announced, updates on on the game have gone ice cold. This is okay if you’re a title like “Grand Theft Auto V” (another Take-Two production). It’s “GTA”, and everyone knows there’s going to be a lot of secrecy involved leading up to the release. But “Bioshock: Infinite” didn’t even bother to poke its head in at E3 this year. Plus, even though “Bioshock” was possibly the game of the decade, the fact that the only news on its true successor in the last year has been a delay and the departure of your manager of content creators (Gerritsen) and a 13-year veteran of your studio (Wells), makes even the most level headed gamer start to wonder what’s really going on at Irrational.

Ultimately, “Bioshock: Infinite” will still sell millions, and I don’t believe that its overall quality will have anything to do with these departures. However, I’m curious how Irrational addresses this news. Do they remain silent and let speculation rule, or do they make a move as bold and innovative as “Bioshock” itself and actually shed some light on this situation, beyond the typical PR release?

Simply put, if there’s no fire to report, then why fan the flames?