It was far from the greatest year in gaming (very, very far), but even still, when I was compiling this list, I had to make some heartbreaking cuts, and felt I was disrespecting some very good games. For every cheap money snatching blockbuster we got this year, we were also gifted with some genuine surprises and accomplished franchise extensions (many of which make up this list). The end result of one step forward and one step back for an entire 12-month period may not have moved gaming ahead, but the constant motion made choosing the best of the year a dizzying experience.

Somehow, though, I was finally able to narrow it down to 10 games that I feel comfortable saying are the best of 2012.

10. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

On the surface, it looks like all there is to “Kingdoms of Amalur” is a standard RPG coat of paint and a souvenir of the high profile closure of “38 Studios.” It’s not the type of game that makes its first impression with its looks, but rather its personality. The game’s speedy free flowing combat system never ceases to be entertaining throughout the very long adventure “Amalur” provides.

An all-star team of developers and outside talent (fantasy great RA Salvatore penned the story) may have been behind “Amalur,” but nothing feels old hat about the game, and it instead comes across as something closer to a fresh faced group of young talent, with heads full of new ideas creating something against the grain. It’s one of the more surprising, and certainly among the most pure fun, releases this year.

9. Xenoblade: Chronicles

If “Amalur” looks standard and done before on the surface, then “Xenoblade” is practically a fossil upon first viewing. It’s a member of the dying JRPG genre, and was featured on the outdated Nintendo Wii, which would normally spell either doom or obscurity at best. Yet after a wave of hype from the Japanese market, and several thousand petition signatures later, audiences everywhere were greeted by something that felt like meeting an old friend, and finding out that you have just as much fun with each other as you used to.

“Xenoblade” pays tribute to all of the great JRPG conventions that shaped it, but it just as carefully takes note of all the things that made those game’s grow stale as well, and manages to mold new forms for them so you are left with a game that somehow makes you nostalgic for things you never knew before. Your party becomes your family thanks to a great relationship system, and the character building and combat mechanics keep things fresh as you explore one of the more unique worlds available for the genre all in pursuit of finishing an equally gripping story. The era of JRPGs may be over, but “Xenoblade” reminds us why it had a dynasty in the first place.

8. Sound Shapes

I love new, bold ideas in gaming, and “Sound Shapes” may have been among the newest and boldest this year. It has nothing to do with its basic gameplay either, as “Shapes” traditional 2D side scrolling system is fairly ho-hum. Much like a new “Mario” release though, the real draw doesn’t lie in the mechanics, but rather the design. “Sound Shapes” employs a minimalist graphic style that is charming, but only serves to give substance to the soundtrack that defines the experience. Several different musical artists contributed to the music (and the design) of the levels, and as a result we are provided one of the first games since the brilliant “Rez” that feels like an organic and physical product of the soundtrack. It’s more of an interactive soundtrack than a fully loaded video game, but it’s artistic value is unquestionable, and I wouldn’t want to know the person who couldn’t have fun with it.

7. Far Cry 3

I almost had this list finished before “Far Cry 3” as I thought the year was done. Yet count me among the many who are now discovering that as 2012 winds down, Ubisoft saved their best for last not in the form of the new “Assassin’s Creed,” but rather the third in the “Far Cry” franchise.

“Far Cry 3” almost aggressively refuses to reinvent the wheel, and instead decides to look back into what makes FPS’s so much fun in the first place. Not since “Halo:CE” have I played a shooter that so successfully made combat feel like a constantly on your toes and the edge of your seat type affair. The further you think outside of the box in combat in “Far Cry 3,” the more you find the developers have crafted a box so encompassing that they’ve anticipated and incorporated every move you could want to make, and have thrown A.I. against you that can do the same.

Many games have only made the claim of possessing the qualities that “Far Cry 3” pulls off so effortlessly. Throw in a series of moments that rival the “Uncharted” series, and there’s no way this list would be complete without “Far Cry 3.”

6. Max Payne 3

It was Max Payne himself who quipped that “life knows two miseries; getting what you don’t want, and not getting what you want.” Thankfully for millions of patient fans, the long awaited “Max Payne 3” was exactly what we wanted.

“Max Payne 3” may have taken the action icon out of the familiar confines of Noir York, but it would prove to be for the best, as the old dog brought all of the tricks that made him famous, but picked up new ones as well that help to bring him into the new age without missing a beat. “Max Payne 3” feels like one of the more complete games of the year as it accomplishes everything you could have wanted from such a hyped entry into a beloved franchise. For pure, no-nonsense action fans, it is the best you’ll play all year.

5. Halo 4

I was ready to stomp out “Halo 4” like a finished cigarette. Not that I didn’t love the “Halo” series, but between the early footage and the new developer, all signs pointed to a blockbuster letdown that might finally spell the end of Microsoft’s flagship series, and I wanted to throw the first bit of dirt on the grave.

I couldn’t have been more wrong of course, as “Halo 4” is the “Batman Begins” or “Casino Royale” of the video game world, and proves that new blood can in fact be the giver of new life. You can’t overstate the accomplishment that 343 Studios pulled off in making “Halo 4” feel so fresh, and provide perhaps the most hair raising experience that the series has pulled off since the original “Halo.” Even though the excellent multiplayer was almost a foregone conclusion, it’s again a matter of how great it is, as the intensity of the series is alive and well, but again that new game smell is present for the first time in awhile.

“Halo 4” separates itself from the competition by accomplishing the same level of emotional intensity in every aspect of its gameplay and not resting on its considerable laurels. I came into the year to bury “Halo 4,” yet I’m exiting it with nothing but great blushing praise for everything it does so well.

4. Journey

There’s been a considerable crop of quality downloadable titles this year, so much so in fact that many of them outshined the mult-imillion, multi-platform titles that were supposed to rule this year. Yet even in such a quality selection of games, the definitive standout was a game so short, that it’s barely there.

There were hints of the greatness development team thatgamecompany was capable of with “Flow” and “Flower,” but “Journey” kicked the doors down, and now represents the most astonishing accomplishment in the field of video game art. In fact, accomplishment is the word overall, as everything in “Journey” feels like the product of blood, sweat, and tears, yet also plays like the most effortless thing in the world. The incredible visuals combine with one of the best soundtracks of the year to create a piece of interactive art that makes you question so many preconceived notions of the capabilities of the medium that you can only view “Journey” as a true landmark. It’s a monolith of accomplishment in artistic design.

“Jorney” may only last a handful of hours (though the brilliant co-op mode warrants a few playthroughs), but what you get is a true emotional experience that you can feel warming your soul as you play.

3. XCOM: Enemy Unknown

I laughed with the kind of smarky superiority that only too many years of playing video games can provide when I saw the very first news of “XCOM’s” revival. At the time it was a more traditional shooter, and looked deplorable in every aspect. I let the game fly off of my radar for a while until it’s release, but when it came back into view, it was a true UFO of its own, as I could no longer identify the game I once so openly mocked.

Now it had been turned into a grid based squad shooter, with a biting and rare level of challenge. In other words, it became the “XCOM” revival I’d always wanted. The success of “XCOM” comes from its combination of genres that is part action game, part strategy, part RPG, and part horror title. It mixes them all with an off the charts level of intensity where even the most well thought out of moves can lead to the untimely and permanent death of one of your squad. “XCOM” may be 99% strategy and statistics, but it’s that extra 1% blind luck that makes it so memorable.

“XCOM” didn’t set the kind of sales records that “Halo 4” did, and that’s a shame. It offers up one of the deepest and most complete gaming experiences this year with something for everyone, and yet is still so unflinchingly challenging and charmingly retro, it still doesn’t give a damn what you think of it.

2. Dishonored

In many ways, “Dishonored” feels like the greatest hits compilation of the bloated FPS market from the past 10 years. This is due in large part to the development team who by and large worked no many of the best representations of the genre in the last decade. More than just a soulless compilation of previous successes though, “Dishonored” instead yields the quality of a greatest hits album, but maintains the spirit of the individual releases that contribute to it.

“Dishonored” is a rare beast that feels so much like a blockbuster sequel, you forget it’s an original property. The steampunk world of “Dishonored” provides the perfect setting for a revenge thriller, where you play a super powered assassin that has the ability to approach every obstacle with a variety of options at his disposal. It’s these moments where you stand perched above your next challenge contemplating which of a variety of entertaining solutions you will employ, and a knowing smile unwillingly creeps upon your face that the brilliance of “Dishonored” reveals itself.

If the worst thing I can say against “Dishonored” is that it feels like a mixture of “Half-Life 2,” “BioShock,” “Deus Ex,” and “Far Cry” rather than something of its own, then I think you can understand what type of game we are dealing with. It’s a hair short of the best game I’ve played this year, but it is the one I would recommend without hesitation to everyone.

1. The Walking Dead

I kept trying to tell myself reasons “The Walking Dead” wasn’t the game of the year. After all, the whole thing is only around 10 hours long, gameplay is somewhat limited, and technical flaws are as prominent as the hordes of zombies. “The Walking Dead” is not a perfect game by a long shot.

But in a year where we celebrated the 40th anniversary of “Pong” we were also gifted with a game that gave us something we’ve never seen before from the medium, and that is evolved and mature storytelling. Ever since “Knight of the Old Republic” choices in games have been a buzzword, but it’s not until “The Walking Dead” have we truly been provided the opportunity to see the effect they can have. “The Walking Dead” warns you before each episode that the game is tailored to how you play it, and that isn’t just a buzzword or a tagline. There are no good and evil choices in the game, but every conversation, and every action, involves having to make several decisions that will ultimately severely alter your journey. Speaking with another person about the game can often lead to confusion, as it can be difficult to believe you are playing the same title with the variety of paths set before you.

Yet none of it would work if it wasn’t for the characters. It may take a little while, but you will soon put genuine investment into your group of survivors and you will care what they think of you, and the things you must do to them, and for them. You can never please everyone, and in “The Walking Dead” that is a fact that breaks your heart, as you just want everyone to live and be happy. But no matter what your choices, there are no happy endings to be found, and the best you can hope for is a firm sense of who you are to guide you to the ending you truly crafted with your heartfelt intentions.

Much like the blasphemy of referring to “The Wire” as a cop show, don’t you dare call “The Walking Dead” a zombie game. It can’t be shoehorned into any easy classification and defies and defines genres and concepts as it chugs along. No game released this year provides the same punch to the gut impact, or keeps you engaged in quite the same way. It is a revolution in everything it does well and, in case you can’t tell, is hard to sum up in a reasonable amount of words. I’ll end it simply with this then. It is my uncontested game of the year, and that sells it short.

I always love it when a franchise that you wouldn’t think is equipped for multiplayer introduces it in a surprising and innovative way that maintains the ideas and style of the single player experience. Examples would be the always brilliant, always fun Merc vs Spy gameplay from “Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory,” or the brilliant Assassins vs Assassins mode in “Assassins Creed: Brotherhood.” It’s a tough road to go down though, as it requires some real thought and commitment to making the mode work. The other option is to just go the candy bar route of games like “Max Payne 3,” “Uncharted,” or “Bioshock 2” and just tack on a shanty deathmatch mode.

I say candy bar because it’s a route that’s often satisfying, but rarely filling (Snickers non-included).

As a fan of the “Hitman” series, I was thrilled then to read about the new multiplayer mode in “Hitman Absolution,” which puts players in a dungeon master type role by allowing them to design a contract assassination challenge for other players. The creator can take one of the game’s single player levels, and modify it to include the targets (of which they can set the number) and other parameters that may include things like no disguises, or a limited number of kills, or even a rough guideline of certain NPC actions.

Touting their own cleverness, though, the developers have assured everyone that even the most seemingly complex and limiting contracts will have several ways to be completed, even if some are better than others, just as in the main game. Even better is the expansive leaderboard system which keeps track of three different rankings (richest assassin, most skillful assassin, and a running ranking of the most popular contracts).

“Assassin’s Creed” may be the darling silent killer franchise at the moment (and “Assassin’s Creed 3” is looking to do nothing to tarnish that reputation) but the de facto assassin series will always be “Hitman.” It’s encouraging then to see that the flag bearer of the genre is working on creating the definitive multiplayer mode as well (even if it isn’t PvP style).

Between that and the previously announced “Crysis 3” multiplayer mode, it’s also promising that the new trend in even the most established of franchises seems to be thinking outside of the box when it comes to multiplayer expansion, instead of slapping a deathmatch option on said box, and calling it a sequel.

I guess that’s my awkward way of saying, hint, hint Rockstar and “GTA: V.” Hint, hint.

As a fan of action movies, there is no game that can fulfill that itch I have for some ultra violence after watching one of my favorites like “Max Payne” does. More than that, though, the series has its own style and charm that very few games across any genre can possibly hope to match. It’s made up of a million little things that all come together to make something greater than it even looked on paper.

So in honor of “Max Payne 3’s” impending release, I’d like to reflect on ten of my favorite moments, levels, aspects, and everything else from the first two “Max Payne” games.

Mod Max – The “Max Payne” series was designed to be heavily moddable, and from day one gamers have taken advantage of that. From mods that make the game even more cinematic, to giving you the option of employing “Equilibrium’s” gunkata style, and way, way, to many “Matrix” mods, there is a strong community out there devoted to maximizing the games experience.

The two that really stand out, though, are the brilliant Kung Fu mod that gives Max martial arts skills, along with some deadlier gunplay abilities, thus helping the game become even more of an homage to the kung-fu classics that inspired it, and a mod that turns the game into a brawler set in the “Street Fighter” universe. The latter is actually kind of dull and buggy, while the former is a necessity. Both though represent the incredible ability the game has to be modded, and the creative impulses this series inspires out of its fanbase.

Innocent Man’s Story – This is maybe my favorite little moment of the series. In “Max Payne 2,” you are in a police station, when you overhear a cop interrogating a suspect over a double murder. Stay and listen and you will hear the absolute worst criminal alibi of all time delivered by a man who looks and sounds suspiciously like Joe Pesci.

I really can’t do this one justice with words. You have to see it for yourself.

Escorting Vinny – Escort missions have to be one of the worst ideas ever put into video games. The idea of having to protect someone with no ability to defend themselves from a constant onslaught of armed foes who desire nothing more than to see your charge dead is one that conjures both dread and constant restarts from gamers forced into them.

Leave it to “Max Payne 2,” then, to have one of the few exceptions. You’re forced to protect mob honcho, and renowned idiot, Vinnie Gognitti from a gang of assassins and escort him to a safe haven. The kicker here is that he’s trapped in a suit of his favorite comic character (Captain Baseball Bat Boy) that’s wired to explode. Vinnie is able to hide somewhat admirably, and can take a decent amount of damage, but it’s the costume and predicament that make this a bearable, and even entertaining, segment of the game. The best part comes when you make a stop at Vinnie’s apartment only to see that it’s filled with Captain Baseball Bat Boy memorabilia (that Vinnie will freak out over if you damage).

Only Max Payne could bring so much amusement to such a usually horrible design decision.

Comic Cut Scenes – These definitely aren’t one of those little things about the series, as they took up a large part of the games themselves, but I always loved the comic book strip-style cutscenes of the series. Their washed out noir-style drawings leant a sense of style to the characters and atmosphere that the games’ graphics couldn’t do on their own. In fact, when I visually remember this game, it tends to be in this style and not the actual gameplay. I don’t think I ever looked forward to a cinema break in an action game as much before, or since, “Max Payne.”

It’s a shame then that “Max Payne 3” will be going the more traditional cut scene route. Of course, they were only done in the first place due to budget constraints that didn’t allow the developer to make full traditional cut scenes for the whole story (a problem new developer Rockstar definitely doesn’t share). That’s probably a good thing, though, as this aspect remains one of the few things that the many “Max Payne” imitation games wouldn’t dare try to copy, and is therefore forever unique to the series.

Worlds’ Most Talkative Bad Guys – There are countless incidents in both “Max Payne” games where you will sneak up on a group of bad guys (or even just NPCs) and catch them in the middle of a conversation. While these are sometimes no more elaborate than “ITS MAX PAYNE!,” some of them actually make up the best dialog in the game.

Some of my favorites are a group of thugs discussing the spoiler endings of some real movies (“Seven” and “The Usual Suspects“), two hitters loudly contemplating the best way to pull off a secret ambush on Max, and a regretful mobster saying that he doesn’t even enjoy this life of killing and is just trying to support his family.

You can find some more of these (from “Max Payne 2”) in this video.

Punchenello Manor – The best part of the first “Max Payne” comes when you get to finally invade the home of mob kingpin Angelo Punchenello. Recently loaded to the teeth, thanks to your good friend Vladimir, Max starts off in the mansion’s wine cellar and slowly works his way up to the big man himself, redecorating with his firearms along the way.

If the overall goal of “Max Payne” is to make the player feel like the star of their own action movie, then this level could be considered the apex of that mission. There is something so incredibly satisfying about working your way through the castle of a mob boss, and it really reminds you of the climax of several great action movies as well. Plus, the home itself is incredibly well designed and stands out from some of the other drab sections of the first game (such as warehouses and factories), to create a detailed environment that is just as much fun to admire as it is to shoot your way through. Barrels of wine spring leaks from bullet holes, pictures fall from their mounts, and pianos even go out of tune after becoming victims of gunfire.

Overall, it’s truly one of the best action playgrounds ever created.

Address Unknown – There’s a host of TV sets in the “Max Payne” titles. Most give you snow, a couple offer cutscenes, and one even blows up when you try to operate it. The rest, though ,are tuned into fake television shows such as the soap hit “Lords and Ladies,” the none too subtle self-referential “Dick Justice,” and comic turned TV show hit “Captain Baseball Bat Boy”.

The best one comes in “Max Payne 2” and is called “Address Unknown.” It’s a “Twin Peaks”-style mystery that follows a man on the hunt for the serial killer who murdered his wife. There seems to have been a particular care put into the these episodes, as the plot is actually genuinely engaging and makes the episodes worth seeking out in order to follow the series to its fun conclusion. It, along with the other syndications, stand as a glowing representation of Remedy’s creative potential.

Viking Mythos – The first “Max Payne’s” story and dialog was about as subtle as a slow-motion sawed-off shotgun blast to the face. However, some of the more clever and memorable bits of the tale came in the form of references to Norse mythology. The games fictional designer drug is called Valkyrie (or V), a nod to the warrior women of legend who chose the most worthy of soldiers to be taken to the heaven of Valhalla. Valhalla, then, is the name of the project that originally designed the drug as an enhancer for soldiers. The company behind the project is named Aesir, a play on the name of the high pantheon of Norse gods.

There are many more. The mob club Ragna Rock is a reference to the Viking apocalypse, Max’s benefactor is a one-eyed man named Woden, which is a reference to the equally eye-patched high god Odin. Hell, the name of the building they meet in (Asgard) shares a title with the Norse realm the gods lived in. The best reference, though, comes in the form of the games, constant snowfall, which apparently preceded the Ragnarok apocalypse. It sets the mood of the world perfectly and ties in all of its little nods well.

Like a Rag Doll – Released in 2003, “Max Payne 2” was one of the first games to use the Havok physics engine. This revolutionary system allowed for some of the best animation ever seen in a shooter, and led to shootouts that featured armies of bad guys dying in unique (and twistedly humorous) ways. Remedy made great use of the then-new technology by doing things like stacking a wall of cardboard boxes atop a stair case, or placing enemies in front of open windows where they could fall onto a scaffolding, thereby triggering a fall of debris that moved differently each time you did it based on how the kill went.

In fact, except for bullet time, you could call this “Max Payne’s” most significant contribution to video games. The Havok engine is now standard in many action games (and is a particular darling of Valve ever since “Half-Life 2”), and it makes going back to shooters before its invention somewhat more difficult (just look at the static deaths in the first “Max Payne” for a good example of this). “Max Payne 2” may have not invented the software, but it showed fans and developers how much better things could be with it.

The Secret Rooms – Littered throughout both games are secret rooms and passages in nearly every level. At the least, they are loaded with painkillers, guns and ammo. Sometimes, though, some of the game’s best Easter eggs can be found in these hidden areas (including the absolute oddest Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference I’ve ever encountered).

What I love about these is that even though “Max Payne” is a pretty linear experience, these secret rooms keep you exploring every nook of the game, and provided an opportunity for Remedy to show off their impressive skill at creating “those little moments.” Hidden rooms never go out of style in video games, and style is one of the things that the “Max Payne” series excels at. It’s a great combination.

Funhouse – I mentioned before that “Max Payne 2” contains some of my favorite level design of all time. Of those segments, the greatest is the funhouse level. Actually, I guess I should say levels as you actually pay a visit to it three times throughout the game. The first is a standard, but incredible, walkthrough of the house as you take a break from the shooting and violence to enjoy the cheap thrills. The last one involves you going through it again while everything burns around you, causing the tricks and decorations to short out.

By far the best one is your second time through as you get to go behind the scenes of the ride and see how all of the tricks work, while also using them to help take out a gang of baddies sent to kill Max and Mona. It’s just such a simple idea that is taken to absolute perfection, and for that reason actually represents what makes the “Max Payne” franchise so great in the first place.

Max Payne 3

Scouting Report

The wait for this game has had many fans feel what it’s like to be stuck in Max’s signature slowdown bullet time mode. Original developer Remedy did an amazing job with the first “Max Payne” when it came to capturing that particular brand of Hong Kong cinema gunplay, popularized by the likes of “Hard Boiled” and “The Killer“, while infusing it with some old fashioned American film noir style. It resulted in one of the most revolutionary and unique shooters ever made. For the sequel, “Max Payne 2“, they managed to blow nearly everyone’s expectations away by retaining the essentially the same gameplay of the first, but then smothering the entire experience with unbelievable amount of style, emphasized by some of the best level design ever in a game and some perfect ragdoll physics, to create what is one of my personal favorite games of all time.

But now it’s Rockstar’s turn to take the reins (and why not as that iconic R logo on the first two led many to believe it was one of their developments anyway), as they attempt to bring Max back into the limelight. So far, from the numerous preview trailers, it looks like the emphasis is on refinement of the system and not starting a revolution….as least in the single player. Yes for the first time ever, Max is going multiplayer in what Rockstar is hoping is going to be a unique attempt at that eternal question. How do you make bullet time work in multiplayer?

Prospects

I have zero doubt this game is going to be good. I have some questions though on whether or not it will be great.

It’s obvious from everything we’ve seen so far that Rockstar is not looking to stray from the established gameplay of the first two, and merely tweak it with some very welcome additions (mostly cosmetic). But at this point, many fans want the game to be more than “just fun”, and to pull that off, Rockstar is going to have to match the numerous little X-factors that Remedy populated the first two games with. As this installment is moving away from its previous Noir style roots, they’re going to have to find a way to make the new “Man on Fire”-style world and plot shine as bright and feel as unique. Failing that, it’s going to come down to the multiplayer to be what makes this game stand out in a busy market (even for a returning legend).

I see this game turning out much like the last two “Uncharted” titles. A strong and cinematic, but brief, single player campaign that is bolstered somewhat by a multiplayer mode that is not quite an add-on, but far from mandatory. But since that’s probably the bare minimum we can expect from this title, I still can’t be more excited to see the Payne train pulling back into the station.

Starhawk

Scouting Report

As the successor to the PS3 launch title “Warhawk“, Starhawk looks to carve its own niche in the world of online shooters by emphasizing class based combat in a very real way. From everything that’s been shown so far, “Starhawk“ absolutely demands a variety of players of different classes working in perfect harmony. So while everyone may want to play as the half mech, half jet class for those sweet “Warhawk” style dogfights, without a good sniper or someone to work on base defenses, victory will take a backseat to your own amusement. Even in a game that will support up to 32 players in a match, developers LightBox Interactive have made it pretty clear so far that even one lone wolf from the pack can be detrimental to the rest of the team.

Prospects

Well, I’ll never knock a game for trying to be unique, and “Starhawk”’s ability to call in offensive and defensive structures to shape the battlefield along with its emphasis on teamwork are certainly welcome ideas. However, and I hope I’m wrong on this, I don’t see this one making much of an impact. So far everything I’ve seen gives me strong déjà vu to the PC bomb “Planetside“. While “Planetside” wasn’t necessarily a bad game, though it did have its own set of flaws, what ultimately led to its undoing is that it became nearly impossible to pit two teams functioning as one unit against each other in most of its matches. Thus the game degraded into a simple, lesser shooter and never evolved to its full potential.

Hopefully this game will eventually become a cult hit, and lead to a small dedicated fanbase playing it the right way. So if it sounds like something you may be interested in, keep an eye on it. Just be prepared to invest some time and patience into it maturing.

Diablo 3

Scouting Report

With very few possible exceptions, this may be the most anticipated game of all time. “Diablo 2” was a success in nearly every single aspect of how you would measure video games, and yet Blizzard is far from resting on their laurels and are aiming to make “Diablo 3” a true sequel that will justify the twelve year wait.

The most noticeable of the changes comes to the graphics, which are more colorful and vibrant than the usual style of the series. Looking deeper though, Blizzard is also making some major changes to the core gameplay, most obviously in the character building system that now puts more emphasis on loot, armor, crafting, and skill runes (a new addition) while doing away with the series famous skill tree. Along with minor tweaks like modifications to the mana system and nixing the potion belt, its obvious the emphasis is on streamlining the game, and therefore making it more accessible, while still trying to maintain the feel that made Diablo II one of the most successful games of all time.

Prospects

There’s no denying that the reaction to the games major changes have been heated among “Diablo” fans. I question the need to make the game more accessible when the built-in “Diablo” fanbase is so large and powerful that they would have posted astronomical sales numbers on their own without Blizzard having to pander to John Q. Gamer. Indeed after playing the beta, I kept thinking that the game just feels softer. It’s lacking some of that edge and intensity, and I’m sad to say that the changes do indeed reek of “WoW“influence, right down to the new palette of the graphics.

However, this is still at the polar end of being a bad game. Much like “Max Payne 3”, the basic formula of “Diablo”’s hack and slash remains unalterably entertaining, and none of the changes are game breaking enough that even the most hardcore fans can’t get used to them in some way, and still enjoy the ride. Personally, this isn’t the “Diablo” I was waiting for. Speaking objectively though, it is still going to be a great game that will make many GOTY ballots and sell unbelievable amounts. Historically I would just expect this to be viewed the same way as “Starcraft 2“. This is to say, it will be an execptional game that fails to have the long term impact that many expect it to.