Best shooter video games of 2012

Best shooter video games of 2012

Far Cry 3 out-gunned the likes of Halo 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II for the title of our best shooter game of the year.

The art of the shooter video game has matured over the years. And if you paid attention, you noticed that continuously throughout 2012.

A genre that’s long made its name on gradually perfect mechanics and graphical glitz and an ability to place increasing amounts of gamers into wild multiplayer mayhem now regularly includes RPG elements, deep stories and decisions.

You saw it in the big names, where Call of Duty: Black Ops II aimed to make you think just a little more, and you saw it in a few other titles too. Here’s a look at our favorites from 2012.

BEST STORY: Halo 4

The handoff from an old developer, Bungie, to a new one, 343 Studios, was fluid. The latest Halo 4 game had the finest, most cohesive story in series history, along with detailed visuals and new enemies. The new tale of the Chief and Cortana just felt right, and it was all backed by excellent shooting that forced gamers to reinvent their old-school Halo tactics.

BEST RPG: Borderlands 2

If you’ve played Borderlands 2, there’s a good chance you’ll never read this. Why? Because you’re probably still gunning down baddies and trying to level up in this cel-shaded shooter paradise. Leveling up was a bit more limited than you may have expected, the wealth of guns, areas, enemies and sidequests, as well as the straightforward RPG nature of the game, made Borderlands 2 a sheer joy to play and one of the most addictive games of the year.

BEST MULTIPLAYER: Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Sure, you could finish the campaign in less than a day, but it’s the multiplayer that’s always been the lure of the Call of Duty series, and it was once again splendid in Black Ops II. Leveling up in multiplayer and prepping a loadout were improved, and league play added even more to the overall package.

BEST THIRD-PERSON SHOOTER: Max Payne 3

Even sporting a bald head and a few extra pounds, Max Payne managed to deliver some fine shooting. Rockstar’s summer shooter threw you into some of the most addictive downhill shooting the genre has to offer while backing it with a grim tale of vengeance and frustration for Max Payne. Bullet-time made its return, and it was just as enthralling as it had been years ago. A fine effort overall.

BEST PORTABLE: Unit 13

The first shooter on the PS Vita not only proved the new power of the portable console; it was a fine game. Unit 13 featured a series of diverse missions, some that left you to shoot up a beautiful area and others that had you skulking about to recover evidence without being seen. It all looked beautiful on the Vita, although in the sequel, hopefully Zipper Interactive can pack a story into the package, too.

BEST OVERALL SHOOTER: Far Cry 3

Ubisoft’s end-of-the-year shooter was easily the finest shooter this year. You traversed a tremendously rendered tropical world that came to life, so much so that you could watch as a tiger killed an angry native, almost holding your own breath. The shooting, of course, was fantastic, and the entire experience was topped off by the finest level progression in the shooter genre.