With 2012 having come to an end (and the Mayans being wrong), we have a look back at the games that really made the year special. More specifically, we’re looking at the games that were top of the pile on the PS3.

Are there truly any words that can effectively describe how great a game Journey is? I honestly think not, because the rollercoaster experience it takes you on is one that I have never experienced from a game before. Journey did not require all of the glitz and glamour or the flare of a AAA title, but was still incredibly beautiful and unique and provided an experience that, 10 months after its release, I still haven’t forgotten. It was all about the simplicity, taking your robed figure on an adventure to reach a glowing summit atop a mountain. You did not have to make this journey alone, you may have been accompanied by a random anonymous player, and the two of you would make this journey together, aiding each other along the way as well as unlocking secrets. Thatgamecompany produced a little gem in Journey that I know will be remembered and talked about for years to come. This is gaming’s form of an artwork hanging in a museum, except each and every one of us get to keep it in our living rooms.

Now here is a game that is the perfect of example of taking all of the great things that were in the previous game, adding in things that would keep people interested and end up being one heck of a game that is fun, exciting, thrilling and great to play. Your role in the game as Jason Brody takes you through tropical islands in the pacific and it is simply amazing the amount of detail that was put into the environment for you to explore, as it is rich in atmosphere all throughout. You can very easily lose several hours simply trekking around the islands, hunting the animals, carrying out side quests, raiding outposts or gliding around the skies, just to name a few things. The best bit overall, is the ability to play it the way you want, this is sandbox at its best. It’s quite easy to forget that there is a main story just waiting for you amidst the dense jungle full of action and thrilling adventure.

You are Commander Shepherd and your mission was to save the universe. With this game came the end of a fantastic trilogy of science fiction role playing. Sure, the ending itself might not have been what anybody expected, but that really isn’t a good enough reason to overlook what was an amazing game Mass Effect 3 was and how it eventually tied everything up. Mass Effect 3 tightened up on shooting, with a quicker pace to the action as well as some great quests to carry out in well-designed environments, but dropped the ball ever so slightly with an odd journal system. But beyond this it had an excellent array of characters with plenty of depth, a superb plot that paced itself very neatly with moments of sheer brilliance throughout. Finally there was a soundtrack that managed to bind everything else together to form an incredible experience.

Now, Borderlands was already an incredible game, but Borderlands 2 somehow managed to take all of that and improve on it! Borderlands 2 was once again packed full of great action, much laughter and most importantly, millions and millions of guns! What really excelled in this sequel was the greater emphasis on the plot and characters involved within it. This includes Handsome Jack who, for being a truly amazing character, has picked up not only ‘Best Performance in a Human Male’ award at the VGA Awards, but also ‘Best Villain’ as voted for by you, the fans, here at VGU. For those who never played the first Borderlands, this will definitely draw you in, and for those of you who are already Borderlands fans, the fan service will have you laughing your way from start to finish, but let’s not forget that this too is a co-op outing, so more than likely you won’t be alone in all your amusement. By the way, did I mention the WUB WUB?

Do you remember those times when you were a kid when you used to play games for hours on end, replaying the games multiple times until either your eyes fell out or your hands fell off? That is the feeling Dishonored brings with it to the modern gaming era. In Dishonored you choose the way you want to play, and this is what keeps you coming back, several different ways for you to navigate through the game. Credit goes to the development team for creating the City in which it all takes place. There is incredible colour and style packed into the world of Dunwall, through which you take the main protagonist, Corvo, who has a unique display of abilities and weapons at his disposal, all of which seem to have an endless number of combinations. To supplement all of this is a marvellous story, coupled with some great character design and music that provides a great atmosphere. What we have here is a game that leaves control over what happens in the player’s hands, something that doesn’t happen often in games very much.

And there is what we here at VGU believe is the best 5 PS3 games of 2012. What do you guys think, do you agree, or would you make any changes? Let us know in the comments.