Spoiler: They’re not all fighting games

Over the past five years, I spent a majority of my gaming career heavily immersed in fighting games. And while I’ve valued the pure level of enjoyment, friends, and challenges associated with during my competitive experiences, I found myself greatly missing out on a lot of memorable events delivered through other viable titles.

At some point, I realized my focus was unbalanced. I needed to get back to a diverse gaming routine as the thought of memorizing frame data and grinding online in ranked matches no longer was cutting it. Fortunately, things started to come around in 2013 and I am pleased to have made time for several impressive titles which I’ve outlined below that were a delight to play from beginning to end.

Batman: Arkham Origins

I’ve gotta be honest. Arkham Origins to a degree shouldn’t really be getting any accolades simply for the fact it arrived in consumers hands as a buggy mess. However, if you disregard the obligatory caveats: frame-skipping, random crashes, and the absence of developer Rocksteady at the helm, lies a rather enjoyable journey of a younger, inexperienced Bruce Wayne coping with a league of super-criminals who ultimately shape his destiny as the Dark Knight.

Pikmin 3

I’ve been a fan of this series since its humble GameCube beginnings. The latest addition  retains the same charm and magic, while the visuals gets a boost of HD treatment thanks to the Wii U’s graphic processor. I would’ve liked the single-player campaign to flex a little bit more in the replay department, as there’s very little incentive to make a second run through the adventure once again.

With any luck, Nintendo will consider expanding its longevity further by releasing some additional adventures via DLC later this year.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Welcome to Raiden May Cry. Raiden’s first standalone adventure is quite a refreshing departure from the traditional tactical espionage missions we’ve come to treasure with the titular Solid Snake. Revengeance helped forge a more distinct identity for Raiden that wasn’t fully explored in Guns of the Patriots. 

It’s a worthy addition to the series, and one that I hope will ultimately set the stage for a true spiritual successor to the MGS-storyline, which, will probably be at least several years down the line since Ground Zeroes and Phantom Pain are based on the events leading up the origins of Big Boss, Outer Heaven, and the iconic Metal Gear. I just want to the Metal Gear series live on forever.

Shut up and take my money.

Injustice: Gods Among Us

Haters be damned. Injustice was the ultimate digital dream for diehard comic book enthusiasts and fighting game competitors alike. At long last, players could live our their fantasies as The Man of Steel faced off against The Joker, Green Arrow, Doomsday, Sinestro, etc. in a darker, more adult-themed storyline that would be quite a Summer blockbuster worth seeing in theaters should Warner Bros. ever decide to adapt the storyline for the big screen.

Till this day, the game still holds a significant presence in tournament events, but it lost some of its sparkle due to constant patches (see: community complaints too stronk). Definitely a viable title if you’re searching for other fighting games to indulge.

Rayman Legends

I was thrilled that Ubisoft and Michel Ancell got back on track with the Rayman franchise.What originally started out as Wii U exclusive lead to a multi-platform release, which worked out well for the project overall as the development team poured more great ideas (and content) into the final product.

You’d have to be devoid of great taste to actually dislike what they’ve delivered in Rayman Legends: gorgeous level design, tons of challenging mini-games, and oodles of personality.  If you’re fond of platformers, this is one title that definitely needs to be added to your library. Viva la Rayman!

Need for Speed: Rivals

This title remains the only title that I currently own for my Xbox One, which to be honest, doesn’t have a very strong launch selection of titles I currently want to own. Criterion, who you may recall,are the famed creators of the Burnout franchise, stepped in 2012 to take the helm of the Need for Speed series – then in 2013, the franchise had handed over to EA’s Ghost capable hands.

The team expanded on their first project (see: Need for Speed reboot, which I hated by the way) where players can choose between playing as an underground racer or the boys in blue ambitiously fighting to maintain law and order.)

I found playing as the latter is a LOT more enjoyable, as the street racers simply lack the tools and endurance to stay a formidable in intense road rage. I actually dig the online component to a degree, in which the single-player and multiplayer are seamlessly intergrated, which in theory, endeavors to give players a wholly unique experience with every game session. Plus, for an added dimension, you can incorporate an app for your smartphone and tablet to aid you with multiplayer challenges, track your progress, and even impede your friends from advancing through the ranks. Not bad guys, now if only you could look into bringing back Burnout.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

An awesome classic rebooted for a new generation of gamers. A Link Between Worlds is a great nostalgic adventure for Zelda: A Link to the Past fans while introducing a new set of impressive additions. I really dig the wall-merging mechanic which allowed me to explore the world of Hyrule (and it’s mirror counterpart) in ways that were previously unattainable in the SNES edition.

Other notable highlights include the Street Pass feature, and the ability to now “rent” items from the beginning, a valuable feature that comes in handy now that players can tackle the adventure in a less linear fashion.

Kudos for Nintendo for putting a new spin on one of the most memorable classics in the Zelda portfolio. More please.

So that wraps up my personal selection. Of course, there are plenty of other titles that could (and should) have been mentioned, simply because of lack of interest or insufficient time playing those titles (GTA V rings a bell.)

What?!?

Ok, well at least I am onto recovery. And besides, 2014 seems destined to be a remarkable year now that Xbox One, PS4 and the eventual release of Steam-powered box on the horizon, giving me even less of a reason not to exclude some of the potential gems in development. The fighting genre may just have to hold dat.