Why these game of the year candidates are not my candidates for game of the year but some are still good while like one is pretty terrible.

So 2012 has been a bit of a ho-hum year in the gaming realm. Somewhere in the deepest, darkest corners of my mind I’ve begun to possessedly mould and carve my top 10 games list into the vile, insane creature it was born to be, celebrating all the games that actually did something worthwhile this year, but there’ll be a few key experiences missing from said list. Time to get off my chest just which unfortunate beasts these are and why they failed to tame thumbs.

Review - Taken 2

On a professional scale, I know I wouldn’t make a very good film critic. Not because I lack the knowledge of the Kermodes or the know-how of Tarantinos, but because I almost always find some way to appreciate a movie. All it really takes is for some semblance of the will to please its audience and I can come away from most flicks pleased as punch. This year alone I’d have raved about Battleship’s hilarious self-aware humour amidst a dull blockbuster, or Lockout’s almost-parody of Bruce Willis films in a fantastically crap, straight-to-DVD-worthy flick. I’d have given Safe House fairly decent marks for the appearance of Ryan Reynolds alone.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale - Let's get obscure

At 20 characters strong it looks like the roster for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is rounding up, with a list that features third party favourites, Sony icons, and the weird cat thing. With each passing day it looks less and less likely that Crash Bandicoot will be joining the ranks of Raiden and Ratchet. We can only hope that there are still some surprises in store between now and the games November launch.

So here’s my picks of five obscure characters and five stages that SuperBot could really surprise me with. I don’t expect any of them to make it in there, though maybe one or two could replace Evil Cole in the sequel.

Review / Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune’s humble beginnings on PS3 were quickly dwarfed by the set-piece driven, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride of its sequels. And while the plane crashes and train tumblings of Among Thieves and Drake’s Deception have earned the series a spot on many a favourite game list, there’s still something to be said for the beautiful simplicity of Naughty Dog’s original adventure.