The GameOn Magazine Issue 51 | Page 18

GameOn Staff Picks for GOTY 2013 GameOn Staff Picks for GOTY 2013 S everal GameOn staff members reveal their #1 picks for Game of the Year 2013... The Last of Us - Rob Gisbey In my mind there is one title that is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition this year, and that’s Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic masterpiece, The Last of Us. Unlike other games that excel in certain areas but disappoint in others, this momentous experience delivers on all fronts – narrative, gameplay, graphics and sound. The harrowing tale that’s told here is mature and affecting, charting the journey of Joel and Ellie, two survivors travelling through a harsh postpandemic world. This dark and gritty experience had a significant impact on me and – just as Metal Gear Solid did back in 1998 – will change how I view storytelling in gaming going forward. Beautiful, tragic, compelling and immersive, The Last of Us offers an enthralling single-player campaign and an exceptional multiplayer, combining to form an unparalleled product. Not only is it my pick for Game of the Year 2013, but it’s unquestionably my game of the generation; one that elevates the medium to new and greater heights. Issue 51 • January 2014 18 • GameOn Magazine