10 Reasons Why 2012 Was Mac Gaming’s Best Year Yet
Posted by MacGamerHQ
This guest-post is brought to you by Ric Molina (@MacGamerRic). A self-proclaimed Mac gaming fan, he runs MacGamerHQ, the blog where you can find all things Mac Games.
Time sure flies. 2012 is long gone and I’m left here with this bittersweet feeling. Why? Well, because 2012 brought so many great games that I can’t even decide which one to tackle next! I guess having too many choices can be difficult…. I know, I know, this is a great problem to have 
. There are several reasons I said 2012 was Mac gaming’s best year yet, but if you need to remember the main one, it’s the games! 2012 brought more high quality games than ever before. Today, I will give you my top 10 games of the year:
1. Borderlands 2
“I don’t care if I can’t play Black Ops 2 on the Mac as long as I can keep shooting things in the face with my pals in Borderlands 2!”
Borderlands 2 was without a doubt my favourite game of the year. Combining a highly polished First-person shooter with addictive RPG elements such as looting, experience and levelling up, Gearbox Software found the perfect formula for an awesome game. The story, world and characters blend perfectly, creating a great atmosphere. Did I mention the game gets even better when playing co-op with a friend? Aspyr did a great job too, bringing a gorgeous and demanding game to the Mac without a hitch. Borderlands 2 got an 89 Metascore, meaning I’m not alone with this one.
2. Guild Wars 2
People rarely talk about this game, but it doesn’t change the fact it was one of the best of the year. It must be hard to live in World of Warcraft’s shadow…. Still, Guild of Wars 2 was a success. I loved how the game embraced its own identity from the get go, focusing in collaboration instead of competition, creating a more dynamic world than ever seen before (world events anyone?) and bringing a top-notch service without forcing players to pay for a monthly subscription. It was praised all-around and turn millions of gamers into loyal fans. It got a 90 Metascore.
3. Batman: Arkham City
Arkham City closed the year with a high note. It has to be tough to improve when you first release Batman: Arkham Asylum, the FIRST superhero video game to really nail it. Yet, Rocksteady managed to capture all the great things Arkham Asylum had and created a more complete, polished package. Arkham City gives you a huge playground with lot’s of fun things to do and lots of asses to kick. This game has the gameplay, the graphics and the story. The complete package.
4. Diablo III
Some were disappointed but I guess that’s something you cannot avoid when the expectations are so HIGH. After all, Blizzard had to bring a sequel to one of PC’s most beloved games. When you actually give Diablo 3 a fair chance, you have to be impressed by how a rather simple game can be so addictive. This game is perfectly tuned, giving you just enough gear and weapons to keep you hooked, but still wanting more. Once you start, you cannot stop. Diablo 3′s random enemies increases re-playability too. However, forcing you to be always online to play sucks…
5. FTL: Faster Than Light
The indie revelation of the year, FLT captures in my opinion the essence of indie gaming: Don’t worry about the bells and whistles, just make a really fun game. Putting you in charge of a ship, you have to escape from the Rebels who are on your tail. FLT’s simplicity can be shocking at first (guilty myself). However, you will be surprised by how fun this game can be. I found myself playing for hours at a time, trying to get to the last level (Spoiler alert: I didn’t).
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Apple’s Mac Game of the Year, Human Revolution doesn’t disappoint. It fills all the requirements for a good big budget FPS: great graphics, polished gameplay and great history. Then it adds one more thing that turns it into a great game: Options. This game gives you real options (finally!). You can be stealthy or you can make a big mess. You can just play how YOU want to. It’s refreshing to have this choice once again.
7. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
“Visual beauty, challenging action, and game-changing decisions can coexist in a modern RPG.”
CD Projekt Red Studio surprised the whole mac gaming community in 2012 when it suddenly announced it was bringing The Witcher 2 to the Mac. This game is definitely one of the highlights of the year. Because of it’s great story, fantasy-world and gorgeous graphics, you owe it to yourself to play this game. The Witcher 2 was applauded in every platform it reached, scoring an 88 Metascore overall.
8. The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day
Episode 1 – A New Day is the one that started it all. First part of a fascinating adventure set in the Walking Dead universe, The Walking Dead game was a hit (scoring an 82 Metascore). Not afraid to bet everything on the atmosphere and the story it tells, The Walking Dead really pulls you in. You care for the story and you care for the characters. You REALLY care, which is rare these days. The gameplay is extremely simple, but you don’t play this game for the headshots, you play it just so you can be part of the fascinating story it tells. It then forces you to make hard choices and then it gives you real consequences.
9. Call of Duty: Black Ops
“The single player is solid, but it is not why you buy a Call of Duty game. You buy it because of the awesome Multiplayer.”
Call of Duty: Black Ops is simply a must for every FPS Mac gamer out there. Period. As pointed out in my previous post here:
Black Ops is a great package, with a solid single player story mode, an addictive multiplayer and even a bonus Zombie killing mode. It is the most fully featured COD game you can get on the Mac.
You like shooters? You play on your Mac? You need Black Ops. It’s that simple.
10. Company of Heroes: Campaign Edition
This one is a classic on the PC. It completely shook the Real-Time Strategy genre back in 2006 when it was first released. It raised the bar so high that RTS games are still scrambling. It took 6 years to see Company of Heroes on the Mac, but the game still plays as brilliantly as before. Company of Heroes is a perfectly executed RTS game, with an attention to details that will blow you away: terrain destruction, the use of cover, the balance between unit types. This game just clicks and you need to own it, no matter how old it is on PC.
As I said before, 2012 was a great year, bringing many top-notch games. You will have to forgive me if I didn’t mention your favourite game here. However, please share it with us in the comments!
