Looking back at 2012, it was a bit of a downer overall for co-op gamers. Not that we didn't have a lot of great co-op games, but it just seems that the field of truly standout games was a lot thinner than previous years. 2012 was the year we finally saw Diablo 3 released and while there was a lot of controversy around it, it was still a damn fine co-op game. We also saw sequels a plenty with the likes of Borderlands 2, Halo 4, Far Cry 3 and plenty of others. But 2012 was also a standout year for one reason, it was the year we really saw the rise of the indie game in both quality, quantity and recognition.
Digital download games have exploded, and with that, a lot of studios - both large and small - have self published titles. Studios with their first game like Misfits Attic who created A Virus Named TOM to veteran studios like Robot Entertainment who released the truly excellent Orcs Must Die! 2. Indie was everywhere this year and there was a solid field of games to choose from, almost as big as the AAA titles themselves.
Because of the way the industry has changed, so has our awards. Gone are several categories and instead we split things in two - Indie and AAA. We put up several games to a vote for the community and the staff itself voted as well. So who are the co-op games of the year? Let's fine out.
Community Votes
Indie
The community voted on both Indie and AAA titles and in both cases the winner won by a landslide. On the indie front, Torchlight 2 from Runic Games was the clear community favorite gathering almost 50% of the total vote. Offering an action/RPG experience for 6 players online with plenty of style and replayability, it was easy to see why our community chose this over other greats like Orcs Must Die! 2 and Journey.
AAA
The AAA vote was even more of a landslide, with Borderlands 2 garnering almost 60% of the votes. The game, quite simply, is damn near perfect from a co-op features perspective. Whether you want to play online, offline, LAN, or any mix of them - Borderlands 2 supports it and supports it well. The game is hilariously written, features a load of content, and is just damn fun.
Staff Picks
Indie
While the staff enjoyed the heck out of Torchlight 2, there were certain folks that had such an amazing experience with Journey and what it offered for co-op players. While not your traditional cooperative experience, Journey broke the mold in so many ways and easily became one of those games you just had to have played. It transcended itself as a game and became something more.
Because of that we've awarded Journey our Indie Co-Op Game of the Year.
AAA
It's hard to disagree with the community pick for the AAA game this year. Borderlands 2 is simply a juggernaut for co-op gamers offering something for everyone. The careful blend of action and RPG plus loot collecting makes it an addicting romp, and the laugh out loud dialog further adds to the entertainment. Add in all the co-op accessibility and the game is damn near perfect.
Because of that we've awarded Borderlands 2 our 2012 Co-Op Game of the Year.