I cannot believe that it has been a year since the release of Injustice: Gods among Us, Dead Island: Riptide, and Bioshock Infinite – it all feels like yesterday!
So a year later, and how have the releases been faring? Let’s tally the scores.
2013
Injustice Gods among Us
- 16 April 2013 – Metacritic: 79
DC’s brawler was the fighting hit of 2013, winning the best fighting game at the 2013 VGX Awards. The game received quite a few DLC packs which included new fighters as well as costume packs for existing characters. The game was then re-released on PS4 and Xbox One in December 2013 as the Ultimate Edition, which included all DLC packs and characters.
Tomb Raider
- 5 March 2013 – Metacritic: 87
Tomb Raider was one of the biggest hits of 2013, with the game receiving extremely positive reviews and winning numerous awards both pre and post-launch. The game has recently been re-released on PS4 and Xbox One, dubbed as the Definitive Edition, and includes new graphical improvements and all the DLC released for the original version of the game. The game was also part of the instant game collection for PS+ subscribers during the month of March 2014
SimCity
- 8 March 2013 – Metacritic: 64
SimCity did not live up to expectations when it was released in 2013, and the game was criticized for its wonky online issues and constant server problems. Since its launch, those issues have been improved and the game is now playable offline after an offline patch was released. The game has also received numerous DLC packs since its launch such as Cities of Tomorrow, which brings some futuristic add-ons to the game’s list of buildings and features.
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
- 26 March 2013 – Metacritic: 38
It has been a year since I had to review this terrible game – not long enough for me to forget about this gaming disaster. The game has gone onto win zero awards and receive zero DLC packs. It also received some of the worst ratings of 2013, putting it onto the list of the worst games of the year. So much potential, so little delivered.
Bioshock Infinite
- 26 March 2013 – Metacritic: 94
The biggest game of March was no doubt Bioshock. It sent reviewers into a frenzy and scored nothing lower than 85% in all reviews. Since its release it has received three DLC packs: Clash in the Clouds, an arena based pack; and two story packs – Burial at Sea Episode 1 and 2. Bioshock won over 25 awards post-release, including Best Shooter, Character of the Year, and Best PS3 Shooter at the VGX, as well as best PC Graphics, Sound, and Shooter Game at IGN’s best of 2013 awards.
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon
- 28 March 2013 – Metacritic: 86
One of Nintendo’s Year of Luigi titles came in the form of Luigi’s Mansion which saw you hunting ghosts, exterminating things, and being scared all at the same time. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon received positive reviews and was dubbed as a true contender to the original N64 release.
Average March/April 2013 gaming score – 74.4
2014
March 2014 was very similar in comparison to 2013. Both saw a huge FPS releases – Titanfall and Bioshock – as well as some big Nintendo 3DS releases – Yoshi’s Island and Luigi’s Mansion. But was 2013 better than 2014? Let’s have a look.
InFamous: Second Son
- 20 March – Metacritic: 80
The PS4’s first exclusive got great scores all around, currently sitting on an average of 80 from 78 reviews.
Yoshi’s New Island
- 14 March – Metacritic: 64
Not the best Nintendo release ever, but Yoshi’s Island is sitting on an admirable 64 from 64 reviews. Not quite the Luigi title from last year.
Dark Souls 2
- 14 March – Metacritic: 92
No surprise here, Dark Souls 2 has the highest score of March 2014 with a staggering 92 from 29 reviews. This game is beyond epic.
Titanfall
- Not avaialble in SA – Metacritic: 86
This Xbox exclusive got mixed reviews, but is sitting strong on 86 from 64 reviews.
South Park: The Stick of Truth
- 7 March – Metacritic: 85
We finally got to play South Park: The Stick of Truth, and it was worth it every second we waited. The game is currently sitting on an average 85 from 45 reviews
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeros
- 18 March – Metacritic: 75
Short but sweet, Ground Zeroes was okay, and got average reviews, sitting on a 75 from 62 reviews.
Average March 2014 gaming score – 80.30
Verdict
For every release in March 2014 there was a similar game that received a similar score in 2013, with the two top contenders Dark Souls 2 and Bioshock Infinite.
Altogether we did receive better games in 2014 according to Metacritic, with the big releases weighing in at 80.30 for March 2014 and 74.40 for the same period in 2013.
Do you agree that March 2014 has seen a better batch of releases than March/April 2013? Let us know in the comments and forum.
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