Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Best Action-Adventure Game 2013
Platform(s): PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
I almost wanted to create an additional "adventure-action" category this year, due to the sheer number of action adventure games and the fact that about half of them have more of an emphasis on open-world exploration. Hey, Saints Row IV almost didn't make this list and that would have been a sin. What a superpowered sendoff that game was. Meanwhile, Dead Rising 3 is among the best launch-day titles for Xbox One, A Link Between Worlds is a solid reboot and a strong case for old-school Zelda, and Tomb Raider is a rightfully great reboot all its own, despite the lower number of sales.
While I've never been a fan of the whole hoodie-as-a-disguise in Assassin's Creed, Black Flag more than made up for these strange idiosyncrasies by being an awesome pirate game, perhaps the best one since Sid Meier's Pirates. Riding the high waters, seeing the waves crash against the hull of the Jackdaw, sailing around the numerous tropical islands, and plundering cargo ships of their gold and resources culminate into an experience that brings the best out of Assassin's Creed III and pushes the series as a whole into the modern era. Having seen Black Flag's plans for DLC, I can already say that it's an incredible platform for the franchise. I simply pity the moment that Assassin's Creed has to return to the land.
Runners Up:
