Hi everyone,

Welcome to the final part of my top 20 games of 2012, the top 5. To see the previous 15 games look at my last 3 blogs and remember that the games here don't need to have been released in 2012, I simply have to of played the for the first time in 2012.

5- Batman: Arkham Asylum (ps3)

2009's Arkham Asylum finally provided a superhero game worthy of the word super. Its biggest triumph is that it actually makes the player feel like Batman pulling of brutal combos and utilising his array of gadgets. It also has a really good grasp of the Batman universe with many favourite villains appearing and bios of many more to find. Its let down by the quality of the boss fights but until the sequel was easily the best superhero game ever.

4- LA Noire- (ps3)

Rockstar turned the tables in LA Noire and cast you as a cop in late 1940s Los Angeles, tasking you with solving crimes rather than being the criminal. Its combat is solid but its real strengths are the story, characters and investigations. Investigating crime scenes, interviewing suspects and piecing together clues all feel like second nature due to the ease with which they are implemented and for me being a cop is much more enjoyable than being the criminal. The game also makes excellent use of motion capture for its characters. I hope for a sequel.

3- Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception (ps3)

Uncharted 2 was a major improvement on the first Uncharted but somehow Uncharted 3 managed to improve by the same amount again. The story is in my opinion much more engaging, the set pieces even more spectacular and the action even better. Add to that a fantastic musical score and brilliant online multiplayer that I keep returning to and you've got one of thebest action adventure games I've ever played.

2- Batman: Arkham City (ps3)

The second helping of Arkham action upped the anti on the original with more of the same and improvements to boot. With a larger game world, even crazier characters and much more to do it improves on the original in many ways. MOst importantly though the boss battles are much more enjoyable and that elevates the game to the next level. The first game was great but this makes it looks mediocre by comparison.

1- Mass Effect 3 (pc)

I am a huge Mass Effect fan and for the second year running the series wins my game of the year. I only experienced the first 2 in 2011 but it is already one of my favourite series. Mass Effect 3 increases the scale with huge space battles, a sweeping score and even more action and excitement. Importantly it retains the story driven characterization to balance the action as well. I struggle to find fault with it with only the lacklustre ending blotting its copybook.

So that's my top 5. I shall now add Mass Effect 3 to the list of my game of the year winners. Below is my GOTY for the last 6 years. Remember it is games I played for the first time that year although for all but 2011 the winner was released in the year in question. Thats why for 2011 I am putting the game that was runner-up in brackets because if it was games released that year it would have won.

2007- Super Mario Galaxy

2008- Super Smash Bros Brawl

2009- Pokemon Platinum

2010- Super Mario Galaxy 2

2011- Mass Effect 2 (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)

2012- Mass Effect 3

Thanks for reading.

pigfish2