1. Dishonored

Only one game can be crowned the year's best, and this time it's Dishonored that takes first prize. Above all, originality gets top reward here and the unique concoction of multiple gameplay styles that is Dishonored has won out in 2012. Combining the genres of stealth, action, first-person shooter, strategy, and more, Dishonored constantly reminded players that this was a game they'd never experienced before. Arkane Studios took gamers to the fantastic fictional city of Dunwall, with a bevy of supernatural powers at their disposal, to play out a tale filled with betrayal, revenge, and murder.