BioWare's latest reads like a love letter to fans and somehow manages to maintain a delicate balance between the previous two games in the franchise. There's an insanely detailed and intricate world to explore, fantastically realized characters to interact with and learn about, and a satisfying combat system that stays tactical and impactful at the same time. Exploring the hinterlands for the first time feels like the developer is throwing down the gauntlet and heralding the arrival of the next generation of RPGs. You can spend hours filling out your quest log and taking in the beautiful sights, and that's before you've even completed the first main quest and really opened things up! Combat is fast and fun, offering a great deal of customization and player input. Do you want to play things like an action game and simply swing your broadsword at the approaching enemy, or would you prefer to manage each and every move from the omnipresent view of the tactical camera? The choice is yours and there is no wrong answer. Best of all, Inquisition makes you feel like a force in the world. Planning out missions and strategies in the war room creates a power fantasy few RPGs are able to properly convey. Sentencing criminals from a massive throne had me thinking about each and every way the people of Thedas would view my actions. And what about the people who worship you as some kind of deity? You're more than just a hero tasked with saving the world; you're a religious leader to some and a dangerous blasphemer to others.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is big, bold and beautiful; an ambitious AAA game that wants to be more than a safe release or yearly update. BioWare clearly took a long, hard look at the criticisms levied at Origins and DAII and addressed them in a way that should stand as a textbook example of how to make a proper sequel. We waited a long time for this one, and Inquisition is our Game of the Year because it someone managed to surpass our wildest expectations.

There was a lot of hype surrounding Bravely Default when it finally made its way to Western shores early this year. While it didn't quite meet the expectations many had placed on it — and really, what game does? — there is still plenty going for this title as a contender for Game of the Year. The art style is gorgeous, the music is beautiful, the gameplay is challenging, the characters are generally likable, and the story — while repetitive at times — hearkens back to classic Final Fantasy. Just do yourself a favor and switch to the Japanese audio. One can only hear Agnes say "unacceptable" so many times before they go mad.