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Mortal Kombat X and the beauty of gore originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Dec 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's that time of the year when any leftover money you've got after buying gifts, arranging holiday travel, and donating to worthwhile causes is going to go PC games. The Steam Winter sale is live, and we'll be updating this story every day with what we think is the best of the best as well as all of the other day's deals. Things are structured little different this year:

• New featured deals pop up every 24 hours, but will last for 48 hours
• Flash Sales will update every 12 hours, but those deals will be available for 24 hours
• Community's choice deals will update every 24 hours

What are you picking up (or hoping to buy) during Valve's quarterly sales event? Let us know in the comments below.

Day 14: December 31, 2014

Our Pick: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor -- $29.99 (-40%)

Steam is wrapping up its Holiday discounts with a two-day Encore Sale, which brings back the best deals from the past two weeks. With so many great games to choose from, our pick of the day can only be GameSpot's game of the year, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.

Other Encore Deals:

• Endless Legend -- $17.49 (-50%)
• Saints Row IV -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Company of Heroes 2 -- $9.99 (-75%)
• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes -- $13.39 (-33%)
• Football Manager 2015 -- $33.49 (-33%)
• Euro Truck Simulator 2 -- $3.74 (-85%)
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel -- $29.99 (-50%)
• Telltale's Game of Thrones -- $22.49 (-25%)
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare -- $44.99 (-25%)
• The Binding of Isaac Rebirth -- $10.04 (-33%)
• Mount & Blade: Warband -- $3.99 (-80%)
• Don't Starve -- $3.74 (-75%)
• Kerbal Space Program -- $17.99 (-60%)
• Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition -- $4.99 (-80%)
• Shovel Knight -- $10.04 (-33%)
• Arma III -- $29.00 (-50%)
• The Long Dark -- $9.99 (-50%)
• This War of Mine -- $14.99 (-25%)
• Wasteland 2 -- $19.99 (-50%)
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Payday 2 -- $7.49 (-75%)
• BioShock Infinite-- $7.49 (-75%)
• South Park: The Stick of Truth -- $13.59 (-66%)
• 7 Way to Die -- $12.49 (-50%)
• Far Cry 4 -- $47.99 (-20%)
• Transistor -- $6.79 (-66%)
• Dark Souls 2 -- $14.70 (63%)
• Wolfenstein: The New Order -- $20.39 (-66%)
• Total War: Rome II Emperor Edition -- $14.98 (-75%)
• Age of Empires II HD -- $3.99 (-80%)
• The Forest -- $10.04 (-33%)
• Assassin's Creed Unity -- $40.19 (-33%)
• Divinity: Original Sin -- $26.79 (-33%)
• Alien: Isolation -- $24.99 (-50%)
• Space Engineers -- $9.99 (-50%)
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive -- $7.49 (-50%)
• Gary's Mod -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Civilization: Beyond Earth -- $29.99 (-40%)
• Prison Architect -- $5.99 (-80%)

Day 12: December 29, 2014

Our pick: Wolfenstein: The New Order -- $20.39 (-66%)

Sometimes you just need to unload two submachine guns into some robot Nazis, If that's the particular itch you're looking to scratch, you can't do much better than Wolfenstein: The New Order, especially at $20.49. If you're not quite sure that it's for you, make sure to read GameSpot's review.

Other Day 12 Deals:

• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist -- $7.49 (-75%)
• BattleBlock Theater -- $1.49 (-90%)
• Don't Starve -- $3.74 (-75%)
• Construction Simulator 2015 -- $20.99 (-30%)
• Men of War: Assault Squad 2 -- $8.74 (-75%)
• Farming Simulator 15 -- $20.09 (-33%)
• The Stanley Parable -- $4.49 (-70%)
• Left 4 Dead 2 -- $4.99 (-75%)

Flash Sale:

• Gang Beasts -- $13.39 (-33%)
• Half-Life 2 -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Serious Sam 3: BFE -- $3.99 (-90%)
• Shadowgate -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Two World II -- $1.99 (-90%)
• A Bird Story -- $2.49 (-50%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Mercenary Kings -- $6.79 (-66%)
• LUFTRAUSERS -- $4.99 (-50%)
• Gunpoint -- $4.99 (-50%)

Day 11: December 28, 2014

Our pick: Divinity: Original Sin -- $26.79 (-33%)

At $26.79, our PC game of the year Divinity: Original Sin is far from the cheapest game on Steam's Holiday Sale, but it's still more than worth it at that price. As GameSpot's review said, "to play Divinity: Original Sin is to fall in love with role-playing games all over again."

Other Day 11 Deals:

• Age of Empires II HD -- $3.99 (-80%)
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM Revolution -- $29.99 (-40%)
• Dishonored -- $4.99 (-75%)
• This War of Mine -- $14.99 (-25%)
• Max Payne 3 -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Mount & Blade: Warband -- $6.79 (-66%)
• Transistor -- $6.79 (-66%)
• Tomb Raider -- $3.99 (-80%)

Flash Sale:

• To the Moon -- $1.99 (-80%)
• The Crew -- $47.99 (-20%)
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Victoria II -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Red Faction Guerrilla -- $2.99 (-85%)
• Pinball FX2 -- -66% on a large number of tables

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Ancient Space -- $11.99 (-40%)
• Invisible, Inc. -- $11.19 (-30%)
• Audiosurf 2 -- $10.49 (-30%)

Day 10: December 27, 2014

Our pick: Alan Wake -- $2.99 (-90%)

Alan Wake is a few years old at this point, but it still looks and plays great. As GameSpot said in its review, the game's creepy atmosphere, fantastic combat, and clever storytelling make Alan Wake's quest thrilling from beginning to end. For $3, it's a must if you haven't played it already, and if you have, it's still worth revisiting on max settings on the PC in anticipation of Remedy's Quantum Break.

Other Day 10 Deals:

• Watch Dogs -- $29.99 (-50%)
• Shadowrun: Dragonfall -- $5.99 (-60%)
• Shovel Knight -- $10.04 (-33%)
• Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition -- $29.99 (-40%)
• Fallout: New Vegas -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Tropico 5 -- $13.99 (-65%)
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II: Retribution -- $10.19 (-66%)
• The Long Dark -- $9.99 (-50%)

Flash Sale:

• Game Dev Tycoon -- $3.99 (-60%)
• Surgeon Simulator 2013 -- $3.24 (-75%)
• Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Starpoint Gemini 2 -- $17.49 (-50%)
• Nidhogg -- $3.74 (-75%)
• Alan Wake -- $2.99 (-90%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Super Time Force Ultra -- $5.09 (-66%)
• Warlock 2: The Exiled -- $9.99 (-50%)
• Abyss Odyssey -- $7.49 (-50%)

Day 9: December 26, 2014

Our pick: Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons -- $1.49 (-90%)

Brothers is clever puzzle game with a huge heart. It's a short, beautiful experience, and an absolute steal at $1.49. Once you'll play it you'll understand why we're excited for developer Hazelight's next game.

Other Day 9 Deals:

• Risen 3 - Titan Lords -- $24.99 (-50%)
• Company of Heroes 2 -- $9.99 (-75%)
• Kerbal Space Program -- $17.99 (-60%)
• Thief -- $7.49 (-75%)
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor -- $29.99 (-40%)
• Anno 2070 -- $7.49 (-75%)
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive -- $7.49 (-50%)
• Banished -- $7.99 (-60%)

Flash Sale:

• FTL: Faster Than Light -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Viscera Cleanup Detail -- $6.69 (-33%)
• Fight The Dragon -- $7.49 (-50%)
• Turbo Dismount -- $3.39 (66%)
• Resident Evil 6 -- $9.99 (-75%)
• Gods Will Be Watching -- $2.49 (-75%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Postal 2 -- $0.99 (-90%)
• Hero Siege -- $1.49 (-75%)
• Dust: An Elysian Tale -- $3.74

Day 8: December 25, 2014

Our pick: South Park: The Stick of Truth -- $13.59 (-66%)

A perfect transition from TV show to game. While not every South Park game has been a hit, this one perfectly encapsulates the snarky humor of Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Read our South Park review and check it out on Steam here.

Other Day 8 Deals:

• Democracy 3 -- $4.99 (-80%)
• Contagion -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Train Fever -- $20.99 (-40%)
• Lego Batman 3 Beyond Gotham -- $20.09 (-33%)
• Football Manager 2015 -- $33.49 (-33%)
• Planetary Annihilation -- $5.99 (-80%)
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare -- $44.99 (-25%)
• Grid Autosport -- $9.99 (-75%)

Flash Sale:

• The Secret World -- $10.19 (-66%)
• Test Drive Unlimited -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Gone Home -- $3.99 (-80%)
• Sleeping Dogs -- $10.19 (-66%)
• Dungeon Defenders -- $1.49 (-90%)
• Legend of Grimrock II -- $16.70 (-30%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit -- $3.99 (-80%)
• Slender: The Arrival -- $2.99 (-70%)
• Halo: Spartan Assault -- $1.49 (-70%)

Day 7: December 24, 2014

Our pick: Terraria -- $1.99 (-80%)

Simplistic graphics doesn't mean simple game. Kind of like a 2D Minecraft, Terraria is a game where your imagination can run wild. And at $2, you can afford a four-pack to get your friends in on the action with you. Read our review and check out the game on Steam.

Other Day 7 Deals:

• Gauntlet -- $9.99 (-50%)
• Life is Feudal: Your Own -- $26.79 (-33%)
• Far Cry 4 -- $47.99 (-20%)
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown -- $7.49 (-75%)
• Plague Inc., Evolved -- $10.04 (-33%)
• The Evil Within -- $20.39 (-66%)
• Ultra: Street Fighter -- $17.99 (-40%)
• Lords of the Fallen -- $19.99 (-60%)

Flash Sale:

• Magicka -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Talisman -- $1.49 (-90%)
• Natural Selection II -- $3.74 (-85%)
• Car Mechanic Simulator Complete Edition 2014 -- $3.74 (-75%)
• Supreme Ruler Ultimate -- $10.19 (-66%)
• Sanctum 2 -- $2.99 (-80%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Bully: Scholarship Edition -- $4.41 (-66%)
• Contrast -- $5.09 (-66%)
• Supreme Commander 2 -- $2.99 (-80%)

Day 6: December 23, 2014

Our pick: BioShock Infinite-- $7.49 (-75%)

The continuation of the BioShock series, and likely the final one from Ken Levine, Infinite was a divisive title among fans. But either way, it's a game worth checking out, especially for $7.50. Read our GameSpot review and check out the game on Steam here.

Other Day 5 Deals:

• Goat Simulator -- $4.99 (-50%)
• Age of Wonders III -- $13.59 (-66%)
• Scribblenauts Unlimited -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Payday 2 -- $7.49 (-75%)
• Telltale's Game of Thrones -- $22.49 (-25%)
• Assetto Corsa -- $24.99 (-50%)
• Gary's Mod -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Just Cause 2 -- $2.99 (-80%)

Flash Sale:

• Dead Island -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Darksiders II: Death Lives -- $4.49 (-85%)
• Rising Storm -- $4.99 (-75%)
• RPG Maker VX -- $13.99 (-80%)
• Murdered: Soul Suspect -- $7.49 (-75%)
• Spelunky -- $2.99 (-80%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Orion Prelude -- $0.49 (-51%)
• IL-2 Sturmovik -- $35.99 (-40%)
• OMSI 2 -- $20.99 (-40%)

Day 5: December 22, 2014

Our pick: Grand Theft Auto IV -- $4.99 (-75%)

Sure, everyone might be more focused on getting Grand Theft Auto V on PC, but that doesn't mean that $5 for GTAIV isn't a steal. And with a crazy modding community that's been supporting the game for years, there's plenty to explore outside the main game as well. Read our review of the game and check it out on Steam here.

Other Day 5 Deals:

• Train Simulator 2015 -- $27.49 (-50%)
• The Walking Dead: Season Two -- $6.24 (-75%)
• Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends -- $16.99 (-66%)
• Chivalry: Medieval Warfare -- $4.99 (-80%)
• Endless Legend -- $17.49 (-50%)
• The Escapists -- $7.49 (-50%)
• Saints Row IV -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Outlast -- $4.99 (-75%)

Flash Sale:

• Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 -- $4.99 (-75%)
• X-Plane 10 Global -- $29.99 (-50%)
• Papers, Please -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Mount Your Friends -- $1.99 (-60%)
• Tabletop Simulator -- $8.99 (-40%)

Community's Choice:

• Clickteam Fusion -- $33.99 (-66%)
• 3DMark -- $4.99 (-80%)
• Fuse Character Creator -- $33.99 (-66%)

Day 4: December 21, 2014

Our pick: Bulletstorm -- $3.99 (-80%)

There are some bigger and newer games on today's list, but with an 80 percent discount that brings it down to $4, you should take the opportunity to catch up with Bulletstorm, a score-driven first-person shooter with some really great, original weapons.

Other Day 3 Deals:

• Age of Mythology: Extended Edition -- $7.49 (-75%)
• Alien: Isolation -- $24.99 (-50%)
• Portal 2 -- $3.99 (-80%)
• Spore -- $4.99 (-75%)
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Spintires -- $10.19 (-66%)
• Never Alone -- $10.04 (-33%)
• Five Nights at Freddy's 2 -- $5.35 (-33%)
• Shadow Warrior -- $3.99 (-90%)

Flash Sale:

• Grim Dawn -- $12.49 (-50%)
• Craft the World -- $9.49 (-50%)
• Project Zomboid -- $9.74 (-35%)
• L.A. Noire -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Bound By Flame -- $9.99 (-75%)
• Wargame: Red Dragon -- $9.99 (-75%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Bulletstorm -- $3.99 (-80%)
• Panzer Corps -- $6.79 (-66%)
• Cities XL Platinum -- 10.19 (-66%)

Day 3: December 20, 2014

Our pick: Metro 2033 Redux -- $12.49 (-50%)

Metro 2033 was released four years ago, but with the Redux treatment, it's still one of the best-looking first-person shooters on PC. If you didn't play it back then, you owe it to yourself to pick up the discounted version. Read GameSpot's Metro 2033 Redux review and check it out on Steam here.

Other Day 3 Deals:

• Prison Architect -- $5.99 (-80%)
• NBA 2K15 -- $40.19 (-33%)
• Stronghold Crusader -- $33.49 (-33%)
• Europa Universalis IV -- $10 (-75%)
• 7 Way to Die -- $12.49 (-50%)
• Rise of Nations Extended Edition -- $4.99 (-75%)
• The Binding of Isaac Rebirth -- $10.04 (-33%)
• The Vanishing of Ethan Carter -- $11.99 (-40%)

Flash Sale:

• Mass Effect 2 -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Trine 2 -- $1.99 (-90%)
• Dreamfall Chapters -- $17.99 (-40%)
• The Golf Club -- $13.99 (-60%)
• Risk of Rain -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Lord of the Rings: War in the North -- $4.99 (-75%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Rage --$4.99 (-75%)
• Ruse -- $2.49 (-75%)
• Cities in Motion 2 -- $4.99 (-75%)

Day 2: December 19, 2014

Our pick: Castle Crashers -- $1.49 (-90%)

At 90% off, there's no reason not to buy developer The Behemoth's colorful beat-em-up. It makes a good gift as well; after all, the game is a lot more fun with friends. Read our Castle Crashers review and check it out on Steam here.

Other Day 2 Deals:

• Depth -- $14.99 (-40%)
• Fable Anniversary -- $17.49 (-50%)
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel -- $29.99 (-50%)
• Ryse: Son of Rome -- $19.99 (-50%)
• Batman: Arkham Origins -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Killing Floor -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Valkyria Chronicles -- $14.99 (-25%)
• Assassin's Creed Unity -- $40.19 (-33%)

Community's Choice:

• Winner: Hack n Slash -- $4.54 (-66%)
• Neverending Nightmares -- $6.74 (-55%)
• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 -- $17.99 (-55%)

Flash sale round 1:

• Galactic Civilizations III -- $24.99 (-50%)
• Spacebase DF9 -- $6.79 (-66%)
• The Legend of Korra -- $9.89 (-34%)
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution -- $3.99 (-80%)
• Guns of Icarus -- $2.24 (-85%)
• Space Run -- $5.09 (-66%)

Flash sale round 2

• Insurgency -- $4.49 (-70%)
• Transocean -- $17.99 (-40%)
• Planet Explorers -- $14.99 (-40%)
• DmC: Devil May Cry -- $12.49 (-75%)
• Hammerwatch -- $1.49 (-85%)
• Orcs Must Die 2 -- $3.74 (-75%)

Day 1: December 18, 2014

Our pick: Dark Souls 2 -- $14.70 (63%)

The follow-up to the crazy-hard Demon's Souls and the crazy-hard Dark Souls is... still crazy-hard. The game might not be to everyone's tastes, but it's a series that you have to respect for sticking to its punishing formula. Read our Dark Souls 2 review and check it out on Steam.

Other 48-hour deals:

• State of Decay -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Euro Truck Simulator 2 -- $3.74 (-85%)
• Space Engineers -- $9.99 (-50%)
• Civilization: Beyond Earth -- $29.99 (-40%)
• Total War: Rome II Emperor Edition -- $14.98 (-75%)
• Sniper Elite III -- $24.99 (-50%)
• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes -- $13.39 (-33%)
• Rocksmith 2014 -- $20.99 (-65%)

Community's Choice hasn't kicked off yet, but here are the first six flash sale games:

Flash sale round 2

• Monaco -- $1.34 (-91%)
• Broforce -- $10.04 (-33%)
• Broken Age -- $8.49 (-66%)
• Dead Space 2 -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Defense Grid 2 -- $8.49 (-66%)
• Doorkickers -- $9.99 (-50%)

And an additional six flash games (note that the deals below didn't expire 24 hours after posting.

Flash sale round 1:

• Damned -- $4.99 (-75%)
• Styx: Master of Shadows -- $14.99 (-50%)
• Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition -- $4.99 (-80%)
• Hegemony Rome: The Rise of Caesar -- $4.49 (-85%)
• Injustice Gods Among Us -- $4.99 (-75%)
• SpeedRunners -- $2.49 (-75%)

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Xbox countdown sale wraps today originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You've seen our official picks for the best games of 2014. You may have also seen some of our editor's already outline their top five games of the last 12 months. But if you want to know more about what individual staff members at GameSpot thought were the highlights for the year, then you've come to the right place. Below (in no particular order) we've collated more of our editor and video producer picks for the best games of the year.

Daniel Hindes -- Editor (AU Office)

1. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
2. Alien: Isolation
3. Far Cry 4
4. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
5. Oddworld: Abe's Odyssey -- New 'n' Tasty
6. Nidhogg
7. P.T.
8. Hearthstone
9. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
10. Counterspy

Eddie Makuch, News Reporter

1. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
2. Grand Theft Auto V
3. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
4. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare
5. Chariot
6. Destiny
7. Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff
8. Goat Simulator
9. Titanfall
10. FIFA 15

Alexa Ray Corriea, Editor

1. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
2. Child of Light
3. The Wolf Among Us
4. Bravely Default
5. Transistor
6. Far Cry 4
7. The Walking Dead Season 2
8. Shovel Knight
9. Bayonetta 2
10. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Zorine Te, Associate Editor (AU office)

1. Dragon Age: Inquisition
2. P.T.
3. Hearthstone
4. World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor
5. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls
6. The Evil Within
7. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
8. Alien: Isolation
9. DreadOut
10. The Sims 4

Andy Bauman, Producer

1. Forza Horizon 2
2. Grand Theft Auto V
3. Wolfenstein: The New Order
4. The Walking Dead Season 2
5. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
6. Trials Fusion
7. Divinity: Original Sin
8. Dragon Age: Inquisition
9. Fibbage
10. Titanfall

Jess McDonnell, Video Journalist (AU office)

1. Might & Magic X: Legacy
2. Dragon Age: Inquisitiion
3. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
4. Valiant Hearts
5. Divinity: Original Sin
6. Dreamfall Chapters: Book One
7. The Walking Dead: Season Two
8. The Sims 4
9. The Wolf Among Us
10. Blackwell Epiphany

Rob Crossley, News Editor (UK Office)

1. Hearthstone
2. P.T.
3. TowerFall Ascension
4. Destiny
5. Mario Kart 8
6. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
7. Monument Valley
8. OlliOlli
9. The Wolf Among Us
10. Threes!

Erick Tay, Associate Producer

1. Destiny
2. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls
3. Hearthstone
4. Titanfall
5. Bayonetta 2
6. Child of Light
7. World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor
8. Transistor
9. Ultra Street Fighter IV
10. Sportsfriends

Mary Kish, Producer

1. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls
2. Dark Souls II
3. Towerfall Ascension
4. Grand Theft Auto V
5. Far Cry 4
6. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
7. Hohokum
8. Transistor
9. Bravely Default
10. The Last Of Us: Left Behind

Danny O'Dwyer, Video Journalist

1. Transistor
2. Cannon Brawl
3. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
4. Grand Theft Auto V
5. Mario Kart 8
6. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
7. Far Cry 4
8. Titanfall
9. Gang Beasts
10. inFamous: Second Son

Lucy James, Video Producer (UK Office)

1. Dragon Age: Inquisition
2. Hearthstone
3. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
4. The Wolf Among Us
5. South Park: The Stick of Truth
6. Mario Kart 8
7. Valiant Hearts: The Great War
8. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
9. Wolfenstein: The New Order
10. Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow 2

Justin Haywald, Senior Editor

1. Shovel Knight
2. Crossy Road
3. Hearthstone
4. Broken Age (Act 1)
5. P.T.
6. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
7. Mario Kart 8
8. Costume Quest 2
9. Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
10. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Giancarlo Varanini, Product and Partner Strategy Manager

1. Destiny
2. Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze
3. Valiant Hearts
4. Mario Kart 8
5. Titanfall
6. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
7. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
8. P.T.
9. Strider
10. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Rob Handlery, Associate Producer

1. Grand Theft Auto V
2. Wolfenstein: The New Order
3. Far Cry 4
4. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
5. South Park: The Stick of Truth
6. Titanfall
7. P.T.
8. Sunset Overdrive
9. Gang Beasts
10. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Edmond Tran, Producer

1. The Banner Saga
2. The Last of Us: Left Behind
3. Nidhogg
4. Destiny
5. Threes!
6. Shovel Knight
7. Mario Kart 8
8. Shadowrun: Dragonfall
9. Dark Souls II
10. Luftrausers

Chris Watters, Editor

1. The Last of Us: Left Behind
2. Titanfall
3. Dragon Age: Inquisition
4. Destiny
5. Wolfenstein: The New Order
6. Nidhogg
7. Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth
8. Transistor
9. Threes!
10. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Randolph Ramsay, Managing Editor

1. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
2. Mario Kart 8
3. Grand Theft Auto V
4. Divinity: Original Sin
5. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
6. Bayonetta 2
7. Diablo 3
8. Wolfenstein: The New Order
9. Bravely Default
10. Pokemon Omega Ruby

During the last five days, we've been running a series of features looking at some of the best years in the history of video games. Our selected years--1993, 1996, 1998, 2004, and 2007--were chosen not only for the amount of outstanding games that were released within their calendar confines, but how important those games have subsequently become.

Now it's your chance to tell us your opinion. Which of those five years do you think is the best? Or have we completely gotten it wrong? If so, sound off in the comments below for what you think is the more deserving year.

Here's a recap of all of our Best Year in Gaming features:

Why 1993 Was the Best Year in Gaming

"Back in '93, arcades were still a pretty big deal, Jurassic Park confirmed that dinosaurs were real, and some of the most memorable franchises in video gaming were born. Console makers were racing to try and bring the arcade experience home with machines like the 3DO, the Atari Jaguar, and the Amiga CD32, but in the end, it was the experiences that mattered most. It's a lesson that still plays out today: it's not about what machine can push out the most pixels, it's about how good the games are."

Why 1996 Was the Best Year in Gaming

"In 1996, the industry landscape was forever altered with a handful of game-changing new franchises. It was a golden year for strong leading characters and equally strong new gameplay ideas, both from Japanese and Western studios. Icons that are now household names—including Lara Croft and Crash Bandicoot--were born in 1996. It was a good year to be a Mario fan as well, with still-beloved favorites from two branches of the franchise making their debut. Not to mention this was the year the world got Pokémon, a series that would reach dizzying heights of popularity nearly two decades later."

Why 1998 Was the Best Year in Gaming

"1998 was a year of firsts. The first narrative-driven shooter. The first three-dimensional Legend of Zelda game. The first modern stealth simulator. The first Japanese role-playing game that would drive us to catch them all. The first game to emulate cinematic techniques and direction. And the first RPG from a developer that has now become the genre's leader."

Why 2004 Was the Best Year in Gaming

"The early years of video gaming were defined by invention; 2004, by contrast, was about redefinition and refinement. Few of the year's standouts burst with wholly new ideas or introduced new genres. Instead, they set standards by which similar games would be judged in the decade to follow, and in the process, established themselves as masterpieces in their own right. You might call 2004 the year of the sequel, given the many high-profile follow-ups that iterated on the games that preceded them, but the successors that defined the year were hardly retreads. Not to mention, of course, the jewels that launched entire series' of their own, yet still shine even within the shadow of the games that followed."

Why 2007 Was the Best Year in Gaming

"2007 defined the seventh generation of consoles. This was the year that developers finally got to grips with the powerful new hardware of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and delivered games that were bigger, brasher, and more spectacular than ever before. Enduring franchises like Assassin's Creed, The Witcher, and Uncharted all made their debut in 2007, while Nintendo Wii owners were treated to one of the greatest 3D platformers ever made in the form of the sublime Super Mario Galaxy."

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Original Kinect for Windows being phased out next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Dec 2014 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The only way to currently play the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta is to be a Xbox One Preview member or to own a copy of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. But soon there will be another way to play the game ahead of its release next year. Best Buy on Wednesday announced that this weekend, 50+ stores across the US will have the game available for anyone to play from 3-7 PM local time.

Head to Best Buy's website here to find a participating store.

All Best Buy stores--including those that don't offer the Halo 5 multiplayer demo, will give away free Halo 5 posters to anyone who preorders the game now through January 3. On top of that, shoppers can get a Best Buy-exclusive artbook when they pick up the game next fall.

In other Halo 5 news, Microsoft and 343 Industries recently announced $100 and $250 collector's editions of the game. For more on Halo 5, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

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Electronic Arts' online store Origin has not suffered a breach of its account database, the Battlefield and Mass Effect publisher said this week after some users reported unauthorized purchases on their accounts.

"We found no indication at this point of a breach of our Origin account database," an EA representative told PCGamer. "Privacy and security of user account information are of the utmost importance to us. We encourage our players to use Origin user ID and passwords that are unique to their account, and to report any activity they feel may be unauthorized to EA customer support at help.ea.com."

Writing on Reddit earlier this week, some users reported suspicious behavior on their Origin accounts, including game purchases that they never made. EA confirmed to PCGamer on Tuesday that it was investigating the matter, though it's unclear how widespread the issues were.

It appears EA's customer support department is working with affected users to remedy fraudulent account activity. PCGamer also points out that Origin now has a two-step authorization system (similar to Steam's) that alerts you when your account is access on a new device.

In other Origin news, the store is holding a year-end sale that offers deep discounts on a huge number of games. The deals end January 6.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Encountering bugs with the recently released PC version of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes? If you are, you're probably happy to learn Kojima Productions has released a new patch that aims to address three major issues currently affecting the game. These are listed out below.

You can download the update by installing a new version of Ground Zeroes that's available to people who opt-in to the Steam Client beta. You can do this by right-clicking on Ground Zeroes in your Steam Library, selecting Properties, then the tab for Beta.

Kojima Productions says in a post on the Ground Zeroes Steam page that it will continue to monitor the game's discussion forums to ensure that the game's bugs have been resolved.

Ground Zeroes December PC Patch Notes:

• When the Camera Y Axis is set to Reverse, the camera movement with the mouse will reflect the change
• Under some conditions, there was a "Low Memory" error a few minutes after launching the game. This issue has been fixed.
• When some USB devices were connected the game didn't launch. This issue has been fixed.

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The recent Christmas Day PlayStation Network and Xbox Live network outages caused headaches for people hoping to connect and play games. But one Florida teenager thought the downtime was enough of a problem to call 911 to see if authorities could do anything about it.

WPTV reports that a teenager from Palm Beach County called 911 dispatch, asking about the outages: "I was wondering, do you guys know anything about that?"

The dispatcher told the caller to check in with platforms holders instead. Authorities went on to tell the young man, "Last time I checked, that wasn't an emergency. Try going outside or read a book."

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