Editor’s Note: So it’s that time of year again, where the team take into consideration all of the games released this year, and select the ones that stood out the most. Unlike a review, our Game of the Year winners will likely be more subjective, so this won’t be a list of our most highly rated games, but instead those that we enjoyed the most.

So, starting several weeks ago, a comprehensive list of over two-hundred games that were released this year was compiled, with each staff member here at MediaKick voting for their top ten in order of preference. Using the same algorithm I devised for our most anticipated games of 2012 list – which takes into account both increased preference and number of votes, we ended up with a clear top five which we will now bring to you in order.

Unlike last year, where we just had an overall Game of the Year, we’re doing a top five this time around as we’ve grown considerably in terms of staff numbers, and can therefore have a more well-rounded and fairer outcome. It also helps to highlight the games that we felt were really fantastic, but not quite the very best.

A few things to note, to be eligible, a game must have seen its first current generation release in the West this year. Therefore if it was out on a previous console before this year clocked in, it is ineligible; likewise, a release in Japan last year does not affect an entry, not does it allow one if it was released this year.

Be sure to check our the previous winners in our Game of the Year, including Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Batman: Arkham City.

Now onto the medals, if we had any that is. The metaphorical bronze medal and thus our third placed Game of the Year is Portal 2.

It seems that we and our community share good taste after they voted for it as Best Platfomer in this year’s Game of the Year nominations; and why wouldn’t they be? This was the perfect sequel to one of the best games in the last decade. The original was hugely innovative, extremely funny, managing to weave an incredible story using limited dialogue and the environment around you. It’s hardly surprising then that the news during last year’s E3 that the hotly anticipated sequel was a PlayStation 3-bound was so well received. A selection of E3 demo’s highlighting its humour, new gameplay mechanics, turrets, and more, got us beyond excited for the first-person puzzle-platformer seeing it make our Most Wanted list of E3 2010.

At the VGAs later that year, our favourite robotic friends, Atlas and P-Body, were revealed and the co-op portion of the game was confirmed. Roll on 2011, and plenty of PlayStation 3 details were revealed, including the function of Steamworks – allowing cross-platform play between PlayStation 3 and PC/Mac players. April quickly sprung upon us, and the time for science was here. How would the sequel to a game that has become something of a classic live up to expectations? Well, it would blow all expectations out of the water.

“It’s been a long time, since there’s been a game as close to perfection as Portal 2, and will probably be a long time until another comes along,” read my glowing review. “Visually, auditory and gameplay wise it stimulates efficiently and superbly. Even the incorporation of Steamworks is smooth and adds another box to a growing checklist. Gabe Newell claimed that the PlayStation 3 version would be “the best console version.” Well he was only partially right. It is not just the best console version, but one of the best games ever made, period. Portal 2 is a true gem and one that each gamers owes it to themselves to play.”

Having blown away those that played it, the hope was that it would excel at the market as well. Thankfully it did just that, charting top of the UK charts in its debut week – seeing off our Best Fighting Game of the Year, Mortal Kombat, in the process. The Valve title held onto the UK charts crown for another week, before being displaced in week three by summer juggernaut Zumba Fitness. As of June, Portal 2 had managed to sell 3 million copies, and surprisingly, it “did better on the PC than it did on the consoles”.

Portal 2 was undoubtedly one of my highlights of the year – and is one of very few games that I have played through at least thrice already. With an almost flawless single player experience and a quite fantastic co-operative section, it’s one of the all time great. But don’t take my word for it, check out what the rest of the team has to say:

Ryan: “Co-op play was terrific fun; one of the best co-operative games this generation.”

Dave: “The original Portal was a distinctively unique experience that many thought could only survive under its own shell. How wrong they were! Easily one of the best games to showcase atmosphere with its use of a crumbling laboratory and era based ruins of a former science company; it also had great gameplay that tested your logic further, one of the best co-op experiences this year and stunning voice work. Even when you’re messing around shooting your partner into a portal based trap, it stands out from the crowd.”

Igor: “Portal as a series also holds a very cult-like following, especially considering the original was designed as nothing more than filler content for The Orange Box. Nevertheless, after an uproar of popularity, Portal 2 hit the shelves and simply blew gamers away with the best narrative and dialogue production values in any modern game. On top of this, beautiful technical level design and excellent use of the Portal gun to solve lots of nifty physics-based puzzles really made Portal 2 an absolute joy to play through. Oh, and let’s not forget you can share the magic with a friend in the cooperative campaign mode.”

Phil: “Certainly one of the best games released this year, and indeed this generation, Portal 2 is another example of Valve excelling at its craft. A wonderful experience to play, Portal 2′s storytelling, gameplay and characterisation are shining examples of the quality that can come from the games industry. Characters like GLaDOS and the Stephen Merchant voiced Wheatley are some of the best, most interesting and funniest characters we have seen in games. The gameplay is nigh-on perfect, with every puzzle feeling challenging, but doable and always giving you satisfaction when you complete one. A truly great game.”

Harry: “Building on what the pint-sized prequel achieved, Portal 2 produced a fantastic campaign that expanded on the Portal universe and quality of the now-established franchise exponentially. The humourous, superbly constructed story compliments the studying of mazy environments and solving of puzzles from start to finish. Valve produced the most innovative gameplay in 2007; four years on, Valve produced a campaign worthy of housing it.”