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, Batman: Arkham City and Portal 2.

The runner-up, providing there were no arrows to the knee, for our Game of the Year is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

As with many games recently, an announcement was made at the VGAs last year to an incredible reaction – including such a reaction from our own community along the lines of “Ohmygodohmygodohmygod”. A wealth of details came thick and fast: news of a new engine, information on the story and gameplay, and before long, we got our first look at the hotly anticipated sequel. With a November release date already carved in stone, the tease of new screenshots followed over a few months, before word of re-release for Oblivion set for the summer.

E3 swiftly came about, and Skyrim wasn’t on all of our Most Wanted lists at that point, with only our resident Irishman Phil being extremely amped for the title. However, some new footage and screenshots and a selection of details at the Expo and things changed, seeing the RPG feature more prominently when we re-visited our lists after E3 – with Bethesda’s stage demo of Skryim striking a particular chord with News Editor Ryan.

With a mouth-watering Collector’s Edition confirmed and a first look at the upgraded races, anticipation began to hit some new heights, before a twenty-minute showcase and a hands-on at the Eurogamer Expo sent the team into a frenzy. After an impressive live action and a brief “making off” video it was finally here.

“A triumph in just about every way, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim really has raised the bar for just about every RPG in existence,” read Dave’s praising A+ review.

“Not only has Tamriel seen its most dramatic improvement yet, but the realm of Skyrim looks stunning. Combine this with a significantly improved gameplay experience, a potentially endless amount of things to put on your to do list and the dramatic unique aspects that are key to creating this Viking inspired epic and you’ll be singing the games praises to Valhalla quicker than a dragon scoffs a farming community. With a game this big that does so many things right, it is easy to forgive the development team for the bugs that are still lying around. We currently live in a Ragnarök of endless FPS and party games. How fitting therefore that Skyrim is the Einherjar of the humble RPG; chosen by the people and doing them proud by fighting with honour and defiance in the conventions of popular culture.”

Critically, it was a clean sweep; The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim was a hit. It went on to secure second place in the UK Charts, only missing out due to the colossal Modern Warfare 3. The RPG managed the publisher’s biggest ever opening week – more than double Fallout: New Vegas, and also secured the fifth biggest launch of the year (at the time). It would be amiss of me to gloss over the obvious cracks that are present, particularly in the PlayStation 3 version, but not that many seemed to care as more than 3.5 million copies moved in the opening forty-eight hours, with Steam activity setting a concurrent players record of over 280,000 players within the first twenty-four hours of release.

Bethesda’s epic achievement had briefly slipped out of the top two in the UK Charts, before toppling Modern Warfare 3 and taking the crown shortly after having been announced the VGA’s Game of the Year. The good news didn’t stop there either with ZeniMax Media announcing that the game has shipped over 10 million units since launching in November, approximating in nearly $650 million in sales. A fantastic launch was then capped off when it was confirmed as the UK Christmas number one, displacing EA and Activision for the first time in eight years.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has impressed just about everyone, with its scaled, grandness and immersive gameplay. So much so, that it picked up our Community Best RPG of the year, as well as Best Multi-platform game. It’s been a fantastic year for Bethesda and Skyrim, now winning three of our awards, but what do the rest of the team have to say about the new bench-mark in RPGs?

Ryan: “It’s no secret that I loved Oblivion and, when the inevitable Elder Scrolls V was announced, I couldn’t be more excited. I was like a small child at Christmas; and when it released earlier last month, I was in fantasy RPG heaven. Character creation (with believable models this time), dragons, smithing, enchanting, the list is as long as my arm. Yes, there have been some problems (some worse than others) on the PS3 version but with nearly 250 hours worth of content, it is almost expected. The world and gameplay are fantastic and I can see myself playing this for years to come.”

Harry: “Skyrim practically files a patent for atmosphere. From the first minute you’re thrust into a living, breathing world where you genuinely feel like Skyrim keeps on going after you quit the game… if you ever tear yourself away. Skyrim is one hell of a time-sink, filled to the brim with distractions and diversions and a deluge of dragons just waiting to swoop down and pick a fight. Speaking of dragons… oh my god, DRAGONS. Whether you’re fighting the first or the fiftieth, the dragon setpieces alone make you feel like your purchase has been justified; there’s nothing quite like a Dragon vs Dovahkiin showdown initiated while inspirational music blares in the background. Bugs and glitches be damned, Skyrim is one hell of an experience.”

Igor: “What happens when ambition overtakes logic? Skyrim. Bethesda really took a huge gamble by releasing what can only be described as the biggest and most expansive role-play game we have ever seen. The end result, a masterpiece of adventure and game-content – play and develop your character in any way you desire and watch the world of Tamriel mold based on your accomplishments and misdeeds. There won’t be any game that will keep your attention as long as Skyrim will and that’s why it’s been so highly rated by many gamers.”

Phil: “Oh Skyrim. what a fickle beast you are. When I started playing Skyrim, I was almost ready to allow it to pip Uncharted 3 to my personal top spot for this year, but then, it happened. The game fell apart, with bugs, “Rimlag” and all sorts plaguing my playthrough. Yes, I can still recognise Skyrim as being a great game in a narrative, premise and gameplay sense, however, as a game, I simply can’t justify giving it my top spot. Again, it’s a great game under it all, but there are so much bad things covering it, I can never fully endorse it. On the PS3, at least.”

Dave: “What did you expect? The new Elder Scrolls game was always going to be something worth a shot at many Game of the Year awards throughout the industry. A well-rounded RPG that improved just about everything featured in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion; from the combat to the visuals and sound. It also shows that the inclusion of dragons also makes things better.”