Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,000 most recommended games across 904 critic lists from 141 publications.

Updated: February 3, 2026

Most Acclaimed Video Games of 2012

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28 of 28

#1 Journey (2012) (#41)

ThatGameCompany | PS3 | Adventure | ~2h | 85 lists

#2 The Walking Dead (2012) (#71)

Telltale Games | MAC, WIN, X360, PS3, iOS | Point-and-Click / Interactive Drama | ~12h | 66 lists

#3 Spelunky (2012) (#84)

BlitWorks, Mossmouth | WIN, X360, PS3, PSV | Roguelike / Platform | ~20h | 39 lists

#4 XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012) (#133)

Firaxis Games | 3, X360, PS3, iOS, AND | Turn-Based Tactics | ~27h | 47 lists

#5 Dishonored (2012) (#156)

Arkane Studios | WIN, X360, PS3 | Action-Adventure / Stealth | ~12h | 49 lists

#6 Hotline Miami (2012) (#162)

Dennaton Games | MAC, WIN, PS3, PSV | Shooter | ~5h | 37 lists

#7 Fez (2012) (#190)

Polytron Corporation | 3, X360, 3, SW | Puzzle-Platformer | ~6h | 33 lists

#8 Borderlands 2 (2012) (#215)

Gearbox Software | MAC, WIN, X360, PS3 | Action RPG / First-Person Shooter | ~30h | 39 lists

#9 Mass Effect 3 (2012) (#238)

BioWare Edmonton | WIN, X360, PS3, WiiU | Action RPG / Third-Person Shooter | ~24h | 36 lists

#10 Animal Crossing: New Leaf (2012) (#246)

Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.2 | 3DS | Life Simulation | ~79h | 30 lists

#11 FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) (#258)

Subset Games | 3 | Strategy / Roguelike | ~12h | 26 lists

#12 Far Cry 3 (2012) (#291)

Ubisoft Montreal | WIN, X360, PS3 | First-Person Shooter | ~16h | 37 lists

#13 Diablo III (2012) (#328)

Blizzard Entertainment | MAC, WIN, X360, PS3 | Hack and Slash / Action RPG | ~18h | 22 lists

#14 Fire Emblem: Awakening (2012) (#350)

Intelligent Systems, Nintendo SPD Production Group No. 2 | 3DS | Tactical RPG | ~31h | 19 lists

#15 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (2012) (#369)

Hidden Path Entertainment, Valve | MAC, WIN, X360, PS3 | First-Person Shooter / Tactical | ~146h | 16 lists

#16 Spec Ops: The Line (2012) (#400)

Yager Development | WIN, X360, PS3 | Third-Person Shooter | ~6h | 24 lists

#17 Dragon's Dogma (2012) (#458)

Capcom | X360, PS3 | Hack and Slash / Action RPG | ~37h | 13 lists

#18 Super Hexagon (2012) (#577)

Distractionware, Terry Cavanagh | MAC, WIN, iOS, AND | Action | ~5h | 11 lists

#19 Crusader Kings II (2012) (#610)

Paradox Development Studio | 3 | Role-Playing / Grand Strategy | ~67h | 5 lists

#20 Mark of the Ninja (2012) (#611)

Klei Entertainment | 3, X360 | Stealth / Platform | ~8h | 14 lists

#21 Guild Wars 2 (2012) (#627)

ArenaNet | WIN | MMORPG | ~86h | 13 lists

#22 Sleeping Dogs (2012) (#668)

Square Enix London Studios, United Front Games | WIN, X360, PS3 | Action-Adventure | ~15h | 13 lists

#23 Halo 4 (2012) (#749)

343 Industries | X360 | First-Person Shooter | ~7h | 18 lists

#24 Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (2012) (#845)

Chunsoft | PSV, 3DS | Adventure / Visual Novel | ~28h | 6 lists

#25 Forza Horizon (2012) (#861)

Playground Games | X360 | Racing | ~16h | 6 lists

#26 Assassin's Creed 3 (2012) (#903)

Ubisoft Montreal | WIN, X360, Wii, PS3 | Action-Adventure / Stealth | ~16h | 12 lists

#27 Frog Fractions (2012) (#914)

Twinbeard Studios | BR | Educational | ~1h | 3 lists

#28 Tokyo Jungle (2012) (#978)

Crispy's!, SCE Japan Studio | PS3 | Action / Survival | ~15h | 5 lists

#41

ThatGameCompany

PS3

Adventure

~2h

85 lists

Journey 2012

#71

Telltale Games

MAC, iOS, PS3, WIN, X360

Point-and-Click / Interactive Drama

~12h

66 lists

The Walking Dead 2012

#84

BlitWorks, Mossmouth

PS3, PSV, WIN, X360

Roguelike / Platform

~20h

39 lists

Spelunky 2012

#133

Firaxis Games

AND, MAC, iOS, LIN, PS3, WIN, X360

Turn-Based Tactics

~27h

47 lists

XCOM: Enemy Unknown 2012

#156

Arkane Studios

PS3, WIN, X360

Action-Adventure / Stealth

~12h

49 lists

Dishonored 2012

#162

Dennaton Games

MAC, PS3, PSV, WIN

Shooter

~5h

37 lists

Hotline Miami 2012

#190

Polytron Corporation

MAC, LIN, SW, PS3, PS4, PSV, WIN, X360

Puzzle-Platformer

~6h

33 lists

Fez 2012

#215

Gearbox Software

MAC, PS3, WIN, X360

Action RPG / First-Person Shooter

~30h

39 lists

Borderlands 2 2012

#238

BioWare Edmonton

WiiU, PS3, WIN, X360

Action RPG / Third-Person Shooter

~24h

36 lists

Mass Effect 3 2012

#10

#246

Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.2

3DS

Life Simulation

~79h

30 lists

Animal Crossing: New Leaf 2012

#11

#258

Subset Games

MAC, LIN, WIN

Strategy / Roguelike

~12h

26 lists

FTL: Faster Than Light 2012

#12

#291

Ubisoft Montreal

PS3, WIN, X360

First-Person Shooter

~16h

37 lists

Far Cry 3 2012

#13

#328

Blizzard Entertainment

MAC, PS3, WIN, X360

Hack and Slash / Action RPG

~18h

22 lists

Diablo III 2012

#14

#350

Intelligent Systems, Nintendo SPD Production Group No. 2

3DS

Tactical RPG

~31h

19 lists

Fire Emblem: Awakening 2012

#15

#369

Hidden Path Entertainment, Valve

MAC, PS3, WIN, X360

First-Person Shooter / Tactical

~146h

16 lists

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 2012

#16

#400

Yager Development

PS3, WIN, X360

Third-Person Shooter

~6h

24 lists

Spec Ops: The Line 2012

#17

#458

Capcom

PS3, X360

Hack and Slash / Action RPG

~37h

13 lists

Dragon's Dogma 2012

#18

#577

Distractionware, Terry Cavanagh

AND, MAC, iOS, WIN

Action

~5h

11 lists

Super Hexagon 2012

#19

#610

Paradox Development Studio

MAC, LIN, WIN

Role-Playing / Grand Strategy

~67h

5 lists

Crusader Kings II 2012

#20

#611

Klei Entertainment

MAC, LIN, WIN, X360

Stealth / Platform

~8h

14 lists

Mark of the Ninja 2012

#21

#627

ArenaNet

WIN

MMORPG

~86h

13 lists

Guild Wars 2 2012

#22

#668

Square Enix London Studios, United Front Games

PS3, WIN, X360

Action-Adventure

~15h

13 lists

Sleeping Dogs 2012

#23

#749

343 Industries

X360

First-Person Shooter

~7h

18 lists

Halo 4 2012

#24

#845

Chunsoft

3DS, PSV

Adventure / Visual Novel

~28h

6 lists

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward 2012

#25

#861

Playground Games

X360

Racing

~16h

6 lists

Forza Horizon 2012

#26

#903

Ubisoft Montreal

Wii, PS3, WIN, X360

Action-Adventure / Stealth

~16h

12 lists

Assassin's Creed 3 2012

#27

#914

Twinbeard Studios

Educational

~1h

3 lists

Frog Fractions 2012

#28

#978

Crispy's!, SCE Japan Studio

PS3

Action / Survival

~15h

5 lists

Tokyo Jungle 2012

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