Game of the Year Shortlist: FIFA 13

Before we knew it, December was upon us and all the games had arrived in stores in time for everyone to buy them as presents. We've got the reveal of our Game of the Year coming after Christmas, but for 24 days starting December 1 we'll bring you a new contender for the title. Please note that these games are in no particular order, but feel free to speculate on where they might appear in our final list.

Tom Orry, Editor

I'm sure I think this every year, but I'm more confident than ever that FIFA 13 is the best version of FIFA to date. This year's game is more flowing, and in turn attacking feels more exciting. We've spent many lunch times battling it out on the virtual pitches of FIFA 13, swearing at the game when a defender you moved is out of position and leaving a gaping hole at the back or when the ref doesn't blow for a foul when you were clearly taken out with all the subtlety of a plough. If the game of the year was decided entirely by me, FIFA 13 would appear pretty high in our Top 10.

David Scammell, Deputy News Editor

Brilliantly, this year's FIFA was designed around the concept of cocking up. Forget eye-of-the-needle through balls and pin-perfect crosses - none of it mattered when the guy on the receiving end handled the ball like England at the Euros.

FIFA 13 focussed on simulating human error, then. Which was great, really, further extending the divide between EA Sports' football simulation and Konami's relatively primitive arcade kickabout. But beyond that, it also opened up all sorts of possibilities as to the kind of things we could see in FIFA 14. Could next year's big improvements include the option to tweet repulsive comments to the FA, speak to the press in a French accent reminiscent of 'Allo 'Allo!, or accidentally cut away to the news during extra time of the Champions League semi-final? We can live in hope.

Neon Kelly, Video Production Editor

I don't usually play FIFA, and this year was no exception. I've just popped up here to say, "Ooh, it looks particularly nice this year", and to remark on the fact that everyone else in the office played this every lunchtime for what felt like most of the year. Seriously, I'd try to persuade them to play something else, but I rarely got anywhere. So I'd slink off and play Hotline Miami at my desk... and even that wasn't loud enough to drown out the shouts of sales guru Andy Spenceley, who seems to bellow in delight/fury/arousal whenever anything notable happens. Football, eh?