The end of 2013 has arrived, and video game critics, websites, and players everywhere are choosing their picks for Game of the Year.

I’ve not been able to play all of the great games that were released this year (there were quite a few), sadly, so I can’t fairly declare one the best of them all. I can, however, share my personal favorites, and wanted to open up a good ol’ geek discussion so you too can share your favorites!

I fell in love with 2007’s BioShock moments into the game. Not a shot fired. Not an enemy faced. Minimal buttons pushed. Something about that opening mesmerized me, and I’ll remain under that spell for all time. In those opening moments something else occurred to me as well: boy, would it be interesting to see and walk around this jaw-dropping underwater city of Rapture before it all went to hell. And this desire only grew stronger as shots were fired, enemies were faced, countless buttons were pushed, and the story progressed.

Then came the announcement: some DLC being released for the also-stunning recent game BioShock Infinite would bring us back to Rapture, before anarchy reigned. My joy at this news could not be contained, but I was sadly unable to read more than the headline because, at the time, I had not played Infinite yet. This has since been remedied, my brain properly and delightfully liquified by Infinite complexities, and now episode one (of two) of that DLC, titled “Burial At Sea,” is here, along with a launch trailer you can watch below.

Irrational Games’ BioShock Infinite, is not a game for children. Its story, its gameplay, its themes, they’re all very adult aimed, without a doubt. So when you find out the game has been crossed over into the very kid friendly video game Disney Infinity, well…it might just come as a bit of a shock.

Infinite is set in the city of Columbia, which floats radiantly in the skies. And if you own Disney Infinity, you can now download a Toy Box version of Columbia (complete with Carl’s house from Up) for free.

Continue below to check out a video showing off the Infinity version of Columbia.

The Gold Box spotlight deal of the day today at Amazon is Bioshock Infinite for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 for $39.99 each (that’s 33% off the list price of $59.99). The PC and PC Download versions are on sale for only $34.99 each (that’s 42% off the list price of $59.99).

Note – this deal is valid only for today, Sunday, May 19, 2013 until 11:59pm PST while supplies last.

Visit the main sale page for more details.

Bioshock Infinite
Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | PC | PC Download
Rating: M
Developers: Irrational Games/2K Australia
Publisher: 2K Games
Creative Director/Lead Writer: Ken Levine
Original Music by Gary Schyman
Release Date: March 26, 2013

I can remember the first time I popped in the original Bioshock, and was literally blown away as I watched our hero survive a plane crash and end up finding this lighthouse, and then taking the magical journey to Rapture, an underwater paradise that surprised and fascinated me with every turn. I can say that that initial journey to Rapture and the first time we come in contact with a Big Daddy, will forever be sketched into my video game history.

I have gotten about halfway through both Bioshock and Bioshock 2, although since I have finished the newest game in the series, BioShock Infinite, I have decided to go back and finish both of the previous installments.