S&S; Perspective: Top 5 Shooters of 2012

2012 has been a big year congested with some of the best shooters we've had to date.  It was hard to stand out in a genre where you received a new game every month, but these five are my favorites from this crazy year.  
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
I know a lot of people aren't particularly fond of the Call of Duty games, and thats putting it lightly, but you can't deny that the latest game was the best yet.  The visuals hadn't changed all that much, in fact, they're starting to look a little dated.  Even with that said, the many changes and refinements the developers made to the gameplay, was the sole reason its my number 5 choice.  Its not my GOTY by any means, but it was definitely one of the best shooters we had this year.  
4. Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3 seemed to have been forgotten, since it was released early in the year, the massive fall release schedule may have smeared a lot of people's opinions about it.  MP 3 had some of the best visuals this year, and although people thought the combat became a bit tedious toward the end, but it was still one of the best games this year.  It also featured some of the best storytelling I've seen in a while, dark themes and tones are a staple in the Max Payne games, and 3 held up that tradition.  

3. Halo 4

The first game from the new studio reinvigorated this aging series, and Halo fans received maybe the best Halo since 3.  I enjoyed Reach and ODST, but I just didn't think it had the impact that 4 had.  The graphics had been greatly improved, and with a superb soundtrack, it featured one of the best audio/visual packages this year.  All in all though, its still Halo.  Its just a damn good Halo.  With two more games in the works from 343, the fourth numbered game provides a solid foundation for the future titles.  

2.  Borderlands 2

Borderlands 2 was another game that was released in the midst of the firestorm of games, it was one of the most humorous titles I've ever played.  Gearbox made a bevy of improvements,its improved A.I. and core mechanics created a polished experience from beginning to end.  The developers have already released a couple of DLC expansions, and they're more on the way.  There will be more reasons to launch into Pandora, and I don't think anybody's upset about that.  
1. Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 is my favorite shooter this, I felt that it did the most to stand out in a crowded market.  It had maybe the best story in any FPS this year, and some of the most compelling characters I've ever interacted with.  The only gripe I had with the game was the console's visual quality compared to the PC's, but I kinda of expected that. As you trekked across one of the biggest maps, there was never a dull moment in your travels.  I didn't enjoy Far Cry 2 nearly as much as FC 3.  The third game was a worthy sequel, making me a permanent fan of the games to come.