Game of the Month: December 2013 - Gran Turismo 6

For a month consisting of only a couple of big-name releases, we were certainly busy in December. Here at Push Square, we reviewed a rather staggering 32 games in all, but as always, only one can walk away with our prestigious Game of the Month accolade. So which title was awarded a stocking full of festive treats? Why, it was none other than the latest instalment in Sony's flagship driving sim, Gran Turismo 6.

As petrol-head reviewer Gaz Plant put it, the release is "the perfect celebration of an often outstanding series". The ever-popular racer managed to put the pedal to the metal, and scored a fantastic 9/10 in our review. "It's an entry that makes good on the promise of its PlayStation 3 predecessor, and restores a soul and energy to the series that has been missing of late," our write-up concluded, so if you were left unimpressed with the franchise's previous entry, be sure to dust off your car keys and give this a look.

It's worth mentioning, however, that Polyphony Digital's sleek PS3 release won our staff poll by only one vote. Creeping up on the sim like a, er, creeper was Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition. Mojang's block-'em-up's incredibly late arrival didn't stop the "addictive, quirky, and humorous" title from digging deep to score a great 8/10. "It's easy to see why it's proved such a commercial juggernaut on other platforms," wrote this particular author.

Surprisingly, Minecraft wasn't the only mining-centric release to grace the PlayStation Network back in December, as the holiday season also saw the appearance of Terraria on the PlayStation Vita. Drowning in block-based games by this point, this crazed Associate Editor wrote that "Re-Logic's 2D dig-a-thon remains as solid as the earth beneath your feet", and we awarded the release a very respectable 7/10 as a result. Also nabbing a 7/10 was the PlayStation 4 version of flOw. Reviewer Alex Stinton summed up thatgamecompany's title rather nicely, concluding that "whether you see the studio’s output as games, art, or a bit of both, it’s hard to deny that the developer delivers unique experiences that will challenge your view of what games can be".

It wasn't all presents and chocolate, though, as we also had to trawl through unappealing lumps of coal such as Indoor Sports World. "It’s just about worth a punt if you’re a pool or darts die-hard – but even then, there are better options already available on Sony’s flagship handheld," summarised a not-so-festive Sammy Barker, slapping a disappointing 4/10 onto the digital release. Meanwhile, reviewer Mat Growcott was left similarly unimpressed with Rust Buccaneers, stating that "there’s the blueprint for a brilliant title hidden somewhere here, but it gets lost in an ocean of grinding, repetition, and strange design decisions". A 4/10 for you, too.

What was your favourite game to release in the last month of 2013? Are you siding with us and jumping into the driver's seat of a ridiculously expensive sports car, or are you more inclined to grab a pickaxe and mine your way into the underworld? Vote for your winner in our poll, tell us why in the comments section, and remember to take a look at the handy list of all of the titles that we reviewed in December down below.

Angry Birds: Star Wars (PS3) (4/10)
Worms: Revolution Extreme (5/10)
Escape Plan (PS4) (8/10)
DC Universe Online (PS4) (6/10)
Sound Shapes (PS4) (8/10)
FIFA 14 (PS4) (9/10)
NBA 2K14 (8/10)
Warframe (5/10)
Rainbow Moon (Vita) (9/10)
Skylanders: Swap Force (6/10)
Angry Birds: Star Wars (PS4) (4/10)
Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers (6/10)
flOw (PS4) (7/10)
Need for Speed: Rivals (7/10)
Putty Squad (4/10)
A-Men 2 (5/10)
Gran Turismo 6 (9/10)
Just Dance 2014 (7/10)
Eufloria HD (7/10)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (8/10)
Injustice: Gods Among Us (PS4) (8/10)
Indoor Sports World (4/10)
Rust Buccaneers (4/10)
The Amazing Spider-Man (5/10)
Terraria (Vita) (7/10)
Zen Pinball 2 (7/10)
Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition (8/10)
Mutant Mudds Deluxe (7/10)
Tiny Brains (6/10)
NBA Live 14 (3/10)
The Pinball Arcade (8/10)
Robot Rescue Revolution (4/10)