As we prepare to turn the page to the brand new year, which is now just days away, it's time to reflect on the best things from 2013.

More specifically, today we'll be looking back at some of the world's top video game releases from the 2013 calendar year -- from sports games to action games and everything in between -- and you can feel free to chime in with comments to let us know whether you agree or wholeheartedly disagree across the board! While some might argue that NBA 2K14 should win the award for the top game of the year, plenty of others would probably laugh that off -- depending on who you are talking to. Almost everyone has a different opinion on which games should be at the top.

These games hail from a variety of video game platforms, from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. However, a number of these have not yet been released on the next-gen platforms due to the fact that the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles were just released within the last two months of the calendar year.

Here is the list:

1. Grand Theft Auto 5

The fact that this game broke more than a half dozen Guiness World Records should alone give it the distinctive honor of being the number one game of 2013, even if did not get released until the fall. It seemed as if video gamers waited as long for this release as they did for the next-gen consoles and they had to spend years just getting by with plain old Grand Theft Auto 4.

With a wide variety of exciting missions, cheats, activities, and places to go on the jam-packed map of Los Santos, Rockstar Games made sure to make up for missed time. However, gamers are very anxious to know when they will finally be able to take this game to the next level -- that is, the next-gen consoles.

2. NBA 2K14

Many people are probably surprised that a Call of Duty (or Battlefield) game wasn't ranked among the top two in this list, but I do have reasons to back it up. Considering that sports video games are annual staples but usually not annual bestsellers in comparison with the Call of Duty and GTA and all kinds of action games, this year's NBA 2K14 game challenged this hierarchy entirely.

As of the time that this article was published, the NBA 2K14 video game was ranked as the top selling sports game and also among the top ten in games overall.

What sets this game apart from all of its predecessors and competitors is the way the game has improved so much from not only last year but overall. Also, with the disastrous re-emergence of NBA Live -- which was so bad that even the game's creators admitted that it was a disappointment -- 2K Sports subsequently enjoyed an incredible reassurance that it will be the best basketball video game for years to come.

3. Call of Duty: Ghosts

When Call of Duty: Ghosts was set to be released, many people wondered how it would compare with Battlefield 4, which was another highly anticipated game. Now that the verdict has come and gone, it appears that Call of Duty has the clear edge, which can partly be attributed to the way Battlefield 4 failed to live up to expectations.

What makes this game special is that it resonates well with gamers on a variety of platforms, making it a top choice all the way around. As Scott Lowe mentioned in his game review for IGN, "It's over-the-top and at times unnecessarily complex, but serves both current and next-generation consoles with ambitious new ideas and tremendous replay value."

However, not all would agree with this ranking due to the tight competition and comparison with Battlefield 4. If you were one of the people who preferred the release of BF4 over Call of Duty, feel free to let your voice be heard in the comments section!

4. Assassin's Creed

Perhaps the driving force behind the latest Assassin's Creed game is the fact that it is very much improved over its predecessor, and this is precisely why games such as Madden don't belong in the top 5.

"Even after putting in well over 50 hours with the Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 versions, I'm still discovering new islands to explore and tombs to raid," IGN's Marty Sliva said in a review for the game.

There have now been more than a dozen games in relation to Assassin's Creed and gamers must have started to wonder whether this game would peak, but that most certainly wasn't the case with this game. According to many of the ratings and reviews, this game is almost perfect as it continues to rack up ratings close to 5 stars.

5. Tomb Raider

It feels like just yesterday when gamers were enjoying a brand new gaming experience on the first PlayStation as they had the opportunity to run freely with Lara Croft through wilderness, pools, mansions, and more. However, despite the fact that all of that is an afterthought, Tomb Raider has lived on and still thrives in the mind of gamers. With a respectable yet impressive 9.1 rating from IGN to back it up, the Lara Croft series has clearly made the difficult transition into the new generation.

Concluding Notes

Clearly there are a number of games that did not make the cut. There are plenty of games that are very worthy of a spot in the list of top video games and would probably make it in the case of a top ten list. Feel free to chime in with your favorite video game of 2013 and let it be known which one of these five you enjoyed the most. Do you have a top five list -- or even a top ten list? Let us know in the comments section!