1. Journey ; I played through Journey six times and each trip was better than the last. Each time was different due to the fact that you get thrown into this world with a random person you know nothing about. The person could abandon you and go their own way, fall down a cliff never to be seen again, or stick by you until the end. The game made me feel curiosity, excitement, fear, sadness, and ultimately a bitter sweet joy. Despite being a linear experience, the game still manages to provide a sense that you are exploring a world and civilization that is bigger than you are. This, along with wonderful music and visual design, has made Journey my game of the year.
2. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP ; This is a game that is a music album in game form. The music, world, and gameplay are inextricably tied together into one cohesive experience. Interesting mechanics like Twitter connectivity and gameplay tied to the cycle of the moon make this game unique, as well as gorgeous pixel artwork.
3. Sound Shapes (PS3) ; Another game where the idea of a music album in game form is used. What is different in the case of Sound Shapes is that there is a level editor where you can remix the sounds and graphics into new compositions. I made quite a few levels and found myself completely addicted to the experience. I hope they come out with new albums as DLC, because this is a game I could easily see myself coming back to again and again.
4. Tokyo Jungle ; The premise to Tokyo Jungle is simple: you are an animal, try to survive. My first few outings in the game showed that I did not have what it takes to even pass down my genes to the next generation, dying after only a few years. With randomized elements to the game it insured every game was unique. There is a sense of desperation that I have never felt with any other games. There were times I knew I would die soon, but tried to survive just a few years more. I wouldn't lie down and die so easily. That's what describes Tokyo Jungle: desperation and survival. (Also trying to eat lions with pomeranians.)
5. Botanicula ; The only way I can describe this game is adorable. From beginning to end just once mass of cute. Which may or may not be high praise depending on your taste. I loved all the little creatures that there were to discover, and how they all behaved in unique ways. Of course, coming from Amanita Design this game was guaranteed to be both beautiful and have a great soundtrack, which it provides in spades.
6. Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward ; After playing 999, I didn't know what to expect with VLR. It wasn't a game that seemed to need a sequel, but got one anyway. And despite my issues with how the game ends, I am glad that they did. The puzzles were fun, the characters were interesting, and the mystery intriguing.
7. Resonance ; I've enjoyed all of Wadjet Eye's games, and their latest is no different. This time they bring an interesting new mechanic to the point and click genre with the long and short term memory systems. I loved this new way to interact with the world and characters, and hope to see it make a return. The game also uses four different characters that you can control at once, which sometimes can make things a tad confusing, but was enjoyable overall.
8. They Bleed Pixels ; I'll admit, action platformers aren't typically my thing, but the visual design and music made this a game I had to have despite my unfamiliarity with the genre. Despite the extremely difficulty (especially for someone inexperienced) I find myself enjoying the game immensely.
9. Phantasy Star Online 2 ; Having played the original PSO on Dreamcast and quite a bit of the series since then I eagerly awaited PSO2. It's everything I could have wanted in the game and playing it with friends is quite enjoyable. I can't wait for the English version so I can play with others and not have to be a translator.
10. The Secret World ; Having one MMO on my list is odd enough, but two is something I never would have expected. As a fan of Ragnar Tørnquist, I was initially torn about the game. I loved his The Longest Journey games, and the setting and story with The Secret World looked right up my alley. But I have never enjoyed MMOs, and couldn't see it being different with this one. I'm glad I did decide to play it after it went B2P, since the game is very enjoyable despite its flaws. The battle system is dull, but the quests they have in the game are very good. They are connected to the world and story, and they don't make me feel like I'm doing make-work for experience points. I can't wait to see more of the game.