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GAF Games of the Year 2010 - Voting Thread - VOTING CONCLUDED
- Thread starter timetokill
- Start date
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ShockingAlberto
Member
Wow, Stump, we usually agree, but we could not be further apart on Brotherhood.
Where you see it as a misnamed Assassin's Creed 3, everything about the game to me screamed "I was made in a year and it shows!" And even if it had an extra six months beyond that, it felt so disjointed in everything. Whatever good will the game had earned from not being terrible was washed away by the really bad, really unfinished endgame.
I hope and pray an actual AC3 has the time to be more interesting and, well, finished.
Where you see it as a misnamed Assassin's Creed 3, everything about the game to me screamed "I was made in a year and it shows!" And even if it had an extra six months beyond that, it felt so disjointed in everything. Whatever good will the game had earned from not being terrible was washed away by the really bad, really unfinished endgame.
I hope and pray an actual AC3 has the time to be more interesting and, well, finished.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
ShockingAlberto said:
I didn't feel the Desmond portion of the endgame was unfinished at all. I mean, it's a cliffhanger, and it was a little quick ("Welp, found the apple! Oh look secret god password! Time to go to the end dungeon!") but I don't think that was them being pressed for time, I think it was the sheer weight of the absurdity of the central mystery collapsing.
The Ezio portion obviously was rushed (Apple -> Da Vinci -> Sequence 9 makes no sense -> Last Boss -> Silent Ezio Ending), but at the risk of running defence for what may well have been a rush job, history doesn't leave them many open options on resolving the story of Cesare Borgia. After his father died from poison (and he was historically considered a possible suspect), he fell out of favour with the new Pope and Machiavelli historically observed that despite his intense personal strength he was kneecapped by his reliance on the Vatican. After losing his favour there, he did basically nothing except minor skirmishes until his death.
I would have liked to see a clear connection between the Ezio-Da Vinci-Apple of Eden scene and Ezio randomly being on the "Road to Ruin" or whatever they called it. That was a rushed sign. But from a plot POV I feel that the choppiness reflects history well.
Beyond that, most of the campaign seemed very polished to me and the side missions as well. One little detail that I liked a lot is that there are a few treasure chests and exactly one flag in the Antico district that are only accessible by using a horse to jump over a gap in a partially collapsed bridge. I spent like an hour trying to get there before thinking to use a horse! It reminded me almost of the secret garden in SOTC in that it was a well realized little space in the world, but tucked away with love and care only for the truly persistent. Little polish like that shows me that while some elements of the game may have been rushed, there was an obvious polish phase.
One other comment on the issue; I thought the Da Vinci War Machines stealth levels were poor, but I don't think it was due to rushing. I think it was due to a fundamental design misconception. They looked at the Assassin's Tombs from AC2 and said, correctly, that the little isolated nugget of core platforming was really well done and well enjoyed by players (like the Mario Sunshine secret platforming levels). So the War Machines levels are intended to be similar, but emphasizing Stealth instead of Platforming. The problem is that the main platforming in AC is enjoyable, but the stealth really isn't outside of the crowd / hiding mechanics, which aren't present in the war machines levels. But again if you trace the genesis of the idea it's clear to me that it was a misfire, rather than unpolished.
I guess I just don't see the evidence of rushing. Feel free to hit me back on this, because intuitively a sequel that's pumped out this fast (and especially using Ubisoft's "throw 1000 people at it and you can work 5 times as fast as throwing 200 people at it!" development strategy) should be rushed!
1. Monster Hunter Tri (my most wanted game for 2010 and i got satisfied on all levels.)
2. Dragon Quest IX (well i just love endless grindfests to compensate for my lack of skill in "old school" jRPGs)
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (i had fun with it, not quite like the first game but how could that ever be possible, worthy of the third spot!)
4. Bayonetta (biggest surprise for me, made me a believer in Platinum Games, i just love all their games...ALL)
5. Demon Souls (imported the US Version in 2009, so whatever, if i could i would vote for Demon Souls in 2012,13,14 etc. too)
6. Nier (great Game, loved the atmosphere and fishing was really easy too)
7. Vanquish (just got the game and have yet to finish it, still great enough to make the list)
8. Game Dev Story (Started the Game and played it for 12 hours non-stop, last time this happened to me was the moment i got Super Smash Bros. Melee)
9. Deadly Premonition (i don't really know what to say here, its just kinda different...)
10. Red Dead Redemption (i hate cougar, but i love tumbleweeds)
2. Dragon Quest IX (well i just love endless grindfests to compensate for my lack of skill in "old school" jRPGs)
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (i had fun with it, not quite like the first game but how could that ever be possible, worthy of the third spot!)
4. Bayonetta (biggest surprise for me, made me a believer in Platinum Games, i just love all their games...ALL)
5. Demon Souls (imported the US Version in 2009, so whatever, if i could i would vote for Demon Souls in 2012,13,14 etc. too)
6. Nier (great Game, loved the atmosphere and fishing was really easy too)
7. Vanquish (just got the game and have yet to finish it, still great enough to make the list)
8. Game Dev Story (Started the Game and played it for 12 hours non-stop, last time this happened to me was the moment i got Super Smash Bros. Melee)
9. Deadly Premonition (i don't really know what to say here, its just kinda different...)
10. Red Dead Redemption (i hate cougar, but i love tumbleweeds)
Well I thought I was gonna fit either Strange Journey, Infinite Space, or Golden Sun in before the deadline, but I guess not. Still got to finish a number of the ones that eventually made the list though so here goes:
10. Read Dead Redemption ; I had a hard time deciding if this or The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom should get the tenth spot, and considering I am a big fan of platformers, that says something. While my opinion of RDR has diminished since playing the game (mostly thanks to Undead Nightmare), I can't deny it was a great one-time experience. The setting was a welcome change for the free-roaming genre, and there were a lot of little moments that made the journey great. Especially entering Mexico. I could go on babbling about how just that one moment is so good even though there's little gameplay involved, but I'll just leave it at that.
9. Mass Effect 2 ; ME2 felt more like a collection of DLC than a full-blown sequel, but I still enjoyed what was there. Analyzing the game's story provided some unintentional entertainment afterward. As a game, I think it's superior to the first in the series. I enjoyed my two runs more than I did in the original Mass Effect from a gameplay perspective. However, I think what drew me into the first game, the early-80s scifi movie atmosphere and presentation, was pretty much entirely gone. I also had problems with the end-game, particularly the notice you're given (or lack thereof), but for the most part, I had a good time with it.
8. 3D Dot Game Heroes ; I almost forgot about this game when making this list. Considering it had been five years since a traditional top-down Zelda, it was great to get one again. While it's basically Zelda in everything but name only, it feels more like a loving sendup than a cheap knockoff. The only thing I disliked about it was the simplicity of the dungeons relative to the complexity of the the overworld. It felt like the former was developed in an 8-bit development philosophy while the latter was done in a 16-bit development philosophy. Still, a lot of fun, and I would love to see more.
7. Vanquish ; Platformers and kickass over-the-top Japanese action games, that's what this year was about for me. I played Vanquish at E3 earlier in 2010, so I knew what to expect, but it's even crazier than I thought. A couple presentation issues drag it down a bit, and I personally would have loved to have seen more gigantic transforming robot fights, but it's probably the best third-person shooter I've played, thanks to its unrelenting pace and how it focuses on gameplay above anything else.
6. Sonic Colors Wii ; I think in 2007, I gave Sonic and the Secret Rings a nod in my top ten list and it's something I regret. That said, I still like SATSR, frustrating design choices and all, but Sonic Colors for the Wii really does deserve a spot. The presentation is about as perfect as Sonic's ever been, and the powers appear in the form of a welcome break from the push-forward-to-win rollercoaster gameplay that Sega's usually pleased their fans with. It's a lot shorter than recent console Sonic games, but it's only because Sonic Team finally trimmed the fat. Also, and there's no good segue for this, I didn't really care for the game much until I started going back to previously-beaten levels and scouring them for red rings (so I could unlock more levels). But when I did, I think I hit this game's sweet spot. It's a little bit about speed, and a little bit about precision, but a lot about exploration and some thinking outside of the box. And did I mention the presentation is amazing? Because it is.
5. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor ; Kickass over-the-top Japanese action games and platformers. Yep, from the moment I hit the menu screen, I knew I was in for a ride. The ability to skip cutscenes and completely customize my controller setup was extremely welcome. It's pretty much 6-7 hours of shit flying at your face for you to shoot and slash. So awesome.
4. Super Meat Boy ; Holy fuck this game is just full of shit to do. Normal levels, dark levels, hidden levels, hidden characters. It's absolutely insane just how much there is. I'm not normally one for the "frustration platformer," but this was a pretty awesome experience. And while there's sometimes a gimmick that's underused or another that's used too much, there's so much to do that it doesn't matter. Oh, and the controls are basically perfect. Only downside was a personal thing where I started experiencing bugs up the wazoo at the end. Non-Glitch levels were glitching, ranking stuff was borked, and about two hours of gameplay was somehow not saved. Still, it was worth the $10 and more.
3. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors ; By far the biggest surprise for me in 2010. I'm not one for stories in video games unless I know it's what a large focus of the game will be (see: Mass Effect and the Ace Attorney games), and even then I easily grow impatient. I started this after a ten-month ordeal of playing the latest Ace Attorney game as well, so I was particularly not looking forward to starting another visual novel/point-and-click adventure game so soon. At first, I was a little bored with it. Probably the first hour or two was spent clicking through character dialog, descriptions of surroundings, descriptions of items, and people talking about the descriptions of items. It was never poorly-written, but it wasn't particularly exciting. And then I found myself becoming more and more interested in the characters and the story. By the time I reached the ending, I was genuinely surprised to find out I had massively fucked up, and determined to do the next play through right. Long story short, it took another three tries before I finally got it right. And while the story was progressively more interesting upon each New Game +, it wasn't until the final plot twist that I realized just how brilliant everything I'd experienced was. It was like that moment in RDR when you enter Mexico, except retroactively fitting an entire game. The twist itself throws so much into question that I'm contemplating another run through just to see character reactions and decisions. And then there was a final moment that pushed it higher than I thought, and I don't expect anyone else would have experienced it. It was a personal moment that made me think, "wow, that's awesome," completely unlike anything else I'd ever experienced in a game. I don't think everyone would love this as much as I did, but as far as the way the story is told, I think it's one of the most important games to hit the market in 2010. Developers with a need to tell a story need to learn from this game.
2. Bayonetta ; And now back to kickass over-the-top Japanese action games, with the kick-assiest of them all. I loved the shit out of Bayonetta. It's by far the best action game I've ever played thanks to a battle system that makes me feel like I have total and complete control at all times. Like Vanquish, it's a game that focuses on the fact that it's a game, and succeeds massively for it. I particularly liked the part where the boss fights- or hell, all fights- weren't just a bunch of QTE segments strung together. The fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously added to my enjoyment factor. Who really wants to smolder with generic rage? Shouldn't we have fun when we mercilessly kill things?
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; The second biggest surprise of 2010. This game was to me what the original SMG was to a lot of people. I felt SMG held the player's hand too much, especially early on, and it suffered from pacing issues thanks to a confusingly complex and unfun hubworld. SMG2 seemed to run with the notion that SMG was the tutorial, and that now you should be ready for the real thing. The gimmicks are clever, doing things in 3D space that have not been done before, and things that challenge your reflexes in more ways than one. And well, I was pretty happy with the main game, but it was the second 120 stars that makes this the best Mario game. The green stars are all about thinking outside the box and challenging your knowledge of the levels. This is the only 3D Mario game I feel like I would ever like to play to completion again.
x. The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom ; Really clever idea for a game that's probably a bit too short. Would love a sequel.
x. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle ; Far surpasses the original. Streamlined so we just get to the point (over-the-top action game killing spree), but the extras aren't hard to get and are worth getting too. Only downside I can think of was the awful platforming segment, but that didn't take too long.
10. Read Dead Redemption ; I had a hard time deciding if this or The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom should get the tenth spot, and considering I am a big fan of platformers, that says something. While my opinion of RDR has diminished since playing the game (mostly thanks to Undead Nightmare), I can't deny it was a great one-time experience. The setting was a welcome change for the free-roaming genre, and there were a lot of little moments that made the journey great. Especially entering Mexico. I could go on babbling about how just that one moment is so good even though there's little gameplay involved, but I'll just leave it at that.
9. Mass Effect 2 ; ME2 felt more like a collection of DLC than a full-blown sequel, but I still enjoyed what was there. Analyzing the game's story provided some unintentional entertainment afterward. As a game, I think it's superior to the first in the series. I enjoyed my two runs more than I did in the original Mass Effect from a gameplay perspective. However, I think what drew me into the first game, the early-80s scifi movie atmosphere and presentation, was pretty much entirely gone. I also had problems with the end-game, particularly the notice you're given (or lack thereof), but for the most part, I had a good time with it.
8. 3D Dot Game Heroes ; I almost forgot about this game when making this list. Considering it had been five years since a traditional top-down Zelda, it was great to get one again. While it's basically Zelda in everything but name only, it feels more like a loving sendup than a cheap knockoff. The only thing I disliked about it was the simplicity of the dungeons relative to the complexity of the the overworld. It felt like the former was developed in an 8-bit development philosophy while the latter was done in a 16-bit development philosophy. Still, a lot of fun, and I would love to see more.
7. Vanquish ; Platformers and kickass over-the-top Japanese action games, that's what this year was about for me. I played Vanquish at E3 earlier in 2010, so I knew what to expect, but it's even crazier than I thought. A couple presentation issues drag it down a bit, and I personally would have loved to have seen more gigantic transforming robot fights, but it's probably the best third-person shooter I've played, thanks to its unrelenting pace and how it focuses on gameplay above anything else.
6. Sonic Colors Wii ; I think in 2007, I gave Sonic and the Secret Rings a nod in my top ten list and it's something I regret. That said, I still like SATSR, frustrating design choices and all, but Sonic Colors for the Wii really does deserve a spot. The presentation is about as perfect as Sonic's ever been, and the powers appear in the form of a welcome break from the push-forward-to-win rollercoaster gameplay that Sega's usually pleased their fans with. It's a lot shorter than recent console Sonic games, but it's only because Sonic Team finally trimmed the fat. Also, and there's no good segue for this, I didn't really care for the game much until I started going back to previously-beaten levels and scouring them for red rings (so I could unlock more levels). But when I did, I think I hit this game's sweet spot. It's a little bit about speed, and a little bit about precision, but a lot about exploration and some thinking outside of the box. And did I mention the presentation is amazing? Because it is.
5. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor ; Kickass over-the-top Japanese action games and platformers. Yep, from the moment I hit the menu screen, I knew I was in for a ride. The ability to skip cutscenes and completely customize my controller setup was extremely welcome. It's pretty much 6-7 hours of shit flying at your face for you to shoot and slash. So awesome.
4. Super Meat Boy ; Holy fuck this game is just full of shit to do. Normal levels, dark levels, hidden levels, hidden characters. It's absolutely insane just how much there is. I'm not normally one for the "frustration platformer," but this was a pretty awesome experience. And while there's sometimes a gimmick that's underused or another that's used too much, there's so much to do that it doesn't matter. Oh, and the controls are basically perfect. Only downside was a personal thing where I started experiencing bugs up the wazoo at the end. Non-Glitch levels were glitching, ranking stuff was borked, and about two hours of gameplay was somehow not saved. Still, it was worth the $10 and more.
3. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors ; By far the biggest surprise for me in 2010. I'm not one for stories in video games unless I know it's what a large focus of the game will be (see: Mass Effect and the Ace Attorney games), and even then I easily grow impatient. I started this after a ten-month ordeal of playing the latest Ace Attorney game as well, so I was particularly not looking forward to starting another visual novel/point-and-click adventure game so soon. At first, I was a little bored with it. Probably the first hour or two was spent clicking through character dialog, descriptions of surroundings, descriptions of items, and people talking about the descriptions of items. It was never poorly-written, but it wasn't particularly exciting. And then I found myself becoming more and more interested in the characters and the story. By the time I reached the ending, I was genuinely surprised to find out I had massively fucked up, and determined to do the next play through right. Long story short, it took another three tries before I finally got it right. And while the story was progressively more interesting upon each New Game +, it wasn't until the final plot twist that I realized just how brilliant everything I'd experienced was. It was like that moment in RDR when you enter Mexico, except retroactively fitting an entire game. The twist itself throws so much into question that I'm contemplating another run through just to see character reactions and decisions. And then there was a final moment that pushed it higher than I thought, and I don't expect anyone else would have experienced it. It was a personal moment that made me think, "wow, that's awesome," completely unlike anything else I'd ever experienced in a game. I don't think everyone would love this as much as I did, but as far as the way the story is told, I think it's one of the most important games to hit the market in 2010. Developers with a need to tell a story need to learn from this game.
2. Bayonetta ; And now back to kickass over-the-top Japanese action games, with the kick-assiest of them all. I loved the shit out of Bayonetta. It's by far the best action game I've ever played thanks to a battle system that makes me feel like I have total and complete control at all times. Like Vanquish, it's a game that focuses on the fact that it's a game, and succeeds massively for it. I particularly liked the part where the boss fights- or hell, all fights- weren't just a bunch of QTE segments strung together. The fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously added to my enjoyment factor. Who really wants to smolder with generic rage? Shouldn't we have fun when we mercilessly kill things?
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; The second biggest surprise of 2010. This game was to me what the original SMG was to a lot of people. I felt SMG held the player's hand too much, especially early on, and it suffered from pacing issues thanks to a confusingly complex and unfun hubworld. SMG2 seemed to run with the notion that SMG was the tutorial, and that now you should be ready for the real thing. The gimmicks are clever, doing things in 3D space that have not been done before, and things that challenge your reflexes in more ways than one. And well, I was pretty happy with the main game, but it was the second 120 stars that makes this the best Mario game. The green stars are all about thinking outside the box and challenging your knowledge of the levels. This is the only 3D Mario game I feel like I would ever like to play to completion again.
x. The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom ; Really clever idea for a game that's probably a bit too short. Would love a sequel.
x. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle ; Far surpasses the original. Streamlined so we just get to the point (over-the-top action game killing spree), but the extras aren't hard to get and are worth getting too. Only downside I can think of was the awful platforming segment, but that didn't take too long.
timetokill
Banned
AniHawk, I'm a little surprised to not see DKCR on your list. I haven't been in the OT for it too much (trying to avoid seeing anything that would spoil the ride) but so far (up to the Forest world) it's been one of my favorite platforming experiences.
Good on the 999 mention though. I've only gotten 3 endings so far and I'm really enthralled with it. Should be finishing it up today (thank goodness for the text skip).
Good on the 999 mention though. I've only gotten 3 endings so far and I'm really enthralled with it. Should be finishing it up today (thank goodness for the text skip).
timetokill said:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=24815827&postcount=419
tl;dr I hate Retro.
timetokill
Banned
AniHawk said:
:lol Got it. I read it, and I agree with some points (rocket barrel, jetpack hover) but disagree on many others. Well reasoned though. I will say that I am really disappointed in the music being worse than the originals. It's too "backgroundy" and DKC is really about strong music, in my opinion. Maybe Yamamoto is losing his touch.
1. Frozen Synapse ; Still in beta, but figured it counted since we're counting Minecraft.
2. Super Meat Boy
3. Hero Core
4. VVVVVV
5. Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor
6. Desktop Dungeons
7. Minecraft
8. Digital: A Love Story
9. Bit.Trip Beat ; Not on the list. Released November 2010 for PC.
10. Toki Tori
Unfortunately, I didn't play as many games as I would have liked this year. I'm sure Amnesia would have made the list, but I wanted to finish the Penumbra series before starting it. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Bayonetta, Vanquish, Alpha Protocol, Dead Rising 2, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bit.Trip Runner, and Donkey Kong Country Returns would probably be strong contenders as well, if I had gotten around to playing them.
2. Super Meat Boy
3. Hero Core
4. VVVVVV
5. Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor
6. Desktop Dungeons
7. Minecraft
8. Digital: A Love Story
9. Bit.Trip Beat ; Not on the list. Released November 2010 for PC.
10. Toki Tori
Unfortunately, I didn't play as many games as I would have liked this year. I'm sure Amnesia would have made the list, but I wanted to finish the Penumbra series before starting it. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Bayonetta, Vanquish, Alpha Protocol, Dead Rising 2, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bit.Trip Runner, and Donkey Kong Country Returns would probably be strong contenders as well, if I had gotten around to playing them.
ConradCervantes
Banned
1. Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip!
2. Red Dead Redemption
3. Just Cause 2
4. Dead Rising 2
5. Joe Danger
6. BioShock 2
7. Alan Wake
8. Modnation Racers
9. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Miniland Mayhem
10. Split/Second
2. Red Dead Redemption
3. Just Cause 2
4. Dead Rising 2
5. Joe Danger
6. BioShock 2
7. Alan Wake
8. Modnation Racers
9. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Miniland Mayhem
10. Split/Second
1. Fallout: New Vegas ; I could probably write at least an impressive-sized pamphlet about how much I like Fallout: New Vegas. By now you've probably noticed my avatar (or seen my post count in the OT) and figure my opinion may contain some slight amount of bias. It does, good call. Still, this game represents a merging of the soul of Fallout 2 and the powerful, immersive nature of Fallout 3's move to the first-person perspective. There are no easy choices in the wasteland, no clean sheets to sleep on and no reason not to shoot the guy in front of you except the possibility that someone that likes him may have a bigger gun than you. Figure it out or die trying - there's no reason not to when there's room for every type of play style you can think of to work your way from a shallow grave to... well, wherever you decide you want to go. This game embodies nearly everything I still like about video games, though like most everything in the wastes you sometimes have to pick it up off the ground and brush it off. I don't think that is too much to ask for what you will get out of this experience in the end.
2. Mass Effect 2 ; Given how early this game came out this year I almost feel worn out talking about it. For all the game's problems, I still find it immensely enjoyable to actually play, and I find that to be a trait that is becoming more and more rare anymore amongst games that call themselves RPGs. I am not Commander Shepard and this is not my favorite game this year, but it's pretty damn close.
3. Amnesia: The Dark Descent ; This game may cause poop to come out of your butt even when you are entirely certain that is not something you would like to happen. I feel like this game is maybe the only one I've ever played that actually makes you feel like you are trying to survive in one of Lovecraft's tales. It's as much about stress as it is about fear, and the environment they create for you has both in spades.
4. Super Meat Boy ; Jump, you dick. No, really, that's pretty much all you do in this game. You can run, jump, and invent new ways to say words like 'dick' while you fail miserably at the first two options. It's full of sawblades, spikes, lava, missiles and hatred and it will beat you into the ground every single fucking time you so much as blink incorrectly as the game's difficulty ramps up to the point where your mind starts to search for words like 'odium' to describe how you feel about the asshole that must have put those levels together. But then you win.
5. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light ; I'm pretty sure nobody actually asked for Lara Craft to be paired up with some ancient tribal warrior guy while they ran around in isometric game solving puzzles, but I'm glad someone actually had that idea and ran with it because the game is fucking awesome. Not only is the game gorgeous graphically but the puzzles themselves are consistently clever and on top of that the combat manages to be rather entertaining, if not a bit simple. Every aspect of this game is polished like few full-price releases are.
6. Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter ; It's Serious Sam: The Second Encounter but in HD. If you haven't played that game by now you're probably a huge pussy and I'm not going to bother explaining this to you. Just skip to number seven. Wuss.
7. VVVVVV ; I guess there's a fairly difficult platformer underneath the retro graphics and catchy chiptunes, but you'll have such a good time playing this that the difficulty doesn't even really matter. You can't really help but feel great looking at the Captain's smile or bouncing around off lines as you try to not land on spikes or come flying in from the opposite side of the screen you just entered. With the constant checkpoints and positive feedback you get from this game racking up your death tally on the same sequence over and over doesn't ever seem to matter, you just keep humming the tunes and bouncing off the ceilings until you get it right and carry on.
I don't think I'm going to do more than seven games this year. Also I don't know if Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is on that big list so I'm not sure if it's fucking up my vote for the parser.
2. Mass Effect 2 ; Given how early this game came out this year I almost feel worn out talking about it. For all the game's problems, I still find it immensely enjoyable to actually play, and I find that to be a trait that is becoming more and more rare anymore amongst games that call themselves RPGs. I am not Commander Shepard and this is not my favorite game this year, but it's pretty damn close.
3. Amnesia: The Dark Descent ; This game may cause poop to come out of your butt even when you are entirely certain that is not something you would like to happen. I feel like this game is maybe the only one I've ever played that actually makes you feel like you are trying to survive in one of Lovecraft's tales. It's as much about stress as it is about fear, and the environment they create for you has both in spades.
4. Super Meat Boy ; Jump, you dick. No, really, that's pretty much all you do in this game. You can run, jump, and invent new ways to say words like 'dick' while you fail miserably at the first two options. It's full of sawblades, spikes, lava, missiles and hatred and it will beat you into the ground every single fucking time you so much as blink incorrectly as the game's difficulty ramps up to the point where your mind starts to search for words like 'odium' to describe how you feel about the asshole that must have put those levels together. But then you win.
5. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light ; I'm pretty sure nobody actually asked for Lara Craft to be paired up with some ancient tribal warrior guy while they ran around in isometric game solving puzzles, but I'm glad someone actually had that idea and ran with it because the game is fucking awesome. Not only is the game gorgeous graphically but the puzzles themselves are consistently clever and on top of that the combat manages to be rather entertaining, if not a bit simple. Every aspect of this game is polished like few full-price releases are.
6. Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter ; It's Serious Sam: The Second Encounter but in HD. If you haven't played that game by now you're probably a huge pussy and I'm not going to bother explaining this to you. Just skip to number seven. Wuss.
7. VVVVVV ; I guess there's a fairly difficult platformer underneath the retro graphics and catchy chiptunes, but you'll have such a good time playing this that the difficulty doesn't even really matter. You can't really help but feel great looking at the Captain's smile or bouncing around off lines as you try to not land on spikes or come flying in from the opposite side of the screen you just entered. With the constant checkpoints and positive feedback you get from this game racking up your death tally on the same sequence over and over doesn't ever seem to matter, you just keep humming the tunes and bouncing off the ceilings until you get it right and carry on.
I don't think I'm going to do more than seven games this year. Also I don't know if Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is on that big list so I'm not sure if it's fucking up my vote for the parser.
hosannainexcelsis
Member
I've run out of time to play a lot of titles that would probably end up here, like Nier and Red Dead, but fortunately I have played 10 deserving games from 2010.
1. Hatsune Miku Project Diva 2nd ; This is how you do a sequel. The original Project Diva had a great formula with excellent vocaloid music and solid rhythm gameplay, but had several flaws which hampered my enjoyment. This fixes every flaw, adds more interesting patterns with the Extreme difficulty, lets the other vocaloids share the spotlight with Miku, and has even better music and PVs. No other game released this year made me as happy to play as Project Diva 2nd, which is why it is my GOTY.
2. Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Chiru ; Episode 6 was great, but Episode 7 is mostly what pushes Umineko this high. The mystery that was set up could have fallen apart if the revelations were lame or nonsensical, and so far they are anything but. Writing and music are as high-quality as they've ever been.
3. 999: 9 Hours, 9 People, 9 Doors ; I've long hoped that a Chunsoft adventure game would come out in English, and this did not disappoint. Well-structured story, excellent characters, and logical puzzles. The finale was brilliant, a kind of storytelling that could only work in an interactive format. Top-notch localization from Aksys.
4. Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman ; Despite loving Nippon Ichi's sense of humor, I've so far found it difficult to get into their SRPGs. Z.H.P., however, drew me in from the first moment and never let go. A hilarious scenario coupled to a kinder rougelike with deep systems and addictively fun grinding makes for a winning game.
5. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift ; BlazBlue is my first attempt at getting into a fighter, and I really appreciate everything Arc System Works did to make it as painless as possible. Tutorial mode and beginner mode help the newbie to grasp the core mechanics while already starting to get a feel for the vastly different and deep playstyles of each character. Plus the world of BlazBlue - the story and characters themselves - is really fun to explore. Again, top-notch localization from Aksys.
6. DoDonPachi Resurrection (iOS) ; Cave does it again. Their iOS releases got me hooked on bullet-hell shooters; it's so exciting to swish the ship around with my finger, barely scraping through dense bullet patterns. It was a tough call between this and Espgaluda II, but I'm giving the nod to this because the iPhone mode is deeper and the soundtrack is better.
7. Ys: The Oath in Felghana ; So happy that this could see a release in the West. One of the best and most fluid combat systems in any action RPG I've played, with well-designed and tricky bosses. The soundtrack is great and the story, if standard, is enjoyable and doesn't outstay its welcome. (Also, the many difficulty options and retry ability are much appreciated for someone like me who's not very skilled at this type of game!)
8. Patchwork Heroes ; This game oozes personality, from the charming Eastern European-influenced music and visuals, to the name, age, and personality trait given to each of the characters who essentially function as lives, to the many twists given to the basic cut-it-up gameplay. A finely crafted gem.
9. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PSP) ; An innovative way of allowing the player to determine the personality of the main character and thus how the story unfolds. What made the game for me was the atmosphere of the deserted Silent Hill, enhanced by the brooding soundtrack and the side-stories you would run into with the memories. I even enjoyed the nightmare sequences, which a lot of people seemed to take issue with. I do wish I could have played this on a Wii, which the controls were clearly designed for, but I'm glad I was able to play it at all.
10. Space Invaders Infinity Gene (PSN) ; The iOS version of this game is one of my favorites on that platform, and the console port only enhanced it. I love the striking abstract visual style, the soundtrack, and the wide variety of weapons requiring different playstyles. The constant unlocks kept me playing.
x. DJ Max Portable 3 ; I really wish I could put this on my top 10, since this was one of my most anticipated titles of the year. But even though it does some things right, and the remix system it introduces is an interesting way to change up the basic rhythm gameplay, it has too many flaws - principally being too grind-heavy and being loose on accuracy - to make that list. Still a good game, just not what it should have been.
x. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth ; This is another sequel to one of my favorite francises which does some things right (the investigation gameplay, the best sidekick in the series), but has a fatal flaw which keeps it off the top 10. In this case, it was pacing. Taking out the court segments makes it harder to make the villian confrontations meaningful, and that was especially apparent in the painfully long final case, which ruined the good impression I had of the game beforehand. Hopefully the sequel will be better.
1. Hatsune Miku Project Diva 2nd ; This is how you do a sequel. The original Project Diva had a great formula with excellent vocaloid music and solid rhythm gameplay, but had several flaws which hampered my enjoyment. This fixes every flaw, adds more interesting patterns with the Extreme difficulty, lets the other vocaloids share the spotlight with Miku, and has even better music and PVs. No other game released this year made me as happy to play as Project Diva 2nd, which is why it is my GOTY.
2. Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Chiru ; Episode 6 was great, but Episode 7 is mostly what pushes Umineko this high. The mystery that was set up could have fallen apart if the revelations were lame or nonsensical, and so far they are anything but. Writing and music are as high-quality as they've ever been.
3. 999: 9 Hours, 9 People, 9 Doors ; I've long hoped that a Chunsoft adventure game would come out in English, and this did not disappoint. Well-structured story, excellent characters, and logical puzzles. The finale was brilliant, a kind of storytelling that could only work in an interactive format. Top-notch localization from Aksys.
4. Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman ; Despite loving Nippon Ichi's sense of humor, I've so far found it difficult to get into their SRPGs. Z.H.P., however, drew me in from the first moment and never let go. A hilarious scenario coupled to a kinder rougelike with deep systems and addictively fun grinding makes for a winning game.
5. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift ; BlazBlue is my first attempt at getting into a fighter, and I really appreciate everything Arc System Works did to make it as painless as possible. Tutorial mode and beginner mode help the newbie to grasp the core mechanics while already starting to get a feel for the vastly different and deep playstyles of each character. Plus the world of BlazBlue - the story and characters themselves - is really fun to explore. Again, top-notch localization from Aksys.
6. DoDonPachi Resurrection (iOS) ; Cave does it again. Their iOS releases got me hooked on bullet-hell shooters; it's so exciting to swish the ship around with my finger, barely scraping through dense bullet patterns. It was a tough call between this and Espgaluda II, but I'm giving the nod to this because the iPhone mode is deeper and the soundtrack is better.
7. Ys: The Oath in Felghana ; So happy that this could see a release in the West. One of the best and most fluid combat systems in any action RPG I've played, with well-designed and tricky bosses. The soundtrack is great and the story, if standard, is enjoyable and doesn't outstay its welcome. (Also, the many difficulty options and retry ability are much appreciated for someone like me who's not very skilled at this type of game!)
8. Patchwork Heroes ; This game oozes personality, from the charming Eastern European-influenced music and visuals, to the name, age, and personality trait given to each of the characters who essentially function as lives, to the many twists given to the basic cut-it-up gameplay. A finely crafted gem.
9. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PSP) ; An innovative way of allowing the player to determine the personality of the main character and thus how the story unfolds. What made the game for me was the atmosphere of the deserted Silent Hill, enhanced by the brooding soundtrack and the side-stories you would run into with the memories. I even enjoyed the nightmare sequences, which a lot of people seemed to take issue with. I do wish I could have played this on a Wii, which the controls were clearly designed for, but I'm glad I was able to play it at all.
10. Space Invaders Infinity Gene (PSN) ; The iOS version of this game is one of my favorites on that platform, and the console port only enhanced it. I love the striking abstract visual style, the soundtrack, and the wide variety of weapons requiring different playstyles. The constant unlocks kept me playing.
x. DJ Max Portable 3 ; I really wish I could put this on my top 10, since this was one of my most anticipated titles of the year. But even though it does some things right, and the remix system it introduces is an interesting way to change up the basic rhythm gameplay, it has too many flaws - principally being too grind-heavy and being loose on accuracy - to make that list. Still a good game, just not what it should have been.
x. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth ; This is another sequel to one of my favorite francises which does some things right (the investigation gameplay, the best sidekick in the series), but has a fatal flaw which keeps it off the top 10. In this case, it was pacing. Taking out the court segments makes it harder to make the villian confrontations meaningful, and that was especially apparent in the painfully long final case, which ruined the good impression I had of the game beforehand. Hopefully the sequel will be better.
iconoclast
Member
Shit, I still need to play Project Diva 2. The first game was surprisingly awesome.
HolyCheck said:Total Posts: 8,224
User Name Posts
Hazaro 603
Haunted 490
Mairu 458
vicissitudes 456
TheThunder 418
Zzoram 340
HolyCheck 340
Wallach 333
bbyybb 257
Corran Horn 245
does GSL mean nothing to you.
Haha, nah man I love SC2 for what it is. But really, I don't even personally own a copy of it and my appreciation for it pretty much entirely involves the game as an e-sport and my love of the original SC. Just thought it would be weird to vote for (and talk about) a game I watch far more than I ever play.
John Dunbar
correct about everything
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
3. Donkey Kong Country Returns
4. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
5. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
6. Napoleon: Total War
7. Civilization 5
Didn't really play many games last year.
2. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
3. Donkey Kong Country Returns
4. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
5. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
6. Napoleon: Total War
7. Civilization 5
Didn't really play many games last year.
Walter Matthau
Member
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
2. Bayonetta
3. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
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Possibly may not count based on rules, but deserves mention either way:
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4. Mega Man Zero Collection
2. Bayonetta
3. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Possibly may not count based on rules, but deserves mention either way:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Mega Man Zero Collection
makingmusic476
Member
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Kirby's Epic Yarn
3. Gran Turismo 5
4. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
5. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
6. God of War III
7. Final Fantasy XIII
8. Vanquish
9. Super Street Fighter 4
Though I have yet to open Donkey Kong, Resonance of Fate, and Prof. Layton, and I still need to buy Nier. =/
2. Kirby's Epic Yarn
3. Gran Turismo 5
4. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
5. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
6. God of War III
7. Final Fantasy XIII
8. Vanquish
9. Super Street Fighter 4
Though I have yet to open Donkey Kong, Resonance of Fate, and Prof. Layton, and I still need to buy Nier. =/
1. Etrian Odyssey 3: The Drowned City Three months of my life were spent playing this game til I got it complete/100% best new RPG series this generation.
2. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow I had a lot of fun with this game and renewed my love for HD "epic" games on the hd twins.
3. Donkey Kong Country returns Nintendo must bring old properties back and revive them like this. Great game I got for christmas.
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2 Enough said, great game that improved upon an already perfect game.
5. Alan Wake Silent hill rip-off but fun and got it for christmas from a person I love.
6. Dementium 2 I just love the dementium games, I loved the first one and the 2nd was better.
2. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow I had a lot of fun with this game and renewed my love for HD "epic" games on the hd twins.
3. Donkey Kong Country returns Nintendo must bring old properties back and revive them like this. Great game I got for christmas.
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2 Enough said, great game that improved upon an already perfect game.
5. Alan Wake Silent hill rip-off but fun and got it for christmas from a person I love.
6. Dementium 2 I just love the dementium games, I loved the first one and the 2nd was better.
ShockingAlberto
Member
When I said endgame, I wasn't even considering the Desmond stuff, which is my failing, because I absolutely forgot about it. That's how little an impression it made on me, all I could really remember was how bad the end of the Ezio portion was.Stumpokapow said:
I agree history put them in a precarious position, but their choices were either do a different story (as an actual Assassin's Creed 3 would have done) or adapt it. They chose to adapt it and they did it incredibly poorly, in a way that cost the game its lasting impression. When I watch the credits and turn the game off, the first thing on my mind is whether or not the game respected me as a player with the way it ended. Brotherhood did not.
And not just story-wise, that is relatively incidental. The story within Brotherhood is pretty much filler and could have been summarized in single scenes or put in a different game for as much good as it did. But again, not the point of what made that end game bad. A mistake a lot of games make is changing the mechanics, often without explanation or reason, for the sake of "a more epic scene." Brotherhood fell for this trap hard. They shoehorned in a mechanic that, after two games that hyped up the use of it, and it was unfun. Rushed, on time, a thousand people, whatever, the lasting memory they provided me with is the game actively subverting itself to make things not fun.
But the rest of the game wasn't actually great, either. The assassin's guild, the fundamental new mechanic of the game, was not introduced until halfway through and then could be abused and exploited to its most powerful extent within two hours. It was fun, but it wasn't mindblowing, and basically boiled down to a combination of Facebook-style busy clicking and button pressing when you'd rather not be bothered to deal with a guard.
Rome, which you called out as being interesting, utterly lacked any life or personality that Venice or Firenze had. This was a problem underscored by the Cristina missions which took place there. The five minutes walking through Venice were more interesting than any other part of Rome. It felt so rote and boring.
That said, it's really just my opinion. I loved Assassin's Creed 2, but I thought Brotherhood was a thorough disappointment. A good game, but disappointing all the same.
ConradCervantes
Banned
SalsaShark said:
Hey, I did my part! And I'm playing it right now!
chixdiggit
Member
1. BioShock 2
2. Civilization 5
3. Dance Central
4. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
5. Halo: Reach
6. Mass Effect 2
7. Red Dead Redemption
8. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
9. StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty
10. Fallout: New Vegas
2. Civilization 5
3. Dance Central
4. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
5. Halo: Reach
6. Mass Effect 2
7. Red Dead Redemption
8. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
9. StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty
10. Fallout: New Vegas
corrosivefrost
Member
1. Dead Rising 2; As a fan of the first, I was worried about the sequel. But it delivered on all counts.
2. Super Street Fighter 4; Deep combo, variety of characters, budget price point, great online community.
3. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift; Wonderful 2D sprites, easy to pick up combo system but still a nice amount of depth.
4. Bayonetta; Great action game. Probably the future of the genre, especially now that NT is handling DmC...
5. BioShock 2; I didn't expect a lot from this but was pleasantly surprised at a lot of the gameplay and story.
6. Red Dead Redemption; Rockstar surprised me here. I don't like Westerns, but I got a free copy so I decided to play it before selling. I was blown away.
7. Darksiders; Wasn't on my radar until about a week before it released. Scratched my itch for a new 3D Zelda game, especially since Twilight Princess was pretty much last gen.
8. God of War 3; Amazing visuals, fluid gameplay, epic battles. I was a little sad by some of the design decisions, but it was better than a lot of other titles I played this year.
9. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light; What a pleasant surprise. Not a tomb raider fan, but the run & gun loot fest was a blast.
10. Lego Harry Potter: Years 14; It did a good job of bringing the vast HP universe to game consoles and condensing 4 books into one game. The split screen coop and tons of collectibles entertained me and my girlfriend for hours.
x. Final Fantasy 13; The combat dynamic here was wonderful. It almost makes me forget about slogging through the shite story and linear bullshit required to get there.
x. Costume Quest; Double Fine did an excellent job with this. A bit short, but a sweet ride.
x. Alan Wake; such potential, but the graphics weren't up to snuff and the overall plot was terrible and dragged on at times. I still had fun with it though and it deserves a mention.
x. Mass Effect 2; didn't live up to the hype for me, but it was still a very solid title. I can only hope that BioWare actually addresses all the issues I had with this game in the last installment.
2. Super Street Fighter 4; Deep combo, variety of characters, budget price point, great online community.
3. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift; Wonderful 2D sprites, easy to pick up combo system but still a nice amount of depth.
4. Bayonetta; Great action game. Probably the future of the genre, especially now that NT is handling DmC...
5. BioShock 2; I didn't expect a lot from this but was pleasantly surprised at a lot of the gameplay and story.
6. Red Dead Redemption; Rockstar surprised me here. I don't like Westerns, but I got a free copy so I decided to play it before selling. I was blown away.
7. Darksiders; Wasn't on my radar until about a week before it released. Scratched my itch for a new 3D Zelda game, especially since Twilight Princess was pretty much last gen.
8. God of War 3; Amazing visuals, fluid gameplay, epic battles. I was a little sad by some of the design decisions, but it was better than a lot of other titles I played this year.
9. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light; What a pleasant surprise. Not a tomb raider fan, but the run & gun loot fest was a blast.
10. Lego Harry Potter: Years 14; It did a good job of bringing the vast HP universe to game consoles and condensing 4 books into one game. The split screen coop and tons of collectibles entertained me and my girlfriend for hours.
x. Final Fantasy 13; The combat dynamic here was wonderful. It almost makes me forget about slogging through the shite story and linear bullshit required to get there.
x. Costume Quest; Double Fine did an excellent job with this. A bit short, but a sweet ride.
x. Alan Wake; such potential, but the graphics weren't up to snuff and the overall plot was terrible and dragged on at times. I still had fun with it though and it deserves a mention.
x. Mass Effect 2; didn't live up to the hype for me, but it was still a very solid title. I can only hope that BioWare actually addresses all the issues I had with this game in the last installment.
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; More of the same, but somehow better this time. Lots of imagination and little filler.
2. Red Dead Redemption ; Did a great job capturing the old west feel. Good gameplay, great storytelling, now with zombies too!
3. Super Meat Boy ; A modern "arcade" classic. Truly brutal, bite sized levels married with responsive controls and wonderfully floaty physics.
4. Donkey Kong Country Returns ; A fantastic re-launch for this series. Lots of great ideas throughout with very little repetition.
5. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ; Another expansion. The backup assassins were a good addition, and Rome wound up being my favorite city in the series.
6. Sonic Colors Wii ; Finally returns the exploration aspect of the Genesis games. The game becomes great when using the power-ups to find alternate paths and search for the red rings.
7. Dead Rising 2 ; Gets old after a while, but the first run through was a blast. Blue Sky did a superb job capturing the campy feel of the first Dead Rising.
8. Costume Quest ; Maybe doesn't have the deepest gameplay, but it was the right game at the right time. A wonderful Halloween special for gamers.
9. Kirby's Epic Yarn ; So easy, but I can't help but be entertained by the cuteness, tight controls and well designed levels. Loved the transformation sequences and the level select screens.
10. Bit.Trip Runner ; A demanding test of timing and memorization made all the more difficult my my need to grab all those gold bars. Like Super Meat Boy, it has that "just one more try" quality.
x. Metroid: Other M ; Has a lot of faults but I enjoyed the gameplay, especially the boss fights. A sequel that ditches the cutscenes and focuses on exploration and boss fights would be great.
x. Mass Effect 2 ; Liked it, but I ran out of steam shortly after switching discs. Will definitely be finishing it before part 3, though.
x. Lego Harry Potter
X. Alpha Protocol
x. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
2. Red Dead Redemption ; Did a great job capturing the old west feel. Good gameplay, great storytelling, now with zombies too!
3. Super Meat Boy ; A modern "arcade" classic. Truly brutal, bite sized levels married with responsive controls and wonderfully floaty physics.
4. Donkey Kong Country Returns ; A fantastic re-launch for this series. Lots of great ideas throughout with very little repetition.
5. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ; Another expansion. The backup assassins were a good addition, and Rome wound up being my favorite city in the series.
6. Sonic Colors Wii ; Finally returns the exploration aspect of the Genesis games. The game becomes great when using the power-ups to find alternate paths and search for the red rings.
7. Dead Rising 2 ; Gets old after a while, but the first run through was a blast. Blue Sky did a superb job capturing the campy feel of the first Dead Rising.
8. Costume Quest ; Maybe doesn't have the deepest gameplay, but it was the right game at the right time. A wonderful Halloween special for gamers.
9. Kirby's Epic Yarn ; So easy, but I can't help but be entertained by the cuteness, tight controls and well designed levels. Loved the transformation sequences and the level select screens.
10. Bit.Trip Runner ; A demanding test of timing and memorization made all the more difficult my my need to grab all those gold bars. Like Super Meat Boy, it has that "just one more try" quality.
x. Metroid: Other M ; Has a lot of faults but I enjoyed the gameplay, especially the boss fights. A sequel that ditches the cutscenes and focuses on exploration and boss fights would be great.
x. Mass Effect 2 ; Liked it, but I ran out of steam shortly after switching discs. Will definitely be finishing it before part 3, though.
x. Lego Harry Potter
X. Alpha Protocol
x. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Shadow Red
Member
1) Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
2) Nier
3) BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
4) Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
5) Bayonetta
6) Metroid: Other M
7) Resonance of Fate
8) Heavy Rain
9) Final Fantasy XIII
10) Game Dev Story
2) Nier
3) BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
4) Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
5) Bayonetta
6) Metroid: Other M
7) Resonance of Fate
8) Heavy Rain
9) Final Fantasy XIII
10) Game Dev Story
Dash Kappei
Not actually that important
1. Sin & Punishment 2: Star Successor
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Vanquish
4. DoDonPachi Resurrection
5. Bayonetta
5. Trackmania Turbo DS
6. Gran Turismo 5
7. God of War 3
8. Donkey Kong Country Returns
9. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
10. Heavy Rain
[Honorable mentions]
There are many:
But nothing, nothing infuriates more than F1 2010. If the game was given the proper patch support it could have easily been in my top 3 GOTY; being the game in such poor state I simply can't reward a dev like Codemonster, which basically took the money and ran away laughing... what a shame, such an incredible game.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Vanquish
4. DoDonPachi Resurrection
5. Bayonetta
5. Trackmania Turbo DS
6. Gran Turismo 5
7. God of War 3
8. Donkey Kong Country Returns
9. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
10. Heavy Rain
[Honorable mentions]
There are many:
- Goldeneye 007, which is without a doubt my favourite FPS campaign of the year, not bad for a game I was sure to be a stinker!;
- Splinter Cell Conviction, which to me felt like MGS4's gameplay done right and I'm ready for an improved sequel;
- Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, which would have been totally worth it if I hadn't extensively played Crosso Generation of Hiruso in 2009 already ;
- Limbo, which I had to knock a couple # only because it lacked consistency, I wish the experience was kept remarkable for the whole game and not only its incredible first half... still, love it.
- Then there's Super Meat Boy... well I just didn't feel like taking another game's spot but it totally deserves GOTY status and I know many are voting for it.
But nothing, nothing infuriates more than F1 2010. If the game was given the proper patch support it could have easily been in my top 3 GOTY; being the game in such poor state I simply can't reward a dev like Codemonster, which basically took the money and ran away laughing... what a shame, such an incredible game.
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Super Meat Boy
3. Donkey Kong Country Returns
4. Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
5. Monster Hunter 3: Tri
6. Fallout: New Vegas
7. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
8. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
9. Goldeneye 007
10. Epic Mickey
x. Metroid: Other M
x. Limbo
2. Super Meat Boy
3. Donkey Kong Country Returns
4. Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
5. Monster Hunter 3: Tri
6. Fallout: New Vegas
7. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
8. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
9. Goldeneye 007
10. Epic Mickey
x. Metroid: Other M
x. Limbo
1. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ; In some ways this is more of a vote for ACII than it is for ACB, as it would have been my GotY 2009 if I had played it in time. But Brotherhood is a worthy sequel. The Assassin's guild is brilliant and fun to construct, and I was glad to see key elements from II return. However, the steam in Ezio's story evaporated at the end of the Monteriggioni sequence in ACB, and everything after that felt tired, with the exception of the optional yet powerful Christina missions. But still, I enjoyed every minute. I'm ready for a new assassin next, but would like to know how Ezio's story ends. Just when does this guy have a kid?! He's almost 50 at the end of ACB!
2. Bayonetta ; That weird looking Bayonetta kept popping up in all kinds of threads, so I had to find out what she was all about. So glad I did. Combat was surprisingly easy to pick up, yet the game did offer it's share of challenges. The enemy design is particularly exceptional, but a few environments were very pretty, and the soundtrack did offer some outstanding pieces. Lastly, there's the story. It's terrible. I wouldn't be surprised if Square Enix pilfered some ideas here for their next FF. But somehow I found myself not caring. Bayonetta's just that good.
3. Red Dead Redemption ; Took a chance on this one. Had no idea I'd enjoy roaming around and playing in a western. But somehow it all came together. John's story was griping and a blast to play through. The optional side stuff was fun and in just the right quantity. I even bizarrely enjoyed hunting and skinning animals. A few memorable missions and the beautiful score helped to complete the package. The game did have a few missteps, but otherwise the only down side for me is that I was spoiled on the ending. Criminal.
Didn't play as many games that were released in 2010 as I would have liked but I also polished off Heavy Rain and Final Fantasy XIII. Both were pretty blah so I didn't include them. Though if I had been able to get to them in time, I imagine SMG2, Nier, and DQIX would have made my list.
2. Bayonetta ; That weird looking Bayonetta kept popping up in all kinds of threads, so I had to find out what she was all about. So glad I did. Combat was surprisingly easy to pick up, yet the game did offer it's share of challenges. The enemy design is particularly exceptional, but a few environments were very pretty, and the soundtrack did offer some outstanding pieces. Lastly, there's the story. It's terrible. I wouldn't be surprised if Square Enix pilfered some ideas here for their next FF. But somehow I found myself not caring. Bayonetta's just that good.
3. Red Dead Redemption ; Took a chance on this one. Had no idea I'd enjoy roaming around and playing in a western. But somehow it all came together. John's story was griping and a blast to play through. The optional side stuff was fun and in just the right quantity. I even bizarrely enjoyed hunting and skinning animals. A few memorable missions and the beautiful score helped to complete the package. The game did have a few missteps, but otherwise the only down side for me is that I was spoiled on the ending. Criminal.
Didn't play as many games that were released in 2010 as I would have liked but I also polished off Heavy Rain and Final Fantasy XIII. Both were pretty blah so I didn't include them. Though if I had been able to get to them in time, I imagine SMG2, Nier, and DQIX would have made my list.
PjotrStroganov
Member
1. Red Dead Redemption
2. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
3. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
4. Mass Effect 2
5. Just Cause 2
6. Fallout: New Vegas
7. Metro 2033
8. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
9. God of War 3
10. Gran Turismo 5
2. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
3. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
4. Mass Effect 2
5. Just Cause 2
6. Fallout: New Vegas
7. Metro 2033
8. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
9. God of War 3
10. Gran Turismo 5
1. Bayonetta ; A new standard for action games in the fluid controls, well-scaled difficulty, plenty of secrets, and the sheer over-the-top utter ridiculousness of everything doesn't hurt.
2. Red Dead Redemption ; Rockstar flexes its storytelling muscle yet again. Combat isn't perfect, the pace falters here and there, but the payoff is so very worth it.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; This is a Mario game made by Nintendo that has the benefit of being able to fix the few shortfalls of its predecessor while maintaining its strengths. Yes.
4. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light ; The best value-for-content ratio that came out of nowhere for me.
5. Helsing's Fire ; A very smartly designed iPhone puzzler with brilliant writing and great replayability.
6. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver ; It may be strictly formula for series veterans but it's still fun as ever.
x. After Burner Climax ; Short and sweet high-energy rocking arcade action. Sadly, a little too short.
x. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game ; Wonderful retro charm, but some of that retro clunkiness as well.
x. Minecraft ; I can't wait for a fleshed out single player mode.
Also finally bought Arkham Asylum, which would have easily made this list near the top if it were eligible.
2. Red Dead Redemption ; Rockstar flexes its storytelling muscle yet again. Combat isn't perfect, the pace falters here and there, but the payoff is so very worth it.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; This is a Mario game made by Nintendo that has the benefit of being able to fix the few shortfalls of its predecessor while maintaining its strengths. Yes.
4. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light ; The best value-for-content ratio that came out of nowhere for me.
5. Helsing's Fire ; A very smartly designed iPhone puzzler with brilliant writing and great replayability.
6. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver ; It may be strictly formula for series veterans but it's still fun as ever.
x. After Burner Climax ; Short and sweet high-energy rocking arcade action. Sadly, a little too short.
x. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game ; Wonderful retro charm, but some of that retro clunkiness as well.
x. Minecraft ; I can't wait for a fleshed out single player mode.
Also finally bought Arkham Asylum, which would have easily made this list near the top if it were eligible.
Ninja Kn1ght
Member
1. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
2. Dragon Quest IX
3. Red Dead Redemption
4. Bayonetta
5. Super Meat Boy
6. God of War 3
7. Demon's Souls
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2
9. Half-Minute Hero
10. Heavy Rain
2. Dragon Quest IX
3. Red Dead Redemption
4. Bayonetta
5. Super Meat Boy
6. God of War 3
7. Demon's Souls
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2
9. Half-Minute Hero
10. Heavy Rain
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Bayonetta
3. Fallout: New Vegas
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Dead Rising 2
6. Civilization 5
7. Vanquish
8. Donkey Kong Country Returns
9. Resonance of Fate
10. Mass Effect 2
x. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
x. Darksiders
x. Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
x. Super Meat Boy
x. Nier
2. Bayonetta
3. Fallout: New Vegas
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Dead Rising 2
6. Civilization 5
7. Vanquish
8. Donkey Kong Country Returns
9. Resonance of Fate
10. Mass Effect 2
x. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
x. Darksiders
x. Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
x. Super Meat Boy
x. Nier
1. Ys Seven
2. Persona 3 Portable
3. 3D Dot Game Heroes
4. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
5. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. Spelunker HD
8. Star Ocean: The Last Hope International
9. Bayonetta
10. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
x. Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman
x. Resonance of Fate
x. Nier ; All three honorable mentions seem like very good games, but I haven't played them far enough to include them on the actual list.
2. Persona 3 Portable
3. 3D Dot Game Heroes
4. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
5. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. Spelunker HD
8. Star Ocean: The Last Hope International
9. Bayonetta
10. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
x. Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman
x. Resonance of Fate
x. Nier ; All three honorable mentions seem like very good games, but I haven't played them far enough to include them on the actual list.
CerebralTiger
Member
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Final Fantasy 13
3. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
4. God of War 3
5. Red Dead Redemption
6. Mass Effect 2
7. Bayonetta
8. Halo: Reach
9. Civilization 5
10. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
2. Final Fantasy 13
3. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
4. God of War 3
5. Red Dead Redemption
6. Mass Effect 2
7. Bayonetta
8. Halo: Reach
9. Civilization 5
10. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
1. Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
2. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
3. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Game Dev Story
6. Trajectile
7. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
8. Monster Hunter 3: Tri
9. Starship Defense
10. Cut the Rope
2. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
3. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Game Dev Story
6. Trajectile
7. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
8. Monster Hunter 3: Tri
9. Starship Defense
10. Cut the Rope
1. Super Meat Boy ; It's extremely punishing, but the controls are perfect. Because of the instant restart you keep trying to beat those seemingly impossible levels til you've found a reliable method. Punishing but never frustrating. SMB may be one of the finest 2D platformers I've played so it's easily my goty.
2. Donkey Kong Country Returns ; Retro work their magic and prove they can make an incredible platformer as well. I never got into the other DKC games, but I played through this about 3 times in total.
3. Mass Effect 2 ; I haven't even finished this yet, but screw it: the general gameplay and design improvements over ME1 justify a high ranking already. I just lose myself completely in ME's richly detailed and dense universe. The removal of certain flawed gameplay elements and overall streamlining make for a very polished and fun game. The improved performance is the icing on the cake.
4. Pac-Man CE DX ; Ghost trains. Nuff said.
5. Sin & Punishment 2: Star Successor ; Oh man, oh man! This wins the 'year's biggest surprise' award. Never played the original S&P so I didn't know quite what to expect, but this is one big adrenaline rush. I have a feeling this game flew under the radar of many people so I'll just stress how everyone with a Wii should at least give this a try. Play it on easy, I don't care, as long as you play it!
6. God of War 3 ; This didn't have the variety in locales GoW 2 had, but it's still a phenomenal action game. Best combat of the trilogy.
7. Alan Wake ; The story isn't that great, but the atmosphere and action are remarkable.
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; This is a fantastic platformer and an overall worthy sequel to SMG1, but it's also somewhat of a disappointment. They expanded on the ideas present in the original, but it never grabbed me the way Galaxy 1 did.
9. Vanquish ; Mikami takes a look at the third person shooter formula and puts his spin on it. There's nothing quite like boosting towards an enemy, kicking him and finishing him off slow mo in the air. I really shouldn't have forced myself to sit through the crappy cutscenes, because they really hinder the flow of the game. Replaying this on hard with skipped cutscnes is the best way to experience Vanquish.
10. Limbo ; It has some weaker bits, but it's one of those memorable 'finish in one sitting'-experiences I'd like to see more of.
x. Darksiders ; Very enjoyable Zelda-clone, not exactly top 10 material though.
x. Divinity II: Dragon Knight Saga ; decent rpg that gets more fun with each new area.
On to duds/disappointments of the year (we can do that here right?):
- Heavy Rain: what a disaster. I'd be okay with the lack of actual gameplay if I'd care about the story and characters somewhat, but I didn't. This is a prime example of a direction games shouldn't take when it comes to storytelling. Really surprised by the amount of praise this game got.
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. There was promise here! MS has some very talented artists and the variety in locales is impressive, but the game drags on for waaay too long and the overall level design is inconsistent. And those titan battles! Yikes.
- Kirby's Epic Yarn: My first Kirby game and I despised it. Game has a great look, but the levels are so easy it gets boring fast. I'd really like to see if the later levels are a bit more challenging, but I just can't get into it.
On to do list: Reach, RDR, Other M, Dead Rising 2.
2. Donkey Kong Country Returns ; Retro work their magic and prove they can make an incredible platformer as well. I never got into the other DKC games, but I played through this about 3 times in total.
3. Mass Effect 2 ; I haven't even finished this yet, but screw it: the general gameplay and design improvements over ME1 justify a high ranking already. I just lose myself completely in ME's richly detailed and dense universe. The removal of certain flawed gameplay elements and overall streamlining make for a very polished and fun game. The improved performance is the icing on the cake.
4. Pac-Man CE DX ; Ghost trains. Nuff said.
5. Sin & Punishment 2: Star Successor ; Oh man, oh man! This wins the 'year's biggest surprise' award. Never played the original S&P so I didn't know quite what to expect, but this is one big adrenaline rush. I have a feeling this game flew under the radar of many people so I'll just stress how everyone with a Wii should at least give this a try. Play it on easy, I don't care, as long as you play it!
6. God of War 3 ; This didn't have the variety in locales GoW 2 had, but it's still a phenomenal action game. Best combat of the trilogy.
7. Alan Wake ; The story isn't that great, but the atmosphere and action are remarkable.
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; This is a fantastic platformer and an overall worthy sequel to SMG1, but it's also somewhat of a disappointment. They expanded on the ideas present in the original, but it never grabbed me the way Galaxy 1 did.
9. Vanquish ; Mikami takes a look at the third person shooter formula and puts his spin on it. There's nothing quite like boosting towards an enemy, kicking him and finishing him off slow mo in the air. I really shouldn't have forced myself to sit through the crappy cutscenes, because they really hinder the flow of the game. Replaying this on hard with skipped cutscnes is the best way to experience Vanquish.
10. Limbo ; It has some weaker bits, but it's one of those memorable 'finish in one sitting'-experiences I'd like to see more of.
x. Darksiders ; Very enjoyable Zelda-clone, not exactly top 10 material though.
x. Divinity II: Dragon Knight Saga ; decent rpg that gets more fun with each new area.
On to duds/disappointments of the year (we can do that here right?):
- Heavy Rain: what a disaster. I'd be okay with the lack of actual gameplay if I'd care about the story and characters somewhat, but I didn't. This is a prime example of a direction games shouldn't take when it comes to storytelling. Really surprised by the amount of praise this game got.
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. There was promise here! MS has some very talented artists and the variety in locales is impressive, but the game drags on for waaay too long and the overall level design is inconsistent. And those titan battles! Yikes.
- Kirby's Epic Yarn: My first Kirby game and I despised it. Game has a great look, but the levels are so easy it gets boring fast. I'd really like to see if the later levels are a bit more challenging, but I just can't get into it.
On to do list: Reach, RDR, Other M, Dead Rising 2.
ArcticDonkey
Member
1. Mass Effect 2
2. VVVVVV
3. Super Meat Boy
4. Bayonetta
5. Red Dead Redemption
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. Game Dev Story
8. Espgaluda 2: Black Label
9. Super Street Fighter 4
10. Vanquish
2. VVVVVV
3. Super Meat Boy
4. Bayonetta
5. Red Dead Redemption
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. Game Dev Story
8. Espgaluda 2: Black Label
9. Super Street Fighter 4
10. Vanquish
1. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors ; Originally, I wasn't entirely certain of what to expect from this, and most certainly never would've imagined ranking a visual novel at the top of my list. After learning of it, I looked into it gradually, tried the demo, and then finally decided to pick it up. What I got from it was easily the most enthralled I've been with any game's narrative in quite some time, something that not only required multiple plays to get the full picture, but actually compelled me to do so (which I consider even more significant when I have trouble finishing most games this gen even once). Throughout the experience, I was not only impressed by the level of detail in the text's description, but also enjoyed the balance between humor and serious moments, and even intrigued by the pseudoscience portions. Attachment to certain characters not only made certain endings have more impact, but in one case even led me to be unable to concentrate on the events as they unfolded, dreading that I may have unlocked the true ending without realizing it. I appreciated that the puzzles were not only varied, yet also felt logical as opposed to cryptic or arbitrary. The way that multiple endings ultimately factored into the equation for the true end (rather than amounting to a bulletpoint as they tend to be for the majority of games that use them), along with the fact that I cared enough to find my way to every ending without assistance and actually enjoyed each of the eight separate plays it took me to achieve this, makes this an easy choice for my 2010 GotY.
2. Vanquish ; Currently my choice for favorite title from Platinum Games. I very much enjoyed the setting and art direction, the pacing of the game and the feel of its mechanics guaranteed to have a lasting effect on how I view third-person shooters.
3. Monster Hunter Tri ; My expectations for this weren't especially high initially, the benefit of being able to get a game bundled with the CC Pro I had been needing being one of the main things which drove the purchase. The result was a game that I have well over 120 hours invested in, having played it more than the game I originally got the CC Pro for.
4. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor ; I don't play many scrolling shooters, but this is easily the most fun I've had playing one. The sheer amount of inspiration that went into designing the levels and scenarios shows, with the soundtrack only further enhancing the experience.
5. Nier ; One of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Despite lacking the production values of something like Final Fantasy XIII, I found myself enjoying this much more by comparison. Easily the best soundtrack of the year as well, quite possibly of the generation.
6. Bayonetta ; Despite a few minor nitpicks with its execution (namely the presence of success/instant death QTEs and some level design aspects), this is the game that Devil May Cry 4 should have been in respect to overall quality. The fact that there is little to no chance of DmC matching it thanks to being another Ninja Theory project is regrettable.
7. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth ; Though not quite on the same level as the first Phoenix Wright or Trials & Tribulations, I consider this a definite improvement over Apollo Justice. Its greatest weaknesses are just how long the end of the final case drags on, along with the series' continued lack of replay value stemming from its structure.
8. Resonance of Fate ; Admittedly I haven't been able to spend as much time with this one as I would've liked, but its reputation as an underappreciated RPG gem is very much deserved. The fact that such a game has gone out of print less than a year after its release is very much unfortunate.
9. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift ; An update of Calamity Trigger, but a merited one, doing much to improve upon the original's mechanics. The story mode unfortunately comes across as too much of a love letter to the series' antagonists for my liking, and the editing of the localization isn't as tight as Aksys' work on 999 (with BBCS, I not only remember one passage being repeated, but another omitted altogether while still being voiced).
10. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars ; A fun alternative to Capcom's more prominent 2010 fighter in Super Street Fighter IV, it will likely be overshadowed completely by the time Marvel vs. Capcom 3 comes out, unfortunately.
2. Vanquish ; Currently my choice for favorite title from Platinum Games. I very much enjoyed the setting and art direction, the pacing of the game and the feel of its mechanics guaranteed to have a lasting effect on how I view third-person shooters.
3. Monster Hunter Tri ; My expectations for this weren't especially high initially, the benefit of being able to get a game bundled with the CC Pro I had been needing being one of the main things which drove the purchase. The result was a game that I have well over 120 hours invested in, having played it more than the game I originally got the CC Pro for.
4. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor ; I don't play many scrolling shooters, but this is easily the most fun I've had playing one. The sheer amount of inspiration that went into designing the levels and scenarios shows, with the soundtrack only further enhancing the experience.
5. Nier ; One of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Despite lacking the production values of something like Final Fantasy XIII, I found myself enjoying this much more by comparison. Easily the best soundtrack of the year as well, quite possibly of the generation.
6. Bayonetta ; Despite a few minor nitpicks with its execution (namely the presence of success/instant death QTEs and some level design aspects), this is the game that Devil May Cry 4 should have been in respect to overall quality. The fact that there is little to no chance of DmC matching it thanks to being another Ninja Theory project is regrettable.
7. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth ; Though not quite on the same level as the first Phoenix Wright or Trials & Tribulations, I consider this a definite improvement over Apollo Justice. Its greatest weaknesses are just how long the end of the final case drags on, along with the series' continued lack of replay value stemming from its structure.
8. Resonance of Fate ; Admittedly I haven't been able to spend as much time with this one as I would've liked, but its reputation as an underappreciated RPG gem is very much deserved. The fact that such a game has gone out of print less than a year after its release is very much unfortunate.
9. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift ; An update of Calamity Trigger, but a merited one, doing much to improve upon the original's mechanics. The story mode unfortunately comes across as too much of a love letter to the series' antagonists for my liking, and the editing of the localization isn't as tight as Aksys' work on 999 (with BBCS, I not only remember one passage being repeated, but another omitted altogether while still being voiced).
10. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars ; A fun alternative to Capcom's more prominent 2010 fighter in Super Street Fighter IV, it will likely be overshadowed completely by the time Marvel vs. Capcom 3 comes out, unfortunately.
- Status