Mass Effect 2, easily. Though I thought this year was outstanding. Two games were released that are now among my top five all-time (Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption), and many other awesome games came out:
-Enslaved
-Fallout: New Vegas
-Super Mario Galaxy 2
-Dragon Age Origins: Awakening
-Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
-Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom
Usually, there's just one or two games a year that come out that I truly enjoy. This year has been fantastic for me.
Mass effect 2 is mine...so far. I just started playing Red Dead Redemption and...WOW...the game looks great and I can see that it might be an amazing experience.
That was for emphasis. Seriously, ME2. Although, I only just now remembered that it came out this year. Am I the only one who is worried that ME3 is slated to come out in late-2011, so soon after the previous game?
After about 40 hours of New Vegas, I went back to Fallout 3. I've not played nearly as much Mass Effect 2 as I have the first. Same with Dead Rising 2. Fable 3 disappointed me to the point of near-depression. So, in a vote that surprised even me, I have to say Persona 3 Portable. Go PSP!
Nier is a great game; a terrible shame the studio was shut down because it sold horribly =(
Personally though I went for Bayonetta, I've never beena huge fan of action games, but the sheer epic-ness and amount of fun this game produced is second to none; I'm usually a big fan of narrative-driven games [such as Nier] but Bayonetta was brilliant, imaginative and had a sense of humour.
Followed by Alan Wake, a game I'd I've been following for a number of years; great atmosphere, great story, unique gameplay.
Last on my top 3 list in Red Dead Redemption. I wrote it off as a GTAIV rip-off when it was first released; hell I recall arguing with someone on The Escapist about that fact, and I'll admit I was very,very wrong - the game knocks GTA out the park; breathtaking visuals, tons to do, but more importantly, unlike GTA the game doesn't feel tedious or boring; you always have a motivation, thanks to the well-written and voiced cast. The games ending was very well-done, one of the best I've seen, in fact.
After wading through the hype, the marketing, and the total bullshit that's been this year it's going to be tough to choose a game that actually surprised me with how good it was.
I have disqualified the shooter genre this year, because there were no shooters that impressed me. Sales figures do not correlate to quality in my eyes. So Pseudo-Realism Shooter 3, Pseudo-Realism Shooter's Competitor 2, Pseudo-Realism Shooter's Competitor's Bastard Brother, and Space Marines vs Religious Aliens 3.75 can all get the fuck out.
This list is for games that even tried to do something other than annually sheer the flock.
Ironically enough, the first game is one people claim that hasn't changed at all...(I obviously disagree, but that's another topic for another time)
*Starcraft 2*
Why: Well, I knew it wasn't going to be bad, certainly polished, but I did not expect the single player campaign to be so good at the core level. The multiplayer, well...this is where you can make the claim for stagnation. Yes, I know multiplayer is the main reason *most* people buy the game, but fuck that. I loved the Single Player game, and while the characters could use some more development (and some less cliche' scripting), the end result is impressive.
Speaking of multiplayer...
Beyond my few forays into the idiot-realms of pub games, I did attempt, and enjoyed the occasional skirmishes between friends. But seriously. No LAN option.
Blizzard,
I played a 3 man local LAN last week (because my friend recently got the game) on a strong cable connection. We've put this internet connection through the wringer before, and it didn't lag all that much (5-man LAN games, with three people gaming online or watching videos AND a 360 playing Space Marines vs Religious Aliens 3.75).
I ran a 3v3 (3 players vs 3 AI) coop game, and the game tanked after 15 minutes due to network bottle-necking.
This anti-piracy system has failed to prevent dick.
Drop the no-LAN bullshit. It isn't helping anyone, including you.
[End multiplayer]
Between the upgrades, story presentation, and surprisingly-awesome varied missions and tight overall design, Starcraft 2 finally made PC gaming relevant again for me..at least in the short term.
*Infinite Space*
You won't ever really see a game like this one. It's hard at first, but once you get the hang of combat, it's really easy. Most of the game is about setting up your fleet and upgrading your ships. The actual execution is...pretty basic. Too basic, in fact. Some relevant movement options would have been nice, but I respect that they were pushing the limited 3D capabilities of the DS to their limit.
Where this game really shines though is the story and atmosphere. The game started out badly for me though, especially given the three main characters' names (Yuri, Nia, and Kira...ugh. So many double-meanings) and the fact that the game did a poor job explaining formations.
However, once I stopped playing like a total idiot, and got a bit further into the game, the story turned into one about growing up, and living with the consequences of your actions.
There are surprisingly dark moments in the story too, but not so dark as to become hopelessly "emo" [sub](like FF5 did...grumble)[/sub]. It all builds nicely on itself, and I logged quite a few hours playing it, mostly just dicking around with all the cool ship designs.
Seriously. If they made a space shooter using those models (upping the graphics a bit, of course, one time I will say this because they look like shit you would have seen in the early N64 days) I would just die of glee.
In brief, it tries to be Super Metroid, and it both succeeds and fails.
The best part about the game is the level design. You get to move around an amazingly well-done map, finding lots of cool stuff (the Ice-Gel is amazingly cool, pun not intended) and shoot dudes. Great gameplay.
The story...well. It exists, but it features Nolan North starring as the one role Nolan North knows how to play; Nolan North. He is seriously aggravating to listen to at times, though thankfully he keeps his mouth shut for most of the game.
Where it fails to be Super Metroid: Ambiance. This game lacks audio ambiance and atmosphere, taking place entirely in the typical set of a military bunker in a remote rocky location.
There are no real memorable locations despite the excellent map design (gameplay-related).
Also, there is a shitload of unnecessary bloom lighting (being made on the Unreal 3 engine, this was inevitable) in several places in the game.
The "Final Boss" fight is a total joke.
I'll just say this: "Thank God for these Plot-Convenient Nuclear Missiles!"
Of course, those complaints are minor compared to the overall product.
Action games at their purest. Just you, a bunch of enemies, and your own skill. And a threadbare narrative just there to set it all up and show you cool shit.
I played Vanquish at least 4 times in a row, though. Bayonetta was on-again, off-again over the course of a few weeks.
So, I guess Vanquish.
I'm sick of the hearing people on the Escapist keep going on and on about narrative and immersion. You can keep your Mass Effect 2s and your Red Dead Redemptions and your New Vegases. The inevitable favorites of this topic.
Give me more crazy shit!
Although New Vegas has it's share of crazy shit (Animal Husbandry Farm, anyone?)...It's core gunplay and leveling systems are severely flawed and lacking.
my favorite games:
Crackdown 2
Mass Effect 2
Prototype (not this year, but i first played it this year)
Saints Row 2 (same as Prototype)
Just Cause 2
Fable 3
My game of the year:
Mass Effect 2 - only game that made me laugh, cry, and go "FUCK YEAH!" whenever i accomplished something
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