The other day Peter and I were floating around on our hoversofas being fed grapes by our sexy robot servants when the question of the year's top 10 games came up.
It seems ridiculously early in the year, but for various reasons having to do with the exciting field of magazine production, we have to start thinking about it.
So here are the slam dunks from where I sit:
-- Killzone 2. God, was that this year? I guess it was. It seems like it came out several historical epochs ago. I still don't think it's enough to justify buying a PS3, but I guess the best-looking shooter, like, ever should probably go on the list.
-- Halo: ODST. A model for how to refresh a franchise. Yeah, it's not a technical breakthrough or anything, but they took the existing tech and universe and used it to generate a totally different experience, narratively and emotionally. I wouldn't have thunk it possible.
-- Prototype. OK, I didn't finish it. But it was jazzy, and I'm pathetically partial to anything that can be called original IP. I think Penny Arcade made the only point worth making about this game.
-- Scribblenauts. The possibilities are endless! Look, it says it right there on the box! Endless.
-- Geo-Defense Swarm. We should do something to honor the continued maturation of the iThing as a gaming platform. Plus, I'm better at it than Quittner.
Five down, five to go. What am I missing? More grapes here, CyberCheryl!
I'm playing through Resident Evil 5 now and thoroughly enjoying it. The co-op is exquisite and the game structure is much more forgiving/less frustrating than RE4. Not revolutionary, maybe, but I'd put it on the list.
Also: Batman Arkhum Asylum.
ljolsen
Oct. 26, 2009 14:10:pm
at 14:10:pm
Well, Beyond the Redline has forked, so they're spinning their wheels...
Ninja Ropes made it into the Doctor Horrible musical commentary. That's gotta count for something.
Church
Oct. 26, 2009 14:22:pm
at 14:22:pm
Continuing from last year's nominations, any thought of splitting the list up between sequels and new I.P.? Maybe 5 & 5?
And yeah, good luck having a decent list without having time to properly evaluate the titles releasing in November.
But here's an attempt:
New I.P. (Well, maybe "not a direct sequel" would be more accurate.)
Scribblenauts
Geo-Defense Swarm
Dragon Age
Brutal Legend
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Borderlands
Shadow Complex
Existing I.P.
Uncharted 2
New Super Mario Bros Wii
Ratchet & Clank: Insert Subtitle Here
Tom Shaw
Oct. 26, 2009 14:39:pm
at 14:39:pm
Not that I'm endorsing any of the following, but we still have: AssCreed 2, Tony Hawk Ride, MW2, L4D2, Rogue Warrior, The Saboteur, and the new Ratchet title.
Peter Ha
Oct. 26, 2009 14:57:pm
at 14:57:pm
"Sexy robot servants.."? I'll be Caprica 6 is mad that you won't even watch her show.
Kemper
Oct. 26, 2009 15:14:pm
at 15:14:pm
Take two...
"Sexy robot servants.."? I'll BET Caprica 6 is mad since you won't even watch her show.
Stupid 't'.....
Kemper
Oct. 26, 2009 15:15:pm
at 15:15:pm
Is World of Warcraft in the running, or does it just go without saying, or what?
ckrisos
Oct. 26, 2009 15:37:pm
at 15:37:pm
Gotta be released in 2009
Lev Grossman
Oct. 26, 2009 16:38:pm
at 16:38:pm
Demon's Souls: It takes a huge investment of time/patience to handle its difficulty. Very rewarding, even though I've died more times than Æon Flux.
Uncharted 2: great sequel. I enjoyed all the globe-trotting, dialogue, running & gunning, etc… blurring the line between movies and games. But did the mechanics change that much from 1st installment?
Other nominees include Batman AA, Killzone 2, Flower, InFamous (obvious what system i own?) Ton of good opps coming down the pipeline in Nov/Dec.
Tough list. Good luck picking 9 and then choosing between the 20 way tie for the 10th spot.
thebro88
Oct. 26, 2009 16:39:pm
at 16:39:pm
Technically, since it's subscription based, couldn't you count major patches as individual game releases? I suppose it'd be kind of unfair to give WoW 2 slots out of the top ten (assuming 3.3/ICC lives up to the hype... and is released in 2009... both of which aren't givens, granted).
Dave
Oct. 26, 2009 17:58:pm
at 17:58:pm
AssCreed? Who came up with that abbreviation?
Cliff
Oct. 26, 2009 22:22:pm
at 22:22:pm
SHADOW COMPLEX and BATMAN!
Looking forward to MW2 as well.
gamerstuff2010
Oct. 27, 2009 12:01:pm
at 12:01:pm
[...] Earlier this year, Jay-Z said, "A DJ has the ability to use music to control people's emotions and is responsible for the entire vibe of a room, a club or a party." And DJ Hero delivers in every way. It's far from perfect, but neither was Guitar Hero 1. Forget about the rest of the music-based games on the market right now, DJ Hero is the real deal. And don't be surprised to see this make our Top 10 Games of the Year list. [...]
Review: DJ Hero - Nerd World - TIME.com
Oct. 27, 2009 14:37:pm
at 14:37:pm
All bets are off until Left 4 Dead 2 has been played.
tyrantking
Oct. 27, 2009 14:40:pm
at 14:40:pm
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the best-reviewed game of the year - and for good reason: http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/955125-uncharted-2-among-thieves/index.htm
jeffrubenstein
Oct. 27, 2009 16:42:pm
at 16:42:pm
Best I've played this year is Batman: AA. Phenomenal game.
But Dragon Age is still to come, and I've just started Ratchet & Clank, which is excellent as well.
Also looking forward to Torchlight, an inexpensive Diablo-clone that oozes style: http://torchlightgame.com/
loonyboi
Oct. 28, 2009 09:41:am
at 09:41:am
Uncharted 2 and Infamous, which was like protoype only good.
Also every bone in my body screams out to pick Fallout 3. Yes it came out this time last year but PS3 only just got the expansions and I'm STILL playing like I never stopped.
truevcu
Oct. 29, 2009 11:30:am
at 11:30:am
MW2 is so good it gave me carpal tunnel syndrome.
lotboyhd1
Nov. 16, 2009 13:29:pm
at 13:29:pm