Top Ten Games of the Year!
Before I start, let me just say holy crap, sweet zombie Jesus, this year was awesome! I had a hard time narrowing this list down to just 10 games, but I figured if I made the list too long I would end up being unable to "rank them" and it would be more of a "pile" of games I liked this year. Regardless to say, when I looked up the list of games that came out this year on wikipedia, I nearly shat my drawers thinking "wait, that came out this year too!? Where am I going to put that on my list..." So yea, here are my Top ten games of the year-
*Quick note! All of these games are either for Xbox 360 and/or PC
**WARNING! Extreme fanboyism ahead! Abandon all hope ye who enter here!
<spoiler=10>http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/158651-rawr.jpg
Okay, this one was a bit of a late addition to the list, but I have to give credit where it's due. I never played the original supcom, so maybe that's why I like this one so much, as a few of my friends who were fans of the original were dissapointed by it. I did not have that problem. I just enjoyed one of the most fun RTS I've ever played. All the little things about this game really just did it for me, from the ability to pull the map all the way out and give orders that way (a feature I now wish all RTS had)to the fact that your commander/primary builder unit is a freakin giant robot that, upon death, goes off like a nuke. The little things.
<spoiler=9>http://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/halo-reach-1.jpg
Okay, no sense hiding it, I'm a bit of a Halo fanboy. I've bought and played every installment, including quite a few of the books, and I loved them all. If you never liked Halo to begin with, this game will do absolutely nothing for you. On the other hand, if your a fan of the Halo-style of gameplay, this game is like a wet-dream. One of the best Halo campaigns since the original, a story written like a love letter to fans of the series, an awesome revamped multiplayer system, matchmaking added to both co-op campaigns and firefight...really, I could go on. Needless to say this game was just a perfect finale for Bungie's Halo, and I pity whoever MS picks to make the next one.
<spoiler=8>http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/starcraft2_logo.jpg
The original starcraft was one of the first games I had ever played, and it was the game that made me fall in love with the RTS genre. Right after completing the campaign, I heard news of an expansion pack that would add three new campaigns. The wait for it was downright torture. Needless to say it came out, I loved it too, and began my wait for either another expansion or a sequel. Fast forward over a decade later, I'm all grown up, and I finally got my hands on the new Starcraft. I mean it when I say the wait was worth it. Sure, they did quite a few things that kinda ticked me off (REGION LOOOOOOOOCK!), but the core campaign was the best I've ever played in an RTS. The constantly changing scenarios kept things fresh, the upgrade system had me thinking about each and every decision I made, and the story, while incredibly corny, still managed to be a pretty fun ride. Oh, and yes, SC2 made it on my list with me barely touching the multi-player aspect.
<spoiler=7>http://www.crushfragdestroy.com/wp-content/gallery/game-logos/dragon-age-awakening-logo.jpg
Okay, okay, not really a full game to come out this year, rather just an expansion to one that came out last year, but I'll be damned if it didn't feel like a proper sequel. Taking place after the events of DA:O, you are tasked with rebuilding the Grey Warden order and vanquishing the darkspawn that remain in Ferelden. Saying anything other than that is a massive spoiler, but let me just say while there were a couple disappointments, such as certain characters not returning to your party, it really just delivered in every way I had hoped.
<spoiler=6>http://www.gossipgamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/alan-wake-logo.jpg
Ah yes, the the best game I bought purely on a wim without knowing anything about it before buying. Before I continue, I have to admit right here that I'm a pretty big Stephen King fan (raises flame-shield), so starting up this game and finding out it had just as big a hard-on for the works of SK as me was just a nice way to kick off. I really just could not put it down, I just had to keep finding those stupid manuscript pages, I just had to find out what happened next So few games have ever had this effect on me, it's really something special when one does.
<spoiler=5>http://kokugamer.com/wp-content/upload/2010/04/mount-and-blade-warband-211x300.jpg
Remember that thing about how expansions TOTALLY count as new games? Well, here's another example...kinda. Not really an expansion to Mount and Blade, but really more of a "Mount and Blade: Good edition + multiplayer". It fixed just about every problem I had with the original, AND added multiplayer support. The same awesome semi-realistic medieval combat, well implemented RPG elements, and a great mod community really just make this game addictive as all hell.
<spoiler=4>http://cdn.gamerant.com/wp-content/uploads/fallout-new-vegas.jpg
Probably one of the best bug-ridden games I've played in ages. When I say bug-ridden, I really mean it, too. The first time I got to the gates of New Vegas, my game would crash every time I approached the gate. Every. Single. Time. However, a patch came out soon enough and fixed this not so little problem. Fast forward a few weeks of awesome adventures through the Mojave of making friends and enemies, stealing stuff, and running like a little girl from Deathclaws, and I'd forgotten all about the bugs. Post-patch, this game really is just too fun, and you can easily let an entire day go by just exploring the wastes, killing the hilarious looking Geckos, and watching Boone be creepy.
<spoiler=3>http://www.bluekae.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/red-dead-redemption-01.jpg
And here we have the best game I ever traded in so quickly after completing it. I LOVED every minute of this game's main storyline, and John Marston is going in my books as one of my all-time favorite protagonists. It also had one of the best soundtracks I'd ever heard. Unfortunately, I literally just couldn't stop playing through the story-missions. Sure, I did a decent amount of side-quests and such, but I just kept going right back to the story levels, and I kinda wish I'd taken my time. After I'd beaten the game (and seriously, what and ending) I decided to try the multiplayer, and I quickly realized it was just not for me. Take my advice kids, savor RDR, take your time, see the sites, explore.
<spoiler=2>http://loot-ninja.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/battlefield-bad-company-2-500.jpg
And here we have the reason that Black Ops did not make my top ten list. Okay, the campaign was nothing special, but really, who plays a battlefield game for the single-player? This game's multiplayer was like crack to me. It had the modern, semi-realistic combat I wanted, but it also had a huge emphasis on working as a team, and utilizing each classes strong points to your advantage, something the Call of Duty games are lacking.
http://www.pcgametrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/mass-effect-2-pc-game-2010.jpg
Not really sure what all to say for this one.
Sci-fi setting? Check
Awesome alien/character design? Check
Good well-told story? Check
Side-quests that feel like they actually have a purpose? Check
DLC that adds meaningful content? Check
Believable and sympathetic characters? Check
RPG elements (leveling, skill points, etc.)? Check
Fun shooty-blasty combat? Check
Martin Sheen? Check
This game has literally everything I could every want in a game. Yes, I am well aware how incredibly naive and fanboyish that sounds, but I don't care. Ever since the first ME came out, I felt like this series was being made especially for me.
Games that almost made it!
Fable 3- Take my advice kids, stop playing after you become king/queen. Seriously, the game just goes downhill from there and the ending has a bad habit of catching players with their pants down and it just pissed me off. Everything before that though was just awesome.
Call of Duty: Black Ops- Really well-done game, and certainly better than MW2, but every time I played it I just got the urge to go back to Bad Company 2.
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood- Okay, I haven't actually gotten this game yet, but it could literally just be AC2 with just "more stuff" added, and it would be worthy of my top ten list.
So, there ya have it. My favorite games of 2010. Agree? Disagree? Anything in particular you're wondering why I left out? Comment and let me know.
Before I start, let me just say holy crap, sweet zombie Jesus, this year was awesome! I had a hard time narrowing this list down to just 10 games, but I figured if I made the list too long I would end up being unable to "rank them" and it would be more of a "pile" of games I liked this year. Regardless to say, when I looked up the list of games that came out this year on wikipedia, I nearly shat my drawers thinking "wait, that came out this year too!? Where am I going to put that on my list..." So yea, here are my Top ten games of the year-
*Quick note! All of these games are either for Xbox 360 and/or PC
**WARNING! Extreme fanboyism ahead! Abandon all hope ye who enter here!
<spoiler=10>http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/158651-rawr.jpg
Okay, this one was a bit of a late addition to the list, but I have to give credit where it's due. I never played the original supcom, so maybe that's why I like this one so much, as a few of my friends who were fans of the original were dissapointed by it. I did not have that problem. I just enjoyed one of the most fun RTS I've ever played. All the little things about this game really just did it for me, from the ability to pull the map all the way out and give orders that way (a feature I now wish all RTS had)to the fact that your commander/primary builder unit is a freakin giant robot that, upon death, goes off like a nuke. The little things.
<spoiler=9>http://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/halo-reach-1.jpg
Okay, no sense hiding it, I'm a bit of a Halo fanboy. I've bought and played every installment, including quite a few of the books, and I loved them all. If you never liked Halo to begin with, this game will do absolutely nothing for you. On the other hand, if your a fan of the Halo-style of gameplay, this game is like a wet-dream. One of the best Halo campaigns since the original, a story written like a love letter to fans of the series, an awesome revamped multiplayer system, matchmaking added to both co-op campaigns and firefight...really, I could go on. Needless to say this game was just a perfect finale for Bungie's Halo, and I pity whoever MS picks to make the next one.
<spoiler=8>http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/starcraft2_logo.jpg
The original starcraft was one of the first games I had ever played, and it was the game that made me fall in love with the RTS genre. Right after completing the campaign, I heard news of an expansion pack that would add three new campaigns. The wait for it was downright torture. Needless to say it came out, I loved it too, and began my wait for either another expansion or a sequel. Fast forward over a decade later, I'm all grown up, and I finally got my hands on the new Starcraft. I mean it when I say the wait was worth it. Sure, they did quite a few things that kinda ticked me off (REGION LOOOOOOOOCK!), but the core campaign was the best I've ever played in an RTS. The constantly changing scenarios kept things fresh, the upgrade system had me thinking about each and every decision I made, and the story, while incredibly corny, still managed to be a pretty fun ride. Oh, and yes, SC2 made it on my list with me barely touching the multi-player aspect.
<spoiler=7>http://www.crushfragdestroy.com/wp-content/gallery/game-logos/dragon-age-awakening-logo.jpg
Okay, okay, not really a full game to come out this year, rather just an expansion to one that came out last year, but I'll be damned if it didn't feel like a proper sequel. Taking place after the events of DA:O, you are tasked with rebuilding the Grey Warden order and vanquishing the darkspawn that remain in Ferelden. Saying anything other than that is a massive spoiler, but let me just say while there were a couple disappointments, such as certain characters not returning to your party, it really just delivered in every way I had hoped.
<spoiler=6>http://www.gossipgamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/alan-wake-logo.jpg
Ah yes, the the best game I bought purely on a wim without knowing anything about it before buying. Before I continue, I have to admit right here that I'm a pretty big Stephen King fan (raises flame-shield), so starting up this game and finding out it had just as big a hard-on for the works of SK as me was just a nice way to kick off. I really just could not put it down, I just had to keep finding those stupid manuscript pages, I just had to find out what happened next So few games have ever had this effect on me, it's really something special when one does.
<spoiler=5>http://kokugamer.com/wp-content/upload/2010/04/mount-and-blade-warband-211x300.jpg
Remember that thing about how expansions TOTALLY count as new games? Well, here's another example...kinda. Not really an expansion to Mount and Blade, but really more of a "Mount and Blade: Good edition + multiplayer". It fixed just about every problem I had with the original, AND added multiplayer support. The same awesome semi-realistic medieval combat, well implemented RPG elements, and a great mod community really just make this game addictive as all hell.
<spoiler=4>http://cdn.gamerant.com/wp-content/uploads/fallout-new-vegas.jpg
Probably one of the best bug-ridden games I've played in ages. When I say bug-ridden, I really mean it, too. The first time I got to the gates of New Vegas, my game would crash every time I approached the gate. Every. Single. Time. However, a patch came out soon enough and fixed this not so little problem. Fast forward a few weeks of awesome adventures through the Mojave of making friends and enemies, stealing stuff, and running like a little girl from Deathclaws, and I'd forgotten all about the bugs. Post-patch, this game really is just too fun, and you can easily let an entire day go by just exploring the wastes, killing the hilarious looking Geckos, and watching Boone be creepy.
<spoiler=3>http://www.bluekae.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/red-dead-redemption-01.jpg
And here we have the best game I ever traded in so quickly after completing it. I LOVED every minute of this game's main storyline, and John Marston is going in my books as one of my all-time favorite protagonists. It also had one of the best soundtracks I'd ever heard. Unfortunately, I literally just couldn't stop playing through the story-missions. Sure, I did a decent amount of side-quests and such, but I just kept going right back to the story levels, and I kinda wish I'd taken my time. After I'd beaten the game (and seriously, what and ending) I decided to try the multiplayer, and I quickly realized it was just not for me. Take my advice kids, savor RDR, take your time, see the sites, explore.
<spoiler=2>http://loot-ninja.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/battlefield-bad-company-2-500.jpg
And here we have the reason that Black Ops did not make my top ten list. Okay, the campaign was nothing special, but really, who plays a battlefield game for the single-player? This game's multiplayer was like crack to me. It had the modern, semi-realistic combat I wanted, but it also had a huge emphasis on working as a team, and utilizing each classes strong points to your advantage, something the Call of Duty games are lacking.
http://www.pcgametrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/mass-effect-2-pc-game-2010.jpg
Not really sure what all to say for this one.
Sci-fi setting? Check
Awesome alien/character design? Check
Good well-told story? Check
Side-quests that feel like they actually have a purpose? Check
DLC that adds meaningful content? Check
Believable and sympathetic characters? Check
RPG elements (leveling, skill points, etc.)? Check
Fun shooty-blasty combat? Check
Martin Sheen? Check
This game has literally everything I could every want in a game. Yes, I am well aware how incredibly naive and fanboyish that sounds, but I don't care. Ever since the first ME came out, I felt like this series was being made especially for me.
Games that almost made it!
Fable 3- Take my advice kids, stop playing after you become king/queen. Seriously, the game just goes downhill from there and the ending has a bad habit of catching players with their pants down and it just pissed me off. Everything before that though was just awesome.
Call of Duty: Black Ops- Really well-done game, and certainly better than MW2, but every time I played it I just got the urge to go back to Bad Company 2.
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood- Okay, I haven't actually gotten this game yet, but it could literally just be AC2 with just "more stuff" added, and it would be worthy of my top ten list.
So, there ya have it. My favorite games of 2010. Agree? Disagree? Anything in particular you're wondering why I left out? Comment and let me know.
