Hello everyone and Happy New Year! It's taken me a while to sort out all of my favorite games from 2010 but I think I finally have a pretty solid list here (there are still a few more films I'd like to see before I make my movie list so sit tight for that one). Without further ado, here are my top 20 favorite games of 2010.
Honorable Mention
Before we get into the actual top 20 there are a few titles that I either did not play enough or didn't get a chance to play but deserve mention and possibly a position on a future list. These are:
Fallout: New Vegas
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Perhaps I'll get a chance to play them sometime soon but with LittleBigPlanet 2 just a few weeks away chances are looking slim. :P
Favorite X-Box Live Arcade Titles
I would expand this to "downloadable" titles but the truth is that I didn't really download anything substantial on the PS3 or Wii this year. That being said, here is a very short list of my favorite XBLA games before we get to the full-length titles.
7: Snoopy Flying Ace
Great controls, Peanuts nostalgia, and online. A simple and fun aerial combat game is hard to find.
6: Super Meat Boy
Tough as nails old-school platformer with a bizarre and twisted sense of humor. Can't go wrong there.
5: Deadliest Warrior: The Game
Very unique spin on a fighting game with satisfying results. Fun with friends.
4: Plants vs. Zombies
As fantastic as it was on PC. I would've liked to see a bit more added content to justify repurchase.
3: Limbo
Stunningly gorgeous puzzle-platformer. Intriguing and addictive but brief without any replay.
2: Scott Pilgrim vs the World: The Game
Classic old-school beat-em-up with tons of easter-eggs for Pilgrim and gaming fans. No online is a bummer.
1: Dead Rising: Case Zero/Dead Rising: Case West
Case West is definitely more worth your while but for 5$ Case Zero shouldn't be missed. I absolutely loved the idea of expanding on a great game this way and the price is definitely right. Check them out even if you haven't played Dead Rising before.
The Top 20 Games of 2010
20: James Bond 007: Bloodstone (360/PS3)It may have simply been because I found Activision's Goldeneye "remake" so disappointing but I actually though Bloodstone was a breath of fresh air. No it's not the best third-person shooter out there but it is simple, fun, Bond action. What more could you ask for? - other than a straight-up rerelease of Goldeneye on X-Box Live Arcade of course.
19: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (360/PS3)
Like many gamers out there I am a huge fan of the 2D Castlevania games - especially those on the GBA and DS - so when Konami announced yet another 3D Castlevania I was as skeptical as most. Luckily, Konami decided to stick to the tried-and-true action/adventure formula of blatantly ripping off God of War. What really won me over though, was the mainstay collection of classic Castlevania monsters and how the game is cleverly divided into a werewolf section, vampire section, and necromancer section.
Vanquish is completely ridiculous. I mean here's the premise - the Russians fire a giant microwave satellite cannon at California and it's up to Sam Gideon and his super-cyber-suit to fly up into the satellite colony and fix things... all in a game created solely in Japan. Naturally, the voice-acting, dialogue, and even game-play devices are so insanely over-the-top that you can't help but smile and have fun. Touché Sega, touché.
17: NBA Jam (360/PS3)
While the game probably should have been released as a downloadable title (even if it was 20$) the nostalgia and party-play factors here are undeniable. This is indeed the NBA Jam you grew up with and it's quite simply a blast to play - especially with friends. Oh and did I mention the original announcer returns with all-new winning lines like "No hoop for you!"?
I wanted to love ModNation Racers so badly - and there's no denying that it is a well-crafted game with a lot of fun to be had - but the bottom line is that it just doesn't compare to LittleBigPlanet. Still, it's one of the best kart racers to come along in a long time and the creation tools are incredibly fun to play around with. I think that alone merits the 16th spot on this list.
15: Final Fantasy XIII (360/PS3)
Though FFXIII received many criticisms about having the longest "tutorial" in all of gaming history (ask anyone who has played it and they'll tell you that the game gets really good after about 20 hours) I still really enjoyed the new battle mechanics. While the graphics are as mind-blowing as everyone expected, what knocked this FF down a bunch of notches for me was another generally incoherent story and dumb ending. Also the aeons sucked and Lightning is a total jerk.
bUt HaLolz iz da b3St g4mE evar!!!11!!1!! False. However, there is no denying that Halo is a well-crafted first person shooter and one that I must admit I enjoyed. While a class-based system was added to this iteration, it still felt pretty much the same as the other three (or four if you count ODST - but nobody does).
13: Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (360/PS3/Wii)
This may seem like an odd pick to many of you but I was completely taken aback by All-Stars Racing. It might have been that my expectations are set so slow whenever I slide a Sonic game into a console but I was surprised at how simple and fun this title was. Not only was there a ton of unlockables (including some great Sega characters of yester-year like the Bonanza Bros.) but enough game-play modes and diversions to justify it's retail price.
As an aspiring writer myself, I am constantly appalled at just how terrible, useless, and/or incoherent video games' stories and plots are. That being said, I was equally worried and excited when I heard that there would be a game released with its very success hinging on story. Playing through Heavy Rain, I was pleasantly surprised. While the writing might not be a masterpiece, per se, it's miles above most video games today. Toss in the fact that the death of 3 out of 4 of your characters does not stop the story and you have some of the most truly intense scenes in a game this year. I only wish the game really justified more than 1 or 2 playthroughs.
11: Rock Band 3 (360/PS3/Wii)
If you can actually manage to find some of my older reviews on DJ Hero or possibly Rock Band 2 you'll know I've been wishing for a "Piano Hero" for a long time. While the keyboard is incredibly well done there is one major flaw to Rock Band 3 - the soundtrack kinda sucks. I know they tried to include songs that would appease all five possible inputs but I would've much preferred a keyboard-only release with some Billy Joel, Jack's Mannequin, and the like. Yes there are certainly a handful of great songs on here and Harmonix DID release a Billy Joel track pack but I just expected a bit more after the fantastic Rock Band 2 setlist. Still, this is arguably the best music/rhythm game out there.
10: Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (360/PS3)
Just breaking the top ten titles of this year is, surprisingly enough, a fighting game. Those who know me know that I'm not exactly the biggest fan of fighting games (with a few exceptions) but I always take time to try out the Naruto-based ones because the Substitute Jutsu (read: teleportation magic) keeps me from getting overly frustrated when a better player or the CPU is unleashing ridiculous combo after ridiculous combo on me. The Ultimate Ninja Storm series also has some of, if not THE, best cel-shaded graphics in a video game. Throw in a huge roster, a fairly legitimate and expansive retelling of a huge chunk of the Shippuden story arch, and tight but simple and strategic controls and you have the fighting game of the year for me.
9: Spider-man: Shattered Dimensions (360/PS3)
Spidey is quite possibly my favorite superhero of all time, so this may very well be a biased outlook on the game (though this whole list is my opinion so it's pretty much all biased) but I was very impressed by Shattered Dimensions. Is it the perfect Spider-man game that true-believers have been waiting for? No. However, it is a downright blast that puts many a clever spin on the familiar wall-crawler and his enemies. Split into four worlds designed after the Amazing, Ultimate, 2099, and Noir versions of Spider-man, Shattered Dimensions features 16 large levels (4 for each Spidey, not including the final boss level) that are all crafted after a beloved villain. Aside from the solid game-play and colorful graphics, I think my favorite two things about this game are seeing the villains presented in fresh and interesting ways in the different universes and Spider-man's classic banter.
8: Dead Rising 2 (360/PS3)
Even though I was bummed to see that Frank West would not return for Dead Rising 2, the sequel improves upon its predecessor in several ways - the survivors are no longer idiotic weaklings, the weapon combination is a blast, the saving system is better (though still not perfect), the co-op is fun, and there's tons more zombies and psychos to battle against in the enormous "Fortune City." While the timed open-world gameplay might not be up everybody's corner and there are still some rough edges here, Dead Rising 2 is definitely one of those games that you talk about with your friends.
7: Samurai Warriors 3 (Wii)
Well this choice pretty much discredits me as a valid gamer in any way right? I know that pretty much everyone sees the "Warriors" series as laughable at this point but there's just something addictive about running into battle with nothing but a spear and wiping out a thousand terrified samurai while collecting new weapons and combos. If it makes you feel better though I think one of the reasons I'm so enamored with Samurai Warriors is because I love the Feudal Japan history. Anyway, the third title in the series actually expands on the framework in a bunch of ways. While the game-play is pretty much what you'd expect there are some interesting new modes, characters, maps, and stories. Everything from the combat, to the leveling and armor, to in-game missions is also refined and improved.
6: Red Dead Redemption (360/PS3)
I'm just going to come out and say it - I've never been a big fan of the GTA series. Sure it's a blast just driving around and seeing how many people's days you can ruin but I don't think I've ever actually beaten a single GTA game. However, when applied to the wild west (or rather the later dying-down west) Rockstar's tried and true formula finally won me over. The famed developer's skills for creating memorable characters, an enormous open world, and an overwhelming amount of things to do come out like never before here. Also, you can hog-tie anyone you want. Enough said.
5: Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)
If you've been following my blog then you've probably already seen my review of Kirby's Epic Yarn so I'll keep this brief (if you haven't, you can check it out here). Everything about Epic Yarn is gorgeous from the graphics to the soundtrack. The game-play is classic with a couple new twists and the co-op is a nice touch. The only downside is really the fact that the game is so darn easy.
4: Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
I basically repurchased a Wii in late summer of 2010 specifically because of the avalanche of classic titles being remade - and I was not disappointed. Donkey Kong Country Returns is everything that you remember and more. Like Kirby's Epic Yarn the game's graphical and sound presentations are downright gorgeous. There's tons of new spins on classic Donkey Kong concepts and unlike Epic Yarn this game can be pretty dang difficult. If it weren't for two mysterious short-comings (the fact that there is no way to select a control scheme that doesn't include waggle and - to a lesser degree - the complete disappearance of the Kremlings and King K. Rool) Donkey Kong Country Returns might have even been a few spots higher on the list.
3: Bioshock 2 (360/PS3)
The first Bioshock was a breath of fresh water in several ways. Not only were the game-play and setting unique and intriguing but the plot and characters were downright fantastic for a video game. It's not surprising then that 2K would have released a return ticket to rapture last year. While the story isn't quite as good as its predecessor, Bioshock 2 is still one of the best story-driven games out there - and one of the best first person shooters as well. The ambiance is still creepy and amazing, the gameplay is still fast and frenetic, and the newly added multi-player is actually good. What else can I say really? If you haven't taken the plunge into rapture yet, you are missing out on and incredible experience. Now would you kindly please go buy Bioshock 1 and 2?
2: God of War 3 (PS3)
Even after half a decade God of War remains THE best hack-and-slash action adventure title out there and Kratos first bloody outing on the PS3 is nothing short of epic. The game begins exactly where God of War 2 ends (climbing up to the top of Mount Olympus with the titans to kill Zeus) and doesn't stop for breath once. The action never ceases, the puzzles and combat are near flawless, and the graphics and sound are some of the best to grace Sony's newest system. While the ending left a little bit to be desired in my books, God of War 3 is nothing short of incredible.
1: Call of Duty: Black Ops (360/PS3/Wii)
Placing Black Ops as the number one game of 2010 was a difficult decision. Despite a solid story and the best online multi-player around, the game does still fall short in certain areas. However, after being such a long time fan of Infinity Ward and being so let down with Modern Warfare 2's uncared for multi-player, I was immensely impressed with Treyarchs ability to pick up the pieces and create the experience they did. In the end Black Ops gets the number one spot from me for the following three reasons: the campaign was incredibly well crafted with a ton of varied game-play, the online is hands down the most balanced and solid experience since the original Modern Warfare, and finally, it's simply the game I found myself playing the most of this last year (which has to say something). Now if only they'd take out those dang RC-XDs...
*Takes deep breath* Phew. Maybe now you see why this post took me so long. If you did manage to read your way through all of that (or even if you didn't) let me know what you agree and disagree with. What were your favorite games of the year? Thanks for reading! The top movies of 2010 as well as my most anticipated of 2011 lists are coming up next (but I'll try to get a regular blog or two in there as well).
~Ben Gentry
Good stuff man.
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