With the curtain closing on one hell of a banner year in gaming, here’s yet another “best of” list to whet your appetite. I had a hard time whittling this list down to even ten titles, let alone the proposed five that everyone else has agreed upon. Obviously one of us is more hardcore than the rest. There are 5 extras to fill the 6 to 10 slots, and there’d be a list of about 12 honorable mentions that I had a blast messing with. I’ll also say that, much like Erich, my list is probably considerably different from everyone else’s, but that’s more because I march to the beat of my own drum. Leave some feedback if you want to tell me how insane I am. Check it out after le break.

5. Killzone 2(PS3)
Does anyone even remember this one? It was so long ago (February 2009) that it may as well have been 2006. At any rate, Killzone 2 managed to not only managed the feat of being a superlative First Person shooter (vastly superior to Modern Warfare 2 I might add), but it also managed to live up to, and in some respects, surpass the pre-release hype that had swirled around it. The gorgeous visuals are the best in the genre, the gameplay is frantic and never lets up, and the online is both deep and highly rewarding. It also manages to buck trends and feel like nothing like either Halo or Call of Duty, becoming its own beast entirely. It’s easily the best first person shooter on the PS3, and one of the best to grace any console.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaks: Please let me kill Rico! Please! Please! Please!! Also, the good guys were pretty goddamn weaksauce next to the awesome might of the Brian Cox-led Helghast! I’m supposed to care about these bums?

Call me "darth" again! PLEASE!

4. Dragon age Origins(PS3, XBOX360, PC)
Bioware returns with the long awaited return to Medieval fantasy (minus the Dungeons and Dragons liscense), and the end result is exactly what one might expect from the RPG masters. A lengthy main quest and a handful of “prologue” chapters keep the game interesting (and add some variety in the dialogue throughout the main game). Bioware’s typically dense quests are on full display, and the combat system works amazingly well whether you’re playing it on the PC or a Console.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Dragon Age Origins on consoles is not without it’s technical issues. The 360 version suffers from some pretty bland textures, while the PS3 version stutters with framerate issues. The PC version is the better choice for those looking for that classic “Baldur’s Gate” feel. Bioware’s typical “not as non-linear as you think” approach is also in full effect, which might give veterens of Baldur’s Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, and Mass Effect a definite sense of deja vu.

"What? No Hobbits to snack on?"

3. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves(PS3)
Totally enthralling from start to finish, that’s the best way to describe the AAA blockbuster that is Uncharted 2. You’re looking at the best looking action game to ever grace any console, with airtight game mechanics, a wonderful flow that had be devouring the single player campaign in what was essentially one sitting, and a fully featured multiplayer suite that’s just as good as anything else on the market, better even. Nathan Drake (as portrayed by Nolan North) is also probably the coolest video game character to come along in ages.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaks: The story kind of lacked the same “magic” that the first game had, it felt a little forced at times. also, the pacing was a little “off” towards the end, as you careen into the endgame the designers kind of toss a handful of banal firefights that go on for far too long.

"Why so glum? Would it help if I showed you my tight ass?"

2. Demon’s Souls(PS3)
Not for the feint of heart or the easliy dismayed. Demon’s Souls is a combination of brilliant ideas and old school challenge. Sure the game is tough, but through persevereance, like so many classics before it, you will triumph. As you come to grips, the pieces fall into place, and what started as a chore becomes an immensely satisfying action role-player that has no equal on current hardware. The fact that it also looks and sounds great, and has one of the most fiercely original online modes ever devised certainly doesn’t hurt its appeal either.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaks: Just when you think you’ve got it, Demon’s souls manages to throw you a curveball, and losing 80 or 90 thousand souls (the game’s equivalent to XP) because you make one wrong step en route to the boss that just whooped your ass just plain sucks. It’s all a part of the games sado-masochistic appeal.

"I'm tellin you pal, it's pronounced SOW-RON!"

1. Assassin’s Creed II(PS3, XBOX360)
The first was my GOTY pick for 2007, and the second has improved on the first in just about every way possible. The amount of depth Ubisoft Montreal has managed to squeeze into this game is downright stupid. The graphics and sound also complement a fantastic storyline that touts Dan Brown-isms like conspiracies and secret societies with more skill than he could ever muster. ACII is the poster child for both brilliance in game design, and brilliance in art design.

The Contrarian fanboy speaks: Try as he might, and laying cool outfits aside, Ezio will never, EVER be as cool as Assassin’s Creed’s Altair.

"Insert racially insensetive Italian joke here..."

Bonus – since it’s been such an awesome year for gaming, I thought I’d share my picks for numbers 6 to 10:

10. Need for Speed: Shift
9. Batman: Arkham Asylum
8. The Saboteur
7. New Super Mario Bros
6. Borderlands

Other honorable mentions include:

Risen (XBOX360, PC), Forza Motorsport 3 (XBOX360), Resident Evil 5 (PS3, XBOX360,PC), Street Fighter 4 (PS3, XBOX360, PC), InFamous (PS3), Guitar Hero: Metallica (PS3, XBOX360, PS2, Wii), A Boy and his Blob (wii), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3, XBOX360, PC), Crimson Gem Saga (PSP), Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS), Halo 3: ODST (XBOX360).

Have a great 2010!