From the Makers of the Best RPG of 2009, Dragon Age: Origins, comes the first official expansion pack.

For centuries, the Grey Wardens—the ancient order of guardians, sworn to unite and defend the lands—have been battling the darkspawn forces. Legend spoke that slaying the Archdemon would have put an end to the darkspawn threat for centuries to come, but somehow they remain.

You are the Grey Warden Commander and have been entrusted with the duty of rebuilding the order of Grey Wardens and uncovering the secrets of the darkspawn and how they managed to remain.

How you choose to rebuild your order, how you resolve the conflict with “The Architect”, and how you determine the fate of the darkspawn will be but some of the many complex choices that await and shape your journey as you venture to the new land of Amaranthine.

A Stunning World Expanded: BioWare’s deepest universe to date just got bigger with an all new area of the world to explore, Amaranthine

• Unlock the secrets of the Darkspawn and their true motivations
• Rebuild the Grey Warden order and establish their base of operations at Vigil’s Keep

All-new Complex Moral Choices: Embark on an epic story that is completely defined and reactive to your play style

• Shape your entire experience based on the choices you make and how your handle complex situations

New Ways to Customize your Hero: Experience additional spells, abilities, specializations, and items to further personalize and customize your hero and party

• Import your character from Dragon Age: Origins or start anew as a Grey Warden from the neighboring land of Orlais
• Encounter five all-new party members and an old favorite from Dragon Age: Origins

Even more Bone-Crushing, Visceral Combat: Battle against a new range of horrific and terrifying creatures

• Put your skills to the test against an evolved, intelligent breed of Darkspawn and other menacing creatures including the Inferno Golem and Spectral Dragon!

Let me the first to say; “HELL YES!” Release date is at the end of the trailer, and it’s closer than you think!

Join the Pixel Verdict crew for a look back at their favorite games of 2009—a list that includes RPGs of the role playing and rocket propelled variety, a bad night for a bat, dragon punches, mustachioed mushroom eaters, and a true Renaissance man. Because when you aren’t forced to choose just one Game of the Year, everyone is a winner! From all of us here, our sincerest thanks for listening this year. We’ll see you bright and early in 2010—but not too early, we were up late last night.

Submit your picks for 2009′s best games in the comments below, over in the DVD Verdict Jury Room forums, or by emailing us at feedback@pixelverdict.com.

You can listen to the show with the player below, download it here, or subscribe through iTunes or by adding our feed to your podcatcher of choice.

So here it is – one final “best-of-2009″ list from your beloved Pixel Verdict crew. All that’s left now is to listen to our year-end podcastravaganza, where we each make the case for our respective number one pick in the argument over game of the year (though ultimately we leave it up to your, our faithful readers, to decide). As a bonus, this is the last time you have to deal with the picture of the Dodge vehicle with the Photoshop’d license plate.

What follows are my picks for the best games of 2009.  My criteria for this list are pretty simple: Games I’ve actually played (which limits me slightly due to time, money and console restrictions) and cumulative hours committed to those games.

5. Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Nintendo has made quite an art out of reviving old franchises, paying respect to the source material while making old, er, venerable franchises relevant again. Punch-Out!! is no exception, with the exact same simple control scheme of the original and an instantly familiar roster of opponents. Many of the pugilists even use mildly updated versions of their same special moves from 20 years ago. Punch-Out!! succeeds because the simple, yet sturdy foundation the original was built on still holds up today. That foundation is assisted by the nostalgia-laden re-imagining of the stars of the show – Little Mac and his over-the-top opponents.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks:
The two player versus matches are sort of lame and the fairly unforgiving difficulty level of the original remains intact. Also, what some may describe as a “nostalgia-laden re-imagining,” others may call dated and a little one-note.

4. Halo Wars (Xbox 360)
I’ve never really had the patience or time to invest in the real-time strategy genre, but I do have an unhealthy obsession with all things Halo, so I was willing to give Halo Wars a shot. I was not disappointed, as what I found was an accessible RTS that perfectly captured and integrated the nuances of the ever-expanding Halo mythology. The control scheme is logical and well-thought out and the various units are balanced nicely in that rock-paper-scissors sort of way. Since I’m not really an RTS guy, unfortunately I don’t have anything to compare the experience to. I did, however, find myself willing to log the necessary hours to not only finish the game, but also try most of the nicely varied levels on a harder difficulty.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks:
Even with sweet CG cut scenes, the story was cliche-ridden. Also, trying to get a bunch of deathmatchin’, head-shootin’, teabaggin’ FPS-ers to jump ship to an RTS, however polished, seems a little “square peg, round hole” to me.

3. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
Like Punch-Out!!, this game feels immediately familiar to any gamer around my age or older, yet still advances the one franchise many revere above all others. I smiled a lot while playing this game and couldn’t help but get reminded early and often why I began loving video games in the first place. Such pleasant reminders seem to be fewer and farther between these days, and stand in diametric opposition to the rage and frustration felt while getting stomped in various FPS arenas online. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a pure gaming experience that is only going to get more rare, partly because it seems Nintendo is the only company that can consistently pull them off.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks:
It is possible that the only reason this game seems so great is because enough time has passed since the last 2D Mario game. If this game came out 8 years ago for the Gamecube, everyone probably would have agreed it was a solid effort, but dated and indicative of Nintendo’s refusal to move into the 21st century. Also, tacked on motion controls really are a pain, but definitely not a game-breaker, and the utter lack of online co-op serves only to remind me yet again how far behind Nintendo is in that particular realm. Actually, far behind isn’t accurate – they’re not even in the race.

2. Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360)
I love Halo, and ODST is more than just an expansion pack. It has a nifty side-story to the main Halo arc, and changes up the gameplay enough to make you reevaluate some of your tactics and keep things interesting. Also, Firefight mode is challenging, fun and promotes good communication and team work. This is a really good game that may have suffered from some Halo backlash and competition from the number one game on my list. Although the some of the characters in the story were a little bland, and Bungie fell right back into it’s “silent hero” comfort zone with the Rookie, I really enjoyed the “film noir” vibe of the story, told through playable flashbacks.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks:
Some say it’s not really a full game, so they shouldn’t charge full price. Also, I miss the Covenant Elites.

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
If this post seems a little short and to the point, it’s because I’m very tired. I’m tired from staying up too late to play Modern Warfare 2. Between the taut, fast-paced campaign, the nicely fleshed-out Special Ops cooperative mode and the frantic, ridiculously deep online multi-player, Modern Warfare 2 has it all… and that’s coming from an unabashed Halo kool-aid drinker. At this point, I’ve logged way, way too many hours in this game for someone with all the responsibilities that come with adulthood, but I’m sure I’ll be back on this weekend. And it’s that compulsion, that unmistakable siren song, that marks those rare, transcendent gaming experiences.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks:
Modern Warfare 2 is probably the most fully featured FPS available, but if you just don’t care for gaming from a first-person view, they relatively short campaign probably only merits a rental… that is, if you’re one of the 11 people that didn’t buy it the week it came out.

Ah, 2009. A fun year for video games and a broke year for this reviewer, who in his shame admits freely to having not played as many games as his esteemed colleagues-in-pixilated-arms. I mean, I just got Borderlands as a Christmas gift, so there’s no making it onto my list this year (blasphemous, I know.) Always lagging behind, I am. And look—not a single PC-only game on my Top 5. I don’t even recognize myself in the mirror anymore.

Click the jump below to check out my Top 5 picks of the year, as well as two noteworthy honorable mentions.

#5. Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360/PS3)
You get to play as Batman. ‘Nuff said. Wait, I’m mixing my comic metaphors there.

No, seriously—you get to play as Batman. We’ve seen Batman in other video games before—many, many other games—but Batman: Arhkam Asylum is the first game that lets us be Batman in all his Dark Knight glory, sneaking through the shadows, swinging from cables, swooping onto unsuspected prey with merciless, non-lethal efficiency. The ultimate nerdy thrill, no game has been able to capture so perfectly the superhero experience as satisfying as this. Beautiful art design, faithful voice acting and a Rogue’s Gallery full of adversaries to stomp, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a delight to play.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Some of the puzzle mechanics get a tad repetitious, like when you’d walk into a room and be thrust into a “swing from the gargoyles” stealth scenario again and again. Oh, how I yearned just to be able to drop to the floor and start pulverizing people proper.

Or any sequence involving the Scarecrow. Nuts to that guy.

na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na... BATMAN

#4. Scribblenauts (DS)
This one gets a nod on my list out of sheer tenacious creativity and innovation. Rarely has a game, let alone a Nintendo DS game been so discussed, analyzed, anticipated and dissected as Scribblenauts was after its memorable E3 showing. Audiences asked, “So what, you can create… anything?” And 5th Cell, the little scamps, just smiled enigmatically and showed another clip of God on a skateboard with a shotgun fighting Cthulu.

Once the game arrived, its flaws became immediately apparent—no, you can’t create anything, and the control scheme was a flaming nightmare of awkwardness, but how many truly original game franchises does one see emerge in any given year? Most simply recycle mechanics and engines from other titles, polishing here or tweaking there. Scribblenauts was something new, something genuinely innovative and creative—an open-ended puzzler with seemingly limitless potential, based entirely around your ability to think outside the box and develop emergent gameplay. Ask a guy like Peter Molyneux, and he’ll swear that this is the future direction of video gaming.

Yes, the game overpromised, and expectations were impossibly high, but Scriblenauts still deserves a place on this list. It may be imperfect, but I’ll take an ambitious-yet-flawed game over a redundant one any day of the week.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Did I mention the control scheme was awful? This cannot be overstated.

Please do not ride Cthulu in a race against God on a dinosaur. Cthulu does not like this.

#3. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
Nostalgia, pure and simple, will make New Super Mario Bros. Wii one of the best-selling video games of all time. This is not a deep game, or a particularly challenging game, or a terribly innovative game. In fact, it bears more than a passing similarity to the previous New Super Mario Bros. title on the Nintendo DS in design and game play. With the possible exception of Rock Band, I challenge you to find a more entertaining or satisfying gaming experience that you and three friends, be them hardcore gamers or casually curious, can sit down and just play to your heart’s content.

Young and old, man and women alike, Nintendo has a knack at cultivating games to appeal to all parties, almost to a fault. Even this reviewer’s wife, a vehement non-gamer, looked upon this title fondly in our household, remembering days of yesteryear rescuing her own Princess back on the SNES in Super Mario World. But boy, the Princess sure gets kidnapped a lot. That girl needs a LoJack system.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Nintendo feels obligated to cram motion control elements into all of its games, whether the game actually benefits from them or not. Wagging your controller to fly into the air is an awkward gaming element, and will make you look stupid in front of your three friends. Thanks, Nintendo.

Too much waggling can be hazardous to your health.

#2. Street Fighter IV (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)
Again with the nostalgia titles! Apparently I’m a soft touch for things that remind me of my childhood. And nothing reminds me more of my childhood than cramming rolls upon rolls of quarters into the Street Fighter II machine at the convenience store by my house, day after day. Capcom has hit this one out of the park by resisting the temptation to make something new—like Street Fighter Alpha, or Street Fighter III and its various incarnations, or some mash-up pairing Ryu with giant robots.

No, none of that nonsense. Street Fighter IV is a return to form, a loving homage to the glory days of arcade and the pure simplicities of button-mashing, spinning piledrivers and fireballs. The 3D graphics and 2D game play blend perfectly. You don’t need an instruction manual for this one. You just sit down, turn it on, and know what to do.

Also, do not play Dave in Street Fighter IV. He will pile drive your face.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Capcom may have avoided the pitfalls from its various Street Fighter incarnations over the last ten years… except for one unfortunate area—the boss fight. Seth is a douchebag. He just makes things up to win fights, like the physics engine or the laws of gravity. He feeds on your tears.

But thank the lords up above that he can’t reincarnate himself like Gill. Capcom can go @#$% themselves over Gill.

This is you, losing the fight.

#1. Dragon Age: Origins (PS3, XBOX360, PC)
If you make a Top 5 list of the Best Games of the Year, and one of your factors is “time you have spent playing the game”, then Dragon Age: Origins deserves its crown. The latest epic RPG from BioWare, Dragon Age is as satisfying a role playing experience as North Americans can envision without stealing ideas from Square Enix. Beautiful visual designs, an engrossing and complex plot and a large and colorful cast of characters with surprisingly well-defined identities make Dragon Age a rewarding gaming experience that will suck the marrow from your bones like a vampire.

Do not be alarmed at the seemingly spontaneous two-inch beard growth that springs from your face every time you sit down to play Dragon Age. It isn’t a side effect of the game per se—it just means you’ve been sitting in a pile of your own filth for two weeks solid. It happens when you play a game this good. Fans of BioWare’s other games (Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect) will feel right at home. This is the kind of world you can get lost in.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Boy, I wish I bought this on PC. I don’t care how good you make a navigation or control scheme on consoles—it can’t hold a candle to a keyboard and a mouse when it comes to unleashing tactic-based combat on hordes of enemies. Forget the sissy “wheel” menu– give me an F1 key and I’ll whump any dragon that steps to me. Oh snap, I went there.

This is Morrigan and she blows things up for you. Try to avoid sleeping with her.

Honorable Mentions
If this was a Top 7 List, these would be #6 and #7. Lousy editors.

The Beatles: Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)
This one just barely missed the #5 spot list for me. More a love letter to four mop-heads from Liverpool than a rhythm game, The Beatles: Rock Band is the ultimate fan boy gift for Beatles fans—a living, breathing documentary of music, song and obscure collector’s memorabilia. It may masquerade as a video game, but the real beauty and joy in this game is being an obsessive fan of the band in question. This one rekindled my love for The Beatles.

On a personal level, it’s hard to express the joy this title brought me. But judged purely from a game merit standpoint, it gets edged out by the competition. It’s a cruel world, I know.

Torchlight (PC)
From the creators of Fate and Diablo comes… well, a carbon-copy clone of Fate and Diablo, without a hint of irony. Proof that games don’t need to break new grounds to deliver superb gaming experiences, Torchlight filled the empty stomachs of hungry PC gamers anxiously awaiting the dungeon-crawling feast of Diablo III (release TBD).

As meals go, sure, it’s all empty carbohydrates—and the game experience is short and repetitive—but the sugar rush is fantastic, and you’d be hard-pressed to get more gaming value out of a Jackson these days.




See you all next year!

Whew! This year was a close one.  With a wedding so pay for this coming March, and full year’s worth of can’t miss games released over the course of 2009, I didn’t think I was going to make it out alive (or at the very least, out of shark-tank debt).  I’m in agreement with Steve that trying to pick just five out of the squall of sterling digital offerings we’ve had this past year is a cruel endeavour.  After spending much of the holidays in tears, trying to trim the fat from my list, I think I’ve finally tapered it down to an unfortunately circumscribe five (plus two honourable mentions).  So before we ring out the Aughties, or Zeroes, or whatever you hipsters are calling the soon to be decade past, I’d like to regale the gamers among you with my personal favourite games of 2009.  And no…Prototype is not on the list.

Honorable Mention: Resident Evil 5 (PS3, XB360)

A full five years after Capcom reinvented (and reinvigorated) their flagging zombie franchise with ‘Resident Evil 4’; along comes the fifth mainline title.  I don’t know if I’d call it an evolution OR a revolution, but I do know that I’d call it awesome.  While there isn’t anything cerebral, or even outright frightening at play in this survival horror title, “Resident Evil 5” is a non-stop adrenaline ride akin to a Michael Bay or James Cameron movie.  If the massive action sequences and pretty much endless gun play don’t hook you (which they will), the countless firearms and robust co-op campaign surely will.  Joining returning hero Chris Redfield (along with his his 24-inch pythons), and series newcomer Sheva Alomar is a twisty, over-the-top horror/action experience that could only be plausible as a Resident Evil title.  Capcom deserve props for not attempting to reinvent the wheel again, instead just building upon what was done in 2004, and knocking it clear out of the park.  Just never play online with Kaiblaker, I hear that dirty Newf bogarts the best of the ballistic hardware.

Why it’s off the A-List:

As much as I loved RE5, playing it always made me want to go back and explore the terrifying confines of the Ishimura in Dead Space.  As well, as awesome as those big action set pieces are, I found that whenever the heat was turned up in RE5, the exity strategy was always; “back up into a corner and pray the bullet sponges run out of lead porrousness”.

Honorable Mention: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

Gamers have been crying for years that the PlayStation 3 was lacking that system seller, that killer-app that they simply needed, a game that everyone would clamor over.  Here it is.  Nathan Drake’s second fantastic adventure, “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves”.  Gamers join Drake and company on a roller coater ride of a quest to discover Marco Polo’s lost fleet, and find the hidden city of Shambala.  The characters are among the most amicable available in games today, and let’s be honest folks, if archaeology included this many rocket launchers and machine guns, ever red-blooded male in North America would be taking it in university.  Though I did think that the gun fighting towards the end was a bit much, the moving train and Buddhist monastery levels alone are worth the entry fee.  And it certainly doesn’t hurt that it’s possibly the prettiest game of all time.

Why it’s off the A-List:

95% of Uncharted 2 is immeasurable badassery.  The remaining five percent is comprised of the seemingly limitless gunfire that begins once the temple of Shambala has been infiltrated.  I sweare the last 90 minutes of that game is playing hide and shoot with Lazaravich’s goons.  Oh, and let’s not forget history’s most frustrating last boss battle.  Nathan Drake combats a busted camera and a roid raging lead villain in a showdown based around a gimmick that belongs in The Legend of Zelda.  Only the timing is so precise, and the bad guy has teleporting grenades.  5o attempts later and I no longer care if i ever finish Uncharted 2.

5.  Brütal Legend (PS3, XB360)

What do you get when you take real-time strategy, epic hack and slash game play, and coat the entire thing in heavy metal?  Brütal Legend was 400 horsepower bad ass.  A soundtrack encompassing more epic heavy metal licks than most gamers have ever listened to, a great voice cast, and a hilarious (and often touching in a cliched way) story, and one of the greatest in game beheadings ever designed, Brütal Legend is the type of game I think any player with an open mind should spend some time with.  All you My Chemical Romance fans who whined that the demo miss sold the game, or the RTS segments were too difficult and the too much a departure, your emo sniveling is not true metal, this game is.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaketh: Brütal Legend suffers at its halfway point from a serious case of schizophrenia.  After about 6-8 hours of pummeling Hair Metal sellouts and charging, axe in hand across a exultantly over-the-top Heavy Metal game world, Brütal Legend up and decides that the bitter war between Eddie Riggs, and the Black Tear transformed second act villain needs to be taken somewhat seriously.  The laughs are sadly dialed down, and one of the missions in particular really slogs as a result.  It’s like watching Delerious, only to have Eddie Murphy suddenly transform into post oscar win Jamie Foxx.

Jack Skellington shirts and your sister's jeans are not True Metal!

4. InFamous (PS3)

Sucker Punch; easily the most underrated of Sony’s in-house developers, followed up their critically acclaimed ‘Sly Cooper’ trilogy with InFamous, an open-world action game steeped in the mythology of the early to mid 90s comic boom.   This title combined breathtaking parkour style acrobatics, with surprisingly well-crafted 3rd person shooter mechanics and a genuinely interesting storyline, and blended it all within a breathtaking city full of citizens to either save or enslave villains to either overcome or enlist, and a bevy of incredible lighting based super-powers.  The best thing about it, is that you get to do it all twice.  This was probably one of the strongest PS3 exclusives to be released all year long.  If you haven’t checked this out yet, give it a spin.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaketh: How is it, that in a game portraying an everyman’s struggle to still maintain his humanity in a world that is becoming more savage, whilst he himself is rapidly becoming a god; did Sucker Punch manage to make every primary character so unlikable?  Cole is like the love child of Batman and a T-800 terminator, only without all the warm and fuzzy.  Trish is the picture perfect ice queen, her boyfriend survices the explosion that claimed the life of her sister, so she hates him for surviving.  And Zeke?  Ugh.  Zeke is like every Rob Schneider movie role ever, only fatter and even more obnoxious.  Even the strongest willed heroes out there would be hard pressed not to throw a lightning bolt down these joker’s paths.

Unlimited POWAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

3. Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, XB360)

Wow!  Smash hit of the third quarter of 2009; Batman: Arkham Asylum is not only one of the finest superhero titles that has ever been crafted; it’s simply one of the greatest games of this current generation.  Rocksteady were an underdog going into this title, having only the lackluster ‘Urban Chaos’ for the PS2 and original Xbox.  They delivered in spades however, giving gamers a chance to really feel like the Dark Knight, pitting him against an assortment of foes on what was advertised as the longest night of batman’s life.  Moody and atmospheric in places, darkly humourous in others, and pretty much balls to the wall intense the entire time; Batman: Arkham Asylum looks like it will only be one-upped by its own sequel.  I’ve heard certain jaded old gamers say that it suffered from ‘Bioshock’ syndrome, only doing as well as it did in the absence of more competition, but I honestly believe that even released in November, Batman: Arkham Asylum would’ve cleaned house.  It’s the first time in nearly 20 years that a Batman title has been a must-play.  Besides, that inverted take-down never EVER gets old.

The Contrarian Fannboy Speaketh: I guess if I was forced to complain, the recycled army of thugs that Batman pummels his way through for the entirity of the game could have used a little more variety.  As well, more than a couple of the big boss fights fell a little flat for me.  Something a little more epic or well though out for Bats’ big baddies could’ve served as a nice break from all that stalking and puzzle solving.

You can't tell me that Danny Elfman's theme isn't playing in your head right now.

2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii…duh)

Don’t even read this section, just go buy the game, buy a Wii, and be transported back to a more innocent era of gaming.  New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a triumph, a complete improvement on its predecessor for the DS, and a celebration of the most creative and fun titles in the Mario franchise.   Amazing levels, fun power ups, and a multiplayer campaign that borders on Lovecraftian madness.  Honestly, just grab a copy…if you can find one.

The Contrarion Fanboy Speaketh: Certain…volatile couples may experience certain marital issues if they attempt the more than a little loose multiplayer aspect of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.  I know Mrs. Aspersclager still has those papers stashed in her desk for the next time Erich knocks her into a pit to grab that Propellor Suit.

Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night, I can see paradise by the dashboard lights.

1. Street Fighter IV (Ps3, XB360)

Lighting a fire under the glutamus maximus of not only the Street Fighter franchise, but the entire genre in general, Street Fighter IV was hands down my game of the year for 2009.  There have been a bevy of Triple-A titles released in its wake, but none have even compared in the amount of time I’ve spent Cannon Spiking the competition online with SFIV.  Colourful visuals, explosive music and absolutely flawless game play spelled an easy KO for the returning king of fighting games.  And what’s even better is the upcoming release of Super Street Fighter IV, an updated version with a rumored 10 extra fighters, four extra backgrounds, and new special and super moves; all of which look to make not only a potent online fighting cocktail, but also a front-runner for my game of the year in 2010.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaketh: Shut it Shakespeare!  I’m trying to play Street Fighter IV!

Pictured: Things about to be restored to their natural order.

Well, there you have it.  My picks for the top five titles of 2009.  And believe me; I tortured myself over whether any of the other countless great titles released over the course of the year also deserved a spot.  It’s been a great 2009 for gaming, and its looking like 2010 is going to hit even harder right out of the gate.  I’m hoping for more greatness from the franchises we all know and love, praying for success for new IPs like DarkSiders, and wishing that Microsoft will finally deliver me a good reason to fire up my 360 again.  That’s it for me for the rest of the year.  Everyone have a great New Year, and whatever you do, don’t drink and drive.  You can’t play me online in Street Fighter IV if you’re in the hospital or on a slab.

]]> http://pixelverdict.com/2009/12/29/best-games-of-the-year-2009-jon%e2%80%99s-list/feed/ 0 http://pixelverdict.com/2009/12/29/best-games-of-the-year-2009-steves-list/ http://pixelverdict.com/2009/12/29/best-games-of-the-year-2009-steves-list/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:00:49 +0000 Steve Power http://pixelverdict.com/?p=3440

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!

As Dave explained in his kickoff post, ’tis the season for “best of” lists, and who are we to buck tradition?

Just to warn you, my list isn’t going to look like the rest of the lists you’ll see on this site over the next few days. Compare my picks with Dave’s and you’ll see what I mean. That’s because I don’t own all three consoles, or play a lot of new games. In these harsh economic times, can you blame me? Somehow, though, I managed to play a few—mostly on Nintendo systems. Go figure. Click through for the best of what 2009 had to offer the Asperschlager household.

5. Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Everything old is new again in 2009 Nintendo-land, a trend that began in February with the release of Punch-Out!! Part re-imagining, part re-creation of the ’80s NES classic (sans “Mike Tyson”), this retrotastic entry updated the original puzzle fighter with sweet graphics, smooth animation, and nods to the days of gaming yore. Although the game sported various motion control set-ups, the only way to play is by holding the Wii-mote sideways, NES-style. If Punch-Out!! only had Career Mode, the limited roster of opponents would have seemed like a cheap move, but the addition of an expanded Title Defense Mode (featuring much tougher remixed versions of the boxers), and the masochistic Last Stand Mode, made sure old-school game fans had plenty to keep them busy. Is Punch-Out!! too hard? Maybe. Or maybe you’re just a wimp.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: I sure hope you like all the old characters, ’cause they only came up with one new fighter, the cringe-inducing gay stereotyped “Disco Kid.”

A knockout blow for retro gaming... and for cheesy captions.

4. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (DS)
For fans of Nintendo’s Mario & Luigi RPG series, the wait was worth it with the third entry, Bowser’s Inside Story. Trading the Mario babies dynamic of 2005′s Partners in Time for a starring turn by the biggest bad of them all, this game takes full advantage of the DS by dedicating the top screen to Bowser and the bottom screen to the brothers, who start the game by being shrunk down and ingested by the Koopa King. So while Bowser trundles around the overworld, Mario and Luigi traverse his innards—exploring, battling enemies, and helping their sworn enemy solve puzzles from the inside out. The interactive battle system and varied enemies make this way more than “my first RPG.” The sharp writing and willingness to poke fun at the company that created it makes Bowser’s Inside Story one of the best things a Nintendo fan can put into their DS.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: I know RPGs are supposed to be long, but good-sized chunks of this game feel like padding. Quantity does not trump quality.

Burn, Bowsy, Burn!

3. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
2007′s Phantom Hourglass proved that Zelda could be played with a stylus. Spirit Tracks proves that it can be done even better. Instead of endlessly retracing your steps through Hourglass‘s Temple of the Ocean King, Tracks lets you bypass completed levels of its central dungeon, the Tower of Spirits. Instead of mapping the roll attack to a tough to execute curlicue stylus motion, Link can now roll with a simple double tap. Minor changes, sure, but add in a unique twist to the Link-Zelda relationship and the love-it-or-hate-it train travel (I dig it) and Spirit Tracks is the perfect fix for Zelda fans waiting for the forthcoming Wii entry. The difficulty ramps up gradually—maybe a bit too gradually for the experienced player—but as you move into the second half of the game, Tracks piles on the side quests, new gameplay mechanics, and head-scratching puzzles. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m a dungeon or two away from finishing the game. But what I’ve played so far makes this an easy choice for my Top 5 list.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Although the game does occasionally force you to take on a sidequest, Spirit Tracks is a linear experience for a long time, and with only four major dungeons in the game, you hit the “halfway” point way too soon.

Clickety clack, Link fights back!

2. Borderlands (Xbox 360/PS3)
I’m not sure if I would have gotten Borderlands if not for two things: Xbox Live and the constant nagging of Dave Johnson. Thanks to both for getting me into one of the most addictive first person shooters I’ve ever played. The constant loot drops, character progression, and ability to tear through the Pandoran desert with three friends has made this one of my most-played games this year—and it only came out in October. This game also marks the first time I chose to play a female character. Who knew a sci-fi gunfest could also strike a blow for equal rights?

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: This game is a blast to play with friends, but unless you host everyone else, you’ll be playing in someone else’s game. It’s fine as long as you can keep regular multiplayer sessions going, but the game turns into Boringlands when you’re forced to replay all the early missions in your solo campaign.

Pandora the Explorer

1. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
When this game was revealed at Nintendo’s E3 press conference this year, there was much hemming and hawing on the internet. Some people assumed it was a port of the DS game. Others thought it was multiplayer only. I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t expect it to be my personal game of the year. While much of New Super Mario Bros. Wii feels like the DS game, it is way more fun, varied, and challenging than its handheld brother. Gone are lame power-ups like the mega mushroom and koopa shell, replaced by legitimately useful items like the ice flower and penguin suit. The game is just as fun alone as with friends, and is equally rewarding whether you’re brand new to video games or have been mashing the B button since the ’80s. The tweaks to the tried-and-true Mario formula are subtle yet rewarding, and even after you’ve beaten all eight worlds and bested the Koopa clan, trying to find all the hidden star coins will keep you coming back. Ignore the whining of jaded gamers. This is a must-buy if you own a Wii, and may even be a reason to buy one.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: The 2.5-D graphics are hit-or-miss, with the backgrounds often looking better than the characters you’re playing. It’s a reminder that in Nintendo’s world, despite the Wii’s popularity, the DS is king. Expect to see more Wii games take their cues from the lower-res handheld juggernaut.

Jumpman of the Year

What kind of video game blog would we be if we didn’t do a list of best games for the year? A shoddy excuse for one, that’s what. So here we go, the first of six individualized lists from the writers of Pixel Verdict, to be capped with a year-end podcast where we bicker and argue about our respective choices, because, really, what kind of video game fanboys would be if we didn’t bicker and argue?

Hit the jump for my five best games of 2009, complete with party-pooping bloviating from The Contrarian Fanboy!

5. Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360/PS3)
I know this wasn’t as well-regarded as Resident Evil 4, but what do you expect: that was the greatest survival-horror game ever made. What RE5 did was further hone the formula and combine it with a fun, B-movie plot, some awesome action set-pieces (laugh if you want, but who doesn’t like picking off zombies on motorcycles?) and boner-inducing graphics.

 The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Dead Space, however, proved you can still craft tension without having your main character rooted in place when he draws his weapon, and is it me or does Chris Redfield look like a roid-raging Muppet?

"My arms are bulging with excitement."

4.  Borderlands (Xbox 360/PS3)
The most surprisingly awesome game of 2009 was Gearbox’s perfect blend of RPG-flavored character progression, non-stop loot drops and seamless FPS action. This is an example of a developer brining their A-game to two wildly divergent genres and crafting a deep, fun, stylish romp through a brilliantly realized Mad Max-type of ravaged wastelands. Add the four-player online co-op and, BINGO!, you’ve got yourself a bankable franchise 2K.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Once you hit that level cap, though, Borderlands takes a big hit in the replayability factor.

"I think I have carbon monoxide poisoning."

3.  Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
The sequel to my all-time favorite PS3 game ups the ante in every way: the story is cooler, the action is faster and fiercer and the graphics set a new standard for this generation. Voice-acting continues to be the premium and the pacing is balls-to-the-wall throughout; Uncharted 2 really is the closest we’ve ever gotten to a fully-interactive action movie.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: Though, there is still some yardage to be made up before Oscars are handed out to video game screenwriters. The dialogue is riddled with clichés.

"My hair remains stiff and sculpted, no matter the danger. That's because I'm a Prell man!"

2. Street Fighter 4 (Xbox 360/PS3)
It’s the greatest fighting game of all time. And of that there can be no question.

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: There are some character balancing issues and the throw priorities are hugely annoying and why is Dan taking up a valuable roster spot?

"Suck it, Honda."

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360/PS3)
There was anticipation brewing for this title when it was first announced, but the relative anonymity of developer Rocksteady mixed with the sordid past virtual adventures of the Dark Knight kept this an unknown quanity–until we finally got to play it. Wow, what a game. There are so many money gameplay elements from the detective stuff, the stealth opportunities, the Riddler’s puzzles and, quite simply, a revolutionizing combat mechanic. In short, this game made me feel like fricking Batman. And since Batman is pretty much the dopest fictional character ever crafted this side of Han Solo, for a game to accomplish this feat with such high polish in every area is a true achievement. (We’ll see if Rocksteady tackles Han Solo: Mos Eisley Attack Force! with the same verve).

The Contrarian Fanboy speaks: I don’t know, there wasn’t a Chris-O’Donnell-as-Robin throttling minigame?

"After this adjustment, your migraines should go away."