Something went wrong. Try again later

Giant Bomb News

143 Comments

Giant Bomb's Game of the Year 2009, Day Four

What's Giant Bomb's best download-only game for 2009? More importantly, which game had the best big-ass ramp? The answers lie within!

Are you an awesome multitasker? Then listen to today's awards podcast while you read the awards below! It's like 3D for your mind!

Best Download-Only Game


Shadow Complex


No Caption Provided
Last year, we had a category called "Best Downloadable Game." But with the number of retail-sized games hitting digitally as well as in boxes on a steady rise, we felt the need to tweak the title, starting with "Best 'Small' Game," transitioning to "Best Downloadable Game But Not Retail Games You Know What Me Mean Stop Harassing Us," and finally coming to "Best Download-Only Game." You... know what we mean. It's been a great year for PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and PC-focused releases that are only available via services like Steam or Direct2Drive.

The winner in this category was an easy choice for us. Shadow Complex is terrific game that spoke to our nostalgic side without feeling like some kind of weird throwback. Chair Entertainment made great use of the Unreal Engine, offering up a side-scrolling action-adventure that practically demanded to be played again and again and again. And you know what? Even after finishing all of the side stuff and collecting all of the items, Shadow Complex is still a total blast. If you're looking for a game that represents the best of what digital-only delivery has to offer, this is Exhibit A. 

No Caption Provided
Runners-Up: Shatter, Noby Noby Boy 
 
 

Second Annual Soulja Boy Award for Games To Play If You Drink And Get Drunk or Smoke And Get High


Modern Warfare 2


No Caption Provided
We should probably do the right thing here and say that we in no way condone this sort of behavior. We are not rappers, Miss Katie. But some of 2009's releases manage to evoke that certain wink-and-nod to altered states better than others, and that's what we're "awarding" this year. Actually, Modern Warfare 2 almost redefines the category by being way less of a wink or a nod, and more of a blinking sign that says YO CHECK THIS OUT. And you'll probably see every time you play multiplayer.

The blatant display of weed leaves and titles like "Blunt Trauma" and "Joint Ops" to go along with them let the "420 friendly" players out there wear their affiliation like a badge of honor. And judging by how frequently they seem to pop up, there are a lot of you out there that smell like Otto's jacket. The references are hokey and, well, a little garish. But then, so is Soulja Boy, right? Winners don't use drugs.

Oh, we should probably also state that this category is not actually endorsed by Soulja Boy. 


No Caption Provided
Runners-Up: Noby Noby Boy, Flower 
 
 

Best Big-Ass Ramp


Borderlands


No Caption Provided
Though 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand was the initial spark that led to our hardcore addiction to big-ass ramps, this year's award for the biggest-ass ramp somehow ended up going to a bigger-ass ramp than 50 Cent can handle... the gigantic structure sitting right outside of Fyrestone in Gearbox Software's Borderlands.

As if to totally lock this category up, this huge structure of vehicle launching is a required visit as part of one of the game's main story quests. So there's no way you'll miss this big-ass ramp... though you might miss Tony Yayo or one of the other G-Unit guys shouting about the big-ass ramp that you may or may not have just hit. That's just the way it goes.

No Caption Provided
 Runners-Up: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, Modern Warfare 2 
  

Character We'd Most Like To Party With


Eddie Riggs

 
No Caption Provided
Brutal Legend, Double Fine's grand tribute to the glory and the triumph of pure, soaring, fist-pumping heavy metal music, was not a game without problems. But if there was any good reason to look past its design missteps and technical shortcomings, it was the main character Eddie Riggs, the world's greatest roadie, a man whose considerable talents get put to far nobler use as he fights the forces of evil in a mythical realm of metal. As someone who has lugged Marshall stacks to hell and back, quite literally, who wouldn't want to party with Eddie Riggs?
 
Beyond the obviously amazing stories he'd be able to tell, whether it be about bacchanalian backstage antics from the road or that time he split a battle nun clean in two, Eddie's a guy who understands not just how to have a good time, but how to make sure the whole operation's running smoothly. The kegs would always be plentiful and ice-cold, the gender ratio would be golden, and he'd have no qualms about kicking unnecessary dirtbags to the curb.

No Caption Provided

Runners-Up: Ellis, Chris Cashman, John Vignocchi
 

Best Classic Revival

 

Street Fighter IV


No Caption Provided
Properly reviving the classics is probably one of the toughest things a developer can take on, because you're not actually striving the develop something that improves upon an old thing. Instead, your goal is to deliver something that improves upon a fan's memories of that old thing. You don't need us to tell you that this is a gargantuan task, as gaming's most beloved classic franchises have millions of fans, all of them just waiting for something messed up to happen so they can say "well, this isn't as good as the old thing" and move on.

Street Fighter IV is better than the old thing. Even more, it's just about as good, if not slightly better than our memories of the Street Fighter II era. It's almost enough to inspire some sort of "back in my day, you'd do the dragon punch motion and it wouldn't even come out!!" rant, but instead we'll just lean back in our rocking chairs and tell you that you damn kids are lucky to have it this good.

No Caption Provided

 

Runners-Up: Punch-Out!!, Tales of Monkey Island

143 Comments

Avatar image for skippyscissors
skippyscissors

395

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By skippyscissors

Pac Man Pac Man.....

Avatar image for mocpac
MocPac

40

Forum Posts

132

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By MocPac

Catch-A-RIIIIIIDE

Avatar image for shaunassnz
ShaunassNZ

2233

Forum Posts

196

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By ShaunassNZ

I would have partied with Ellis.

Avatar image for sleepydoughnut
SleepyDoughnut

1269

Forum Posts

133

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By SleepyDoughnut
@DewRequired said:
" No Trials HD for big-ass ramp? Seems like a shoe-in. lol "
This guy's got a point.
Avatar image for bolognasoup
BolognaSoup

100

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By BolognaSoup

Trials HD not even getting a runner up for best downloadable game is downright criminal. 
 
Also the Big Surf Island ramp is CLEARLY better than the Borderlands ramp. The Borderlands one isn't even very big and is very anti-climactic.

Avatar image for lordofultima
lordofultima

6592

Forum Posts

25303

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 9

Edited By lordofultima
@Doogie2K said:

" No love for Torchlight?  For shame. "

You smoke and get high while playing Torchlight? For shame! 
 
Didn't Big Surf Island come out in 2009? If so, that has the BIGGEST ASS RAMPS you've ever seen, and should have won this hands down.
Avatar image for peanut
Peanut

965

Forum Posts

94

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

Edited By Peanut

Splosion Man not being a runner-up for best DL-only game is like a swift kick in the groin to me. SC winning it is rightly deserved, as that game was awesome, but shatter and Noby Noby Boy? *shiver*

Avatar image for zeouterlimits
zeouterlimits

205

Forum Posts

325

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By zeouterlimits

Just 100% Shadow Complex on my first playthrough 5 minutes ago, agree completely, it might be my game of the year!

Avatar image for nemesis
Nemesis

330

Forum Posts

569

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 1

Edited By Nemesis
@Linkyshinks said:
" I didn't like Shadow Complex, I thought it was severely over hyped. My favourite download game of the year would be Lost Winds 2. "
A sony fanboy saying he doesn't like Shadow Complex? How surprising. The game wasn't even hyped at all.
Avatar image for sweep
sweep

10887

Forum Posts

3660

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 14

Edited By sweep  Moderator

" The references are hokey and, well, a little garish. But then, so is Soulja Boy, right? Winners don't use drugs."


Oh SNAP.
Avatar image for doogie2k
Doogie2K

217

Forum Posts

6751

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 3

Edited By Doogie2K
@lordofultima said:

" @Doogie2K said:

" No love for Torchlight?  For shame. "

You smoke and get high while playing Torchlight? For shame!  Didn't Big Surf Island come out in 2009? If so, that has the BIGGEST ASS RAMPS you've ever seen, and should have won this hands down. "
Download-only game...?
Avatar image for chummy8
Chummy8

4000

Forum Posts

1815

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 12

Edited By Chummy8

Best download only game of the year for me is Magic: The Gathering game on XBLA.  I can't tell you how many hours I sunk into that game.. random and annoying crashes and all. 

Avatar image for slantedroom
SlantedRoom

307

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By SlantedRoom
@aurahack:

dude, i am so pulling for him next year
Avatar image for maddprodigy
MaddProdigy

1074

Forum Posts

178

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By MaddProdigy

does this mean mw2 is off the list for game of the year?

Avatar image for devil240z
Devil240Z

5704

Forum Posts

247

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Devil240Z

do people not realize that the whole reason that they are doing this is beacuse GOTY awards are stupid and pointless. They are making fun of the whole thing.

Avatar image for iron_scimitar
Iron_Scimitar

29

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Iron_Scimitar

You wouldnt wanna party w/ Dick Marcinko?

Avatar image for qwicksilver
qwicksilver

62

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By qwicksilver
@Devil240Z said:
" do people not realize that the whole reason that they are doing this is beacuse GOTY awards are stupid and pointless. They are making fun of the whole thing. "
I think they're definitely speaking with their tongue firmly in cheek, but I think they take some of the categories pretty seriously.  Although, the great thing about Giant Bomb's Game of the Year Awards is that it's very clear that the Giant Bomb guys are speaking from the point of view of their personal opinion, rather than attempting to objectively say what is best.
Avatar image for madeinfinland
MadeinFinland

835

Forum Posts

3580

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By MadeinFinland

I think Eddie Riggs and Ellis are pretty much tied for my personal best-partier. Maybe Ellis more if his buddy Keith were there as well.

Avatar image for mrklorox
MrKlorox

11220

Forum Posts

1071

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By MrKlorox

Heheh. Alcohol and Energy Drinks count as drugs, fellas.

Avatar image for sofaking
SofaKing

206

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By SofaKing
@qwicksilver: The game of the year, objectively, is Demon's Souls. GameSpot is the #1 authority on gaming if you didn't know. I'm not sure why I still check that site to be honest. Anyway, if you watched that 20 min GOTY video they put together, it's funny how they try so hard to be funny at the end. Sprinkle a little humanity into their robotic world.
Avatar image for locolukah
locolukah

70

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By locolukah

Day Four needs more Splosion Man!

Avatar image for jeff1216
jeff1216

11

Forum Posts

56

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By jeff1216

Last I checked, fist-pumping is for the guidos of Jersey Shore. A game like Brutal Legend is about the headbanging.  
 
In the words of the great Brad Shoemaker, "Get it right!"

Avatar image for claude
Claude

16672

Forum Posts

1047

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 18

Edited By Claude

Shadow Complex is the game to play. I will, one day.

Avatar image for nettacki
Nettacki

1333

Forum Posts

74

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Nettacki
@Iron_Scimitar: He's high on explosions and swear words. Good for only the first minute or so of parties.
Avatar image for reverseface
Reverseface

1222

Forum Posts

7

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Reverseface

GONNA GET DRUNK DRANK DRINK !

Avatar image for slab64
Slab64

1149

Forum Posts

80

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Slab64

sorry vignocchi

Avatar image for ghostiet
Ghostiet

5832

Forum Posts

160

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 3

Edited By Ghostiet
@Nemesis said:
" @Linkyshinks said:
" I didn't like Shadow Complex, I thought it was severely over hyped. My favourite download game of the year would be Lost Winds 2. "
A sony fanboy saying he doesn't like Shadow Complex? How surprising. The game wasn't even hyped at all. "

Don't generalise. I could be classified as a Sony fanboy and I'd play the living shit out of Shadow Complex.
Avatar image for mordi
mordi

590

Forum Posts

22

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By mordi

For best download-only game nominees I would put Braid over Shatter, I think. I haven't played shatter, but from what I've seen it looks cool, but overall better than Braid? *Hmmmm*

Avatar image for cunners
cunners

133

Forum Posts

4458

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 6

Edited By cunners

Can't believe Trials HD didn't get a look in for Best Big Ass Ramp

Avatar image for three0nefive
Three0neFive

2446

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Three0neFive

Man, did anyone else think that guy from Shadow Complex was Sylar from Heroes at first? O_o

Avatar image for mnzy
mnzy

3047

Forum Posts

147

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By mnzy
@Video_Game_King said:

" I don't know, I think I'd like to party with Zangief up there. Give me one reason why not. "

Well, Zangief is gay.
I think I would be scared a little bit!
And who knows what clubs he goes to where you can dress like that.
Avatar image for woodtsunami
woodtsunami

190

Forum Posts

1839

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By woodtsunami
@Bigandtasty said:
" Blood on the Sand didn't win the Best Big-Ass Ramp category? Blood on the Sand is the Best Big-Ass Ramp category. "
I KNOW WHAT THE FUCK!
Avatar image for hermes
hermes

3000

Forum Posts

81

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 7

Edited By hermes

How can Big Surf Island not been among the nominees for best big ass ramp? That ramp in Borderland doesn't look so intimidating compared with some of the mega jump ramps in Burnout...
Avatar image for jayzilla
Jayzilla

2709

Forum Posts

18

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 7

Edited By Jayzilla

Ellis is fun to watch say really dumb things. but if you had to interact with that guy, and a gun was around, i don't know who i would shoot first; him or myself.

Avatar image for video_game_king
Video_Game_King

36563

Forum Posts

59080

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 54

User Lists: 14

Edited By Video_Game_King
@mnzy said:
" @Video_Game_King said:

" I don't know, I think I'd like to party with Zangief up there. Give me one reason why not. "

Well, Zangief is gay. I think I would be scared a little bit! And who knows what clubs he goes to where you can dress like that. "
He's gay? Great! Knowing that he's a party guy, he could probably find some other fun gay guys to bring to the party. Hell, maybe even some women; we all know somebody else would fuck that up :P.
Avatar image for smashforge
smashforge

38

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By smashforge

Noby Noby Boy wasn't very good.  There are so many games that deserve to be in the runner up slot of Best Download only game.  Flower and Torchlight come to mind.

Avatar image for coltonio7
Coltonio7

3214

Forum Posts

114

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 2

Edited By Coltonio7

No Caption Provided
Avatar image for devil240z
Devil240Z

5704

Forum Posts

247

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Devil240Z
@qwicksilver said:
" @Devil240Z said:
" do people not realize that the whole reason that they are doing this is beacuse GOTY awards are stupid and pointless. They are making fun of the whole thing. "
I think they're definitely speaking with their tongue firmly in cheek, but I think they take some of the categories pretty seriously.  Although, the great thing about Giant Bomb's Game of the Year Awards is that it's very clear that the Giant Bomb guys are speaking from the point of view of their personal opinion, rather than attempting to objectively say what is best. "
ok that is probably true. its just funny seeing people still argue about these lists.
Avatar image for jackal888
Jackal888

109

Forum Posts

39

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 8

Edited By Jackal888
@DBrim said:
" The best big-ass ramp is clearly on Big Surf Island.  Ski jump, anyone? "
Yeah, I say   Big Surf has that bridge ramp...That is a big ass ramp! Actually two big ass ramps!
Avatar image for dontdomesilly
dontdomesilly

2

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By dontdomesilly

I was really worried that they/you might follow with the rest of the "cool" kids and choose(play safe) "mw2" as the game of the year but having faith in REAL journalism does work. 
Now i don't want to take anything away form mw2 it was an amazing game and i enjoyed the multiplayer to no end but then again i also enjoyed mw1 to no end, there wasn't that much on the the new game for me to go "well.....that was worth the wait, and really the dev's/publishers ego is justified" 
Uncharted on the other hand made me go "Ok first one was pretty good, fix the main issues of the first one and you'll have me bowing" 
I am bowing to this day. You know i remember when i first played a PS2 game although i admit i was a bit tipsy the game was Bouncer if i'm not mistaken and i looked at that game and was gob smacked and for some reason or another i saw no jaggies,  it was flawless like i was playing a Dreamworks/Disney movie and to this day i have been wanting to play a game that felt like that and controlled the way it does and i found it.  
 
Biased? yup could be, because after all i'm basing this on the experience that I had, but i tell you what, my experience with that game is a million times better than the frustration that i and many others experienced on "mw2" 2nd month in..................and that is quite a lot of frustration for a lot of people which could have been happiness had they played uncharetd.

Avatar image for media_master
Media_Master

3259

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Media_Master

I especially like this list!

Avatar image for johnnyv
JohnnyV

31

Forum Posts

854

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By JohnnyV

YO EDDIE IM REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU AND IMMA LET YOU FINISH BUT CHRIS CASHMAN IS THE BIGGEST PARTY ANIMAL OF ALL TIME.  
 
Jokes aside- I'm flattered to be nominated by this amazing website for a 2nd year in a row.  I'm off to go and update my resume and LinkedIn page and then drown my sorrows in $20 worth of greasy McDonald's breakfast food while listening to the upbeat music from the FreeCreditReport.com band on repeat. Only then will I be able to cope losing to Jack Black. Grrr.   
Avatar image for thebooya
thebooya

172

Forum Posts

343

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By thebooya
@JohnnyV:   LOL Johnny V - I had your back, but maybe next year. You need to have more stories, and dropping the Eff bomb in a Disney meeting is a great start for your 2010 chances! 
 
JOHNNY V FOR PRESIDENT