And be sure to check out today's Game of the Year deliberation podcast to find out how we came to these decisions!
2010's 2009 Game of the Year
Borderlands
We're not sure Gearbox is finished pumping out new areas, quests, and loot for Borderlands (hell, we don't even think Gearbox is sure if they're finished), but one thing is for sure: we're ready to play any new content for the game they want to gin up before we get our hands on the inevitable sequel.
Best New Character
Bayonetta or maybe Mordin Solus
Best Original Song
Entrance Music - Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
It's a loping, looping knob-twiddler in which each tweaked-out, wobbly cycle lasts well under a minute, but it's so infectious that you'll have a hard time leaving the main menu upon which it plays. When you do, though, you'll be completely pumped up and ready to eat the hundreds of ghosts that Pac-Man CE DX throws at you in any given minute. But rather than just trying--and failing--to describe this piece of music ad nauseum, you should probably just listen to it yourself. It's energetic, it's primal, and its our choice for Best Original Song in 2010.
Best Debut
Bayonetta
There's a standing complaint within the games business for more original materials, and less sequels. Bayonetta's core gameplay might be very directly derivative of Capcom's Devil May Cry series, and the experience laced with loving references to Sega arcade classics like OutRun and Space Harrier, but she still managed to make a mighty strong first impression on her own merits, though we have to admit that we cannot wait to see what her sequel will look like.
Best PC-Only Game
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Blizzard's long-awaited sequel didn't just recreate the core struggle between the terrans, zerg, and protoss; it revitalized and modernized the essence of what StarCraft is, with just enough streamlining here and rebalancing there to make the game feel simultaneously familiar and brand new. The pervasive variety of the campaign, endlessly evolving challenge of the multiplayer, and promise of two story-driven expansions all combine to make StarCraft II a PC game we'll be thinking about for years to come.
And to recap, here's a video that covers all of today's categories. Be sure to check back at noon tomorrow for another batch of awards.
340 Comments