jakob187's Top 10 Games of 2009 That I Played

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Edited By jakob187

Yes, it's that time of year. I didn't get to play every game this year, especially if it was on the PS3. It's nothing against the platform, and from what I'm to understand, it had a GREAT year in terms of releases. Unfortunately, I'm not going to list off Infamous or Demon's Souls or something if I didn't play it solely because of hype around those games. I also haven't gotten to play Dragon Age Origins yet, despite the fact that I have an itch that I feel like that game will most certainly scratch...and probably drench in blood...

Either way, in no particular order, here are my top 10 games of 2009. You may agree or disagree, but these are the games that kept my attention throughout the entire year, and I feel like they are a strong representation of what 2009 had to contribute to the gaming industry.

Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II

Publisher: THQ Developer: Relic

Real-time strategy games didn't have a huge year. Despite the fact that many weren't released, it doesn't mean that 2009 wasn't a time of reinvention for the genre. Base-building is a thing of the past thanks to games like Dawn of War II and even the console-exclusive excellence of Halo Wars. In the end, though, Dawn of War II was something that kept me coming back time and time again. Finally, there was a Warhammer 40K game that was all about kicking ass rather than "oh, what's my build order going to be"...and I was more than willing to kick as much ass as possible. There were a ton of improvements on the Company of Heroes engine that made this DoW2 both gorgeous to look at and incredibly in-depth to play. Not only did this game offer gripping and visceral multiplayer matches, but the continued support from the developer (even adding a free survival mode into the game) really helped make this a premiere title for 2009 on your PC.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Publisher: Eidos Developer: Rocksteady

When you put together an equation like Batman + Eidos + Rocksteady, the general assumption is that the end product just isn't going to be that great. Rocksteady was known for one prior game, Eidos hadn't released a decent game in years, and Batman has always found a way to be the subject of lackluster, awful games. Arkham Asylum finally changed that by melting together great voice acting, a captivating story that fits into the world of Batman incredibly well, and making you actually FEEL like the Batman. During my time with Arkham Asylum, I couldn't help but compare it to another game: 007 Everything or Nothing, as that game made you feel like you were Bond, had you thinking like Bond. Batman felt the same way here, and it was a sigh of relief. Add on top of that gorgeous use of the Unreal Engine 3 (for once), excellent controls, and a camera that doesn't suck...and you've got the best superhero game ever created. This deserves to not only be played, but also show us why we had confidence in Eidos for so long - because somewhere in there, they actually DO know how to make good games.

'Splosion Man

Publisher: Twisted Pixel Developer: Twisted Pixel

A little company out of Austin, Texas provided us with two downloadable games this year, and while The Maw stands as an interesting little "puzzle" platformer, 'Splosion Man was the one that showed us that 2D side-scrolling was not only far from dead, but that ZANY was far from dead. The fact that your only button option in this game was "Splode" makes it sound easy, but inside this bacon-wrapped game is a sadistic experience that helped us remember why we love games: you don't have to have a massive multi-million dollar budget to make a great game with good graphics. Also, let's not forget that it featured one of the best songs on any game this year (outside of Rogue Warrior and Borderlands' use of "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked"). EVERYBODY LOVES DONUTS!!!

(Tie) The Beatles: Rock Band/Guitar Hero: Metallica/DJ Hero/Guitar Hero 5

Publisher: N/A Developer: N/A

Rock Band logoLet's get something straight right now - I love music! Therefore, it was almost impossible for me to even TRY to ignore all the music/rhythm games this year. I seriously kept trying to narrow down to just one for my list, but in the end, I realized that I loved at least four this year. With The Beatles: Rock Band and Guitar Hero Metallica, both of the top M/R companies showed that love and dedication can produce great spin-off, band-specific titles. Meanwhile, Guitar Hero 5 brought about a ton of great change and finally allowed Neversoft to make the game that they WANTED to make...and it's fantastic because of it. DJ Hero showed how the M/R franchise can expand, and it's an experience that I would beg anyone to try...if not strictly for the freshness that the idea has in it. Sure, we don't really NEED more plastic instruments in our homes, but frankly, 2009 gave us at least four great reasons to keep picking those peripherals up.

Street Fighter IV

Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom

2D FIGHTING IS BACK, BABY!!! The long-running king of fighting games finally saw a new iteration, and it was a doozy. A completely reworked art design that featured great 3D character models on 2D planes, four new characters that are actually worth something, and a return to form for fighting games in general, Street Fighter IV just couldn't be stopped. Moreover, the game helped to breathe life back into the 2D fighting genre, which was essentially crippling by for quite a while in the underground. While the online options were generally poor, it wasn't unplayable by any means...and that is a great thing indeed.

Red Faction Guerrilla

Publisher: THQ Developer: Volition

It should be no surprise to anyone that I would have RFG on this list. I spent a good few months of my life drooling and slobbering over this game, and there were many long days with StarFoxA and Metroid545 pounding the competition on XBL. Red Faction Guerrilla had a nice single player mode, so now that we've got that out of the way, let's get to the meat and bones here. RFG has some of the best multiplayer to come out all year long. Why this was surprising to me is something I can't explain, as the previous two games in the franchise also happened to have great multiplayer as well. However, with the outright destruction that you are capable of creating thanks to GeoMod 2.0, as well as a unique backpack setup that offers you additional skills, RFG just had a superior experience to almost any other game in 2009...and I'll even put it up against Modern Warfare 2! If you missed this game, you need to hunt it down and play it.

Left 4 Dead 2

Publisher: Valve Developer: Valve

UK PC Box ArtYeah, there was a boycott. Yeah, it fell apart. Nonetheless, Valve happened to do the unthinkable: create a bigger, better game that offered far more replayability than its predecessor. There, I said it. The modes we already knew are still there: five long campaigns, a full Versus mode and Survival mode, but in the end, it's Scavenge mode that has me sold on the longevity of this game. Aside from Red Faction Guerrilla, I don't think I've been this excited about multiplayer gaming in a while. Scavenge mode offers quick 15-20 minute matches in an objective-based match type that I can already see everyone ripping off. It's THAT good. Add to that five Avatar awards for the Xbox 360 version, enhanced graphics and dismemberment features (which aren't super important, but they are nice nonetheless), and the awesomeness of Ellis and Coach...and man, have you got a good ol' time in the South.

Borderlands

Publisher: 2K Games Developer: Gearbox

NA Box FrontSo Diablo and Call of Duty got drunk one night, and through miraculous process of intoxicated love-making, we were graced with one of the best original IPs of the year. Borderlands did more than just offer a solid hybrid of two popular genres, but it also introduced us to a world that was as recognizable as its characters were memorable. Moreover, there are few games that are as highly quotable as Borderlands. As for the gameplay, the RPG elements never mar the experience, which is incredibly odd given the fast-paced nature of first-person shooters. Regardless, there was a great balance that anyone can see Gearbox fine-tuned. In short, this was an experiment that paid off greatly for 2K Games, and it also helped show that there is some confidence to be had in a company willing to take these kinds of risks.

Assassin's Creed II

Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft

I wasn't a big fan of the first Assassin's Creed, which left a bad taste in my mouth thanks to its unnecessary repetition and general ease (seriously, you could assassinate most of your targets with a throwing knife...which is just bullshit). With Assassin's Creed II, it's easy to tell just within the first 20 minutes of the game that Ubisoft took every single criticism of the first iteration to heart. You won't find a boring and dull runaround in AC2. Instead, you'll find a finely-tuned experience that does a great job at telling a compelling story, offering tight gameplay, and making everything you do feel like a major accomplishment. The character of Ezio is far more interesting than Altair could've ever been, and even collecting 100 feathers didn't feel super tedious. Everything has a purpose in this game, which is what made me smile. There's no throwaway shit here, only prime rib. Assassin's Creed II, above all other games this year, really made me feel like there was a company who actually LISTENED to the people who played their game and wanted to make something that was just spectacular in every way. When you look at the fact that the game itself takes somewhere around 15-20 hours to complete, that alone should say something about the quality found in this package. Hands down, Assassin's Creed II is my flat-out 2009 Game of the Year.

Shadow Complex

Publisher: Epic Developer: Chair

Last but not least, we have Shadow Complex. Oh, Shadow Complex, how you kept me awake for far too many nights until I literally was falling asleep with my controller in my hand, waking up and wondering why I was running into a wall. Shadow Complex did something incredible in 2009: it proved that you could offer a downright beautiful-looking 2D experience that hearkens back to the days of the Super Nintendo, mix in a well-told story, and create it all within a downloadable game space. The light RPG elements also helped to keep me coming back for more, but it was the ability to carry over my levels and just generally be an outright badass that made me fall in love with this game. Anyone who didn't spend the MSP to pick this one up was out of their goddamn mind this year, but don't worry - you still have a chance to fix that in 2010.

14 years ago

jakob187

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#1 Edited By jakob187

Yes, it's that time of year. I didn't get to play every game this year, especially if it was on the PS3. It's nothing against the platform, and from what I'm to understand, it had a GREAT year in terms of releases. Unfortunately, I'm not going to list off Infamous or Demon's Souls or something if I didn't play it solely because of hype around those games. I also haven't gotten to play Dragon Age Origins yet, despite the fact that I have an itch that I feel like that game will most certainly scratch...and probably drench in blood...

Either way, in no particular order, here are my top 10 games of 2009. You may agree or disagree, but these are the games that kept my attention throughout the entire year, and I feel like they are a strong representation of what 2009 had to contribute to the gaming industry.

Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II

Publisher: THQ Developer: Relic

Real-time strategy games didn't have a huge year. Despite the fact that many weren't released, it doesn't mean that 2009 wasn't a time of reinvention for the genre. Base-building is a thing of the past thanks to games like Dawn of War II and even the console-exclusive excellence of Halo Wars. In the end, though, Dawn of War II was something that kept me coming back time and time again. Finally, there was a Warhammer 40K game that was all about kicking ass rather than "oh, what's my build order going to be"...and I was more than willing to kick as much ass as possible. There were a ton of improvements on the Company of Heroes engine that made this DoW2 both gorgeous to look at and incredibly in-depth to play. Not only did this game offer gripping and visceral multiplayer matches, but the continued support from the developer (even adding a free survival mode into the game) really helped make this a premiere title for 2009 on your PC.

Batman: Arkham Asylum