We had a lot of good games come out this year. Even though I spend a good majority of 09 playing games from 08. As it goes, Resident Evil 5, a great game to play but a terrible story. Skate still looks better than the Tony Hawk Franchise. Star Ocean 4 made me hate every character that I had to look at and hear talk, but Gave me a strange Phantasy Star vibe. Brutal Legend wasn't the game everyone thought it was, And it turns out I'm still really bad at Street Fighter.

As far as I know, the Biggest Deals this year, were Probably Uncharted 2, Batman Arkham Asylum, Dragon Age: Origins, and Modern Warfare 2. Especially since they come out in the later part of the year and are fresh in everyone's mind. The games everybody wants. ( I have to admit though, I'm not much for shooters. So I don't know if I'm ever going to play MW2) It's hard for me to grasp the concept of something being a game of the year, Because I wouldn't be able to decide. Hell, I might as well put Afrika right up there, just because I don't have any other PS3 game like it. If I get Frustrated Plowing through 600+ bad guys in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2, only to die the dumbest way possible. Then maybe I want Refuge in taking pictures of Zebras as they drink the Water. After all, Killer Photo Ops get me the monies.

It was up in the air, Until I Recieved a Beautiful Game Called Demon's Souls.      

I heard a lot about this game at first, It was known to me as "The game you want to play if you hate yourself." Before, I knew that Game as Mega Man 9. (Fact: I like to think I'm the Jill Valentine of Video Games. "I'm good, but I'm not that good." MM9 is too hard for me, and I like to make excuses.) I think that's what Attracted me to the game at first. I have to say, I've been getting more Casual with Gaming than I care to Admit. and my attention always goes from one game to the next. But I also like me a Hard game. A game that's just the way it is with no difficulty setting. It just throws you in there with no explaination and lets you know that you're on your own.

I'll try and explain the best I can, why I found the game I've always wanted in Demon's Souls. It's got a Strange Mentality to it. It's an Action RPG that feels like a Single Player MMO (I think that's how it's been refered to as anyway?) First off, I like that Feeling. Because I usually Play MMOs By myself anyway. The Sense of Exploration in this game is also pretty cool, As Linear as it probably is, Going off the path to do something else feels kind of like a reward in itself. Especially since there's a story that's lurking around the game, and things unravel as you seek them out, just as much they do going only forward.

What I like about the combat and the Boss fights is that It's actually not as hard as it's being claimed to be. You can actually get through an area pretty easily. and Boss fights are a cinch when you know how to do it. When you make a mistake though, The game isn't afraid to punish you. Because it can and it will. Chances of death are usually because You left yourself open or pressed a button at the wrong time. It's really simple stuff. If you feel under leveled, then there's nothing stopping from leveling yourself up either.

The Online part of the game is just as cool, Using Stones To Help a Person, Kill a person or have an Honerable Duel Just to get your Body back, is a neat idea. Plus it gives you that Moralistic Choice for yourself. Do I want to Help or Kill? Taking what I've learned from the game and Showing it to someone else, is kind of exciting. Especially Since I've had some number of Black Phantoms on my ass, and they've had nothing to show for it. Compared to others, I may be struggling with this game but I guess I'm doing something right.

But why is this my most important game of 09?

This is a game. It doesn't hold your hand. It wants you to play it to the best of your ability, because you have the ability. You work to play, you don't sit and wait for your health to regenerate, you don't sit behind something and shoot at a distance. You go in with your balls and get the job done.

We need more games like that.