Best of 2010

EpicSteve: Best of 2010  
 
Looking at this list is crazy. My 10 favorite games this year are virtually as diverse as you can get. It seems like this year's pattern for me is new experiences. Most of these games offer something I have never done before. Weither it's trick or treating, tearing up the dance floor, or stabbing dudes in the face on Xbox Live, 2010 will go down as the year I had the most new experiences so far. I didn't care for Red Dead Redemption as much as most other people did. The traveling in the game took too long, and I'm simply not into the wild west. From a distance, I can appreciate it but the game isn't my taste. It's always weird making a list like this, for most games are too different to compare. I wouldn't detract someone from buying Need for Speed because I think Pac-Man Championship Edition DX is a more enjoyable release. 
 
I started this list out with about 25 games. From the start, I immediately knew what my top 5 games were. It was more challenging to judge the bottom half. The last games to get cut were Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, Toy Soldiers, and Monday Night Combat. However, no other games demanded to be put on my top 10 more than the current listed. 
 
Mass Effect 2 is impossible to beat. Bioware's latest was top notch quality all around. Not many other universes in media feel as real and fleshed out as Mass Effect. After finishing this game I'm willing to shell out cash from a giant encyclopedia about the vast amount of cities, races, characters, and history. I'm stoked about the future of the franchise and if Kelly will go out with my lady Shepard or not.

List items

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  1. Mass Effect 2

  The Mass Effect lore is arguably one of the most realized in Sci-Fi across all media. Bioware trimmed all the fat from the first game and delivered a streamlined experience riddled with memorable characters.

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  2. Heavy Rain

  Fucked plot holes hinder Heavy Rain's overall quality. Despite a handful of major failings, I found myself so engrossed by the game's narrative I completed it in two sittings. Never before have I been this invested in who a game's characters are and their fates.

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  3. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

  Brotherhood is the most complete and well thought out Assassin's Creed game to date. The multiplayer is one of the most unique and thrilling experiences of the year. Chasing guys on roofs to lure them into a trap so your friend can stab them in the face is so damn rewarding.

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  4. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX

  DUDE THAT SOUND EFFECT WHEN YOU EAT GHOSTS THAT GETS FASTER AND HIGHER IN PITCH AS YOU EAT MORE GHOSTS IS INSANE!

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  5. Game Dev Story

  Game Dev Story has the excellent trapping of "just 5 more minutes". You might find it being 2am, your significant other is asleep, and you haven't eaten dinner yet. However, your new airplane simulation just broke 2 million in sales.

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  6. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

  Is 2010 the resurgence of score chasing? Hot Pursuit is the first time in years Need for Speed has been worth a damn. The Autolog feature is arguably the future of single player game design. Oh, and the game is totally badass.

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  7. Costume Quest

  Costume Quest is simply adorable. I haven't ever played a game that was fueled by charm as much as this title. Here's to hoping we get a Christmas game in the future!

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  8. Halo: Reach

  Reach is a cornucopia of everything that makes Halo great. This game delivers one of the best campaigns in the franchise while giving multiplayer enthusiasts more of what they love. The last mission especially was one of the year's best moments.

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  9. Dance Central

  Harmonix didn't only legitimize Kinect but released the first real dancing game if you think about it. I can't think of many other ways to complement drinking than performing "Love Warrior" moves with my friends.

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  10. RISK: Factions

  It's crazy table top games don't have a more dominant presence on downloadable stores. RISK: Factions scratched my board game itch with an incredibly animated design and smart additions that make this classic war game even more enjoyable.