Best of 2010
WilyBoy: Best of 2010
List items
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I had a really hard time choosing between this and Red Dead. Both have excellent gameplay and a very strong focus on the narrative, but Mass Effect's more open-ended approach to storytelling bumped it up to 1st for me. Not only does this open-ended approach make each player's story unique, it also lends to the replayability of the game.
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Again, it was hard for me to say this is not Game of the Year. The storyline was fantastic, John Marston is easily my favorite video-game character to date, and the gunplay could have carried the game on it's own. I did feel that certain parts of the story dragged on (particularly Mexico, I enjoyed the setting but those questlines seems to go on FOREVER). That being said, the buildup from Blackwater on to the finale makes it near impossible to put down the controller. The ending gives me goosebumps every time I see it (both "endings"), and I give it credit as the only game I've ever seen that presents what happens to your hero once he is finished being the hero.
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It's StarCraft 2. Of course it's good. While I picked up this game just for the multiplayer, I was legitimately amazed by the campaign. While I am generally too bored by any RTS' single-player campaign to finish it, SC2's campaign managed to stay new and fun all the way throughout.
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I am a little surprised myself that Bayonetta ended up so high on my list, but I can't deny this game's greatness AS A GAME. I still have no idea what the story was, and every cinematic was just embarassing. However, as a long-time fan of the Devil May Cry series, I have no problem saying that Bayonetta is the ultimate culmination of everything that Devil May Cry aspired to be. The game's fast and loose combat is at first confusing and a little intimidating. However once you bother to nail down even a few combos you realize how tight the controls actually are. Every button press has an instant and satisfying effect. The combat in this game feels so PURE, I'm not sure how else I can describe it.
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Another finally!!! Why has no one ever thought to copy the Zelda formula before?? Though this game took some criticism for basically being a compilation of rip-offs, it was so well-executed I had no problem with the inherent lack of originality. Darksiders actually took me back to my childhood days of playing video games. I gained such simple pleasure from playing a game that was entirely new but still felt familiar; I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face during most of my time with this game.
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Like most people, I was under the impression that this would be a multiplayer-focused add-on to AC2. That was already enough to make me preorder the game, so the full single-player storyline was a very pleasant and very welcome addition. The multiplayer is incredibly unique and fun in an underhanded sort of way, and I hope it inspires similar multiplayer modes with an emphasis on subtlety. I also enjoyed returning to Ezio, one of my favorite video game characters to date, and helping to build the Assassin's Guild. The single player gameplay was a bit too easy. The Batman-inspired kill streak system was brutal fun, but between that and the addition of the crossbow I never felt the least bit threatened by anything. The ending to this story also does not leave me hopeful for where the Assassin's Creed story is heading, as its high-concept foundation seems to be falling apart as more of the story is explained.
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It's Civilization again, and better. You can load it up and instantly lose hours. The combat is more strategic, the look is a lot cleaner and there is more reward for going the peaceful route. It's a great game.
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I JUST got Limbo, thankfully in time to update my list! I am kind of a sucker for heavily stylized games, but that's not all Limbo has going for it. The puzzles are clever and require you a to do a bit of practical thinking - they are the kind of puzzles that make you go "Of course! Why didn't I think of that before??" For me this game was a nostalgia trip back to games like Abe's Odyssey and Heart of Darkness, seemingly cute puzzle games with disturbing and violent undertones. I don't wish for a Limbo 2, but I do hope to see more of these 2D puzzle adventures popping up as downloadable titles.
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I only recently started playing this game, and I'm amazed I have not heard more about it. I can most easily describe it as Left 4 Dead, but free. It may lack the subtle narrative and great characterization of Left 4 Dead, BUT IT'S FREE. AND IT HAS PERSISTENT PROGRESSION. AND IT'S REALLY FUN. GO DOWNLOAD IT AND PLAY IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
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Toy Soldiers came out of nowhere to deliver a really solid and surprisingly original little game. Some affection for tower defense is required to enjoy it, and it is definitely not for everyone. The playful tone and seemingly endless difficulty curve kept me coming back to dump many more hours into this game than I ever would have expected. The multiplayer ain't bad either.
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