Best of 2010
boy_of_stone: Best of 2010
List items
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To put into words the sheer level of joy this game has brought me would be to ask Bayonetta to put into words her enjoyment of offing angels in over the top, slinky, sexy, dangerous ways that say FUCK OFF to the higher powers that be. It doesn't have to make sense, but it just fucking does and it looks great while doing so. Besides the unbeatable design of this game and the characters and their world, the game is just undeniably FUN FUN FUN!!!! Although I give mad props to the script ("I CAME TO CLAIM MY UMBRAN SISTER!!!", "Don't FUCK with a witch!") and its outrageously tongue-in-cheek campyness---it wouldn't mean much for an action game without the phenomenal weapons, enemies, and boss battles it just so happens to have. This game is just pure ass-thumping, romantic drunken S&M sex--LOVE. From the game-makers to the player. And with Bayonetta, I could go all night long.
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This really could have been Kingdom Hearts 3. It only excites me more for future installments that this PSP title got a head to toe treatment in design, development, and execution as would have befit a numbered installment. I can boldly and honestly say this is the best game in the series because of the simple fact that Tetsuya Nomura and team listen to their fans---this game removes the worst the series has seen (in terms of battle system mechanics, stage design and storytelling pacing) and implements the VERY best it has seen since the first game (implementing the Command Boards to rival grinding in a very FUN way, awesome online multiplayer options such as summoning your friends' characters as D-Link summons). Not only does it have the BEST controls ever in the series, but it also has the best story since. I dare anyone not to become attached to these characters or have their heart grow three sizes bigger by the rather emotional conclusion of this game. My favorite soundtrack of the games on my list as well.
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Probably the most colorful and vivid of all the games on my list this year, this fighting game is like a rainbow flag and I want to wave it loud and proud hahaha. I wish more people would have played it, embraced it, and been excited about it as I am. They shouldn't have made it Wii Exclusive--just knowing how similar this is to MvC3 gives me excited chills. No other fighter made it to my list because they rehash the same old thing and just provide pretty nex-gen visuals. TvC doesn't look graphically as impressive, but is a whole lot of NEW. From the character roster to the unique fighting styles as well as the gameplay mechanics. It also has an amazing soundtrack and a wonderful art motif. But it's on my list because I can play it over and over and never get bored.
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The excitement for this game came a year or two in advance with the tech demo depicting Lauren Winter's screentest. The emotional intensity and level of detail were both jumping of the screen in that little sneak peak, and the final product did not disappoint (me). I literally remember having to take a break and drink a glass of water after one of the more intense parts of the game, not because of frustration with difficulty setting---but because of the emotional weight of the storytelling itself. The game set a precedence for storytelling and genre-breaking that I wish some of the other developers would return to instead of focus on graphical advancements. In the end it was wishing to see happy endings or lives saved for a group of characters caught up in a thrilling drama that made me love this game, NOT the fact that they reside in the uncanny valley.
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Never a fan of the God of War series myself, the third installment of that series bored me to death. Meanwhile, the level of love and adoration for the mythology and art history of Dante's Epic Poem really shines through in DI. The game may just be a little sister in the shadows of its Valedictorian big sis, but I MUCH more greatly enjoyed the setting of Hell and the gameplay overall. I'd rather go to Hell than Mount Olympus I guess. Also wonderful sound design and musical score on this one (and most of my picks).
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Much as Mega Man 9 greatly pleased fans with its throwback design, this awesome little title really threw me for a loop with the unexpected River City Ransom gameplay and AMAZING game design by Paul Robertson. One of the best soundtracks of the year, and one of the most fun visual experiences hands down. Too bad there was no online multiplayer but I rather enjoyed getting friends together to play it anyway.
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I haven't played the Move yet, but in a sea of mediocre cash-in movement software, this game is a shining beacon of hope for all the potential both new motion-control peripherals have awaiting them in 2011 and beyond. Not only have I not had this much fun since originally playing DDR years and years ago, but I feel it's completely impressive with its motion detection and playability. No left and right wiggles here. Once you get to the final routine on hard difficulty you will think back to the first song and marvel at how you've been tricked into taking an actual dance class. Can't wait for more DLC, new installment.
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I was lucky enough to beat this game in its entirety while using a friend's 7.1 surround sound system, and I have to say it was one of the most immersive, chilling, and exciting times I've ever had playing a videogame ever. Sure it's insanely short, but the amount of impression the game leaves on the player has more to do with the incredible atmosphere, design, and tone the game has. I hope for a sequal not because I want answers, but because I'd love to see more after that ending.
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Although I have yet to play it myself, I've watched enough playthroughs to know that the reason I love this game so much is that it is a TRUE testament to the campy, bizarre world of David Lynch. Not only chock full of references to his films and characters, but also filled with lots of its own interesting weirdness that really makes you want to laugh out loud and scream at the same time. Love the take-no-prisoners quirkiness of the game once known as Rainy Woods.
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Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous...but so shallow and empty. It's not that it wasn't fun, because it had one of the most fun battle engines in recent memory--but this was the letdown of the year next to Epic Mickey (which didn't make the list) because there was NO FUCKING SOUL no heart to the storyline. And for being such a massive EPIC setting, the adventure itself seemed tiny, short, and brief. Boo!! I hope they go the way of Mega Man and do an 8bit or 32bit FF next time.
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