I'm not entirely sure what 2010 will hold for me. I already own a slew of games that I haven't finished, let alone played, and there seems to be so many big releases coming that this year it feels like it's going to be a tug of war between old and new games. So my overall goal is to just play some games and enjoy myself.
Being helplessly addicted to the original Left 4 Dead makes this a natural time consumer. The Versus and Scavenge modes are a lot of fun. Plus offline co-op with the wife is great.
I was on the fence about this one but all the awards bestowed upon it made me take a chance. And it payed off. I understand all the criticisms it gets, but Flower is much more than a tech demo to me. It's a unique experience that creates a peaceful zen-like feeling. I've never played anything quite like it.
I miss puzzle games like Critter Crunch. And the lack of coverage on the net about it only saddens me more. But snatching this up on sale for under $4 is a worthwhile purchase. Plus it's the first PS3 game I've taken online.
I held out a long, long time for this to go on sale. And when it did I was overjoyed. Such a fun beat 'em up. I was surprised how well implemented the RPG elements were. It went a long way in keeping things fresh and interesting.
Being big on platformers, I was anticipating LittleBigPlanet before I even had a PS3. Creativity and charm shine brightest with this one. Precision platforming isn't it's strongpoint, but the floaty jump thing feels second nature after some practice.
I played the demo so many times. I knew that the silly humor and tricky platforming was going to win me over. And how. Awesome game. Best Sonic the Hedgehog game of recent memory. I know what I said!
Hate to admit it but this is my first Ratchet game. For whatever reason I never played the other ones. And I love platformers. So I was pretty happy with it. Played it to completion. Look forward to trying the rest in the series.
Admittedly I'm not the biggest racing game fan. So when this went on sale for $20 I wasn't completely sure if it was worth it. But I took a chance again, and was pleasantly surprised. MotorStorm is downright gorgeous and fast. Fun to play and a great soundtrack.
Not too far in this one right now. The style is very striking though. And the violence is indeed ultra.
First PSOne classic I've purchased. Fun little story and presentation. The gameplay is fun and honestly pretty challenging. I love the personality.
Never played this game before this year. I can already see how influential it is. Enjoyed the beginning bits. I need to play along a little further before saying much else.
I have a hard time explaining the appeal of flOw. It's very unique and engaging. It's presence has derailed me from playing whatever retail disc I popped in the triple.
Samba has so much charm that I can't resist. Fun quirky title with a soundtrack that is very much it's own. Also it was five damn dollars at Toys R Us. Awesome.
So far one of the few games that I feel implements a story well. Also the quick time events are the best quick time events ever. A different experience that gamers with an open mind will get the most out of. I really wish more games took chances like this one.
Another impulse sale purchase. All the accolades can't be wrong. Only played maybe 2 hours or so. I like everything so far. Ended up completing it 100%. Fun game, terrible story. Also the setting/atmosphere/personality are the things it really should have stolen from Metroid/Castlevania.
Finally cracked this open for the first time. It's reputation might get a mixed reaction out of most people. I liked what I've played so far. Not far at all right now.
Went into this one expecting a dud and lo and behold not so! Certainly not a system seller by any means but a fun experience in itself. The backgrounds are consistently drab though.
Playing an fps on the gamecube probably is enough to make most gamers' brains migraine. But I've had a blast with this. Fun gameplay and the controls after some customizing aren't crippling at all.
Honestly one of the most fun game experiences I've had this year. Great new game modes and a surprisingly awesome co-op experience. Top notch all the way. Among the cream of the crop on XBLA.
2d puzzle platformers are seemingly on the uptick lately probably due to Braid. And I can safely say that this update/remake is the definitive version. Fantastic art style.
PoP 2008 seems to be a love it or hate it game. I'm in the love it camp all the way. Amazing setting, beautiful art style, and fun platforming. The combat and small amount of puzzles are the weak points for me.
Picked this up on sale. The flaws are obvious but despite that it's still a fun game. Not on Ninja Gaiden levels of quality but looking at it as a budget title makes it more enjoyable. I also like ninjas a lot. There I said it.
A classic that I missed out on during it's release has been rectified! Great point and click adventure that is funny and challenging. Also love the soundtrack. Want more!
Being a complete noob to this style of RPG I felt a little overwhelmed with this title. But I can't fault it for quality. The story, the lore, and the settings really are top notch and help a great deal in making the world come alive. No where near finishing this one.
Another genre I'm dipping my toes into, Strategy RPGs are a common curiosity that I decided to finally explore. Another game with an art style all it's own. I really like the 3rd person combat perspective. And the Victorian tank designs are awesome.
I play a lot of games for just the first couple of hours and then lose interest. Wipeout HD is an exception. I probably played through the whole game over the course of a week or two straight. In my opinion this is the most impressive downloadable title to date.
Dishwasher fills my primal need for some hardcore violent gameplay. And it delivers in spades. Incredibly challenging and a unique art style help this one stick out from the bunch. Can't wait for the sequel.
Gaming on a tight budget is a perfect reason why game compilations like Qubed exists. Rez HD, Lumines Live, and Every Extend Extra Extreme on one disc. Sensory overload greatness.
I probably like Shatter because I love brick breaking games, but I was tired of Breakout and Arkanoid. Leave it to Shatter to bring the genre forward in a modern futuristic way. Incredible soundtrack.
More of an experiment than a game, Noby Noby Boy is silly weird fun. The makers of Katamari are incredibly creative and it shows in this title. More WTF than any other game I've ever played.
I'm tempted to not put this on the list because God is it ever frustrating. But I love Castlevania and this is a great addition to the franchise that I just now got around to playing. Solid game that will remind you that old school games are far from pussified.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a gamer's game. Tight gameplay and creative level designs a plenty! While playing it, I felt like this is the definitive 3d platforming game. Currently leading my GOTY picks by about a country mile.
I like the music rhythm game a lot. But my big problem is always having to play the tracks that I don't want to. So Green Day: Rock Band fixes that off the bat. Green Day is my 2nd favorite band and all the tracks are greatness.
I haven't gotten far in this one yet. More to come soon!
Playing this game today probably isn't doing it any favors, but I'm a sucker for feeling like I'm exploring. So I booted up Tomb Raider and enjoyed 3-5 hours of it. Feels very last gen from a design standpoint, but I don't think that's a bad thing really.
I vividly remember playing a lot of Contra on the NES in my younger years. And playing the arcade version on XBLA sounded awesome. It was. Still difficult. Still hardcore. Still awesome.
My wife recommended this one to me and when it got discounted I had to bite. Really impressed. Maybe not for everyone, but I plowed through it a couple days. I found it far from easy but not nearly as difficult as others made it out to be. Fun nonetheless.
If you want to talk about difficult games then you're looking at a beast right here. N will murder you repeatedly. The later levels are maddening. Quick reflexes are a must. Awesome game.
Being a supporter of the first Banjo made me try out the sequel. I hate to admit that the first couple of hours aren't grabbing me yet. Going to have to come back to it later.
I grew pretty tired of the Guitar Hero franchise after playing release after release. But I can safely say that Guitar Hero 5 is a better return to form compared to it's other recent installments. Varied tracklist and party mode are welcome additions. Plus TV on the Radio's "Wolf Like Me" is on the disc!
Dead Rising being my favorite Xbox exclusive meant that this was a no-brainer for me. Great price and fun as all get out.
Browsing through the K-Mart budget bin reaps reward time after time. Happy to spend 15 bucks on one of the earlier PS3 titles. Only a couple hours in and enjoying it. I dig the arrow camera thing.
Another classic that I'm playing catch-up with. Solid run and gun plus well varied levels. Gonna have to beat this one. Multiple boss forms are whipping my ass.
After buying this and spending just a few minutes with it, I realized that Ska Studios is becoming one of my favorite developers. Just awesome stuff. Simple premise, game play, and great humor and soundtrack(or song more specifically).
For a dollar you will never get this much depth. Get it? Hilarity aside this title is an addictive time sink that is worth so much more than the asking price. So far my favorite Xbox Indie game.
I can totally beat the Impossible Game with flags/checkpoints. Without, well I'm still trying. Also dig the soundtrack.
My most anticipated title of ever finally dropped and I couldn't be happier. I still really enjoy the non modern design of Dead Rising. A lot of my fears of structure changes were for nothing and it's all the better for it. Amazing game.
