Gaming OB's Top Games of 2010

[TheResplendent]

[font="Tahoma"]Just want to say first of all that credit goes to Magus for the influence to put this up, since he mentioned in the IGN best of 2010 threat that we should do our own awards for the games we believe to be worthy of being honored this year. Though it also appears necessary to simplify things a bit to the most important categories, especially since IGN seemingly added particular categories for the sole purpose of honoring the winning game with no real competition. So i'll start things off with my choices:

[b]Best Shooter[/b]: Call of Duty: Black Ops
This is a no brainer for me, Black Ops is the best installment into the series thus far and adds a more satisfying sense of competition to the online play. The new wager mode is especially fun to play, particularly One in the Chamber. The single-player campaign is by far the most story focused in the COD franchise and has plenty of intense moments throughout. If anyone would like, they can read my official [url="http://www.gamesabyss.com/articles/2090-call-of-duty-black-ops-review"]Call of Duty: Black Ops Review[/url]. Pretty much encompasses why i feel the way I do.

[b]Best Racing[/b]: Blur
It was a year full of interesting attempts for innovative and satisfying racing gameplay, a movement that either fell short or had very brief stays in the spotlight. Regardless, if a winner must be picked here then i must give it to Blur for adding a more adult twist to kart racing chaos. Needless to say, this is most fun when played with other people. Kudos goes to [b]Modnation Racers[/b] for adding a decent creation mechanic to just about every aspect of the game, but the actual racing gameplay itself was less than stellar.

[b]Best RPG[/b]: Mass Effect 2
ME2 in a word is phenomenal. Bioware has created by far the best RPG/shooter hybrid in terms of core gameplay, story progression, and player-controlled choice innovation. ME2 was an appropriate continuation and neither falls short or over-exceeds it's predecessor. Other honorable mentions goes go [b]Fallout: New Vegas[/b] and [b]Resonance of Fate[/b].

[b]Best Action/Adventure[/b]: God of War III
If it was any of the two previous GOW games in question, I would have given this award to Bayonetta, which was easily one of the best overall games of the year, I explained why in the IGN best of thread. God of War III however proved why it remains the king of the genre. It is hard to snub Kratos here when you consider the expectations GOW3 had to build on, and the wild success that was realized providing challenging puzzles, fun and exhilarating boss battles, and keeping the same tried and true combat system fresh and enjoyable. Not to mention finally being able to get out hands on the gods themselves, this was easily the best cast of antagonists. Honorable mentions obviously goes to[b] Bayonetta[/b], as well as [b]Enslaved: Odyssey to the West[/b] and [b]Assassins Creed: Brotherhood. [/b]

[b]Best Sci-Fi[/b]: Mass Effect 2
This one I don't feel really needs an explanation, everything this game does well does so in the name of the sci-fi story genre. Honorable mention goes to [b]Vanquish[/b] and [b]Singularity[/b].

[b]Best Rhythm[/b]: DJ Hero 2
This is a game I never thought i would actually play, let alone enjoy. I'm really not much of a music/rhythm game fan, but I had the opportunity to try this one out not too long ago and it's actually quite addictive. Good soundtrack and better enjoyed with a group of people.

[b]Best Survival Horror[/b]: Alan Wake
This category was practically locked up for me when Alan Wake was released. Unfairly receiving a bad rep due to coming out in the shadow of Red Dead Redemption, AW is a creepy and very well written story. The combat was a bit weak in comparison to the story, but is by no means terrible. It is no Resident Evil in terms of gunplay, but it does not necessarily have to be. It does take some patience to get through, especially if your an action junkie. Alan Wake does its job well, which is to chill your spine and keeps you wondering whats going to happen next.

[b]Best Multi-Player[/b]: Call of Duty: Black Ops
FPS is my number one competitive game genre, and COD is my favorite franchise in said genre. I have already explained my position on this game and for me remains the gold standard in multi-player overall, not just FPS. Honorable mention goes to[b] AC: Brotherhood[/b] for a different type of MP experience that surprisingly works quite well.

[b]Best Character[/b]: John Marston
This was a tough one for me, but Marston displays multiple emotions in a genuine and believable way. He is tough and gritty, yet does not appear completely unapproachable. He is reliable and wholly dedicated to his goal, and does not tire. You can tell that when John Marston runs into an obstacle, he will find away around it and not do so in the flawless manner of a superhero, yet a triumphant mix between work and will. He combines the everyman with the fruition of resolve. Throw a respectable job of voice acting onto all of that, and a nifty cowboy hat, and you have a character who is worthy of praise and admiration. Honorable mentions go to [b]Ezio Auditore de Firienza[/b] and [b]Snow Villiers[/b] (the best character in FFXIII by leaps and bounds).

[b]Best Art Design[/b]: Bayonetta
I gave Action/Adventure to GOW3, I will give this to Bayonetta because this is one category where I believe it exceeds. This is mostly shown in the designs of the enemies and bosses I feel, but it is a travesty to not take notice of the world around you when playing through. So much action goes on at every turn in this game, it is easy to take the stage design for granted. Not to mention, who doesn't love the hair outfit? Honorable mentions go to [b]God of War III, Mass Effect 2[/b], and[b] Vanquish[/b].

[b]Most Underrated Game[/b]: Tie - Enslaved: Odyssey to the West / Dante's Inferno
Enslaved as I've already explained is a surprise hit and really stands out in what was meant to be a stacked October. The combat may not be the most varied, but is very smooth. The story is an interesting twist on a very established classic, and the character interaction between Monkey and Trip is never boring and surprisingly realistic for two people in their position. Real bonds are formed and you feel this mutual sense of sympathy for both at certain points in the game. Dante's Inferno however is just a victim of being outdone by bigger and meaner games of the same genre. Coming out one month before GOW3 especially was anything but a boon. The truth of it though is that Dante's Inferno is a good game that starts off like a juggernaut and simply slows its roll as it progresses. The lack of consistency is a weakness, but it hurts even more when you have so many gaming titans to compare it to. The first three stages alone were better than most anything in a Devil May Cry game. Honorable mentions go to [b]Singularity[/b] and [b]Alan Wake[/b].

[b]Most Overrated Game[/b]: Halo: Reach
I understand the kind of following Halo has, but the franchise stopped being interesting to me after Halo 2. The games all seem far too similar, and the multi-player is so much less intense than Call of Duty's and at times very unstable. I appreciate a good sci-fi story and memorable characters, Halo: Reach really only accomplishes both about half-way. There is fun co-op here, but this game has just earned too many accolades that i feel it just simply didn't earn on its own. The legacy of Halo played too much of a factor in this game's success.

[b]Most Disappointing Game[/b]: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Fable 3 was very close to winning this one. Both games fell ridiculously short of the hype generated around them, as well as failing to live up to the stock in their respective namesakes. Fable 3 is easily the better game of the two, and while is disappointing it is not necessarily terrible. Castlevania on the other hand, is terrible. Incredibly drab soundtrack, glitchy graphic anomalies, boring and scattered combat system, empty and dilapidated stage design, laughably easy difficulty, and no epic aspirations whatsoever. Even the all-star voice acting was stripped by the infuriating scripting. I hope Robert Carlyle received VERY ample compensation for being on this project.

[b]Xbox 360 GOTY[/b]: Mass Effect 2
Hope I don't have to explain this by now.

[b]Playstation 3 GOTY[/b]: Red Dead Redemption
The definition of overrated is receiving praise too high than what is actually deserved. It is possible however that something that is a 9 out of 10, can be rated a 10 out of 10 by too many sources, and still be considered superior from an objective point of view. Red Dead does not need the unnecessary nudges in order to be considered a GOTY candidate, and since Mass Effect 2 is not capable of hindering these honors here, Rockstar SD has done a hell of a job with their open world heavyweight.

[b]Nintendo Wii GOTY[/b]: N/A
The only Wii games I have played this year are Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M. That is not enough for me to make an objective decision with other games generally believed to be in contention (i.e Epic Mickey). From a purely subjective POV out of the two i have played I actually enjoyed Metroid.

[b]Game of the Year[/b]: Mass Effect 2
Surprise surprise!

[b]Most Anticipated Game of 2011[/b]: 3-way tie - Mass Effect 3 / Elder Scrolls: Skyrim / Batman: Arkham City
Here's the category you can only answer by being totally subjective! The last installment in all three of these games were my personal overall GOTY winners, and all three's premiere trailers look stunning. I cannot see either of these failing in any way to deliver more greatness, but in the video game industry anything is possible. For now though, quarter 3 of 2011 is on the fight track to stripping my bank account.[/font]

[CaNz]

[b]Best Shooter[/b]: Halo Reach
You will play this game forever. The new classes feel unique, and the forge map editor can eat up days worth of work. If you want game types, they have game types, I cant think of them all, but they are entirely different feeling. its not like the normal shooters where the main objective of killing people stays the same. dramatic changes in the goals or capabilities, makes it so you have to be good at different things in order to have the advantage. Also, the single player is a lot of fun this time around. it has a lame ending, but if that bothers you just play it on legendary and you'll be happy when its all over. the Daily Challenge system will keep you coming back, and the dedicated community will bring you new maps (but if you let bungie do it for you it will cost yah) and eventually if you put enough effort into it you can have all the cool customized armor you always wanted... just make sure you don't pick pink as the color or people might get the wrong impression.

[b]Best RPG[/b]: Mass Effect 2
It was a really good game. I mean... you will like it... I kinda think they dumbed the RPG portion down since ME1, which is why I like that game a bit better... but with the easier RPG system it made it feel like a real shooter, honestly it was a bit like gears of war with less meat chunks and more story/character development. also... it actually had a very good ending (stupid final boss... but good build up) and we all loved how you could import old characters information.

[b]Best Action/Adventure[/b]: Mario Galaxy 2
The mario franchise returned to the gameplay we loved in the 3D Mario series. Not since Mario 64 have I been this happy with the way it turned out. I get mad at platformers pretty easily, but this one actually had some rhythm. at times things get tough, but I never felt like I was being put on a ridiculously impossible level designed to piss me off... the designs were pretty and the game was long. you can easily sink days into this game.

[b]Best story: [/b]Final Fantasy XIII
We actually got a game with an original storyline this time around! wooo! I don't want to go too far into detail, but its just plain captivating. I played this game constantly because I just wanted to see what was going to happen, and felt emotionally connected to the characters struggles and happy for them when they caught a break. as long as the story was, I didn't really get lost... and the only confusing thing was their choice of names. [i]Fal'cie, L'cie[/i] and Cie'th just sound too simillar in dialogue and even confused me a bit, but you will figure it out.

[b]Best Multi-Player[/b]: Call of Duty: Black Ops
not much to say that hasn't been said before. activision threw out another good game with a few more improvements then there last two good games. Call of Duty 4 and Modern warfare2 (CD4...2) I never really play this game with my friends... but online was fun. as for the reasons why it beats out the other multiplayer games this yea: everyone plays it... it takes two seconds to jump in a game. really this is more of a quick fix kinda game because[u] it doesn't matter how good you are at the game... you'll have fun [/u]Halo Reach isnt all that fun if you loose all the time, and thats why not everyone likes it. in Call of duty games, winning is nice, but it really doesn't matter much... you are probably playing with a bunch of strangers against a bunch of strangers, so really its all about personal performance. having fun loosing is the key to multiplayer games... because someone has to do it. this game will keep you coming back over and over no matter what the score.

[b]Best Character[/b]: Lightning, FFXIII
I have yet to see a more bad ass female lead role, and as for Final Fantasy games go, she is definitely my new favorite character. unlike a lot of characters in the series, this one actually grows during the plot, (though in this game all of the main characters do... except maybe Fang... she just got less naive). with all the focus on plot you actually get to see a good deal of what makes her tic, so twords the end you may even feel like I did... kinda emotionally attached. its a really long journey after all.

[b]Best Art Design:[/b] FFXIII
I know I am giving this game a ton of awards, but trust me on this one.... other awards may be opinions, but this one is a fact. This game is the most beautiful game I have ever played... ever... Okay, so you know how games as they have gotten better graphics get more detailed, you can see every hair, wrinkle, dust, dirt, blood.... grime... basicly you can see all the stuff clearly but what you see isnt all that pretty... this game does the opposite. Everything from hair to the environment is made so pretty it becomes unreal. This game isnt realistic.... its better than that. the flow of the game is seamless, the camra does this follow and pan thing when you move atound, giving it the feel of a movie... your characters walking animations are so smooth that when you do something stupid like making them run then turn around multiple times, the characters get ticked off and stop you. Its kinda humorous, but it just makes the game feel like its unbreakable cool... like I couldnt make it look bad even if I tried. Oh yeah... and the cut-scenes... speechless...

[b]Most Underrated Game: [/b]scott pilgrim vs the world
well the movie sure wasnt underrated, but this game was probably the best DLC game I have ever played. Its an old school Brawler that allows up to four player co-op story. This game relates well to all the other media, and it has got extreme replay value. also... the sound track in this game rocks. 8-bit goodness that just gets stuck in your head (I had to learn how to play the Twins levels song before it released its spell on me). the RPG aspect of the game is easy and the move combos are just as simple. oh yeah... and the game is hilarious. well worth it for a budget gamer.

[b]Best Survival Horror[/b]: Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare DLC:
Okay, o you need Red dead redemption to play this... but thats not so bad because its a fantastic game as well. Anyways, the story for this basically takes the role of a zombie Apocalypse taking place in the wild west. I feel sorry for those zombies. You travel arounf the entire map (anywhere you can go in the normal game gets revamped.. making this a worthwhile buy) and you actually get a ton of missions that involve a lot of the old people you met in the story. the ending isn't all that great... but it does fit well with the normal story. its pretty funny to boot. anyways the horror genre was lacking this year.. but at least this is really fun to play... nothing beats blowing up zobies with the explosive rifle.

[b]Most Overrated Game[/b]: Call of Duty: Black Ops
This game is just another activision stepping stone. They have a very large line of customers, and they will keep leading them on to slightly better things.. but honestly when you look at a game thats almost two years old, such as Call of duty Modern warfare, compared to Black ops, I see not much of a real change. there is more fluff... but I had just as much fun playing MW as I did with black ops... maybe more because it was new feeling back then. sure I don't have two attachments on my gun, or weapons mode... but I stil do esentially the same thing as I did back then... join up and play a fun game... only difference is about 70 more dollars that I need to spend. And I know the same thing will happen next year, and in order to keep with pack I would have to go down another 70 bucks... its just not worth it to me.


[b]Most Disappointing Game[/b]: Alan Wake
so its a Steven King like story were the horror writer gets put into his own nightmare, I wont spoil anything because the game does come free with any new xbox... but basically the graphics are pretty good until they move there mouths. Audio is off sync, almost no emotions appear... actions don't match dialogue... the works...it really is a slip up next gen games cant make. gameplay: use flashlight shoot bad guys, run away... repeat. Buggy, don't you even think about going towards the water... Poseidon will feast on your mortal flesh if you so much as put a toe in the shallow end. Along with many other stupid quirks this game becomes almost unplayable. also... the main character is a total jerk... honestly I kinda wanted him to die. you just carry around disrespecting everyone getting in a fight with your fear stricken wife, and complaining about how everyone wants you, the writer, to write... horrible of them right?

[b]Game of the Year: [/b]Mass Effect 2
its just a perfect combination in a game. you don't have to like rpgs, shooters, science fiction, or even the first game to like this one... its a jump right in and enjoy type of deal. my only complaint is Myranda's ass is just too big... it takes up all the cut-scenes... but that's just my opinion.

[b]Most Anticipated Game of 2011[/b]: Mass Effect 3
reaper invasion... fun...

[Magus]

Mario is action/adventure? When I think of action/adventure I think of games like Ninja Gaiden, God of War, Uncharted, etc, etc.

[CaNz]

action yes, adventure yes... gore... no....
its mostly an adventure game, but its the same minster fighting principles as any other action game...