by jjrage
JJRage's Best of 2009. This list has tweaked and changed so much lately. I've mulled over it far more than what would be considered healthy. It has pained me to remove a lot of my favorite 2009 games from this list. So honorable mentions are due for Halo 3: ODST, Resident Evil 5, Borderlands, Killzone 2, InFAMOUS, and Torchlight, among others.
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This is probably the only game on this list that I didn't need to hesitate before putting here. Without question, it is the best game I played in 2009.
Really, Batman just came out of nowhere. No one expected it to be this damn good.
I hate to judge Modern Warfare's quality based on the people who play the game online, but the gauntlet of glitches that seemed to plague the game for weeks before a patch could be released soured me on the multiplayer. So much in fact, I haven't returned the game since my initial run-in with the javelin glitch. Still, I cannot deny how solid the multiplayer is (when played by people who aren't assholes), and the campaign is balls-out insane.
It's Left 4 Dead, but better. What's not to like? 2008 remains my favorite year for games this generation, in part because of Left 4 Dead, and Valve did not do wrong by fans with the sequel. Scavenge mode is incredibly addictive and the best way to play multiplayer.
Leaps and bounds better than the original. The story and characters are far more compelling, and a fantastic ending. Better yet, we're treated to far less of Desmond outside of the Animus, which makes those sequences far more compelling.
In fairness, I have yet to complete this game. In fact, I've probably barely scratched the surface. Playing Dragon Age Origins often feels like a daunting task, but I love it nonetheless.
I imagine this won't be on too many Top 10 lists, but there are few games I logged more hours into in 2009 than Skate 2. It built on everything I loved about the original, and really stepped up the quality of the online component. The off the board controls are wonky as hell, but I love the game all the same.
Much like Ryan, this game helped me rediscover my love for The Beatles. I said this in my review as well, but The Beatles Rock Band isn't just a game. It's a love letter to the greatest band the world has ever known, and that's all it needed to be.
This might have been the toughest game for me to add to my list, because it bumped other 2009 favorites like Borderlands, InFAMOUS, Halo 3: ODST and Resident Evil 5. But when I think about 2009, Madden NFL 10 is huge part of that. I've logged more hours into Madden than any other game that came out during the August-November holiday release schedule, and that's due in large part to the game's new online franchise features. Make no mistake, Madden NFL 10 is the BEST football game since NFL 2K5, perhaps even better.