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My love for all things Assassin's Creed run deep. I overlooked the first game's flaws like a mother overlooks her son's terrible drinking habit, swearing to the police that he was never that kind of boy. So my joy in what Ubisoft did to bring Assassin's Creed II to the pinnacle of open world games is something sensational. With it's astounding beauty, character development and varied mission structure, this title reaches a level that the first game (and a lot of other games at that) could only dream of aspiring to. Not just game of the year for me, I'd say game of this generation.
Batman has always had a special place to me. As a child he was always my favourite hero, actually as an adult too now that I think about it. The thought of a "good" Batman game seemed so alien that to finally get one that is not only good, but actually one of the best games of this year, is truly a magical thing. Everything about this game oozes Batman, and I soaked up every tiny detail. This was the first game that actually spurred me to earn a Platinum trophy as I really just could not get enough. I hope the sequel can give me more of the wonderfully dark and sadistic world of Arkham Asylum.
It was a tough choice to put this at third. I almost want to put my top 3 on the same rank. Regardless, this game is almost flawless in it's pacing and melding of action and story. It's also easily the most visually impressive game I have ever seen. Everything felt tight, polished and overall one of the best pound-for-pound narratives in a game I've seen. Not to mention the awesome supporting cast (Lazarevic, you scary bastard). This is the game worth owning a PS3 for.
I'd been following this game since it was announced at E3 '07. To be honest, I'd missed out on previous Sucker Punch titles, but this really resonated with me. I really enjoyed the fluidity of the controls (although the jumping was a tad sticky), the variety in the missions and the art and character design. The story wasn't exactly prize-winning stuff, but it helped move the game along at a great pace and kept me aware of my current motivations. This is one game where I really am excited to see a sequel.
What can I say? it's Modern Warfare.....2. I'm definitely not the biggest shooter fan, but the non-stop action of this series is pretty enthralling. Sure, the story in this one is even more incoherent than the first, but the action itself is unquestioningly good. Spec-Ops is a brilliant mode as well, but I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed the competitive multiplayer. I'm definitely more of a co-op kinda guy, so for this to draw me in so much is a testament to how solid the action really is.
Ah, Bioware. How I love you so. I wasn't too sure what to expect with Dragon Age. I've really grown to appreciate the way Bioware has refined and enhanced their craft with each new title, so when this was on it's way I was a bit concerned with how it seemed to hearken back to the classic of all classic rpgs, Baldur's Gate. Let me tell you, my fears were completely unfounded. By far my favourite part of this game is the interactions with your party and others. The way there sometimes seems to be no right answer actually got me to just answer things naturally. With around 30 hours already into the game, and my stats screen telling me I'm only 24% complete, I know I've got a lot more great gaming ahead.
I'm no big fan of racing games. Gran Turismo scarred me in such a way, I didn't know if I could recover. Thankfully Forza 3 extended a warm and fuzzy hand and showed me that I don't have to be the World's Best Driver™ to have fun playing a real racing game. Now I'm totally addicted to tuning, painting and customizing my ever-expanding garage of vehicles. Oh and the racing is fun too.
I did get this a bit later on this year, but for me this game just gives me a euphoric feeling. I don't feel the pressure of having to survive against an overwhelming military force or make and crazy precision jumps. I can just blow with the breeze and relax to the melodious sounds of flower petals in the wind.
I bought this as a gift for my father (along with a Wii for the family), but damn if I didn't get sucked into it. Having never played a Guitar Hero or Rock Band before this, I was very impressed with it. The little touches, such as bits of conversation before a set in Abbey Road, really add a serious air of authenticity to the whole package. It's really beautifully put together and, while I have a few gripes with the initial tracklist offering, this has really opened my eyes to rhythm games and has finally give me a great game that I actually WANT to play with my family.