MERCH!
Giant Bomb - a website about video games and the people that make them

Best of 2009 (written December 28, 2010)

by echoforge


I didn't do a list for voting last year (I don't even remember if we could), but just for my own personal inventory, so to speak. As it's not counted toward any sort of vote, I also count games from the previous year that I played.

Showing 1-10 of 10 items

Assassin's Creed II

1. Assassin's Creed II

(Xbox 360) Similar to the previous year's Fable 2, where I awarded my fave game of the year to a sequel to a game I despised. Excellent setting, fun distractions, enjoyable mechanics...not only my fave game, but as my 2010 list of backlog games show, quite an influence on my gaming tastes.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

2. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

(2008)I watched about 75% of the Endurance Run, and enjoyed just watching it, I had to go get a copy and play about 80 hours on top of the entire showing.

Fallout 3

3. Fallout 3

(Xbox 360, 2008) I spent a week putting 80 hours into this beast. I had to start and stop twice, before just jumping in fully outside the vault, and I clearly never turned back. Except for the mission where you go back to the vault.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

4. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

I liked the first one enough, but this one just improves on everything. Interactive roller coaster ride storytelling at its peak.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

5. Batman: Arkham Asylum

(Xbox 360) Also a big surprise, considering the quality of previous Batman games, but The Dark Knight gets his proper due as the lethal, silent shadow that he is.

Halo 3: ODST

7. Halo 3: ODST

I enjoyed the style-specific missions. A minor surprise, if only because a lot seem down on the game .

Dragon Age: Origins

8. Dragon Age: Origins

(PS3) I've been a complete sucker for Bioware's 'morality' adventures since KOTOR, and the game sustains the epic overarching story, entertaining mini-quests and fun writing contained in the developer's titles.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

9. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

(Xbox 360) It felt as though they tried a little too hard with the crazy, and I didn't find as many missions replayable as I did MW1, but not a lot went wrong otherwise.

DiRT

10. DiRT

(Xbox 360, 2007) For the first time in many years, I sat down and played a racer for hours on end. A dignified design compared to its more "extreme" direct sequel.

Gears of War 2

11. Gears of War 2

(2008) Improved on the original in many ways as well, a fun ride all the way through with fewer frustrating slow bits. Didn't find I wanted to replay it much, however.