TrueEnglishGent's 2010 Games Of The Year Awards!
While I haven't been writing an whole lot about video games lately, that doesn't mean I haven't been playing them. So like almost every other gamer out there, I thought I'd awards some awards to those titles or content who deserve it. Now like every list specific to the writer, I'm sure you'll disagree with much of what I have to say about this past year in gaming and the winner for each specif...
WINNER: BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2
DICE / EA The Call of Duty franchise as for such a long spell of time, scratched my multiplayer itch in so many wonderful ways. Yet 2010 proved to be the year where I lost all interest in Activision's behemoth's online offerings. Much of that was due to EA and DICE's simply stunning Battlefield: Bad Company 2, which offered some of the most intense battlefield battles one could ask for. There's certainly issues with the package as an whole, but there is little I could criticise about the multiplayer which I sunk ridiculous amounts of hours into. Unlike the Call of Duty games, it wasn't about the rush to level or finding ways to cheat the system, much of what made Bad Company so special to me was the atmosphere and sounds of warfare, making you really feel like you were on a battlefield. One as to ask what EA and DICE could actually do with Battlefield 3? How will they change things about and make it a game worth getting excited for. Runners-up: FIFA 11, F1 2010.
WINNER: MINECRAFT
Mojang Specifications / Markus 'Notch' Persson Thought I'd need to explain myself on this one for two reasons, first of all it wasn't technically released in 2010 (it's still in beta) and many people wouldn't call Minecraft an artistic game. Yes Limbo's stylish settings and atmosphere were great, but the world of Minecraft stuck with me throughout the year. It reminded me of those wet and windy winter nights as a kid playing with my Lego, yet here I had a world to create whatever I wanted, wherever I wanted. The endless expanse of the Minecraft world became hypnotic, waterfalls crashed to the blocky ground and underground you didn't know what you might find. Maybe this YouTube video can explain why I found Minecraft so beautiful, no? Well I guess there's no convincing some people. Runners-up: Limbo, Red Dead Redemption, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.
WINNER: PAC-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION DX
Namco Bandai I'll admit that while I always respected Pac-Man as an historical game in the history of video games, I was never a huge fan of the actual game. It wasn't exactly a challenge thing, it was more of an age issue if I'm honest. While some might argue that Pac-Man can be enjoyed by anyone at any age, I found that the young gamer that I once was was looking for something with a little more spark. Having matured somewhat over the years, I now understand why Pac-Man had such an impact back in the day, but I would never have guessed that Namco Bandai could produce a Pac-Man game in 2010 that I would be screaming in joy about. Championship Edition DX will no doubt appear on many a gamers list, and for damn good reason. 2010 as been a lacklustre year for downloadable games for me, but that doesn't take anything away from Championship Edition DX, which is simply a stunning arcade re-imagining. Runners-up: Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, Limbo.
WINNER: SUPER MEAT BOY
Team Meat Super Meat Boy proved to be one of the toughest games I've ever played, but it's important to note how crucial a part music can play when your restarting a level for the 300th time. The kick-ass soundtrack to Super Meat Boy went a long way in stopping me throwing my controller at my television screen. An easy choice for this award, the soundtrack was a mix of everything that made gaming sound great in the first place. There's not really a lot I can say, except that you probably already know how amazing Super Meat Boy sounded. It's interesting to note that it follows in the footsteps of another indie game in Shatter for having an awesome soundtrack, there's something to be learnt there. If your interested in checking it out yourself, why not buy the whole soundtrack here. Runners-up: Red Dead Redemption, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood.
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Now we get around to my top ten games of 2010, a year which as seen a number of exciting releases that didn't all meet expectation. I'll admit that my list of great games this year wasn't anywhere near as long as in the past couple of years, in fact it wasn't exactly easy to fill out all top ten spots. Having said that, there were a number of releases that ticked all the boxes and provided experiences that no other medium can. So here goes, my best attempt to round up my favourites games of the year 2010.
Take 2 Unlike 99.9 percent of gamers, I wasn't so upset about a sequel to the simply stunning Bioshock. Yes it wasn't being made by Irrational Games and yes much of the mystery to Rapture had been experienced already, but that didn't mean there weren't more stories to tell. While it wasn't high on my list of must play games of 2010, I went into Bioshock 2 with excitement. Gladly I exited Bioshock 2 with a great amount of satisfaction. It can be argued that it covered old ground, but more importantly it provided gamers with more reason to venture the captivating world of Rapture. Improvements to controls helped the experience feel more precise and... well feel more like a solid shooter. Not to mention a fun slice of multiplayer went a long way to helping me put Bioshock 2 on this list. Part of me thinks the adventures in Rapture have come to an end, and part of me thinks that's not such a good thing. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bizarre Creations / Activision Unfortunately this is an addition to my list that gives me mixed feelings, with the recent issues at Bizarre Creations. The fantastic Liverpool based developer have fallen on hard times lately despite a rather fantastic record of developing thrilling and challenging racing games. But of course that wasn't enough for Activision who only care about the cash, and decided to get rid of the studio. If Blur is indeed their final game, then I think they can be proud. Blur was a chaotic, action packed racing games in the vain of Mario Kart but oh so much better. Easily featuring some of the best online action you could wish for, Blur offered multiplayer options and modes that thrilled and grilled me for many months. It's sad that we probably won't see a Blur 2, as in my opinion it was one of the most interesting new IP's on the market. Well, I guess we all have Activision to thank yet again for screwing up gaming so damn much. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mojang Specifications / Markus Persson While still technically in beta, Minecraft as had a truly amazing year becoming a total indie classic. Not everyone understands why Minecraft became as big as it as, but it's one of the most memorable experiences I've had with a mouse and keyboard this year. Stylish visuals mixed with a Lego like building blocks mechanic produce just the first layer of awesomeness in this wonderfully charming game. Dig deeper and you find a strangely addictive experience as you create a world of your very own on your own or with friends. It's become such a success that creator Markus 'Notch' Persson as opened up his own studio to work on the game and developer other new IP's. The story of Minecraft's rise to fame as been an interesting one indeed, one that is yet to end. The best way I can think of describing Minecraft is that it's a rather small indie game, with big ideas. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Remedy Entertainment / Microsoft Heavily delayed, and shrouded in mystery for much of it's lengthy development time, the first time I ever heard of Alan Wake was a technology demonstration put on by IBM or ATI, I forget. But my point is that in all those delays it was forgotten by many a gamer. Originally set for a PC release, Remedy Entertainment who were previously famous for their Max Payne titles, took on an whole different subject in Alan Wake. A story and setting that proved to be one of the most memorable of the year, with a wonderful atmosphere and stunning use of lighting throughout, it as stuck with me as one of the must play games of 2010. Flawed in a number of important areas, but design precision and a simply breathtaking story helped Alan Wake to being one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. A deserved place upon this list of mine. Oh and did I mention it's wonderful choice of music at the end of each chapter, bliss. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DICE / EA Call of Duty may still be the king of popular FPS online shooters, but it's hold on the kingship as seen some seriously impressive competition in DICE's Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Epic online battles are matched with an in depth levelling system that kept me playing for more hours then I'd like to admit. Yes the single player campaign was lacking in true spark or interest, it was in all honesty about the multiplayer which still keeps me going back. Especially with the recent Battlefield: Vietnam downloadable content added to the mix. Wonderful sound design, challenging maps and action that can't be rivalled. It's easy to see why DICE's latest masterpiece as made it onto my list. It blew it's older and more advertised sister Medal of Honor out of the water this year and proved to be one of EA's most valuable IP's. But with Battlefield 3 around the corner, what will the future hold for Bad Company? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Codemasters / Racing Studio As a long time Formula One fan, when I heard that Codemasters had secured the rights to make a game of the most lucrative motorsport in the world, well I was bloody excited to say the least. A studio with such a reputation as Codemasters deserve attention whatever they do, but when they get the chance to make a Formula One game new levels of anticipation are found by all F1 or motorsport fans. So it was delightful to see them do such a stunning first attempt, finding an almost perfect balance between arcade and simulation styled racing mechanics. It helped that the release was in the same year as one of the most memorable F1 championship battles in history, publicity like that never hurts. A blast to play, but like any good F1 game a challenge to master, there was so much to F1 2010 that I adored. Improvements and fresh ideas can be made, but for a first entry in what will hopefully become a yearly franchise, it takes the pole position as the best racing game of 2010... in my opinion anyways. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ninja Theory / Namco Bandai I love being surprised by something I wasn't expecting, and it's fantastic that two games on my list took me by pure surprise. The first of these two games comes in the fine form of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West by develop Ninja Theory. This captivating action adventure was the sort of game that makes me love gaming, with a perfect length of play time, approachable but in depth action mechanics and a story that's both fascinating and intriguing. Andy Serkis and team helped create three of the most believable characters in video games this year, with wonderfully acted out scenes and an futuristic artistic design that I can't wait to see more of. Developer Ninja Theory are now hard at work on the future Devil May Cry title, but here's hoping they haven't left Enslaved behind. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
EA / EA SPORTS CANADA It's never an easy task to improve an already impressive game, yet FIFA 10 still had it's problems and there were certainly areas that could either do with a dash of polish, or a mechanic to spice things up a tad. The folks had EA Sports clearly understood this when in developing FIFA 11, which improves upon it's predecessors' in so many ways. Enhancements on and off the pitch, a better visual presentation and some of the best virtual football your going to get made FIFA 11 one of the must have sports titles of the year. It's EA biggest franchise and for good reason, they can't rest on being the best with competition in the form of Pro Evolution Soccer always being tight. A more realistic manager mode, a new dynamic player skill system meaning that a players real life abilities and skills are matched within the game and so much more made this a stunning entry into my list. Of course it could always get better, but it's the finest FIFA game to date. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PlatinumGames / Sega Much like Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Bayonetta took me by total surprise, and what awesome surprise it was. One of the craziest games I've ever had the pleasure of playing Bayonetta is as odd as it is wonderful. Great gameplay mechanics are matched perfectly to a world that's.. well god damn crazy. From fighting upon a falling destroyed church roof to playing an Afterburner inspired sequence, it's all so crazy. Witty writing and some great characters made this one of the best games of 2010. The fact that the experience as stuck with me so well, despite being released far earlier in the year is a testament to what impact Bayonetta had on me. It's crazy, I don't really know how to described the game in the best way possible, it as to be experienced to truly understand why. Did I mention how crazy it was? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal I'm proud to say that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is my game of 2010. Who knew that Assassin's Creed 2 could be improved in so many ways, it's a deserving winner and one I expect to see on quite a few gamers list for 2010. Thrilling, deep and eventful throughout, Brotherhood went a long way to cementing the Assassin's Creed franchise as one of gamings best, and in my personal opinion the best franchise in gaming right now. Continuing the adventures of Desmond Miles and Ezio Auditore, it add to the mystery of the series as an whole, leaving fans wondering what the hell will happen next. New gameplay mechanics set in a new location of Rome made it a memorable experience till the very end. Which in tradition, was as baffling as any fan could have wished it to be. We can only wait and see what Assassin's Creed 3 as in store for us. But if this trend continues, and the franchise continues to go from strength to strength, I think I'll gladly wait patiently to see what Ubisoft Montreal have up their sleeves. This is the must play game of 2010. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Phew! I'm glad that's done and dusted, I do enjoy writing these but they take forever. Though most of that time is deciding the list I'll admit. I'm happy with the winner, Brotherhood was a stunning game in a franchise that just gets better and better. If you've read this in full you very much have my thanks. Hopefully I will start writing more frequently in 2011, that's if I'm up to it and not in agonising pain with my damn Arthritis which as been one of the main reasons I haven't had much motivation to write these past few months. Anyway, I've taken to much of your time already and will leave you.
Thanks for Reading, and Keep Gaming!
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