Top 10 of '09 List #1: Video Games
#10: Red Faction: Guerrilla (Xbox 360)
I was a big fan of the first two Red Faction games, and was a little worried when they announced this would be a 3rd person viewpoint. I'm usually rubbish at multiplayer games that are 3rd person, and that was my favorite portion of the previous two installments. With the addition of backpacks, pickups players use to give them a useful boost, not only was the multiplayer fun and addictive, but I was halfway decent at it. Add to the fact that the open world was fun to run about and cause mayhem and destruction, and you have another quality entry in the Red Faction lineage.
#9: Battlefield Heroes (PC)
This was EA's testing ground for "free-to-play" online gaming. A lot of what's generally offered in the free genre is pretty much garbage, packaged as polished garbage. Even though it took it nearly forever to come out of Beta, when it finally did it was fun and polished and certainly far from garbage. It's easy to pick up, the system requirements are low, and the leveling system make it addictive. Oh yeah, and it's free.
#8: Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360)
Resident Evil 4 sits solidly in my top 5 games of all time, so to say I was excited for this would be an understatement. It takes a lot of things from Resident Evil 4 and attempts to build on them. Overall it worked to make a great game, that was a bit more blockbuster in style than RE4, but without completely abandoning it. Unfortunately the at times frustrating computer AI really kept it from being the astounding game that Resident Evil 4 was.
#7: Scribblenauts (DS)
No other game this year made me smile more than this one. The idea of being able to use pretty much anything you want to solve puzzles is brilliant. I would often way over complicate things just to see how they would turn out. The character control was shoddy, and the E rating probably kept it from being everything that it could be, but overall it was good fun.
#6: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (xbox 360)
I know pretty much everyone on the face of the earth is going to disagree with this being so far down the list, but the super short campaign (4 hours), and the been here, done this multiplayer really held this back for me. I love it, it's a superb game, but I was expecting more from it. I will say it is still one of the most discussed amongst friends and myself though.
#5: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
I honestly didn't care much for the first Uncharted game, and I sort of picked this up on a whim. It has some of the most epic moments I think I've ever played through. The hotel scene with the helicopter alone left me amazed. The single player didn't feel short like a lot of newer games, and the level of polish is insane, add to that solid multiplayer and Uncharted 2 becomes a must have.
#4: Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC)
I'm a huge Batman nerd, I've always loved Batman. All of the other super heroes were getting good games, while Batman got some pretty crappy ones. Finally Arkham Asylum comes out, and I was nervous to believe the hype, but wow! This game does Batman well, and does Batman right. No multiplayer component, but the single player game, plus the extra challenge rooms, and trying to find all of the hidden items/riddles makes it an extremely worthwhile purchase!
#3: inFAMOUS (PS3)
I had almost put this game off as a cheesy GTA clone with a force lightning gimmick. For whatever reason I decided to give it a chance and pick it up, and it ended up being the first game that made me really happy I'd picked up a PS3. I can rarely focus long enough to finish open world games that let me wander about and cause destruction, but I couldn't put this one down until it was over.
#2: Borderlands (Xbox 360)
Take a FPS game, and give it a leveling system, and a loot system. Then throw in online co-op and you've got yourself one hell of an addictive game. Only 1 of 2 games I've ever gotten all 1,000 achievement points on (the other being COD4). The story is thin, but multiple playthroughs, and 2 DLC installments will keep the game alive for some time.
#1: Torchlight (PC)
It's Diablo 2 without the multiplayer, but a hell of a lot prettier and just plain fun. I still can't put this game down, and I've pushed it on just about anyone who will listen (if you're listening right now jump on Steam and pick it up for $4.99 before it goes back to $20). It might be simple click and kill action, but it's done right and it makes me smile. GOTY in my opinion.
Note:
#10: Red Faction: Guerrilla (Xbox 360)
I was a big fan of the first two Red Faction games, and was a little worried when they announced this would be a 3rd person viewpoint. I'm usually rubbish at multiplayer games that are 3rd person, and that was my favorite portion of the previous two installments. With the addition of backpacks, pickups players use to give them a useful boost, not only was the multiplayer fun and addictive, but I was halfway decent at it. Add to the fact that the open world was fun to run about and cause mayhem and destruction, and you have another quality entry in the Red Faction lineage.
#9: Battlefield Heroes (PC)
This was EA's testing ground for "free-to-play" online gaming. A lot of what's generally offered in the free genre is pretty much garbage, packaged as polished garbage. Even though it took it nearly forever to come out of Beta, when it finally did it was fun and polished and certainly far from garbage. It's easy to pick up, the system requirements are low, and the leveling system make it addictive. Oh yeah, and it's free.
#8: Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360)
Resident Evil 4 sits solidly in my top 5 games of all time, so to say I was excited for this would be an understatement. It takes a lot of things from Resident Evil 4 and attempts to build on them. Overall it worked to make a great game, that was a bit more blockbuster in style than RE4, but without completely abandoning it. Unfortunately the at times frustrating computer AI really kept it from being the astounding game that Resident Evil 4 was.
#7: Scribblenauts (DS)
No other game this year made me smile more than this one. The idea of being able to use pretty much anything you want to solve puzzles is brilliant. I would often way over complicate things just to see how they would turn out. The character control was shoddy, and the E rating probably kept it from being everything that it could be, but overall it was good fun.
#6: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (xbox 360)
I know pretty much everyone on the face of the earth is going to disagree with this being so far down the list, but the super short campaign (4 hours), and the been here, done this multiplayer really held this back for me. I love it, it's a superb game, but I was expecting more from it. I will say it is still one of the most discussed amongst friends and myself though.
#5: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
I honestly didn't care much for the first Uncharted game, and I sort of picked this up on a whim. It has some of the most epic moments I think I've ever played through. The hotel scene with the helicopter alone left me amazed. The single player didn't feel short like a lot of newer games, and the level of polish is insane, add to that solid multiplayer and Uncharted 2 becomes a must have.
#4: Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC)
I'm a huge Batman nerd, I've always loved Batman. All of the other super heroes were getting good games, while Batman got some pretty crappy ones. Finally Arkham Asylum comes out, and I was nervous to believe the hype, but wow! This game does Batman well, and does Batman right. No multiplayer component, but the single player game, plus the extra challenge rooms, and trying to find all of the hidden items/riddles makes it an extremely worthwhile purchase!
#3: inFAMOUS (PS3)
I had almost put this game off as a cheesy GTA clone with a force lightning gimmick. For whatever reason I decided to give it a chance and pick it up, and it ended up being the first game that made me really happy I'd picked up a PS3. I can rarely focus long enough to finish open world games that let me wander about and cause destruction, but I couldn't put this one down until it was over.
#2: Borderlands (Xbox 360)
Take a FPS game, and give it a leveling system, and a loot system. Then throw in online co-op and you've got yourself one hell of an addictive game. Only 1 of 2 games I've ever gotten all 1,000 achievement points on (the other being COD4). The story is thin, but multiple playthroughs, and 2 DLC installments will keep the game alive for some time.
#1: Torchlight (PC)
It's Diablo 2 without the multiplayer, but a hell of a lot prettier and just plain fun. I still can't put this game down, and I've pushed it on just about anyone who will listen (if you're listening right now jump on Steam and pick it up for $4.99 before it goes back to $20). It might be simple click and kill action, but it's done right and it makes me smile. GOTY in my opinion.
Note:
VIEW 7 of 7 COMMENTS
Will also find the basis for the feud. Err, well, the lyrics anyway. There are only theories on the grounds [dundundunnnnnnnnnn].
that says you're up late night starting
fist fights versus fences in your backyard
Wearing your black eye like a badge of honor
Soaking in sympathy
from friends who never loved you
nearly half as much as me
Broken down in bars and bathrooms
All I did was what I had to
Don't believe me when I tell you
it's just what anyone would do
Take the time to talk about it
Think a lot and live without it
Don't believe me when I tell you
it's something unforgivable...ohoh
Well I can't regret,
can't you just forget it?
I started something I couldn't finish
If we go down,
we go down together
best friends means,
well best friends means
You never knew
well i never told you...
Everything I know about breaking hearts
I learned from you, it's true
I've never done it with the style and grace you have
But I've made long term plans
based on these mistakes
Is this what you call tact?
I swear you're as subtle as a brick in the small of my back
so let's end this call,
and end this conversation
there's nothing worse...
(that's right he said, that's right he said it)
I swear, you have no idea
The jealousy that became me thinking
(that's right he said)
that you always had it way too easy
Best friends means I pulled the trigger
Best friends means you get what you deserve
Best friends means I pulled the trigger!!!
Best friends means you get what you deserve!!!
Brand New Lyrics:
like how to deal with despair, or someone breaking your heart.
For twelve years I've held it all together but a night like this is begging to pull me apart.
I played it quiet, left you deep in conversation.
I felt uncool and hung out around the kitchen.
I remember I kept thinking that I know you never would,
and now I know I want to kill you like only a best friend could.
As if this happening wasn't enough I got to go
and write a song just to remind myself how bad it sucked.
Ignore the sun, the cover's over my head.
I wrote a message on my pillow that says, "Jesse, stay asleep in bed."
So don't apologize. I hope you choke and die.
Search your cell for something with which to hang yourself.
They say you need to pray if you want to go to heaven
but they don't tell you what to say when your whole life has gone to hell.
So, is that what you call a getaway?
Tell me what you got away with.
Cause I've seen more spine in jellyfish.
I've seen more guts in eleven-year-old kids.
Have another drink and drive yourself home.
I hope there's ice on all the roads.
And you can think of me when you forget your seatbelt,
and again when your head goes through the windshield.
And is that what you call tact?
You're as subtle as a brick in the small of my back.
So let's end this call, and end this conversation.
and is that what you call a getaway?
well tell me what you got away with.
cause you left the frays from the ties you severed
when you say best friends means friends forever
So, is that what you call a getaway?
Well tell me what you got away with.
Cause I've seen more spine in jellyfish.
I've seen more guts in eleven-year-old kids.
Have another drink and drive yourself home.
I hope there's ice on all the roads.
And you can think of me when you forget your seatbelt,
and again when your head goes through the windshield.
That song's about a guy from TBS. If you look it up, there are theories about how Jesse and [John? I don't know the guys, but that's the name I saw] were best friends since childhood and somebody fucked somebody over, etc, etc.