Your 2009 Game Of The Year

[Dave]

This has been a great year for gaming without a doubt. Not just because of the great games that have been released but because of a huge amount of factors. The Wii has become the must have gaming console and Nintendo has gone from strength to strength. The Nintendo DS has broken the all time British sales record for any games console and looks set to continue. Microsoft and Sony have been battling it out this year and the battle for domination, featuring Nintendo, has raged on. However, the games that have been released this year have been pretty good too. In fact, some of the games that have been released have really surprised a lot of people and without much further ado, here are my nominations for the "2009 Game Of The Year":

• Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Assassin's Creed 2
• Left For Dead 2
• Uncharted 2
• Dragon Age
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• FIFA 10

All of these games have really created a good year for gaming and having played all of them, I can tell you that they are all welcomed additions to the group. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare had been expected to rip all of the competition apart and has been mightily successful in doing so thus far. With the continuation of one of the most playable and sought-after games in video games history, Modern Warfare 2 was always going to be a complete smash. So far, it has done that by the bucket load and has cemented it;s place as one of the games of the year. Assassin's Creed 2 really surprised me. I has often wondered what it was going to be like and how the story would develop without Altair but I needn't worry about anything in hindsight. For you see, Assassin's Creed 2 is a tremendous game and one of the biggest surprises of the year in my estimation. Arkham Asylum is another game that really shocked me. I had often thought that it was going to be a complete failure. To say that hero games are often crap is an understatement and this game really left all of the other pretenders to it's throne in it's wake. A fantastic game.

The other games I have listed are all great games too. FIFA is exactly what you would expect from the series now. It has evolved yet again and has really done well in it's sales thus far. Uncharted and Dragon Age have also done well this tear. I wasn't a huge fan of Dragon Age when I played it at first but I can see the charm in it now and it definitely deserves to be here. Uncharted is a huge game and is doing fantastically well on the PlayStation 3.

However, I have to give my vote to the wonderful addition to the Assassin's Creed series. It was a fantastic game and much enjoyable than Call Of Duty has ever been. The lack of multiplayer has been a welcomed addition in a game because of the little prepubescent assholes that generally lurk around the online features of the consoles. Not to mention the great story and game play. This game really was a tremendous game and my game of the year.

What is yours?​

 

[Blade]

Dear... fucking.... God. Looking at that list of games, I realise what a bad year it was for games. I mean, this is quite possibly the worst year for games in recent history. Nintendo brought out nothing major until the last minute of the year when they scrambled to get Spirit Tracks and New Super Mario Bros out in time for christmas. We discovered how the KOTOR series would be ruined. Splinter Cell conviction got constantly delayed as did Heavy Rain. Resident Evil 5 was a big let down, as was Fable 2. And I'm sorry, maybe this is my anti FPS bias kicking in, but when Call of Duty is the favourite for game of the year, then it was just a bad year.

But ok, if I must choose a game, I'll have to go with Dragon Age. I noticed Dave nominated it, despite not liking it *ahem*. But yeah, since Bioware released KOTOR and followed it up with Jade Empire, I've been saying they're the best developer on the planet, second only to possibly Nintendo. And Dragon Age was more proof to back up my claim. Sure, it's not the best game Bioware have ever made. But damn, they'd really need to go all out if they wanted to top their best game ever, which I believe they're going for with Mass Effect 2. But saying Dragon Age isn't the best Bioware game ever is no insult, cause the game is still very good. The Bioware RPG formula seen in KOTOR works very well here, with the turn-based battles disguised as real time battles, the light side/ dark side choices and the interesting side quests. So yeah, Dragon Age for GOTY....

 

[INDYjon22]

I would have to say Left 4 Dead 2, but only because it is basically the only game on the list you made that I have actually played. I was a huge fan of the original L4D and couldn't wait for the sequel.

All of the new guns and melee weapons really added a great new dynamic to the game. It was a good change to have new weapons when in the original there was only a very limited choice. The melee weapons are hella fun as well.

However, even though I would personally say it is the best game of 2009 that really does not say much. I thought it was a let down overall compared to last years game, don't ask me why I just do. I have to agree with Blade as well, this year was a bit of a let down overall for games, in my opinion. I don't play often but I try to play the major games at least once and none of the big ones have gotten any interest from me besides L4D2 and Fifa 2010.

 

[CH David]

Yes, Yes, YES DAVE!!!!!!!!!

Ahem, sorry about that. Mark out moment for AC II. I have told Blade and Dave of my love for Assassin's Creed II, and (until I play Left 4 Dead 2) it will remain my 2009 Game of the Year. Dave already said it, but the gameplay is fan-fucking-tastic. The story is one of the best I have ever played, and it took what made Assassin's Creed good, and made it better, getting more indepth, using more characters, and expanding upon them a bit. The game is not as repetitive as the first, with great ways to assassinate your target. I don't want to spoil things, so I have to leave out some details. But you get better weapons, the health system is awesome (why can't it be like that now?) buying all sorts of other shit, being able to fucking swim. Great all around game, and my personal favorite.

Before AC II, I would have said Arkham Asylum, as that was the best game I had played all year, up until recently. It was a dark game, but totally fun. Kicking the crap out of bad guys, chasing after the Joker throughout the entire island, and obviously facing a ton of villains and henchmen, who doesn't love marking out for a game like that?

 

[Da Prophet]

For me out of that list it would be batman.I got the game the day after it came,The first stages weren't great but the graphics were awesome.It was hard at times but mostly fun.It wasn't great but out of that list it's the only game that I've enjoyed.Have not played creed 2 yet so can't pick that for everybody that will complain about my pick.

Thats just me!

 

[Da Prophet]

Played Creed 2 and it was Awesome.This game is ten times better than BATMAN.So yes my first choice was batman but after playing creed on 360.I have to change my mind.

Thats just me!

 

[Scotty]

My first instinct tells me that Assassin's Creed II is the nest game of the year, but I'm going to vote for Batman: Arkham Asylum. It featured everything from great graphics to a fun game play to an interesting story.Assassin's Creed 2 may have been a better overall game but B:AA brought respect back to Batman games in general.

 

[J-Dogg]

My list of top games this year are, WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2010, for the sheer fun, and creativity its brought me. Then when i played Assassin's Creed 2 as i rented the game last Saturday up till Tuesday this week, i was blown away by the game, everything about this game is great from the graphics and visuals to the fun gameplay and missions all with a interesting storyline.

Also Borderlands another hit, i loved playing this one, a first person shooter with RPG levelling aspects is fun, but the major thing with this game is that it has 15 million randomly generated guns and no gun is the same no matter how similar they are. Also various items have more effects on you and all that, a nice story as well great visuals make this a must have for me.

But when it comes down to it im going with SD vs RAW 2010, just because its ben so fun and creative plus being the best one in the SvR series for me. But AC2 really did it for me in how great a game can really be with high replayability.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

Assassin's Creed Two has to take the cake here. No matter what sales figures or marketing ploys you might be able to throw around, Ubisoft has done some amazing work with the sequel to a game that captivated people. The first game was intended to get people interested in the actual game itself, and hook people to buy the second with the cliffhanger ending.

They did quite a bit in succeeding with AC2. The first time round was very, very repetitive where by the 7th or 8th assassination, you got bored. AC2 eliminated this by giving more than just "research and killing people" missions, extending the storylines both in and out of the Animus to epic proportions. The secondary missions/mini-games such as assassination contracts are great ways to waste time in-between major stories so you can give your brain a challenge outside of storyline.

Not only this, but getting an understanding of the Assassin's Order, major philosophical and historical references, and following a conspiracy on life captivates the player to wanting more every step of the way. Whatever they did through the game, makes me crave the Assassin's Creed 3 sequel right now. Ubisoft, you have outdone yourselves.

Other than that, I would have to say CoD6 was a pretty good game that deserves a nod, due to the upgrades on weapons, graphics, gameplay and online features... much better improvements since the last COD. However, the storyline isn't as captivating nor is it as understandable as the last two.

 

[Jaycobo]

Im gonna have to go with league of legends. It was free and it has given me hours of entertainment.

 

[Trill Co$by]

I have to say Left 4 Dead 2 is by far the game of the year. It's such an amazing game, and I pray that a third one comes out.

The plot behind it is amazing, and it has that twist of letting you feel like you're watching a movie... they even have movie credits at the end and a movie poster at the beginning of each campaign. The online play is also fun and it's not filled with a bunch of fucking modders.

 

[Kashagi]

No, the plot really isnt that amazing, its a typical zombie plot, which does the job... But by no means, its 4 characters trying to survive... Does the job but really not that special

That said, I hated LFD1, and then loved LFD2... I have no idea why, but something about it felt better, it just worked for me and I could understand why you would call it your game of the year, because it is great fun.

My game of the year would most likely be Fight Night Round 4, as a boxing fan I would always play R3, and while it was good, the online sucked, it had a stupid parry system (parrying in boxing?), and it felt like they were fighting underwater.

Round 4 came out, gone with the parry system and in with a more realistic blocking system. The game was sped up so it resembles more of an actual boxing match rather then a slow motion one. Boxers can get closer, there is no more invisible barrier that used to prevent boxers from getting as close as they want. Able to shove boxers away, really comes in handy when cornering the bastards.

The career mode is good enough, and there is a good cast of boxers, with the only absence that really bothers me being Rocky Marciano. But what really won me was the online mode. Finally I can play games where people wont always leave as soon as they are knocked down, finally the lag problem has been fixed (for me at least). Online provides the usual ranking and non ranking games, but it also comes with a World Championship mode, in which you create either a lightweight, middleweight or heavyweight boxer and start an online career with him. Everyone is given equal stat points so there are no unfair advantages, and the World Championship mode is basically a ranking system, as you win you go up in the ranks by the thousands, and there are belts to be held online. I am 16-2 at the moment online, if anyone has the game and wants to play me, I will jab them to exhaustion

That is my personal game of the year, the best boxing game so far with much fun online for me.

 

[kiriyama]

Definitely Assassin's Creed 2. Ubisoft really stepped it up from the last edition. The original Assassin's Creed was a game with an INCREDIBLE storyline, but mediocre gameplay. Well, maybe not the gameplay, but the missions were VERY repetitive and ruined what fun there was to be had. Now, Assassin's Creed 2 is everything the first SHOULD have been. You have upgrades galore (from those for your character, Ezio, to those for the villiage where most of your income originates), new moves and abilities, a fleshed out battle system, and an EVEN BETTER storyline than the first. The only that, the ending really leaves one hopeful and anxious for the next/last installment of this trilogy.

"Don't you remember your uncle? Why itsa me, Mario."

 

[The Doctor]

Honestly, I don't really have a 2009 game of the year, but I would still like to nominate Scribblenauts.

Scribblenauts is a great puzzle game that has provided me with lots of fun and entertainment. You play by writing names of objects down, which conjures them into existence. The in-game dictionary is massive; there's almost nothing missing. They even have such things as pancake mix and a dialysis machine. You can solve the puzzles however you want, with whatever you want. Ride a robot dinosaur and destroy an army of zombies? You can do that. Summon a bolt of lightning to kill a shark? Done. Grab a lightsaber to chop down a tree? Drop a UFO on a pile of bottles to knock them all down? The scenarios are endless.

The sheer ingenuity and hilarity packed into this game is incredible, and that's why I think it at least deserves a nod for game of 2009.