inFamous
Released in May, inFamous may not be as fresh in gamers’ minds as most of the other titles on the list but it’s certainly no less deserving of a Game of the Year nod. Sucker Punch Productions took the basic sandbox style gameplay of titles such as the Grand Theft Auto series and injected the format with electricity – and super powers. The resulting gameplay, which also boasted RPG elements, was a one of the most impressive looking titles on any console this year -remember the Superpowers Trailer? The title is engaging and the karma system featured within inFamous provides a number of great moments, not to mention different powers, and alterations to the physical environment, depending on the choices players made. While the gravel-voiced Cole may not be the most likable protagonist this year, he is buried in an appealing-enough story to carry players through a meticulously crafted world – and gameplay experience.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Not a graphics or AI heavyweight, New Super Mario Bros. Wii relies on the tried and true platforming adventures of a plumber and his brother, as well as some unspecified Toad friends. Alongside titles like Modern Warfare 2 and Borderlands, you’d expect a Mario Bros. game to be the kiddie-equivalent Game of the Year, but your little sister would probably have an easier time slaying zombies in Resident Evil 5 than making her way to world nine in this new Mario title. The game is unforgiving but miraculously addicting, returning gamers to the days when you couldn’t save yourself by taking cover or regenerate your health, a formula that rewards you, not with unlockables or achievements; instead, only with the true gratification of beating a level. The addition of multiplayer features brings the typical Wii party features to the series, ending the days of play and pass turn-taking. Whether you and your friends are working together in co-operation to rescue Princess Peach or mercilessly tossing each other into lava pits, the four-player action is a riotous experience.
Resident Evil 5
The oldest title on the list, released in February, Resident Evil 5 is a solid action game that combines both the survival horror (read you can’t run and gun) elements of the franchise with the action adventure gameplay gamers have come to expect in next-gen titles. But what really sets Resident Evil 5 apart is the co-operative gameplay. Admittedly, not everyone was a fan, but few games this year could rival the scope of RE5’s co-op campaign, a long and diverse trek from the Kijuju villages to the underground bowels of the Umbrella research facilities. Unlike most co-op titles, mainly first person shooters that operate in large arena-like environments, Resident Evil 5 took advantage of both players’ anxieties, forcing them into tight corridors and dim lit catwalks. The co-op feature also allowed for numerous approaches to levels and boss fights: from dual machine gun emplacements on the back of a moving truck and split level environments that force one player to defend an ambush while the other scrambles for the way out. Resident Evil 5 may not be the most original of our nominees but with its high-octane, Hollywood-like, approach to the RE series, Capcom deserves credit for another engaging title. Now if only they could use all that film-tech to create a decent Resident Evil movie.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Like the other games on this list, it’s no secret that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has been receiving loads of critical praise – all of which is well deserved. The title harnesses the strengths of the original title, without the waves of faceless pirates in copy and pasted plaza-like environments. The visuals improve on the already revolutionary graphics of Uncharted: Drakes Fortune and the online features are a welcome, and surprisingly deep addition. What truly puts a game like Uncharted 2 above many of its contemporaries, however, is the characters and story. Thirteen years after Naughty Dog introduced gamers to Sony’s first quasi-console mascot, Crash Bandicoot, the developer has returned with Nathan Drake, a more mature, charismatic, front man for the PlayStation hardware. Uncharted 2 features tons of breathtaking action scenes coupled with a great sense of humor as well as real and genuine character drama through a variety of puzzles, environments, and multi-faceted gunfights. Uncharted 2 is an incredible package and leaves little to be desired – on second thought, maybe a bit less Elena.
Personally, I don’t think any game this year matched the awe I felt during the opening scene of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
What is your vote for Game of the Year? Are there any titles you think the industry has overlooked?
What is your pick for "2009 Game of the Year"? Total Voters: 200
Loading ...
All of these nominees make sense to me and are all deserving in their own regard. Batman AA was the best…THE BEST, hands down comic book video game of all time, and I cannot wait for the sequel. Looking at the list I think Assassins Creed II is great in its own way, but I dont know about Game of the Year. The lack of re-playability, and no multi-player makes it hard to go up against COD MW2. Resident Evil 5 definitely deserves the nomination for bringing Resident Evil fans what they’ve always wanted, CO-OP, lets face it the game is a lot less scary when you have a friend with you. Uncharted 2? I don’t even have to go there, the game talks for itself. I never played Borderlands or the Mario Bros game. Infamous was good but not as good as some other titles listed here.
My vote will have to go to Batman: Arkham Asylum. The only thing it is missing is a multiplayer mode… Oh well.
Out of all of the games, I felt that this game received the most attention to detail. I intentionally only used detective mode to check my surroundings, then I switched back to regular because I didn’t want to miss anything. I’m what you call an “explorer” when it comes to games, I like to look at every nook and cranny. And there is detail EVERYWHERE in this game… The story is great, and there were so many great Joker moments. Moments that show just how sadistic and evil her really is. Like when he’s holding that guard in “Botanical Gardens” and Batman says “Put him down!” Joker is like “If you insist!” and kicks an electrical circuit breaker box or something into the water, then drops the guard into the water, killing him. Then he turns and walks away laughing…
This is the Joker I’ve always imagined in my head, one that will crack a joke while killing someone, someone that if you didn’t know him, wouldn’t know if you should find him funny or be scared of him. And to help this, the excellent voice acting of Mark Hamill, straight out of The Animated Series. Can’t beat that. Kevin Conroy and Arleen Sorkin returning from the Animated Series to play Batman and Harley Quinn, oh what a freakin blast it was to play this game…
I’m surprised Left 4 Dead 2 isn’t in the list. Well, actually not that surprised, it’s not too different from the first one, but it does have all of the improvements that I wished would have been there in the first place. Left 4 Dead 2 is basically what I wished Left 4 Dead was in the first place. But still, L4D was a blast anyway, and now we finally have the ultimate game in the zombie killing genre. Better late than never I suppose.
Maybe we’ll get that in the sequel, Ken J.
I’ll be Batman, you can be Robin
And these are all great choices – it was a great year for the industry with quite a few awesome titles to play.
Let’s hope 2010 continues this trend (Mass Effect 2!)
No Left 4 Dead 2? *cries*
Batman gets my vote too. Don’t call blasphemy on me for not playing Uncharted. Santa is coming with my PS3 soon I hope.
Psh, obviously I’m the bigger Batman The Animated Series fan here, so I get to be Batman.
@Alex
Left 4 Dead 2 is freakin awesome!
equivalent of a michael bay film?
I don’t know wich to pick between Batman and Infamous, can we vote for our top 3 instead ?
I’m gonna have to go with Resident Evil myself. There hasn’t been any other game this year that I’ve played through 10 times with a friend. I do want to give a nod at Arkham Asylum though for being the best superhero game I’ve ever played.
I am trying to decide between Mario, Modern Warfare and Assassins Creed 2. Batman was amazing, but Assassin’s Creed does the same and tons more. If you could climb around gotham city like Ezio and replace the horse with the batmobile then Batman would be Game of the Year.
For me its between Batman Arkham asylum and Uncharted 2…theres 2 games that not only deserve game of year award but theres 2 games that are masterpieces. Batman and Uncharted are quiet simply almost perfect games. The heck with call of duty a game selling tonloads doesnt mean that its a great game. Modern warfare 2 will be forgotten about when the sequel comes out years from now but batman and uncharted will be getting played on by gamers for the next decade easily. My vote has to be uncharted for the quite simple reason the characters and some of the action set pieces nathan drake is like indianna jones and John mclane rolled into one
cant wait for uncharted 3..anyone disagree ?
Byeman
if you think anyone will be playing those games ten years from now then you’re lost in space.
And this is about game of the year not game of the decade.
I would love to get a working NES so I can play the original Mario. I still play BF2 and that’s like over 4 years old. I still consider the original Operation Flashpoint my favorite game and that’s about 10 years old… Some games are simply more memorable than others. I agree that games like Modern Warfare would be nothing but a memory in less than 3 years at most. Heck, COD4:MW became nothing but a memory to me after only a few months, lol. Same thing over and over and over and over… *yawn*
The game I’m looking forward to the most is Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
M-cat I know it wasnt game of the decade but both them games are masterpieces. Hell final fantasy 7 AND 8 ETC still get played to this day so theres no reason why either batman or uncharted wont be the same. It won game of the year at the vga’s and rightly so.
Mass effect 2 and splinter cell conviction are now on the wish list