2010 Game of the Year

By EricMesa

- 6 minutes read - 1159 words

I played a lot of games this year.  Perhaps more than in any previous year since leaving high school.  Since I usually don’t buy games when they first come out, the winner will not necessarily be a game that came out this year.  I went to my raptr page and took a look at all the games I played this year.  Following is a list of the games and a little about what I thought of them.  At the end will be my pick for 2010.

I started off the year continuing my indie game trend.  These were small downloadable games that were quick to get a game or two out of.

Zuma:  Another pop the bubbles by matching colours type of game.  This game is a lot of fun and overall, I spent 13 hours playing it.  The use of achievements kept me hooked a little longer than I might have been otherwise.

Fat Princess:  I played a total of 19 hours of Fat Princess (probably some of that in 2009).  It’s a really fun game.  It’s chaotic, has a great sense of humor, and you can finish a game in 15 to 30 minutes.  I haven’t played it since the beginning of the year because I’ve been so busy with other games.  Every once in a while, I think about playing, but I just have too many uncompleted games and hobbies for that.

Beatles Rock Band: Played 15 hours (some of which may have been in 2009).  See my review here.

Worms (PSN): I’ve always loved Worms on computer.  Played 8 hours.  I really like this game a lot, but it’s not fun without others.  I tried playing with random people and it just wasn’t as much fun as playing with friends/family.

Batman: Arkham Assylum:  I borrowed this game and beat it in 14 hours.  The game was a lot of fun and it reinvigorated my desire to beat Uncharted.  Basically, it was the game that showed me that I could play third person games.  I had been frustrated ever since the Nintendo 64 as games had become too complicated for me.  However, my love of the Batman franchise caused me to soldier on.  I mastered it and then went on the play and beat Uncharted.  And, without this confidence boost, I would have never gotten into the Assassin’s Creed series.

Valkyria Chronicles:  I played this game for 3 hours and realized it wasn’t for me.  The story seemed interesting and the idea of an anime-style 3D game was interesting, but I found it boring and tedious.

Colonization:  This was an update of a game I LOVED as a kid.  I sunk 16 hours into it.  Most of that was spent playing “play by email” game with Dan.  It was a pretty good game, but lacked polish in enough places that I ended up never playing it again, nor having the desire to.

Civilization IV:  I’ve said a lot about it and I’ve played hundreds of hours.  It’s a great game.

Peggle/Peggle Nights:  Great innovation on the Breakout/Brick Breaker style of games.  I have really enjoyed playing them.  They’re more fun with others and, unfortunately, the challenges don’t hold my attention that well - even with Playstation trophies to earn.

Little Big Planet: I bought this game when I got my Playstation as it was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to buy a PS3.  But after playing a bit of the story mode and a bit of the online content, I regretted wasting my money.  However, in a bid to play all my games before buying new ones, I gave it a chance.  I really ended up loving the story mode.  The soundtrack was especially great.  I still am not that impressed with MOST of the online content.

Super Mario Galaxy 2: Spent 11 hours playing this game.  I didn’t beat it.  I really, really enjoyed it, but I feel like this is the first Mario game in a LONG time where you can’t be sure you’ll beat the whole game.  I basically got stuck unable to earn any more stars.  I got all the standard ones and, to me, that should be enough to advance (even if you don’t get the best ending).  Right now I’m stuck with some of the bonus challenges as the only way to get stars and I can’t beat any of them.  It’ll be the first Mario game I couldn’t beat since Mario 3.

Pixel Junk Shooter:  This game is fun.  But it just didn’t pull me in like it did for Dan.

Bejeweled 2:  It’s Bejeweled.

Starcraft:  Started playing this game so I could get up on the story as well as the experience before playing Starcraft II.  The game hasn’t aged well.

Puzzle Quest:  Bejeweled meets RPG.  Fun concept.  I’d probably play a bit more in 2011.  Nothing to really pull me back in, though.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune:  Started this game in Dec of 2009.  Finished most of it mid-2010.  I really enjoyed the game and the story, once I got my third person video game “sea legs”

Diner Dash:  A fun little game where you are a waitress/enterprenuer and have to earn money to improve your restaurant.  It is a great concept, but it could have used a bit more Theme Hospital-like depth

Plants vs Zombies: Awesome game about keeping zombies off your lawn.  Sunk many an hour into this game.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Bought this game because my brothers really loved it.  Love the Monty Python-esque humor.  Realized I hated how hard all these old point and click adventures were.  Played for 1hour. I’ll probably get back to it when I’m done with everything else - with a FAQ/Walkthrough

Civilization V: Amazing followup to Civ IV.  Covered extensively on here.  Played for 46 hours.  Haven’t played much since the week it came out, but that’s typical for me and Civ.  I’ll probably be back to it for another straight week or so sometime this year.

Pac-man Championship Edition DX:  I didn’t think this game would be as exciting as I’d heard from the Giant Bomb guys, but bought it on a lark.  It is pure joy.  If you ever loved Pac-Man, you will love this game.  It is impossible to describe the sheer joy of munching on a row of ghosts.  You either get it or you don’t.

Assassin’s Creed/Assassin’s Creed II:  Got Assassin’s Creed because the Giant Bomb guys kept talking up Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and I wanted to start the story from the beginning.  I’m not going to get into these games too much because I’m planning on writing up a blog post comparing and contrasting  the different styles of gameplay in these two games.

My pick for game of 2010:  Batman: Arkham Assylum for it’s great gameplay and for getting me into 3rd person games and opening up 3 other games to me.  Read my review of Batman: Arkham Assylum.