I'd almost given up on blogging recently. For some reason I had a completely unfounded lack of interest, which I pretty much can only attribute to lethargy, as I seem to spend most of my nights sat trawling various Cheezburger websites trying to fend off the will to eat my own face out of boredom, when such monotony could easily be avoided if I just put metaphorical pen to metaphorical paper and write something. So I am.
Traditionally my GOTY posts have come mid January, so I can hoover up the last possible contenders for the throne that I've missed over the year, but this time a few games that I have wanted to play have slipped through the net, some that I own but haven't had time to play yet (Rage, Splinter Cell Collection, Resistance 3, LittleBigPlanet 2, The Sims Medieval), and some that I've had my eye on but haven't had the cash to lay down (The Conduit 2, Halo: Anniversary, The Adventures of Tintin, X-Men: Destiny and BloodRayne, and I know there are some questionable titles there but I love an underdog). I doubt any of these games would have worried the top 10 though, LBP2 probably deserves to but with the time and effort I'm willing to put into it, I'll never see it to it's full potential. Onwards then, to the runners up.
29: Two Worlds II - Reality Pump - PS3 (360, PC)
Rumoured to be great, ended up a damp squib. An improvement over the first, but still borderline unplayable.
28: Hunted: The Demon's Forge - InXile Entertainment - PS3 (360, PC)
Attempts to fuse God and Gears, but fails to capture the strengths of either. Alright, not great.
27: LA Noire - Team Bondi - PS3 (360, PC)
This game had such huge ambitions, but failed to live up to them. The story is a shambles too. Technically incredible though, I'll give it that.
26: Killzone 3 - Guerrilla Games - PS3
What went wrong? after the awesome Killzone 2, this 4 hour long apology of a game failed to impress, with it's lacklustre set pieces and awkward attempts at humour. Good Collector's Edition though, admittedly.
25: Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition - Capcom - 3DS
As good as SFIV still is, it's not really any different to what we've been playing for the last two years, so I can't place this any higher.
24: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Relic Entertainment - PS3 (360, PC)
A better job at what Hunted tried to do, but the ridiculous method of self-healing and annoyance of the cockney Orks' repeated dialogue (Kill the Spice Moreens!) are a recipe for many a rage-quit.
23: Red Faction: Armageddon - Volition - PS3 (360, PC)
It saddens me to see the end of a series I've loved since it's beginning, and further so that it didn't go out with the bang it deserved. RF:A is alright, but just alright. The series didn't really need aliens to be fair.
22: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Sledgehammer Games - 360 (PS3, Wii, PC)
For someone such as myself, with no interest in the affairs of the military or online gaming, there is a limit to what I can get out of CoD. It was entertaining, with great set pieces and graphics, but forgettable and short.
21: Spider-Man: Edge of Time - Beenox - PS3 (360, Wii, 3DS, DS)
Fun but unimaginative, the game is mainly sticking to what it knows. Steeped in geekery and with some great storytelling, it somehow lacks the level of appeal that Shattered Dimensions had.
20: Dead Space 2 - Visceral Games - PS3 (360, PC)
Dead Space 2 is a solid game, and would probably score higher on a lot of lists. I just felt that it lacked the polish of the first one though, there wasn't the same sense of dread, and in giving Isaac a voice they exposed him as a bit of a whiney twat.
19: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D - Nintendo - 3DS
A timeless classic, but the 3D effects, motion controls and polished graphics can't hide the 'been there, done that' feeling.
18: Alice: Madness Returns - Spicy Horse - PS3 (360, PC, iOS)
Dark and thrilling, this game was a joy to play, and at times a bit disturbing. Think God of War with a dash of Silent Hill, and a good helping of Tim Burton and you're half way there. It's absolutely beautiful too.
17: Assassin's Creed: Revelations - Ubisoft Montreal - PS3 (360, PC)
A bit of a disappointment, but after Brotherhood I expected it to be. While there's no denying the fun to be had with the AC engine, the games are getting shorter and the story more shoehorned in. Here's hoping AC3 will return to what made AC2 amazing.
16: Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Eidos Montreal - PS3 (360, PC, Mac)
Great fun but a little too retro. Reminiscence of the first Metal Gear Solid and a lot of freedom in how things are done had me glued to the game, but stupid boss fights and outdated gameplay prevented me from loving it.
15: Marvel vs. Capcom 3 - Capcom - PS3 (360)
Another great fighter from Capcom, I mean if these guys don't know it, nobody does. What let it down for me though was the dubious choice of characters. Not really the fan service I wanted, although Deadpool was a delight.
14: Dragon Age II - BioWare - PS3 (360, PC)
Although the gameplay was significantly improved along with the visuals, the signature EA dumbing down and an overall lack of story, not to mention re-used environments and continuity fails, keep this from the top 10. Very enjoyable, but lacking compared to the excellent original.
13: Pokemon Black/White - Game Freak - DS
Pokemon is what a Nintendo handheld is made for. It may have gotten a little out of hand now, with upwards of 600 of the little blighters to catch, but the magic of schoolyard collect-and-swap gameplay is still as present as ever, and the graphics have received a welcome overhaul. Easily the best DS title out there.
12: Duke Nukem Forever - Gearbox Software - 360 (PS3, PC, Mac)
What? My house, my list. You don't like it? Fuck off then! DNF, while not a technical wonder that pushes the limits of gameplay and visuals to unobtainable highs, makes this list simply for it's fun factor and nostalgia, taking me back to being a kid again, sneaking a go on Duke Nukem 3D to catch a glimpse of those pixelated boobs and hear those oh-so taboo naughty words. I just don't think the world was ready for you to return, Duke, despite being 14 years coming.
11: The Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword - Nintendo - Wii
I wanted this to be in the top ten, because it genuinely is a great game. It's gorgeous, has the best use of motion controls I've seen and it isn't afraid to try something new, a rarity among first party Nintendo games. But the amount of 'collect all the x before y happens' bits, and repeated boss fights, there's no excuse Nintendo, and where you had a great 35-hour game, you could have had an unforgettable 15-hour one. Still, this is probably the best Zelda to date, one of the best Wii games for that matter.
So I aim to post the top 10 within the next couple of days, stay tuned!
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