The year 2009 was a great one for gaming. Being a gaming site, we here at AmpedGaming felt the need to throw in our two cents on which games brought us the most enjoyment throughout the last year of the decade. Since the staff is scattered across the country and we are neither rich nor able to just swap games with each other and weren’t able to play everything that came out, we thought we would do something a little bit different. Rather than just have an overall game of the year in 20 different categories, we have each picked our top three games of the year. Now, without further adieu, I’ll go ahead and kick this off.
inFAMOUS
The only game that wasn’t a sequel in my top three was Sucker Punch’s first Playstation 3 offering this generation, inFAMOUS. The Sly Cooper developer’s first foray into the open world style of gameplay turned out to be a higly enjoyable one. I hadn’t previously played a game where you could be an absolute prick and it leading to the game actually being easier than being a hero. If you’ve listened to any of our podcasts, you would know how much that kind of thing appeals to me. On top of that, the super-powers, the ease of which Cole scaled buildings, and the interestingly ridiculous plot helped make this the first game I’ve given a 5/5 to in my short span as a reviewer. It’s also one of the only games in quite some time (probably since Chrono Trigger) that I’ve actually played through a second time, definitely earning it’s spot in my top three of 2009.
Assassin’s Creed 2
While the first Assassin’s Creed disappointed me with repetitive missions and side jobs that only served as a way for me to get more achievements, Assassin’s Creed 2 remedied these problems for me. By removing the investigation sequences before assassinations and adding a currency system to upgrade armor, weapons and your town, Ubisoft has alleviated the main issues I had with the games predecessor. The monetary rewards gave me more of a reason to do random side missions this time around, where before they just seemed to exist for achievement purposes. Some annoyances with the way Enzio so easily leaps in the wrong direction during timed missions almost kept this game out of my list, but this problem was easily overshadowed by the time I finished the story.
Uncharted 2
Naughty Dog’s epic sequel to Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune had me in awe from beginning to end. It’s cinematic presentation that could only be made possible by the well-chosen camera angles and the characters were brought to life by some of the best voice acting in a video game that I’ve heard in a while. These things combined with plenty of moments that had me saying my favorite four letter words in ways other than the usual expressions of anger (even though the impossible amount of bullets the enemies could take before dying would have my roommates say otherwise), brings Uncharted 2 to the top of my list.
Arsen Nazaryan
UFC 2009 Undisputed
While the rest of my list took some thinking to do, THQ’s first attempt at an MMA title blew me away. Sure, the game had its issues and glitches with the overabundance of load screens and the meager online play which didn’t give you an option of what level opponents you wanted to fight but the bottom line is: they proved that an MMA title can be ridiculously successful. So much so that EA changed their mind about MMA not being a sport and decided to add EA Sports MMA to its long list of sports franchises. Undisputed proved to be one of the most enjoyable games of 2009 and I clocked in at least 20 hours before letting the game go (mostly due to the complex ground system that took me quite a bit to get used to). I still play it from time to time and with 84 fighters there’s much to do. This is a well deserved success for an excellent representation of the martial arts world. Now, please make it twice as good in 2010.
Borderlands
I know, I know, it’s not the freshest of concepts. There’s almost nothing you can say that is original about Borderlands: shooter RPGs have been around since Mass Effect and BioShock and those titles had more feel and content than Borderlands (better stories, of course). Despite this, however, at least Borderlands offers some of the BEST co-op gunplay an RPG or shooter could offer. Quests are extremely fun to do, but they’re ten times as fun with friends. Add in the mind-numbing amount of guns and statistics you have to track and you have got yourself one incredible title. Borderlands may have been created from a recipe of success, but it’s intriguing art style and hours of fun make it a top choice on my list. Gearbox is a very promising group of individuals and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next. Oh yeah, did I mention the DLC packs they’ve been putting out to support the game? Strong, consistent, and satisfying gameplay will always win.
Assassin’s Creed 2
The hardest thing for me to do was to choose between Assassin’s Creed 2 and Uncharted 2. You see, Uncharted 2 wasn’t necessarily a revolutionary game in terms of gameplay and content, but it told its story very well and engaged the player on a different level than other games that came before it. And with its multiplayer and co-op, the game’s personality and content made it an easy pick. On the other hand, Assassin’s Creed 2 has a crapload of stuff to do. Instead of simply shooting, the gameplay felt different and refined. The battle system and exploration were enticing and gallivanting across the rooftops of the different cities of Italy proved to be a much more successful creation in my eyes. Sure, AC2 capitalizes on the successes of its predecessor and extinguishes its failures but Uncharted 2 does the same. The difference between the two? Assassin’s Creed 2 was a story that involved a lot of depth and its towns and areas were built magnificently. While Uncharted 2 is only millimeters away, Assassin’s Creed 2 will have to be one of the best titles of 2009 and bless Ubisoft for making such a damn good game.
Jene Wallace (sweatyapple)
Uncharted 2
I liked the first Uncharted, but the second one is possibly one of my top games of all time. It’s better written and voice acted than a lot movies out there. The ease of controls makes climbing around second nature. While there’s nothing particularly new or ground breaking about it, for me, games are all about having fun and I had a blast. The visuals were breathtaking. Good balance of fighting and puzzle solving.
inFAMOUS
I hadn’t heard anything about this game when I bought it, so it came as a real surprise when I ended up loving it. Who thought the power of electricity could be so cool? The storyline was okay, but I loved the comic style interludes and gameplay was awesome. There was a nice variety of villains to defeat and powers to choose from. Traveling around was convenient, what with rail grinding and electricity-flying, which was important considering the scale of the world. The ability to choose if you were good or evil is always a favorite of mine.
Batman Arkham Asylum
My review pretty much said it all, but just to reiterate: the concept of not killing for the entire game is pretty unique, considering how much damage is being dealt. It really sells Batman as a character. This was also the first game I’ve ever enjoyed being in stealth mode. All the gadgets were well done and I enjoyed the free flowing combo fighting. The character designs were awesome. It offered some puzzle solving, but didn’t force it on you if you felt like skipping it. The game got a little repetitive for me, but overall I definitely enjoy it.
Matt Shafeek
Plants Vs. Zombies
Anyone who may have dismissed this game because of its casual appearance (or based on its publisher and devloper, PopCap) is missing out on one of the most addictive, strategic, and just plain fun games of the year. PvZ takes a decidedly fresh take on the tower defense genre and makes it simple and accessible for anyone, while having an incredibly deep level of customization and variety. That’s to say nothing of the games style and charm, which it oozes. I loved every minute I played this game, and believe me when I say I put a LOT of time into it. The only flaw in this game is that you eventually run out of things to do after about say, 50 hours of playing time. Not too shabby for a $20 game!
Assassin’s Creed 2
Well how about that. They should put a picture of this game in the dictionary under the word “refined.” They took everything good from AC1, improved upon it, took out everything bad, added some great side quests including building up your city, new actual worthwhile collectibles, and a fantastic story that kept me interested the entire time! The first Assassin’s Creed set up the framework for a great franchise, and the sequel really fleshed it out. While it starts off a bit slow, the game most certainly rewards you for your patience. And hoo-boy what an ending! (Spoiler alert, I haven’t actually seen the ending yet) A solid recommendation for any gamer.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Since I was a child, I’ve wanted to be Batman. Actually, that’s not entirely true. It was Superman until 1989. But once that first movie came out, I realized how much more I wanted to be Batman, and I never looked back. Capturing the feel and the essence of being Batman was a challenge that many game developers have tried and failed at…until now. Arkham Asylum nails everything I love about being Batman (the gadgets, the stealth/badassery, inspiring fear, the great villains/world), and combines it with everything I love in a great video game (compelling narrative, visceral combat, a world to explore, lots of side-quests and challenges to master). The script from Paul Dini and the voice work from Conory, Hammill et al were just icing on the cake. A true joy and I honestly cannot wait for the sequel to see what they do next.
Honorable Mentions:
Resident Evil 5 (which was on the list until just a few days ago!), super fun but unfortunately not as much of a leap as AC2, and Shadow Complex, which was also incredibly fun from beginning to end, but just didn’t quite make the cut.
Frank Hunter
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
With a story that redefines the word “epic” and an ongoing multiplayer mode with endless challenges and various game types, Modern Warfare 2 would have climbed the pile of First Person Shooters to sit at the top even without all the hype. It follows a predecessor that blew the genre away a few years back, and continued to do the same into 2009. Modern Warfare 2 improved on the first installment in almost every way, offering customizable rewards and killstreaks, clan support, more weapons, sticky grenades, you name it. Covert Ops mode also provides a very enjoyable cooperative experience for two friends gaming in the same room, the way it used to be done. I only wish Activision would allow for split screen cooperative play online, but even with this flaw Modern Warfare 2 is an addictive and enjoyable game experience.
Assassin’s Creed 2
Going into this game, I had my suspicions about being an assassin in Renaissance Italy. It seemed a strange choice of setting, but as soon as the game got going, my doubts were gone. The scenery is very accurately recreated and stunningly beautiful. All the characters, those drawn from true history and those not, are rich and very deep. The voice acting is beyond good, using the Italian language and true accents. Nothing sounds fake. And, the game’s biggest selling point, is that it has improved upon the original in almost every way. It’s almost as though Ubisoft built Assassin’s Creed to be a springboard so that they could launch into this sequel full force. There are countless side quests and contracts, rewards and puzzles and incentives. There’s a hidden true story about what’s really going on in the world of Assassin’s Creed, and unearthing all that would just be the tip of the iceberg among the fabulous story that was crafted for this game. This is an RPG in an action game’s clothes, and it is worth every penny if you are not the multiplayer type. Hours of material, smooth gameplay, and the well-crafted story easily make this a game of the year.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
As an old fan of the stealth action genre (oh no! the truck has started to move!), the prospect of sneaking around as the caped crusader was intriguing to me indeed. He is, after all, the ultimate ninja, but with superhero games getting the shoddy treatment they traditionally get, it became a matter of whether or not Eidos could break the mold. And they did. Arkham Asylum is not only a successful stealth action game, one which gives you the feeling of immense power while in the dark, but has provided what is arguably the first very good superhero game. The graphic design gives Arkham a very unique look, while at the same time holding onto some bit of nostalgia by bringing on the voice cast from the old Batman cartoon series. For a character that is constantly jumping and swinging from rafters, Batman is very easy to control, and has a slew of moves and gadgets that are used seamlessly. Though combat is a little simplistic, it flows so nicely and has enough variety that it’s fun to watch. My only problem is that I would have enjoyed a few more unique boss fights (most seemed like just fighting a slew of normal minions at once) but that’s small beans when it comes to everything that Arkham Asylum is and the success it has seen in an area that has never really seen it before.
And there you have it. According to us, it seems like the majority of the best games of last year came at the end. Thanks to Modern Warfare 2, however, things could be changing, with 2010 looking front-loaded with great games. Now all we need is for the summer time to be flooded with more top tier titles and we’ll get to be broke all year round. I can’t wait.
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