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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One region that shows the validity of these claims is in the home of true gaming, Japan. In the highly competitive Japanese market, some very popular games could cost up to 15 or 20 dollars more than in the US, but they still sell very well because of the trendy nature. One of the more recent examples is Resident Evil 5, or Biohazard 5 (the franchise name in Japan), which was sold at a price comparable to 75 US dollars. Did this high price cause the game to fail, hell no, and Capcom generating a ton of more profit on top of the normally small margins on a 60 dollar game. Could this have been a retailer mark up, I do not know because we do not have access to the wholesale prices or cost. Soon, as network infrastructure grows in speed and abundance, we will see a similar rise in the cost of downloadable titles, especially on next gen consoles.

Do not get me wrong; Xbox Live and the Playstation Network have revolutionized gaming in the online space, opening up multiplayer and downloadable content for our consumption. But, the trend of charging for their services and increase in overall cost of the games is a very troubling . These rising costs are not just hurting gamers, but developers, who see a drop off of downloads due to the current economic situation, therefore, a lower profit margin. Seeing these tendencies will also deter major publishers/license holders from taking the leap into the DLC market, keeping the overall value of a game lower. In turn, we could see more trading of games and piracy because as consumers, we need to get the “bang for our buck.” Although, the enthusiast press and hardcore gamers resent these practices, the “main stream” gamer is always ready to trade in their games not knowing the consequences of their actions against the developers and publishers who create these games.

The antithesis of this higher price of gaming is the iPhone. Utilizing the App Store, gamers and developers have been able to strike a balance on prices. With all games costing under ten bucks and the majority under 3 dollars, who can blame small developers for moving to an Apple platform because of ease of use and 20 plus million install base. Even some Apps are free, which is the mecca of toilet gaming. I believe that this is the future of mobile gaming and Nintendo/Sony will have to recognize the quality of such a platform. As for future iPhone iterations and releases, no one will know how many of these devices will be in the hands of gamers within the next five years.

The price of gaming is growing and decreasing as the popularity of several platforms grows. We shall see how the digital distribution market adapts to the need for lower cost games. Without the necessity of stamping media and packaging, what will games publishers do? Increase their own capital to spend on more ambitious games or line their pockets at the expense of the consumer. No one really knows and no analyst can give us the answer, but until that time we can only speculate. Given the current economic climate, it isn’t preposterous that an all-digital platform will be on its way, but the power of the retailers will dictate the truth. As long as the majority of games are sold through retailers we will continue to see physical media. It is my hope that this trend will cease to exist and we can go to an all digital distribution system for all games.

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5. Chrome Hounds: I know that it isn’t that old of a game, but in my opinion they were onto something.  I have always been a fan of the customizable mecha fighting games.  However, where Chrome Hounds caught my attention was with its inclusion of tactical squad based combat where you fufill different roles.  Creating your own squads for you and your friends can be fun as well.  I know I always loved raining destruction on people in my heavy gunner hound standing next to the commander who spooted enemies for me, all the while knowing that even with the two soldiers and the scout hunting down the enemy in the field that I was safe with our defender keeping watch on our backs.  That’s just an example of the tactical combat allowed.  Even better is the online mode allows you to play other people in squad based combat but also effecting the outcome of a war online between three nations that occurs over a month and then resets at the next month.  More hound roles, more nations and expanded gameplay is good enough for a sequel to me…

4. The Shenmue Franchise: I loved the storytelling of these games, it was fantastic how you experienced everything on Ryu’s quest to avenge the murder of his father.  The second game left a lot to be explored in the plot and I know many a fanboy who is still disappointed by the game being incomplete.

3.Crackdown: I know there are still rumors flying around that this game may still receive the sequel treatment but I want to express it anyway.  I know many people bought this game at first for the inclusion of the Halo 3 multiplayer beta with it, that being said I think many people were very pleasantly surprised with the game inside.  While short on plot, there’s something just great about throwing cars at people 100 yards away.  I hope this sequal sees the light of day someday cuz I know I would buy it in a heartbeat.

2. Super Smash Brothers Melee: This is where some of you esteemed readers may become a little confused.  I know that Brawl exists, I however do not think it has anything to do with the smash brother’s franchise.  Too many characters were changed in ways that turned off many of the devoted followers of Melee.  That being said brawl is a much slower game then Melee, however, this is not a critique of brawl so we’ll speak as if it doesn’t exist.  Whoever first came up with the idea to pit all of Nintendo’s superstars against each other is a true genius.  It worked in the first game and again in Melee.  A few more characters could be included but even then I don’t think the gameplay should be messed with much, just an update to the newest generation of systems.

1. Jet Set Radio Future: I have always been such a huge fan of this game.  Nothing to do with my usual tendencies but more to do with up until that point I had never played anything like JSRF.  I walked into it expecting a skating game like the others I had played before.  The last thing I expected was a plot and innovative gameplay that focused more around races and spraying graffiti then doing tricks.  In fact the tricks serve no more purpose than to keep you moving quickly.  The cell shaded graphics back then made it flashier and prettier than most games out at the beginning of the Xbox’s career.  Then there was the soundtrack from it which fit the weird plot of the game as well as it’s Japanese punk style perfectly.  I know rumors of Jet Set Radio Next have been around for years but I hold little hope at this point..

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5. Day of the Tentacle: The toilets are actually called Chrono-johns and are used to transport characters and items need to thwart the threat of the Purple Tentacle. All we need now is Doc Brown in his garbage powered delorean.

4. The Sims Series: Available in a number of tasteful styles, the commode plays a serious part in the survival of your sims, or the annoyance of your sim’s spouse who has to clean up the mess after a blockage when you fell asleep eating pizza on the front porch. So much like real life, it’s eery.

3. Hitman Franchise: In true Hollywood fashion, the shiny domed genetically engineered assassin shows his true prowess by following conveniently full bladdered Workers, Security Guards, Mafiosos and Henchmen into the mens bathroom and incapacitating them to acquire their uniforms as disguises and dragging their unconscious or dead bodies in the nearest cubicle and leaving their heads soaking in the bowl. If that’s not a distinguishable M.O. I don’t know what is.

2. Duke Nukem 3D: The star of the 90s classic as well as the missing but presumed dead title in eternal development, Duke Nukem Forever, has lots of witty one liners, but none are as thorough or to the point as when you stop the bathroom of a strip club and relieve yourself. Classy.

1. Half Life 2: Despite all the intellect and engineering abilities of Gordon Freeman, nothing seems to amuse this Scientist Superhero than to use the Zero-Point Energy Field Manipulator with a snazzy kohl’s bowl and turn it into a potty launcher to slay Combine soldiers with a well placed ‘Head’ shot.

There you the top five toilets to play with when you’re not playing videogames on the john.

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The first thing that came to mind after booting up the game: this looks incredible.  Since getting the huge amount of flack for the obviously pre-rendered scenes at E3 2005, Guerrilla has more than likely used as much time as they could to come very close to matching the CGI shown at that event.  The controls seemed pretty on-point, with a nicely implemented cover system that is a plus for someone, like myself, who is not as adept at playing the FPS genre with the Playstation 3′s looser sticks.  A computer controlled character goes through the later part of the demo with you, who is suprisingly susceptible to dying by gunfire and gun butts to the face from the player.

The only complaint that anyone could possibly have about this demo is the length.  If Guerrilla was going for a short and sweet approach to leave the players salivating for more, they have succeeded.

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In case you haven’t seen, the warning label would read:

WARNING: Excessive exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior.

Considering there has actually been no casual link found between video games and violent behavior in teens (the U.S. Department of Justice found that since 1993, the year that Doom was released, violence in juveniles has actually gone down 77%), it’s fairly obvious that Congressional members still have no understanding of this form of media and nothing else to pass useless bills on.

The American Sociological Association also uses this graph to conclude that there is no direct link between the two, stating:

“If we want to understand why young people become homicidal, we need to look beyond the games they play,” Sternheimer says.

Placing the blame on video games exonerates the environment that a child lives in that might nurture violence: poverty, instability, family violence, unemployment, and mental illness, Sternheimer argues.

“It is equally likely that more aggressive people seek out violent entertainment,” Sternheimer says. “After adult rampage shootings in the workplace, which happen more often than school shootings, reporters seldom mention if the shooters played video games.”

Like most First Amendment violating bills pertaining to video games that are attempting to be passed, I’m guessing this one will not make it through. Hopefully with a President leading the way that seemingly both understands and is not afraid of video games, these outrageous bills will soon be a thing of the past and parents, not the government, will be responsible for what media their children consume.

Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, American Sociological Association

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