Geekscape Year in Review: Geekscsape’s Favorite Games of 2010
<h2>Geekscsape Games Writer Joshua Jackson</h2>
<p>2010 will probably go down as one of the best years this gaming generation offered. We saved the galaxy in Mass Effect 2, lived the life of an outlaw in Red Dead Redemption and let our imaginations run free, whether across the stars in Mario Galaxy 2 or the jungle in Donkey Kong Country Returns. But enough about those games, because you’ve heard about them all year and are almost guaranteed to find these on every other list imaginable. No, this is where the gems step forward and take their credit. Some of these had very little marketing, some of them are targeted towards niche markets and some were ignored for little to no reason at all. So step forward lesser known games. It’s your time to shine!</p>
<h2>10. Disney Guilty Party</h2>
<p>Remember when Disney games were a big deal? Well, this might be the publisher’s second coming, with releases like the arcade racer Split/Second, Epic Mickey and Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep. But while these three had critical or commercial acclaim, Guilty Party snuck under the radar because of two dreaded words… “Party Game.” But what sets Guilty Party apart is the personality that oozes from every aspect of the presentation. Distinct characters in this family of detectives manages to capture the Disney charm without using a single established Disney character. The game itself has a co-op story mode to match the board game style competitive mode reminiscent of Clue, and somehow brings life into a genre that most would consider dead. Plus, it has a snazzy theme song!
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<h2>9. DeathSmiles</h2>
<p>So if there are two things that the Japanese love, it’s underage girls in gothic lolita outfits and incredibly difficult games. DeathSmiles has you covered on both ends with a side scrolling shooter, (i.e. R-Type,) that manages to be pretty entertaining. Underneath the made outfits and short skirts, (besides a prison term,) is some of the most rewarding, yet difficult challenges you could find this year. Exclusively on the Xbox 360, it’s a perfect way to get back into shooters, especially with villains like “Jitterbug,” and “Giant Cow Mary…”
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<h2>8. Sakura Wars: So Long My Love</h2>
<p>Sakura Wars… the name doesn’t mean squat here, but in Japan, the game is a long running franchise, spawning anime spinoffs, merchandise and sequel upon sequel. Why didn’t we get it until this title was quietly released in the summer? Because it’s a dating sim. But it’s not all about candy, flowers and convenient headaches. You play as the only male in an elite troupe of mech pilots who are the only thing standing in the way of New York’s destruction thanks to a solid real time strategy element. It’s one of the quirkier titles of the year, but how else am I gonna date cute anime girls?
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<h2>7. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift</h2>
<p>Super Street Fighter 4 wasn’t the only fighting game follow-up to come out this year. While BlazBlue from Arc System Works, (of Guilty Gear fame,) created a splash last year with a unique and varied cast, this one wasn’t as revolutionary since it wasn’t as fresh. Still, Continuum Shift brought back its stellar online modes with rebalanced characters, three new fighters and another multi-hour story mode that breaks genre expectations by actually being good. Plus, if there was an award for 2010’s best troll, the villainous Hazama would win by a landslide.
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<h2>6. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle</h2>
<p>No More Heroes 2 was all we could ever ask for in a sequel. It took the faults of the original and corrected them, making a more well rounded game with fun, 8 bit mini games to go with the wacky storytelling that only Suda 51 could give us. The first one was never a huge success, and it’s to be expected that a title about a perverted otaku with a lightsaber who constantly has to take a dump to save the game wouldn’t exactly set the world on fire commercially, but what you will get is an over the top, (and overly violent,) action game that needs to be seen to be believed.
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<h2>5. Shantae: Risky’s Revenge</h2>
<p>Finally, after over a decade, the long awaited sequel to Shantae was released as a DSi download, and the world rejoiced in its wonder… wait, what do you mean, “What the hell is a Shantae?” Risky’s Revenge is quite possibly the greatest sequel that nobody heard of to continue the story of the best Game Boy Color game nobody ever heard of. As the genie Shantae, players platform, belly dance and transform into unspeakable creatures, (and by unspeakable I mean monkeys and elephants,) to fight the frisky pirate Risky Boots. Crazy dialogue, some innovative game play and a low asking price should be what gamers wish for this year, but for some reason, they didn’t.
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<h2>4. Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars</h2>
<p>When Capcom releases a Vs. game, people usually take notice. After about 10 years since the last proper tag team game in the series, Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom was released… and oddly ignored. The roster was more obscure with fighters like Rival Schools’ Batsu facing off against old school anime characters like members from the Gatchaman team, but the mechanics were improved from that “other” Vs. game in every way. Someone at Capcom must have realized this since it seems that Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is using many of the mechanics, graphics and animations from this bastard stepchild of the series. So if you want a preview of MvC3 and a solid fighting game, get over your Wii phobia and pick this up. Based on early impressions, they’re practically the same game anyway…
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<h2>3. Cave Story</h2>
<p>Not all indy games can get a world of hype like Limbo and Super Meat Boy, especially when it’s released on the Wii… *cough.* While Cave Story already had a cult following thanks to its free release on the PC a few years back, gamers still left this WiiWare title in the dark when it came to actually paying for it. That was a huge mistake, because while the trend of retro remakes and new 8-bit games is in full gear, Cave Story is truly one of the best. Think Metroid with it’s big, intricate map and heavy focus on action platforming and replaces aliens with evil mutated bunnies. The difference is that people actually played Metroid, but Cave Story is just as good in its own right. Not bad for a development team of one person…
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<h2>2. Vanquish</h2>
<p>Platinum Games has to be used to getting ignored by now. Even a title like Bayonetta with its intense action and scantily clad witches couldn’t break into the mainstream when it was released in January. But their second game this year was almost completely ignored despite being so good, (that’ll happen when you’re released two weeks away from a new Call of Duty.) Vanquish takes the Gears of War style 3rd Person Shooter and flips it on its head. Jets from the knees, jets from the feet and jets from the back let you take on enemies in style and manages to make a shooter that’s about way more than point and shoot. And most importantly, it reminds us that smoking is cool, but only when distracting killer mechs.
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<h2>1. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor</h2>
<p>For the last few years, gamers have been begging for Nintendo to meet their needs and bring out games meant for the hardcore gamer. They delivered big with the release of Sin and Punishment: Star Successor from the shooter gods that are Treasure, (Gunstar Heroes, Ikaruga.) In response, the gaming community responded with a resounding, “We want more cooking games!” because even with free Nintendo Points with a preorder, the game failed to make a splash. But that doesn’t mean this sequel to the Japanese classic isn’t great. No no… it’s quite the opposite. Fast, frantic shooting, tough as nails bosses and an overall awesome experience makes it one of the finest games this year.
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<h2>Honorable Mention: A Game I’d Rather Forget</h2>
<h2>King of Fighters: Sky Stage</h2>
<p>Sometimes, mishmashing genres that have no business being together can create wonderful results. King of Fighters: Sky Stage is not one of them. Whoever thought of creating a game like Raiden or 1942 with the likes of Terry Bogard who can suddenly fly and shoot mysterious beams out of his broad, manly chest must have been desperate for a new release. The absurdity of the game puts it on a level all its own, and has to be the biggest WTF release of the year. But that’s fair, it’s not like King of Fighters doesn’t run in semi annual installments… wait…
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So 2010 might be remembered for cowboys and flying plumbers, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for the “other” games. This year was great for the unique titles that never quite find their footing in the upper echelon of gaming, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worthy of your attention. Hell, you have everything you could ever ask for, a good mystery, a date, anime, humor, space marines with jet boots… the only things missing are a budget and promotion. So here’s to you, great games that aren’t big budget sequels with millions of dollars to blow and a full on orchestra. You aren’t completely forgotten… until Uncharted 3 comes out.</p>
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<h2>Jonathan’s 2010 Best Games (He Played)</h2>
<h2>1. Red Dead Redemption</h2>
<p>The only game I have ever 100-percented in my life… and an enormous game to do it with! Red Dead Redemption took everything that was incredible about my beloved GTA franchise and made it even better. Amazing visuals, solid controls and a sprawling world that players could get lost in make this the best Rockstar Games release to date. Everything that annoyed me about the GTA games (and there wasn’t much) were now gone. The hilarious characters and engaging missions almost took a backseat to just riding around on your horse and hunting animals. And the multiplayer experience and add ons trounce anything that Rockstar has provided in the past.</p>
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<h2>2. Mario Galaxy 2</h2>
<p>As awesome as the original Mario Galaxy was, Mario Galaxy 2 picks up right where it left off… and we’re talking about difficulty too! I was so pleased to discover that the second game gave players one world in which to play catch up before throwing them into worlds that were as challenging and as creatively mind bending as the final levels of Mario Galaxy 1! And the two player option, which Walton and I have been piecing threw, is more fun than it is frustrating… but only barely (which leaves us coming back for more, seeing if we can finally perfect each challenge)!</p>
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<h2>3. Super Meat Boy</h2>
<p>Enough has been said about this incredible platformer and thumb-wreckingly challenging but addicting game. Throw my name onto the list of fans heaping praise on this flash game made huge. From music to level design to humor, this is a perfect title.</p>
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<h2>4. Monkey Island 2 SE</h2>
<p>For the second year in a row, the boys at Lucasarts have taken one of my childhood’s perfect games and given it the pristine remastering that makes my adult self’s mind melt. This is like rediscovering an old childhood memory and having it redirected by Stephen Spielberg. It’s just the way we always wished to remember it! One of my top 5 games of all time, re-giftwrapped and made fresh. Thank you!</p>
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<h2>5. Cave Story</h2>
<p>If Super Meat Boy is the platformer that made XBL and PC owners crazy this year, then Cave Story’s rerelease on the Wii is what made Wii owners insane. Taking the best parts of games like Metroid and Shadow Complex and making them cute and A HELL OF A LOT HARDER, Cave Story gave us Wii owners an enormous title and reason to tell the rest of the gaming community “what do you mean, the Wii doesn’t have challenging games?” This game is addictive, platforming torture wrapped in a colorful bow (with multiple unlockable endings just to make it even worse).</p>
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<h2>Games I Didn’t Get a Chance To Play (But Wanted To):</h2>
<p>God of War 3, 3D Dot Heroes, Donkey Kong Country Returns, NBA Jam, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, Metroid Other M</p>
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<h2>WILLIAM BIBBIANI’S TOP TEN VIDEOGAMES OF 2010:</h2>
<p>Well fuck. I’ve been reviewing videogames all year, from Bayonetta to WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw 2011, but there have been several marquee titles (Mass Effect 2 and Dead Rising 2 among them) that I just haven’t had a chance to play yet so putting together a definitive “Top Ten” just wouldn’t feel right… “Journalistic Integrity” and all that rot. So this isn’t a list of the best videogames of 2010, it’s just a list of the most awesome games I was able to play. Most of them have serious flaws, but then hey, so does your Mom. And you still love your Mom, right?</p>
<h2>1. HEAVY RAIN (PlayStation 3)</h2>
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<p>Bibbiani’s<a href=”http://calitreview.com/7203″> Heavy Rain Review </a>on California Literary Review</p>
<p>Heavy Rain was the best game-type product you could interact with on a console system this year. But is it a videogame? Well, that’s up for debate. In this PlayStation 3 exclusive you find yourself in pursuit of “The Origami Killer,” who kidnaps children and drowns them days later, leaving only a folded paper curio in their wake. Over the course of the game the player adopts the persona of a father who’s son may be the next victim, an ex-cop who’s always one step behind the murderer, a mysterious woman who befriends the prime suspect and a detective with a drug addiction and virtual reality forensics equipment. One or more of the playable characters may be the murderer, and depending on your actions none of them are guaranteed to survive until the end of the story.</p>
<p>Heavy Rain uses the oft-criticized “QuickTime Event” mechanic to exceptional effect, and the result is an interactive narrative that doesn’t feel like a typical videogame. There isn’t a simple series of objectives to overcome, nor are there obvious rewards. You do things or you don’t, and those choices have consequences. It’s one of the most emotional experiences you’ll ever play, and dramatizes simple events like caring for a baby or bonding with your son just as dramatically as sequences that find your protagonists forced to cut off pieces of their own body. On more than one occasion the suspense was so palpable that I found myself turning the game off rather than dealing with the pressure of making difficult, life-altering decisions. The plot… is rather ridiculous, and the voice-acting often feels alien, but the effect is alluringly dreamlike.</p>
<p>Playing Heavy Rain is a lot like living through the best Dario Argento movie never filmed. Is Heavy Rain a game? Maybe not, but it couldn’t matter less. Playing through Heavy Rain was one of the most memorable artistic experiences I had in 2010, and I couldn’t recommend it more highly.</p>
<h2>2. CASTLEVANIA: LORDS OF SHADOW (Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3)</h2>
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One thing you can’t say about Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is that it’s “original.” Practically every aspect of this prequel/reboot of the classic Castlevania franchise feels cribbed from other games, from Shadow of the Colossus to God of War. It’s sometimes distracting, but unlike most games of its ilk Castlevania: Lords of Shadow succeeds at almost all of them. The controls are exceptional, the game looks fucking gorgeous and despite its 20-hour run time it never runs out of ideas. New gameplay mechanics, antagonists and plot points are introduced right up until the final levels, which is particularly impressive since many of even the greatest videogames tend to drop the ball towards the end. And let’s go back a bit: In an era when best-selling games barely offer a 6-hour single-player campaign, the new Castlevania offers 20 hours of gameplay for the same price, and it’s great the entire way through. I loved this game.</p>
<h2>3. SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD: THE GAME (Xbox Live Arcade & PlayStation Network)</h2>
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Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is a beat-‘em-up, pure and simple. It just happens to be one of the best beat-‘em-ups I’ve ever played. Beautifully designed by Paul Robertson (the guy behind the epic Pirate Baby Cabana Battle 2006) with music by the God-awesome Anamanaguchi, you take control of Scott Pilgrim or one of his many friends as you beat the holy hell out of evil ex-boyfriends, evil ex-girlfriends, robots, and random Canadian thugs in one inspired level after another. The controls are perfect and the level-up elements add surprising depth. It’s a shame that there’s no online multiplayer, but if you’re one of those lucky people who have friends that are actually willing to be in the same room with you, multiplayer games don’t get a lot better.</p>
<h2>4. ROBOT UNICORN ATTACK (AdultSwim.com)</h2>
<p>There isn’t a single game I’ve played more often in 2010 than Robot Unicorn Attack. Play it for 30 seconds and you’ll understand why. It’s one of those perpetual side-scrollers where your character – in this case a robot unicorn – constantly moves from left to right and your control is limited to jumping over obstacles and dashing as necessary. Your speed steadily increases, upping the difficulty constantly. Failure results in a startling and surprisingly gruesome explosion that punishes you just enough to make you want to try again, just to show this game “what for.” Add in “Always” by Erasure – the best song choice in any videogame all year (a hell of a lot better than “Fly Me To The Moon” in Bayonetta, that’s for goddamned sure) – and you have the most addictive game of 2010. Small pleasures… Who could deny us these? Click <a href=”http://games.adultswim.com/robot-unicorn-attack-twitchy-online-game.html”> here </a> to go to the game, or you can play it on Facebook</p>
<h2>5. FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 & Microsoft Windows)</h2>
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<p>Fallout: New Vegas is a hell of a lot like Fallout 3. After all, they use the same engine. But although the game isn’t exactly fresh as a daisy it takes the highly successful Fallout 3 game mechanics and uses them to tell a new and surprisingly rich story with role-playing elements that can’t be boiled down to being the “Good Guy” or the “Bad Guy.” You’ll be forced to make decisions that negatively affect characters you’ve grown to like no matter what path you take, and that leads to an impressively complex game that somehow takes as much as 60 hours to complete and still makes you want to play it all over again just to see what could happen instead. Add in the insane survival mode (in which you actually need to eat, sleep and drink just to keep your character alive) and you’re left with a game that’s the equal – and arguably superior – to its predecessor. If only it wasn’t buggy as shit this would be higher on the list.</p>
<h2>6. RED DEAD REDEMPTION (Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3)</h2>
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<p>William Bibbiani’s <a title=”Review of Red Dead Redemption” href=”http://calitreview.com/9163″>Review of Red Dead Redemption</a> at the Calfornia Lit Review</p>
<p>I don’t care how much you love Red Dead Redemption – I love it too, incidentally – but you have to admit this thing has some flaws. It opens too slowly, its villains are poorly characterized and every time you choose to act like a psychotic bastard it feels like you’re playing the wrong game. And yet Red Dead Redemption is so fucking awesome that these complaints only explain why it didn’t crack the top five. Great storylines, exceptional controls and a wry sense of humor make this follow-up to my beloved Red Dead Revolver well worth the wait. I haven’t had the chance to play the Undead Nightmare DLC yet, so just cut me some damned slack.</p>
<h2>7. LIMBO (Xbox Live Arcade)</h2>
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<p>What more is there to be said about LIMBO? This smart and atmospheric side-scroller follows a bigheaded little boy as he traipses through a nightmare world that is trying desperately to murder him or at least shove parasitic worms in his skull was a brief but memorable highlight in the world of downloadable gaming in 2010. I’m not sure it’s as deep as it appears to be, and it transitions awkwardly from a bug-laden monster game to a dedicated physics puzzler with machine guns, but it’s full of clever set pieces and never completely disappoints. Great game.</p>
<h2>8. MATT HAZARD: BLOOD BATH AND BEYOND (Xbox Live Arcade & PlayStation Network)</h2>
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<p>The original Matt Hazard videogame was so critically panned that I – like most of you – never bothered playing it. But this short-and-sweet side-scrolling sequel is one of the best surprises of the year. Fictional videogame hero Matt Hazard (read: more fictional than usual) is forced to go back in time to all of his “classic” games in order to prevent the bad guys from erasing him from the timestream. Each level cleverly parodies one or more videogames, from Super Mario Bros. & Team Fortress 2 (together) to Bioshock, and each level plays like a really great reboot of the Contra series. Unloved and unnoticed, Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond deserves a second look from everyone who thought they had better things to play. They probably didn’t.</p>
<h2>9. DEATHSPANK (Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Microsoft Windows & Mac OS X)</h2>
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<p>William Bibbiani’s <a href=”http://calitreview.com/10588″>Deathspank Review</a> on the California Literary Review</p>
<p>Ron Gilbert’s laugh-out-loud hilarious RPG action/adventure game follows stalwart hero DeathSpank as he traverses an odd cylindrical-shaped universe killing monsters and expressing as much frustration as the player does about all his stupid sidequests. But at least those fetch quests are overtly stupid. I can’t remember the last time I had to avoid being raped by unicorns while trying to salvage their poop, but it was probably quite a little while ago. The game is filled with highly unnecessary inventory items and isn’t quite smart enough to actually fix all the ridiculous RPG conventions it lampoons, but it’s a witty and surprisingly long downloadable game that’s worth every penny if you’re into this sort of thing.</p>
<h2>10. DANTE’S INFERNO (Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3)</h2>
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<p>William Bibbiani’s <a href=”http://calitreview.com/6665″>Dante’s Inferno Review</a> on the California Literary ReviewLINK: </p>
<p>Dante’s Inferno took a lot of flack for its ill-advised, radically over-the-top advertising campaign and its unabashed fealty to the God of War franchise. And both of those observations are fair, but it’s actually pretty damned good as GoW clones go. The game plays great, adapts the world of Dante Alighieri very successfully into a series of distinctive gaming environments and boasts an impressively well-conceived original storyline about a hero going to hell because he actually deserves to and then genuinely earning his own redemption. There’s a level towards the end that fucking stinks (which abandons the absorbing storyline in favor of a Fourth Wall-breaking series of silly challenge rooms) but Dante’s Inferno never really deserved its bad rap. This is a solid game that deserves credit for doing what it does very, very well.</p>
<h2>HONORABLE MENTIONS:</h2>
<p>Click on the links to read Bibbiani’s thoughts on the games in detail.</p>
<p><a href=”http://blog.machinima.com/insidegaming/2010/12/18/bomberman-live-battlefest-review/”>BOMBERMAN LIVE: BATTLEFEST</a> (more of the same, but the same totally rocks)</p>
<p><a href=”../../../william-bibbiani-reviews-lara-croft-and-the-guardian-of-light.html”>LARA CROFT AND THE GUARDIAN OF LIGHT</a> (horribly written but very fun in spite of it)</p>
<p><a href=”http://calitreview.com/10280″>MONKEY ISLAND 2: LECHUCK’S REVENGE SPECIAL EDITION</a> (brilliant game, only left off the list because it’s a re-release)</p>
<p>PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE UNWOUND FUTURE (only barely nudged off the Top Ten)</p>
<p><a href=”../../../william-bibbiani-reviews-puzzle-quest-2.html”>PUZZLE QUEST 2</a> (it’s like crack: it’s not good for you but it sure is entertaining)</p>
<p><a href=”../../../geekscape-reviews-rock-band-3.html”>ROCK BAND 3</a> (every problem with the franchise they solved is replaced by a new one, but the new instruments are awesome if you can afford them) </p>
<h2>And now… WILLIAM BIBBIANI’S WORST GAMES OF 2010:</h2>
<p>TIE: <a href=”http://calitreview.com/11279″>MAFIA 2</a> (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 & Microsoft Windows) & <a href=”http://blog.machinima.com/reviews/2010/10/15/quantum-theory-review/”>QUANTUM THEORY</a> (Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3)</p>
<p>There were some bad, bad games in 2010, and as a critic I was simply unable to avoid all of them. But as lame as Eat Them! and Dark Void were, only two games succeeded in righteously pissing me off. Mafia 2 managed to squeak by with mostly positive reviews, but I’m not entirely sure what game everyone else was playing. This barely competent third-person shooter suffered from one of the most derivative storylines I encountered in any medium all year (the Marmaduke movie was fairly creative by comparison), and pretended to be a sandbox game when in fact the only gameplay element that developer 2K Czech successfully implemented from that genre was having to drive everywhere yourself while listening to morons talk the whole time. They effectively turned a mediocre 6 hour game into an abysmal 10 hour game. As I wrote in my review: “Mafia 2 is about as bad as games get without actually suffering from incompetence.” I stand by that statement now.</p>
<p>In contrast, Quantum Theory was just plain old-fashioned bad. It’s a complete mess of a game with an impenetrable storyline, hammy acting, poor controls, ugly graphics and a bizarre tendency to cut away mid-action to a close-up of heads exploding. But unlike the Fallout series’ “VATS” system, you have no control over when this happens so if you do somehow manage to get wrapped up in Quantum Theory’s gameplay it doesn’t last because the flow breaks more often than Adolfo “Shabba-Doo” Quinones in Electric Boogaloo. One of these days you’ll find a copy of Quantum Theory in a bargain bin for one dollar. You’ll recognize it because it will burn to the touch… and it will be overpriced.</p>
<p> </p>
<h2>Walton’s Favorites of 2010</h2>
<h2>#10 The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom</h2>
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<p>Playing a pie thief caught in a temporal vortex is a hoot. Reminiscent of Braid, you have to use your ability to clone yourself and manipulate time to right your misdeeds in what boils down to a bed time story via video game. Of all the XBLA titles getting hyped this year, The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom deserves a mention.</p>
<h2>#9 Super Mario Crossover</h2>
<p>Play Super Mario Bros. as Samus?! Hell Yeah. The novel concept of revisiting classic games as different characters is so simple, yet could have easily been screwed up. This game is perfect for the 8 bit fan in all of us.</p>
<h2>#8 Robot Unicorn Attack</h2>
<p>Easy to figure out, not difficult but challenging. Addictive song and fun visuals that remind you of a bad ass version of a jr. high trapper keeper. I find myself playing this whenever I just need to reboot my brain.</p>
<h2>#7 Scott Plgrim Vs The World</h2>
<p>This brawler did a remarkable job of bringing Scott Pilgrim to life, while not feeling like a retread of all the other Pilgrim propoganda that was floating around. The difficulty on such a straight forward brawler was great and encourages you to seek out partners to come over and play. The lack of online coop was a serious oversight but the game is still fun if you have to play by your lonesome, just a lot tougher.</p>
<h2>#6 Bio Shock 2</h2>
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<p>While it may not have the shock value of the twist in the original Bio Shock, Bio Shock 2 was still an engaging title. While it was bogged down with issues, the sequel impresses as you reencounter Rapture. The Big Sisters are fun to square off against and I found the lecel you play as a little sister, both disturbing and oddly satisfying.</p>
<h2>#5 Super Mario Galaxy 2</h2>
<p>I love this game. It’s gorgeous, addictive, and fun; and I have yet to even play as Mario. As Jonathan says above, we’re working through the two player game together and I’m playing Mario’s little star buddy. The game reinvents what coop has to be in games.</p>
<h2>#4 Bayonetta</h2>
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<p>What a strange, frustrating, and slightly deranged game. I love it. This game was so strange and unhinged I couldn’t stop playing, the combo system is repetitive and awful, but the flashiness and speed of the game made it very hard to put down. Also of interest was the graphicly correct depictions of the types of angels in the game. They designed them completely based off of biblical descriptions. Creepy and awesome.</p>
<h2>#3 Dead Rising Case Zero</h2>
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<p>I didn’t get around to playing Dead Rising 2 in full this year. It’s the first game I’m tackling in the new year, but this little gem of a demo was incredibly fun and packed full of game for it’s $5.00 price tag. You can read my full review here,insert link.</p>
<h2>#2 Super Meat Boy</h2>
<p>If you don’t have it, buy it. Every one is in agreement, it is the best puzzle/platformer of the year.</p>
<h2>#1 Mass Effect 2</h2>
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<p>While some of the RPG elements went away for a more actiony approach, this hybrid title from Bioware was still the most engrossing and entertaining game of the year. Building up your teams ranks and then completing loyalty missions was a great way to really make you care about the characters under your command. The engrossing storyline and rich characters make this one must play game.</p>
<p> </p>
<h2>Matt Kelly’s nearly pointless contribution to the conversation</h2>
<p>I’ve never been much of a gamer, in fact the newest video game system I own is a Super Nintendo. However, I have friends who love video games and I often attend “Game Nights”. So I’m going to bend the rules, instead of the top 10 video games of 2010, I decided to let you into the wonderful world of Matt Kelly with the top 10 games I played this year (both video and board).</p>
<p>10. Zombies Ate My Neighbors – This year my brother and I have spent countless hours attempting to FINALLY beat Zombies Ate My Neighbors in one sitting. Sadly, we have nothing to show for our efforts except for stronger teamwork skills</p>
<p>9. Scattergories – I’m the fucking master of Scattergories, I’ll call anyone out any day of the week to a game, sadly, I’m too good, so much that this game has been retired from all game nights with my friends on account of it being “unfair” to play me (aka Matt makes up Shit too frequently)</p>
<p>8. Rock Band 2 – The entire Cast of the forth coming Saint Mort Show (look for it in early January) and I have been playing rock band together for 2 years. One day we need to set up a camera and video tape a performance of “Handful of Dong” so you can see us rocking out. Mic twirling, synchronized jumps, and dry humping each other, it’s truly a spectacle worth watching.</p>
<p>7. Apple to Apples – I’m pretty good at Apples to Apples (but not to my Scattergories level of mastery) so this game is still played at Game Nights. For those of your not familiar with it, it’s designed for young kids, but somehow became a vulgar game for College kids and beyond.</p>
<p>6. Leonard Maltin Game – Ever since discovering this game on Doug Loves Movies, I’m always trying to get a game going at parties… if I’m ever successful, I’ll be sure to write about it.</p>
<p>5. Carnival (Wii) – This completely ridiculous Wii game has captured my imagination (and that of my friends). What could be more fun than going to the Carnival? Just playing the carnival games from the safety of your home (far from where carnies can attack you). For roughly $20, this Wii game managed to keep my entertained for HOURS while I partook in such games such as mini-golf and shooting range.</p>
<p>4. Risk – While I haven’t played this as much as I used too, Risk Nights are always Grand nights full of anger and friendship deterioration. The secret is build your armies in Australia and then attack when your friends are at their weakest, the only down side is this plan can take upwards to three hours before you’re ready</p>
<p>3. Bejeweled Blitz – While I mock my friends who find themselves wrapped up in games like Farmville and Mafia Wars on Facebook, I have spent almost every waking moment that I’m not at work playing Bejeweled Blitz. I get angry at the so-called friends on my buddy list with the audacity to have a higher score than I week after week and have even considered defriending them just to make sure I get the highest score… I have issues</p>
<p>2. Phase 10 – There was a steady point where I was playing Phase 10 almost every week. It’s always been a game I loved despite not knowing many people who’ve ever heard of it. It’s the delightful combination of Uno and Rummy. Much like Risk, friendship can be destroyed after a long game of this. Backstabbing is among the rules</p>
<p>1. Dungeons & Dragons – 2010 will be the year I rediscovered my love of Dungeons and Dragons. The games were documented and while our campaign is now over, I’ll always fondly remember the adventures of Mort the Magician.</p>
<p>WORST VIDEO GAME I PLAYED THIS YEAR: JUST THE TIP – while it’s fun game if you’re giving the tip… I discovered this year how creepy it is to be on the receiving end of Just the Tip</p>
