joystiq-best-of-2009
Latest
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: inFamous
The likelihood that any of us will walk outside one day and -- BAM! -- suddenly have superpowers bestowed upon us is -- let's face it -- pretty much nil. (We say "pretty much," since, well, you never know.) Thankfully, in the realm of video games, such a scenario is commonplace. For the most part, we only ever get to watch as a game's lead character becomes a superhero in a cutscene, or, most commonly, the game is based on a long-established character from another medium, mainly comic books. There are a lot of reasons behind our enjoyment of InFamous, but the fact that the game let us play as an everyman while he gradually became a superhero (or supervilain) gave us a rare chance to fulfill that "what if?" fantasy in the role of a total unknown, much as we'd be. Of course, if the game only let us experience what it would be like to be a guy who could only, oh, levitate paperclips and small rocks, what'd be the point? So InFamous gradually doles out power after power, all based around electricity (with a clever mechanic for recharging oneself), the most basic of which is firing lighting from your hands. The powers not only increase in oomph -- they significantly change how the fictional open-world Empire City, with its distinct districts and demilitarized zone atmosphere, is navigated by players. Cole McGrath boasts parkour and climbing skills that put Assassin Creed II's protagonist Ezio to shame ... and that's before he can electro-grind around the city's railways or, oh, fly. While the game is great at conveying how considerable having such powers in the real world would be -- use too much force and you'll send cars flying into a crowd of innocent bystanders -- it also changes to reflect whether you're choosing to use the powers for good or evil. (Maybe you meant to toss that four-door into the crosswalk.) This introduces some twists in the fairly uneven plot, but, more importantly, changes the powers you command and the way the city's inhabitants react to you. Travel too far down one path and there's no going back. Superhero games that aren't based on comics, movies or TV shows are rare, and we can't imagine another topping this electrifying experience anytime soon. %Gallery-26262% << Back(6) | Comment | 4. Here, there be excellent games >>
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Shadow Complex
In many ways, Shadow Complex finds itself in similar standing as Rock Band and Guitar Hero; it's a style of game Konami has left for its competitors to refine and perfect. Taking its cues from the Metroids and Castlevanias of the world, the Xbox Live Arcade-exclusive title was able to stand out in 2009, regardless of its forgettable storyline and poorly constructed characters. As an overall experience, Shadow Complex was the best downloadable experience of 2009 -- and one of the year's overall best, for that matter. Shadow Complex is a prime example of a developer -- in this case, Chair -- designing a game best suited for its platform and skyrocketing past expectations. It proves that 2D exploration and adventure can still have a meaningful impact if approached correctly. Sadly, Konami has decided against bringing new Castlevania experiences of this style to consoles and only now (since 2004's Metroid: Zero Mission) has Nintendo decided to return Samus closer to her roots in the upcoming Metroid: Other M (another game revealed at E3 2009). It's no surprise that Shadow Complex resonated with us (hell, we dedicated quite a bit of time to the game), and while we weren't left mouth-agape at its originality, the entire experience left us craving more. We have yet to satisfy that craving, as no additional content has been delivered for the game since its August 19, 2009 debut. Beyond its excellent blend of shooting and platforming, and its tremendous value (only $15!), Shadow Complex stands out as one of the best experiences we've had all year. It simultaneously resurrected our love of the 2D exploration genre and our inner speedrun freak, and is a testament to the maturity of the download space on consoles within the last few years. We hope the franchise will be with us for the long haul. << Back(8) | Comment | 6. Post Modern Warfare >>
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Describing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves as a "roller coaster ride" may seem like apt commentary, but only if it was your intention to conjure a deranged park that's exchanged amusement for sheer terror. The official Uncharted 2 roller coaster reaches miles into the horizon, its numerous knotted tracks casting a silhouette of snakes writhing in a late-afternoon wrestling match. Once you board the cart and hurtle across the first peak, the harness tightens and holds you captive for about ten hours, only offering a break when a piece of the track explodes and leaves you dangling from a deadly precipice. So, really, it's much better as just a game. Despite plundering the realm of film for its adventurous spirit, its hewn heroes and its desire to unearth suspense within spectacle, Uncharted 2 is not just like a movie. It's better than most big-screen fare in superficial ways -- a snappy script, clashing characters and sincere performances -- and in ways that show how the video game equivalent isn't just equal to Hollywood's medium. The hook in this game's script (and its scripted moments) is that the protagonist can be two people at once. There's Nathan Drake, the occasionally unscrupulous and frequently clumsy fortune hunter, and there's Player One, vicarious adventurer and -- if he's rubbish at the game -- experienced time traveler. Of course, the best thing about Uncharted 2 isn't dying and reloading a checkpoint. It's almost falling, almost getting run over and almost being able to stop playing. Yes, it's all a linear, sometimes literal tunnel of fun that entirely ignores fancy emergent gameplay and the consequent "this cool thing happened to me" water-cooler stories. But by shoving the hero through meticulously assembled action sequences and spectacular near-death scenarios, developer Naughty Dog has guaranteed that this cool thing happened to all of us. We were all Nathan Drake and we were all almost killed by that train. It's not hard to point out the various elements that make Uncharted 2 the best game of 2009, certainly not when it boasts unsurpassed graphics, robust multiplayer modes and a level of mobility and improvisation that's rarely seen in tank-man shooters. What's difficult is illustrating how well it crafts suspense as it plunges you down to the brink of defeat before rocketing you into the heights of yet another climax. Oh, hey ... have you ever been on a roller coaster? << Back(2) | Comment Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009 1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 2. Assassin's Creed 2 3. Batman: Arkham Asylum 4. Dragon Age: Origins 5. inFamous 6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 7. Shadow Complex 8. Borderlands 9. 'Splosion Man 10. Little King's Story Previously: Top 10 of 2008, Top 10 of 2007
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Batman: Arkham Asylum
What happens when you combine the potent Batman license, the rich backdrop of Arkham Asylum, the stellar voice-cast from Batman: The Animated Series, an unproven (and even more unknown) developer from the North London suburb of Highgate, and a once-great but down-on-its-luck publisher? The very first comment on our very first post no doubt reflected many of our concerns: "Eidos? Really?" With dozens of shoddy licensed superhero games coming before it, we all knew a video game deserving of Batman's popularity was unlikely. So it's all the more impressive that Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Asylum is one of the best games of the year, one of the best superhero games of all time, and one of the best licensed games ever made. With the failure of Pandemic's ambitious Dark Knight movie tie-in game still fresh in our minds, Arkham Asylum's strategy for success should have been obvious: simplicity. Instead of building an open-world Gotham City, they built an intimate (and immediately captivating) Arkham Asylum, as full of history and lore as you'd expect the comic book icon to be. There are no driving levels, no flying levels; really, there aren't any levels at all. Just Arkham Island. The clever script, penned by longtime Batman scribe Paul Dini, propels Batman through a series of elaborate traps laid out by Mark Hamill's expertly voiced Joker, battling beefy baddies along the way with the game's excellent "FreeFlow" combat system, solving dozens of the Riddler's pesky riddles, and learning about the entire decades-deep mythology of the Batman universe, worn into every rock on Arkham Island. This isn't some licensed beat-em-up starring The World's Greatest Detective; this is a Batman simulator. Stealth, strength, and smarts (and a belt full of wonderful toys) are your tools. Perhaps the greatest compliment one can pay to Rocksteady is this: it reached into the oft-abused Batman license, brushed off our lowered expectations, and pulled out a classic that doesn't simply trade on Batman's name but does something far more difficult: enhances it. << Back(4) | Comment | 2. As chosen by Joystichio Dotacommo de Internetzia >>
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: 'Splosion Man
When Twisted Pixel first announced 'Splosion Man, we all thought it was a joke. The press release, received on April Fools' Day, described a man made of explosions. Specifically, the release noted, "Yeah, lots of 'splosions ... like a guy made out of 'splosions, and he'd be like 'splode 'splode 'splode! and then things die," and it continued, "He'll 'splode people, and they'll blow up into big steaks and ribeyes and stuff." The Joystiq team dismissed this announcement as a prank, which seemed appropriate for the studio that brought us The Maw. The following day, Twisted Pixel sent Joystiq another press release, assuring us that 'Splosion Man was indeed real. And from that ridiculous premise came one of the best 2D platformers in years. 'Splosion Man has just one button, the 'Splode Button, which accomplishes all tasks in the game. It's 'Splosion Man's attack, his action and, most importantly, his triple jump. Sending this point home, players can attempt to customize the controls from the options menu, only to find that every face button is mapped to the 'splode function. (You actually get an Achievement for trying to remap the controls.) Using this very simple control scheme, players 'splode enemies, solve puzzles and plow through fiendishly clever racing sections. Throw in a brilliant, four-player co-op mode that literally has everyone jumping off one another and 'Splosion Man easily becomes one of the most refreshing experiences of 2009. Oh, and don't forget the donut song:
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
It seemed like half of the posts we wrote this year were about Modern Warfare 2 -- interestingly enough, the closer we got to the game's release, the more inflammatory the subject matter of these stories became. From leaked footage to dedicated servers to petitions and boycotts to news backlash over that one scene, it seemed like public opinion on the game had turned ugly. Then it came out, and everyone bought it. That sales success was predicated upon the strength of the first Modern Warfare game, and a trust in Infinity Ward to deliver a stronger single-player and multiplayer experience in the sequel. Our trust wasn't misplaced -- the already compelling and entertaining multiplayer component from the first game has been expanded and improved, and though you may have qualms with the campaign's straight-up nonsensical storyline, you can't deny that it contained more than a few holy crap moments. The game's main time sink is, of course, the multiplayer mode. Modern Warfare 2's got more perks, weapons and equipment to unlock, not to mention the titles and emblems you can earn by completing challenges. These little incentives are constantly getting unlocked, forming an unrelenting, iron-clad grasp on the player. I can't count the number of nights I accidentally stayed up until dawn, in constant pursuit of that next level. And then the one after that. And then the next one. While we still would've preferred a cohesive co-operative campaign, the new Spec Ops mode provided a few additional jollies. Some of the later missions were a little too tedious and aggravating for our tastes, but the chance to recreate some of the game's more intense combat encounters with two players was much appreciated. Of course, the game wasn't completely without fault. As mentioned above, the story was nigh-incomprehensible (Terrorists! Bombs! EMPs! Invasions! Bigger bombs! What a tweeest!), and the online multiplayer was riddled with bugs and exploits that have only recently been remedied. Thanks to this one game, the word "Javelin" will hold sinister implications in the mind of every gaming enthusiast across the world. Still, these issues don't do much to detract from Modern Warfare 2's overall experience. The explosive single-player campaign, innovative Spec Ops missions and infinitely addictive online multiplayer offerings combine to form one of the most compelling, jaw-dropping first-person shooters we've played in a good, long time. << Back(7) | Comment | 5. peRHAPS yoU'VE heARD of it >>
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Assassin's Creed II
When he reviewed Assassin's Creed II, Justin assured, "If you were burned by the first Assassin's Creed and are worried about getting bored by the sequel, I understand your skepticism, but trust me: it's misplaced." Did I trust him? Of course not. I slogged through the first Assassin's Creed until the bitter end. And boy was I bitter. The tiny sliver of hope I held for the game -- for the franchise -- had been buried by disappointment, and then ultimately by disinterest. Assassin's Creed was dead to me. Imagine my surprise, then, when hope was unearthed -- nay, resurrected! -- in an experience this callous critic can only describe as a miracle. Actually, scratch that. Assassin's Creed II is not miraculous, but rather it's the result of meticulous design. It's big-budget development at its finest, its most daring, in an era when sequels seek not to challenge their predecessors but to clone them. Sure, Assassin's Creed II borrows heavily from the first game, but it builds up that core experience -- and then leaps from the edge! Short of Grand Theft Auto III's revolutionary move away from GTA2's simple top-down perspective, there hasn't been a sandbox-style sequel that has trumped its precursor as soundly as Assassin's Creed II defies the original. If taking the empty shell of a game that was the first Assassin's Creed and bringing it to life (with customization, coordination and character) is the cake, then let us not forget the icing. What seals Assassin's Creed II as one of 2009's very best for me is the game's unlikely side task of becoming a pseudo-historian. This brilliant addition is really two-fold: the hands-on exploration of Renaissance Italy and the puzzling mystery of a massive holy conspiracy-war. That, since playing Assassin's Creed II, I've started several conversations by suggesting, "Did you know, in Italy, back in the day they ...," is a testament to the design team's engaging recreation -- from scalable architecture to someday-priceless works of art -- of a vibrant historical place and period, which the developers have padded with colorful, encyclopedic entries built into the gameplay. While not certifiable "edutainment," Assassin's Creed II is the start of a blueprint for how we might one day learn history. Of course, sewn into the fabric of Assassin's Creed II's Renaissance Italy is a fictional thread of intrigue. Pieced together through a series of brain twisters, which are an abrupt, yet wonderful departure from the dashing and dueling, and sneaking and stabbing, the franchise's mystery is no longer an idea hovering over the game world, but one woven within it. Assassin's Creed II is an extraordinary achievement of playable narrative and, really, you must play it. %Gallery-49869% << Back(3) | Comment | 1. Among the best >>
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Dragon Age: Origins
Because of Dragon Age: Origins, I realize we've been the victim of a falsehood all these years. We've been told that we've had nigh limitless choices in open-world games, but really, it's just one: Will you be evil or good? In BioWare's latest masterpiece, you really do have choice. Since it does away with traditional morality, your decisions are based on something more than a cursory, binary choice at the outset. They're based, much like in the real world, on the way the decision is presented, on your relationship with those around you and on pure instinct.
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Borderlands
It's not often we see a game that effectively mixes genres to create something entirely new. Borderlands did just that this year, taking the obsessive, loot-driven mechanics of a dungeon crawler and stuffing them within the friendly and familiar confines of a first-person shooter. Borderlands also oozes style and never takes itself too seriously. It's a fun adventure, full of charismatic NPCs and an experience akin to the kind of childhood adventures you'd embark on with friends, battling imaginary monsters and building forts in the back yard.
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Little King's Story
It seems like everyone who played Little King's Story fell in love with it. Unfortunately, almost nobody played it. It may have been too weird to attract a mass market, or too cute-looking to get the attention of people usually interested in strategy games. That cuteness, however, is what producer Yoshiro Kimura used to present some rather dark themes in a way that seems totally innocuous on the surface. Little King's Story almost forces the player to become attached to each individual unit -- every unit in your employ has a name, and is assigned to its job by you, the king. In addition, your soldiers will frequently fall in love, marry, and give birth to children. And when just one of your soldiers -- or chefs, or miners, or farmers, etc. -- dies, the whole town wears black in mourning, and many of the citizens attend the funeral service at the church. At first, you follow the "advice" of the experienced vet who recommends invading all the neighboring kingdoms. But, as you play the game and come to know your subjects, you realize that the other kings are more childish than malevolent, and the indigenous creatures are basically defending their own territory, and you begin to wonder just why you're sending all your townspeople, who were "Carefree Adults" before you met them, to their death in these missions. You feel guilty even as you're enjoying the gameplay. That dichotomy is the essence of Little King's Story. It's cute, but it's dark. The story is simple, but it inspires questions. It's one of the best games of the year, but nobody bought it. << Back | Comment | 9. Everybody loves donuts >>
