Game of the Year 2009: 10-1

Feature by Philip Morton, published on Tuesday 5th January 2010

It’s time to round of our summary of the games of 2009. Agree or disagree with our conclusions? Post a comment or head over to the forum.

10. Left 4 Dead 2

The first Left 4 Dead seemed to have everything you needed. A cast of colorful characters, four completely original campaigns, and spectacular co-op and versus multiplayer that kept servers at capacity long after release. Some fans became concerned when Valve announced, quite out of their character, that they would be releasing a sequel to their popular zombie-filled slaughterfest this year. Some protested and threatened to boycott, but one round of the demo should convince anyone that this is a superior game. Though the cast isn’t nearly as colorful, everything about this game is better than the first: all of the new weapons rock, the campaigns are even better than the first, and Scavenge mode is a perfect addition for those looking for something a little quicker than a complete game of Versus mode. Left 4 Dead deserved game of the year awards; Left 4 Dead 2 deserves them even more.

Matt Wadleigh

9. Halo 3: ODST

It’s always a strange predicament when one of the biggest names in its industry tries to release a title which isn’t to be taken as a full sequel; ODST can be heavily compared to The Killers’ Sawdust. Bungie strived to freshen the franchise by playing as alternating standard soldiers as opposed to the super soldier Master Chief, however game play mechanics were just ostentatiously tweaked to set itself apart from Halo 3. Initially designed to be a downloadable chapter before Reach hit, it was difficult to know what to expect from ODST. What wasn’t difficult to know was that it delivered a fresh single player experience worthy of the Halo name, and the multiplayer mode it’s forbearer cried out for. Utterly essential.

Stuart Edwards

8. Battlefield 1943

War has never looked so beautiful as it did this past summer. Taking place on the beautiful islands of the Pacific, Battlefield 1943 gave us one of the best online games of the year. Whilst it might not have offered the content of other similar games, 1943 was by no means lacking, offering everything from sniper rifles to planes. With each match offering its own standout moments Battlefield 1943 ensured that we wouldn’t get bored quickly.

Mark Johnson

7. Demon’s Souls

With ODST and Modern Warfare 2 dropping this year, it was easy to overlook Demon’s Souls in the 2009 holiday release schedule. However, this dynamic RPG/action hybrid towers above the rest of this year’s gaming crop, delivering something that is both completely original and incredibly nostalgic. With seemingly limitless character development options, a vast campaign, and gorgeous graphics, Demon’s Souls is a bizarre and endearing game that offers the most challenging singleplayer and multiplayer around.

Bart Robson

6. Assassin’s Creed II

The original Assassin’s Creed was a brilliant game, but one that divided opinion. While its core gameplay was exhilarating, it was also repetitive and had characters few could emphasise with. The sequel, however, is a different story, in more ways than one. Ubisoft have clearly listened to the reaction to the first game and have gone out of their way to remedy its problems. Assassin’s Creed II has the same exhilarating gameplay, but with a much improved story, greater depth and more variety. This is undoubtedly one of the finest action games of this decade and there’s still nothing quite like it.

Philip Morton

5. Street Fighter IV

It’s been many months now since Street Fighter IV made its glorious and rightful return into the videogame spotlight. And it’s arguably one of the few games released that still has so much more to give players. There are still characters to learn, combos to perfect, spacing and footsie work that needs brushing up. The list goes on. Couple basically perfect core mechanics with visuals that are still in a league of their own and one suspects that until Super Street Fighter IV arrives some time in spring next year, it will remain the true undisputed king of fighters.

Craig Nye

4. FIFA 10

EA seem to finally be taking a firm hold of the FIFA vs PES battle with their latest instalment in the footballing series FIFA 10. It’s always received top marks in terms of graphics, licenses and commentary and yet again it does not fail in that department. Realism is where it’s usually let down and although it’s by no means the best it could be, in comparison to 2009’s attempt and PES it has come on leaps and bounds. The game feels altogether tighter, the physics of the game seem more polished and the players feel that little bit more realistic when you’re doing a Cruyff turn or setting yourself up for that perfect 40 yard strike. EA have still have quite a way to go before reaching perfection when I comes to realism, but it’s safe to say they’ve outdone Konami and definitely outdone last year’s version of FIFA.

Lee Matthews

3. Uncharted 2 Among Thieves

Other than Modern Warfare 2 no other title was more anticipated by most this year than this. Uncharted 2 managed to exceed its predecessor in nearly every way possible. With an awesome story, amazingly fluid gunplay, and jaw-dropping visuals, this was a technical masterpiece in every sense. The addition of one of the best multi-player offerings of the year only added more value to what was already well worth the price of admission. The many awards being thrown its way are confirmation that Drake’s second adventure was certainly capable of living up to all of the hype.

Darius Studdard

2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

It’s not often a game with so much hype can live up to expectations but Infinity Ward’s big, brass, explosive shooter may have done it. Modern Warfare 2 is an assault on the senses during the single player, the fantastic Spec-Ops and the addictive multiplayer. The campaign may be on the short side and the story rarely makes sense, but the onslaught of action movie set-pieces and memorable moments guarantee it will live long in the memory. Add to that the tweaks and additions to the familiar multiplayer and you have a phenomenal online suite and one of the best game’s of the year.

Richard Wakeling

1. Batman Arkham Asylum

It’s a beat ‘em up with bone-crunching nastiness. It’s a stealth game where the hapless enemies are stalked, toyed with and then strung up for their comrades to see. It’s a moody adventure with stellar voice acting and a storyline that does the Batman mythos proud. Batman: Arkham Asylum is a mixture of all these, much like Batman himself is part detective, part brawler and all psychopath. It’s been a long time coming, but the dark knight has delivered justice in a compelling video game. Let’s see where the already-announced sequel will take us next.

Anthony Karge