Best Shooter/Best Multiplayer: Left 4 Dead
Valve knows their shooters, and Left 4 Dead is no exception. The game has more polish than any game I’ve played this year, and it’s clear that the team accomplished what they set out to do. The cooperative aspect of the game not only feels natural (as opposed to awkwardly forced coop situations in other games), it’s the most fun I’ve had all year (after all, you‘re going to want to have some backup for the zombie apocalypse). As someone who said they’d only play this with a mouse and keyboard, I’ve been playing the 360 version exclusively - proof that precisely blasting off heads with a controller is no sweat. If you haven’t played it yet, you’re doing yourself a serious disservice by not checking out Valve’s latest slaughter fest.
Best Action Game: Devil May Cry 4
You just can’t beat the Devil May Cry series when it comes to no holds barred, balls to the wall action. Also, the addition of new main character Nero adds a fresh spin on the series with the use of his new devil hand. The controls feel great, and there’s plenty of easy combos for novice players to pull off while still offering more advanced players the ability to string together some serious blows. If you’re looking for action, there’s nothing slicing your enemy into the air, keeping him airborne with a hail of gunfire, and then jumping up and smashing him into the pavement with a giant blue demon hand.
Best RPG: Fallout 3
Sure, to some people the nuclear wastelands of Washington DC might not seem like the most exciting place, but if you look close enough, there is a ton of stuff to be done on that irradiated plain. This is Fallout 3’s setting, a post-apocalyptic capitol infested with humans, mutants, ghouls, and many other characters who may or may not be too happy to see you. The game opens with you literally exiting the womb and creating your character, and completely sucks you in with it’s opening tutorials in Vault 101 - your home away from home after the bombs started dropping. In short, it does everything a great RPG should do; it keeps you interested, keeps giving you new and exciting stuff to do, and has combat that suits FPS and RPG fans alike. As a side note, blowing off your enemies limbs in super-slow motion never gets old. Ever.
Best Fighting Game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
As a tribute to Nintendo fan boy’s everywhere, this game is great. As a fighting game, this game is also great. With a cast of Nintendo’s best and worst at your disposal, you can finally find out who would really win in a fight, Solid Snake or Pikachu (I’ll give you a hint, it’s the one with the grenade launcher). With fighting that’s perfect for casuals or seasoned veterans (along with 4 different control schemes), this game can be enjoyed by all. In addition, the new story mode offers a neat little outing for solo play, but the real heart of this game is getting you and your friends together to just duke it out. The fighting mechanics are solid, and stages are good, and the character selection has something for everyone. What more could you ask for?
Best Music Game: Rock Band 2
As pretty much a more-of-the-same sequel with new songs, Rock Band 2 doesn’t change much from it’s predecessor. But really, what more do you need than that? Especially considering there’s no need for new equipment if you’ve already bought the first one, I put this above Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Revolution. Another bonus is the ability to use all of the downloadable content you’ve purchased from the original, as well as all of the songs from the originally Rock Band (if you own it). With all that, plus the consistency with which downloadable content has been coming out, this is hands down the music game you should be playing.
Best Downloadable Game: Castle Crashers
As a big fan of old-school beat-em-ups, I was happy to plunk down $15 bucks on this stellar title. With the gorgeous art by Tom Fulp and Dan Paladin of Newgrounds.com, you could already tell that this game was going to be something. It’s laugh out loud funny at times, and the fights are challenging without being frustrating - a rare quality for games downloadable or not. Despite some bug issues, this is still the best downloadable title I’ve played all year.
Best PC Game: World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
What can I say? Blizzard has done it again, and continue to dominate the MMO space with the latest expansion to World of Warcraft. With WoW already being a solid title, the expansions have followed suit. With the addition of the new Death Knight class (more on that later), new professions like inscription, and a whole new continent to explore, it has everything it needs to keep you hooked.
Best Handheld Game: The World Ends With You (DS)
While I’m not a fan of RPGs overall, not to mention the usual travesties that are Japanese RPGs, it might seem strange that I have this as my best handheld game. Well, The World Ends With You is an exception to the rule. With the most unique use of the DS’s screens I’ve ever seen, the combat easily stands out as the most fun I’ve had in an RPG. While most RPGs have you staring at a screen while each enemy patiently awaits your selection to attack or use an item, TWEWY flips those conventions on it’s ass in favor of what I can only describe as half Dance Dance Revolution and half Devil May Cry. The game asks players to simultaneously control one character on the top screen using only the D-Pad, and the bottom character with taps and slashes of the stylus. Without playing it, it can seem like this would never work, but take it from me - not only does it work, but it’s fucking awesome. With an interesting story to boot, this easily takes the top pick for my favorite handheld game this year.
Best Wii Game: No More Heroes
As with many early-year releases, it’s easy for them to fall off the radar once the heavy hitters come out during the holidays. Considering that the game only sold fairly well in the states (and bombed in Japan), it’s easy to ignore. But man, if you’re one of those hardcore gamers who bought a Wii expecting something decent from it, like yours truly, you’ve gotta respect what No More Heroes brings to the table. The game is by Goichi Suda’s Grasshopper Manufacture (the same people that brought you the mind-fuck that is Killer7), and the game’s uniqueness is apparent at all times. All in all, if I had to sum up what it is that makes this game so special, it’s that it never takes itself seriously and is just so in love with the fact that it is a video game. From the retro display and menus to the totally out there story, not to mention combat on the Wii that is actually fun, this game takes the cake as the most underrated and best Wii game this year. Slicing off an enemy’s head with a giant light saber only to watch a fountain of blood and coins spew out of their neck? ‘Nuff said.
Best Gaming Moment: WoW:WotLK Death Knight starting quests
As someone who got burnt out on World of Warcraft 2 years ago, I decided to start playing the game again with the release of Lich King. In an effort to do something new, I started a Death Knight, the new class available in this expansion. I can sum up my experience in two words, “Holy Shit”. The starting quests have got to be the most fun and engaging stuff I’ve ever done in an MMO, or any other RPG for that matter. There’s actually more to these quests than simple “Go here, kill X of these, bring me X of these”. In that hour and a half, I had flown on the back of a giant skeletal dragon that dropped bombs on scarlet crusaders, killed innocent villagers, got an epic mount, and fought in a massive battle while the sky rained blood. Since the Death Knight is only available to players with a character at level 55 or above, not everyone will get to experience this, but if you do, you’re doing yourself a disservice not to just go through these quests for the fun of it.
Best use of Sound: Left 4 Dead
I feel like sound often goes ignored in games today, as we’re more worried about controls and graphics and stuff like that. However, Left 4 Dead shows us that sound not only plays an important role, but makes for a better experience overall. The musical cues of the witch and the tank are forever ingrained in my brain, and the sounds of the licker and the smoker both serve to warn and terrify you. Sound also plays an important part in gameplay - set off a car alarm and the wailing will alert the horde. I hope that more games follow in L4D’s footsteps with sound.
Biggest Let-Down: Gears of War 2 Online
The only reason it was a letdown was because, well, it doesn’t fucking work. When it does work, it’s a blast, but for whatever reason it takes upwards of 10 minutes to find players for a game. I had heard that a patch had been put in to fix the issues, so I tried again, and it’s still not working. Like I said, when it does work it’s great, I just wish I could play it more often.
Best New IP: Dead Space
As a lover of horror games, I was psyched to hear about the new EA’s new sci-fi horror game. The game hasn’t disappointed either, with things that are genuinely scary (not just monster closets) and combat that is strategic and fun. I’m really glad that there’s a fresh new face in the survival-horror genre, and urge anyone who hasn’t yet played this to pick it up, you won’t regret it - but your pants might.
Best New Feature: Dead Space’s In-Game Menus
While it may not seem like a big deal at first, but I hope more game’s take a hint from Dead Space. Breaking the flow of a game is bad. Going into menu screens breaks flow. Got it? In a survival-horror game where atmosphere and flow must be maintained, the fact that menu’s are accessed in real time make a huge difference. Not just that, but they look pretty badass too. The inventory screen is easy to navigate, and the video and audio logs that you find throughout the game look cool displayed on a little holographic screen in front of you. In addition, having the path to your next objective highlighted by a line along the floor works great as well.
