Today I’m finishing up my discussion of the best games of 2010. Hopefully you didn’t miss the first part of this discussion.
In the interest of full disclosure, I must share an important caveat: there are a lot of other great games that I didn’t play this year. Consequently, there may be some titles that are undeservedly missing from my list. Hey, I’m only one dude, ya’know?
So, to make partial amends, let me begin with…
2010’s Startling Omissions: (great games that other people loved that coulda-maybe-shoulda made my list, but I didn’t get a chance to play them in 2010)
Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii), Bayonetta (Xbox360, PS3), Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Xbox360, PS3), Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox360, PS3), Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Xbox360, PS3), Dead Rising 2 (Xbox360, PS3), God of War III (PS3), Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii), VVVVVV (Mac OS/PC), Amnesia (Mac OS/PC), Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii), Professor Layton: Future Unwound (DS), Pacman Championship Edition DX (Xbox360, PS3), Deadly Premonition (Xbox360).
How about I make amends by swearing to play more in 2011? Phew… I’m glad that weight is off my chest.
Onward to the remaining best games that I did play…
The BEST Games of 2010 (continued):
5: Plants vs. Zombies (iOS)
Any iPhone game that illicits multiple playthroughs from my wife or causes me to choose it over a flashier Xbox, PS3, or Mac/PC game is noteworthy. Plants vs. Zombies did both thanks to a simple-to-learn design that is deceptively deep and uproariously fun to play. We may want to consider monitoring this game, since I’m pretty sure it is a gateway drug to hardcore gaming.
4: Limbo (Xbox360)
Here we have yet another game that might serve as ammunition for the “games can be art debate.” This is another title that I’ve already previously praised, so let me just say this: Limbo is not just a great game from this year, it is a thought-provoking effort that will be picked apart, discussed, and most likely mimicked, for many years to come.
3: Super Meat Boy (Xbox360, PC/Mac)
I’d never played a game that engendered such true masochism prior to Super Meat Boy. I’m not talking about the shallow cry-for-help-because-you-are-emo-and-broke-up-with-your-girlfriend type of pain, I’m talking about honest-to-God pain that is pleasurable. Have I sold you yet? No? Let me clarify then: This retro-inspired 2D platformer has the most responsive controls I’ve ever seen and creates euphoric levels of reward after you’ve spent 10, 20, 50, or sometimes a hundred tries to complete a level. If Plants vs. Zombies is the marijuana of gaming, this is the ultra-high-quality cocaine reserved for celebs and politicians. So, now that I’ve referenced self-mutilation and drugs, I’m sure you are just dying to play it, right? Bottom line: cast these literary indiscretions aside and PLAY THIS GAME.
2: Mass Effect 2 (Xbox360, PC)
Mass Effect 2 focuses on delivering a character-driven story; an effort in which it exceeds all expectations. Featuring one of the most well-realized original sci-fi settings ever seen in gaming, solid gameplay, meaningful voice acting, and an engaging storyline, it will stand the test of time as one of the greats.
1.5: StarCraft II (PC/Mac)
What? 1.5?!?! You think I’m sneaking an extra game into this list? Well, deal with it – this list now goes to eleven.
The original StarCraft is still seeing play today – 12 years after its release! I can only imagine that this successor will see a similar uncanny lifespan. Hell, how many video games are you aware of that have entire televised leagues in the same vein as conventional sports? Obviously, StarCraft II provides an immaculate multiplayer experience similar to the first StarCraft (which led to it being referred to as “South Korea’s national pastime”), but interestingly, what is more notable to me is the high quality of the single-player campaign and the related storyline. Even without multiplayer, this game is good enough to earn the second place spot on my list. StarCraft II: see you at the old folk’s home in 2022.
1: Red Dead Redemption (Xbox360/PS3)
Where to begin? Gunplay that never tires. Phenomenal writing and voice acting. Emotionally evocative landscape design. A soundtrack that captures the spirit of the Wild West. Room to continually explore and live in one of the most memorable digital worlds ever created. Well-designed multiplayer which included a series of epic cooperative scenarios. Red Dead has all of these and ties them all up with a bow in what many people are calling the best storytelling of the year. Much like a good book or movie, I’ve escaped back to this game time and time again, only to realize that my love only grows stronger with each visit. Red Dead is not only the best game of 2010, but a true masterpiece that is now one of my favorite games of all time.
There you go folks, the best games of 2010. Go play some of them.