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Games Of 2010 Are Better Than 2009, So Far

News

by Tim Turi on July 06, 2010 at 11:07 AM

6,193 Views

70 1

Have you stopped to wonder how the quality of games released in the first half of this year compare to last year? You have? Well wonder no longer, because review aggregate site Metacritic has done the number crunching, and so far the gaming landscape is a critical cornucopia.

Even though the NPD numbers for 2010 show that overall game sales are down from this time last year, the review scores are up. Back in 2009’s first half Street Fighter IV(94) landed the highest score (94), this year there are three titles that have scored higher – Super Mario Galaxy 2 (98), Mass Effect 2 (96), and Red Dead Redemption (95).

Platform-wise, the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and PC managed to secure the best median Metacritic scores, with the PSP coming in last.

While games like God of War III (92), Heavy Rain (87), and Alan Wake (83) have enjoyed solid scores, other anticipated title like Lost Planet 2 (PS3/360: 68), Dante’s Inferno (PS3: 75, 360:73), and Dark Void (PS3/360: 59, PC: 57) failed to meet expectations.

Metacritic’s Top 5 Cross-Platform Games Through June 30, 2010:

Mass Effect 2 (95)
Red Dead Redemption (95)
Super Street Fighter IV (92)
Bayonetta (89)
BioShock 2 (88)

Remember, this is only the beginning of the year, and as Metacritic is quick to remind us the best games generally release closer to the holidays. We’ve still got games like Dead Rising 2, StarCraft II, and Call of Duty: Black Ops coming down the pipe.

Email the author Tim Turi, or follow on Twitter, and Game Informer.

Filed under: News, God of War III, red dead redemption, Mass Effect 2, npd, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Street Fighter IV, BioShock 2, Super Street Fighter IV, Bayonetta, Dante's Inferno, Lost Planet 2, Metacritic, Heavy Rain

Comments

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by Mray901 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:20 AM

And next year may be even better, with Zelda: Skyward Sword, 3Ds games, and inFAMOUS 2
by bioshocker Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:22 AM

2010 FTW! This year has blown 2009 away, I say.
by papajon555 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:23 AM

you forgot Halo:Reach.
by WS-N Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:23 AM

This year of gaming has been a blast!
by Shatterhand Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:28 AM

As long as originality keeps dying review scores will continue to rise. Down with new IP's!

Just kidding?
by linktriforce...ridin in the roflcopter Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:34 AM

black ops? come on tim
by high3stg4m3rsc0re Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:35 AM

it may have beaten 2009 by a lot, but does not even come close to 2008 with games like gears 2, fallout 3, world at war, odst, and many others.
by HOTMU Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:43 AM

The rest of this year may be a disappointment for some of us. I truly hope Black Ops and Medal of Honor make a significant statement. Everyone and their mom are getting excited about the new Halo. However, remember the feeling some of us got when we heard there would be a new Indiana Jones film?? I am sorry to say most of us are going to walk away with a “WTF” attitude once that swill releases this fall.
by freezeimacop690 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:45 AM

what about Bad Company 2, Halo Reach and Assassins Creed: Brotherhood? BC2 has already come out and are you seriously saying that it received less than an 88?
by freezeimacop690 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:46 AM

also i forgot about the new Medal of Honor game.
by Lockdown325 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 11:51 AM

I didn't know Black Ops was a big title this year. Seeing that it is only another generic CoD title.
by xplay92 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 12:00 PM

Oh man this just gets me pumped for next year! Can't wait.
by Kahrooch Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 12:02 PM

I hate Metacritic...
by A23X Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 12:08 PM

I was a little skeptical on Black Ops at first, but the gameplay interests me more and more. It looks pretty *** cool and the E3 Hind demo just looked amazing. Contemplating actually getting it....if that *** Kotick doesn't go through with that retarded subscription he's thinking about doing that is. Dumbass.
by Kyle Sondergaard Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 12:30 PM

I think I've spent more money on games this year than the past two or three years combined. There's been so many great games that have come out already, and there's a truckload more coming out this fall, all of which I have already pre-ordered and fully paid for so I don't have to worry about them later. The first half of 2011 is sounding pretty packed too, with games like Bulletstorm, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Gears of War 3, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, among others.

Also, what happened to L.A. Noire? I thought that was supposed to be releasing in September, but it was absent from E3, and I've heard absolutely nothing about it from any source whatsoever since the Game Informer cover story. I'm really looking forward to that game and the lack of any news so close to the supposed release date concerns me.
by thefixer90 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 12:57 PM

Not surprisingly, the PS3's exclusive games dwarf anything that Microsoft had to offer. But I think Andy was wrong when he predicted that 2010 would be the greatest gaming year of all time. The Fall lineup of games looks pretty weak compared to previous years. LittleBigPlanet 2 and Need For Speed Hot Pursuit look like the only games that are absolute 'must-buys',
by OmegaSpartan08 Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 01:05 PM

Mass Effect 2 is MY best game of the year (and decade in some instances). i have played a total of 6 complete playthroughs of the game! and 7 from its predecessor, Mass Effect. i cannot wait for ME3!
by InvisiKid Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 01:12 PM

Halo: Reach
by slickvicXLII Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 01:49 PM

Mario Galaxy 2 is my goty, followed closely by Mass Effect 2. i can guarantee that nothing will beat Mario's metacritic score though.

btw, with all the delays from last year, i guess its safe to say that we saw this coming.
by Robert J. Hollis Tuesday, July 06, 2010 at 02:25 PM

And thats only the begeninng of the year...wait to later on and next year games including the upcoming 3DS.