Let me begin by prefacing this by saying these are my favorites of what I played this year. Being as busy as I am sometimes, I am not able to play everything that's released in a given year. So, if there's anything you think is missing, I apologize in advance. Well, not really, but you can see where I'm coming from, right? Anyway, here's my picks for the Best of 2009 in Gaming!


Best Downloadable Game:
Shadow Complex (XBLA)

A loving homage to 2D platformers of years past, Shadow Complex was nothing short of amazing. The slick looking graphics added life to the world. The smooth controls were tight and lended themselves to pulling off amazing feats of daring do as hero Jason Flemming. Add in some clever weapon/item progression and a huge map full of secrets that took literally hours to uncover made this a completionist's feast. There was nothing that was more of a love-letter to the old Metroids and Castlevanias than this game. I loved those, and Shadow Complex proved to me that this type of game design can still survive and thrive in today's market. Now, where's my Unreal-powered 2D Castlevania Konami?

Runners-up: Flower (PSN), 'Splosion Man (XBLA), Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (PSN)


Best Game From 2008 That I Played in 2009:
Fallout 3 (Xbox 360)

So, as with a few games, I was a little late to the party on this one; considering it released in October of 2008 and I didn't start in until March of 2009. Boy, did I get over that really fast. Fallout 3 endeared itself to me almost instantly. Not only did I play through it twice (once good, once evil!), I'm still considering going back to see if I can pull off a neutral karma character. It took me a lot to pull myself away from Fallout 3 to get on to playing other games. The fact that Bethesda created a huge game world that was totally desolate, yet full of life, that blew me away. I could have spent weeks just wandering the Capital Wasteland finding things that I'd never seen before. To make a world seem so believable and filled with interest cannot be easy. Also, let's not forget the excellent DLC support, too! Here's hoping the next Fallout game can at least do the same as Fallout 3 did.

Runners-up: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 (PS2), Dead Space (Xbox 360)


Best Portable Game:
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS)

I'm not much of a handheld gamer. I enjoy the occasional DS or PSP game now and then, but I would simply rather play games on my big, nice LCD TV. Imagine, then, my delight when GTA: Chinatown Wars immediately had me powering down my 360 and PS3 to plop on the couch and give my good old DS a workout. And boy, what a workout it was! Chinatown Wars is a fully realized GTA game on a handheld that is more know for its cooking games and walking trainers than M-rated fare. It condensed almost the entirety of GTA IV's Liberty City (missing only one area) down to a smaller, cartoony version; but losing none of the intriguing storytelling and gameplay that made me love this series in the first place. It had charm that oozed out every nook and cranny. Oh, and don't even get me started on the drug-dealing aspect. Pure genius. I'd love to see the next console GTA setting given a similar shrinking-down like this.

Runners-up: Half-Minute Hero (PSP), Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS)


Best Superhero Game:
inFamous (PS3)

Guy apparently causes huge explosion, guy wakes up in hospital with electricity-based superpowers, government seals off guy's city to contain mysterious plague, guy decides to use his new-found powers to do something about villains now overrunning city. Such is the basic setup for inFamous. You play a Cole McGrath, a regular Joe who suddenly finds himself in the midst of a city that he either has to protect or control. You are given Empire City, a huge open city, to do with pretty much as you please. I had a blast with this game's great traversal mechanics and the moral choice system. Affecting how powers progress, citizens reactions, and even Cole's look, it was a simple black or white choice system, but it served it's purpose of showing you how Cole could be a hero or a Dick. The real impact was only felt in a couple of instances, but those were significant (no spoilers!). In short, I look forward to inFamous 2. I wonder if you'll be able to carry over your good/bad choices to the second game?

Runners-up: Prototype (Xbox 360), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Xbox 360)


Best Game Involving Zombies:
Plants vs. Zombies (PC)

The zombies are coming! This simple exclamation marks the beginning of the undead onslaught that will plague your front yard, back yard and pool, and even the roof of your house. What do you have to defend yourself against these hoards? Nothing but plants, of course! I almost missed out on this game, but thanks to Steam's Holiday Sale, I snatched up Plants vs. Zombies, and haven't looked back. I've spent hours developing the best defenses against wave after wave of horrible, decaying reanimated corpses. Wall-nut or Tall-nut? Peashooter or Kernel-pult? Jalapeno or Cherry-bomb? Surprisingly fun mini-games and puzzles are rewarded for advancing in the adventure mode. There's even a survival mode that tests your limits of zombie repelling. Oh, and the end credits song couldn't be any more catchy. Gotta love it!

Runners-up: Resident Evil 5 (PS3), Borderlands: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned (Xbox 360)


Best First Person Shooter:
Borderlands (Xbox 360)

Maybe it's the mountains of loot. Maybe it's the unique look. Maybe it's the extremely well-implemented multiplayer aspect. Whatever it is, Borderlands is a standout in a genre that suffers from "sameyness" game to game. I've logged more hours than I care to admit in this game, scouring the sunbaked surface of the planet Pandora for that next gun that's just a bit more accurate, or that shield that recharges just a bit fast, or that grenade mod that causes caustic damage to rain from the sky. Oh, and I've loved doing with my friends, in which case it's even better. Plus, if Gearbox keep pumping out the DLC (especially more story-driven fare like The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned) I'll be enjoying this game well into 2010. But please, add gun customization to Borderlands 2. Please, oh please?

Runners-up: Killzone 2 (PS3), Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)


Best Ending:
Assassin's Creed II (Xbox 360)

Without spoiling the ending to this game, let me just say it's really, really, REALLY mind-blowing. The revelations that you're given are crazy. I now absolutely can't wait to see how everything gets wrapped up in ACIII. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? Finish Assassin's Creed II ASAP!

Runners-up: Uncharted 2 (PS3), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)


Game With The Most Over-The-Top Moments:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)

Remember in COD4 when a nuke was detonated and the helicopter you're character is in crashes and you, literally, play his last moments of life? Yeah, try having about thirty times that craziness in MW2. It was as if the guys at Infinity Ward saw the reactions these moments got in COD4, and thought, "hey, why don't we do that in the next game, only as OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!" And boy, do they ever do that. MW2 never, and I mean never, lets up. It just keeps building and building on itself, right from the get-go. I felt like I never got a breather in this game. Which, in my eyes, was a good thing. At least it kept my attention!

Runners-up: Uncharted 2 (PS3), Borderlands (Xbox 360)


Best Game That Was Released in 2009 That No One Probably Played:
Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad (Xbox 360)

Sure, the game was not that great, but you kill zombies with swords as a stereotypical Japanese school-girl character. And hey, killing zombies will always go over well in my book. This game did do a couple of interesting things with the gameplay, incorporating a couple of interesting mechanics. First was the ability to send your character into a rage-mode of sorts by being covered in the blood of your enemies. Second was the need to constantly keep your blade clean, so it wouldn't dull down and get stuck in the baddies. Overall, not the greatest game ever, but an interesting romp, and definitely one that I bet 99.9% of gamers either didn't know about or didn't care about. But hey, I played Bullet Witch, so I know an ultra-niche game when I see it.

Runners-up: Magna Carta 2 (Xbox 360), Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? (PSP)


Best Game of 2009 That I Didn't Start Playing Until 2010:
Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3)

I'm still kicking myself for not picking this game up right when it released back in August. I thought I would have the chance rectify that mistake, and play it in 2009, when I received the game for Christmas. Unfortunately, the holiday rush got me, and I wasn't able to start playing AA until 2009 had ended. But boy, am I glad I didn't hold off any longer. This game deserves all the praise that it's getting. It's the best Batman game, and may I say, best superhero game ever made. It hits all the right notes, focusing on what Batman does best. The strengths of the character revolve around his stealth, his gadgets, combat skills, and detective work. All these are mixed so well and implemented perfectly in AA. I love freaking out Joker's goons by sneaking around and taking them out one at a time until the last guy is just so out of it that he can't think straight. Solving Riddler's puzzles is challenging and fun. Beating dudes down with the freeflow combat system is tricky, but no less enjoyable. The game just does Batman the way Batman deserves to be done. Also, Mark Hamill as the Joker. Gotta love it!

Runners-up: none


Best Music/Rhythm Game:
The Beatles: Rock Band (Xbox 360)

I've always had an affinity for The Beatles. Their music was great, often groundbreaking. They pioneered many things that today's musicians take for granted (but, for the sake of length, I won't go into right now). So, it was with great delight that I picked up and played to death The Beatles: Rock Band. Sure, it was pretty much the same as the previous two RB titles, incorporating harmonies into the vocals part, but not changing much else. But that didn't truly matter. All that mattered was that I was getting the chance to experience, practically first-hand, the history and music of my favorite band of all time. There was no doubt that this game was crafted by people who wanted to honor The Beatles' legacy. Harmonix couldn't have done a better job of creating a more loving and respectful tribute. Kudos, guys, for making nothing short of an interactive Beatles history tour.

Runners-up: DJ Hero (Xbox 360), LEGO Rock Band (Xbox 360)




MY FAVORITE GAME OF 2009:
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3)

Yes, the big award goes to A Crack in Time. Quite simply put, this game gave me the most fun and enjoyment in 2009. Everything about it was right up my alley; the fun and often times wacky weapons and tools that Ratchet deploys, the brain-bending time-based puzzles you have to solve as Clank, the hilarious and well-acted script, the story, the level design. It all melded together into the one package that, if you're a PS3 owner, I suggest you not pass on. Sure, maybe other games looked better, or had more interesting things happen in them, or grabbed people through their multiplayer, but I feel that A Crack in Time was the best game I played all year, and my favorite. And, isn't that what these lists are all about, opinion? So, if you don't agree, sorry. You can always make your own "best of" list.

Runners-up: Uncharted 2 (PS3), Assassin's Creed II (Xbox 360), The Beatles: Rock Band (Xbox 360)



So, there you have it, a rundown of what I enjoyed in gaming for the year of 2009. And considering it's already 2010, and new games that I want to play are out TODAY, I best get crackin'! Here's hoping that, as good as 2009 was for the state of gaming, 2010 will kick even more ass and take even more names. Oops, I hear Batman calling... Best get to it.