As we come closer to the end of another year, people will start making their lists of the best and worst things of this year of our Lord, two thousand and nine. And why should I be any different? So over the next week, I'll be taking a look at some of my favorite games of the year, as well as some of it's lowest points. This is very much a personal list, as I don't think I'm qualified to make a definitive statement like "This is the best game that was made this year." They are just my personal highs and lows. I'll be getting the negative points out of the way first, and then tomorrow I'll discuss some honorable mentions. Then, each day I'll highlight five games that stand out as my personal favorites of the year. They aren't really meant to be ranked in order, as I had a ton of fun with each one. So without further ado, let's get on with the best and worst of 2009!
Worst of 2009
Biggest Disappointment - Killzone 2
I wanted to like Killzone 2. I really did. It came out around a time when I had a serious shooter itch, and Killzone 2 seemed like it was shaping up to scratch that itch. But a generic and unengaging story mixed with controls that I never really felt comfortable with came together to shatter that illusion. Killzone 2 isn't a bad game, I guess, but it certainly didn't satisfy. It's a competent shooter, but I goes way too far off into cliche territory without finding a way to distinguish itself. It has multiplayer which is theoretically very good, but I never tried it. I had a crappy internet connection at the time, and once that got fixed I was pretty much over Killzone 2. This isn't the game's fault, but it might also say something about how I wasn't entertained by Killzone enough to want to go play more of it.
Most Controller Smashingly Frustrating Game - Street Fighter 4
Street Fighter 4 is a very good game that I am very, very bad at playing. I just have to suck it up and admit that I totally suck at fighting games. I used to be able to hold my own, but I have almost no skill at these things anymore. This game has a cool art style and brings back all the stuff you loved about Street Fighter 2, but it's not for me. I can barely beat the computer, for crying out loud. God forbid I should ever try to get online with this thing. Also, I have to say, using the XBox 360 controller is one of the worst experiences ever when playing this game. There are better controllers you can buy, but if you are going to make a game that basically requires you to own a separate controller, you had better pack that thing in the box. Can you imagine if Guitar Hero hadn't done that the first time around?! I'm pretty sure this game has shaved a few years off of my life from the sheer amount of rage it generated.
Worst Use of Nathan Fillion - Halo 3 ODST
Now don't get me wrong. I love Nathan Fillion. And ODST is a pretty good game as well. But the combination of the two just don't work that well. When I heard that he was featured very heavily in this game, I was stoked. Unfortunately, it just isn't anything special. The character is OK, but he's not that memorable either, which is a bummer. He also looks kind of weird. They used his likeness in the game, and it comes off as cartoonish in that uncomfortable uncanny valley way. Also, it has to be said, that his heavy breathing when wounded is one of the most annoying things I've heard all year. And there have been a lot of annoying things in games this year.
Most Unfair Level Design - Splosion Man
I love Splosion Man. It's a fun and quirky game that demands precision platforming, which is exactly the kind of game I love. However, when you get to the later levels, you get the feeling that the game was designed by a bunch of sadists. There were points where I could have sworn I should have been succeeding and didn't know what I was doing wrong. If your timing is off by a split second, you're dead. I suppose it should feel rewarding when you finally push past it, but in truth it just made me want to go splode something down at Twisted Pixel.
Dumbest Story - Killzone 2
OK, I couldn't resist going back to the Killzone well one more time. But seriously, go back and read my summary of the plot from this summer. While I'm pretty sarcastic, it actually follows the actual plot of the game. It is laden with profanity in an obvious attempt to be "hardcore". It has the "hoo-ah" attitude, but that just doesn't work when you're dealing with a sci-fi war. Am I supposed to feel patriotic about fighting for this fictional army? It tries to get moving and "personal" with a character death, but that character had very little to distinguish him from the other grunts in the meat grinder. This was just an uninteresting story with a bunch of unlikeable protagonists in a very bland world. Meh.
Game I'm Most Apathetic About - Dante's Inferno
While this is technically a 2010 game, they've spent a large portion of this year promoting the game. First off, they take the classic story from the Divine Comedy and try to make it into a God of War clone. Now, I've never read the Inferno, but I know that the game they've made has almost NOTHING to do with that story. They really just wanted to make a game where you hack and slash your way into hell, and decided to use a familiar name to slap onto it. Added to that is their completely offensive marketing campaign. Now I'm not offended by the messages of the campaign, even though they definitely want me to be. I'm offended by the intentions of the campaign. You see, it's pretty obvious they are TRYING to be offensive and controversial. They've staged fake protests and made bizzare fake religious products like "We Pray". Add to that the press release about you having to fight aborted babies in hell, and it's pretty clear they are trying to stir up a furor amongst "them religious types". And that just smacks of being juvenile, in my opinion. It seems to me that they're trying to stir up an image of being "cool and dangerous", and get buzz by having Fox News shake their fists at them. But this all just makes me not want to play their game. In fact, I'm dangerously close to changing from being apathetic to actively disliking the game. I'll just wait until God of War 3 come out. Which isn't that far off.
I love Splosion Man. It's a fun and quirky game that demands precision platforming, which is exactly the kind of game I love. However, when you get to the later levels, you get the feeling that the game was designed by a bunch of sadists. There were points where I could have sworn I should have been succeeding and didn't know what I was doing wrong. If your timing is off by a split second, you're dead. I suppose it should feel rewarding when you finally push past it, but in truth it just made me want to go splode something down at Twisted Pixel. 
OK, I couldn't resist going back to the Killzone well one more time. But seriously, go back and read my summary of the plot from this summer. While I'm pretty sarcastic, it actually follows the actual plot of the game. It is laden with profanity in an obvious attempt to be "hardcore". It has the "hoo-ah" attitude, but that just doesn't work when you're dealing with a sci-fi war. Am I supposed to feel patriotic about fighting for this fictional army? It tries to get moving and "personal" with a character death, but that character had very little to distinguish him from the other grunts in the meat grinder. This was just an uninteresting story with a bunch of unlikeable protagonists in a very bland world. Meh.
While this is technically a 2010 game, they've spent a large portion of this year promoting the game. First off, they take the classic story from the Divine Comedy and try to make it into a God of War clone. Now, I've never read the Inferno, but I know that the game they've made has almost NOTHING to do with that story. They really just wanted to make a game where you hack and slash your way into hell, and decided to use a familiar name to slap onto it. Added to that is their completely offensive marketing campaign. Now I'm not offended by the messages of the campaign, even though they definitely want me to be. I'm offended by the intentions of the campaign. You see, it's pretty obvious they are TRYING to be offensive and controversial. They've staged fake protests and made bizzare fake religious products like "We Pray". Add to that the press release about you having to fight aborted babies in hell, and it's pretty clear they are trying to stir up a furor amongst "them religious types". And that just smacks of being juvenile, in my opinion. It seems to me that they're trying to stir up an image of being "cool and dangerous", and get buzz by having Fox News shake their fists at them. But this all just makes me not want to play their game. In fact, I'm dangerously close to changing from being apathetic to actively disliking the game. I'll just wait until God of War 3 come out. Which isn't that far off.
No comments:
Post a Comment