Top 10 Console (and Downloadable) Games of 2009

Just Missing Out:

Assassin's Creed II
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Dead Space Extraction
inFamous
Street Fighter IV
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (Wii Version)

10. IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey

Sometimes there are games that come out of left field. For me, this WWII air combat title fits the bill. I never knew what to expect but after the first few training missions I was hooked. A great looking game coupled with excellent controls and tons of content, console fans who have been eager for something to take to the skies, this is the one to play.

9. Fat Princess

Typically I tend to stay away from online only games. It can be sometimes really difficult to get involved unless you are willing to invest the time and energy to get good at it. Thankfully, Fat Princess is the perfect title for those looking to just have a bit of mindless fun. This team based action title has something for everyone. Not good at fighting, then be a healer. Can't shoot an arrow to save your life, well your team needs someone to collect supplies. For those who enjoy Team Fortress, playing this is an absolute must.

8. Killzone 2

The game that had so much hype associated to it is typically destined to fail. Thankfully, Killzone 2 met its expectations and was worth every penny. Having played and only partially enjoying the original, this follow up gives FPS fans one incredible journey with great shooting, frantic action and a good mix of enjoyable and frustrating moments. Certainly looking forward to where this series goes to next.

7. Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes from Liberty City

Having already owned the PS3 version of GTAIV, getting the opportunity to play any of the exclusive content for the 360 was not possible. That changed with RockStar releasing both The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony in one perfect package along with all the fantastic multiplayer options. If you are in the same boat as me or just want more GTA content, this is a purchase you need to make.

6. Borderlands

Never judge a book without actually reading through a few chapters. This was the case for me when playing Borderlands. What started off as a frustrated experience quickly changed into spending time trying to see what else I could do. There aren't many games that can keep me playing after a poor first impression, but Borderlands did that. It takes a bit of time to get into the groove but once you've hit it, you will have a hard time letting go.

5. Shadow Complex

Nostalgia is always a nice thing, so when you have a game that brings of memories of your youth it is certainly worth mentioning. This fantastic action game that reminds you of the days of playing on your SNES is something that was such a pleasure to play. From the opening moments to every discovery, regardless of size, will keep you wanting more. Again, more games like this need to made that can be enjoyed for about the same cost of going to the movies and last 3 times as long.

4. FIFA 10

Soccer is my sport so a quality game is something I have to have. It has been years since I have played a game in the series that made me absolutely enjoy every match I played. Thankfully, this not only made me feel so good during every match, win, lose or draw, but the amount of content available will keep any fan occupied for months. EA has been looking for ways to push the series forward and next year's version will need to really go farther to better this one.

3. Dragon Age Origins

Upon first inspection, Dragon Age Origins was merely a game that I had no real interest to. Having not played any BioWare title until this year, I could care less about their pedigree. That quickly changed after playing through Mass Effect early on this year and getting to sit and listen to the BioWare Doctors talk about Narrative quickly changed my mind. If you enjoy free flowing RPGs that give you the ability to do so many things, then this is the only game you need to play. Having played both the game on the PC and PS3, you should most definitely go the way of the Personal Computer but even if that isn't a viable option, RPG fans will enjoy every waking moment.

2. Batman: Arkham Asylum

The last really fun Super Hero title that I enjoyed playing was the first Spider-Man title for the PSOne (released by Activision). Since then, it has been really difficult to find one that kept me wanting to play through the entire story. Arkham Asylum changed that from the opening moments with its fantastic story that mirrors the comics, the excellent combat that expands as you progress and plethora of side objectives available. This is the way other Super Hero games need to be made and will be the gold standard for years to come.

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

I will not lie, until recently my favorite PS3 game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. My expectations for the follow-up were high and those demands I had were met and surpassed from the opening scene. Among Thieves shows just how far cinematic experiences have gone in the gaming world. This is an incredible story with great action sequences, stunning cast of characters and so much more. The transition from cut-scene to actual gameplay is so seamless you will often question if you're playing or watching. Yes, there are most certainly moments that will challenge you if you don't enjoy a challenge then you shouldn't be playing video games. Even if you have not experienced the first game in the series, you can easily pick this up and enjoy it. I loved every minute of my time with this and hope to find the time to go back and relive it again.

Top 5 Portable Games of 2009

Just missing out:

LocoRoco 2
Mario vs Donkey Kong: Minis March Again
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge

5. Resistance Retribution

Many people said that translating a shooter onto a portable system could not be done, the guys at Sony Bend knew otherwise. With the success of their Syphon Filter series, they took the same formula and put into this quasi sequel to the popular Resistance: Fall of Man series. Along with strong shoot and great level designs, there was a lot of reasons to play through the game more than once and the multiplayer mode was also quite enjoyable.

4. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

When a game can not only entertain you but educate you at the same time, you have something truly special. The Professor Layton in North America is still miles behind the Japanese series but this follow-up is just as enjoyable as the first with an great and engaging story. More than 150 different puzzles that will challenge you but never to the point of frustration. Here's hoping the 3rd game in the series gets to us sooner rather than later.

3. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Who said a violent game is not possible on a portable Nintendo Console? Chinatown Wars takes the series in an interesting direction with fantastic results. Combining a cool story, great missions and some interesting touch screen mechanics, this is the total package. Any GTA fan will love it and those who missed the days of the series origins are only punishing themselves by not playing this.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

It doesn't take much to release a quality Legend of Zelda title, so having one on the DS is no surprise. While fans did have their reservations and felts some parts of Phantom Hourglass were disappointing, Spirit Tracks fixes almost all of those issues and gives us such a fantastic experience. The fact that both Link and Zelda must work together puts this up there as a must-place for any fan of the long running series.

1. Patapon 2

There are games that when you first look at them you will respond with 'WTF!', the orginial Patapon was most definitely that game. Combine rhythm with strategy and you have yourself one unique experience. This follow up took everything that made the first so special, doubled it and threw in a bit more flavor. What is so great is that even with all its content, more than 30 hours worth, this only will cost you 20 dollars. For those looking for a PSP game to play, if this isn't already in your collection it should be.

PiCTOBiTS Review (DSiWare)

Probably the best aspect of any puzzle game is the pick-up and play nature each one possesses. It doesn't take too long to learn how to play but it does require a lot of investment before you can say that you have mastered one. PiCTOBiT manages to give you an exciting puzzle experience for DSi owners but one that will take a lot of time to master thanks to its strong difficulty.

The objective in PiCTOBiTS is to group colored blocks together. Each level begins with three rows full of multicolored blocks which must be moved to different parts of the screen then combined with matching blocks that drop from the top of the screen. If you match up groups of three more, the blocks disappear and are transferred onto the top screen.

All blocks that go to the top screen begin to form an image. Once you have the right amount of blocks to complete the image, you've completed the level. Each level contains four different colors and you need to obtain enough blocks of each specific color in order to complete the image. You can continue to match blocks of a color you already have enough of, but it will not help complete the puzzle.

The groups of blocks that fall down vary in shape. Sometimes they are large 4x4 blocks other times they are shaped completely different and almost always contain more than one color.

If you manage to combine the right colors of blocks before they reach the bottom it will make each level significantly easier. In a situation where no colors are available, a simple tap on the falling pieces will drop them down and make those blocks accessible to use later on.

PiCTOBiTs starts off fairly easy and most people should be able to complete the first few levels without too much difficulty. As you progress though, the challenge ramps up fairly quickly thanks to the game's increase in speed, frequency of blocks and other special blocks that can hinder your progression.

For those who love puzzle games, this challenge will be a delight. You certainly will get frustrated with the increasing challenge, but it never feels cheap or that the game is cheating you. PiCTOBiTS is about quick movements and reflexes and you will really work your brain trying to find the best way to complete the levels. If you play a level enough times, you will begin to notice the patterns of the blocks as to where they drop, but the colors always change.

Thankfully, moving pieces is not 1:1. You can store up to 8 blocks and then use them when needed. The stylus works well that you can also slide across a few blocks to store them and replace them just as quickly. In later stages, you will begin to use the POW feature. This can be your friend if the screen begins to fill up as it will reduce the last three rows and spread out all the blocks on the screen. It can be helpful, but it comes at a price. You need to collect coins, coins that you obtain as you earn chains and break blocks, but once you use a POW, the number of pieces you can store gets reduced.

There are thirty stages to play and the most challenging ones occur when you begin to buy and unlock the Dark one. The Dark Stages are even more difficult than the Normal ones and will require extra precision and quickness if you wish to complete them.

The game uses very simplistic graphics but it works really well for a DSiWare title. Each of the game's images that you unlock to complete a level come from the NES days of games. You'll see plenty of sprites from your childhood and it each one looks really swell.

The music in the game also takes homage to the NES days. The chiptune and MIDI sounding tunes work well for the game and there is also the option to buy the music in the game to listen whenever you please. Also included are a few remixes of classic NES tunes which will only not appeal to those without soul or who have never experienced the Golden Generation of Videogames.

PiCTOBiTS is certainly not an easy game, but at a mere 500 DSi Points it is by far the best DSiWare game available right now. Yes, the challenge of the puzzles will throw off inexperienced players but there is nothing quite like it available right now. Considering DSi owners got 1000 Points to use, this is the best bang for the buck and should be in your collection without question.

Flower Review (PSN)

If you work a steady, full-time job, chances are that you have had a really bad day at work. Once you get home, you just want to relax and forget about all the problems you had. For some, you will pick up your favorite book or watch a TV program. For others, you might decide to go for a run or hit some weights to relive all that tension. I really doubt people would pick up a Videogame to help them forget about their troubles. Well it seems that answer to that is here and it's called Flower.

The premise behind this half-game, half-interactive experience is that fairly vague at first. In the game, you play as the Wind and it's your goal to help bloom various locations from drab environments into scenic and peaceful ones.

In each of Flower's 6 stages, you begin as the wind with a single flower petal. With the use of the X Button and the motions of the PS3's Sixaxis controller, you 'lead' that single petal towards flowers located around you to blossom the flowers and to collect more petals.

As flowers bloom, you open up the environments. At the beginning of each stage, the levels all look desolate but as the flowers blossom, the grass becomes greener and the sky becomes clearer. As you progress through the stages, you'll eventually blossom all of the flowers turning the stage into the kind of place you'll want to spend an afternoon just relaxing.

Flower is a very linear game. There is no dying so you never have to worry about doing anything wrong. Often, the objective is simply to bloom all the flowers in a specific spot in order to progress. Flowers that haven't been bloomed have a glow and you'll be easily able to pick them out even from far away. The controls make moving around each stage a breeze. When Sony released the Sixaxis back in 2006, this should have been a pack-in title that would have shown why you need this feature.

In terms of graphics, the game is fairly simple with it's look but stunning none-the-less. There are very few outside particles in each stage. For the most part, you'll be simply collection flower petals and traveling through grass, but both look stunning in High-Definition. Even the 'outside' environments look really good and add to the game's feel.

With incredible looking visuals, the sound helps to compliment the experience even more. The game contains a great instrumental score that will often have you leaving it playing to give your home a more relaxing feel. The music shifts with the speed of your flower petals and works on multiple levels, especially in the later stages of the game which have a very different feel from the beginning.

Flower is not a long game. The six stages can be completed in about 1-3 hours depending on how much time you spend on each. There are a lot of tiny secrets hidden throughout the game which does add to some replayabilty, but chances are that once you've completed the game, you'll only go back to get some trophies. Even with that, this is a game that does exactly what it intended on doing, offering a different, yet unique experience. Only hard-core gamers looking for something to kill will not find anything here to enjoy. If you've had a hard day at work, I strongly suggest turning on your PS3, playing any of the 6 stages (except maybe stage 5 = spoiler) and watch your troubles fly away with the wind...even if it's only for a few moments.

Dead Space Review (PS3, Xbox 360 and PC)

There is always a lot of risks involved when introducing a new series to the world. The first reaction most people will have is ‘this game is a lot like…’ We are skeptical because most gamers want to play something they know will be good. When Dead Space was announced, most people claimed ‘this game is a lot like Resident Evil in Space’ and while that's a fair assessment, when you actually start playing, you notice that this is a very different game and a great one at that.

The plot behind Dead Space involves a crew that has been called to assist with some problems that have occurred on the ship USG Ishimura, touted as one of the biggest and most powerful ships in the fleet. When they arrive, the Ishimura fails to respond to the calls and it seems that something else has occurred. At first, you’re under the impression that the problem is the communications. Once you arrive on board, you realize that something else, much larger, is the problem.

You play as Isaac Clarke, who is an engineer capable of fixing what is initially believed to be the problem. As you begin the game, you and your crew members thing that the communication is what is causing the problem, but once you begin walking around the ship, you notice that people are no where to be found, feared dead. Now it’s up to you to get the ship online in order to escape and at the same time, try to figure out what exactly has gone wrong with the ship and its crew.

The game is played from a 3rd-person, over the shoulder view. You will also not have a HUD (Head’s Up Display), rather all of your stats are available on your person. Your weapon’s ammo shows up on the weapons when it is drawn; your health bar is located on your spine and your Stasis strength is shown on your shoulder blade. Lastly, in levels that require you to venture into space, you’re oxygen supply timer will also appear. It’s a great mechanic that works really well. Since the screen is not cluttered with data so it allows that game to really look good. Also, everything that occurs happens in game. When you bring up your items menu, a holograph appears which will allow you to continue moving and access key items. Also, whenever you crew members appear to communicate with, it too happens with the use of holographs. This is really nice as it never stops the flow of the game.

The enemies you will encounter are called Necromorphs, Some are fast, others are slow but all of them are extremely deadly. Your arsenal begins with a simple weapon, but as you progress and obtain credits you will unleash more powerful weapons. Since Isaac is an Engineer, all of his weapons are actually modified tools, such as Cutters and other Mining Tools. All of the weapons are upgradeable and necessary for you as you progress into more difficult stages.

For the most part, Necromorphs are relatively slow, so you should be able to attack them before they get to close, but that’s not to say they are easy to take down. The game puts the emphasis on dismemberment. Most Necromorphs can actually morph into different shapes, so in order to stop them you will have to strategically cut off limbs, to slow them down even more then cutting off their heads or targeting certain parts of the body to destroy them.

The attacking is where Dead Space gets the talk about being similar to the Resident Evil franchise, specifically RE4. In RE4, character perspective is similar to what you encounter in Dead Space, but here you’re character is able to move while aiming. This may seem to make the game easier, and as it may be the case in some situations, the fact that the game often puts you in small corridors and dark locations, the best way to approach any area is to constantly move.

The majority of the game is played on the USG Ishimura, but the environments are not that repetitive. There are plenty of situations where Isaac will have to work in areas with Zero Gravity and even outside of the Ship. In areas with Zero Gravity, every section with a flat surface can be used and you will have to move to them in order to advance. In those parts where you’ll have to be outside of the ship, or areas with no oxygen, you will have to move quickly as you only have a limited amount of air available to you. These portions are always frantic since not only will you have to battle enemies, but work against the clock.

In terms of graphics, Dead Space is absolutely stunning. Majority of the game is played in dark locations, so the atmosphere really makes things difficult for you. Often, you will have to walk around with your weapon drawn, since each one of them has a flashlight. You can walk around without it, but be prepared for attacks, which can be really fun and challenging. Some environments look the same, but in actuality there are subtle differences to each of them. As you trek through the game, you may want to walk off path just to check out what you might find. There is a lot of secrets available throughout the ship, which will appease those who actually go through each nook and cranny.

The game’s sound is top-notch. The voice work from the small cast and the sounds from the Necromorphs all stand out. There isn’t a single weak point throughout the game. The sound both the ambience and the score is also extremely fantastic. In those key moments where it seems like something bad is going to occur, the music is right there to reassure you. I really enjoyed those moments when your oxygen gets low since you can hear the panic breathing of Isaac. It doesn’t stop there. When Isaac is low in health, if you try to run, his breathing will also point sound weird giving you the hint that you should be hunting for health packs and using them. In survival horror games, sound is just as important as ‘shock value’ and Dead Space truly delivers.

Dead Space’s story plays out in 12 chapters, each of which will take about an hour or so to complete, so you’ve got a minimum of twelve hours of gameplay here. If you stick to the path, given to you by the objective assister, you will only get a portion of the story here. There are a lot of audio and text logs that you need to uncover to understand the storyline. Also, what some people might miss out is that Dead Space the videogame is actually only the final portion of a three tier story. Also released prior to the game hitting stores was a six part comic book story which chronicles events that lead to the discovery of the key plot to the game. On top of that, there is a full-length feature animated film which then connects the comic book mini-series to the game. If you want to understand the full lore behind the game, picking up either of the two will help understand the game just a bit more. Thankfully, you can easily pick up the digital versions of the comic book which were made available free on Xbox Live and PSN.

In the end, even with all the connections made between Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 and films like Solaris and Event Horizon, EA has done a great job in giving gamers a fantastic playing game. There is plenty of action, suspense and horror to satisfy just about any gamer out there. Some might be put off by the fact that you’re only getting a portion of the overall story, there is still enough that you can get an understanding of everything even without going that extra mile. If you’ve been looking for a game to keep you at the edge of your seat but were annoyed with questionable tank-like controls, Dead Space delivers.