GregHorrorShow Game Awards 2010

Well it’s that time of year again and 2010 has seen some immense games roll around – as well as continued support via DLC for some of 2009 biggest titles.

Sadly I didn’t have time to play every game that was released so if I’ve missed anything worth checking out shout me in the comments and if it’s not already in my ‘to play’ pile I’ll get it added.

Right, let’s go!

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BEST GAME INNOVATION

WINNER: Destruction 2.0 (Battlefield Bad Company 2)

This was a tough one to call this year but I definitely think Destruction 2.0 is something that has helped put Battlefield head and shoulders above most other shooters out there. Enemy hiding in a house? Just blow the wall up in front of them and it’ll leave a nice big hole to shoot them through. Or just blow the building up completely and have it crush them to death.

RUNNERS UP:

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (Online Assassination Multiplayer)

Modnation Racers (Easy Track Creation)

Playstation Move

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BEST DLC (CONTENT)

WINNER: Undead Nightmare (Red Dead Redemption)

 

No question of the winner here – with around 6 hours of single player and the fantastic Undead Overrun & Land Grab online modes, Undead Nightmare packs a lot of bang for your buck. This is one of the more comprehensive DLC packs out there and if you liked Red Dead Redemption then this is a must have. Props to Uncharted and Battlefield though – two strong modes added there but Undead takes this one.

RUNNERS UP:

Heavy Rain: The Taxidermist

Uncharted 2 Seige

Battlefield: Onslaught

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DOWNLOADABLE GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Dead Nation

I honestly didn’t see anything taking this award away from the excellent Joe Danger and then Housemarque’s Dead Nation arrived at the beginning of December. Dripping in HD visuals comes a twin stick shooter that makes you think about your every move. When to use the SMG and how much Shotgun ammo to conserve become regular questions. Your score gets added to total score for your country and you can keep a tab on which country is the best at fighting the Zombie invasion. Very cool indeed.

RUNNERS UP:

Joe Danger

Shank

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World

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MOST ANTICIPATED GAME OF 2011

WINNER: Killzone 3

Wow, this was a tough call – it had to be Killzone 3 or Uncharted 3. I’m sure Uncharted 3 will be awesome but having played Killzone 3 I can’t wait for this to arrive in February. Continuing the story from the second game and adding substantially to the multiplayer, I think this could be a game of the year contender.

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BEST GAME TRAILER

WINNER: L.A Noire

The standard of trailers has been so high this year I’ve decided to pop the runners up on here as well for you to have a look at. L.A Noire takes the crown though and man, those Rockstar guys know how to make a trailer! Another contender for most anticipated, L.A Noire sees you take on the role of Cole Phelps, a detective in 1940’s America. Great stuff and the trailer really captures that feeling of the time.

RUNNERS UP:

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

Spec Ops The Line

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – Vietnam

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PSP GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to pick up God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta yet so that hasn’t made the cut. I’m sure it would’ve been a close call regardless as Metal Gear also oozes quality and is such a deep game that there is always something different to do. Whether it’s going on missions or recruiting more soldiers for your army, Peace Walker will keep you entertained for hours. My play through clocked in at 16 hrs, which puts a fair few PS3 titles to shame.

RUNNER UP:

Half Minute Hero

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BEST SPORTS GAME

WINNER: FIFA 11

FIFA 11 is more of a refinement than anything else but it’s amazing the difference the changes make. While FIFA continues to dominate it’s interesting that PES gets a nomination this year – it shows that the series has made great strides this year to try and close the gap.

RUNNERS UP:

Formula 1 2010

Modnation Racers

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011

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BEST GRAPHICS

WINNER: Heavy Rain

No doubt on this one as Quantic Dream’s stunning thriller has some of the best motion capture and facial animation ever seen in a game. Whether it was evading masked men as Madison, talking down a robber in a shop with Shelby or shouting ‘JASON!’ repeatedly in a mall as Ethan, Heavy Rain looked gorgeous. Gran Turismo 5 certainly deserves a heads up in this category as when it all comes together it looks stunning however Heavy Rain was far more consistent.

RUNNERS UP:

God Of War 3

Red Dead Redemption

Gran Turismo 5

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BEST STORYLINE

WINNER: Red Dead Redemption

Unexpected. Not a word you’ll often type when talking about the story of a game but that’s what you get with Red Dead. John Marston’s story of gunslinger gone good who is brought in by the government against his will to track down his old gang trundles along at a pace and has plenty of stand out moments but it’s the final third of the game that stands out as some of the best I’ve played in a game. Not to mention the ending, which is one of the most impressive I’ve ever experienced in a game. Genius. 😎

RUNNERS UP:

God of War III

Mafia II

Heavy Rain

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BEST SOUNDTRACK (SCORE)

WINNER: God Of War III

The final part of Kratos’ epic trilogy hit PS3 owners with everything it had back in March and as usual Gerard K Marino’s score didn’t disappoint. Dipping and soaring in the right places this was the perfect accompaniment to the on screen carnage. The score really does push the story on and is definitely well suited to Kratos’ character.

RUNNERS UP:

Heavy Rain

Red Dead Redemption

Bioshock 2

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BEST SOUNDTRACK (LICENSED)

WINNER: Mafia II

The music in Mafia II is a huge part of what makes you feel like you are actually back in that era. I remember the first car I got into had “At The Hop” by Danny and The Juniors playing. It was one of the coolest things I’d had happen in a game for ages. A wonderful selection of old tracks that are well worth checking out in their own right but that combined with gameplay help make for a memorable experience.

RUNNERS UP:

Bioshock 2

FIFA 11

Call Of Duty: Black Ops

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BEST VOICE ACTING

WINNER: Red Dead Redemption

Rockstar usually deliver on the voice front with the GTA titles and Red Dead Redemption certainly doesn’t disappoint. Every character feels well rounded and has a voice to suit them perfectly. Even the supporting cast: Bonnie McFarland, Seth, Irish and, of course, West Dickens. This was a strong category this year with Mafia II in particular impressing but with such strength in depth it has to be Red Dead Redemption.

RUNNERS UP:

God Of War III

Mafia II

Heavy Rain

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SINGLE PLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption tells a well crafted story in a beautifully rendered environment. There is so much to do and see that I still don’t feel like I have fully explored the world of the wild west. Rockstar have created a varied and expansive playground with enough going on to keep even the most hardcore of gamers entertained for hours and hours.

RUNNERS UP:

Heavy Rain

Mafia II

Alpha Protocol

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MULTIPLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

It was nice for me personally that my most anticipated game of 2010 lived up to expectations and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 nailed team based multiplayer like no other game I’ve ever played. The sense of satisfaction at winning a tense round of Rush and the feeling of being part of a bigger team is hard to beat. With the upcoming Vietnam expansion pack this game will only get better and better.

RUNNERS UP:

Modnation Racers

Red Dead Redemption

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

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GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Red Dead Redemption

There could really only be one choice this year, with Rockstar’s Western epic taking the title of Game Of The Year. With a brilliant single player campaign and an ever improving multiplayer mode, Red Dead Redemption is a title that will keep you entertained and provide you with plenty of value for money. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 comes a close second as that has been my most played multiplayer title but overall Red Dead pips it.

RUNNERS UP:

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Heavy Rain

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood

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So there we go. Another year of gaming done and dusted with Red Dead Redemption taking home an unprecedented FIVE awards!

Some great games didn’t even make the nominations – that’s how tough it’s been to make decisions.

The likes of MAG, Bayonetta, Just Cause 2 and Vanquish unfortunately didn’t make the grade but goes to show how strong the line up of game releases has been in 2010.

So what games would you guys have given awards this year?

Top 30 Single Player Games – Part Two (15-1)

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So, following on from the first half of the Top 30, here we are the top 15 single player games on the PS3 – quite a few new entries on the list. See what you think!

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15. HEAVENLY SWORD (13)

Another game that didn’t garner the respect it deserves, primarily because it didn’t live up to the pre-release hype.

If you like God Of War you will like this game as it’s similar in style but it looks gorgeous in HD and I believe did a few bits (combos/blocking etc) better than the first two God Of War games.

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14. GHOSTBUSTERS (11)

Ghostbusters: The Video Game’s plot is essentially the third movie – set in 1991 you’re a rookie who’s been drafted in to help with the ever increasing ghost workload. A huge paranormal blast sets off a chain of events that only one group of guys can deal with…

For me Ghostbusters was a short (5 hour) game that had me chuckling and geeking out despite it’s flaws – it won’t be to everyone’s tastes but it has a good single player storyline.

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13. ASSASSIN’S CREED II

Assassin’s Creed II picks up with Desmond Miles after the conclusion of the first game as he escapes with Lucy Stillman from the Abstergo Industries building and finds himself in a safe house with a new Animus, delving into another set of ancestral memories.

This time you’ll be playing as Ezio in Italy in the 1400’s. This is a glorious setting as you move between Tuscany, Florence, Venice and more. The difference in areas is apparent and they have gone to a lot of trouble to make each feel individual.

As well as the main plot missions there are a wealth of side missions and collectibles – this freedom of choice means you never feel railroaded into anything and delivers a wonderful gaming experience.

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12. KILLZONE 2 (10)

Killzone 2’s biggest achievement is, possibly because of the brilliant graphics, sound and AI, that you feel involved and become embedded in the Killzone universal whenever you pick up the pad.

It’s not perfect by any means but it’s easily the best first person shooter I’ve played and I recommend anyone with a remote interest in this genre to check this out immediately!

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11. BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM (9)

With some wonderful voice acting from the cast of the animated series, Batman: Arkham Asylum’s story moves at a good pace and familiar enemies are used to good effect throughout.

With such a vivid setting and a memorable selection of bad guys from Batman’s career it’s no surprise that Arkham Asylum is such a great game.

Despite the odds being stacked against it, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a quality title that has had a lot of care put into making it. I’d recommend this to anyone.

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10. GOD OF WAR 3

God Of War III picks up exactly where God Of War II ended and the opening is stunning in it’s sheer scale.

The first part of the level sees you fighting enemies on a Titan’s back before you quickly move onto a boss battle that, quite frankly, would appear at the end of most other games. From there on out Kratos’ rampage against the Gods continues at full speed.

Most of the highlights of the game come from the boss battles, unless perhaps you are a fan of puzzle based gameplay – if so you’re well catered for here.

If you’re a fan of the other games in the series or have never tried a God Of War title before then jump straight in and get ready for a bloodbath… this is a game you have to play if you own a PS3 and is one of the best single player experiences out there at the moment.

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9. INFAMOUS (8)

So good it’s the only game this generation I’ve played through twice (seeing it’s rating bumped from 8/10 to 9/10), Infamous is a great game.

You control Cole McGrath, a courier who just happens to be carrying a package containing an electronic bomb when it goes off, devasting the city. Somehow Cole survives and, after coming out of a coma, realises the explosion has given him electrical superpowers.

From there on out the city is your oyster and there is plenty to do as you try to track down the people behind the explosion.

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8. BIOSHOCK (7)

Bioshock has a great story to tell and it does it well with some interesting objectives and brilliantly designed levels.

There are several twists and turns in the plot, most of which are not obvious and it’s no surprise to me that a film version is in the works (although I believe currently suspended due to budget concerns).

Dark worlds like Rapture aren’t to everyone’s tastes but you really would be missing out on an awesome story if you decided not to book a trip to the underwater city.

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7. GTA IV (6)

One the biggest selling games of this generation GTA IV features the fortunes (and lack therof) of Niko Bellic – an immigrant arriving in the US at Liberty City to find empty promises and broken dreams from his cousin Roman.

As you work your way up the criminal ladder you’ll encounter all sort of dodgy characters and befriend even more.

Liberty City is a wonderful, if run down, place and Niko Bellic’s story is one you will enjoy playing through so make sure you pick this game up as soon as possible.

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6. FALLOUT 3 (5)

After a tough few hours at the start you will find yourself rewarded greatly for sticking with this awesome FPS / RPG.

The story line sprawls across the world depending on your actions and you’ll find yourself taking a break from main missions to explore the wasteland or help out other characters.

I could go on and on about various things that happened and how cool it was, how great the story was or whatever.

But Fallout 3 is a game that needs to be experienced first hand and your story will no doubt play out differently to mine.

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5. METAL GEAR SOLID 4 (4)

Hideo Kojima’s tale of Solid Snake’s final mission is a brilliant showcase of the Playstation 3’s power.

This is a game that often gives you three or four different ways of approaching things – whether you realise it or not.

Metal Gear Solid 4 rewards those patient enough to stick with it by giving them a great gaming experience, with some memorable boss battles, that they won’t forget.

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4. HEAVY RAIN

Heavy Rain is the spiritual successor to Fahrenheit, a fantastic PS2 title, and it’s creators have used the lessons from that game to help form the experience that is Heavy Rain.

And I say experience because Heavy Rain is unlike anything I’ve played before.

Telling the story of the Origami Killer, who kidnaps young boys and drowns them in rain water, Heavy Rain sees you controlling four main characters and through their actions – whether everyday stuff like carrying in the shopping or a frantic fight for their life – you get a real feel for the characters.

It says a lot that as soon as I finished this game I wanted to play through it again straight away. I want to give the characters a slightly different personality, experiment to see what happens and find out how it changes the story.

Heavy Rain is by no means perfect but it brings a whole raft of new ideas and innovation to the table.

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3. DEAD SPACE (3)

Coming on somewhere between Event Horizon and Aliens, Dead Space is a third person survival horror game.

You take on the role of Isaac Clarke, a ship engineer who finds himself trapped onboard a stricken spaceship infested with an alien outbreak which is threatening to take over the ship.

This was one of the best games I played last year, it’s use of sound is immense and the fear of the unexpected they create is awesome.

I am not a big fan of horror movies or being made to jump all the time but Dead Space kept on the right side of all that by being unpredictable enough to be enjoyable as a ‘horror’ experience.

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2. UNCHARTED: DRAKE’S FORTUNE (2)

Uncharted maps the journey of Nathan Drake as he tries to find the lost treasure of El Dorado encountering, among other things, rival treasure hunters and mercenaries.

The graphics are unbelievable and the gameplay is well paced and well thought out. The characters and story and really well conceived and Nolan North, who voices Drake, is absolutely spot on with his irreverent humour and wisecracks.

At its heart Uncharted is an action adventure game much in the vein of Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider but, and I say this as a fan of both of these, it is better than either of them.

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1. UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES (1)

Uncharted 2 is a complete gaming package. There is plenty of taking out bad guys, lots of puzzles and some wonderful dialogue.

Naughty Dog really have done a great job on the voice acting and the expressiveness of the character models. It is easily the best I’ve come across (though Heavenly Sword was a close second).

I won’t spoil the story but for those who don’t know, Nathan Drake gets pulled back into that murky world of treasure hunting for hire. I loved the story of this game – with a few twists I saw coming and a few I didn’t.

If you own a PS3 there is no reason not to own this game – if you only have an XBox 360 or Wii then get yourself a PS3 Slim and enjoy one of the most finely crafted games I’ve ever experienced.

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So there you have it, can anything break Nathan Drake’s stranglehold on the top two spots?

With a whole heap of new games coming up – not to mention the backlog of brilliant single player stuff I’m working my way through – I suspect by the next time I put this list together it will have even more great games added! 😎

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God Of War III – Review (PS3)

 

I’ve always been a fan of the God Of War series of games – it’s mix of greek mythology and huge epic battles is a wonderful, if brutal, cocktail.

The first two games came in at 16 (God Of War) and 17 (God Of War II) respectively in my Top 100 Games list.

So I was really looking forward to getting my hands on the final instalment in the trilogy.

The game picks up exactly where God Of War II ended and the opening is stunning in it’s sheer scale. The first part of the level sees you fighting enemies on a Titan’s back before you quickly move onto a boss battle that, quite frankly, would appear at the end of most other games.

What follows the boss battle I wouldn’t dream of spoiling for anyone but needless to say I was pleasantly surprised and it was a genuinely original touch – something fairly rare these days.

Most of the highlights of the game come from the boss battles, unless perhaps you are a fan of puzzle based gameplay – if so you’re well catered for here. Personally I’m not a big fan of puzzle solving and these sections were a means to an end so that I could push the story forward.

Some of them were pretty enjoyable: the rescue of a certain character trapped in a water filled box held quite a bit of charm and there were only a few times I was reaching for a guide to find out what the hell I was supposed to be doing.

Going back to the boss battles I have to say they were brilliantly crafted and you can tell a lot of love went into creating each encounter. They will certainly live long in the memory and each had it’s own individual experience, usually ending with some outrageous results.

Graphically the bosses are stunning but even just general gameplay looks great and despite, at times, having up to fifty enemies on screen there wasn’t one moment of slowdown.

This instalment is a lot more gory than previous games – possibly due to the increase in processing power but blood splatters over Kratos’ body in real time and there are a few brutal scenes which I personally enjoyed but this is most definitely a game for the mature audience as opposed to children.

However, as impressed as I was with the game it is, essentially, just more of the same. While button mashing will see you killed the use of combos remains and the combat itself is slightly upgraded from previous games but you won’t find much difference.

There is a new ‘grapple to’ move that allows you to continue your combo by throwing yourself back into the action or dragging your victim to you and the new weapons are fun to handle but again, are essentially just new skins for various different combos.

The fighting is balanced enough, although Kratos is vastly more powerful than his enemies you will find yourself up against more in terms of numbers and type as the game progresses.

God Of War III is a single player experience and that’s the way it should be – multiplayer, certainly for this game, would feel ‘tacked’ on and would probably have lowered the overall package.

So in the end it all comes down to whether or not you liked the previous games – or more accurately if you DIDN’T like the previous games. If you didn’t there isn’t much here to change your mind other than the improvement in graphics.

However if you’re a fan of the other games or have never tried a God Of War title before then jump straight in and get ready for a bloodbath… this is a game you have to play if you own a PS3 and is one of the best single player experiences out there at the moment.

Rating: 9/10

GregHorrorShow Game Awards 2009

2009 has, in my opinion, been one of the best years ever to be a gamer.

With so many great games arriving and with plenty of 2008’s hits (Bioshock/Fallout 3/GTA IV/Metal Gear Solid 4 etc) falling in price it’s a great time to own a PS3.

Throw the PSP resurgence into the mix and it adds up to one brilliant era for games.

Anyway, now onto the main event! The awards you’ve been waiting for…

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BEST DLC (Downloadable Content)

WINNER: Fallout 3 – Expansion Packs

 

Offering hours and hours more gameplay and an extended level cap to boot, the various DLC packs for Fallout 3 were well above anything else that arrived this year. Getting back into the Capital Wasteland never felt so good. 🙂

RUNNERS UP:

Killzone 2 – Maps

LittleBigPlanet – Various Costumes

Batman – Play as Joker Challenge Maps

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BEST GAME INNOVATION

WINNER: Killzone 2 (Changing Game Modes Within A Consistent Online Match)

Killzone brought the noise in more ways than one but the changing game types within one online game was pretty sweet. Meaning that just as you’d be capturing the flag (speaker) the game could switch to deathmatch (Body Count) or whatever which in turn means that no two rounds are ever the same – genius.

RUNNERS UP:

InFamous (Karma System Working Within Empire City)

Prototype (Running Up Buildings)

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Deathstreaks)

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BEST TRAILER

WINNER: Assassin’s Creed II

There were lots of amazing trailers in 2009 but for me the most impressive both visually and with respect to what the gameplay promised, was Assassin’s Creed II. A fantastic game that saw you playing through the 1400’s in Italy, the trailer showed off exactly what the game had to offer.

RUNNERS UP:

Uncharted 2

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

God Of War 3

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MOST ANTICIPATED GAME OF 2010:

WINNER: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Heavy Rain was nailed on for this and while it’s still one of my most anticipated games of next year, playing through the beta of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has swayed me in favour of DICE’s first person shooter. With vehicles as well as guns this one looks set to rock it come March 2010.

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BEST SOUNDTRACK (SCORE)

WINNER: Killzone 2 (Joris De Man)

There have been plenty of great scores in the games of 2009 but Killzone 2’s is awesome. ‘Helgan Forever’, the main theme, will live long in the memory – mainly due to the fact that it is a fantastic, stirring, piece of music. Brilliant throughout the game, Joris De Man’s score is a great companion to a stunning game. 

RUNNERS UP:

Uncharted 2

Infamous

Prototype

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BEST SOUNDTRACK (LICENSED)

WINNER: Dirt 2

With a soundtrack featuring the might of Elbow, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Subways, Black Tide, Ladyhawke and Queens Of The Stone Age, Dirt 2 takes pole position in the soundtrack stakes. With a nice variety of styles it says a lot when you don’t get bored of the tracks after hearing them a few times and the inventive use of music through the menus and loading screens was a great touch.

RUNNERS UP:

Motorstorm: Arctic Edge (PSP)

Wet

Brutal Legend

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BEST VOICE ACTING

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Well, what can you say about the voice acting of Uncharted 2. It has to be one of the very best performances ever given in a game. I listened to an interview in which the cast compared the experience to theatre as they were all in the same room together for all of the voicing/motion capture and boy does it show. The chemistry between all the actors involved is apparent throughout and some of the ad libbed stuff is stunning.

RUNNERS UP:

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Wet

Batman: Arkham Ayslum

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BEST GRAPHICS

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Killzone 2 ran Uncharted 2 very, very close for this award but in the end Naughty Dog takes it on the variety of stunning locations they manage to fit into the game – especially the areas with some of the most realistic snow I’ve ever seen. The character models are superb and the animation is extremely well done. 

RUNNERS UP:

Killzone 2

Dirt 2

Batman: Arkham Asylum

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BEST SPORTS GAME

WINNER: FIFA 10

If you’d told me 18 months ago FIFA would be winning an award on my blog I would’ve thought you were insane. In tandom with the decline of PES, FIFA has risen to former glories and is now the definitive football (soccer) game. This game actually makes you think about the build up play well in advance and, even more importantly, lets you have full control over the action on the pitch.

RUNNERS UP:

Fight Night Round 4

Dirt 2

Madden 10

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BEST PSP GAME

WINNER: GTA Chinatown Wars

There have been some great titles for the PSP this year but GTA Chinatown Wars pips them all at the post for sheer volume. There is so much to do in Liberty City and while the missions are bite sized there are plenty of them to get stuck into. A cast of colourful characters (as usual) helps matters and this is a fitting entry into the GTA universe. 

RUNNERS UP:

Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines

Resistance: Retribution

LittleBigPlanet

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BEST STORYLINE

WINNER: InFamous

 

Infamous was a surprise hit for me as I was looking forward to Prototype a lot more. However Cole McGrath’s story of dealing with superpowers and finding out how the explosion happened was so great I played the game twice. With a few twists I didn’t see coming this game boasts a really great story. Uncharted 2 ran this close as it had a brilliant story but Infamous just pips it at the post.

RUNNERS UP:

Wet

Assassin’s Creed II

Uncharted 2

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SINGLE PLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Undoubtedly the best single player game for some time, Uncharted 2 makes you feel like the star of the best action movie ever. This is one of those games where all the pieces come together so well it’s a completely seamless experience. Brilliant.

RUNNERS UP:

Infamous

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Assassin’s Creed II

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MULTIPLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Killzone 2

Is there a more satisfying sound that the ping of a kill on Killzone 2? 🙂 Giving the players more weight made the game feel heavier but seemingly fairer than a ‘twitch’ shooter like Modern Warfare 2. Killzone 2 is certainly the game I spent most time online with this year – clocking up in excess of 100 hours, which is a first for me. Great online fun.

RUNNERS UP:

Dirt 2

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Uncharted 2

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GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Naughty Dog’s excellent Uncharted 2 is no surprise as game of the year. Having already seen it take the gong at Spike’s VGA Awards I am following suit and giving Uncharted 2 the Game Of The Year Award for 2009. A fantastic, deep gaming experience with a great multiplayer added to boot. Seriously I’d like to speak to someone who played this and didn’t like it. As a whole Uncharted 2 is the best game in years and a very worthy winner.

RUNNERS UP:

InFamous

Assassin’s Creed II

Killzone 2

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Wow, still struggling to believe we’re nearly done with 2009!

It says a lot about this year that a title as great as Batman: Arkham Asylum can be nominated for 4 awards and not win one. Quality titles abound.

It’s been an amazing year for gaming and the quality looks set to continue into 2010 with a host of great releases.

Let me know what your highlights were for 2009!

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Eurogamer Expo 2009

Wow! What a fantastic gaming experience.

First of all a big shout out to everyone who put this Expo together – it was one of the smoothest run I’ve been to.

I got to see and play so many upcoming games it was a well spent £6. 🙂

Only disappointment was not playing Assassin’s Creed 2 as it was rammed all day. That meant wait to play it or skip it and probably play 2 or 3 other games.

Left 4 Dead 2 (XBox 360) and Tekken 6 were also extremely busy but I could take them or leave them so didn’t mind missing them too much.

Was surprised to see Army Of Two: 40th Day only have two TV’s showing the game and then be taken away well before the end of the day – would’ve liked to have given that a spin.

But there is a hell of a lot of stuff I DID play to get through, so let’s get to it…

 

ALIEN VS PREDATOR

I’ve been looking forward to this game (and Aliens: Colonial Marines) since it was announced.

The hands on was multiplayer only, with the choice of Marine, Alien or Predator. With words of Private Hudson ringing in my ears “game over man, it’s game over man!” I chose Marine. 😎

Mainly to see how the game plays compared to other FPS’s but also because I wanted to try my luck against the more fancied non-human characters.

I’m glad to say it holds up very well indeed and being a Marine isn’t as weak as I expected. You land a round of fire on a Predator he’s going down, likewise with the Alien but he’s so quick landing a round on him is an achievement.

They have captured that sense of panic you feel for the Marines in the film really well and it will be interesting to play the game without the background noise of an Expo going on! 😆

 

BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2

Totally didn’t expect to see this at the Expo but it was a very pleasant surprise.

I’m looking forward to this more than Modern Warfare 2 (meh, so sue me fanboys) and this hands on has increased the feeling this could be a special game.

Again it was multiplayer only and at times I had trouble finding the opposition but Battlefield Bad Company 2 looks astounding and plays really well.

The use of vehicles is a great touch and well handled, while the weapons had a reassuring kick to them as well. Could be massive online.

 

BAYONETTA

Not being a big fan of the Devil May Cry has meant that Bayonetta hasn’t really been on my radar other than a few trailers I’ve seen here and there.

Having the chance to play through a couple of levels has seen my interest rise but I get the feeling this would be more of a rental than a purchase.

However if you liked Devil May Cry you will probably want to pick up a copy.

  

BORDERLANDS 

Again, Borderlands was a game that I thought looked quite interesting but didn’t get when it was released a few weeks ago.

I feel that was the right decision – not because of how the game played, it was really good, but because this game has to be played in online co-op.

So for that reason, in the crowded pre-Christmas schedule, I won’t be picking this up.

However come the new year (or even the traditional summer drought) I’ll be persuading a few mates to get it and we’ll blast through it together.

  

DANTE’S INFERNO

As you’ll see further down the list, God Of War III was also on display at the Expo and unfortunately for Dante we played Kratos’ demo first.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Dante’s Inferno – this is a game that looks good and has some varied imagery on display.

However there is also A LOT in this hands on that is lifted directly from God Of War III. 😦

Having played both if I had to pick it’d be God Of War but hopefully Dante’s Inferno’s story will be gripping enough to warrant a playthrough.

 

DARK VOID

This one was my biggest disappointment on the day.

It wasn’t exactly clear what we were supposed to be doing and there seemed to be a bit of an issue with the vertical climbing and cover system not quite working.

As this is a demo and is also probably a few months old I will give Dark Void the benefit of the doubt but from that hands on it reminded me of 50 Cent: Blood On The Sand just with a jetpack.

 

GOD OF WAR III

We kicked the day off with a playthrough of God Of War III and what a start to proceedings!

Graphically lush and with some great new visual effects, this is a game that manages to be even more brutal than the previous instalments.

Blood gushes everywhere, including all over Kratos himself, and stays wherever it’s landed – adding a touch more realism to the mythological world.

This will be a must have for any PS3 owner (who’s over 18 :lol:)

 

HEAVY RAIN

Much has been made of Heavy Rain and how amazing it could be. Everything I’ve seen of it points to something special so I was desperate to give it a go.

It took a while to get used to the controls (best described as like a driving game – R2 moves you forward and you use the left stick to dictate which direction) but it was a triumph when you did.

Graphically it was stunning, though the Junkyard level didn’t look as good as the Shop level.

What we enjoyed most about the demo was that for both parts we had different outcomes. 😎

The fact that it isn’t game over if you don’t make it through a sequence in one piece is awesome and the amount of options/choices for you means the game should have strong replay value.

I think Heavy Rain could be something very special if it can live up to the promise shown in these demo levels.

* ‘HEAVY RAIN’ : GREGHORRORSHOW’S BEST IN SHOW – Eurogamer Expo 2009*

 

M.A.G

M.A.G is one of those games that I was undecided on going into the Expo.

256 multiplayer sounds amazing but all the footage I’d seen so far hadn’t been overly impressive.

However having actually played it I can confirm it’s great fun and well worth playing.

Sure we had no context of the squad depth or anything like that – just a set of objectives – but the actual gameplay itself was really strong.

Recoil was massive (may be realistic?) which meant you had to really aim you shots or you end up firing at the sky.

Definitely one to pick up and get involved in come January 2010.

 

THE SABOTEUR

Another game I was looking forward to that didn’t quite live up to the promise shown in the trailers.

I do think The Saboteur will be an absolute blast to play (pardon the pun) but people looking for a polished, deep gaming experience may need to look elsewhere (Heavy Rain perhaps? :smile:)

Coming from Pandemic I expect this to be more in the vein of their previous title Mercenaries 2 – which is no bad thing, I really enjoyed that title.

The main problem here is that the AI seemed completely moronic. It shatters the illusion of getting past them in disguise when you can stand in front of them in your normal get up, aiming at a gun at them and they do nothing.

So, judging from the hands on, if you go into The Saboteur expecting a masterpiece you may be disappointed but if you’re looking for a fun title to blow some stuff in – then this could be the one for you.

 

SPLIT/SECOND

Was not expecting this at all.

Thought I’d check Split/Second out as I liked the idea from the trailer of destructable scenery etc.

This game was an absolute blast – a cartoon style rampage through an airport race track in the style of Mario Kart but with stunning HD visuals.

From what I could gather you fill up your ‘special’ bar by driving fast and drifting around corners. Once the bar is full you have two options.

If you’re directly behind someone you can press X to trigger a more personal takedown, or at certain points trigger a short cut. If you prefer the bigger showpiece you’ll also have the option to press O at specific points on the track to trigger a major event, like the control crumbling and smashing down onto the tarmac. 😮 😎

Can see this being awesome fun in multiplayer.

* ‘SPLIT/SECOND’ : GREGHORRORSHOW’S MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE – Eurogamer Expo 2009 *

So there you have it – a monster round up of a fantastic event. Having been lucky enough to play through the games of the future I think it is an amazing time to be a gamer.

And with a lot of great stuff being PS3 exclusive we’ve got a lot of brilliant games to look forward to.

With inFAMOUS and Uncharted 2 already impressing you can add MAG, God of War III and Heavy Rain to the list.

Good times. 😎

MOST WANTED GAMES 2009/10 – PART ONE

This list started life as a Top Ten but as I began putting it together I thought I might as well just list everything that PS3 owners can look forward to in the future.

There were too many to fit in one blog so I’ve broken it down into two parts. The second part will be in the next week or so and will feature games that are further away on the horizon.

And so in no particular order, here’s what’s hot on the radar:

 

Terminator Salvation

Release Date: 19/05/09

I’ve read several previews of Terminator Salvation saying the game has ripped off Gears Of War and is similar is style. It certainly looks like Terminator has taken it’s inspiration from there.

And is this a bad thing? Obviously it’s great to have groundbreaking titles with fresh ideas but film licences are notoriously bad games (Iron Man anyone? :lol:).

If they can make a game half as good as Gears Of War with Terminators in it then I for one think that’s cool.

My only reservation is that the footage I’ve seen looks a little repetitive in parts but hopefully that won’t be a problem.

At the end of the day it’s been too long since we had a chance to shoot up some Terminators!

Here’s hoping for a downloadable Arnold skin for the main character at some stage!!!

Will certainly check the demo before buying though!

 

InFamous

Release Date: 26/05/09

InFamous has crept into this list at the last minute and the main reason I was reluctant to include it is the game’s apparent similarity to the forthcoming Prototype (see below).

Now I understand these two aren’t exactly the same but I do feel InFamous may not have the same impact as Prototype because the character is limited to a superpower based on electricity rather than a selection of powers.

Your character is called Cole, a man who not only survives a huge electrical explosion but actually gets powers from it. You’ll be chucking balls of electricity at enemies and using your electrical charge to glide through the air among other things.

Recent trailers & footage have hinted at some cool features and the good/bad karma angle seems interesting.

Graphically it looks great and it’s a PS3 exclusive so I suspect I’ll check it out at some stage depending on how much I enjoy the demo.

 

Prototype

Release Date: 09/06/09

Well it always seems the way – a style of game doesn’t get touched for ages then two come along at once.

I see absolutely no reason not to own both Prototype and InFamous if they are good enough. Both have a different story to tell and have been made by different people.

You play as Alex Mercer, waking up in the morgue and wondering what the hell is going on. You have no memory but luckily for you (not for everyone else :lol:) you can absorb other people’s appearances and memory by killing them 😮

And so the story begins as you try and piece together what the hell is going on and where your superpowers have appeared from.

Prototype seems to take itself less seriously than InFamous (performing an elbow drop on a tank :cool:) so I’m not sure how the story will play out.

Either way I’ll be getting this when it comes out in the Summer.

 

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Release Date: 09/06/09

I don’t think we’ve ever really had a great Batman game, although a friend vouches for Batman Begins, but Arkham Asylum looks like it could be something special.

Not restrained by being tied to a film the game has a level of freedom in design and story that isn’t often present in licensed games.

Basically Batman falls into the Joker’s trap by arresting him and taking him to the Asylum. The Joker escapes his chains and releases the inmates to take over the Asylum.

It’s up to Batman to punch, kick and batarang his way through.

It all looks great and the options for stealth or attack look pretty cool but I feel this one will come down to how they implement the control system.

Hopefully it’ll be easy enough to play and I’m looking forward to the demo, which should be with us in the next few weeks.

 

Red Faction

Release Date: 09/06/09

Another one that has crept into the list, Red Faction: Guerrilla makes an appearance based on how much fun the demo was.

I watched plenty of trailers and footage for this game without being overly impressed. The main selling point seemed to be the way everything destructs realistically and to me that wasn’t something of great interest – as long as it crumbles I don’t mind how it goes down. 🙂

But I’d underestimated how much fun it is to destroy things. Especially with an oversized hammer 😀

Might be worth a rent before I decide whether to invest but I’ll be keeping an eye on the reviews for this one.

 

Ghostbusters

Release Date: 16/06/09

Well we’ve certainly waited long enough – after being dropped by Activision Ghostbusters is almost upon us.

From the footage I’ve seen this could be a great game and to be honest with the original cast and the sound effects of the proton pack, Ecto 1 etc it could be a re-skinned version of any generic third person shooter and I’d be happy. 🙂

As it is the game seems to be getting ok feedback, maybe just above average, and apparently the script and delivery are excellent.

As someone who grew up with the films and cartoon TV series a decent Ghostbusters game has been a long time coming.

My inner child cannot wait to fire up his proton pack and bust some ghosts 😎

*sings On Our Own by Bobby Brown*

 

Call Of Juarez – Bound In Blood

Release Date: 30/06/09

And so we have the second of the Western themed games and this one seems a lot more linear and story driven than Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption (featured in Part Two).

You control two brothers and have the option to use either as you progress through the levels.

Both of them have different special abilties, one is great with long range weapons and the other can target multiple opponents before letting loose with both barrels.

I like the look of this and while the game looks to lack a degree of freedom I think that in some cases it’s nice to play a game and be led by the story.

Again one to check the demo first but a probable purchase.

 

Fight Night Round 4

Release Date: Summer 2009

I enjoyed Fight Night Round 3 but, quite frankly, it was just the PS2 version with shiny graphics.

This is a whole new game engine built from the ground up and based on physics.

It looks incredible and the movement of the fighters is much improved. Also the boxers can now get right up close, the ‘invisible wall’ from Round 3 has been removed.

The knockdowns are much better, the repetitive knockdown animation is gone and each knockdown will happen in real-time, which looks brilliant.

The roster has been increased and Lennox Lewis & Mike Tyson are both welcome inclusions.

This will be great to play with your mates and I should imagine online will be great (EA certainly does online very well) but I’m hoping for an extended career mode in single player.

A demo is pencilled in for mid May so it’s not long until we get a chance to try it out.

 

Alpha Protocol

Release Date: October 2009

Alpha Protocol is a spy-RPG (Role Playing Game), meaning effectively that you have a say in how your characters statistics develop through the game.

Want to be a crack shot? Level up your gun skills. How about a deadly weapon with your hands? Level up your martial arts skills.

You take control of an agent who is so deep under cover even your fellow agents don’t know about you. You get to mould his skills to suit your style of play as you go from location to location completing missions.

This game sounds like it could be really fun.

Added into the mix is what sounds like an excellent decision making mechanic whereby you are given three answers to choose from when asked a question but instead of sitting deliberating (“well if I say that x might happen but if I say y this might happen”) you get 5 seconds to answer or (I believe) it picks a passive answer for you.

It’s nice to see developers putting out games that don’t necessarily sit in one genre and I think Aplha Protocol could be an awesome story-based gaming experience.

 

M.A.G

Release Date: TBC 2009

MAG stands for Massive Action Game. It would have to be a pretty big game to actually label itself ‘Massive’ wouldn’t it?

Most games have 32 online players, there are a few that can support 64 players at a time. So what would constitute ‘Massive?’

80? 100? 150 surely? 200?!

Try 256. All human opponents. 128 players a side.
We are pretty much talking an actual war here 🙂 and judging from the trailer above this could be great fun, complete chaos but fun nonetheless.

I’m interested to see if they can actually pull It off successfully. This could be the game SOCOM wanted to be.

 

Heavy Rain

Release Date: TBC 2009

Now this is an interesting one, Heavy Rain is aiming to be a whole new gaming experience – more interactive and filmic than ever before.

Very little is known about the story itself and several rumours have been flying around regarding gameplay etc

The most interesting of which is the idea that the story continues until the end regardless. If you die you don’t replay the level you switch to another (different) character and continue the story from their perspective.

If that’s true it sounds awesome. Regardless of the rumours the game is shaping up to be one of the best looking and innovative title that is on the horizon.

 

God Of War 3

Release Date: TBA (2009/10)

Do I need to write anything here? 😆

Seriously it’s shaping up to top the previous two games, which is really saying something.

This is one of the jewels in Sony’s crown. Critically acclaimed and loved by gamers, the God Of War franchise is edging ever closer to it’s next-gen debut.

The footage above is obviously from a conference on a big screen but it still looks great – the movement of Kratos has obviously been improved and the the gameplay seems to flow better.

This will be massive and I cannot wait for it to arrive.

 

So there you have it – the first part of my most wanted games. I honestly don’t think there has been a better time to be a gamer – whether it’s on PS3, X-Box or Nintendo.

The scope, scale and production values on games is immense and there is a real value for money feel to most games nowadays, with almost all titles clocked in between 8 and 10 hours of gameplay in solo player campaigns. Not to mention multi-player.

Hope you enjoyed the list and Most Wanted – Part Two should be up next week.