The end of the year is upon us, and for a gamer that naturally means 'GOTY', i.e. Game of the Year. I also decided to organise my own little award ceremony for what I think were the best games of year. This ceremony will span various categories, some of which are the same ones you saw in the official GOTY ceremony of Gamespot, others which I have invented myself. The ceremony will take up several posts. As of now, I'm planning on making 1 or 2 GOTY-related posts per day, each of them revealing around 4-5 winners in the different categories. The final post will contain my GOTY, of course. But let's start with some special achievement awards, just to get in the mood. This post will explore some of the more minor achievements, while the next post, which you can expect sometime tomorrow, will list the winners in the more prominent categories, such as graphics and sound.

Before starting, I would like to note that I, being a humble gamer just like you, have naturally not been able to play every game 2010 had to offer. I have missed out on several great games, so I would like to emphasise that my awards are based on my personal experience and preference, and nothing else. Still, enjoy the first part of my award ceremony, and feel free to discuss my choices in the comment section.

Most surprisingly good game:

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing

While the Sonic franchise is still tainted by years and years of subsequent disappointment, 2010 has marked the comeback of the blue hedgehog to the world of respectable games. The well-received Sonic Colors has certainly played a part in this, but Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing also deserves some credit. While the game is already nearly forgotten, it got very close to emulating the quality of the Mario Kart series. Still, ASR isn't a glorified Mario Kart clone in any way. The gameplay mechanics reminded me more of F-Zero GX, and the artistic design is quite creative. Definitely one of the best racing games of the year, and one of the best kart racing games of the past few years. Both of these feats were against the odds. Not only do kart racing games have the near obligatory disadvantage of standing in Mario Kart's shadow (Diddy Kong Racing and Crash Team Racing were welcome exceptions to this rule), Sonic himself also had something to make up for. And he delivered big time. Here's hoping this game won't be forgotten in its entirity.

Best new character:

Sinclair (BioShock 2)

BioShock 1 already introduced us to some fabulous characters. Who could forget the likes of Andrew Ryan and Sander Cohen? The standard the game set for its successor in terms of character design was not to be underestimated, but BioShock 2 really did deliver. Gracie, Stanley and Sofia Lamb were all excellent, but the real star of the show was Sinclair. With his nonchalance he always cut right to the chase, yet never without a healthy dose of charm, most of which can be traced back to his slick, Southern accent. Even though you barely see him, his voice is present throughout most of the game, motivating throughout the entire quest with the 'you'll do us both a favour' kind of tone you'd expect from a self-made business man. All in all, Sinclair was the perfect sidekick: loyal and resourceful, yet without constantly getting in trouble like some clueless frog, let alone going all 'Hey, listen!' on you.

Best original game mechanic:

Sanity (Amnesia - The Dark Descent)

It is hardly a surprise that the successful indie game Amnesia - The Dark Descent does things a little differently than your usual blockbuster title. After all, one of the things that allows this horror title to be so genuinely frightening is its reluctance to resort to the same clichés that have turned so many horror games into cheap scare fests. The fact that you cannot actually fight the monsters in this game also takes some getting used to. But perhaps the most interesting new addition is the sanity system. Witnessing disturbing events (which will happen A LOT, mind you) or residing in the darkness too long will cause the screen to become blurry and start shaking, depicting how the main character is losing his mind. This is an excellent way of translating the sense of anxiety the player experiences while playing this game into the game itself. It is an integral part of what makes this game so scary and brilliant at the same time.


Best boss fights:

Super Meat Boy

Good boss fights can make a good game even better. This goes for Super Meat Boy in particular. The level design is ace, the controls are responsive and the game provides tons of challenge, but it's all foreplay when the boss fights are taken into account. What makes them so great, is that defeating these bosses does not rely on your usual 'find weak spot, hit it 3 times' routines. Instead, bosses chase you through a level, which you have to finish before the boss catches you, without hitting one of the many other environmental hazzards. It's the epitome of the challenging old-school platforming gameplay that makes Super Meat Boy such a strong game. Super Mario Galaxy 2 may have been the superior platformer, but it has nothing on the Meat when it comes to a good old boss brawl.


Best online:

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit

I already explained that Hot Pursuit showed that less can be more. Dropping elements that made previous installments weak (story, tuning) turned out great, and the same goes for the online. There are only a handful of modes to be played, but they make for some of the most enjoyable online sessions in recent years. Especially the Hot Pursuit mode, in which 2 teams consisting of cops and racers respectively fight for victory, makes for some unforgettable online sessions. The best of all is that it's all perfectly balanced. Cops get extra nitro so that they can keep up with racers and prevent them from crossing the finish line, and racers also get a few gadgets, such as a turbo boost and some spike strips, to give the police some of their own medicine. The amazing driving mechanics alone make for some very exciting normal races as well, and especially when the skill level of the competitors is similar, the tactics involved may often turn out to be deeper than they appear to be at first. And even the single player mode is a testament of this game's great online functions: you will get a message whenever someone breaks your records, giving you the option to play that race immediately in an effort to break it. Again, this so-called Autolog function may appear simple, but in its subtlety it just carries competitive online multiplayer to a whole new level. For its solid, charming, involving and addicting online component, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit will be granted this award.