(Click on the blog title, so you can see everything in full screen, if you please)
Well, fellow gamer guys, gamer galls and GameSpot aficionados, it is THE time of the year…A time when someone looks back, reminiscing about the good times, the bad times, the missed opportunities, the exciting new beginnings and most of all - wishes of a good and successful year ahead of us.
This will be my final blog for this year and everything that I have come to appreciate (or hate) will be shared with you – my GameSpot friends. Please enjoy the blog and hopefully you get to feel the excitement, the dislike or any other feeling I felt while I was conducting the below-mentioned activities.
Beginning of a new year – 2010 – God, I hope Garrus is back!
While spending the majority of the time off me and my girl had (over 2009's winter holiday season) playing local co-op games like Gears of War 2 or Army of Two, I could not wait until the long awaited Mass Effect 2 hit the market in January. Believe me when I say that I am not big fan of Sci-fi (Star Wars/Trek-like) entertainment, but I decided to give Mass Effect 1 a shot the previous year. And boy, am I glad that I did! So, while eagerly anticipating ME2 I went ahead and purchased Army of Two 2: The 40th Day. The only reason I was keen on it was because it featured a full scale local co-op support – something that we don't see very often any more. When you have someone that you share a living with, then you'd better have a way to incorporate your gaming habits with them, or else you risk a potential of "domestic violence" Haha…Just a word of advice…
Mass Effect 2 came and I was blown away – the opening sequence, the return of "Archangel" and the introduction of Legion were moment that will make me come back again and again to this highly acclaimed franchise.
"Would you kindly"…
I have to be honest – the most anticipated game in the beginning of the new year was none other than Bioshock 2. The story, the characters, the "plot twist" in the end of Bioshock made my…"insides boil". You know what I mean? I loved this game so much, the steampunk-like underwater world of Rapture, the setting. So, a Collector Edition, here I come!
"Please call me York, that's what everyone calls me…"
I have always been a huge David Lynch fan. His 90s TV show Twin Peaks is by far my favorite TV series ever, forever. When Alan Wake was first introduced I was so hyped up for this game, that I could not wait to get my hands on it. In order to help the time pass quicker I ended up playing Aliens VS Predator (did not like it), Final Fantasy 13 (Square Enix, you are in trouble!), Metro 2033 (very underappreciated game, I love it)…But one game, which after getting a review score of 2 (yes, TWO) on IGN, I never expected to steal the show of 2010 and be a strong contender for my GOTY of 2010 – Deadly Premonition. Here I am purchasing this "slated" game just until I get my hands on Alan Wake and playing it again and again and again. I have never seen or experienced a more unique, more disturbing or psychologically-mind-bending story than Deadly Premonition's…"So says Mr. Stewart…"
NOTE: Played Alan Wake once and ended up selling it. I cannot believe Deadly Premonition turned out to be the better game – by a mile.
Marston…John Marston.
Having never finished GTAIV (which was a very good game in the beginning, it is just that I got bored for some reason) I had very high doubts whether I will like Red Dead Redemption. Luckily I ended up buying it and I experienced an outstanding cinematic journey – a Wild West story, a setting that I am fond of, since I grew up reading Western-themed books. I mean, seriously – this game felt flawless – outstanding characters, soundtrack, story, emotion, voice acting, everything was top notch and there should not be a single person who has played RDR and does not think it deserves a GOTY nomination. I know it got one for my GOTY….
Singularity, Mafia 2, Fifa 11…
My gaming "career" continued playing a Metro 2033-like adventure called Singularity (good game), 2K Czech's Mafia 2 (amazing game) and the long awaited by me Fifa 11 (being a huge football (soccer) fan I spent lots of hours with just me, my buddies and some ice cold Nuka Co…I mean beer). Other games I played during this period was Dead Space (amazing game) and Arcania: Gothic 4 (an "ok" RPG).
"The game was rigged from the start…" (The most awaited, anticipated, craved, desired game for me)
I am pretty sure if i were to have any white hairs on my head right now, they are from playing the Fallout series. Every single hour I played Fallout 3 or Fallout New Vegas has been a pleasure, mixed with an occasional anger at some technical blemishes that (for me at least) CANNOT change my opinion on what I think is my all time favorite game series now. Fallout New Vegas was called a "technical disaster" but I had an outstanding time with it. Every moment felt a "climax", a "culmination", an "answer to an enigma".
Playing any game for so long would only make one fall in love with it. And this is what happened to me. Fallout series and Bethesda's take on them (or transformation) is a gaming moment that I will always cherish. I am so addicted to them that I even spent a fortune when I purchased a Fallout 3's director Todd Howard (Dude you are great!, keep up the good work)-signed Vault Boy Bobblehead. It made me feel so good, that I finally had a piece of the series, I had a "contact" with the development team that brought me this awesome game.
Not, only that but I also acquired a "center piece" for my gaming room – a Fallout New Vegas Neon Sign…Now, am I addicted to these games or what? Thank you Bethesda, Todd Howard and Obsidian as well for giving me an idea how to spend the best part of my gaming "career"!
The rest…
During 2010 I also purchased many other games, which were for my girl to play – Halo Reach (she is a big Halo fan, for what that's worth), Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Fable 3, Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition.
The worst game I played this year…
Arcania Gothic 4 is NOT the worst game out there. Heck, the game is fun. But out of the crop of titles that I have played it was the most generic one, introducing nothing to the RPG genre. It was just (as I called it in my review) an "RPG thirst quencher".
My Game of the Year…
4. Mass Effect 2 – the lack of RPG elements really bothered me. It was a tremendous movie-like experience but lackluster side missions/exploring
3. Red Dead Redemption – I felt like RDR is flawless. Truly a must try for any gamer – whether you like GTA or not.
2. Deadly Premonition – my love towards the surreal horror and psychological thrillers (not to mention Twin Peaks) was truly satisfied with this game. Low production values, but when you experience the best and most unique story in a video game, then that changes everything. Thank you Swery65 (the game director of DP)!
1. Fallout New Vegas – Glitchy? Yes. Nerve-wrecking? Sometimes? Can you do what you want to do? Yes. A true RPG? Yes. Worth your money? Yes. Hundreds of hours of fun gameplay? Yes.
Well, it was a long blog, but it was well worth it. The passing 2010 gaming year was a good one for me and just by looking at what the next year has to offer, one can only lick their lips, drool a little bit and save lots and lots of cash for future gaming purchases.
To all family and friends (online and offline) wish you good health (most important "PERK" you can get from life) and a happy new year!
EvilSelf…