Moroes' Top 5 of 2009

 

So ive seen everyone making lists of their favorite 2009 releases, so I decided to do the same :).  Note that this is based on the games that I have played for a total of 20+ hours each, so games like Uncharted 2 and Demon's Souls won't be on here, even though they are amazing games.

 

5. Aion: Tower of Eternity(PC)

 

I will be the first to say that I had many doubts about this game.  You probably already know that I am pretty big on MMORPG's, but what you might not know is that I also don't mind grinding... to some extent.  This MMORPG is very fun, but it is grind based.  Many of the aspects turn into a grind, but I am an individual that doesn't mind spending 8-10 hours a week just killing stuff, or crafting.  The major flaw with this game is that it lacks end game content, which the devs are already working on (a major patch is heading out this month I believe).  Basically it comes down to this, if you are patient with games and don't mind grinding quite a bit this game will attract you, but if you are all about instant gradification and just can't do repetitive task you should probably skip on this one.

 

4.Modern Warfare 2(PC,Xbox 360,PS3)

 

I enjoyed Call of Duty 4 more than any multiplayer game... ever.  It was no surprise that I was very excited about the sequel, and I mostly recieved exactly what I expected... new content, a short but exciting campaign mode, and an addictive and fun online mode. People always say that this game is virtually its predecessor with added on content, and say for that reason it isn't one of 2009's top games.  Gaming is about having fun, and there is tons of fun to be had in MW2.

 

3. Killzone 2(PS3)

One of my most anticipated games of the year.  I played the original Killzone which was hyped "the halo killer", which it obviously didn't live up to.  I liked the idea and setting in the first game, but it was executed very poorly.  I was really looking forward to what Guerrila would do with a sequel, and they didn't dissapoint.  The graphics are some of the best I have seen on a console, with a gritty enviorment which complements the story. The online mode is very fun and unique.  The interchanging modes will keep you on your heels since you can be playing Search and Destroy one minute, and Team Deathmatch the next.  It isn't a revolutionary shooter, but it's probably the most well-executed one.

 

2. Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason(PC)

 

This is my sleeper game of the year. Produced by a small Ukranian company, this game introduces a lot new ideas and is heaping with creativity.  The setting is on a dull Soviet icebreaker called North Wind which is trapped near the North Pole.  You journey through the ship, noticing that something very strange has happend here, finding most of the crew dead and the rest of the crew in a zombie-like state. This game mixes in shooting action with puzzles.  You have an ability called mind echo, which allows you to come up to certain dead bodies, and enter their memories.  In these memories you are stuck at a point right before that person died.  You help them survive by helping them open passages, protecting them from hostile enemies, etc.  As you save these men in the past, it drastically affect the future.  When you save a crew member, whatever action you did to save them remains in the future.. meaning that passages that were once closed will be open.  These flashbacks lead the story, and give you an idea of what happend on the ship.  The only flaws I can find with this game is that the engine is a little unstable when it comes down to frames per second and somewhat dated graphics, along withconfusing conclusion.

 

1.Dragon Age: Origins(PC,Xbox 360,PS3)

Im just going to go ahead and call this one... if you aren't Bioware don't make single player RPG games.  This was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me becaues it seems that this game came out of nowhere. There really isn't too much to say about this game except its a complete package.  It wll offer 50+ hours of gameplay.  The colorful characters and small details help create the lore in this game, which really sets a great mood from the get go.  Theres an endless amount of things to do.  In a sense this is Oblivion with better graphics and better character interaction. You will need to spare some time for this one, because there really isn't anything quite like it.  This game made me really look forward to Mass Effect 2.