The year's best... console games 2010: it's a wrap How was your gaming in 2010? Which console games will you remember most when you're through overindulging and it's time to carelessly box up the tangle of Christmas lights and decorations? Which stand-out moments will you recount as you drunkenly belt out Auld Lang Syne and resolve to make these New Year's …
I'm kinda surprised Rock Band 3 wasn't mentioned as something that did manage to stretch the genre a lot further than ever before, thanks to the addition of the new keyboard instrument and the pro-modes... actually teaching people to play instruments rather than just pressing five different coloured buttons.
Sure, it might not be as big in the UK as it is over the other side of the pond, but it's one of the biggest leaps forward in any genre of games....
"Whatever happened to originality?"
The beancounters said no, they don't want any of that this year.
Still, one advantage of being time poor for games these days is that I get to play a game that I pretty much *know* is going to be good, since I'm about 6 months behind the edge.
When I were a lad, and on the bleedin' edge (go the Might Bogg!) I wasted a lot of time on shit, but then I had a lot more time to spend, and for some reason or other, cough, it seemed to go quicker.
and the author makes 2.
not sure that counts as "many" :)
My reason for dismay, however, was that my dear mother had been advertised at by microsoft and now is confused about kinect, xbox360, ps3, and wii.
She wanted a wii with wii fit, but after seeing the ads I had to spend a patient 4 hours explaining the difference and that wii fit is probably what she actually wants.
And of course a completely separate 4 hours explaining the same to dad.... *sigh*
Not dismayed about the product itself. I don't see a problem with it, although I wish microsoft would make kinect able to be used on the PC - there is a market there that isn't being exploited.
Would be fun to get it to run commands - like you could give your comp the thumbs-up and it would start playing the A team theme, or a devil horns sign and it starts playing iron maiden.
I count as a hardcore gamer, but I wouldn't say I'm totally unconvinced by motion control.
It's just that for me, a mouse and keyboard or controller is *usually* better for actually playing the game.
But I just ebayed it to fund Xbox + Kinnect. A million miles apart....best purchase for a while!
(NB: I should point out that it's also replaced my media centre PC - not as featurful, but perfectly workable and much easier for the other half) It's going to be lovely only having a nice black Xbox and a black V+ box under the TV.
Although this is clearly an opinion piece, red dead redemption only has some "sandbox" qualities. I think best sandbox game of all time is just hyperbole. There have been many legendary sandbox games. Most of Bethesda's games come to mind... Both fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas and of course who can forget the elder scrolls series. Then there's EVE online - it has a niche status but is reknown for its player driven storyline and economy - pure sandbox.
But I finish with a tone of agreement on Demon Souls. It was a delight to finally see it land on European shores, and when you play it you understand why some sites voted it best game of 2009... it's a love it or hate it game, but in the end it is just so original.
Fallout New Vegas was excellent, as was Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, but while I enjoyed both a great deal, I put so many more hours into Demon's Souls. So many hours. So nice to play a game that was actually difficult, a game that - in parts - genuinely scared me (can't remember that happening since the intro to the original AVP, years ago). Looking back, perhaps a dark and stormy night, alone in the house, wasn't the best time to head down to the plague lake.
So yes, Demon's Souls for game of the year, no question.
I can't argue with Demon's Souls being game of the year (aside from the fact it came out in 2009 for most of the world, including many European importers, but we'll let that one slide) but I agree with other commenters that Bad Company 2 (the year's best online FPS by far), Fallout: New Vegas and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood should all have had a mention.
I can't agree with the Coward above slating Vanquish though - it was one of the best things I've played this year and a clear example of a Japanese developer doing a non-Japanese game (if that's not too politically incorrect for me to say) far better than any Western developers have managed. I'd take a Vanquish 2 over Gears of War 3 any day.
My missus will buy me a console for Christmas if I so wish. I like Halo, but then again I would like to play blu-rays and, if it actually makes it to release, would love to play Rockstar's 'Agent', which is currently slated as PS3 exclusive. Generally into FPSs and driving games.
So, 360, PS3, or wait for next-gen hardware?
(Please no juvenile dogmatic ranting - I GENUINELY don't know which to get...)
You do realise that posting this sort of question on any game-related web forum is only going to attract the worst kind of fanboy response? Brace yourselves...
For what it's worth, I'll merely explain my thought processes that led me to buy a Playstation 3 instead of an Xbox 360:
- Blu-ray: If you have a HDTV, then you should get a Blu-ray player and the PS3 is actually a pretty good one.
- Free online gaming: Microsoft charge a sub for playing online games of about £30 a year. Sony's service is free. You can also browse the web and watch iPlayer on your PS3 which you can't on the Xbox. Handy of you don't have your PC hooked up to your big telly.
- The choice of exclusive games: This is always going to be a personal one - instead of Halo you could equally enjoy Killzone or Resistance, yet for Gran Turismo you could be playing Forza. YMMV. Note that El Reg Game of the Year "Demon's Souls" is a PS3 exclusive though.
Finally, I wouldn't wait for next-gen hardware - both the 360 and PS3 will be around for a few more years yet. If you really want next-gen then spending a bit more money on a good gaming PC is pretty much your only option.
Good luck!
You'll find plenty of FPS games on both consoles; but the PS3 wins on some accounts such as the included Blu-Ray player and free multiplayer. There's also the fact that the PS3 can be 'upgraded' as you can simply swap out the HDD for a bigger one without the thing locking up, unlike the 360 requiring "official" HDDs at extortionate prices.
In my opinion, charging for online play is so 1990's, those in the US might remember TEN doing monthly charging to what amounts to glorified dialup ISP service ... except it was a gaming-only dialup network. Quake and its ilk brought down that shameless pimping, but MS has brought it back from the dead with XBL.
If your only pull towards the 360 is Halo, Resistance and Killzone serve as drop-in replacements. I've always liked better the Gran Turismo series as well, so there's that...
Controllers. Playstation controllers make my hands ache after a reasonable amount of use. In fact, I'd prefer the 360 controller to be more like the original xbox one (you know, the ones that were visible from space?).
Multiplayer doesn't fuss me, most of the online population are gits, and I can't be bothered practising enough to be any good against them.
Blue ray? I sold the 'free' blue ray player that came with my TV, might get one again when they are a $50 impulse buy from the cheap shop, like dvd players are now.
I must be getting old.
Alright so it has some bugs, but as far as an immersive player-lead story goes, it can't be beaten! No linear game play, you make the decisions, you influence the game and how it reacts to you and how you play. Graphics may not be super-stunning, but it's top of the interactive RPGs!
This year I have bought TWO 360's (one for me and t'other for the missus) as well as being a great bit of kit (links upto my media center, streams films, Sky etc who needs BluRay?) it was mainly for us to join friends etc playing MW2 online. Great fun, however if it had been BlackOps I don't think I would have bothered buying a 360. While I mostly enjoy playing BlackOps its just not as good as MW2.
Red Dead however is a game I would buy a console for, coupled with the undead DLC its pretty much my favourite game at the moment. I have Bad Company 2 but have yet to even unwrap it yet, so can't comment.
One of the best gaming items I've bought this year is the Kinect, it's a great bit of kit it just needs a killer game (come on THQ!) - Dance Central is fun but I cant see many teenage boys playing it!
Having seen the releases for next year I am very excited, this is but a short list, some are for the children.
Killzone 3
Crysis 2
Mass Effect 2 & 3
Little Big Planet 2
Last Guardian
HD version of ICO
Dead Space 2
Sorcery
Resistance 3
Portal 2
and best of all
UNCHARTED 3 : Drakes Deception
And this is a short list. Something there for everyone
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