And the winner is… GamingLives Game Of The Year 2010
by Samuel
Back in December we got most of the writers here on GamingLives together and came up with our individual favourite games of 2010, and asked our readers to get in touch and let us know theirs in order to crown the most suggested title our game of the year.
We’ve now counted the votes, and the following games have all received votes (listed here alphabetically as there can only be one winner with no prizes for second best):
| • Alan Wake • Assassins Creed: Brotherhood • Bioshock 2 • Castlevania: Lords of Shadow • Enslaved: Journey to the West • Fable 3 • Fallout: New Vegas • God of War 3 • Halo: Reach • Just Cause 2 • Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep |
• Limbo • Mass Effect 2 • Monster Hunter Tri • Napoleon: Total War • Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit • Pinball FX 2 • Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale • Red Dead Redemption • Splinter Cell: Conviction • Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty • Super Mario Galaxy 2 |
As might be expected with a large field of 22 games, the final result wound up being very tight. In fact, there was a single vote between the game that won and the nearest runner up. Before I finally announce which game has taken the title however, I’ve chosen a handful of the best comments sent in.
“My GOTY has to be Just Cause 2. It for me has been a game that has had me coming back since I first bought it, while other games this year have been left to rest in their cases. From crazy gang missions, to blowing up army bases, and jumping from the top of the world, pretty much every aspect of the game has been enjoyable for me, allowing me to overlook some glitchy moments and the fact that my laptop will sometimes struggle to run it due to graphics limits. On the whole an amazing game, and one I’m sure to still be playing in several months time.”
Tom Willmer
“My vote is for Fallout New Vegas and for more or less the same reasons as your writers. The game looked great, didn’t glitch out on me from beginning to end and kept me interested the entire time without ever getting boring. I enjoyed it a lot more than Fallout 3 and about as much as I enjoyed the original Fallout games even though they’re obviously very different. I would have liked if it was a longer game though as I spent more time playing Fallout 3 before the DLC came out so maybe there’ll be enough to make the game last as long. Hardcore mode was great and it made it so much more challenging even though I felt the game was more difficult anyway. There were a bunch of great games in 2010 but New Vegas is the one that stands out for me.”
Snoopy
“After much thought, my game of the year would have to be Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Some may argue the game is long and repetitive with a linear structure with level after level of killing enemies to progress through the game… but that’s one of the reasons why it is so good! LOS reminded me of the old school gaming, games were tough, puzzles were hard and you had to plough through a level, repeatedly killing enemies to get to the great CG cutscene or the next task of your journey. LOS gave you that and more… artistically, it was stunning, dark, gothic and realistic. The voice over work was brilliant and so was the entire production value… even the tiniest elements such as the loading bar was given immaculate detail and thought. Gameplay wasn’t boring, with each defeat of a boss you got new weapons and boy were the boss battles great. It’s been a long time since I played a game where the boss battles stood out. Every boss battle was unique and never felt like a drag, you had to use strategy and the game delivered on that front. A great story should always be at the heart of a great game. LOS powerful tale was engrossing and tragic, it gripped you from start to finish. All in all, I could rave more about how much I enjoyed the game, but for me, in a world where new age western RPGs and FPSs dominate the gaming scene, a game like LOS is what I needed. My gaming stems from the PS era where action/adventure and JRPGs roamed high, LOS was a nod back to that era – no multiplayer, no military shooters, just a great gaming experience… a fantasy world I could escape to.”
Splicer261
“Oh man, my favourite game this year has just gotta be Assassins Creed Brotherhood. That game has it all! Cool action, an awesome story, and you get to stab people in the head by jumping off of rooftops! Solid Snake has got nothing on my man Ezio, that guy is one of the coolest characters in any game. Definitely the best game I played all year.”
Gary
“Mass Effect 2 is my entry for game of the year. It was the best game I’ve played on my 360, like ever, not just this year. I shouldn’t have to say why, if you don’t know why you didn’t play it.”
Amanda
And on that note, the winner of the first GamingLives Game of the Year award is Mass Effect 2!
Joint favourite amongst our writers with Halo: Reach, we had a feeling that Mass Effect would do well in the final votes. Having continued to maintain a high level of success and acclaim across the board since January of last year, and with no signs of slowing down, Bioware have really achieved something with this game, cementing the franchise in the hearts of gamers everywhere. Expectations are high for the upcoming trilogy finale, Mass Effect 3, and who knows? Maybe that game will be in the running for next year’s award.
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If this isn’t enough reason for me to go back and continuing playing it (that and all the DLC I bought for 200 points each during the sale) then I don’t know what is. Congratulations to Bioware for that.
Though I will admit private sadness at Super Mario Galaxy 2 not winning out
And nice to see my oldest friend as one of the voters in the article, too
Hmm I kinda feel guilty that I have never played Mass Effect 1 or 2 *hides* Something here tells me I should.
Awesome GOTY write ups though it was fun to do
Same time next year?
I’d say paying for dlc was a reason to continue playing..? lol
lol
Damn shame Red Dead didn’t win *sad face* missed a trick with that if you ain’t played it yet.
And the Undead dlc give So much for so long i’m still playing it to this day, and many more to come
Not that I’m knocking M.E, far from it, loved them both, and crowned myself King of Mass Effect between my friends list as they are all noobs and ain’t finished it
Wait a sec.
I’m taking issue with the person who said Ezio was cooler than Solid Snake.
Ezio is essentially a murderous hoodie, apparently not averse to calling in others to do his dirty work when he can’t be bothered.
Solid Snake is a stone-cold, platinum, pussy-magnet, and he has a bandana.
Only you could make the comedy connection between Ezio and a hoodie, Cuddles
As for the winner, well, I haven’t played the first one yet. I know, I know, shame on me
I honestly expected Halo Reach to take it, Halo fanboys being what they are, but Mass Effect got more love in the emails sent in. It’s a great game too.
People were saying they thought that 2010 was a bad year for games, but that list includes some really excellent titles, not just in terms of last year but generally speaking, there are some really good fun games in there.
@Samuel I find the omission of Call of Duty even more shocking.
GL readers have good taste not bowing to generic FPS games year on out
I actually thought that Reach would walk it… my friends list was full of people blasting away for weeks on end, moreso than Mass Effect 2 so it just goes to show that more people may have played Halo, but ME2 was the better game. Haven’t played either, so can’t comment!
Cuddles… there’s a smirk running across my face with your name on it!
Woo hoo mass effect 2!
@ben – I think the proper gamers in the world are sick of call of duty now
@cuddles – I’m with you Snake is one of the coolest mo-fos there is