THEVOLUTION’S Top 10 Games Of 2009
It’s that time of the year here at Thevolution Network when we sit around and discuss the top ten games of the year. There is undoubtedly a long list of great games that were sprinkled throughout this year and since we can only choose the top 10 games, you can imagine how heated how debates can become. Questions like “Why are there so many PS3 exclusives in the top 10 list” were only rebuttled with “If you name the top 10 games of 2007 the same could be said of the Xbox 360″. As a note to our Xbox 360 enthusiasts, please don’t get your feelings hurt after checking out our top 10 list. From a software standpoint the PS3 had a breakout year in 2009. Other hot topic questions were “Should KIILZONE 2 be listed higher than Modern Warfare 2″ to which going back to play both games on campaign mode and online was a normal occurrence.
The list of titles which are in subsequent order from least to greatest have been chosen based on their overall gameplay experience, dominance for their respective genre and replay value for 2009. All in all choosing our top 10 games of the year while extremely thorough is always crazy and a lot of fun. Be sure to tell us what your top 10 games of 2009 would be if your list differs from ours.
10 - SHADOW COMPLEX
Story/Plot
Jason Flemming and his new girlfriend Claire are backpacking in the Pacific Northwest when they come across some caverns. Claire opts to explore them, saying she used to come there as a child, but when she does not respond to Jason’s calls, he follows her. He comes across a massive underground complex manned by numerous soldiers with high-end technology. He manages to follow men dragging Claire through the complex and is able to rescue her. However, both have heard discussion among the soldiers about their group, the Progressive Restoration, which appears to be ready to launch attacks across the United States. Jason escorts Claire to the entrance to allow her to contact authorities, while Jason uses the high-tech devices to further infiltrate the complex and learn more.
Gameplay
Shadow Complex is presented in 2.5D format; the game world is fully three-dimensional, but the player can only move in two dimensions, simulating the environment of a classic side-scrolling video game. Enemies can, however, move in any direction, and auto-aim is utilized to allow the player to fire at nearby enemies or objects both inside and outside of the 2D plane. The player can use the right control stick to aim with a laser sight. Gameplay in Shadow Complex was inspired by Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night. Similarities with Super Metroid include: a map showing the locations of objectives and power-ups; a large amount of hidden items; color-coded doors (like missiles for red doors), panels, and other objects that can only be destroyed using a certain weapon; abilities such as a supersonic speed booster and double- and triple- jump.
9 - RATCHET & CLANK FUTURE: A CRACK IN TIME
Story/Plot
Continuing from the end of Quest for Booty, Clank has been abducted by the Zoni to a facility called the Great Clock on behalf of the robot Dr. Nefarious, who is trying to discover the secret of the facility from him. Nefarious attempts to access Clank’s memory banks for the key to something called the Orvus Chamber but is not allowed to do so because of the Zoni. Nefarious then sets free his Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler, causing the Zoni to flee and a blackout to occur. When the power is restored, Clank has awoken and attempts to escape, but is caught by Nefarious and his butler, Lawrence and promptly immobilized.
Meanwhile, Ratchet and Qwark explore the Breegus System for information on Clank and Nefarious. They learn of an “exile” that is also fighting Nefarious, and trace the being down to another Lombax, General Alister Azimuth. Whilst exploring Krell Canyon for an Obsidian Eye to talk to Clank, Azimuth tells Ratchet he knows of his parents and that it was his fault that Emperor Tachyon was able to come to power, having shared the Lombaxes’ technical genius with him. When the Lombaxes left for another dimension, Azimuth was forced to stay behind as punishment for his “crimes”.
Gameplay
A Crack in Time features gameplay mechanics new to the Ratchet & Clank series. One such mechanic involves the Chronosceptor: a staff that Clank carries, which can slow time in the area when it is used. This device may also be used like Ratchet’s wrench, to fight off enemies. By using special “time pads”, Clank can also record up to a minute of his actions and then a holographic Clank replays them, while the real Clank does something else. Up to four copies of Clank can be recorded at a time. In addition to gadgets like the Swingshot and Gravity Boots from previous games, Ratchet has a pair of Hoverboots, allowing him to move more quickly around planets. Ratchet can now fly his ship freely between planets on a two-dimensional ecliptic in various zones, going to small moons and completing optional challenges, earning special items such as Zoni, gold bolts, and weapon mods in the process. The ship’s blasters, missiles, and armor can also be upgraded by obtaining additional Zoni.
8 - inFAMOUS
Story/Plot
While the basic story of the game remains unchanged whether the player opts for the “Good” or “Evil” karma path, there are some story elements that change depending on the player’s choice at that time.
Cole, the games lead character is instructed by an anonymous customer to deliver a package to a location in the Historical District, and then to open it; unbeknown to Cole, the package contains the Ray Sphere, which activates upon opening and wipes out six city blocks. Cole manages to survive the blast and is nursed back to health by Trish, during which he discovers his newfound powers. When the Voice of Survival pinpoints Cole at the center of the explosion, the city turns against him. Cole and Zeke then start a riot and try to escape the quarantine by starwith Cole’s new powers on th center of the bridge (riot setting) they are met by a literal wall of guns. Cole and Zeke escape from the police agents. Cole jumps and is placed in an office of Moya a former FBI agent. Cole is convinced by Moya to return to Empire City to seek out the Ray Sphere and her husband John in exchange for Cole and his friends’ release from quarantine. Cole proceeds to follow Moya’s missions, restoring power to the city to be able to fight off the various gangs that have taken over.
Gameplay
Infamous is a sandbox video game, combining elements of platforming, shooting, puzzles, and role-playing game elements. The player controls Cole and primarily interacts with the world of Empire City through Cole’s newly gained electricity-based powers; these are used for movement, offense and defense in combat, and either for better or worse in dealing with the citizens of Empire City. In order for Cole to use his powers, he must have stored electrical power, represented by a node meter on the player’s heads up display (HUD). The player can recharge Cole by draining electricity from powered sources (which requires Cole to first restart the main generator for that area) or from living beings; recharging also restores Cole’s health, though if the player stays out of battle long enough, Cole’s health will regenerate over time. The game features seventeen different electrical powers, ranging from simple bolts that do not consume Cole’s energy to wide-field lightning storms that drain most of Cole’s energy.
9 - FORZA 3
Gameplay
New additions to the game include an in-car driving view, one button assisted driving, vehicle rollover with detailed undercarries, real-simulation drifting, and for the first time in the series, SUVs. Furthermore, the game also features the ability to paint race cars and upgrade race cars to a limit, whereas Forza Motorsport 2 only allowed for production and tuner cars to be painted or upgraded. Also included is the ability to upgrade certain production and tuner cars to the race-class level, represented by the performance ratings R3, R2, and R1, whereas Forza Motorsport 2 did not. They also included the ability to create in-game videos and upload them to the Forza Motorsport website. Forza Motorsport 3 is shipped on two discs, but can be played completely off the first; the second disc serves as the “installation disc,” which contains 104 extra cars, which brings the total amount of cars to 405, and a few extra tracks, all 1.9GB in total. Forza 3 is also compatible with the force feedback feature on most high end racing wheels.
A new single-player season mode puts the player through a completely personalized racing calendar that includes more than 200 different events, including circuit, oval, drag, drift, and timed events; no two calendars are the same.
6 - BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM
Story/Plot
Due to a recent fire at Gotham City’s Blackgate Prison, a large number of sane prisoners have been temporarily relocated to Arkham, many of whom are in the Joker’s gang. As Batman accompanies the guards taking the Joker inside, the asylum’s security is overridden by Harley Quinn, allowing the Joker to escape and take control of the facility as he enlists the Blackgate prisoners as well as other rogue characters imprisoned at the asylum. Batman quickly realizes that these events, including the Blackgate fire, have all been part of Joker’s plan and that the Joker had bribed a security guard to help him escape. The Joker threatens to detonate bombs scattered around Gotham City should anyone attempt to enter Arkham, forcing Batman to work alone; however, Batman is able to rely on Commissioner Gordon and other loyal guards after Batman is able to free them. Additionally, Oracle is able to guide him through the Asylum over the radio. Batman is able to gain access to an adjunct of the Batcave he had set up years ago on the island and is able to use his sleuthing skills to learn of Joker’s plan.
Gameplay
Batman: Arkham Asylum is a third-person perspective action-adventure game. The player controls Batman as the masked vigilante makes his way around the island and structures of Arkham Asylum. In addition to running, jumping and crouching, Batman is also able to glide from heights using his cape, and use his grapple gun to ascend short heights or escape and hide from foes on gargoyle statues. In order to track Joker and other enemies, the player can switch in and out of “detective mode” which activates special visors in Batman’s Cowl. In this mode, most of the game world is rendered in darker colors, but objects of interest and people are highlighted, including limited x-ray ability to detect the location of people. Special objects that Batman can interact either directly or with a number of gadgets that are gained over the course of the game are also highlighted. The detective mode can automatically be switched to special scanning modes to track the presence of compounds, fingerprints, and other unique data, which are used to direct the player to the next location to explore.
5 - CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2
Story/Plot
Modern Warfare 2 is set five years after the conclusion of Call of Duty 4. Despite the efforts of the Marines and the SAS, the Ultranationalists ultimately seize control of Russia and declare Imran Zakhaev a hero and martyr, erecting a statue of him in the heart of Red Square. Meanwhile, Vladimir Makarov, one of Zakhaev’s former lieutenants, begins a campaign against Europe by committing numerous acts of terrorism.
The game begins in Afghanistan, where U.S. Army Ranger Private First Class Joseph Allen helps in the taking of a city from insurgents. Impressed by Allen’s performance in combat, Lieutenant General Shepherd recruits him into Task Force 141, an elite, multi-national counter-terrorism unit under Shepherd’s command. Meanwhile, two other members of Task Force 141, Captain “Soap” MacTavish and Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson, infiltrate an airbase in Kazakhstan to recover a lost ACS module from a downed satellite. Allen is next seen again as Shepherd sends him on an undercover mission in Russia for the CIA in order to gain the trust of Makarov. Allen, under the alias of “Alexei Borodin,” joins Makarov in a massacre of civilians at the fictional Zakhaev International Airport in Moscow. It is soon revealed that Makarov, however, is aware of Allen’s true identity and before leaving, kills him to expose his identity as an American, leading the Russian police to believe that America was responsible for the attack. Riding a snowmobile in “Cliffhanger.”
Angered by what was believed to be an American-supported terrorist attack, Russia retaliates with a massive surprise invasion of the United States after bypassing its early warning system, revealing that the ACS module from an earlier mission had already been compromised before its retrieval.
Gameplay
Similar to previous installments within the Call of Duty series, the player assumes the role of various characters during the single-player campaign, changing perspectives throughout the progression of the story.
Each mission features a series of objectives that are displayed on the HUD, which marks the direction and distance towards and from such objectives. Tasks vary in their requirements, having the player arrive at a particular checkpoint, eliminate enemies in a specified location, stand his/her ground to defend an objective, or plant explosive charges on an enemy installation. The player is accompanied by friendly troops who cannot be issued orders. Laptop computers that contain enemy intelligence appear throughout the campaign and may be collected to unlock several game bonuses.
Modern Warfare 2 features a cooperative mode entitled Special Ops, which consists of independent missions similar in design to the “Mile High Club” epilogue mission from Call of Duty 4. These missions take place in a variety of locations from the campaign mode, but are not related to story of the campaign itself. Most of the Special Ops missions may be played alone, but all of them support two player cooperative play in which two players can play together locally or online. Such mode includes scenarios such as a snowmobile race between the two players, one player providing air support from an AC-130 with the other player conducting operations on the ground, capturing an enemy compound, and searching areas for and eliminating 40 or more enemies at a time.
The online multiplayer mode of Modern Warfare 2 retains the same experience points and unlockable reward system as that of Call of Duty 4, with game modes that include Free-For-All, Search & Destroy, Demolition, Domination, Team Deathmatch, and Capture The Flag. However, Modern Warfare 2 introduces several new features. Aside from new weapons, equipment, and perks that upgrade to “pro versions” after meeting utilization requirements, 15 different kill streak rewards can be unlocked and selected by the player. Among these is the ability to receive a supply drop after achieving four kills in a row, order a Predator missile strike after five kills, and call in an AC-130 gunship to strike from the sky after 11 kills.
Campaign Gameplay
Multiplayer Gameplay
4 - ASSASSIN’S CREED 2
Story/Plot
The game continues shortly after the events of Assassin’s Creed, where, in 2012, Desmond Miles (Nolan North) is still a prisoner at Abstergo Industries after searching the memories of his ancestor, the Assassin, Altaïr, in the Animus. Abstergo, the modern-day equivalent of the Knights Templar, had been using Desmond to locate powerful out-of-place artifacts called “Pieces of Eden”. Using the “Eagle Vision” ability he gained as a result of the “bleeding effect” (from overexposure to the Animus), Desmond is able to see messages and symbols written in blood on his bedroom wall, written by the former test subject, named “Subject 16″. Lucy Stillman, a former researcher for Abstergo and a member of the modern-day Assassins, frees Desmond and brings him to a secret hideout for herself and two other Assassins, Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane. With their own version of the Animus, dubbed the ‘Animus 2.0′, they invite Desmond to help them discover the memories of his ancestor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, for two reasons: to train Desmond in Assassin skills through the bleeding effect, and to find other Pieces of Eden.
Gameplay
Assassin’s Creed II takes place in an open world with nonlinear gameplay, allowing the player to roam freely within several regions throughout late 15th century Italy such as Venice, Florence, and the Tuscan countryside. The Animus 2.0, a new version of the machine of the same name present in Assassin’s Creed, provides in-game context for changes and additions to several game elements. A database is also available, providing extra historical information about key landmarks, characters and services that the player encounters. The health system has been made more dynamic, with synchronization to the Animus and causing the character to recover only from minor injuries.[1] More grievous injuries require visiting a street-side doctor for medicine.
The player may now swim in water, and eagle vision – the ability to identify specific people and landmarks – can now be used in third-person view and while moving. A young Leonardo da Vinci is present in the game, aiding the player by creating new weapons from translated “codex pages” that Altaïr, the original game’s main character, left behind for future assassins’ analysis and insight. Within the game, the player will be able to use Leonardo’s flying machine (based on real-life plans by Leonardo) while on a mission. The player also has the ability to control a carriage, gondolas, as well as ride horses.
3 - DEMON SOUL’S
Story/Plot
The game surrounds the search for power and prosperity of King Allant XII who channeled the power of souls. He brought unprecedented prosperity to his northern kingdom of Boletaria. That is, until a thick and colorless fog covered the land’s outskirts, cutting off the kingdom from the outside world. Those who entered the fog never returned. Vallarfax of the royal Twin Fangs broke free from the fog and told the world of Boletaria’s plight. The aging King Allant XII had awakened the Old One, the great beast below the Nexus, from its eternal slumber and that a dark fog had swept in, unleashing soul-craving demons. The ones that lost their souls also lost their minds. Chaos reigned, the mad attacking the sane. The Demons grow stronger and more powerful with each soul they devour. The legend was told from man to man; mighty warriors entered the cursed lands, but none have returned.
Gameplay
Players can customize their own characters, setting the name, gender, hair style and other characteristics. Players face off against a variety of beasts and demons, making use of a variety of different weapons. There are several forms of magic that can be used in a defensive manner. After a player is killed, they become a Soul, and continue playing, though with less health. After defeating a particular demon or using a particular item, the player is restored to life. Souls are collected through collecting the souls of dead soldiers and heroes, as well as siphoning energy from enemies killed in combat. These Soul Points can be exchanged for equipment or to improve player stats.
The game includes integrated online features. Players can find messages on the ground containing hints and advice that other players have left, as well as bloodstains where other players have died which allow them to view how those players’ deaths occurred. Ghosts of other players currently in the same stage also appear randomly, though no interaction takes place. Co-operative play allows three players to team up and play through different levels in the game through Soul Links, until a demon is defeated, when the Soul returns to life. In competitive play, a player who is a Soul can force themselves into another player’s adventure, where they’re known as Black Phantoms, and play against their opponent.
2) KILLZONE 2
Story/Plot
Killzone 2 follows the events of Killzone and Killzone: Liberation, and is set entirely on the planet Helghan, the home-world of the Helghast who invaded an Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) colony. Two years after the Helgast assault on Vehkta, the I.S.A. had launched an assault on the enemy’s homeworld of Helghan. The ISA goal is to capture the Helghast leader, Scolar Visari, and bring the Helghast war machine to a halt. Players assume the role of Sergeant Tomas “Sev” Sevchenko, a battle-hardened veteran of the special forces unit the “Legion” assigned to Alpha team, who goes on a mission to take out the Helghast threat.
In the prologue, the ISA has set up their Cruiser airships, including the New Sun, up in the clouds of Helghan over its capital city, Pyrrhus, preparing for a final attack. Then, the invasion begins. The ISA, including Alpha Team, are deployed in an attempt to capture the city. The invasion is seemingly successful until the Helghast activate their main defense system, a series of arc towers throughout the city, killing many soldiers and severely damaging the first wave of the assault; however, the fight between the ISA and Helghast continues.
Using a piece of an arc tower picked up earlier, scientist Evelyn Batton discovers that the arc towers are composed of an element called Petrusite, and large portions of the mysterious element are located around the outskirts of Tharsis Refinery. The Alpha team is ordered to accompany Evelyn and travel to the outskirts of the city in an attempt to find a way to disable the towers.
During the mission, Sev and Rico depart from the others in order to activate a communications tower. Before the tower is activated, however, Garza, Natko and Evelyn are captured by Helghast. Eventually, Sev and Rico find their squad: they see Colonel Radec and his guards preparing to execute them. While Sev waits, Rico’s impatience causes him to rush in, in an attempt to save the squad.
Gameplay
The game is presented entirely from a first person perspective, aside from vehicular combat. Killzone 2 features a “lean and peek” cover system which allows the player to take cover behind an object and then pop out to fire at enemies. The “lean and peek” mechanic stays in first person view at all times. It is also possible for Sev to pilot vehicles at two points in the game: a tank and an exoskeleton. Many classic weapons and vehicles from previous Killzone installments returns, such as the M82-G and the StA-52 LAR. The Sixaxis motion control feature is also utilized in performing certain actions such as turning a valve, arming an explosive charge and sniping.
Warzone, the title of the online multiplayer component of Killzone 2 has been developed by Guerrilla Games in conjunction with the game’s single-player campaign.[12] The online multiplayer gameplay is class-based, meaning the player can choose a class of character which is specialized for a specific role to better suit the player’s needs in battle. There are 7 classes in total, in which the player can mix and match two according to their playing style, and can switch abilities upon death.
There are 15 weapons available to the player, most of which cannot be used until the player reaches a certain rank. Two of these weapons are secondary firearms, and a further two weapons (Boltgun and Flamethrower) are exclusive to the downloadable maps “Suljeva Cliffside” and “Arctower Landing”.
Players play as either the ISA or Helghast, with a few gameplay difference, the character model and respawn points, and the “lean and peek” cover system removed. Each class levels up with experience gained from killing or completing mission objectives, with enough experience they unlock new weapons, skills etc. as well as a new class that is unlocked. Each class has two badges, the Primary badge selects the class and their specified skill, the secondary badge has an extra skill for the specified class but can be swapped to create your own custom class.
Must-See Theatrical Trailer - CLICK (HD)!!
Warzone Multiplayer Trailer - CLICK (HD)!
1 - UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES
Story/Plot
Among Thieves picks up roughly two years after the events of Drake’s Fortune. Similar to the previous story, Nathan “Nate” Drake’s new adventure revolves around an unsolved historical mystery: the doomed voyage home of Marco Polo from China in 1292. After spending almost 20 years in the court of the Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan, Marco Polo departed with 14 ships and over 600 passengers and crew – but when he arrived at his destination a year and a half later, only one ship remained, and only 18 of the passengers had survived. Although Marco Polo described almost every other aspect of his journeys in minute detail, he never revealed what happened to the ships that were lost.
The story begins in medias res, with a wounded Nate waking up to find himself in a train hanging off a cliff. Through flashbacks, it is revealed that Harry Flynn and Chloe Frazer approached him with a job offer – the theft of a Mongolian oil lamp in an Istanbul museum. Nate accepts once he learns that the lamp may hold the answer to what happened to Marco Polo’s lost fleet. Flynn and Drake acquire the lamp, which contains a map showing that the lost fleet had been transporting the Cintamani Stone from Shambhala before being thrown ashore on Borneo by a tsunami. Taking the map, Flynn double-crosses Drake, who is arrested and imprisoned for three months before his friend Victor “Sully” Sullivan and Chloe secure his release and then the fun begins.
Gameplay
Uncharted 2 is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective, with the player in control of Nathan Drake. Drake is physically adept and is able to jump, climb, and scale narrow ledges and wall-faces to get between points. Drake can be equipped with up to two firearms – one single-handed and one two-handed – and a limited supply of grenades. Drake can pick up weapons, automatically replacing the existing weapon he was using, and additional ammunition from killed foes. The player can direct Drake to take cover behind corners or low walls using either aimed or blind-fire to kill his enemies. The player can also have Drake fire while moving. If Drake is undetected by his enemies, the player can attempt to use stealth to take them out, such as by sneaking up behind them to knock them out with one hit, or by pulling an unsuspecting foe over a ledge from which Drake is hanging. Some areas of the game require the player to solve puzzles with the use of Drake’s journal, which provides clues towards the puzzles’ solutions. When enabled, a hint system provides gameplay clues, such as the direction of the next objective.
Uncharted 2 also features both competitive and co-operative multiplayer. The co-op multiplayer allows a maximum of three players to take the roles of Drake and two other “hero” companions and features missions involving gunfights, platforming, and teamwork-based objectives. Players can also assist their comrades if they become critically injured or if they are grabbed by an enemy.
The competitive multiplayer allows a maximum of ten players to play against each other in two teams of five. Four competitive modes are featured: Deathmatch, Plunder, Elimination and Chain Reaction. Deathmatch features two teams of five, with one team acting as heroes and the other as villains. Players can choose their own appropriate character models (such as Drake, Sully, Elena, and new characters Tenzin and Chloe for the heroes team). As players accrue points and rank up, they can purchase more skins for both heroes and villains. Players can select two Boost abilities which assist them in the matches. Plunder is similar to the traditional capture the flag game mode, and sees each team attempt to capture the treasure from a central point in the map and return it to their base; the player carrying the treasure is slowed down a great deal, and may also choose to hurl the treasure away at any point, in order to keep it out of reach of the enemy, or to pass it to a teammate.
Campaign Gameplay - CLICK (HD)!
Honorable Mentions
DRAGON AGE: ORIGIN
LEFT 4 DEAD 2
GTA: CHINATOWN WARS
BRUTAL LEGENDS
BORDERLANDS
GTA IV: Ballad Of Gay Tony
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the last 3 are bullshit!
Posted on April 28th, 2010 at 8:19 am
@Remus, wow - really!
What would be your Top 3 Games Of 2009?
Demon Souls - Best RPG Of 2009
KILLZONE 2 - Arguably The Best Shooter Of 2009
Uncharted 2 - Clearly Best Overall Game Of The Year
Posted on April 28th, 2010 at 8:52 am
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