2009 Year in Review: Game of the Year

It’s that time of year. The time where everyone gets together and starts to put together their year in review articles and podcasts. If you caught podcast 41, you heard what we at Everyday Gamers feel were some fo the biggest news stories of the year. We have at least one more year in review podcast coming, but when it comes to these kind of lists, there is one that is expected from every video game website: Game of the year.

So, we here at Everyday Gamers decided we would come together and give you and idea of what each of us feel are the five best games we each played this year.

Eric Bouchard:

5. Tie: Scribblenauts/Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure (DS) – Yes, I know starting out with a tie seems like a bit of a cop out, but I cannot help it. In what seemed overall like a down year for the DS, Scribblenauts and Henry Hatsworth were 2 absolutely can’t miss games. Scibblenauts adds a whole new twist to puzzle solving with no set way to beat each level, while Hatsworth combines platforming with puzzle gameplay in a way that is just astounding. The games stand out as the best on the handheld, and I dare anyone to play either one and not enjoy them.

4. Torchlight (PC) – In a world of big releases, it is rare to see an indie game catch on the way Torchlight has. Made by many of the creators of Diablo, Torchlight manages to be both a deep dungeon crawler and yet an accessible game for those not used to that type. You can pop in and play for just a bit or get lost for hours, something most games cannot balance. Excellent gameplay, an inventive inventory system with the ability to have you pet sell you items and 3 truly unique classes to play set Torchlight apart from other Diablo clones, and that’s not counting the mods people are already making available for the game. Heck, it deserves to be on the list if for nothing else than it has gotten me back into PC gaming.

3. Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360, PC) – When Left 4 Dead 2 was announced at E3, there were many people, including some 0n this site, who thought it was too soon after Left 4 Dead. Many were afraid the game would just be Left 4 Dead 1.5, but it did not take long for that to be proven wrong. The sequel has surpassed its predecessor in every way, from tighter controls to longer, more involved campaigns. Add to that plenty of new weapons including melee based, new special infected, the uncommon common and more multiplayer modes, and Left 4 Dead 2 ends up feeling like much much more of a complete game than the original. This version is worth the $60.oo price point.

2. Dragon Age Origins (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) – This game was in the running for Game of the Year when I was first started playing. Bioware set out yo make Dragon Age Origins to be the spiritual successor to Balder’s Gate, and the company has achieved that. A deep storyline, excellent character interaction and a rich combat system make this an RPG to make hardcore RPG fans proud. In the end, however, that is part of why it did not make number 1 on my list, as the one the made it there was much more accessible and has the best Co-op I think I have ever played.

1. Game of the Year: Borderlands (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) - There is something magical about this game. Gearbox has managed to do the best job so far of combining an FPS with an RPG, and the cell-shaded look to Borderlands just helps add to the joy you get while playing it. Though the single player campaign is strong, you are really doing this game and yourself a disservice if you do not play it Co-op, and as such the 360 version may be the best because of Live. Random weapons, 4 unique character classes that can be leveled up in many different ways, enemies who level up based on the number of people playing and a wry humor that just permeates the game make Borderlands the clear choice for GOTY.

Honorable Mentions: Uncharted 2 (PS3), Street Fighter IV (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), Batman Arkham Asylum (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), Assassin’s Creed II (PS3, Xbox 360)

Patrick Adams

5. InFamous (PS3) – I was a little skeptical about the game until the demo released, once I got my hands on it I instantly knew it would be a day-one purchase. I’m not one to pay attention to the story in a game but InFamous made it hard not to with it’s sweet comic book art-style. The platforming elements in InFamous were very refined and overall the game is one of the best on the PS3.

4. Shadow Complex (XBLA) – Shadow Complex was so good that I almost added it to my top 10 favorite games of all time list. Yes it pays homage to Metroid but for someone like me who has never played Metroid it was still an amazing game. The game was very polished and overall just plain fun. Once I completed the game I only wanted to play more. I hope we’ll see a sequel sometime in the near future.

3. Uncharted 2 (PS3) – Everyone knew U2 looked beautiful and the hype for it was pretty high. Naughty Dog delivered and the game lived up to the expectations. Like the first one, U2 is like an adventure movie that you play and that’s awesome. With a thin line between the cutscenes and the actual gameplay U2 is right next to Killzone 2 as the best looking game to grace the PS3.

2. Red Faction: Guerrilla (Xbox 360) – I think the main reason RFG is #2 on my list is because it really caught me by surprise. I had heard nothing about the game until I played the demo and that demo was enough to make me go out and buy RFG on day-one. RFG is about destroying everything and destroying everything is as fun as a game can get.

1. Game of the Year:  Borderlands (Xbox 360) – I went out on a limb and bought this game purely because of reading good things about it on Twitter and here it is my #1 one pick, my game of the year. The funny thing about my experience with Borderlands was that I played the entire game by myself. It was exactly what I needed, a blend of the action in an FPS and the addiction of collecting loot and leveling up in an RPG. Borderlands also has an art-style that hits the spot for me. With the announcement of plans to make it a franchise I am excited to see more of Borderlands in the future.

Honorable Mentions: Killzone 2 (PS3), GTA: Chinatown Wars (DS), Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360), and N.O.V.A. (iPhone).

Yuoma

30 Reviews in 30 Days, Day 1: Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

There have been many reviews that we have intended to get up on the website. I personally have been needing to get several up, including the long overdue review of Street Fighter IV. It just seems like so many things come up. and the next thing we know, it’s so late that getting the reviews up just seems…cheapened somehow.

So I started thinking about a way to make it all work. To get the various reviews of games, both big and indie, up on the site. That’s when this idea came to fruition. 30 Reviews in 30 days: a challenge to review a game every day for 30 days straight. A chance to review not only some of the major games we missed, but also some retro reviews of older games and maybe a surprise or two.

And so it begins with the review of the DS game I have been talking about on the last several podcasts:

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

Puzzle games. Platformers. You don’t normally think of these two game types being combined. Then again, you would not normally think of combining a puzzle game with an RPG, and yet Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords proved it can be done. Add to that the fact the Nintendo DS has everyone looking at gaming in a new light. Companies are getting creative, finding new ways for gamers to play.

Enter Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure, a new game by EA.

The premise is simple: take a challenging platformer, cross it with a match 3 puzzle game, add in a little bit of British sensibility, throw in a robot….

Okay, maybe the concept isn’t so simple. Let me see if I can explain a little better.

You are legendary British explorer Henry Hatsworth. Now in your older years, you set out on one last adventure and end up stumbling upon the Golden Suit, a legendary gentleman’s outfit that allows the wearer to rule the world. Each piece the suit gives the wearer different abilities, including the Hat you find in the beginning, which acts as a fountain of youth.

There are two problems with the suit, however:

Problem #1: The Puzzle World

In the game, there are two worlds: the real world and the puzzle world. The real world takes place on the top screen, which is where the platforming begins. This is where the platforming takes place, and believe me, this game is no slouch when it comes to platforming. You will find yourself trying to find that tiny piece of land where you can stand to make the next jump, trying to time it with the enemies you are trying to avoid.

Yes, there are enemies in this game, and they range from the typical canon fodder you see in games like this to much more intriguing ones, like tall ones that if attacked improperly break into four separate ones, or the ones with shields that are harder to take down. Combine these enemies with traps and other platforming pitfalls, and you have a much more difficult game on your hands.

You don’t go into this world unarmed, however. You have your trusty weapons, which include your cane/sword (depending which version of Henry you are, we will come back to that later) , a gun, bombs, boomerangs and more. You’ll use these weapons both the to solve puzzles and deal with enemies.

Balancing your time between the platforming and puzzle play can be a challenge.

These enemies are not normal, however. There is a hole open between the real world and the puzzle one, and these enemies have come through that hole. When you defeat them in the real world, they are sent back to the puzzle on the lower DS screen. This is the puzzle world: a variation of the match three gameplay of bejeweled, with enemies appearing as special blocks in the puzzle. You need to deal with these blocks before they reach the top (puzzle is slowly advancing upward) or they will re-enter the real world and attack you.

This is not as easy as it may sound, however. Remember those more difficult enemies I was talking about earlier?  They become difficult puzzle pieces. The one that breaks into four enemies becomes a huge block that, once matched, breaks into four smaller pieces. The ones with shields you have to match twice, and the first block cannot be moved. To top that off, you can only spend a little time in the puzzle world. You gain time you can spend there by spending time in the real world and by making multiple matches rapidly.

Puzzle matches also give you energy, which is used to power your weapons, and health, allowing you to revert back to young Henry when you have taken too much damage in the real platforming world.

These are not the only enemies you have to face, however.

Problem #2: The Bosses

A treasure worth as much as the Golden Suit had to have more than one person trying to find it. Enter Leopold Charles Anthony Weasleby the Third, Henry’s chief rival in the Pompous Adventurer’s Club. And he did not come alone; he has hired people to try and stop you, including a former actress with a booby trapped wedding cake that throws vines into the puzzle and a singing “pirate” who drops anchors into the puzzle to try and advance it faster.

These boss battles and another unique element to the gameplay, both on the platforming and puzzle. In fact, the bosses combined with the enemies and the puzzle world could make you feel outnumbered.

That is, if you didn’t have upgrades.

The Help: Upgrades and “Tea Time”

Fortunately you have help. Henry’s assistant offers different upgrades you can buy with the jewels and coins you find in the real world. These upgrades include more health, more damage inflicted to enemies, more energy for weapons and more time to spend in the puzzle world. These upgrades are essential for making it through the platforming levels in the game.

There is one other thing that truly helps turn the tide in combat, especially during the boss battles. Build up enough energy in the puzzle, you get to declare Tea Time. Yes, that is right, in the midst of everything that is going on, you can call upon your British sensibility and have tea. This isn’t just about pausing the game for a quick cut scene. Tea Time also calls a robot suit up to the real world: powerful, invincible and able to help even score. You can keep this robot suit as long as you have energy, which drains slowly as you battle (faster as you get hit or use the special weapons) and which you can replenish within the puzzle level.

I told you there was a robot.

The boss battles can be a little crazy, but the upgrades and Teat Time help settle the score.

The Bad

As much as I enjoy this game, there is one thing that makes it frustrating: the spiking difficulty. This game can turn frustratingly difficult at the drop of a hat (no pun intended). The platforming can be insane, sometimes bordering on sadistic. Not to mention the special puzzle pieces that can really be a pain to deal with. Fortunately you can gain extra lives by finding hats that become hat puzzle pieces. You are going to need them.

The Verdict

This game is truly something special. It’s a little hard to put into word just how much fun it is. Just trust me on this one: If you have a DS, you need to get this game. Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure gets a 5 out of 5.