The IncGamers Awards 2009 Part 2

31 Dec 2009 at 00:11:42 by Tim McDonald

So, we've seen the best of the first lot of games for this year, but as we said before, it's been a really good year for games, with next year looking better still!  To wrap up this years best games, we've put the rest here, as well as a video for you to view at your leisure.  So we've done MMO, RPG, Strategy, Sports and Rhythm Action titles, so all that's left for us to do is go through Shooters, Driving, Action Adventure, handheld and some extra little categories we've thrown in too.

Don't miss our game of the year either, which is also in this part.  And please don't hesitate to leave comments, especially if you disagree with our choices.  So, as I said before:

This is our list of the best games of 2009. It was hard-argued and hard-fought (at least one staff member will be having their Christmas dinner through an IV) but we've finally compiled a list of the best games of the year, sorted by both the best in each genre, the best on each platform, nods to the best publisher and developer, and – of course – what we reckon is the best game of the year.

That's enough of a preamble, so here it is. Enjoy whatever is left of your holiday!

Best Shooter of 2009 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

It's rare to see a shooter that flows anywhere near as well as Modern Warfare 2. A lightning-fast framerate, a variety of excellent weapons that feel just right and top-notch graphics help, sure, but it's the blinding set-pieces and the combat that mixes in glee (at dispatching a group of foes with a well-timed grenade) and mortal terror (at having another group of foes round the corner and open fire) that gives it a feeling that, this year, has been unequalled. The single-player campaign is a rollercoaster ride of “That's so cool” moments with enough variety that it never feels dull or repetitive, while compelling multiplayer and a co-op mode that cherry-picks the best moments from the game make this an experience that you'll come back to again and again.

Best Handheld Game of 2009 – Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

The top-down visuals might've excited anyone who remembers the GTA series prior to GTA3, but I don't think even those pining for the glory days expected Chinatown Wars to be as good as it turned out to be. Making the best of the DS' stylus and double-screens, Chinatown Wars sent the chaos and comic lunacy of the old-school GTA games onto a collision course with the varied gametypes and excellent dialogue of the more recent adventures. Whether you want to race through the missions, hotwire and sell cars with the new stylus controls, or expand your drug empire in an economic minigame, Chinatown Wars is great fun that's perfect for your pocket.

Best PS3/Action Adventure Game of 2009 – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

The adventures of Nathan Drake continue to amaze and astound in equal measure, and this year, nothing else on PS3 has come close. It's a game that was designed ground-up for the PS3 and it shows in all aspects: it runs flawlessly and beautifully, and the controls are well-judged for the DualShock controller. Obviously, if the game wasn't much cop this wouldn't mean much, which is why it's a delight to say that Uncharted 2 is one of the most tightly-plotted and enjoyable experiences of the year, and an absolute must for all PS3 owners.

Best 360/Action Adventure Game of 2009 – Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum got one thing bang-on – Batman. As a character here, Batman is an anomalous mixture between all-powerful and hopelessly vulnerable; in a fist-fight he's nigh-unstoppable, and when nobody knows he's there he's an unholy terror. When he's been spotted by a thug with a gun, though, he's just another target that falls all too easily. The constant shift between tense stealth and adrenaline-pumping combat, combined with one of the best-realised depictions of Gotham in any medium, combined with plenty of extra objectives on the side, combined with some of the best voice-acting of the year, help make Arkham Asylum an absolute gem of a game that should be in everyone's collection.

Comment