Game of the Year 2010< I wanted to continue a tradition from the dearly departed British Gaming Blog, where we’d avoid arguments and disappointments by skipping a single, unanimous Game of the Year, and instead choose four titles that best defined the year for us. Here they are >Red Dead Redemption may contain barrels of explosives, fiery shoot outs and violent executions, but Rockstar San Diego’s adventure works best when the mood is more subdued. Plenty of wild west shooters can match the game’s wanton destruction note for note, but they’ve rarely managed to capture the period’s chilling, isolated expanse of the desert, the camaraderie between man and horse, or the culture shifting gears into a cynical new America. The first Galaxy always felt like Nintendo had too many ideas for one game. With no concept every duplicated, and so many levels and powerups and enemies and concepts, the fragile Wii disc felt close to bursting. That’s not to say Super Mario Galaxy 2 feels like the first game’s leftover scraps or a hodgepodge collection from the cutting room floor. The amount of fresh ideas means Mario truly deserves his round digit, rather than the unattractive “1.5” some semi-sequels get lumbered with.Civilization V is a love letter to the history of the human race. From the puffy white clouds, to the gruff gravitas of each quotation, and the momentous leaps through times and eras, Firaxis sweeps our less glamorous moments - slavery, plague, pollution and pestilence - under the carpet. Except in warfare, where our bloody, murderous rage is shown off to its best in a thoroughly rethought combat system that trades brute force for thoughtful tactics. Heavy Rain hits some bum notes, some plot chasms and some off-note voice acting, but rarely are games as bold and brave as Quantic Dream’s “interactive movie”. It is captivating like no other experience this year - by candidly killing off characters, the stakes in every fight are so high. And by happily serving up an anti-climatic ending for sloppy play, you can’t make any decision lightly. When the mortality of these characters hangs so perilously, you can’t help but be fully engaged by every button press, and every line of dialogue.

Game of the Year 2010

< I wanted to continue a tradition from the dearly departed British Gaming Blog, where we’d avoid arguments and disappointments by skipping a single, unanimous Game of the Year, and instead choose four titles that best defined the year for us. Here they are >

Red Dead Redemption may contain barrels of explosives, fiery shoot outs and violent executions, but Rockstar San Diego’s adventure works best when the mood is more subdued. Plenty of wild west shooters can match the game’s wanton destruction note for note, but they’ve rarely managed to capture the period’s chilling, isolated expanse of the desert, the camaraderie between man and horse, or the culture shifting gears into a cynical new America.

The first Galaxy always felt like Nintendo had too many ideas for one game. With no concept every duplicated, and so many levels and powerups and enemies and concepts, the fragile Wii disc felt close to bursting. That’s not to say Super Mario Galaxy 2 feels like the first game’s leftover scraps or a hodgepodge collection from the cutting room floor. The amount of fresh ideas means Mario truly deserves his round digit, rather than the unattractive “1.5” some semi-sequels get lumbered with.

Civilization V is a love letter to the history of the human race. From the puffy white clouds, to the gruff gravitas of each quotation, and the momentous leaps through times and eras, Firaxis sweeps our less glamorous moments - slavery, plague, pollution and pestilence - under the carpet. Except in warfare, where our bloody, murderous rage is shown off to its best in a thoroughly rethought combat system that trades brute force for thoughtful tactics.

Heavy Rain hits some bum notes, some plot chasms and some off-note voice acting, but rarely are games as bold and brave as Quantic Dream’s “interactive movie”. It is captivating like no other experience this year - by candidly killing off characters, the stakes in every fight are so high. And by happily serving up an anti-climatic ending for sloppy play, you can’t make any decision lightly. When the mortality of these characters hangs so perilously, you can’t help but be fully engaged by every button press, and every line of dialogue.

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