Hiatus & Game of the Year Talk

It seems like forever since I've written a blog for HG, because of personal circumstances beyond my control. (For the record, it has only been two weeks!) Regardless, I may have been busy, but I have definitely not left, and I am still here for some time to come. That being said, let's get to what I've decided to blog about this evening.

I've been thinking a lot about the games I've played this year recently. I've played almost all of the major releases that have been released this year, and most of the ones not considered major as well. That said many of them were decent or acceptable, few amazing or game of the year worthy. I have made up my mind on what is my game of the year, however, I have a list of games that can easily contend for game of the year, in my opinion. Keep in mind none of this is in relation to anything that HG does at the end of the year regarding game of the year awards.

Batman: Arkham Asylum
This game caught me off guard. I was expecting a decent Batman game, especially considering it was made by Eidos. What I got was a thorough enjoyable experience with Batman: Arkham Asylum. It was a great adventure game with a story that was engrossing enough for a Batman game. The fun boss fights were icing on the cake. Admittedly, it could have been a bit more difficult but it was probably a little easier because kids were meant to play it too.

Borderlands
Again catching me off guard, I figured I would pick this up for some light gaming before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released. Boy was I wrong. Borderlands was easily the most engrossing game that I played all year, with an interesting storyline, vast landscapes, and huge arrays of weapons. The online co-op modes are addictive and delightful. The folks at Gearbox outdid themselves with this under-the-radar treat.

Uncharted 2: Among Theives
A fantastic adventure, engrossing enough, and always leaves you wanting more. It had a great combat system and looked absolutely outstanding. Naughty Dog's addition to this year's releases definitely deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as the words game of the year.

DJ Hero
You're probably thinking, huh? If you haven't played it, you have got to. It really is a refreshing look at the rhythm based gameplay that the "Hero" games have offered for the past few years. It is addictive and provides tons of music and difficulty to leave you playing for hours upon hours. The song selection is fairly well-rounded, with a rap-techno focus. If you have the spare cash, you should definitely give it a look. Personally, I grabbed the regular edition of the game, I did not bother with the Renegade Edition due to the price difference. The changes were minor, (it comes with a metal stand and additional music CDs).

Assassin's Creed 2
I'm well on my way to completing this, just have not yet, due to the personal reasons mentioned earlier. Only a fool would not be able to see that it is a great game, similar to the original easily a contender for game of the year. Its style and swift gameplay remind you what you loved of the original Assassin's Creed, with improved assassinations, more weapons, the fact that water does not instantly kill you, and less repetitive gameplay.

For those that were wondering, my personal choice for game of the year is Borderlands. Thanks for reading, and make sure to post your personal game of the year in the comments below!!