Token Gestures' end of year/new year picks

Well it has been a while since I did anything of worth, but I’m somehow in the mood to help out. Call it the season of good will or something. So here is my season in review, by season read 2009. Here are the five games that seemed to have attracted me the most in the past twelve months. Granted some of them may be a little off but I speak as I find, so here goes:

1.    NHL 10: This franchise just gets better and better, and this years’ instalment is no different. A beautifully made game that plays as true to the sport as any game I have seen. Each year they add new features and tweaks that keep this far and away above the other EA Sports titles. Yes there are a few issues like the twats that exploit glitches online but I’m yet to see any game sort that out so it really isn’t a knock on this one in particular, the franchise mode also needs a little work to get it more involving but these are small criticisms on a great sports game, sure to keep you playing after the season is over.

2. Resident Evil 5: I’m a sucker for this franchise too, yes the game wasn’t exactly reflective of the previous titles puzzle solving brain melters(tm) but it was a well made, beautiful game that seemed to fall short in a lot of people’s eyes. I however loved it, and spent a very long time in front of it battling Las Plagas in a battle to stop the evil Wesker. Gameplay was good and the continued use of the Resident Evil 4 over the shoulder camera angle was far easier on gameplay than the older, yet more terrifyingly set camera positions. The story continued well and did what it needed to, bringing back our original Chris Redfield, although he did look a bit too much of a tank in it. All we need now is for Resident Evil 6 to have Barry in it and I’m in zombie heaven.

3. Fallout 3-The Pitt: Okay it’s not a “real” game but this DLC was fantastic, once they sorted out the bug that plagued it on release. Not a lot needs to be said about this as it is Fallout and we all know how amazing a piece of art this was. Post-apocalyptia is here to stay, just ask Viggo Mortensen. Anyway I digress, this add-on encapsulated what the original game was all about, shades of grey never seemed so interesting, and those creepy trogs were great. All in all the best add-on they released for Fallout.

4. Modern Warfare 2: So I haven’t touched the single player and the sniper rifles are still infuriating in the multiplayer but it is MW2. The game you can lose your life to by just replying the same 10-12 maps. The “I don’t care if you keep sniping me I’ll get you and fuck you up eventually” mindset has never been stronger. These may all seem like negatives, and to an extent they are, but that one kill is worth it. Very much like the game of golf, you live for that perfect shot.

5. Football Manager 2010/ Out of the Park Baseball 10: I know what you’re thinking but I enjoy Excel spreadsheets as much as the next man, and spreadsheets don’t come more compelling than the Football Manager series. If all spreadsheets interested you so much maybe the bankers wouldn’t have dropped the ball on the economy, but they can go back home knowing that their beloved Walsall will be as they left them. Out of the Park Baseball uses the same engine and style but, believe it or not revolves around baseball. Both games have taken up a large chunk of my life and time this year, and as I write this my Leeds United team are playing in the background against the mighty Notts County. A must own for any number fanatic.

I’m not saying 2009 was a great year for games but I managed to get by on what I had to work with. I’m just hoping 2010 will keep me from having to resort to exercise like 2009 did. So here is a quick preview of my 2010 hit list:

1. Mass Effect 2: I’m ploughing through Mass Effect in an attempt to a) complete the game finally and b) remember what the hell was going on. Using the saves from the first game intrigues me and presses me on to finish it. I just hope all the buildings and planets are not all identical aside from different colours this time round. First game on my shopping list for this year.

2. Fallout: New Vegas: It’s Fallout, enough said...Right Viggo?

3. Resident Evil 5 DLC: We get two new instalments to the game this year, and in my opinion the first is what should have been released instead of that hideous multiplayer monstrosity that they did release. It’s set around the back story of Chris and Jill searching for Ozwell E. Spencer, the other follows the other duo after you split from them. I’ve kept that vague in case anyone wants to play through it without the really crap surprise being ruined.

4. Final Fantasy XIII: It’s a FF game and you know what it will entail, albeit with a different combat system apparently, but it is still pretty much a must buy. Time will tell whether they should have kept it turn based.

5.  Heavy Rain: I’m a firm believer in some of your dreams being unattainable, and this game marks one of those. Pretty much the only reason I would buy a PS3, but it won’t happen, I’m far too stubborn.

I wanted to put Kane and Lynch in here but we all know we will be lucky to see it before the next summer Olympics. Well my Leeds United just won 2-0 so I’m off to bullock them for not scoring more. I’m far better at this than Rafa Benitez.

 Cheers