The End of Year Review III : Video Games 2009

I divided up my time between gaming and watching anime this year, it seems.

Somehow, I managed to touch 14 games!

Even I was impressed but mostly disturbed by this revelation.

Well, 'touching' 14 games does not necessarily translate into my having played them in full.  That is an annoying 'tick' on my part since I am all about doing one thing at a time when it comes to gaming but here's my list of the best of for 2009 -

Oh, before I start I have a disclaimer - I downloaded FFVII and FFTactics for the PS3/PSP this year and they will not be counted towards the 2009 gaming list because those two games would own all else.  Yeah...I try to be fair sometimes, I guess.  I still have a game or two that made this list that were not released this year.  My life will always be that way as there's just not enough time in the year to do everything.  My pile will continue to grow but damn it, even if it takes me 12 years to get to something, I will! I'm looking at you FFTactics!!!!

12.  Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (DSi)

Oh those Mini Marios.  I played the first part of this game a few years ago and was happy to see another installment for play on DSiWare.  I had free points to use and why not on this fun puzzle game? I ran through a first play but it was not as challenging as I had remembered.  The time attack mode is always challenging though and I haven't looked back since.  Ha.

11. Little Big Planet (PS3)

I probably could have benefitted more from this game if I were to use the level creator or played with someone.  This game was charming yet frustrating as most platforms can be.  The Sack Boy was the cutest and the best is playing dress up with him/her.  The music was great and well suited to its corresponding level, and generally the level designs were something quite formidable and impressive.

10.  Final Fantasy : Dissidia (PSP)

Final Fantasy heroes and villains in a battle brawl? I could use Sephiroth to destroy everyone?! Woohoo! Umm...except, I did not have as much fun as I thought I would.  While I enjoyed playing through story mode with an entire battle chessboard set up, complete with stats upgrade, new moves to learn, items, equipment and summons to collect - I could only do those things with the individual heroes.  There was no mode for villains to play through a story!

So, it was not much fun because then I could not have Sephiroth be all bad-assed in a hurry.  It took forever to level him and I didn't even really do that.  Did I do something wrong? I don't think so...?

In any event, the game was still filled with good rpg elements and a fun daily moogle mail system, great memories and music from FF installments past but the story was just 'meh'.   This being a game for fan service for FF fans, it was what was.

9.  Rock Band 2 (PS3)

Rock Band continues to be a great game with DLC released every week and my obsession to dress Zarnyx in any and almost everything is still strong.  He's so rich now that he can buy any ugly guitar he wants.  Beetchie may claim that I 'stole the money from the band' but she forgets that he is on a successful solo career while not touring with The Oxtails.  There were a few good track packs this year including one from Queen.  While I was mostly dissatisfied with the song selection this year, I often have to thank that there is not something I want every single week because then I'd be poorer than I am now.  It's hard keeping up as it is.

8.  Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (DS)

I was not expecting a strategy game when I bought this but I tackled it anyway even though I am mostly lame at these.  It was challenging and an excellent blend of both strategy and traditional rpg elements and had a mostly good story.  I had the choice to be evil but for some reason chose to be good.  I think it was easier to be good than evil and I did not want to be slayed anymore! The monster creation was a cool system but I did not feel much for the characters on a whole.

7. The Sims 3 (PC)

This was our first The Sims game since the first one.  We were rather excited for it and while the game is amazing, it's so time consuming (it always is but I just don't have that much time anymore)! I also do not like that my Sims age.  I think I can make that not happen but it would be interesting to see what happens to them.  I did not re-create any of my old winner families but did make a household of two of my favourite Hitman Reborn characters.  The hilarities that ensued with Gokudera were instant classics.

6.  Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (PS2)

This game was all the rage recently so I finally decided to play.  I was not sure how to feel about a game that makes me go to school and build relationships and then be a vigilante at night but this simulation was actually really interesting and different in a good way.  I liked the action battle rpg style gaming too, the battles were not out of the ordinary but still a bit challenging and monster creation made things difficult for me.  It's like spending money and building an army of strong creatures (much like a job class system) - two things I hate! However, who wouldn't want and like to build an army of misfits?

The music was great, gameplay was awesome, the story was great and the characters were likeable.

All this and I hear part 4 is better! I'll have to break that out soon...

5.  Patapon 2 (PSP)

My one-eyed little army returned to me, or rather I the Great Znyx returned to them.  After reaching an ocean in the hopes of find "IT", the Patapons built a ship and set sail for the end of the world.  One giant sea creature later, a lone Patapon washed up on a distant shore and prayed to me for help.  Being a kind saviour, I decided to help those little fools out.  The beats were much tighter as well as game mechanics, and the introduction of a new system for building additional and unique units plus the Hero made the game much more enjoyable, challenging and a little bit frustrating.  New songs and new moves helped with the new challenges.

I can't wait for the third installment.  I'm a little bit scared to see what awaits on the other side of that bridge.

4.  Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (DS) 

I cursed this game so much this time around.  The puzzles seemed harder than the previous installment and once again I had everyone pitching in to help solve some of the questions.  The presentation was beautiful, the music much more enjoyable and not as repetitive and the story unravelled more brill. than the first witha slew of new mini-games to collect.  Professor Layton and Luke are as cute as ever and I look forward to the rest of the games in this series to be released in the U.S.  Yes, so I can curse some more.

3.  Resident Evil 5 (PS3)

While not the best Resident Evil of the series, I had so much fun playing this game with Bunji making it high up on my list.  For starters, I have never played an RE on my own.  This is a Bunji game and I am a spectator, who unwittingly occasionally gets drafted to run around zombies without 'wasting ammo'.  It's scary! This time around with co-op play, Bunji and I took on the zombies and lickers together!

Being a co-op play, this was the least scary Resident Evil made I feel.  It was less a survival horror game but very much an action game.  Let us say that I proved that I am the one with good aim as my head shot percentage was high.  There were lots of debacles and many hours spent awake near 2 a.m. busting up some lickers.

2.  The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks  (DS)

As I write this, I am not quite finished with it.  Thus far, I remember having much more of a blast with Phantom Hourglass.  I will always love little Link and the Zelda series is one that is the best of all time.  This one is still great - my train skills are the best, and I can shuffle people to and from like nobody's buisness.  Having Zelda play a bigger role has been interesting.  She has a great personality and is so cute! Who knew she could be of use to me...ha.  I have not been as impressed with the boss battles as I usually am but they're still innovative.

Musically this game is one of the best in the series but the controls can be sketchy at best sometimes if it's not absolutely quiet.  The use of the mic for my pan flute creates difficulty while on the train and becomes frustrating at times.

1.  Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS)

I had to give number one to this game.  I never played a console version of the GTA but always enjoyed watching Luuuuuiiiiiisss play.  I always felt that it would be too overwhelming for me so when the DS version came out, I figured "hey, small system, small game, right?" Okay, that never should be said knowing full well the capabilities of the DS and game developers.

I cannot tell you just how much fun I had with this thing.  I played non-stop! The missions were crazy, fast-paced and exciting.  The controls were sharp and made good use of the stylus.  Selling drugs always gave me the pure joy of making tons of cash at once, running from the cops and crashing cop cars is always an adventure and putting down hippies at a riot - well, that's what I do.

There was laughter on the daily with this game and Uncle Kenny got what he deserved.

Honourable Mentions:

I did not finish it but Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door was rather cute and a little bit umm, shocking.  And The Beatles: Rock Band is amazing - the band is one of the greatest and the game is visually stunning.  Finally, I played Chrono Trigger for the DS this year...man, that was some awesome times.  Again.