Every day this week, we here at Destructoid are revealing one of the five nominees for Game of the Year 2009, with the winner being announced next Monday (12/21). What game will take the crown this year?
Here we are with our final nominee for Destructoid Game of the Year 2009. (You can click here, here, here, and here for the previous four that were revealed all week!)
First off, we need to give props to Destructoid's "video-in-chief", Rey Gutierrez for producing the amazing videos that have accompanied each of these nominees this week. Regardless of how you feel about half-naked women dressed in revealing videogame costumes and dancing around to pop music, you have to admit Rey did an excellent job with the production values on these things. He is one talented guy. And, seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I walked down the street and was randomly surrounded by half-naked women dressed in revealing videogame costumes and dancing around to pop music ... I would have exactly 30 cents.
Hit the jump to find out the 5thnominee for Destructoid Game of the Year 2009 (and for the list of runner-ups as well!), watch Rey’s video for your daily fix of pretty people, and make sure to check back this Monday (12/21) for the grand announcement of the winner! Who knows? Maybe I will be the one wearing a tight t-shirt, cut-off shorts, and dancing around to something by that Lady Gaga character.
Can’t read my p-p-p-poker face, indeed, Ms. Gaga.
I think the entire world of gamers collectively groaned when they heard a semi-realistic, Unreal Engine-fueled new Batman game was going to be coming out for multiple platforms in the summer of 2009. Sure, early images of Batman: Arkham Asylum looked incredible, but when was the last time a game based on Batman turned out even slightly good? The NES, maybe?
To the surprise of maybe everyone, Batman: Arkham Asylum not only turned out to be an incredibly good Batman game, it may be the greatest videogame based on any comic book character ever. Seriously. Batman: Arkham Asylum benefits from its wickedly slick presentation, but excels because of its exquisitely designed, surprisingly Metroid-esque structure and killer stealth action gameplay. Whew! That’s quite a description, but it only scratches the surface of how incredibly deep and satisfying Batman: Arkham Asylum really is.
As fellow editor Samit Sarkar perfectly put it in his initial preview, when you play Arkham Asylum, you constantly want to shout “I AM THE GODDAMN BATMAN!”
From our original review: “Arkham Asylum is the single most fun stealth game ever made. Period.”
What do you think of our final fifth nominee? Were you just as surprised by how good Batman: Arkham Asylum turned out to be? Now that all five nominees have been revealed, which game deserves to win? Which game do you think will win? And what are some of your favorite videogames of 2009?
Don’t forget to check back Monday (12/21) for the reveal of the winner of Destructoid Game of the Year 2009!
... and, for the curious, here is a short list of the games that almost made the final cut. It was a really close race this year.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Demon’s Souls Half-Minute Hero Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Machinarium Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story Plants vs. Zombies Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Punch-Out!! Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Red Faction: Guerrilla Shadow Complex Shatter Street Fighter IV
Chad Concelmo is Destructoid's features editor. He loves hanging out with awesome people. That's why Destructoid makes him so happy, since it is full of THE MOST AWESOME PEOPLE OF ALL TIME! Also, dolphins.
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Chad enjoys punching old ladies in the face, Super Metroid, Zelda: A Link to the Past on the SNES (best system ever!), Final Fantasy VI, Day of the Tentacle, Shadow of the Colossus, Mother 3, Beyond Good & Evil, Contra III, Valkyria Chronicles, Punch-Out!!, Half-Life 2, and Super Mario Galaxy 2.
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I don't think anyone was calling into question Rey's abilities as a video editor. I just think a lot of people (myself included) felt that the videos you guys had him do were tasteless and cliche.
My vote would go towards Borderlands. Rarely does a game make me beat it over, and over, and over... yet still makes me want to keep playing it. Between just creating new characters and replaying, and tweaking out your maxed out characters with phat lootz, it just hits that itch that hasn't been scratched this well since Diablo II.
I don't think Borderlands is a strong enough contender to be on the list. Good co-op and good reinvention of the loot whoring system from Diablo games, but I don't think it really measures up. I would have put Street Fighter IV in the running, just to at least give a semblance that an earlier year release mattered and because it was, by the average critic, best fighter released this year on both platforms.
Fighting games are once again shoved aside as an inferior genre of games, even one which has set the competitive scene on fire, such that it hasn't seen in a LONG time, and brought countless new players to the genre itself.
What's with the dancers in each video. Which person in the editorial team has the confidence to ask some girls to dance for game of the year nomination?
After so many posts about spike TV not being geeky enough, where are your dancing tetris pieces now? :D
Wow you guys don't even have MW2 in as a nominee... It's a cold day in hell, and you guys lost a lot of credibility with me today.
I've dropped more time in this game, and my friends have dropped more time into this fantastic game than any of the other games, EVEN more than Borderlands!!!
Batman: Arkham Asylum is probably my pick for GotY.
It turned out to be a VERY strong showing this year as far as games go. In a standard year, I've no doubtPlants vs Zombies would have made a Dtoid top five list.
Fantastic list with only one exception. As radical and cutting edge as Destructoid is (which is why they are the best gaming site on the internet IMHO), I still like that they have to keep vendors happy by putting on a token game. While I am one for SMB nostalgia, NSMBWii shouldn't be anywhere close to the other titles on this list.
That last link was to Play Magazine run by Dave Halverson who goes batshi+ insane over platformers. While 85 isn't a bad score by any means, when you are talking about a magazine that, at its core, loves platformers in the the same way pedobear loves children...then I don't think it's of the caliber of Game of the Year.
@bauhouse Well, everyone have their opinion. I've seen sites that gave Borderlands a 5. And a lot of other sites gave Batman and some others on the list an 8, for example.
Meh I found AA to be nowhere near as fun or original as everone made it out to be. Not even a "not my cup of tea" thing, it just favoured superficial pros over substantial flaws.
@Nephlabobo - I also feel the pain of having a token title replace a gaming experience like Demon Souls. It's depressing to see your favorite site play 'fair-sies' to all consoles when they should be focused on staying true to their core audience.
@Script-br
Yeah, it is my opinion, but I've also backed it up with some high profile opinions of highly regarded game review sites like Play, The Onion's AV club and Escapist. I didn't even show Zero Punctuations quote about "NSMBW is the prisoner who cements over it's own escape attempt and then shoves its head in the toilet.
But that's the problem with me, you see. I back up my arguments with other opinions, links and 30+ years of game experience. While others just say, "Well, Nintendo doesn't care about what you think because they sold millions, fool!"
Well to all of those saying that NSMBWii is a good title and worthy of being GOTY because it sold well are guilty of applying "Worthington's Law" to games.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgvrpC2O7_M
If you think "more money=better than" then you have to agree that New Kids on the Block is a better band than Tool because they've sold more albums. And I refuse to get into a debate with people who listen to NKOTB while playing NSMBWii...because that makes me retarded too.
I'm surprised you guys didn't nominate Henry Hatsworth. I loved the idea of the game since I saw the first screenshots, and was thoroughly pleased to see the score you gave it in your rather glowing review. Hell, it's my GotY, even over Arkham Asylum.
Quick Question:
To determine the games did you choose the most popular amongst the staff?
I remember you saying that even though Left 4 Dead was game of the year amongst the staff, only one member had declared it his individual GOTY, but it was so popular that it was the winner. Is that how you determined the nominees?
Are we going to get a behind the scenes story/video about the dancers? I'm a little confused as to who they are and what they're doing in these videos. I'm not complaining- the videos are great- I'm just confused.
You know... I think the only thing that would make these videos better would be replacing those girls with Collette, Ashely B. and Ashely D. Talk about lulz!
I guess Modern Warfare 2 is too popular for the 'cooler-than-you' D-toid staff.
Big hype + big publisher = RAWR RAWR RAWR
"Check out this indie game you guys!!!" UGH
R3Y, I swear I'd have your children if the opportunity presented itself. Someday hopefully I can figure out how the hell you supply such magic to your videos. Also, CHAD. YOU NEED TO DO THAT, OH MY GOD THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
Anywho, beautiful list of nominees. Of the three on this list that I've played and beat though (L4D2, Borderlands, Arkham Asylum), I still gotta say Borderlands was my personal GOTY, but I dare say L4D2 and Arkham are in a dead tie for second, personally.
Oh, and, even though Xzyliac said it already, it bears repeating- GaGa.
Ok you don't like New Super Bros Wii but Yahtzee's reviews aren't exactly fact not just because their HIS opinion and not ours but because he's a critic. It's his job to critize games and if all of our game libraries followed the games that Yahtzee allowed us to play rather than what we wanted we would all have a very small collection.
Oh and your argument becomes incredibly flawed when you try to state that people are just following popular opinion and should stop by following yours. I'm sorry but it doesn't work that way people like the game because they LIKE THE GAME not because someone's telling them to like it.
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Contest:
3:00 PM on 12.18.2009
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Oh wait, you couldn't even beat it!!!!
Well
I can't either.
uhmmm I forgot what I was saying...
I´m with ya on that. Borderlands is a gamer´s game, my GOTY
I'm happy to see Street Fighter IV, Demon's Souls and Red Faction were in the running.
Also, top notch work R3Y! I gotta say i wasn't ever a fan of your video show, but you've got some serious chops, sir! Kudos!
Cool stuff.
After so many posts about spike TV not being geeky enough, where are your dancing tetris pieces now? :D
I've dropped more time in this game, and my friends have dropped more time into this fantastic game than any of the other games, EVEN more than Borderlands!!!
It turned out to be a VERY strong showing this year as far as games go. In a standard year, I've no doubt Plants vs Zombies would have made a Dtoid top five list.
Demon's Souls was a very close 6th (see above). :)
"Mr. Zurkon hates stupid robots!"
We didn't "make" Rey do anything. The videos were all his idea! He is a super talented guy. :)
http://www.avclub.com/articles/new-super-mario-bros-wii,35648
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/6841-Review-New-Super-Mario-Bros-Wii
http://playmagazine.com/?fuseaction=SiteMain.Content&contentid=1913
That last link was to Play Magazine run by Dave Halverson who goes batshi+ insane over platformers. While 85 isn't a bad score by any means, when you are talking about a magazine that, at its core, loves platformers in the the same way pedobear loves children...then I don't think it's of the caliber of Game of the Year.
Can't really argue about the list since I don't have any of those games.
This my pick not so much because I truly believe it's better per se but because it's the only one on the list that I have played.
If Uncharted 2 wins I'll still be happy. If L4D2 wins I won't be surprised. If the other two win I'll cry.
Great list, I'm going with Borderlands because, as mi55ter has said, it is the "gamer's game". Arkham Asylum is my close second.
Yay 2009!
http://playmagazine.com/index.php?fuseaction=SiteMain.Content&contentid=1886
@Nephlabobo - I also feel the pain of having a token title replace a gaming experience like Demon Souls. It's depressing to see your favorite site play 'fair-sies' to all consoles when they should be focused on staying true to their core audience.
@Script-br
Yeah, it is my opinion, but I've also backed it up with some high profile opinions of highly regarded game review sites like Play, The Onion's AV club and Escapist. I didn't even show Zero Punctuations quote about "NSMBW is the prisoner who cements over it's own escape attempt and then shoves its head in the toilet.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1191-Left-4-Dead-2-New-Super-Mario-Bros-Wii
But that's the problem with me, you see. I back up my arguments with other opinions, links and 30+ years of game experience. While others just say, "Well, Nintendo doesn't care about what you think because they sold millions, fool!"
Well to all of those saying that NSMBWii is a good title and worthy of being GOTY because it sold well are guilty of applying "Worthington's Law" to games.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgvrpC2O7_M
If you think "more money=better than" then you have to agree that New Kids on the Block is a better band than Tool because they've sold more albums. And I refuse to get into a debate with people who listen to NKOTB while playing NSMBWii...because that makes me retarded too.
I respectfully disagree.
To determine the games did you choose the most popular amongst the staff?
I remember you saying that even though Left 4 Dead was game of the year amongst the staff, only one member had declared it his individual GOTY, but it was so popular that it was the winner. Is that how you determined the nominees?
Big hype + big publisher = RAWR RAWR RAWR
"Check out this indie game you guys!!!" UGH
Anywho, beautiful list of nominees. Of the three on this list that I've played and beat though (L4D2, Borderlands, Arkham Asylum), I still gotta say Borderlands was my personal GOTY, but I dare say L4D2 and Arkham are in a dead tie for second, personally.
Oh, and, even though Xzyliac said it already, it bears repeating- GaGa.
Ok you don't like New Super Bros Wii but Yahtzee's reviews aren't exactly fact not just because their HIS opinion and not ours but because he's a critic. It's his job to critize games and if all of our game libraries followed the games that Yahtzee allowed us to play rather than what we wanted we would all have a very small collection.
Oh and your argument becomes incredibly flawed when you try to state that people are just following popular opinion and should stop by following yours. I'm sorry but it doesn't work that way people like the game because they LIKE THE GAME not because someone's telling them to like it.