One of Snackbar Games’ traditions is to have staffers pick their top ten games of the year. We’re so all over the map in our tastes that our lists are never similar. Today, Paul Bishop shares his picks. We think he has a type.
10. Bayonetta (PS3). Last guilty pleasure of the year, I feel like apologizing to every female I have ever known after I play it, but I come back again and again for unadulterated action and over-the-top scenes. Unabashedly it is what it is, beyond description it goes for the gusto with a smile on its face the entire time. Worth the experience 100%.
9. Star Wars: Force Unleashed II (360). Although it didn’t improve too much on the original it was still a fun game that traded length for memorable set pieces. I never thought falling to my death would be very fun, but then again I am not the accomplished Jedi like Galen Marek who completes boss battles as such.
8. Arcania: Gothic 4 (360). Another minor blip on the radar turned into a truly rewarding experience. A no-nonsense RPG that has an awesome, if not easy, combat system and a skinnied down leveling system that is as rewarding as it is fun. Looting and leveling were never better. READ MORE
One of Snackbar Games’ traditions is to have staffers pick their top ten games of the year. We’re so all over the map in our tastes that our lists are never similar. Today, we have staff writer Mike Clark. His list indicates his favorite game series. Also his insanity.
10. Poker Night at the Inventory: The Texas Hold ‘Em within this game is rather basic and very prone to cheating. If you don’t mind this, or can look past it, Poker Night is a great game. The characters were animated well, interact great and without incessant repetition the lines they spout are gold. I look forward to more characters or sequels in the future.
9. Castlevania: Harmony of Despair: Had this game had more substance I would have ranked it higher. As it stands it is up here more for the fun I had in multiplayer than the game’s worth as a whole. Too little substance for too much cost, but with three to five friends one could overlook this as they ran around the various maps kickin’ some serious tail.
8. Ys: The Oath in Felghana: Also being my top PSP choice for the year, Ys: The Oath in Felghana was another great example of how to do a remake. Fast-paced action combat with an RPG system and a good plot overpowered the frustration I had dealing with the tough bosses. A great challenge and a great game. READ MORE
From the staff here at Snackbar Games, please have a safe and fun-filled holiday season. We will be back in January as we start our ninth year of bringing you the best independent gaming coverage out there.
Stay tuned through the end of the month as we share the rest of our 2010 staff picks.
Merry Christmas!
One of Snackbar Games’ traditions is to have staffers pick their top ten games of the year. We’re so all over the map in our tastes that our lists are never similar. Today, managing editor Graham Russell shares his picks. He’s the guy you can blame for groan-worthy puns in intros like this one.
Wow, this year has been an amazing one. I’m not sure which half of the year was better, which I certainly could never have said before, and we had an even mix of iterative successes and new ideas. Anyway, onto my list:
10. Chime (XBLA/PC): I think I’ve gushed about this game a few times now. It has that kind of gameplay that can really get you in the zone and, at least for a while, it did it for charity. The Steam release added one more song, which is a pretty big deal with such a short list. I’m hoping for another title in this vein, if not a legitimate sequel.
9. Protect Me Knight (XBLIG): The Indie Games service is home to some very strange things, but one big advantage is that it has no region restrictions. So it is that gamers outside of Japan get to experience Ancient’s Protect Me Knight (Mamotte Knight), a four-player co-op action game with a retro style and entirely amusing Engrish. It only takes an hour or so to play through once, but at four bucks, you can’t really complain.
8. Heavy Rain (PS3): Story is a key component in games, but until Heavy Rain, I didn’t think it could carry one all by itself. I’d love to experience more types of stories like this, but Quantic Dream isn’t one to do that sort of thing. READ MORE
One of Snackbar Games’ traditions is to have staffers pick their top ten games of the year. We’re so all over the map in our tastes that our lists are never similar. Today, writer Andrew Passafiume picks exactly the games we thought he would.
10. Super Mario Galaxy 2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is everything you’d expect and so much more. While the first Galaxy wasn’t exactly easy, Galaxy 2 ramps the difficult up quite a bit. This was a welcome change for those clamoring for more of a challenge, while still able to appease to newer fans. Galaxy 2 is the closest to perfect Mario has gotten in 3D and it’ll take quite a lot to top it.
9. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor. I can’t think of many other games that brought me as much joy as Sin & Punishment 2 did just from a pure gameplay perspective. The game isn’t perfect, but I couldn’t help but enjoy every second of it. The levels are full of many enemies, each ending with one (or more) insane boss fight, each of which is unique. The difficulty is perfect, finding the right balance between ease and challenge, and never feeling too frustrating. Complete with smooth controls, it’s everything the first game should have been and so much more.
8. Limbo. Limbo is as atmospheric as they come, and one of the most engrossing downloadable releases of the year. It’s a very simple premise, but it becomes something so much more. You never know what to expect next, and every puzzle is a welcome treat. It’s challenging at times, but not unforgiving. Very few games have done what Limbo does so well, and it’ll be a while before we see another match it. READ MORE
