[General Discussion] The Gamingforce Game of the Year 2009: Use Your Vote Time

Alright, time to dodge Skills' wrath (or further incur it) by voting.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade - 25 points

Sure the story isn't as coherent as it could be, but the game looks gorgeous and plays fantastic. This is one of the few games that's a joy just to look at, and on several occasions I've actually stopped playing for a minute just to look at the backgrounds. Besides, you get to bathe with wild monkeys. That alone is worth some points.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - 20 points

I was worried about this one right up to its release. All signs pointed to it being good, but a good Batman game? Could it be possible? Oh my, yes. The announced VAs clenched it, because for me Kevin Conroy will always be the best Batman and Mark Hamill will always be the best Joker. There's just no contest. Arkham Asylum was not only a fun game that really felt like Batman, but the Riddler challenges also provided a nice way to tie together multiple sidequests that encouraged thorough exploration without being impossible to find.

Retro Game Challenge - 10 points

Despite Rally King sucking, the rest of the fake retro games are all pretty fun. I still pop it in once in awhile to play a bit of Haggleman 1&2, Cosmic Gate, and Star Prince. Guadia Quest, the RPG on par with early Dragon Quest games, is surprisingly good once you get into it complete with secret bosses and everything.

Prototype - 10 points

You can punch an old man through the chest, eat him, become him, and then glide through the air fighting Infected as an elderly superhero. You can slaughter 2,000+ Infected in 3~ minutes with a thermobaric tank. Tentacles. Whatever failings this game may have are redeemed and then some.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes - 10 points

I haven't had it long, but it's one of the best puzzle RPGs I've ever played. There's something very satisfying about pulling off a successful combo strategy to quickly take an enemy from full HP to death or close to it, especially when that combo involves BEARS. The 5 very different races manage to stay balanced once you understand how they work, aside from the humans. Humans kinda suck.

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger - 10 points

Ordinarily I'm not a fan of fighting games. This is partially because I'm not very good at them, and partially because I dislike everything relying on memorizing combos. BlazBlue manages to stay simplistic as far as combos go without being overly so, and the characters are pretty neat. I'll take a black blob of sentient, insect-filled goo over Ryu any day.

Rune Factory Frontier - 10 points

This took everything Rune Factory 1 did right and made it better. There's really not a whole lot to say here aside from that, since you either like Rune Factory/Harvest Moon games or you don't.

Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure - 5 points

The levels get a bit too long and are kind of repetitive in design, but it deserves some points for being hilarious fun. Any game that shouts TEA TIME to summon a steam-powered robot suit to the tune of the British national anthem is okay by me.

Honorable Mentions, Now With Less U

- New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Haven't played it enough to accurately proclaim it a GOTY, but what I did play was some of the best multiplayer action ever.

- Borderlands

I considered this for the actual list since it's great, but as much fun as it is, it just didn't feel like a GOTY to me.

How ya doing, buddy?