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

Dragon Age: Origins - 40 Points
I've had as much fun with this title as any game I played in recent memory. It basically took all the things that were bloody horrid about Mass Effect and made them good. The characters were unique from each other and interesting. The writing was sharp and entertaining while not getting bogged down by taking itself to seriously. End of the day, this was a game that used lord of the rings music in a lord of the rings world with some george rr martin tossed in. It should have been nothing but cliche, but they managed to make it work. And anyone bitching about the battle system or the graphics should have gotten it on the PC instead of the 360. Just saying.

Secret of Monkey Island: HD - 15 points
These points are as much for Dominic Armato, Earl Boen and Alexandra Boyd as it is for the game itself. Probably the most lovingly redone game I've ever played, this crew had such respect for the original material. It played great, it looked good, and it sounded fantastic. Normally I wouldn't toss a remake on this list, but I grinned like a monkey the entire time I played it. Sheer joy.

Uncharted 2: Clowns Are Scary - 15 points
It's Uncharted (which was awesome) with a much more eased-into paranormal ending (which was better) and superb voice acting (using half the cast of Dragon Age, which made playing them at the same time hilarious). The game play was cinematic and tight, the set pieces were a blast, and the story was fun. What more do you need?

Machinarium - 10 Points
This studio continues to churn out genius title after genius title. I think I've played through it over four times already, and will no doubt do so again. It was the definition of the word whimsical. Somehow these titles always seem to remind me of the same feel I got from playing ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. I'm just sort of along for the ride, in the best sense of it.

Tales of Monkey Island - 10 points
Dancing. Guybrush. Threepwood.

Why is this game on the list? Because Telltale managed to make a new Monkey Island that felt like old Monkey Island. Good for them, cause that is hard to do. Why isn't it higher? Lousy control scheme.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - 10 points
Had a blast with this guy. Kevin Conroy and Luke Skywalker were fantastic with their voices, the game was easily the best super hero game ever made, and man, did they nail the ambiance of the world. Nicely played.


Honourable Mentions

Left 4 Dead 2
Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
BlazBlue
Magna Carta II
Wallace & Gromit
Demon's Souls
Shadow Complex
Axel & Pixel
Ghostbusters: Bill Murray Returns

Jam it back in, in the dark.