2010: a year loaded with a lot of games to be played. We here at GamerNode have been quite busy discussing the best that this year had to offer, but like last year, I’ve got my own honors to dish out. All of the categories from last year have returned, as well as some shiny new ones, so let’s get to it, shall we?
Press X to Jason! Well, to see the 2010 Jason Awards!
Douchebag Of The Year
Edgar Ross
Just mentioning this guy’s name makes me want to bang my God damn head against the wall. There have been characters I’ve disliked before, some I’ve even hated, but none of them have reached the level of Jason Rage that Edgar Ross did in Red Dead Redemption. First, you kidnap John Marston’s family and tell him that the only way to get them back is to track down and kill John’s old gang mates, even though John is done with that life. Secondly, the entire time John is doing your bidding, you’re constantly putting John down, saying horrible things, and generally being an asshole. Finally, after John completes his mission and gets his family back, you assault his ranch and kill him! The hell is the matter with you Ross? You power-hungry douche! Some federal agent you are, you conniving punkass, I’m glad Jack gave you what was coming to you. You’ve earned 2010 Douchebag of the Year, no question about it.
HONORABLE MENTION: Bobby Kotick (for the second year in a row)
Best Gaming Friend of 2010
Joe Barbaro (Mafia II)
What a wise guy Joe is. He gets you involved with the mod lifestyle. He takes care of you however he can. He throws little digs your way just to rile you up. He’s the perfect template of what a gaming sidekick should be: full of personality and able to handle himself in a fight. I couldn’t help but smile at all of the wisecracks Joe would make whiile mowing down enemy mafiosos. Joe Barbaro, you crazy paisano you, enjoy being the Best Gaming Friend of 2010. You deserve it.
HONORABLE MENTION: Mordin (Mass Effect 2), Bonnie MacFarlane (Red Dead Redemption)
Biggest WTF Moment of 2010
The Nintendo 3DS Reveal
Holy sweet merciful crap, I can’t even begin to get into how awesome this is. When I heard the rumors about “3D portable gaming” and “3D without glasses,” I thought to myself “yeah right, stick to what you’re good at, Nintendo!” Well, it turns out that Nintendo did stick to what they’re good at: revolutionizing the gaming industry. Having held one in my hands back in June, I can tell you that it is every bit as impressive as you can imagine. The stereoscopic 3D is a thing to behold, and the ability to turn off the 3D if your eyes gets tired is even more impressive. My doubts were immediately destroyed once I saw the 3DS in action, even though I should have expected nothing different from the Big N. 3DS, you deserve the Biggest WTF Moment of 2010 award, because you made me say WTF for sure.
HONORABLE MENTION: The Origami Killer’s reveal (Heavy Rain), “The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed” (Red Dead Redemption)
The Gaming Boomerang of 2010
Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
Last year, the Gaming Boomerang was a older game that was brought back into the spotlight through modern means, with Marvel vs Capcom 2‘s XBLA and PSN launch taking the prize. While there were some games worthy of the title in this definition (X-Men Arcade comes to mind), this year the Boomerang goes to Donkey Kong Country Returns because of its ability to bring back the classic DKC gameplay we knew and loved. A lot of people would argue that this is a reboot and not eligible for the award, but I’m not giving it to the title per se; this is a recognition of the gameplay itself. I remember spending hours upon hours playing DKC1 back in the good ol’ SNES days. It was one of the first games I’ve ever 100% completed, I loved it so much. When I put in DKCR here, I didn’t know what to expect, but as soon as I started playing, I was right back to being in 2nd grade again. Everything from the classic DKC games is here, from the level design and mechanics to the ABSOLUTE FRUSTRATION OF GETTING THAT MONKEY BASTARD KILLED. It’s this seamless return to classic gameplay that makes Donkey Kong Country Returns my Gaming Boomerang of 2010.
HONORABLE MENTION: Final Fight: Double Impact, Dragon’s Lair, Crazy Taxi
The Daikatana Award For Excellence in Failing Hard
Glitching in Fallout: New Vegas
Kee-ripes, the glitches in Fallout: New Vegas were bad. I don’t mind a glitch here or there in my games, but some of these were so bad that it broke the game. This is a double shame because other than the glitches, New Vegas is on par with Fallout 3 in terms of gameplay and overall experience. Of all of my friends who purchased New Vegas, only one had zero noticeable glitches. Unsurprisingly, he’s the only one that still owns it, too. Never before has glitching cost a high-profile game like this its full critical potential, earning Fallout: New Vegas the 2010 Daikatana Award For Excellence in Failing Hard.
HONORABLE MENTION: Microsoft’s E3 2010 Presser, Medal of Honor Taliban Controversy
Most Annoying Use of My Name in 2010
Heavy Rain
JAAAAAASOON! JAAAAAASON!!! JASON! JAAAAASOOOOOONN! JASON! Jesus Christ Heavy Rain, I liked you a whole hell of a lot, but did you really have to do this to me? I’m sure a lot of Jasons and Shaun/Sean/Shawns agree with me, too!
HONORABLE MENTION: There aren’t any, because no one else has (Press X to Jason) as a function!
Name of the Year 2010
Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger vs Darkdeath Evilman
Tell me that isn’t the best name you’ve ever heard.Unlosing Ranger sounds like an absolute BADASS (because, let’s face it, he never loses), but his opponent Darkdeath Evilman sounds like he’ll tear your face off before you can even say a word. The game itself is fun as well, taking a lot from its developer Nippon Ichi’s more popular franchise Disgaea. A grindfest unlike any other, this game will keep you busy, but that makes sense when you’re going up against friggin’ Darkdeath Evilman! A lot can be taken from a game’s name, but in the case of the Name of the Year 2010, only an epic battle is awaiting the player.
HONORABLE MENTION: Super Meat Boy
Best Portable Game From Another Year First Played In 2010
Darkstalkers: The Chaos Tower
It’s no secret I’m a fighting game aficionado, but unfortunately Darkstalkers was one series that always eluded me. Sure, I’d heard of it through other games like Marvel vs Capcom 2, but I’d never actually played a Darkstalkers game for myself. Cut to earlier this year, when I was looking for something to freshen up my PSP. Lo and behold, I find Darkstalkers: The Chaos Tower staring me in the face. I’m glad I found it. The game is just as enjoyable as Capcom’s other fighters, though I can understand why it gets lost in the mix. Having a playable crew of monsters isn’t exactly the most appealing thing to everyone, but if fighting games are your thing, there’s no reason not to play this. This game was actually the catalyst for me researching the entire series, and now it’s one of my favorites. Thanks, Darkstalkers: The Chaos Tower, for leading me to a great franchise. You’ve earned Best Portable Game From Another Year First Played in 2010 as a reward.
HONORABLE MENTION: Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny, Trace Memory
Best Console Game From Another Year First Played In 2010
Braid
I can hear everyone who writes for GamerNode (except for Editor-In-Chief Eddie) screaming into their monitors, “No…not you too! NOT YOU TOO!!!!” Yes, my friends, I have experienced Braid from start to finish, and yes, Eddie was right, it is brilliant. There’s something to be said about a game that throws a homage to a classic title into its gameplay, but that homage actually has a greater meaning to the story as a whole. Tim is an interesting little fellow, one that I still don’t completely understand, but he is certainly more complicated than a lot of the heroes in big-budget titles like Call of Duty. The final level, also caled “Braid,” may be one of the smartest, most surreal experiences I’ve ever had while gaming. I can’t believe it took me this long, but Braid, you are a masterpiece, and a game well-deserving of Best Console Game From Another Year First Played in 2010.
HONORABLE MENTION: Earth Defense Force 2017, God of War II
Favorite Game of 2010 That Nobody Played
Tatsunoko VS Capcom: Ultimate All Stars
The fact that Tatsunoko VS Capcom is winning this award just makes me angry. Here is a solid 2-on-2 fighting game, something not seen since Marvel vs Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, and a game that laid the groundwork for what will be one of the top games of 2011, Marvel vs Capcom 3. This takes the VS series and moves it away from the fast, frenetic, and “unfair” atmosphere of Marvel vs Capcom 2 and brings it into a new light; one where strategy and match-ups actually matter more than how fast a player is. Skill makes its triumphant return to the VS series here, and yet two things are keeping it from being more well-known: brand recognition (the general public outside of Japan haven’t the slightest idea who Tatsunoko is, even though they’re responsible for the highly-successful Speed Racer) and its platform (being on the Wii kills this). Oh, and releasing the same day as Mass Effect 2 probably didn’t help either.
When Marvel vs Capcom 3 hits in February, play it for a while, then try and go back to Marvel vs Capcom 2. The learning curve will be ridiculous. However, if you switch to TvC, it will be seamless. Tatsunoko vs Capcom is too important to the fighting game genre to be missed, but alas it has been, making it my choice for Favorite Game of 2010 That No One Played.
HONORABLE MENTION: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors; Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
Least Favorite Game of 2010 That Everyone Played
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Here’s where I get flamed to all hell. Yes, Black Ops made a boatload of cash. Yes, it’s a highly lofty title to put in this category. However, I will not sit here and say that I enjoyed it as much as most, because I didn’t. The single player experience was good; I enjoyed going back to a period of American history where not all the answers were finite and putting myself behind the scenes. I liked the interrogation approach. However, what really disappointed me was the multiplayer. Look, you can dress up Black Ops with all kinds of different weapons and modes and such, but at the end of the day, the basic multiplayer is exactly the same as what I played last year with Modern Warfare 2. Find a guy, shoot a guy, gain points, move on. There’s no real strategy to it. Some teams like to employ tactics, but they’re too few and far between to be noticed. Plus, the overpowered weapons are still there and people are still abusing them. You can yell at me all you like, but you cannot deny the similarities. Black Ops is too much of the same thing, which is why it earns Least Favorite Game of 2010 That Everyone Played
HONORABLE MENTION: Madden NFL 2011
Prediction for Game of the Year 2011
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Last year, I went against what most expected and selected Alan Wake as my prediction for Game of the Year 2010. Unfortunately, I should have went with what everyone expected of me, because I’d have been mostly right (Mass Effect 2, for those who recall, was my obsession at the time). This year, the choice gets a little bit more difficult. I have my personal favorites (Mass Effect 3, Marvel vs Capcom 3) but I’m no fool. There’s a clear favorite for GotY 2011, and it is Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.
Its predecessor winning 35 2009 Game of the Year Awards. The added challenge of the sand element. Nathan Drake himself. Uncharted 3 has a lot of good things going for it, and rightfully so. The only thing I can think of that will dethrone it is if it is considered inferior to Uncharted 2 in any aspect, be it story, graphics, etc. However, based on what I’ve seen so far, I don’t think that’s going to be an issue. Go, Uncharted 3, and prove me right.
HONORABLE MENTION: Mass Effect 3, Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Another year, another set of Jason awards in the books. 2011 is certainly shaping up to be a stellar year for games, but will it live up to the hype? Only time will tell…and I can’t wait.
JAASSSON!!! JAAAAASON!! JASON! JASOOOOON!!!
…good night, all.
