Greatest Gaming Moments of 2010

Well its officially over. 2010 is over and gone, leaving behind a bitter taste of disappointment really. 2010, has been a pretty crap year in terms of news stories or even anything positive. From the ash cloud to England's failure at the world cup, 2010 left nothing positive behind. But, the one thing that 2010 did bring was the huge array of quality games and memorable moments that we will remember for years to come. Each year has its stand out memories, such as 2007's Call of Duty helicopter crash or 2009's hotel climb in Uncharted 2, but instead of doing a top 5, I have chosen to do a simple collection of what I feel are the most memorable moments of 2010.

Crossing the border to Mexico- Red Dead Redemption

Although many people are holding Red Dead Redemption as a masterpiece and the GOTY, I hate to say that it didn't do much for me. Yes, I loved being a cowboy (who doesn't) and I adored the detailed world, but the story just didn't exactly grab me. For some reason I felt it was a bit slow in places and never felt like a flowing tale, but hey ho, we all have different opinions. However, the one thing that did grab me was this brilliant moment, that, if I were doing a top 5, would almost definitely come top. the crossing over to Mexico was such a powerful moment, that nearly every gamer just stopped to take in the atmosphere. The mix of the new setting, sounds and then the almighty soundtrack helped create the most powerful and moving moments of 2010. This is a moment that I will never forget. 

Prison Break- Call of Duty: Black Ops

One thing that always annoys me about COD is the fact that over the past couple of games, the campaign had been pushed aside as multiplayer is taking its place up front. I expressed my views on how I loved COD4's brilliant storytelling, and ever since that rant, I never expected another powerful moment from the COD franchise. Treyarch proved me wrong. Whilst the campaign is still too short and the story is still a bit weak, there are still some truly compelling images ans scenes that reminded gamers of the better Call of Duty days. The break out from the prison with only a bloody knife somehow conveys the pure panic that the prisoners felt, which shows how good this scene is. I may be wrong in saying, but I feel that the majority of players who will be playing CODBLOPS dont really care about good storytelling, but instead they just care about blowing people up. However, Treyarch really blew me out of the water with this scene, a truly moving moment in a some what stupid game.

Cronos battle- God of War 3

The picture says it all. God of War was incredible. The boss battles were amazing, the graphics were gorgeous and the story was involving, aspects that the God of War series has always been proud of doing better than anyone else. But, one aspect that God of War does is re-define the word epic, and GOW3 re writes the dictionary here. Before GOW3 was released, we were promised to massive battles on huge titans, and whilst there were only two the final game, those two moments were by far the best moments of God of War 3. I was stuck between the Gaia level and the Cronos fight, but in the end I settled for this monstrous moment. The battle is the perfect showcase of the PS3's power as we witness Kratos being crushed by this huge titan, only then to see him ripping off his fingernail and even being swallowed. While the fight may be a bit surreal at first, once you pick up your jaw off the ground, you finally realise what you are doing. Words cant describe the fight, so here's a video for you! http://generalgamingchitchat.blogspot.com/2010/12/god-of-war-3-kratos-vs-cronos-boss.html

The lizard trial- Heavy Rain

I loved Heavy Rain. I thought that it was one of the most involving, interesting and greatest gaming experiences of 2010, although many people claim it is basically a movie, I disagreed. You cannot interact with a film, and you dont feel as connected with the on screen characters compared to a gaming experience. And, in Heavy Rain, the connection with your character was really pushed to the limits in the Lizard trial. Possibly the scariest piece of entertainment I have ever witnessed, Quantic Dream helped deliver an artful moment that is by far one of the best in 2010. Spoiler* The Lizard Trial saw Ethan having to cut off one of his fingers infront of a camera to save his son, and it was horrible to watch. The terror I felt as I watched my character screaming in 'real' pain was so disturbing that I started to feel sick, however, this is what makes it so magical and memorable. I remember it. No moment in and other game has hit me this hard, yet I still continued. The lizard trial is fantastic, other developers take note.

Slidey, Slidey!- Vanquish

Sorry to bring Vanquish up again, but I think you will agree with me that it is pretty memorable. Mainly due to the games uniqueness, Vanquish provided gamers with a one off experience that is unbeatable and extremely memorable, the rockets. Adding a whole new layer to the already perfect gameplay, the rocket booster were a fantastic and original concept that helped set Vanquish out from the crowd. Although the whole of Vanquish is one giant memorable 'moment', the greatest part has to be the opening level. Whilst most games ease you into the games mechanics, either with an easy level or even a turtorial, Vanquish threw its player straight into the manic action and forcing them to become accustomed with the games boosters. Sliding under a robot whilst shooting its weak spots in the first 5 mins of a game is pretty memorable. Vanquish was full of great moments, such as the final bogey fight, of the tunnel section, but I think that that the best and most memorable moment has to be the first time you realise what you're in for. Terrifying, but awesome at the same time!

Well thats it then guys, I hope you enjoyed my last article of 2010, and hope to see you in 2011, where the quality of games is sure to double. You never know, the list may be double the length next time!

God of War 3 - Kratos vs Cronos Boss Battle pt 1 / 2 HD

Game of the year (Overall)

Well it is here. 2010 had passed us by, and what a year it has been. Yes, there has been major events such as a new PM and the Chilean miners, but for a select few, 2010 will be remembered for the huge amount of awesome games that the year bought us. And, it is normal to expect a game of the year feature, and that is just what I'm doing! I already did a top 5 game list, but that was in September, and since then, many epic games have been released that have changed that previous list. Here are my top 3 games of the year, but updated.

3

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

This was one of the saddest stories of the whole year. Sadly, much like every year there is an unfortunate game that is released around November, which results in bad sales and it being shunned into a corner thanks to a certain FPS series. Enslaved was this game. The actual game was fantastic, and it even got good reviews from critics, but, sadly, the game did not sell as well as it deserved too, and because of this, it was forgotten by many people. Annoyingly, this game was amazing, the gameplay was, although bit shabby at times, was extremely tight and fun, whilst the story was incredible. The apocalyptic setting was a whole new breath of fresh within the boring grey and dull worlds of games such as Fallout or Oblivion. The buildings where covered in different shades of green, and the famous monuments of New York looked gorgeous under the setting sun. However, it is not the setting that helps this place get number 3, that honour goes to the characters and story. Never since Uncharted 2 have I felt so connected and in love with the characters, and Enslaved somehow bought back the magic which I felt within U2. Andy Serkis (of whom I am bit of a lover) played the mysterious Monkey with so much gusto and passion that I truly believe he deserves an Oscar. The facial animations and subtle but sweet touches created an aura of genuine feeling that is almost unmatched in gaming. Place this along with an old classic story and hilarious array of characters, Enslaved was a fantastic game, that, sadly, did not receive the attention it deserved.

2

Vanquish

You may have seen from my previous review how much I love this game. I had almost nothing but pure praise for Platinum Games' amazing sci-fi shooter. Once again, Vanquish was released around the build up of CODBLOPS, so, much like Enslaved, the figures weren't as good as the game deserved. I was struck between which of Platinum Games' games to include, whether it should have been Vanquish or the bizarre Bayonetta, but Vanquish had one thing over Bayonetta that made it the obvious choice. The gameplay. Although Bayonetta did introduce new elements, such as finishing moves with her hair (dont ask), I felt that the controls were still too similar to God of War. Some may argue that Vanquish brings nothing entirely new to the table, but unlike Bayonetta's few glaring faults, Vanquish mixed together so many different elements of different games, that it somehow paid off and created the most unique experience on any console. The feeling of zooming around a crowded battleground whilst firing a giant disk towards a little Russian robot - in slow-mo- was by far the most exhilarating moment of 2010. Many games have stand out moments; such as Half Life's walker fight or the brilliant Red Dead Redemption's first journey into Mexico, but the whole of Vanquish is just one massive highlight. I think that the fact that the action almost never stops is one of the reason why I have to give Vanquish my number 2 spot, as I hold it very close too me. No game will ever let me shoot robots whilst speeding along an upside down train. Vanquish was incredible.

1

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Yes, my favourite game of 2010 was not Red Dead Redemption's huge open-world, or Mass Effects epic tale, but instead, my GOTY 2010 goes to Super Mario Galaxy 2. I, like every gamer adores being involved in a violent world where there are resistances and fights breaking out, but sometimes, I feel our gamer brains need time to relax and enjoy a simple, but extremely deep, cartoony game. And who else would we rely on to provide us with this service? The one and only Nintendo. Through time, Mario has always been seen as a symbol of quality, and also happiness! The first Super Mario Galaxy received great reception, and it was seen as a game that could not be improved, but somehow, the sequel stepped the series up a notch and helped cement Mario as the all time greatest mascot. The gameplay was unbeatable, so simple that kids can easily pick up and play, whilst sad old men can still enjoy the pure joy of playing this masterpiece. With the introduction of Mario's good old pal Yoshi, Mario set the new standard for platforming once again. Whether it be flying through space on Yoshi or drilling through a planet, Super Mario Galaxy 2 gave us one of the most involving and fun games ever to be released. If you do not feel happiness whilst playing this incredible game, then get yourself checkedc out. Everyone loves Mario, and somehow Nintendo created another magical piece that will go down in history as pure gaming bliss. Whilst many websites are awarding games such as RDR or Mass Effect 2 as their GOTY, I feel that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the perfect example of 'real' gaming. Who really cares about a story or mining on a planet? Mario made games. Without Mario, we would never of had classics such as Super Mario Bro's or Super Mario 64. These classics redefined gaming and are still used as landmarks when creating a game. Super Mario 2 has cemented itself within these games. Super Mario Galaxy 2 fully deserves my GOTY 2010, a pure work of art.

Notable absences 

4. God of War 3- Kratos's third outing put the series on steroids. Definition of the word epic.

5. Red Dead Redemption- All I can say is one thing,  cowboys. That is all.

6. Gran Turismo 5- It may have received bad reviews, but GT5 is by far the best racer out there.

7. Mass Effect 2- Best space story since Star Wars. The originals that is

8. Joe Danger- Fantastic downloadable game. Mixes Trials with other elements. 

9. Heavy Rain- Ignore the glaring plot holes, Heavy Rain was mature and damn good. 

10. Limbo- Another downloadable game. Masterpiece in

character design.

Top 10 gaming weapons

Where is a game without its weapons? Well, unless its FIFA or Gran Turismo, you dont really have weapons; but for the games that do need guns, swords and explosives, weapons play a major part. Nearly every genre has some sort of weapon to guide you when ripping out your enemies spines, but not all of them have achieved true greatness. These are my top 10 gaming weapons ever.....

10

Killzone 2 Bolt Gun

The highlight of Killzone 2 was the bolt gun. Although it is not massively well known and recognised to be great, I truly believe that this gun is a beast. There is no feeling better than seeing the smug orange eyes of a Helghan warrior being distinguished as they are speared to a wall with a huge 5 foot bolt. Collected in the desert city of Prius, the bolt gun really changes the pace of gameplay as it is ridiculously powerful, but has a low ammo capacity, resulting in a tactical game of whack a mole- with a bolt gun. Killzone 2 wasn't  loved by everyone, but I hope that everyone shall see this gun in action, it is priceless!

9

Sweet Tooth's Ice Cream Truck

Ever heard of this scenario, 'aaw, look, its a nice ice cream truck playing a sweet tune, wait, what? JESUS its a giant robot mech that's firing missiles, AHHHHH'. No? Well you haven't played a Twisted Metal. 

Every main character needs a powerful, iconic weapon, and Sweet Tooth has one that is top-notch. Although it may only transform into an actual robot for about 1 minute at the most, I think that it is the principal of it that makes it so cool. Zooming around an abandoned American village at dawn whilst blasting other cars is a laugh, but then seeing the carnage being caused by an ice cream truck, is just 'woah'. The slight hint of dark humour and then the sheer power make the ice cream truck a scary and intimidating opponent for anyone, and for that reason, I believe it should be number 9.

8

Plasmids

In 2008, 2K games introduced us to the mind boggling world of Rapture, a magical, mysterious city that feel into panic and oblivion after a civil war. But, along with the unbeatable atmosphere, the big daddy's and the terrifying little sisters, 2K games introduced us to some of the most innovative gameplay techniques and powers that the gaming community had ever seen. Combined with the dreaded wrench and then with your monstrous drill, plasmids were insanely fun and resulted in intelligent ways of the dispatching of your foes. The adrenaline rush as you watch a splicer being shot into the air, frozen and then receiving a face full of drill is a magic moment that can never be beaten. Ranging from fire to ice and from bees to a sonic boom, the plasmids in Bioshock were great. Until it got to multiplayer, then it just got silly!

7

Lancer

I think that I am safe to say that Gears of War's Lancer is possibly the most recognisable and influential weapon of the past decade. Never since the Gravity Gun in Half Life 2 has a weapon become a symbol for a whole franchise and never has a weapon help built up the population of a single console. When Epic games released the original Gears on the new Xbox 360, the lancer really helped sell the franchise and create a powerhouse of a console. I speak for a lot of teenagers when I say big up to the guy that brainstormed this idea, I mean, a gun, but with a chainsaw!?!? He must be a god by now! Even though there have been many cheap copies of the chainsaw/rifle combo, the Lancer still stands out as one of the greatest weapons ever. And what's better than waiting around a corner for your buddy, and then, VRMMMMMMMMM VRMMMMMMM right into his face? That's right, nothing.

6

Spartan Laser

The first time that I ever played Halo was round my friends house. We were having the usual friendly banter and the buddy battling, when, out of nowhere, this laser came smashing towards my little blue friend and completely disintegrated me. This was the Spartan Laser. The Halo franchise is known for its great sci fi settings and the huge array of weapons, all of which are great in their own right, but if there was a single gun that could sum up Halo, it would be this. The deep hum of the build up, and then the sudden boom when the laser is unleashed is perhaps the greatest sound ever to exist. You think its satisfying getting a headshot in Call of Duty? Well you should feel the joy after seeing your friend being split into two squirming pieces. To sum up, the Halo franchise would be nothing without this gun. Actually, it would still be huge, but, IT CAN CUT PEOPLE IN TWO!! What more do you want!?!

5

Blades of Chaos

Although you may struggle to see the Blades of Chaos when Kratos is swinging them around his shiny bald head; when they are still, man are they a sight to behold. Given to you by Athena, this pair of blades has help Kratos cut, slash, hack, stab and dice his way up Mount Olympus and finally destroy his bitch of a father Zeus. The God of War series introduced the world to hack 'n' slash, and after many new ip's in the genre, the Blades of Chaos still stand out as being the best and most iconic. With the sexy grips and fiery blades, Kratos's blades are gorgeous, especially when seen in HD. Although the God of War series may sometimes be criticised for not having a huge array of weapons which are all unique, the Blades set out the benchmark for any other weapon in a hack 'n' slash game. From Bayonetta's pistols to Dante's scythe, Kratos's Blades of Chaos carved the way for all other hack 'n' slash weapons, but never have they been beaten or topped.

4

Pokeball

Come to think of it, my first real gaming experience was watching my brother playing Pokemon Gold on the Gameboy colour. I remember sitting next to him as we both searched the land and attacked innocent, weak Pokemon with our top power Feraligatr. Then there was the challenge of capturing either Ho-oh or Luigia, but for this, we needed a different super Pokeball. So we searched around for these balls and after we had bought 5,  we finally watched the joyous moment of that little heart-wrenching shudder of our Pokeball. And then, it stopped moving, we had got it! The Pokemon series hasn't really stayed with us over here, but 5 years ago, it was huge, and the centre of all our worries was with this little critter, the Pokeball. Looking back, the contrast of the red and white is amazing, and it is so iconic now that if you walk into a gaming store anywhere, you are bound to find a tiny toy version of them. They may be sick as they trap little animals inside cramped places, but the Pokeball is so recognisable and famous that I just had to include it on this list.

3

Crowbar

When talking about Gears of War's Lancer, I said that it defined the franchise and if someone shows you an image of it, you know exactly what game it is from. But that claim fits Half Life's crowbar even better. One image of the red crowbar automatically creates an image in your mind. I personally believe that if developers can remind you of all the memories and times you had with a game just by showing you an object, then the object is magical and an art form. But, it took the Lancer two games to become well known, whilst with Half Life's crowbar, it only took 5 minutes for you too realise what Valve were up too, they were planting the franchise in your mind and heart. The crowbar was so iconic that all Valve had to do when releasing Half Life 2 was show a silhouette of a crowbar, and that was it. The things that make it so good are simple really, first, its a crowbar. Such a simple tool that you would never see as a potential weapon, but after you had hacked your way through hundreds of guards with only a crowbar, you perceive the object as a whole new entity- Valve perfected taking an everyday object, and making it special. The second reason is that it was held by Gordon Freeman, which is an automatic win anyway.

2

Red Shell

Don't they just bring a smile to your face? Much like the crowbar, the red shells are nothing really, just boring shells. But it is the way that they are used which really helps them achieve second place. Nearly as recognisable as Mario himself, the red shells have stuck with Nintendo like the history of glue. Every Nintendo game that features Mario will almost certainly feature red shells. Nearly every gamer must have experienced the satisfaction as you see your red shell fly around the course and smacking into your friends cart, only to watch their little faces go from super smug smile to a super sad face. The karting genre would never be the same without the classic shells, what would you do without them? Even Sega tried to copy the Mario karting scene, but its main downfall was the lack of red shells. Put a red shell in a game and it is made 4 times better, think of COD. Imagine seeing a killcam of a red shell flying through the air only to smash you right in the noggin' and then the words 'buzzkill' flashing up on the screen? Or instead of Ryu's hadouken, he just chucks a red shell, knocking his opponent to the ground with the sound of 'KO' in the background? See, even epic games can be made even more epic with the addition of shells. However, where do they put the poor tortoises? We're onto you Mario....

1

Gravity Gun

What else could it be? It cant be anything else. Once, again, in 2004, Valve introduced us to another masterclass in game design. The influence of the Gravity Gun is unbelievable. Never in the gaming has a developer like Valve created such a critically acclaimed series that can still stand up against all the FIFA's and COD's. The first Half Life was beautiful a it introduced the world to first person narrative and showed how games could be used as an art form,not just a form of entertainment.  But it was the second the really took off. I have to admit, but I only played Half Life 2 at the beginning of the year when I bought The Orange Box, but I was amazed at how well it had aged, the graphics were still top notch, the atmosphere was up there with Fallout and Bioshock, and then the story was the best I had ever witnessed. But I was expecting that, what I wasn't expecting was the huge impact that the Gravity Gun would cause. When it was first shown, it showcased how games could be approached from different angles, which helped open up the medium and attracted more people into gaming. It is possible to got through the whole game only using your gravity gun, a fact which really shows how well crafted this weapon was. The physics that came along with it were out of this world and the enjoyment factor was immensely satisfying. Never again will a game create such a wonderful, beautiful creation that will change how will play games. So for the huge amount of  influence, being so iconic, the legacy, enjoyment factor and overall awesomeness, I have to give my number 1 spot to Half Life 2's Gravity Gun. Magical.

*I will be doing a review for Gran Turismo 5, but not for a while as I want to see how it stands up over time and after the major updates