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!