18th December 2009 - With 2010 almost upon us, the staff at All Age Gaming has reflected on what was a good year for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. We have handed out awards in various categories before deciding on our overall Game of the Year winner. So, let’s get down to business and on behalf of all of us, we hope you enjoy, and at least agree with some of our 2009 Game of the Year Awards.
BEST GRAPHICS:
Nominees: Resident Evil 5, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Uncharted 2 and Assassins Creed 2.
Runner up: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Winner: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
BEST SOUND:
Nominees: Borderlands, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, WET, Killzone 2, Forza 3.
Runner Up: Killzone 2
Winner: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
BEST SPORTS GAME:
Nominees: FIFA 10, NBA2K10, Wii Sports Resort, Tiger Woods 10 (Wii), Fight Night Round 4, NBA Live 10
Runner Up: NBA 2K10
Winner: FIFA 10
BEST MUSIC/RHYTHM GAME:
Nominees: Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero, DJ Hero, Beatles Rock Band, Lips: No. 1 Hits
Runner Up: DJ Hero
Winner: Guitar Hero 5
BEST ACTION/ADVENTURE GAME:
Nominees: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Uncharted 2, Assassins Creed 2, Resident Evil 5, InFamous, Prototype
Runner Up: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Winner: Batman: Arkham Asylum
BEST RPG/STRATEGY GAME:
Nominees: Halo Wars, Dragon Age: Origins, Borderlands, Divinity 2: Eco Draconis, Little King’s Story, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
Runner Up: Borderlands
Winner: Dragon Age: Origins
BEST PLATFORM GAME:
Nominees: New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Shadow Complex, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Runner Up: Shadow Complex
Winner: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
BEST SHOOTER (Single Player):
Nominees: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Killzone 2, Borderlands, Halo 3: ODST, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Resident Evil 5
Runner Up: Killzone 2
Winner: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
BEST SHOOTER (multiplayer):
Nominees: Left 4 Dead 2, Halo 3: ODST, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Borderlands, Killzone 2
Runner Up: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Winner: Left 4 Dead 2
BEST FIGHTING GAME:
Nominees: UFC 2009, Fight Night Round 4, Tekken 6, Punchout Wii, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Street Fighter IV
Runner Up: Tekken 6
Winner: Street Fighter IV
BEST RACING GAME:
Nominees: DiRT 2, Forza 3, Need For Speed SHIFT
Runner Up: DiRT 2
Winner: Forza 3
BEST PLAYSTATION NETWORK GAME:
Nominees: Fat Princess, Battlefield 1943, Plants vs. Zombies, Call of Duty: Classic, Marvel vs. Capcom 2
Runner Up: Fat Princess
Winner: Battlefield 1943
Best XBOX LIVE ARCARDE GAME:
Nominees: Battlefield 1943, Shadow Complex, Trials HD, Monkey Island: SE, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Call of Duty: Classic
Runner Up: Battlefield 1943
Winner: Shadow Complex
BEST DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT:
Nominees: GTAIV: Lost and Damned, GTAIV: Ballard of Gay Tony, Fallout 3: Broken Steel, Fallout 3: Point Lookout
Runner Up: Fallout 3: Point Lookout
Winner: GTA IV: Lost and Damned
AAG 2009 GAME OF THE YEAR:
Nominees: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Uncharted 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Dragon Age: Origins, New Super Mario Bros. Wii., Assassin’s Creed 2, FIFA 10, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
“When it comes to deciding personal game of the year, every game deserves a mention. I have one rule, and that’s I like to get as many games nominated as possible so that no one game wins a category twice. That said, it was neck and neck over in the PSN/ XBOX Live Arcade court and with the plethora of Downloadable content released this year, deserves its own category. The year had some better-than-expected movie tie-ins like Wolverine and Watchmen and some complete letdowns like TMNT: Turtles in Time. Some games like Wolfenstein were swallowed up, while others like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 didn't get a chance to shine. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of any Award nomination is how to shoe-horn some of these games into only one area. GTA continues to provide both action and adventure, shooting and simulation, while Borderlands tried to style a Role Playing Shooter. So now let’s take a look at exactly which games are Number 1 and 2 in the Official All Age Gaming 2009 Game of the Year Award”
Ian Crane – Senior Contributor: (Games Reviewer/Article Writer)
Runner Up: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
“If you own a PS3, then you have to play Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Uncharted 2 continues the story of our hero Nathan Drake; however you don’t need to have played the first game to get completely hooked on this one. The game plays out like an adventure movie, with lovable and brilliantly voiced characters, a compelling plot, and tense gun-fights that make you want to play that one extra scene when you should really be going to bed. The graphics really showcase the PS3’s power with the detailed characters and stunning, colorful environments. The gameplay is also a huge improvement over the original, with more weapons and the ability to make a stealth attack. And did I mention the tense gun-fights? Running across rooftops and dangling from the side of a train whilst getting attacked by a helicopter will have you hanging onto the edge of your seat. Throw in some puzzles to break up the action, a pinch of humor, and some pretty entertaining multiplayer games, and you’ve got yourself one of the best games of 2009. “
Phong Nguyen – Senior Contributor: (“The Week That Was” Writer)
GAME OF THE YEAR WINNER: Batman: Arkham Asylum
“The developer of Batman: Arkham Asylum is a relatively new studio named Rocksteady, and although they only have one other title under their belt, they have shown that they are one studio to keep a keen eye on. Batman: Arkham Asylum is a deep, atmospheric adventure that is a first in the gaming world that gives you a real look into the dark world of The Dark Knight. The game has a completely unique blend of stealth and action, mixed with great hand-to-hand combat via the revolutionary free-flow combat system and a decent level of freedom to solve ArkhamIsland's deepest mysteries and ultimately overcome the maniacal Joker. The game doesn’t have a multiplayer component, but given its gameplay style and mechanics, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. All in all, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a fresh and unique adventure game that pushes every boundary it lays within. The best superhero game ever made and one for the ages; Batman: Arkham Asylum is All Age Gaming’s 2009 Game of the Year.”
John Elliott – Senior Contributor: (Games Reviewer/Article Writer)
There you have it, who would have thought at the start of the year that a game based upon a superhero would turn out so good and rate so highly! Batman: Arkham Asylum is definitely a deserved winner. There were many great games this year and anyone of our nominees could have taken the prize, but there had to be one winner. Since the launch of our site in April this year, the dedicated team has been hard at work playing and reviewing as many games as possible. On behalf of all of us, I would like to thank all our readers for your support in our first year online and I hope you all look forward to a bigger and better 2010, not only for the gaming industry, but for All Age Gaming! Merry Christmas and have a safe and enjoyable holidays playing some of the great games mentioned in our awards.
Craig Cirillo – Owner and Editor In Chief
AAG’s 2009 GOTY Awards written and compiled by Craig Cirillo, John Elliott, Ian Crane and Phong Nguyen