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by Ethos and Riddles

The One that Got Away 2009 – Riddles

Friday, January 1st, 2010

demonssouls_box_artDemon’s Souls

I think this is the first time Demon’s Souls has been mentioned on Riddlethos.com. During the latter portion of 2009, I heard the name a few times, but never paid much attention to it. Literally all I knew is that it was yet another Atlus-published JRPG. While I have a great deal of love for the Persona series, it takes more than an Atlus namedrop (or the namedrop of any publisher) to get me interested in a JRPG.

It literally wasn’t until Demon’s Souls started garnering GOTY nominations – and in some cases even GOTY awards – that I took a serious look at the game. And now, admittedly, I’m sorry I missed out. Really sorry, actually. Looking back over 2009, I realize that I’ve almost entirely forsaken what once was my genre of choice, the JRPG. The last one I played and finished was Persona 4, and that was early 2009.

It’s hardly any fault of mine, though. This console generation has not been a good one for JRPGs. I’ve played two that I can truly say were great, and those would be Lost Odyssey and Valkyria Chronicles. (Persona 4 is a PS2 game, so it doesn’t count.)

But I’m always more than willing to renew my faith in the genre. I’ll be giving Demon’s Souls a shot soon enough, I’m sure.

Runner Up: Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days

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Posted in Best Games of 2009 Week       

Biggest Letdown 2009 – Riddles

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

brutallegendboxartBrutal Legend

Okay, so… I might be the odd man out in shaming Brutal Legend like this. But allow me to explain, while I indeed consider the game a letdown, that doesn’t mean I thought it was bad. On the contrary, I rather enjoyed the time I spent with Brutal Legend, as evidenced by the largely positive impressions that I wrote on the game some months ago.

I just expected more from Brutal Legend. Or… perhaps I should say less? I don’t think Tim Schafer was quite sure what, exactly, he wanted his latest game to be. Is it a hack-and-slash action game? Or an RTS? Is it supposed to be humorous all the time, or are we supposed to occasionally take it seriously? Are we supposed to consult online guides in order to figure out the many unexplained mechanics and facets of the game, or is confused frustration supposed to be part of the fun?

I honestly don’t know, but my point is that Brutal Legend suffers from a serious lack of focus. It starts off strong, and becomes increasingly more convoluted as it goes on. Is it fun? Yes, it sure can be. Is it funny? At times, at least near the beginning. But in future endeavours, Tim Schafer needs to keep this particular saying in mind: “you brainstorm, I brainstorm, but brilliance needs a good editor.”

Runner Up: Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2

That’s not really a saying, actually. If my memory serves, it’s the title of  Manchester Orchestra’s first EP. Regardless, I thought it applied nicely.

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Posted in Best Games of 2009 Week       

Most Surprising Game 2009 – Riddles

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

batman_arkhmasylum_boxartBatman: Arkham Asylum

Wait, didn’t I just get done talking about this one? It seems I’m about to give Arkham Asylum yet another award: Most Surprising Game of 2009.

While I doubt anyone knew what a splash Arkham Asylum would make in the gaming world, it probably came as more of a surprise to me than most. Why? Well, to be honest, I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to the game during its development. Buying it was an impulse purchase based on positive feedback from fellow gamers. I really didn’t expect much more than a good licensed game. What I got was one of the best action-adventure titles of this generation.

Practically everything about Arkham Asylum is polished until it shines. The free-flow combat system is an absolute joy to control, and manages to never get old throughout the entire experience. The detective aspects, including “detective mode,” are brilliantly conceived. And as I’ve already mentioned, the atmosphere is the best I experienced in 2009. It’s the perfect Batman experience. In fact, I’ll go further still and call it the best licensed game ever made.

I definitely was not expecting that. I really can’t wait to see what Rocksteady does with the franchise from here on. Next time, I’ll be purchasing on day one.

Runner Up: Dead Space Extraction

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Posted in Best Games of 2009 Week       

Most Badass Game 2009 – Riddles

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

god-of-war-collection-box-fullGod of War

Okay, so I know God of War didn’t come out in 2009. However, the God of War Collection for the PS3 did, so I deemed it a valid choice. And… this is my website, so I can do what I want.

I’m not quite sure why I waited so long to play God of War, but as always, it’s better late than never. In fact, I’m almost glad I did, because the newly-released collection on the PS3 is definitely the way to play. It’s amazing how much of a difference a HD facelift makes; it may not look next-gen, but it looks incredibly crisp and smooth for a PS2 game.

As badass as the Collection itself is, I’m here to honor the first game. And seeing that it’s been out for so many years, I doubt it needs explaining. The entire premise of the game is that you, Kratos, will murder the God of War himself, Ares. If that’s not enough to convince you of the game’s utter badassery, let me just make a list:

-You fight and kill the Hydra itself… in the game’s opening level.

-You navigate a temple that rests atop the back of a Titan.

-You die, go to hell, and then fight your way back to the surface.

-You murder the fucking god of war

-You become the fucking God of War

-Any of the 934 sometimes-hokey-yet-always-badass one-liners that Kratos utters throughout the game.

Another easy pick. I need to play God of War II now…

Runner Up: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

(Sorry again, Nate.)

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Posted in Best Games of 2009 Week       

Best Atmospheric Experience 2009 – Riddles

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

batman_arkhmasylum_boxartBatman: Arkham Asylum

It’s funny, because I actually haven’t talked a great deal about Arkham Asylum since its release way back in August. Everyone else certainly has been, though, and rightfully so; it’s one of 2009’s best games.

Arkham Asylum is dripping with mood, and perfectly evokes the feel of the very best Batman comics. The mood is established instantly with the game’s opening – as you escort the Joker through the many levels of Arkham Asylum, listening to his insane banter as the credits roll, you develop an increasing feeling of unease – and that feeling turns out to be justified.

Throughout the game, the Joker remains in almost complete control. His constant messages over the Asylum’s intercom confirms this. And as the game goes on, Arkham’s descent into utter madness is visible – and occasionally disturbing. A particular sequence called “The Green Mile” comes to mind.

The graphical presentation is key as well. You might recall that Arkham Asylum was my runner-up for 2009’s Best Visual Experience, and it’s certainly deserving in that. It might lack the visual variety of, say, Assassin’s Creed II, but Rocksteady’s visual depiction of Arkham Asylum is spot-on perfect, and particularly appreciated if you’ve read the comics.

I should probably cut this off, but honestly, it feels good to finally talk about this game. Arkham Asylum was an easy pick for my Best Atmospheric experience in 2009.

Runner Up: Dead  Space Extraction

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Posted in Best Games of 2009 Week       

Most Addictive Game 2009 – Riddles

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

PS3boxCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

In 2009, there was one game, and only one game that I beat in a single sitting: and that would be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. In fact, not only did I beat it in a one sitting, but I stuck around afterwards to play online, split-screen, Spec Ops… everything the game had to offer, really. And I’m not even an FPS freak. That definitely says something.

Modern Warfare 2 probably isn’t the most well-rounded gameplay experience of 2009. By nature of being a first-person shooter, it’s limited in scope, and doesn’t quite hold up when compared to say, Uncharted 2. But damned if it doesn’t have the most polished gunplay of any game I’ve seen, as well as the pacing so relentless that it borders on the ridiculous. In addition to that, Modern Warfare 2 is the only other game that comes close to matching the insanity of Uncharted 2’s setpieces, It’s almost a good thing that Modern Warfare 2’s campaign doesn’t last much more than six to seven hours, because it probably wouldn’t hold up for 15-20. But I can safely say that those six hours were the most gripping and addictive that I had this year.

And of course, that’s really only half the story. I don’t agree at all with those who say that Call of Duty is “only good for the multiplayer,” but let there be no doubt: you probably won’t have a better time online with another shooter. It’s a game that casual FPS fans such as myself can pick up and enjoy without becoming frustrated, but it also clearly has enough going for it to engage the hardcore. And split-screen multiplayer with friends? Well, that never gets old.

A rare example of an over-hyped game that lives up to its over-hyped-ness, Modern Warfare 2 was an easy pick for my Most Addictive Experience in 2009.

Runner Up: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

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Posted in Best Games of 2009 Week       

Best Visual Experience 2009 – Riddles

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

uncharted_2_final_box_artUncharted 2: Among Thieves

Needless to say, this one wasn’t difficult to determine.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the few games that my roomate and resident web designer Charlie will sit and watch me play. Why? Well, first and foremost, it’s just as fast-paced and entertaining as the best Indiana Jones movies. But secondly, the game is absolutely gorgeous to behold. I can say this time and time again, but it’s something that has to be experienced in order to fully understand, and those of you who have played the game know exactly what I’m talking about anyway.

So, rather than continue paraphrasing what I’ve said before on more than one occasion, I’m going to take a more direct approach and include a snippet from the truly massive review that I wrote for the game back in October:

Uncharted 2 is simply a piece of artwork. Never before have I played a game that so frequently made me (and Charlie, who doesn’t even play videogames) open my mouth and say “wow.” (Or some other, more inappopriate expletive). To put it simply, the game features the most inspired and skillful art direction I’ve ever seen in my life. Uncharted 2 defies the gritty-grey aesthetics featured in so many of today’s games, and instead presents us with a world that’s lush, organic, colorful, and above all, larger-than-life. If you don’t find yourself frequently stopping just to take in the sights, be it the view of a cityscape in Nepal, or the ruins of a tainted paradise, then you might want to do a little soul-searching.

Anyone who likes to say “graphics don’t matter” clearly hasn’t played Uncharted.

In this age of big-budget titles with brutally long development cycles, it’s nice to see that one studio, at least, knows how to spend that money wisely, and utilize the visual aspect of a game for the betterment of the experience as a whole. Uncharted 2 is 2009’s best visual experience hands-down, and these days, that’s saying a lot… because there’s no shortage of pretty games out there these days.

Runner Up: Batman: Arkham Asylum

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Posted in Best Games of 2009 Week