2009 in games: Despite recession woes, the best games ever

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves topped the Video Game Awards.

The early signs that indicated the gaming industry would survive this year's recession unscathed turned out to be wrong as titles got delayed, sales dropped, finance-hit gamers hunted the pre-owned game bins and studios laid off staff.

For those of us who love games, there may not have been the usual massive volume of choice but there were some of the best titles ever seen. Here's my pick of the best:
Being a PC and console gamer, and having a powerful rig to demo the hottest games, I was blown away by the graphics and gameplay offered by Dragon Age: Origins (EA).

I had been playing last year's outstanding Fallout 3 on my PC well into this year, with expansion packs helping keep the franchise fresh. That was until Origins, BioWare's latest Dragon Age role playing fantasy, came along. It's delivered with impressive visuals (especially during gory combat), excellent narrative delivered by highly professional European actors, exhausting combat, and a deep cache of magic and weapons.

The much hyped and big selling Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which I played on PS3, turned out to be one of the best tense action games ever, with a deep storyline. It was hard to put down the multiplayer gaming, or to match the stunning graphics. Its wonderful production values included frightfully crisp sound with dutifully-matched weapon effects, and were coupled with some eerie tracks in the Hans Zimmer musical score.

Realistic physics allows shoot-through-wall and blast radius damage; the gameplay has proven the AI to be varied and smart; and the graphics engine impressed with extreme-rendering of vivid scenes from urban through to desert, and a high level of smoothness during the action to boot.

In reviewing many games during the year, it's always good to discover a surprise winner. At first I almost underestimated Borderlands (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Gearbox/2K R18+), which has elements of both first person shooter action and a role-playing game along with a heap of co-op and multiplayer modes.

It's not complex, is easy to play and offers loads of shooting fun. It purposely sacrifices high-end next-gen graphics for a cartoon feel, which adds to the fun and sacrifices much of a plot so you're not distracted from focusing on the characters and gameplay.

On the PSP, Gran Turismo looked sharp with 35 tracks and more than a massive 800 cars including manufacturers like Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Toyota plus indulgences like Aston Martin and Ferrari.

As always, much detail has gone in to ensure the cars' look and spec are like the real deal. It's running on a new graphics engine designed for the PSP system that delivers visuals at 60 frames per second. This is truly great-looking for the PSP but increases loading times. I've spent so much time waiting and hoping for a knockout full GT on the next-gen PS3 (scheduled for nest year), I hadn't banked on how impressive a GT offering could be on the PSP.

In the racing game world, I have played all of the Microsoft exclusive Forza but wasn't prepared for the might of Forza Motorsport 3.

After its humble beginnings, being a poor child in the highly competitive motor racing sim stakes, it is now challenging the lead across the finish line by producing this year's best racing game. Its latest offering will be fine for a Christmas evening family do. Admirably, it appeals to everyone, not just the hardened racing fanatic.

Likewise, exclusively on Xbox 360, it was hard to fault Halo 3:ODST, even without Master Chief. There was a credible replacement, Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, who uses similar tactics and weapons. It sports the usual strong campaign and intense battles, plus a great set of multiplayer options. Excellent weapon range and strong enemy AI add to the conclusion that Halo is an enduring franchise that continues to please.

I'm a big sucker for the music genre games and enjoy making lots of noise with my mates. Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Band Hero continued to be highly entertaining and the new tracks available are always welcome when they present some new challenges.

Activision's DJ Hero, which is not for everyone, took partying to a new level - and shows you how surprisingly hard the DJ craft is. After those guitar games brought music fans back into appreciating guitar-based rock music, the new music-themed DJ game gives you the chance to sample, scratch and cross fade other people's music as the soundtrack to a good party night.

Also getting enjoyable play was Wolfenstein, the sequel to 2001's Return To Castle Wolfenstein. The return of Allied agent B. J. Blazkowicz felt kind of retro - and that's why it's so much fun as it revitalises the spirit of the original games with shiny graphics and the Quake IV graphic engine, without being necessarily innovative (and that may be a reason it's so much fun).

After a night of horror flicks Left 4 Dead 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox360, R18) seemed quite an appropriate end to my Spring evenings, sidestepping zombies bent on wrenching my limbs off and sucking out my lifeblood. A Valve software production from the makers of the award winning HalfLife series, the game plays like the original horror and is just as scary. New multiplayer modes and the Source engine deliver a superb first person team experience.

Assassins Creed II wasn't a review title for me but my friends tell me what I'm missing. With the ability to kill enemies from almost any position - hidden in a bush or haystack, and to scale walls and buildings to achieve a better kill or find one of DaVinci's inventions, this game builds on all the strengths of the first game and delivers some new and exciting elements for loads more fun.

On the PS3, there was a clear winner with Sony's Naughty Dog studio adventure sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

I thought the first one was much under-rated, but this is likely to win even more friends with its action and cinematic feel. Nathan Drake is back hunting for that legendary jewel with its all mighty powers. I notice in the US, the game has just won the most coveted best game of the year at Spike TV's video game awards.

Have a good one and roll on 2010.

- Mad Gamer