While our Top 10 Games of 2009 deserve attention for their overall excellence, we can’t neglect this year’s other fantastic games — titles that just missed the final cut. Be it their charm or presentation, our Honorable Mentions were simply hard to forget. We’re arrive at the final installment in our five-part series with Nick’s list of honorable mentions.

There’s been an ongoing joke about how I was the only person here who played every single game on our top ten list. While it’s a testament to my superhuman persuasive abilities, it also raises some questions about how I spend my time and money. In my defense, this was probably the single best year ever for high-quality games in both the mainstream and the independent scenes.

Below is a list of the few games that couldn’t make the list, either because nobody else at Silicon Sasquatch had played them — or because the poor fools didn’t know what they were missing.

Machinarium

October — Windows, Mac

2009 was the best year for adventure games in a very long time. With Telltale dishing out five episodes of a brand-new Monkey Island series and LucasArts providing a lovingly crafted remake of the classic Secret of Monkey Island, those of us who dream in dialog trees were pleased as punch with the selection on offer this year. The only downside was that most of the games were mere iterations on old franchises and design principles.

Except for Machinarium.

The first full-length game from Czech developer Amanita Design, Machinarium is the story of a little robot and his journey to be reunited with his metallic sweetheart. The game stands out from its peers for a number of reasons — such as the beautiful, stylish artwork and great soundtrack — but what’s most notable is that it manages to tell a story without a single word. Characters communicate with wild gesticulation and cartoon thought bubbles, adding an immense amount of personality to an already charming world. It’s the best adventure game released this year, and it comes with my highest recommendation.

Street Fighter IV

February — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows

Sakura leaps over a bewildered Ken while a fat child rejoices

I’m what you might call a casual fighting game fan. I know and love the classics like Street Fighter II Turbo, Soul Calibur and Marvel vs. Capcom 2, but I’ve never invested in the time or hardware to rise to a true competitive level. The amount of manual dexterity, patience and practice required to learn how to use a character’s moves wisely is part of a fighting game’s enduring value, but for whatever reason it never clicked with me as a fun way to spend my time.

Street Fighter IV converted me to the world of the hardcore fighter with its fine-tuned roster of exaggerated personalities and remarkably well-paced learning curve. I started out just playing a few versus rounds with friends and playing a few games against the computer, but over time I began to see hints of just how deeply strategic the game could be. Before I knew it, I was spending hours grinding out the challenge modes to master a few of my favorite fighters. As of this writing, I’ve played more than 200 online matches and logged a grand total of 43 hours — and that’s in a game where a round takes just a few seconds!

DJ Hero

October — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2

I’m a pretty fierce critic of Guitar Hero, and with good reason: Ever since Harmonix and RedOctane/Activision split ways after Guitar Hero 2, the series has failed to even come within reach of its former quality. Iteration after iteration and band-specific spinoff after spinoff, Guitar Hero has all but rendered itself irrelevant.

So you can imagine my surprise when a brand-new Hero game showed up this October and it wound up being excellent. FreeStyleGames managed to launch a new music franchise with all the right ingredients: an excellent soundtrack, a solid and rewarding learning curve and a sturdy, enjoyable turntable controller. The only thing lacking was a more robust interface to help organize gigs and add some weight to the single-player experience. But with a sequel almost certainly on the way, I’m certain FreeStyleGames has great things in the works.

The only downside? Having “Poison” by Bell Biv Devoe permanently lodged in my brain. Actually, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Assassin’s Creed 2

November — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

A presto, Ezio

It’s a shame we couldn’t squeeze Assassin’s Creed II into our top ten list. Although I was a huge fan of the original Assassin’s Creed, its repetitive mechanics and somewhat stunted narrative didn’t appeal to everyone. Fortunately, Ubisoft Montreal did the impossible by addressing just about every complaint that was leveled against its predecessor and producing a sequel that appealed both to fans and detractors of the original game.

I rarely take the time to complete 100% of the tasks available in a game anymore, but with its breathtaking, living cities and excellent pacing — a rarity in games with open worlds — I was compelled to find every last feather and treasure box within Renaissance Italy. Fortunately, with more downloadable content on the way, I won’t have to hang up my white cloak and daggers just yet.

Rock Band 2

September…of 2008 — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2

Just so we’re clear: Rock Band 2 came out in September of 2008. As in, it’s not a game from this year, and it technically has no business being on this list. But thanks to exceptional downloadable song support throughout the year and a patch that offered a number of significant improvements to the core experience, Rock Band 2 was the rare game that only got better with age. And with Rock Band Network launching in just a few weeks, the floodgates show no signs of closing. Based on my experiences participating in the closed Rock Band Network beta, there are a lot of interesting songs in the pipeline that are being peer reviewed and polished to the point where most are indistinguishable in quality from the weekly releases Harmonix has been putting out. It was easily my most-played game of 2009, and it’s all but guaranteed to dominate my living room in 2010.

—

And to round out the list, I’ve included a few games that may not have much enduring value but stand out for providing some truly exceptional moments:

• Windosill – discovering just how much fun a game can be when the player is encouraged to stop and smell the roses
• Bejeweled Blitz — competing in weekly tournaments against friends in sixty-second bursts makes it easily the most addictive experience of the year
• Red Faction: Guerrilla — demolishing an entire military-industrial institution with a single sledgehammer

—

We now present to you, as determined by unanimous vote, the best game of 2009.

—

#1. Batman: Arkham Asylum

August — Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

There has never been a better superhero game than Batman: Arkham Asylum. Agreed? Great. Let’s go a step further now: Arkham Asylum was the single greatest game released in 2009.

Surprised? We were too.

Out of the pitch-black abyss known as videogame development comes a blazing inferno of genius from Rocksteady Studios, an unknown developer with some kind of hidden power (like a Pokémon, or a Dragon Ball character) to shame the accomplishments of more established developers’ games featuring spandex-wearing protagonists. Arkham Asylum succeeds where so many other similar games failed, and we don’t just mean other Batman titles (of which there are many, many bad ones).

It would be easy to toss Rocksteady’s title the trophy for Game of the Year just because it’s the greatest Batman game ever, but that’s being short-sighted. Arkham Asylum instead deserves the honor because it feverishly respects its source material while openly embracing the strengths of the other forms of media Batman has been in during the franchise’s 70-plus years of pop culture history.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is fantastic on so many levels that it’s a difficult assignment to condense its strengths into a limited framework. I say that not to entice pity, but to be entirely truthful in my desire to write another 2,300-word review about the Batman experience. It’s that good.

Could it be the graphics that make it work? Those help, sure, but that’s not where the heart of the game is. The core of the Arkham Asylum experience comes to life via the mechanisms required to control Batman as a stealthy martial artist in complete control of his environment. Detective Mode is pure Batman, and it influences the decisions of the player both in and out of combat. Batman’s gadgets are another well-implemented aspect of the character, and each is utilized wonderfully during the game.

Never before has inhabiting the world of a superhero translated so flawlessly from the screen to the player. Combat is absolutely mind-blowing. Who knew that the clumsy button-mashing mechanic favored in other action titles could be refined into a fulfilling gameplay feature? Fighting as Batman is both fluid and logical: any mistakes aren’t the game’s fault — they’re the player’s, and it’s easy to learn from those errors. I’ve always struggled with other action titles, specifically God of War, because I felt obligated to perform perfect combos to be more like Kratos — unfortunately I used the same few attacks in excess because the game never rewarded me for doing otherwise. Conversely, Arkham Asylum is revolutionary for its dismantling of the digital platitudes of action game combat. Rocksteady chose to make combat an event that can be adapted to as newer, more dangerous problems arise. So instead of relying on reflexes and twitch gameplay to provide an exciting fighting sequence, Arkham Asylum educates its players about prioritized incapacitation. Each time I fought one of the Joker’s goons, I believed I was controlling a seasoned martial artist who thinks on his feet as a battle situation changes.

In regards to the presentation, Rocksteady’s translation of Batman to a videogame looks painfully easy. Arkham Asylum just can’t help but impress with its loving attention to detail. This is the Dark Knight alive in a way that putting a living human in a rubber suit can’t fully accomplish. Seeing and feeling the weight of Bruce Wayne in his suit as he glides through the air was remarkable – the first time I saw it in motion it brought a smile to my face. Smaller details like the tearing of Batman’s suit during his night in Arkham bring a real-time feel to the experiences of Batman. Think of how the character has been portrayed before — as a disjointed assembly of specific moments and actions. In the films Batman is only shown during the most important elements of the plot, sometimes months after the last major event (i.e., Bruce Wayne’s training with Ra’s al Ghul then his arrival in Gotham in Batman Begins). In the comics, narratives are moved along with “Meanwhile…” types of editorial devices to utilize page space economically. But in Arkham Asylum, everything is happening to Batman as the player sees it — like when I watched Batman’s cape rip in real time. For the first time the character seems both plausible and, more importantly, human.

This game is the future of the superhero software genre, and other developers can learn a lot from it. Arkham Asylum tells us that comic fans don’t just want 3D models of their 2D favorites: they want to feel the world of the characters, to understand in some way what it’s like to be those heroes. No one watching the movies or reading the comics will feel like they’re Batman, but playing Arkham Asylum actually enables the player to become the Dark Knight…if it wasn’t for their lack of billions of dollars and a loving British butler.

In the year 2009 there were almost too many good titles released, and many that could sit comfortably at the top of our list. That being said, our hats go off to Rocksteady for believing in its work and the medium, and releasing a title that doesn’t settle for less than perfection.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is our 2009 Game of the Year because it’s fun, intelligent and groundbreaking in a way that surprised all of us here at Silicon Sasquatch. Who would have thought that a superhero title could do so well for itself?

In this case, we’re thrilled to have our skepticism batarang-ed into optimism. — Aaron Thayer

While our Top 10 Games of 2009 deserve attention for their overall excellence, we can’t neglect this year’s other fantastic games — titles that just missed the final cut. Be it their charm or presentation, our Honorable Mentions were simply hard to forget. We now present a five-part series of articles, one from each member of the Silicon Sasquatch staff. Today, Aaron brings us our penultimate installment in this series with his list of honorable mentions.

The Maw

January — Xbox Live Arcade, Windows

Twisted Pixel Games knows how to have fun with its projects. Instead of filling a crowded gaming market with more of the same, Twisted Pixel created The Maw — a wonderfully original title that made me laugh without needing a single complete sentence of dialog. The Pixar-like scenario of an alien (Frank) teaming up and becoming friends with an insatiably hungry purple blob (Maw) made for a refreshingly heartfelt downloadable game. Little things like watching Maw express emotions — panic when it was burned, pain when it ate a bad creature and fear when it hid behind Frank — were fantastic visual treats, and demonstrated the development team’s knack for working in a cartoon style. While the game’s controls and light platforming segments were average, watching Maw grow to the size of a planet by the end made up for the less-impressive aspects. Charm makes all the difference in an industry that has resorted to provoking reactions through gore and realistic graphics.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

February — Windows

If it’s a real time strategy game, I’ve more than likely played it. At one time I enjoyed only RTS titles; incessant in my collection of resources and conscription of soldiers, I would double click and hotkey my adolescent nights away. So I might be a habitual RTS player, but I’m ready to break tradition and openly thank Relic Entertainment for its innovative and decidedly non-traditional Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II. Instead of micromanaging a base, the game granted intimate control over a squad of four unique (and upgradeable) characters. Dawn of War II is still a strategy-intensive game played in real time, but it feels more like a merger of Relic’s light squad mechanics from Company of Heroes with the intensity of a cover shooter like Gears of War. The RTS die-hards and Dawn of War I fans were somewhat upset by the big changes to a tried-and-true genre, but I’ll take innovation over stagnation any day.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

July — Xbox Live Arcade, Windows

It’s a good thing I first experienced the Secret of Monkey Island in its Special Edition form. While I’m confident the original would still have captivated me with its self-referential humor and sharp wit, it was simply brilliant to discover such a timeless story intact underneath the drastic makeover. I might not have grown up playing any of the classic LucasArts adventure titles, but I’m happy the genre is experiencing a period of revivalthanks in part to Telltale Games’ work on the Sam and Max and Tales of Monkey Island episodes. The Special Edition’s updated art was gorgeous, and fit with the series’ style in the opinion of a Monkey Island newcomer like me. The numerous jokes, gags and one-liners are relevant 19 years later, and the characters are memorable enough that I hope Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge gets the same fresh coat of paint that Secret did.

Battlefield 1943

July — Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network

DICE won’t win any awards for shrinking the Battlefield formula into a petite downloadable package, but that doesn’t mean 1943 was anything less than a solid summer distraction. The concept of ground, sea and air forces clashing over control points to keep decreasing the enemy’s reinforcements is still the best option for multiplayer chaos. Other games’ online deathmatch modes have their limits, so I gladly accepted Battlefield 1943′s break from the monotony to laugh maniacally while I flew numerous Japanese Zeros into hapless Sherman tanks. And sure, the game had a meager selection of four maps (which as of this writing are still the only available maps), but at the end of the day I felt my money was well spent. DICE might be guilty of milking its franchises a bit, but it says something about the team’s capabilities and the strength of the core Battlefield product that I can continue to purchase the same game indefinitely and have an absolute blast, each and every time.

Torchlight

October — Windows

Is it unethical that I decided Torchlight would be one of my honorable mentions long before I even played the full game? Sometimes a demo is all you need, and Torchlight dug itself into my brain the moment I loaded its trial-sized world. Now that I own the full Torchlight experience, I feel much better about giving it a spot on my list. Call Torchlight Diablo Lite, but don’t say it isn’t addictive and well-designed. The art direction alone is worth the price of admission. Diablo may still be the boss in the world of isometric action RPGs, but Torchlight deserves recognition for its lighthearted attempt at being different in a sea of familiarity — and because it proves that, as far as gameplay is concerned, an expanded color palette won’t ruin Diablo III.

We’re proud to present you with our first-ever Game of the Year awards! Our list of the top ten games of 2009 was derived after hours of debate between all the blog’s contributors. It wasn’t an easy process, but we are confident that the list we arrived at is the most comprehensive and fair one we could produce.

Today we’ll cover numbers 4, 3 and 2, and on Thursday we’ll finally unveil our unanimous choice for the best game of 2009.

#4. Dragon Age: Origins

November — Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Dragon Age: Origins is an achievement in storytelling, characterization and scene-setting. You could invest hundreds of hours in the war-torn land of Ferelden and it’s still doubtful you’ll see everything by the time the credits roll.

The game’s staggering depth hides beneath a simple facade crafted by a lackluster advertising campaign. To most, Dragon Age looks just like another fantasy role playing game with gushing blood and exaggerated breasts. But with a bit of patience on the player’s part, it doesn’t take long to realize the tacky image splashed across magazine pages and Internet banner ads is merely a trick employed by BioWare to appeal to a wider audience, an audience that has never played “one of them Final Quest 7 RPG things” (an actual quote from a gamer friend of mine). Veterans of the genre as well as past BioWare titles (specifically Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights; Dragon Age pays great homage to both) will delight in the overwhelming number of activities to engage in, but I have to wonder if BioWare’s new intellectual property will be appreciated by that elusive wider audience.

Dragon Age is one of the best games of 2009 because its entire package, from the most complicated twist to the tiniest minutiae, is enthralling. Every aspect works in concert to make the player feel fulfilled by his or her decisions; be it the characters with their perfectly voiced lines of dialogue or the rich, well-crafted history of Ferelden, the presentation is amazing.

And yes, the good vs. evil world of Elves and Dwarves is just another realization of the Tolkien fantasy formula – and Dragon Age does border on cliché at times – but the overall project is an example of how to effectively use the videogame medium to provide complex and individualized experiences for the user. As much as games are becoming more and more cinematic, movies are incapable of Dragon Age’s level of diversity. My ending will not be the same as yours, or your friend’s, or anyone’s. Tiny aspects, such as helping an Elf with his lovesick heart, matter just as much as bigger ones, like saving the imprisoned foreigner accused of murder. Each action can splinter into multiple different outcomes. When I ask friends about their Dragon Age experiences, they continue to inform me of fairly large events that I never saw, and I played the game for more than 50 hours!

BioWare built its reputation on top-tier role-playing games, and Dragon Age: Origins – its latest in-house franchise — lifts the developer to dizzying new heights. — Aaron Thayer

#3. The Beatles: Rock Band

September — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii

For me, Rock Band is like the music appreciation course I never took in college. Since the platform debuted two years ago, I’ve played countless songs by hundreds of artists that I would have never thought to pay any attention to in the first place. And thanks to the series’ sleek visuals, strong design principles and reverence for the music it provides, Rock Band has always been held in high regard.

So when we say that The Beatles: Rock Band easily surpasses any other music game in its quality of presentation and dedication to its source material, that’s no small feat. After all, this is the first time The Beatles’ music has ever been licensed for a digital platform — a miracle in itself, considering how mired iTunes’ talks have been.

No doubt recognizing the weight of having such an important license on its hands, Harmonix pulled out all the stops in The Beatles: Rock Band. A stunning series of hand-drawn and computer-animated cutscenes pepper the duration of the experience, including an unforgettable conclusion. Who’d have imagined one of the best endings in a game this year would be in a music game?

Featuring a soundtrack by one of the best acts in musical history and tried-and-true mechanics that your little brother and grandmother can both pick up on, The Beatles: Rock Band is perhaps the easiest game of 2009 to recommend to anybody. And even if you don’t count yourself among the legions of Beatles fans, you’re guaranteed to at least develop an appreciation for the immeasurable contribution the Fab Four made to modern music. — Nick Cummings

#2. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

October — PlayStation 3

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves might have earned a spot on our list just for being the most visually stunning game of the year. It also deserves high praise for being one of the most improved sequels of this console generation. Or we could have recognized it for its excellent competitive and cooperative online components that rival the biggest games on the market.

Those are all major reasons for why we chose Uncharted 2 as the second-best game of the 2009, but it wouldn’t have cemented itself so near the top of our list without its ineffable charm. Spend just a few minutes with treasure hunter Nathan Drake and his ragtag ensemble and you’ll realize just how likable videogame characters can be.

Uncharted 2 is the videogame equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster that does everything right: huge explosions, breathtaking scenery, expert pacing, a haunting score and a motley crew of antiheroes that you’re all but guaranteed to love. It all adds up to a memorable, exhilarating adventure that’s without a doubt one of the best experiences to be had in gaming. — Nick Cummings

While our Top 10 Games of 2009 deserve attention for their overall excellence, we can’t neglect this year’s remaining deluge of fantastic games — titles that just missed the final cut. Be it their charm, gameplay or presentation, our Honorable Mentions were simply hard to forget. We now present part four of a five-part series of Honorable Mentions articles, one from each member of the Silicon Sasquatch staff. Here are Doug’s picks.

Retro Game Challenge

February — Nintendo DS

Retro Game Challenge, which I reviewed for the site back in the spring, is a wonderful, nostalgic trip that brings back old-school furnishings and game design with eight complete games in one package. Want a Japanese RPG featuring the familiar and painful difficulty of the 8-bit classics? You got it. Desire a classic shooter with 64-plus levels? Oh, you can have it — frustrating trappings and all. The title’s presentation stands out with its inclusion of a number of issues from a fictional video game magazine that chronicle the development and releases of the included games, as well as providing cheats and tips (some of which are absolutely essential). It’s pure fan service for hardcore Electronic Gaming Monthly enthusiasts of old.

NCAA Football 10 and Madden NFL 10

July — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | August — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Left: NCAA Football 10; Right: Madden NFL 10

The EA Sports football twins, Madden NFL 10 and NCAA Football 10, play well, look great and have all the yearly updates that football gaming fans want, including features like the debut of an online franchise for Madden and the incredibly deep Team Builder for NCAA. But that’s about it. While there are game engine improvements to strengthen the on-field action — especially in regards to playbooks — there’s nothing groundbreaking here, folks. However, it’s still my preferred kind of gaming candy.

Peggle and Flight Control

May — iPhone | April — iPhone

Left: Peggle; Right: Flight Control

Peggle and Flight Control for the iPhone have saved me from boredom countless times, and both are brilliant examples of how to do gaming on the iPhone. I look forward to heeding Nick’s (and others’) advice by hunting the App Store for more bite-sized games during the course of 2010.

Brütal Legend

Rocktober — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

The last of my honorable mentions is a game best described as a beautiful catastrophe. Brütal Legend has probably the best intro video I’ve seen in a game, in addition to one of the best main menus, and the brilliant metal aesthetic keeps delivering throughout the whole experience. With great atmosphere, a well-designed world, a funny script, strong voice acting, an amazing soundtrack and awesome rock-tacular cameos…the game that Tim Schafer built seems to have it all. Unfortunately, Brütal Legend falls on its face when it relies on just one gameplay wrinkle way too much. The on-the-ground gameplay is fine, as are the driving and open-world exploration aspects, but the stage battles try to foster an RTS element that simply doesn’t work well enough as-is. The game is unique and ambitious, but it flew just a little too close to the sun.

We’re proud to present you with our first-ever Game of the Year awards! Our list of the top ten games of 2009 was derived after hours of debate between all the blog’s contributors. It wasn’t an easy process, but we are confident that the list we arrived at is the most comprehensive and fair one we could produce.

Today we’ll cover numbers 7, 6 and 5. Wednesday will include 4 through 2, and on Thursday we’ll finally unveil our unanimous choice for the best game of 2009.

#7. New Super Mario Bros. Wii

November — Wii

Some might say it was a long time coming; others may denounce it as heresy. But for the first time since 1983, you and your friends can gather ’round to play a Mario game cooperatively.

Twenty-six years is a long time for a series to go between co-operative installments, particularly for what may as well be considered the most famous videogame franchise in history. But once you sit down with a couple of friends and a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, you’ll quickly understand why Nintendo waited so long. Featuring rich, colorful sprites, expressive characters and cheerful, uptempo music, New Super Mario Bros. Wii looks and plays just like the classics. Any longtime Mario fan will delight at the series’ trademark clever and varied level design.

But the game really shines when you throw some friends into the mix and you let the game’s unique “co-operative/competitive” multiplayer experience take hold. Is your friend having trouble crossing a series of chasms? Pick her up and carry her across. Conversely, let’s say your boyfriend is a jerk who runs off and grabs all the 1ups before anyone else can get to them. Why not just pick him up and throw him into the nearest chasm and grab it for yourself? Alliances can develop just as quickly as they disintegrate, just like a game of Munchkin, and the experience — provided your friendship/relationship/marriage can survive it — is an absolute blast.

The game’s detractors bemoaned the lack of an online multiplayer mode, but I see its absence as a blessing. Who wants to play a Mario game with four faceless, voiceless players? People like me grew up playing Mario games with friends and family, and that’s still the series’ greatest strength. The only difference is that this time around, Nintendo was able to let four people get in on the fun at one time. So dust off that Wii, invite some friends over (remember how you used to do that before Xbox Live came along?) and have a blast rediscovering why Mario’s still the best at what he does. Just beware that when that struggle for a power-up goes sour, what he does isn’t always very nice. — Nick Cummings

#6. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City

October — Xbox 360

If I had to pick a trend that truly defined gaming in 2009, it’d be that this year developers finally learned how to do console DLC right. The Lost & Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony are the best examples of how to create a quality content distribution model gamers can get behind. So it’s bittersweet then that both episodes are Xbox 360 exclusives, and the DLC packs haven’t met Take-Two’s sales expectations for the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

Business aside, the episodes succeed because they encapsulate what Rockstar set out to do with Grand Theft Auto IV in the first place. The Lost & Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony are rich with interesting characters who are much more empathetic and believable than GTA IV’s parade of stereotypes. By focusing on specific regions of Liberty City — Alderney in TLaD and Algonquin in TBoGT — Rockstar can support a more interesting and intimate atmosphere than the base game was capable of offering.

It’s Rockstar’s newfound insistence on developing the narrative without resorting to a slew of cutscenes to do the dirty work that make these two titles stand out. Characterization occurs in real time throughout the episodes, compared to the slow-paced plot direction of GTA IV. Johnny Klebitz and Luis Lopez are adequate enough avatars, but it’s these protagonists’ relationships with Liberty City’s denizens that polish their individual stories to a glossy shine. Specifically: the quasi-father/son relationship between Luis and his employer, the titular “Gay Tony” Prince, is possibly one of the most realistic and compelling relationships I’ve ever witnessed in a game. Be it Tony’s neurosis or Luis’ unwavering dedication to a friend that he loves, it all comes off as plausible.

Even the mission structure finally began to work in conjunction with the story development in each episode, resulting in a lot less plot filler. And although the episodes do things different, each expansion maintains the classic Grand Theft Auto element of freedom by providing excellent side-missions — turf defending, drug running and triathlon racing (i.e., parachute to a boat then drive to shore, and then race a car to the finish) are great distractions.

The chief complaint leveled against GTA IV was its abandonment of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ ridiculous nature. Luckily the episodes backpedal a bit toward the fun side of living a delinquent lifestyle in a fictitious parallel of New York City, especially TBoGT. GTA is not as serious as The Wire, nor should it try to be. I’m thrilled to fly a solid gold helicopter to steal diamonds for my boss, and I accept that it makes sense in the context of the over-the-top storyline.

Collectively, Episodes from Liberty City restored my lost faith in the Grand Theft Auto franchise after GTA IV. I can only hope Rockstar won’t forget the advances the team made in the DLC for its future releases. Now please excuse me while I make Luis go dance the “Bus Stop” once more. — Tyler Martin

#5. Plants vs. Zombies

May — Windows, Mac, iPhone

Leave it to PopCap to take an established gaming archetype, rebuild it from scratch, pack it to the brim with charm and personality and put the rest of its competition to shame. Plants vs. Zombies is PopCap’s most ambitious game to date because it takes the company into uncharted territory: the realm of the hardcore gamer. The tower defense genre has seen countless iterations on virtually every platform imaginable — including some real stand-outs like Defense Grid: The Awakening and Fieldrunners — but the majority of these games are directed at the sort of person who’s spent plenty of time with games that require deep, intense strategy and management of resources and statistics.

There was never any doubt that PopCap, based on pedigree alone, could succeed in translating tower defense to a more casual audience. But what makes Plants vs. Zombies remarkable is how it appeals to even the most dedicated (dare I say obsessive?) gamer. For $20 (or $10 on Steam), Plants vs. Zombies provides a lengthy adventure mode that is designed to bring anybody up to speed on the basics of tower defense: what to build, when to build it, and how to control resources. But the real meat of the game lies in its dozens of minigames, challenges and survival modes, which all add up to dozens of hours of entertainment. (Want proof? Check my Steam profile. Just…please don’t judge me.)

Aside from its rock-solid design, Plants vs. Zombies is bursting at the seams with inspiration. Each member of the full zombie menagerie is endearingly drawn and animated; likewise, your army of plants is cute and charming, even when mowing down hundreds of the encroaching undead. And it would be a shame to ignore the Suburban Almanac — your guide to surviving the trials of a zombified neighborhood — which is an impeccably written series of anecdotes, each with a razor-sharp wit.

Plants vs. Zombies has everything you could want in a downloadable game: accessible gameplay for newcomers, a significant challenge for veteran tower defenders, and a downright endearing music video to cap things off. Don’t miss it. — Nick Cummings

While our Top 10 Games of 2009 deserve attention for their overall excellence, we can’t neglect this year’s remaining deluge of fantastic games — titles that just missed the final cut. Be it their charm, gameplay or presentation, our Honorable Mentions were simply hard to forget. We now present part two of a five-part series of Honorable Mentions articles, one from each member of the Silicon Sasquatch staff. Here are Spencer’s picks.

Though our top ten is a sturdy list of the year’s finest titles, we each had some favorites fall through the cracks. Here, then, are my preferred runners-up.

Red Faction: Guerrilla and Brütal Legend

June — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows | Rocktober — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Alec Mason (left) wields an ostrich as a sledgehammer while Eddie Riggs holds his beloved guitar, Clementine

Brütal Legend and Red Faction: Guerrilla are shoo-ins, the former being a flawed but ultimately fun strategy/adventure title, the latter a shallow but supremely enjoyable shooter with great physics and solid multiplayer. Both are worth playing, especially considering they’ll probably hit the $20-30 price range soon.

Gratuitous Space Battles

November — Windows

The name really does say it all.

While Left 4 Dead and its sequel were setting the standard for zombie apocalypse simulations, Tripwire was busy ignoring them both while releasing Killing Floor. Where the former titles are teamwork-oriented and story-driven in their portrayal of the infection, the latter is a gore-filled zombstomp – less about getting from point A to point B and more about taking down as many zeds as possible in post-apocalypse Britain.  Freaky English voodoo-thrash-electronica accompanies the action flawlessly.

Team Fortress 2

October 2007 — Windows (also available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as part of The Orange Box — but unfortunately without the Windows version’s updates)

The latest update pits the Blue Soldier against his best pal, the Red Demoman

Team Fortress 2 nets my final spot; yes, I’m quite aware it came out two years ago, but Valve’s regular updates are packed full with something for everyone; maps, hats, weapons, and even achievements for the recovering gamerscore-junkie. Valve’s commitment to TF2 makes it the best team multiplayer experience on the PC, as it has been for two years running.

While our Top 10 Games of 2009 deserve attention for their overall excellence, we can’t neglect this year’s remaining deluge of fantastic games — titles that just missed the final cut. Be it their charm, gameplay or presentation, our Honorable Mentions were simply hard to forget. We now present part one of a five-part series of Honorable Mentions articles, one from each member of the Silicon Sasquatch staff. Here are Tyler’s picks.

Killzone 2

February — PlayStation 3

First-quarter releases — even high-quality ones — often end up forgotten when it comes time for game-of-the-year discussions.  While Killzone 2 wasn’t necessarily the best first-person shooter released in 2009, it did a lot to make up for the disappointments of Killzone 1. It also proved to the games industry that Guerrilla Games is the powerhouse developer it had long been claimed to be.

The Dutch studio had a lot to live up to from the time when the stunning Killzone 2 target video was premiered at E3 in 2005, and the amazing feat is that they by-and-large did it.  If 2009 is remembered as the true “Year of the PS3,” Killzone 2 will be recognized as the title that kicked it off with a bang.

Half-Minute Hero

October — PlayStation Portable

PlayStation 3 wasn’t the only Sony platform with a dramatically improved catalog in 2009 — the PlayStation Portable also saw a resurgence of quality titles.  Half-Minute Hero understands the limitations of being a portable title by offering bite-sized, addictive chunks of entertainment while turning the  Japanese role-playing game genre on its head.  Fast yet entertaining design and well written, humorous dialogue are what make this the must-have portable experience of 2009…

Doodle Jump & Drop7

iPhone & iPod Touch

Left: Doodle Jump; Right: Drop7

…unless you count the App Store.  Apple was dragged into the gaming space kicking and screaming, but it didn’t take long for the iTunes App Store to become flooded with games for the iPhone & iPod Touch. However, 2009 saw the emergence of a new style of games that perfectly understood the limitations of the platform.

Doodle Jump and Drop7, my two most played iPhone games of 2009, represent my favorite style of games for the platform:  They’re easy to learn yet highly enjoyable games that can be played whenever you’ve got a few minutes to spare.  Nothing makes waiting in line more bearable like trying to beat your friend’s high score on Doodle Jump — and tweeting about it when you do.

Assassin’s Creed II

November — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

I finished the latest branch in Desmond’s family tree relatively recently but it made a big impact on me.  Easily one of the most dramatically improved sequels of the year (and that’s coming from a fan of Altaïr), Assassin’s Creed II packed in excellent missions, more freedom for the player and an overall increase in content.

The title also boasted some of the best voice acting of the year and one of the most memorable open world environments ever seen in games with its brilliant realization of 15th Century Venice.  Despite how well put together the campaign was, what I find myself thinking about the most is the absolute trip of an ending that trumps its predecessor’s conclusion in nearly every possible way.  The third chapter of Ubisoft’s war of assassins & templars has leapt to the top of my list of most anticipated unannounced (yet inevitable) sequels.  A presto, Ezio.

We’re proud to present you with our first-ever Game of the Year awards! Our list of the top ten games of 2009 was derived after hours of debate between all the blog’s contributors. It wasn’t an easy process, but we are confident that the list we arrived at is the most comprehensive and fair one we could produce.

Today we’ll cover numbers 10, 9 and 8. Tuesday will feature numbers 7 through 5, Wednesday will include 4 through 2, and on Thursday we’ll finally unveil our unanimous choice for the best game of 2009.

#10. Left 4 Dead 2

November — Windows, Xbox 360

Left 4 Dead 2 was a paradox in 2009, a simultaneously welcomed and loathed sequel. Who would have thought that a new iteration of one 2008′s best titles would spawn online petitions and gallons of spittle from the foaming mouths of psychotic forum-goers? (But let’s be honest: those types always complain.) Valve’s secret-keeping mentality after the E3 2009 announcement only helped fuel the indignation of petition leaders, who claimed Left 4 Dead 2 was exploiting the original’s community. I was a bit skeptical myself. Left 4 Dead was still quite new at the time of its sequel’s unveiling — and with the release of the software development kit (SDK) in May, the community had just started warming up. I asked myself, “Do I really want a second helping already? I’m still working on my first course of delicious, zombified meat.” Well, I did want more. I just didn’t know it yet — not until the demo converted me.

Sorry detractors: Valve knows exactly what it’s doing.

Left 4 Dead 2 is a more sophisticated game than Left 4 Dead. It might not be revolutionary by any stretch of the word, but it’s evolutionary within the confines of Left 4 Dead’s genetic makeup. There’s a deeper story, more clever humor and arguably better survivors (in particular: Ellis, the hilarious and lovable grease monkey) piled on top of superior weaponry, longer campaign chapters and bigger finales. In the past, a sequel merely evolving from its predecessor was bad. Gamers expected revolutionary changes between games in a series. But Valve proves with Left 4 Dead 2 that the wheel doesn’t need to be reinvented; it just has to be rolled in different ways.

Did you think the first game’s look was too dark, drab or uninteresting? Now you can bask in the Cajun sun while bathed in blood. The daylight maps, set in the southern United States, are gorgeous. Trees now look like trees, and the new infected skin textures are eerily cool. According to the developer commentary track, the art team used image maps of potato skins to make zombies look even less human — how awesome is that? From nature: zombification.

The greatest asset of Left 4 Dead 2 is its strategic depth. New special infected, including the Spitter, the Jockey and the Charger, counter the majority of team strategies developed in Left 4 Dead — no more corner camping, pals. And the inclusion of uncommon common infected, like the riot gear-armored CEDA agent, add much-needed tactical variety. Armored zombies and their friends (CEDA Hazmat suit infected and swamp-dwelling mudmen infected) demand alterations to your team’s tactics mid-firefight; spinning the CEDA agent around with a melee hit to blast his spinal cord is a tiny and hectic diversion. And speaking of melee combat: it will now forever be a staple of the Left 4 Dead franchise. The variety of weapons — axes, katanas, electric guitars, clubs, bats and chainsaws among others — dramatically enhance the campaign experience for you and your friends. How can you not laugh when your teammate charges into a horde of enemies with a chainsaw, ripping each one limb from limb thanks to the advanced dismemberment physics?

Hands-down, this is one of the best videogame sequels of any year, past or present. While I’ve previously complained about getting “more of the same” from games, Valve’s talent knows how to keep a solid core concept alive (or is that undead?) while creating an overall worthier title…in the space of a single year. Valve’s now making me look paradoxical. — Aaron Thayer

#9. Flower

February — PlayStation Network

In some ways, I’d be tempted to proclaim Flower the game of the decade because it is such a pure experience.

While first-person shooters, violent role-playing games and action-adventure series continue to dominate the sales charts, Flower is stalwart in its defiance of consumer expectations. Here is a game devoid of words and delineated objectives, lacking in familiar archetypes and control schemes — and yet it speaks louder and more clearly to its audience than just about any other game on the market. Vibrant colors, picturesque landscapes and lush, dynamic music work collaboratively to express a story through emotions and impressions. But high-quality artwork and music are no strangers to the indie gaming scene, as last year’s Braid demonstrated, and Flower would not have been nearly as significant as it is had it not captured the breathtaking sensation of flight so perfectly.

By simply tilting the controller and pressing a single button, the player can guide a stream of flower petals to soar through the air effortlessly. It’s a surprisingly intuitive process, and the sensation of flight is almost tactile. Many people are no stranger to flying an F-16 or an X-Wing in a videogame, but those experiences detach the player from the sensation of movement. Flower sucks you in with a masterful grace, and before long you’ll be soaring above fields and canyons just to savor the feeling of flying.

Flower could be considered many things: a passionate defense of environmentalism; a testament to the power and scope of downloadable games; or even just a proof-of-concept for Sony’s maligned Sixaxis motion controller. But it is without question a beautiful, stirring work of art, and it handily demonstrates just how powerful the videogame medium can be. — Nick Cummings

(Read our review of Flower here.)

#8. Forza Motorsport 3

October — Xbox 360

Forza Motorsport 3 is a game that succeeds in numerous ways. It’s a graphical tour-de-force, especially in the cinematic replay mode, and it continues to impress when driving from the cockpit view of any of the game’s massive variety of cars. Forza 3 also has a wonderful suite of driver assists that make the game palatable to racing simulator newcomers, while retaining the series’ complex vehicle physics for the purists. Simply put, there have never been this many ways to personalize your car collection in a console racer.

As was mentioned in our review of the game, other console driving simulators can’t reach Forza 3′s level of accessibility. From the single-player career structure to running a private and customized online race, Forza 3 benefits from the lessons Turn 10 learned over the course of its first two games. Add to that a healthy storefront offering a wide variety of designs, custom logos, photos and replays created by the Forza community, and there’s plenty available for gamers besides turning in laps.

But it’d all be worthless if the gameplay was sub-par. However, with a rock-solid framerate and physics engine that, yes, puts Gran Turismo to shame, there’s plenty to love about the art of driving in Forza 3. — Doug Bonham

The heroes from just a few of the major releases coming in the next few months: Sam Fisher (Splinter Cell: Conviction), Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII) and Shepard (Mass Effect 2).

After building this list from a shorter one we borrowed unceremoniously from Kotaku, we weighed the evidence presented to us so far and drew up our own shortlists of essential titles, as well as a handful of potentially great purchases.

You’ll find our own lists, along with our justifications, after the break. And if we ignored a great game or missed one completely, please let us know. Thanks!

Nick’s Picks:

Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360: This one’s a no-brainer; I loved the first game (like most people here) and replayed it multiple times. And while Dragon Age was excellent on PC, the original Mass Effect felt better tuned to me on a console. I can’t wait to see how the story evolves.

Final Fantasy XIII on PlayStation 3: It’s a great thing that Final Fantasy is available on multiple platforms, but there’s no doubt that I’m going with the PS3 version. Not that I have anything against the 360′s RPG prowess — after all, Lost Odyssey proved the machine does a perfectly acceptable job of handling JRPGs — but the PlayStation controller is so familiar to me in a lengthy, story-driven game that it’ll hopefully help fuel the fond memories I have of the series when I pick up the newest iteration. And also, I’ll admit I’m looking forward to playing a game without disc-swapping.

…and some possible additions:

Army of Two: The 40th Day on Xbox 360: Call me a fool or a hopeless bromantic, but I’ve always felt that Army of Two was a great game that suffered from its marketing image and brain-dead protagonists. Underneath all that was a pretty smart and thoroughly enjoyable co-operative game with some clever new ideas and intelligent things to say about the state of warfare in a world where private military companies command lucrative contracts, expensive hardware and operate just shy of any established moral compass. The sequel seems largely on-track to add credence and weight to the philosophy of the first game; let’s hope they deliver. I’ve been starved for a great co-op shooter since Gears of War 2 amounted to such a disappointing sequel.

Bioshock 2 on Xbox 360 or PS3: I’m still struggling to understand why a sequel to Bioshock is worth making (potential for profit aside). I felt the original was one of the best games I’d ever played thanks to an incredibly distinctive setting and poignant commentary on the role of players in games. I’d be happy to fall under Rapture’s spell once again, but I want to be absolutely certain that this return visit is being given the same top-notch attention to detail and purpose that the first game was hailed for.

Splinter Cell: Conviction on Xbox 360: What an inconsistent series Splinter Cell has been. From its excellent debut on the original Xbox to a shoddy sequel, followed by an absolutely astounding third entry with Chaos Theory, Splinter Cell has seen its ups and downs. The only iteration released on this console generation, Double Agent, was unfortunately another step back for the series. With Ubisoft Montreal back at the reins (and several years to be refined to perfection) I’m hopeful that this latest entry in Sam Fisher’s story could be the greatest yet. Clever art design, refined combat and interesting mission structure all seem to be the game’s best assets. Here’s hoping the game shapes up in time for its February release.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on PC (or maybe Xbox 360): If any modern multiplatform game series sticks in my mind as a PC franchise, it’s Battlefield. Sure, the games have been inconsistent in quality on PC, but I’ll never forget the sheer scope and brilliance of Battlefield 2, with its robust squad system, addictive unlockables and massive online battles. No other Battlefield game has come close to capturing the sheer scale of BF2, but Bad Company sure came close in terms of bringing the Battlefield multiplayer formula to consoles. Bad Company 2 looks to be a return to what made BF2 on PC such a riot; unfortunately, the PlayStation 3 beta hasn’t offered much to judge the game with.

Aaron’s Picks:

Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360: BioWare becomes a more impressive developer with each game it releases. Mass Effect was a fantastically original RPG, and proved our northern neighbors can craft an epic story without the involvement of an established franchise (Dungeons & Dragons/ Star Wars). I expect the second Mass Effect will mend the first’s technical issues, as well as offer a logical replacement for the old combat system. I think it’s safe to say that after playing the original game to completion six times (and starting my seventh run through this week), I will absolutely buy whatever BioWare packs on the disc. But please, more Garrus!

Mafia II on PC (unconfirmed release date): I said in our last “Games of” feature that the original Mafia exceeded in creating a realistic open world before Grand Theft Auto could. While times have changed and the charms of a classic mobster world have worn a bit thin, 2K Czech is still a talented studio that won’t compromise its vision. Based on trailers and previews, Mafia II is going to be told exactly how the developers want it to be, from the tiniest plot thread to the biggest twist. I’m looking forward to a gripping story filled with murder, intrigue, politicking and every mobster archetype imaginable.

Splinter Cell: Conviction on Xbox 360: Splinter Cell is my favorite stealth action series. Forget Metal Gear. I’ve found the less-insane stylings of Sam Fisher and Third Echelon to be a lot more tolerable than plodding through “Who Betrayed Snake This Time: The Squeakquel.” That said, Splinter Cell: Double Agent was awfully boring, poorly paced and extremely frustrating. Conviction is finally coming out, and the new hand-to-hand combat system’s intensity raised these thick eyebrows more than once during my first glimpse of the game in motion. The text-on-the-wall objectives are stylish and reminiscent of J.J. Abrams’ work, but I hope the effect isn’t done ad nauseam. Splinter Cell is, to me, an Xbox franchise. I made the mistake of buying Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory on the PC, and both just never felt the same without a controller in my hands. So I look forward to revisiting an old standby franchise on my Xbox this February.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on an undetermined platform: If I think Splinter Cell is an Xbox franchise, then DICE’s Battlefield series is the PC counterpart. And while I do believe my aforementioned statement, I truly had a great time with Battlefield: Bad Company on the Xbox 360. So I’m rather perplexed as to which version of its sequel I should buy. Without knowing all of the details right now, I can’t decide. If the PC version has even a few more features than its console counterpart, I’m placing my bets on the PC. It seems, from forum buzz and scant media previews, Bad Company 2 is extracting the essence of 2005′s Battlefield 2 more and more, which I hope is true. DICE needs to release Battlefield 3 soon, but BC2 might suffice for the time being.

Final Fantasy XIII on Xbox 360: I really don’t have anything to say here. I only have an Xbox, and I’m the guy who buys every numbered, non-MMO Final Fantasy console title (aside from FFX-2). I’m obligated to get it, and I’m neither thrilled nor disappointed. It’s like renewing your driver’s license: you’ll do it, without thinking, out of necessity. It doesn’t matter if you’re unenthusiastic about it, you’ll still spend money on what’s technically the same exact license you’ve always had, but this time it has a fancy new color scheme. And anime hair.