Top 10 Games for 2009: Xbox 360

Written by Paul Barbara Saturday, 05 December 2009 01:48

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This year was a great year to be an Xbox 360 gamer.  The year was filled with some great multiplatform titles and exclusives for Microsoft and it surely showed.  However the year is over in terms of blockbuster video game releases, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to buy.  Daily Joystick has sifted through its pile of noteworthy releases and has compiled the following list of games that no Xbox 360 owner should pass up.  So what are you waiting for?

10. Resident Evil 5

This highly anticipated sequel is the 7th game in the Resident Evil series.  Following on from Resident Evil 4, you’ll take the role of Chris Redfield or Sheva Alomar in your quest to discover who is attempting to sell a bio-organic weapon on the black market.  Things turn bad real quick as you discover a parasite is taking over all the residents and turning them into manjini.  The story begins to unfold here, and without revealing any more, you’ll be in for a rollercoaster ride of infected persons (I so want to call them Zombies) chasing after you with chainsaws, and anything else they can muster up.  Resident Evil 5 is also a great game that can be played as a co-operative experience which see’s each of you control either Chris or Sheva as you work together to solve puzzles and defeat the ultimate enemy.  Released during March, this title is certainly well worth playing and still loads of fun.

9. Lego Indiana Jones 2

Lego Indiana Jones in short is identical to its predecessors.  But that’s a good thing, solid story, great visuals and just downright funny representation of the original movies, the Lego Series have always been a personal favourite of mine.  Lego Indiana Jones 2 adds a great level creator as well so you can design your own levels and play through them with your friends.  Heck you can even just build Lego stuff and have a blast.  Lego Indiana Jones 2 is also nicely priced at $79.95 and can even be found for less on special, so there’s no excuse if you’re a fan of the Lego universe, this is one you should also take a look at this year.

8. Halo 3: ODST

Halo 3 initially was set to be a small episode that was going to tie over the Halo fans until the release of Halo Reach in 2010.  However that idea grew to so much more.   Halo 3: ODST is a return to the roots of the Halo franchise. Master Chief -- with his magical healing Spartan armour, mockery of gravity, and dual wielding ways -- is sitting this one out. Instead, you'll take the role of the Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, or ODST. These highly-trained, but not quite super, soldiers don't have all of the strengths of the Chief, but they still pack a mighty hit.  Halo 3 ODST also comes bundled with a second disc which includes all the multiplayer modes and map packs from Halo 3, which truly is spectacular in value.  Halo 3 ODST is a great game, and well worth picking up.  Halo 3 managed to sell over 3 million units in the US alone.

7. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City

Grand Theft Auto IV: GTA4 was a massive success during 2008 and was even given a 10/10 courtesy of IGN.com.  Building on the success of the original game, Rockstar promised to deliver exclusively 2 pieces of Downloadable Content.  The “Lost and Damned” was released in early 2009 and “The Ballad of Gay Tony” was released just recently in late October.  With both of the expansions, you’ll have an entire new city to explore with new storylines and game play elements.  Both expansions are available via download from the Xbox Live Marketplace, and additionally in store.  That’s right; both pieces of DLC are bundled on a disc which does not require the original Grand Theft Auto 4 in order to play.  Price here in Australia at a sensible $59.95, you’d be hard pressed to find a better deal. With Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, you can pick up The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony on one convenient disc for a budgeted price of $39.99.

6. Batman Arkham Asylum

Batman Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman. The Joker, Batman's archenemy, has instigated an elaborate plot from within Arkham Asylum where many of Batman's other villains have been incarcerated. Batman investigates and comes to learn that the Joker is trying to create an army of Bane-like creatures that threaten Gotham City, and is forced to put a stop to the Joker's plans.  With Batman, you’ll have access to a fantastic arsenal of weapons, and a great stealth mode that will allow you to see through walls and structures to identify your enemies.  It really adds that fourth dimension and changes the way you’ll play forever.  Batman is an excellent title for the Xbox 360 and certainly a game that you don’t want to miss in 2009.

5. Left 4 Dead 2

Left 4 Dead 2 is an intense zombie survival horror game that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Left 4 Dead 2 is a bigger and better version of the 2008 original hit. You’re required to survive a zombie apocalypse and luckily you can bring three friends along to share the experience with you.  In Left 4 Dead 2 you’ll be introduced to a whole host of new and diverse enemies, new weapons and a more beefed up AI.   Left 4 Dead 2 is a fantastic title and well worth picking up.  Note: For our Australian gamers, due to the censorship laws which are about as up to date as Black & White TV, this game is not worth picking up at all.  The censorship has meant that Valve has been required to cut the gore, blood, splatter, enemies and of course the atmosphere from the game which has honestly killed the game entirely.  Our view is Valve should not have even bothered with an AU release.  However, as I have and many other Aussie gamers, there’s always the import scene via EBay so there’s no excuse to miss out on another must-have game for this holiday season.

4. Forza Motorsport 3

Many call Forza Motorsport the Xbox 360’s answer to Gran Turismo 5.  Personally I think it’s its own solution and problem for GT5, simply because GT5 is still not even out.  Therefore Forza 3 is in a league of its own and is the Definitive racer of 2009 with simply no one to even challenge it for the title as this year’s best racer.  Forza Motorsport 3 is definitely among the best racing simulation games ever created. Forza Motorsport 3 features many game play improvements from its predecessors; the sequel has over 400 customizable cars in addition to plenty of single and multiplayer modes that will keep car enthusiasts busy for months. You won’t find a better racing game on the Xbox 360 this holiday season than Forza Motorsport 3, or on any other platform for that matter.

3. Assassin's Creed II

Many gamers were over critical of the original Assassins Creed and found it clunky, linear and hated the flag collecting that was considered a chore.  Well personally, bollocks to them! Assassins Creed was a fresh change from the regular gaming that was on offer from everyone else.  Without Assassins Creed we would not have the highly anticipated sequel which builds upon the strong foundations set by the first game. As a result, Assassin's Creed II offers an exciting experience as an assassin during ancient times. Furthermore, it also corrected several flaws from the original, including a wider variety of missions and deeper combat. Even if you didn’t like Assassin's Creed, the second game is worth a look this holiday seeing that it improves upon the original in just about every single way.

2. Borderlands

Enjoy RPG’s?  Enjoy Levelling up? Enjoy playing with your friends? If you answered yes to either of these then Borderlands is for you.  Borderlands aims to be a social experience that pulls you and three friends into an alien world that’s full of quests, dungeons (of sorts) and it's really designed from the ground-up to cater to multiplayer gaming.   Borderlands is a rock-solid experience that confidently blends the best elements of massively-multiplayer RPGs with wholly accessible shooter mechanics.  Borderlands will have you searching the wasteland looking for the vault, a place where it’s safe and peaceful (kind of like heaven on earth).  Along your journey you’ll battle all sorts of enemies and uncover the truth and perhaps the location of the illusive vault.  Borderlands is easily the best original IP game released this year, and it’s certainly a very strong contender indeed for Game of The Year, now that’s saying something.  A definite must buy this holiday.

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

If you’re after the best online multiplayer shooter with a humungous community and a great single player campaign, then you don’t want to look any further than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  If you haven’t already picked this game up, than you are missing out on one of the best games on the Xbox 360 in 2009. The direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare offers an action-packed campaign in addition to a new two-player cooperative mode. It is the ever addicting online competitive multiplayer that shines again, however, with more customizable options and rewards than ever before. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is easily the best must-have Xbox 360 game this holiday season.