Today I’m finishing up my discussion of the best games of 2010. Hopefully you didn’t miss the first part of this discussion.

In the interest of full disclosure, I must share an important caveat: there are a lot of other great games that I didn’t play this year. Consequently, there may be some titles that are undeservedly missing from my list. Hey, I’m only one dude, ya’know?

So, to make partial amends, let me begin with…

2010’s Startling Omissions: (great games that other people loved that coulda-maybe-shoulda made my list, but I didn’t get a chance to play them in 2010)

Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii), Bayonetta (Xbox360, PS3), Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Xbox360, PS3), Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox360, PS3), Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Xbox360, PS3), Dead Rising 2 (Xbox360, PS3), God of War III (PS3), Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii), VVVVVV (Mac OS/PC), Amnesia (Mac OS/PC), Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii), Professor Layton: Future Unwound (DS), Pacman Championship Edition DX (Xbox360, PS3), Deadly Premonition (Xbox360).

How about I make amends by swearing to play more in 2011? Phew… I’m glad that weight is off my chest.

Onward to the remaining best games that I did play…

The BEST Games of 2010 (continued):

5:  Plants vs. Zombies (iOS)

Any iPhone game that illicits multiple playthroughs from my wife or causes me to choose it over a flashier Xbox, PS3, or Mac/PC game is noteworthy. Plants vs. Zombies did both thanks to a simple-to-learn design that is deceptively deep and uproariously fun to play. We may want to consider monitoring this game, since I’m pretty sure it is a gateway drug to hardcore gaming.

4:  Limbo (Xbox360)

Here we have yet another game that might serve as ammunition for the “games can be art debate.” This is another title that I’ve already previously praised, so let me just say this: Limbo is not just a great game from this year, it is a thought-provoking effort that will be picked apart, discussed, and most likely mimicked, for many years to come.

3:  Super Meat Boy (Xbox360, PC/Mac)

I’d never played a game that engendered such true masochism prior to Super Meat Boy. I’m not talking about the shallow cry-for-help-because-you-are-emo-and-broke-up-with-your-girlfriend type of pain, I’m talking about honest-to-God pain that is pleasurable. Have I sold you yet? No? Let me clarify then: This retro-inspired 2D platformer has the most responsive controls I’ve ever seen and creates euphoric levels of reward after you’ve spent 10, 20, 50, or sometimes a hundred tries to complete a level. If Plants vs. Zombies is the marijuana of gaming, this is the ultra-high-quality cocaine reserved for celebs and politicians. So, now that I’ve referenced self-mutilation and drugs, I’m sure you are just dying to play it, right? Bottom line: cast these literary indiscretions aside and PLAY THIS GAME.

2:  Mass Effect 2 (Xbox360, PC)

Mass Effect 2 focuses on delivering a character-driven story; an effort in which it exceeds all expectations. Featuring one of the most well-realized original sci-fi settings ever seen in gaming, solid gameplay, meaningful voice acting, and an engaging storyline, it will stand the test of time as one of the greats.

1.5:  StarCraft II (PC/Mac)

What? 1.5?!?! You think I’m sneaking an extra game into this list? Well, deal with it – this list now goes to eleven.

The original StarCraft is still seeing play today – 12 years after its release! I can only imagine that this successor will see a similar uncanny lifespan. Hell, how many video games are you aware of that have entire televised leagues in the same vein as conventional sports? Obviously, StarCraft II provides an immaculate multiplayer experience similar to the first StarCraft (which led to it being referred to as “South Korea’s national pastime”), but interestingly, what is more notable to me is the high quality of the single-player campaign and the related storyline. Even without multiplayer, this game is good enough to earn the second place spot on my list. StarCraft II: see you at the old folk’s home in 2022.

1:  Red Dead Redemption (Xbox360/PS3)

Where to begin? Gunplay that never tires. Phenomenal writing and voice acting. Emotionally evocative landscape design. A soundtrack that captures the spirit of the Wild West. Room to continually explore and live in one of the most memorable digital worlds ever created. Well-designed multiplayer which included a series of epic cooperative scenarios. Red Dead has all of these and ties them all up with a bow in what many people are calling the best storytelling of the year. Much like a good book or movie, I’ve escaped back to this game time and time again, only to realize that my love only grows stronger with each visit. Red Dead is not only the best game of 2010, but a true masterpiece that is now one of my favorite games of all time.

There you go folks, the best games of 2010.  Go play some of them.

If you’ve been to my blog before, it should be apparent that I love games. And when I say love, I’m not referring to a shallow, escapist enjoyment sorta love. I have a deep, thoughtful, and in many ways analytical love for games.

Towards the close of every year, all your major gaming sites post their “Top 10 Games of X Year” style articles. I will admit that I devour this analysis with the same devotion that the paparazzi have in their efforts to grab an upskirt shot of Britney Spears.

Let’s get back to love. I love games and play a lot of them. Luckily, the guise of “amateur game designer” provides me with ample excuses to couch my gaming time in a thin veneer of professionalism. At least that is what I tell my wife (“Hey, I’m workin’ here!”). Of course, that means I have to make good on that statement… and put in a little work when it comes to justifying my gaming.

As such, I offer you my analysis of the BEST games of 2010. In two parts. With some bonuses.

Today is part one.

The BEST Games of 2010:

10:  Halo: Reach (Xbox360)

Bungie wrapped up the primary Halo story with an opus to console first-person shooters. As with previous Halo games, you receive an excellent multiplayer package and a solid single-player campaign. I do believe this to be “the best” of the standard Halo games. Within the same breath, I would also note that I’m excited that Bungie is moving on to something else, since the Halo story and gameplay is ready to be refreshed.

9:  Carcassonne (iOS)

This is the first of two iOS games I’m including on my top ten list for this year, and it is easy to do. Based on the tabletop game of the same name, this version provides a slick electronic rendition of the game’s fun and intuitive gameplay directly to iPhone gamers. With single player and multiplayer options which allow you to parse out turns into smaller snippets of play time, any free minutes you have with your phone and this app will never be boring.

8:  Fallout: New Vegas (Xbox360/PS3/PC)

Fallout 3 was my favorite game of 2008.  Fallout: New Vegas uses the same engine (with a few improvements) to place you in the wastelands of the Mojave Desert instead of those found in Washington DC. Storytelling is even better than Fallout 3’s, too. So why isn’t this higher on my list? Fallout: New Vegas features more bugs than an entomology lab, punctuating the moments of exquisite storytelling with crushing frustration as you are forced to reload your game, or in some cases, fully reboot your system. A great game in need of some programming TLC.

7:  Civilization 5 (PC/Mac OS)

Imagine a portly, shoddily-dressed teenager with a really bad haircut locked away in his room for hours on end, peering unendingly at the VGA monitor on his Magnavox 386SX PC. Have that image in your mind? That was me in 1991 when Sid Meier’s very first Civilization game was released. This turn-based strategy game was a revelation – featuring exquisite gameplay and near-infinite replayability. Fast forward to 2010, and the fifth iteration of the game, and you can say the same… except, well, I’m no longer shoddily dressed. Civ 5 even does something better than all its predecessors – it features one of the most intuitive and well designed user interfaces I’ve ever seen in a complex game. Even if you don’t like this style of game, I would at least recommend checking it out simply to view the interface; it makes deep strategy gaming palatable for the masses. That, in and of itself, is a huge accomplishment.

6:  Heavy Rain (PS3)

Not without some flaws (including some bad voice acting and some really reprehensible and never-explained story red herrings), Heavy Rain nevertheless pushes the gaming genre forward. Remember all the outrage that occurred when Ebert said that games are not art? This may be one that could be used in the future to try and combat that statement. I found myself addicted to the ambiance, storytelling, and mystery this game brought to the table. It evoked true emotion, not unlike the emotion experienced with great music, books, movies, and artwork.

Join me tomorrow for the remaining BEST games of 2010.

Bonus:

Biggest Disappointment in 2010:  Fable III (Xbox360)

I loved the original Fable. Fable II being even better. Fable III took some bold steps to try and simplify gameplay, which I’m assuming they believed would help to propel the player through the game more easily. Unfortunately, this meant that the largely linear storyline, although intriguing, was straddled with some poor and basely un-fun game mechanics. If there is a future Fable IV, I’m hoping it makes an effort to go back to its roots.

Best 2009 Game Played in 2010: Demon’s Souls (PS3)

I’ve already written about Demon’s Souls in a previous post. It is challenging, eerily ambient, and the sole reason for why one of my friends bought a PS3. If I could go back, it would probably be my favorite game for 2009. Simply amazing.