Number 1: Skyward Sword

History should have taught us to never bet against Nintendo. In the face of any doubts, they defy them. In the face of stiff competition, they better them. Whenever the whispers that Mario and Zelda might finally have been stretched too thinly start, they go and release games like Galaxy and Skyward Sword, proving once again that they remain so far ahead of the competition that it's kind of depressing. I've never been fully convinced about the Wii. Oh sure there have been some quality games; Galaxy, Metroid Prime, even Twilight Princess come to mind. Yet none of them have convinced me of the potential for motion control that Nintendo have been so desperate to sell me. Skyward Sword changes all that.

Finally a true beginning to the chronology of the series, Skyward Sword explains the origins of Link, Zelda, Ganon, and the Master Sword. Starting in a realm above the clouds called Skyloft, Link is about to go through the traditional ceremony that marks him as a man. It's a standard opening for a Zelda game, one that's been used many times before in the series. His friend Zelda is sucked down into the land of Hyrule below them, so Link sets out to save her, and defeat a growing evil that threatens the world. He'll do this as only Link knows how: by exploring temples, acquiring a legendary sword, and defeating screen-filling bosses.

For something that seems on paper to stick so closely to the established Zelda formula, it's quite surprising to find that a lot has changed. Link is now an altogether more agile protagonist, a stamina bar allowing him dashes and sprints, with nervous free-running now key to exploring the levels. Gone are many of the dungeon puzzle staples; Link's now less about torch lighting and box pushing, and more about aerial exploration with his remote-controlled bug, or pitch perfect archery. The nuanced motion control has given Nintendo the chance to experiment and refresh what was a somewhat stale formula, and nowhere is that more clear than in the swordplay.

 

I remember clearly the anticipation in the lead up to the Wii's launch. Twilight Princess was on its way to the Gamecube, but then we found out it was to be a Wii launch title as well. In our eyes we saw all of Nintendo's ridiculous marketing footage, showing players swinging their remotes like swords, made to feel every bit the hero they were playing as. We couldn't buy it quickly enough. How disappointing to discover that motion control meant you swung your sword with a mere flick of the wrist, that your shield wouldn't raise as you raised the nunchuck controller. Arrows weren't truly aimed and fired, instead we pointed at the sensor bar and got a jittery crosshair. It was then that my doubts about the Wii and Nintendo began to set in, and they just got worse as time went on. Skyward Sword has made up for those years of disappointment.

With the advent of the motion-plus attachment, true motion control was finally in our hands. Swordplay in Skyward Sword is everything we were promised by the Twilight Princess propaganda, and then some. Raising the remote above your head in triumph after a battle leads Link to mirror the gesture. Vicious directional swipes will dice enemies, gesturing with the sword at waiting monsters fills you with the same sense of cool that Link can now exude. Enemy design has evolved with the control. Many require specific cuts to defeat them, leaving satisfying wounds and stumps in the wake of your swipes. Sword fights with Stalfos Knights now live up to their promise, with parries and defensive lapses key to victory. Boss fights are ingenious puzzles in themselves, requiring careful timing and swordplay if you want to taste victory.

It would be nothing without a visual style that has endured more criticism and scepticism than it deserves since the very first reveal. Taking the best of Wind Waker's toon-flavoured stylishness, and Twilight Princess's Lord of the Rings influenced realism, Skyward Sword is an amazingly beautiful game. Vibrant colours leap out at every turn, animation on both friends and foes is sublime, and every character drips with... well, character. Without a doubt Skyward Sword is the best looking game on the Wii, and makes a mockery of any long-standing doubts about the power of the hardware. Skyrim is beautiful for its realism and intricate level of detail, but Skyward Sword floors it with the kind of design flair that only Nintendo is capable of.

There's so much more to be said to really do justice to why Skyward Sword is so incredible, but in a way I do it better justice by simply recommending that you go and play it for yourself. It manages to make a mockery of any doubts I had about Nintendo's ability to not only deliver, but to exceed as well. Not only that, but it's convinced me that the last five years of the Wii have been worthwhile, and that Nintendo was right when they said that motion control was the right way forward. I've yet to play a home console Zelda game that was anything less than exemplary, but this is different.  

Skyward Sword fills me with nostalgia, for long winter months playing its predecessors; The swashbuckling adventure of Twilight Princess, Wind Waker's seafaring journey and remarkable style, for Majora's Mask and its gripping storyline, filled with tragic characters and dark secrets. Ocarina of Time is clearest, because it was the one that changed everything. Still perhaps the greatest game of all time, even after all these years. Skyward Sword deserves to stand tall next to it, as it really is the most worthy successor. It brings flooding back all the memories of why I love Nintendo, and why, even after all these years, they're still the greatest. Game of the year? Without a shadow of a doubt.

Number 2: Skyrim

The reaction to Skyrim's release this year has been unlike anything I've ever seen. Everywhere I go people seem to be talking about it, and its been drawing as much boundless praise as it has scathing criticism. It's also being talked about by the most unlikely people: girlfriends, parents, children... At a family dinner this week the discussion turned to Skyrim. Everyone had been watching the young son play through it, and talked excitedly of how amazing it looked, how fun. They spoke about slaying draugr, about the best way to sneak past a frost troll, about the sardonic personality of a follower. It was completely surreal, and I couldn't say a word. It's easy to see why they're so taken with it though.

The latest in Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim is just as ambitious as its predecessors. Set in the homeland of the Nords, in the north of Tamriel, Skyrim casts the player as the Dragonborn, one with the soul of a dragon and the power to learn their shouts. The land is gripped by a civil war, between the ruling Imperials and the rebel Stormcloaks, and you'll have to pick a side to end the conflict. Besides that, dragons themselves have returned to Skyrim, and it's up to the player to learn why. Well, that is if you fancy doing it. You're as free to settle down to a quiet married life as you are to play any part in the story.

The Elder Scrolls games are well-known for their large open worlds, and freedom of choice given to the player. Skyrim is thankfully no different, and after the introductory escape from a dragon attack, you're plonked in the wilderness and left to your own devices. A vast world is laid out before you, no part of it locked to you, and it begs to be explored. Even stumbling around on the first mountainside you'll discover bandit hideouts, secret caves, ancient ruins and friendly faces. In a way it's intimidating, but you'll quickly realise there's no pressure on you to do anything but go at your own pace. Quests can be dipped in and out of at will, and the main storyline can be jettisoned in favour of following your own story.

There's a jaw-dropping amount of stuff to do in Skyrim. As soon as you start talking to people quest offers come thick and fast, so you'll have to keep track of what you're meant to be doing. Even without quest offers, by simply wandering around you'll come across all sorts of foreboding caves and crumbling castles. The promise of fights to be had and treasure to be looted drives you to explore them, a sense of curiosity growing as you sneak around ancient lairs and encounter terrifying enemies. Environments are dripping with atmosphere and character, and the variance between them is stunning. Leafy forests in the south make way for long plains and jagged icy peaks further north. Dwemer ruins still whir with ancient industrial technology, while long-forgotten tombs are dusty, silent, and menacing.

A lot has been made of Skyrim's graphics and the detail in the world, but it's entirely justified. Rarely has a game looked quite this good. I often found myself wandering the land just for the pleasure of its sights, happy to languidly explore mountains and forests while watching the wildlife. Midday sunlight breaks on the leaves above, a river gurgles along at your side, and deer warily keep their distance from you, bounding away if you get too close. You feel... relaxed. That is until a bear shows up out of nowhere and tries to claw your face off, or a dragon roars overhead. To get an idea of what a technical achievement Skyrim is, remember that it's running on the same hardware as Oblivion did five years ago.

 

It's sad, then, that you're often wrenched out of your immersion in the world by the various bugs and glitches you're guaranteed to encounter. Bethesda's games are notorious enough in this respect; it comes as a proviso of the ambitious game worlds they develop. But it feels especially jarring in a game like this, one where detail and the beauty of the world are paramount. Dragons fly backwards at impossible speeds, characters get stuck on walls and scenery, giants will throw you into orbit with a single hit... Perhaps most criminal of all, the PS3 version is inherently broken, suffering from game-ruining slowdown once the save file gets too big. As of yet, many of these issues are still unresolved, throwing a significant shadow over what could otherwise have been a near-perfect game.

In the end though, it is near-perfect, and that's how it should be thought of. Skyrim is a game that's been filled with firsts for me. Never before have I been so taken in by the beauty of a game world, driven to explore it so thoroughly. Never before have I started a game three times, and each time had a completely different experience, playing through different quests and exploring different areas. Never before has my girlfriend been more addicted to a game than I have, taking any chance she can to have another go. Until Skyrim, I can't remember a game taking over my mind so much that I actually dream about playing it. To focus on the flaws is to ignore the fact that Skyrim is one of the most intensely brilliant gaming experiences of this generation. Not quite perfect, but close enough.

Number 3: Deus Ex- Human Revolution

My excitement for Human Revolution was one of the main reasons I picked up a PS3 this year. The first Deus Ex is easily up there as one of my favourite games of all time; with its daft cyberpunk conspiracy plot, huge explorable levels, and open-ended approach to combat, it still feels ahead of its time. Now felt about right for a sequel to come around, with more advanced hardware meaning more could be squeezed into the game. Better graphics could finally do justice to the large levels, improved AI would mean that guards didn't just run around in circles when you shot them. Human Revolution doesn't disappoint.

A prequel to the first game, Human Revolution puts you in the shoes of Adam Jenson, the world's surliest man, and head of security for a corporation working on advancements in human augmentation. Terrorists show up, tragedy strikes, and Jenson is fitted with augmentations himself to save his life. He then embarks on a mission to track down those responsible. The plot's a lot less daft than in the previous games, but still thoroughly engaging. Its tale of corporate conspiracy and social unrest in the face of technological change feels relevant, and somehow more important than the previous game's mix of aliens and rogue AIs.

After an introductory jaunt around Sarif Industries, and a nicely done hostage rescue mission, you're finally allowed onto the seedy streets of Detroit, and the game world opens up. The city hub is superbly realised, with shining towers built over grimy backstreets and crumbling apartments, and heavy police presence hinting at the criminal underworld operating in the shadows. I can guarantee you'll be wandering around and exploring long before the thought of continuing your mission crosses your mind. Further locations include the squalid and mazy Heng-Sha island, Montreal, and an Antarctic research base. Eidos Montreal really nailed the gritty sci-fi look of the game, with nods to various inspirations such as Blade Runner and William Gibson. References to the first game are littered throughout, from musical cues to familiar characters. It reminded me a lot of Perfect Dark as well, with Rare's game covering similar themes of near-future corporate espionage and conspiracy.

Part of the beauty of the first Deus Ex was its inventive approach to gameplay. Players were free to approach situations as they wished, running in and gunning everyone down, sneaking around without detection, or hacking and talking their way into places. Human Revolution caries this over brilliantly, presenting you with various ways to accomplish a goal. An early example is the Detroit police station: you can talk your way in, sneak through the sewers or the roof, or simply tear the place apart Terminator-style. The different available approaches add a lot of replay value to the game, as you find yourself wondering how things would have turned out if you'd done it differently. There's nothing quite like unlocking the "ghost" achievement after a mission, safe in the knowledge that you weren't once detected by enemies.

Thankfully, your tasks are made much easier by the augmentations you can fit Jenson with. Another feature carried over from the first, you can tailor the augmentations you choose to fit in with the play style you favour. Dermal armour is useful for heavy-hitters, cloaking devices and x-ray vision will help the stealthy. Hacking and social enhancers also feature, meaning that you're never short of tools to get the job done. The augmentations never feel that they're unbalancing the game too much: it's impossible to collect them all in one playthrough, and limited battery life means you often have to ration their usage. The social enhancer in particular can lead to interesting interrogation scenes which can feel genuinely intuitive, and piss over LA Noire's from a great height.

There are flaws, yes; boss fights are jarring and overly-difficult, and the plot takes a nosedive in its final act; but the strength of the rest of the game is such that you won't find yourself minding too much. Human Revolution is a superbly crafted adventure, well paced and completely gripping. The freedom afforded to the player, and the subsequent replay-value of the game, can make it difficult to stop playing at all, and there have been few better-looking games this generation. Deus Ex is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time; And while it's not as ground-breaking as its predecessor, I'd say that Human Revolution can stand tall alongside it.

Number 4: Groove Coaster

iPhone gaming has really taken off this year. Developers are starting to squeeze a considerable amount of power out of the devices, to the point where I can now play Grand Theft Auto 3 on my phone, anywhere I want. The possibilities of the touchscreen input are also being better utilised, and we're seeing much more interesting games as a result. This year we've had Tiny Wings, Dead Space, Superbrothers... but, for me, nothing could touch Groove Coaster.

 

A superb beat-matching game, Groove Coaster is Infinity Gene director Reisuke Ishida's latest project. Levels are songs, and as they play your avatar progresses along a twisting line. Tap the screen when it passes over the beats, and enjoy the progression of the track. Timing is rewarded with a "cool" or "great!" rating, and chaining together beats without misses is the route to higher scores. Beats take different forms: some require directional swipes rather than taps, others holding down for a certain time. The variety means you're always kept on your toes, and it can make harder difficulties a genuine challenge.

The levels themselves are often a visual spectacle. Matched beats are accompanied by an eye-catching splash of colour, and as the tune progresses the level twists and turns at speed, fully fitting its 'coaster title. A wireframe style gives the game a wonderful retro feel, especially evident when playing through some of the Space Invaders and Araknoid remixes. It all feels incredibly dynamic, and as faster levels bounce you round corners and twist up through crescendos you'll be engrossed with the concentration required to keep up.

The wide variety of tracks included in Groove Coaster are the icing on the cake. At the moment there are 27 available, some through unlocking and others to be bought as downloadable content. It's proof of the addictive quality of the game that you'll find yourself eager to buy more tracks, just so you can see how good they are. The tunes are decidedly electronic-influenced, but there's enough variety to keep most people happy. You can guarantee that at least some will be stuck in your head for days afterwards.

Groove Coaster's high placing on this list is based on the fact that I just can't stop playing it. Probably a bad characteristic for an iPhone game to be honest; I find myself trying to squeeze in a level or two almost everywhere. It reminds me a little of Rez. Not only in the fact that I won't shut up about how brilliant it is, but because of the superb soundtrack, stylish wireframe visuals, rhythmic gameplay, and maddeningly addictive qualities. If you're an iPhone owner, it's an absolute must.

Number 5: Minecraft

Finally given a full release this November, after nearly a year in beta, Minecraft had already become something of a phenomenon even before it was finished. Not many games can boast sales figures in the millions before a complete version is even available. Players have been drip-fed updates  over the last few months, as each new version brought new ideas and features to the game. It now incorporates both a Survival and a Creative mode, as well as support for online servers where players can alter the world together. It offers something for everyone.

In Survival, you're immediately plonked in a randomly generated world with nothing but your two hands and all the natural resources around you. No need for a story, or exposition bogging you down; just start exploring, experimenting, and building. It's wholly refreshing that Minecraft can be whatever you want it to be. Enemies show up when the sun goes down, and thrive in underground caves, but if you don't fancy that tension then simply turn down the difficulty. If you want a scary and rock solid survivalist adventure then ramp it up, and enjoy hiding from creatures and having to find food to ward off starvation.

Thanks to the on-the-fly generation of the biomes, it always feels worth exploring just a little further into the world. Despite its blocky style, Minecraft is capable of producing some lovely sights, as well as jaw-dropping natural structures. A thick forest can make way for massive snow covered mountains, huge cacti-spotted deserts find their end at a glittering sea stretching into the horizon. You just know you'll need fell that nearby tree, build a boat, and set sail to see what's beyond the ocean. Few games allow the player this much freedom to explore such an endlessly compelling and tempting world.

That's without even mentioning the underground. As you'd guess from the game's title, mining plays an integral part in your adventure. Many natural resources and precious stones have to be dug up, and for that you have to venture into the vast and often claustrophobic cave systems. Dig almost anywhere and you'll soon uncover a natural tunnel. Your lust for coal and iron compels you to enter, and soon you're following the network of tunnels and caves deeper and deeper into the earth. Hours can pass by, and if you were foolish enough to not leave a trail of torches guiding you back, you'll quickly get lost in the endless underground. All alone in a strange cave, your last pickaxe has broken, you only have a handful of torches, and all around you can hear the groans and rattles of the nearby enemies: few experiences in gaming are more terrifying.

The other side of the coin is, of course, the creativity that Minecraft has inspired in people. All over the internet are stunning examples of not just impressive structures, but whole cities and worlds created within it. The Enterprise, The Titanic, and even Middle Earth are all some of the creations that the Minecraft community have put together, and there are so many more to see. In its Creative and online modes, Minecraft is an advanced virtual Lego set, and the only limit is your imagination and patience. If creation isn't what you're into, friends can all adventure and explore together as well. So while it functions perfectly as a tense solitary experience, as a social one it's even better.

Minecraft's success has surprised almost everyone. Few could have predicted that it would take off in such a huge way so quickly. Thanks to word-of-mouth praise from early adopters, and videos showing some impressive creations, people flocked to try it out for themselves. It's made Minecraft one of the biggest indie hits in gaming history, and it's fantastic that so many people have been able to play and enjoy it. If you haven't already then try it out for yourself. Get involved with the community, find a server to play on, and enjoy yourself. Or generate your own world, and simply start exploring. You won't regret it.

Number 6: Dark Souls

As with Portal 2, I can safely say that I was a bit late on the bandwagon with this one. Demon's Souls came out in the summer of 2010, and with its high difficulty managed to make even the most hardcore of gamers cry. I picked it up a couple of months ago, and became so involved that I knew I had to play the sequel Dark Souls as soon as I could get my hands on it. I was able to borrow a copy a couple of weeks ago, so can't say I've given it the time it deserves; but oh boy is it special.

Set in a similarly atmospheric dark fantasy world to its predecessor, Dark Souls offers a brilliantly imaginative dungeon crawling experience to the player. The major difference however is in the daunting open world available to explore. Different areas offer varying challenges and a stunning array of enemies to battle. There seems to be a never-ending slew of locations and things hidden within to discover, each more impressive than the last. Sadly, you'll be lucky to see the majority of them, thanks to the already legendary difficulty level.

The words "YOU DIED" will already be loaded with meaning to Demon's Souls veterans, but for those coming in fresh, be prepared to see them a lot. However, the wonderful thing is that it never feels unfair. It's hard, sure, but like the first game you begin to realise that each death is a learning experience, preparing you for the next time around. Combat is practically perfect, with superb balance and plenty to master. If you start to get cocky and take the game at a faster pace, it'll quickly cut you back down to size; and you still rarely come away feeling that it's the game's fault you've failed. So you'll swell with pride and feel a genuine sense of accomplishment when you manage to beat a particularly fearsome foe, because you've worked hard and actually improved while trying to beat it.

Thankfully, Dark Souls brings back the inventive online component of the first game as well. Players can leave hints for other adventurers around the game world, warning of coming dangers or offering tips to avoid traps. It's a creative way of bringing a social aspect to the game without damaging the feeling of solitude that makes it so atmospheric. Also included is a limited co-op capability, but with little communication possible between the players. Really, it's the only way you're going to be able to lighten up the challenge at all. There are no changeable difficulty levels here. Then again, would you expect any less from a game that has the official website www.preparetodie.com?

I regret that I haven't been able to pour much more time into Dark Souls. Even from a brief play you can tell it's a special piece of software, one that demands and deserves a certain level of attention. For anyone with an interest in RPGs, it's an absolute must. There really isn't anything else like it out there. Even the first game feels like a shadow compared to it, as though they only released Demon's Souls to weed out the unworthy. Ignore the horror stories about the difficulty and dedicate yourself to playing this one as much as possible. An incredibly challenging, beautiful, and rewarding game.

Number 7: Child of Eden

One of my most treasured gaming memories is of playing Rez in a darkened room, displayed through a projector and hooked up to the surround-sound system. For a time I was taken away from the real world, and found myself left soaring on sound waves in a zen-like state of concentration. The experience reminded me of why I love games so much, and from that second I was hooked. Rez has been one of my favourites ever since, and I'm still patiently waiting the release of its HD upgrade on PSN. Thankfully the wait's not nearly so hard now that I've got Child of Eden to keep me going.

Though Child of Eden was specifically designed for the Kinect, and that's really how it's meant to be played, I'm talking about the PS3 version here. Oh, and we're not even talking about playing it with the Move controller. No, I played through this gem on the good ol' Dualshock 3. As such, I know I've missed about 90% of what the game is meant to be about. Motion control was a huge part of the push behind its design and marketing, so playing on the PS3 with a pad is a bit like watching a blu-ray through a component cable on a CRT TV. It should be a testament to Eden's quality, then, that it still managed to mesmerise me so completely.

Really, when asking for a spiritual sequel to Rez, you couldn't hope for anything better. The thumping soundtrack and trippy visuals return, with the latter really benefiting from the leap to HD. The plot, for what it's worth, still revolves around shooting viruses to save an AI, this time represented by the beguilingly pretty Lumi. As you fire your way through each stage, visuals and soundtrack blend into a perfect sensual feast, and you'll often find your jaw dropping at some points in a level. Unlike Rez, CoE takes place from a first-person perspective (a hangover from its Kinect origins). As such, if you're playing it on a big enough TV and with a good enough sound system, it can be even more engrossing than its predecessor.

The graphics are an absolute treat throughout; as sky blues bleed into cherry blossom pinks, and colourful explosions fill the screen, every moment feels joyous and vibrant. Thankfully the soundtrack holds its own too, with Tetsuya Mizuguchi showing his usual aptitude for picking incredible tunes to complete the feeling of synesthesia he tries to evoke. Perhaps not as strong as those in Rez, the songs in CoE are still a cut above what you'll find in the majority of gaming soundtracks.

It's difficult to adequately describe Child of Eden without feeling the need to demonstrate it as well; synesthesia styled on-rails shooter doesn't quite seem to do it justice. It's also difficult to describe it without reference to Rez, a trap which I've fallen into constantly while writing this. This wouldn't be a problem if I'd only had a Kinect, and been able to play the game the way it was designed to be played. Played with a pad, it's "merely" an incredible sequel to an incredible game, utterly beautiful, and one of a kind.

Number 8: Portal 2

I was a bit late on the Portal bandwagon. By the time I got a "true" next-gen console this year (The Wii doesn't count, kids) I'd long since missed Valve's The Orange Box, the undisputed star of which was the original Portal. Developed using the Half Life 2 engine, Portal was a quirky and charming puzzle game centered around the use of a level-bending portal gun. It delighted players in 2007, and since then people had been asking for more. Well this year we got more, and it was even better than we could have hoped.

A sequel to Portal could've been an easy thing to put together. Most fans would have settled for a few new levels, maybe a new gimmick or two. It wasn't exactly a formula that would benefit from too many changes. Such a well-balanced game can't be messed with too much, otherwise you risk alienating the existing fan-base while failing to bring anyone new in. Lucky for us, Valve did a fantastic job making Portal 2.

Maintaining the same tight puzzle/shooter mechanics as its predecessor, Portal 2 carries on the darkly comic sci-fi plot with predictable aplomb. You wake up in a decayed Aperture labs, where you soon realise that GlaDOS (the first game's wonderfully cutting AI antagonist) is back in control, and out to avenge her previous defeat. Joined by a bumbling robot sidekick Wheatly, impeccably voiced by Stephen Merchant, you're tasked with solving more devious puzzle rooms with the eponymous portal gun. But of course, the plot is secondary. As with the first, what really matters is the incredibly intuitive and addictive gameplay.

And boy does it not disappoint. From start to finish each puzzle room presents a perfect little challenge, so much so that you'll find yourself saying "just one more" for hours and hours on end. Gimmick-wise Portal 2 adds to the returning cubes, turrets, and pressure pads of the first game. Hard light bridges and anti-grav gel bring an extra mind bending twist to the action, and the single player campaign benefits from it. But it's in the online multiplayer that Portal 2 really shines.

Bringing a whole new set of levels to the mix, the co-op is easily Valve's best addition to Portal 2. The puzzles require you to work together as a team, but that'll quickly go out the window in favour of screwing over your opposite number in as many hilarious ways as possible. Why simply offer them a bridge over a batch of poisonous water when you can take it away while they're half way across it? If you're looking for a theme in this list so far, "fun multiplayer mode" seems to be a good candidate.

Following up on a game as tightly designed and perfectly paced as Portal was never going to be easy, but Valve have made it seem like the most natural thing in the world. At a time when the concept of game sequels is reaching saturation point (have we really had four Assassins Creed titles in as many years?), Portal 2 was a refreshingly creative and enjoyable experience. It never deviates far from its near-perfect source concept, but brings in just enough new content to make it fee necessary. Dare we hope for the same with Portal 3?

Number 9: Frozen Synapse

Seeing this game for the first time, I was in two minds. On the one hand, I love a bit of deep strategy gaming, and the minimalist presentation with its cyberpunk trappings really caught my eye. However, it was a PC/Mac only release, and I had yet to find a game that would run well on my 4-year old Macbook, so I dismissed it as something I'd never have the chance to play. Luckily I eventually read that it would run just fine, and thanks to my pal Kilted Moose I was given a free code for a Steam copy. The next two weeks were a bit of a write-off.

The description "Simultaneous turn-based tactical squad shooter" just rolls off the tongue, but it (sort of) sums Frozen Synapse up. Players take their turns to move their units and fire on the enemy, and when both turns are submitted the action plays out. Players don't have to be on to take turns at the same time, so you can flit between several matches while you wait. You can test out how your tactical moves will play out before submitting them, so a single turn can take hours as you consider all the possible approaches.  As such, games play out over ponderous days, but in the end are over in less than a minute of fast-paced action. There's a hefty single-player campaign for getting used to the game mechanics, but it's in the online multiplayer that the game thrives.

For every mission you're given a number of units, each representing one of the 5 weapon classes: machine gun, shotgun, rockets, grenades, and sniper. These units all have their strengths, weaknesses, and a wide variety of tactical uses. For instance, the shotgun can take out people up close and at speed, so it's perfect for clearing out small rooms; but it's got a limited firing range, so can't hit distant targets. The rocket launcher can be used to destroy walls, and has a large blast radius; but it takes a long time to reload, and the unit is slow moving, so can find itself exposed in a fast-paced game. The balance between the units is part of what makes the game so compelling, and you'll quickly find yourself preferring a tactical approach with one over the others.

Several game modes are included, but most of the time is spent in Dark Extermination, where the opponent's units are hidden unless in your line of sight. It leads to incredibly tense battles, as you nervously approach each corner with caution, and are terrified of making a break across open ground. It's here that the beauty of the unit balance becomes clear, as each player starts with the same randomly generated types, so there's no unfair upper hand. At the end you can view a replay of the battle, and see exactly what your opponent was doing and how they maneuvered around the level. A built in Youtube uploader means you can share battles with the world too. So you can enjoy four different videos of me getting my ass kicked and laugh.

Put simply, Frozen Synapse is an incredibly engrossing and rewarding game. It reminds me of Advance Wars in so many ways: the near-perfect unit balance, a lengthy campaign, endlessly enjoyable multiplayer, wonderful presentation, and addictive as all hell. I don't get the chance to play many strategy games (they rarely work well on consoles), so I was really grateful for this one. If you fancy a game you can find me under Westendweegie, and if you haven't already then I heartily recommend you pick up Frozen Synapse and give it a go.

Number 10: Rayman Origins

It's been a long time since you could legitimately consider a Rayman game to be amongst the best of the year. You'd probably have to go back 16 years to the release of the first game actually. A couple of fairly mediocre 3D sequels followed, before Ubisoft gave up the franchise in favour of releasing an endless stream of Raving Rabbids sequels instead. Which was a shame, because the original Rayman was a bit of a last hurrah for 2D platformers at the time, coming out shortly before Mario 64 arrived to change the genre forever. But thanks in part to Nintendo, 2D platformers have enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years; and Rayman Origins is its masterpiece.

The first thing to consider is just how incredible it looks. Origins harks back to the original's style and character, but gives it the spit and polish it deserved. The term "playable cartoon" hasn't felt so applicable since The Wind Waker, and the variety between the levels is stunning. Not one to fall into the old cliches of your typical fire/ice/desert worlds, here you'll visit lush green forests, dark caverns, and beautiful underwater caves all begging to be explored. But not content with simply being a pleasure to look at, it's an incredibly fun and rewarding game to play. Exploration never feels like a chore, and there's usually something surprising just around the corner. It harks back to the original in terms of its challenge, which can sometimes take you off guard. Levels never feel unfair though: more often than not, with a bit of practice you'll overcome most obstacles.

Oh but I've yet to mention the multiplayer. Co-op inevitably descends into chaos, madness, pure hilarity; and it's what makes the game so brilliant. A lack of internet connectivity means you'll be playing with people sat right next to you, and it's all the better for it. This sort of thing is traditionally Nintendo's territory, seen most recently in New Super Mario Brothers, but for my money this has it beat. It just feels more original, more fun. The wicked sense of humour and delightful visuals help, naturally.

It's funny, in the last couple of years we've had many fantastic 2D platformers, like NSMB, Limbo, Sonic Generations and Kirby's Epic Yarn, but this is easily the best of the lot. It's a genre I'm so happy to see making a comeback, and with such strength too.  Playing Rayman Origins reminded me of why I love videogames in the first place. You can tell Michel Ancel and his team had a lot of fun making it, and that's reflected in just how much fun it is to play. With Sonic and Kirby also flying the 2D flag this year, I'm looking forward to seeing where the genre goes from here.

The Best of 2011

Real life has gotten in the way of blogging over the last couple of months, but I'm going to make up for lost time with a list of my personal top 10 games of the year. Well I say list... what I really mean is a post a day, counting down from ten to one, and another for a wee nod to some of the games that didn't quite make the grade. I just love drawing things out you see. Also, it'll hopefully keep you coming back.

Anyway wow, what a year. Maybe I just haven't been paying attention during this generation of consoles, but there's been an unusually high number of quality games releases this year, especially in the last three or four months. And the range has been fantastic as well. From great sequels in established franchises, to groundbreaking original IP, captivating indie titles, and inventive mobile releases. It's been years since I had so much I've wanted to play, and so little time (or money) to do so. So I did my best, and put this list together straight from my own brain. As such, I'm sure there are plenty of fantastic games I've missed out altogether, simply because I haven't had the chance to play them. I started with a longlist of thirty, and whittling it down was hard enough without having to consider more.

So if you disagree with my choices then great, if you agree then even better! If 2012 proves to be even half as good as this year's been, we'll be lucky.

Call Connect Review

Smartphones are amazing things. Everything from video editing and photography, to internet access and games available on a single device that fits in the palm of your hand. But would you expect some of the most fun you can have on the iPhone to come from a switchboard simulator? Thanks to Call Connect, a new game from Australian developers Walk Through the Clock, you can get a taste of the stressful life of a 1950s telephone operator: probably not high on many people's lists of “dream jobs”, but you might change your mind after this! Taking the form of a fast-paced colour matching puzzler, Call Connect presents you with an intimidating looking switchboard, covered in colour-coded sockets and jacks.

A slow start will ease you in nicely

 A light above a socket will flash when a call is coming through, connect the red jack and a light will flash the corresponding colour for the black jack to connect to. When the call is finished, both sockets will flash, and you tap the jacks to disconnect. Sounds simple enough! And it feels it, at least initially. The game eases you in slowly, throwing you a call at a time, maybe two. The efficiency meter at the top, which indicates how well you're doing, will be a happy yellow, and the score will be increasing steadily. You begin to think you can handle it without problems. But before you know it you'll be facing a wall of tangled cables and flashing sockets, while an angry alarm indicates the meter's sudden slide into the red. Call after call piles up until the switchboard literally explodes under the strain, presumably leaving our hapless operator either injured or in need of a new job.

Oh God how do I even keep track?

 Pacing is key with this game. The first couple of minutes ease you in nicely, and as a result can end up feeling a bit slow. Bonus points are earned by connecting jacks flashing multicoloured, which raises the efficiency meter and can really take off the strain if you're struggling. And you will struggle eventually. It takes a lot of concentration to mentally arrange and keep track of all the calls, and in the end it catches up with you. But, like the best puzzle games, the thought of improving your score, of bettering yourself, drives you to try again and again. The touchscreen control works great, and the way jacks auto-snap into sockets means you never feel as though you have to be 100% accurate with placements. Presentation-wise, Call Connect is lovely. The bright colours and sleek design lend the game a cheery feel, even as your switchboard slides slowly into madness. Everything's clearly indicated, so it's never the fault of the game if you misplace a jack or leave one plugged for too long. The blame can always be laid on your own reflexes, and the limited matching skills of your brain. But it's worth trying again just to see that score go a little higher.

There's an easy mode for the faint-hearted

 At times you can wish there was a bit more to do. Oh sure, it's difficult to imagine what variation can be added to a game about switchboards; but a game like Flight Control (with which this bears a lot of similarity, despite the vast differences you'd imagine exist between playing as a switchboard operator and an air traffic controller) kept players interested with different airfields, each offering a slightly tweeked challenge. Perhaps we can expect something similar from the Walk Through the Clock boys in time. But the bottom line is: Call Connect manages to combine an odd concept, brain bending gameplay, and the “one more go” feeling of the very best puzzle games, and as such it's a winner.

Demo Day!

Yesterday I'll admit to having gotten a little over-excited on the Playstation store, downloading no less than 21 demos for my shiny new PS3. I'm what you could call a late convert to the current-gen: I made the stupid mistake of asking a Wii at launch, using up the last big Christmas present my parents would ever buy me, and consigning myself to a miserable 5 years of WAGGLE while my friends enjoyed their shiny graphics and online functionality. But that's a blog post for another day!

So as soon as I found out the Playstation Store allowed me to download demos of new games, I went a little bit mental with excitement. A fair chunk of my childhood was spent playing the demo discs you used to get with magazines, which gave you a great indication of whether a game would be worth pestering your mum for. I remember playing the Future Cop: LAPD demo with my brother until my eyes nearly melted, trying and retrying to make as much progress as we could before the timer cruelly ended our fun. A bit like an arcade game, only free, and without the reward of actually getting past the first level.

I never even bought it!           Pic courtesy of Gamespot

So there I am, giddy with hope of reliving a small part of my youth, and ready to waste an afternoon. First things first, connect to the store... Well that was easy. Next, search through the demos... Hmm, well the selection isn't great considering the PS3's been out for 5 years, but I mustn't complain! The very idea of downloading stuff straight to a console still seems weirdly futuristic to me, like I've somehow modded it into doing something it shouldn't. So I find a title, click download. I find another! Download that too. And a couple more, let's get them started as well. And I'll stick on Deus Ex while I'm waiting. Christ, the future's brilliant!


Heed this warning: never believe the rubbish Virgin will throw your way when trying to sell you broadband. "You're in an area that will get you super-fast speeds! Unlimited downloads! Give us money you muppet!" After a good 3 hour session on Deus Ex, I quit to find one of my downloads on 5%, and the rest yet to begin. It was then that I looked up Sony's well documented wireless issues, and nearly threw my router out the window. Oh sure, it'll run ok through an ethernet cable, but wireless was crawling along at around 2kb per second. Problem: my ethernet cable is about 2 foot long, and the router is on the opposite end of my flat to the TV. Solution? The following setup.

MADNESS

Yep, that's my PS3 and TV plugged into opposite ends of the house. Don't get me started. Well at least the downloads were actually ticking along now, and before I knew it I was 21 demos better off and wondering why it was suddenly 4 in the morning. Still, plenty to play now. I'll give each one a wee review. Almost none of these demos are particularly new, so don't expect anything interesting if you've already played 'em.

Ghostbusters
I came for the great dialogue and cinematic atmosphere, I left because of the duff controls and dreadful combat. Deleted.

FIFA 12
Exactly the same as FIFA 10, right down to me being crap at it. Deleted.

PES 12
Seemed to consist solely of an unskippable and endless cutscene trumpeting the improvements from the last edition. Deleted without even getting a chance to play it.

Red Baron Arcade
Dogfighting nonsense with the slowest planes this side of a Microsoft Flight Simulator. Deleted.

Blast Factor
Geometry Wars-alike twin stick shooter, which I'm sure could be anywhere between brilliant and horrible if you're into that kind of thing. Deleted.

No More Heroes Paradise
One of the few Wii games I enjoyed made almost unplayably confusing by converting to Dualshock controls. You win this time waggle... Deleted, but I'll probably pick it up if I ever buy a Move controller.

Hoarde
Strange dragon looting sim that wouldn't have looked out of place 15 years ago. Deleted, but at least I played the demo to the end.

Sonic Generations
Initially seems like a fun celebration of Sonic's roots, but is confusing as hell to play at speed. Kind of a problem for a Sonic game. Kept it for another go later.

Limbo
Haunting and beautifully paced, this was the only demo that made me really want to play the full game. Kept because I can't afford to yet!

Eufloria
Bizarre comet-hopping plant colonisation thing, that plays like an iOS game. Hard to describe and I had no idea what was going on. Kept it.

Fat Princess
Ever heard of Team Buddies? Yeah well so have the developers of this game. I could tell this would be fun online, so I kept it.

From Dust
I spent nearly 20 minutes trying to build a land bridge so that a set of whining tribesmen could reach some totem pole, and they wouldn't budge no matter how big it was. Deleted.

NBA Jam
Got torn apart by the computer even on easy. Still not entirely sure why I downloaded this. Deleted.


Heavenly Sword
Looks and plays almost exactly like a PS2 game; Pity that game is God of War. Deleted.

Eat Them!
The mix of cell shaded visuals, comic book style, and Blast Corps approach to destructive gameplay made me more nostalgic than anything else I played today. This one's a keeper.

Chime
Some kind of sideways musical Tetris, which offered no explanation as to what to do before throwing me in. Kept though, because it promised me the chance to remix Orbital tracks if I ever understand it.

Beat Hazard
Keeping this until I actually have some music to play it with.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon
Was having a lot of fun with this until I randomly crashed into a motorway. I'm keeping it.

Marvel Pinball
After 10 minutes of trying to flick a ball into a Sentinal's foot, while a laughably bad Wolverine shouted rubbish like "Be careful what you wish for!" and "WAARGH!" I gave up. Deleted.

MAG
Refused to even start without internet connectivity, and wouldn't let me return to the menu to sort it out, meaning I had to turn off the console. Deleting it was so satisfying. 

MercuryHG
Puzzle game in the Super Monkey Ball mold, which doesn't work properly because the PS3 sticks are twitchier than a paranoid crack addict. Deleted!


Between downloading, installing, and playing all those, as well as writing this post about them, I've wasted around 2 days. This is why I'm not a good role model.

Welcome Back

Ah, after over 2 years I'm back on the blogging scene! Not that you could really count my last contribution (the laughably bad Football Manager review below) as being "on" the scene, so much.

Anyway, hi all you gals and guys reading. I'm Joseph, student journalist and videogames enthusiast. Expect this blog to contain a few reviews, features, opinion pieces, and other assorted rubbish that I want to share. As you'll gather from the title, I'm a gamer, and I'm from Glasgow; a stunning set of circumstances that led to my wildly imaginative name for the blog.

Anyway, more coming soon.