#3 - Borderlands

We’re moving down to the final three cheeses… now presenting, Borderlands. I’m pretty sure i negged this game a lot on my review, and i’m wondering now how it managed to get to third on my list. Generally when i made this list i went for “what games did i enjoy? what games did i have fun in?”, and i just couldn’t help but put Borderlands up somewhere there. Fact of the matter is, i enjoyed the gameplay, i enjoyed the flair, i enjoyed the single-player and i enjoyed car-pushing my mates in co-op. While its small but deeply-rooted flaws came out ever so often, it still managed to produce a well-worth-while experience that had me enjoying it overall. As such, third place goes to Borderlands.

#2 – Mirror’s Edge

Mirror’s Edge just barely placed the 2009 list, seeing how it launched on consoles last year in november, and on PC in early february this year. The game had style, in more ways then one, was an entertaining ride, and showed us there is more unexplored roads to gaming then what we were treated to until now. A first person platformer with sharp and unique visuals made this title stand apart and you can be sure that the next game in the genre that will come out will be noted as “that game that’s like Mirror’s Edge”. It made its mark on gaming history, which is more then i can say for a lot of other games in recent history, save Portal. Mirror’s Edge comes in second place on my 2009 GOTY list.

#1 – Dragon Age: Origins

I don’t know if anyone can doubt this entry but for me atleast, Dragon Age: Origins is a perfect game that i can come home to, and happily open up and play… eventually playing way into the night, then the morning, then wondering where the hell did 12 hours go to. It’s a great RPG, spiritual sequel to the classic Baldur’s Gate series, being one of the best of its kind in recent years, and it’s done just well enough that even casual players can enjoy the story-telling and the combat. There is little i can say against it, most of them being nitpicks and minor things that have been patched by now. The story is nice, the characters are awesome, the combat can be played as you want it and generally the game feels right. Also it is fully moddable and by now i’m sure there are a few groups working hard on new adventures for your battle-hardened-character.

Dragon Age: Origins receives from me the title of  Game of The Year 2009.

~Cosmo