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NeoGAF kicks off a new decade with the 2010 Games of the Year Awards!

About the Voting

• Voting ran from Dec. 19, 2010 to Jan. 9, 2011, 12:00 AM PST.
• 918 ballots were counted
• 364 games were nominated
• View 2010's voting thread here
• The data for this year's voting can be downloaded here
• Find your GAF brothers & sisters using Durante's similarity sheet. Thanks Durante!
• Previous awards threads: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

Notes & Thanks:
This year Cheesemeister wrote a parser to count the votes, so this year we were able to track more stats than ever. Let us know what you like about this year's results and what you want to see next year.
Thanks to ICallItFutile for this year's banner!
Thanks to you for voting!

... and now... Your 2010 NeoGAF Games of the Year!

GAME OF THE YEAR

01. Mass Effect 2 [360][PC] - 1302 points, 6 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Dropping more of its RPG pretenses, it's still a thrilling adrenaline rush from start to finish with some individually well written characters. Which is more than can be said of most RPGs, anyway.

Sure, there's less control over stats and loot, and maybe that's enough to sour some people on the experience, but for me Mass Effect was always about the cinematic journey of my own personal Shepard and the sequel took this premise and managed to elevate it. The ability to interrupt a douchebag by shooting him in the face or kicking him out a window makes all other dialogue trees feel stale by comparison.

Yes, many of the RPG hooks that I loved about the first Mass Effect are missing, but what Bioware added to the formula more than made up for that loss. The squad-based combat was more fluid than ever before, the quests were almost across-the-board epic to the point that even the tertiary ones could stand in as the set pieces for many other games, and the team-building storyline struck a surprising chord. Carrying over your character was done beautifully and thrust you immediately back into the world -- something I've never experienced in a video game. Here's hoping Bioware can carry this momentum into ME3.

02. Red Dead Redemption [360][PS3] - 1174 points, 15 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

It's rare that I am so completely surprised by a game that it rockets from a summer doldrums risk purchase to one of my favorite games of the year. RDR was one of those games and, despite my problems with the cognitive dissonance of some of the mechanics and the story, the core game and the experience it created will probably stay with me long past this year.

A gorgeous, truly immersive love letter to the genre. Excellent characters, voice acting and dialogue. Tons to do. Co-op and multiplayer are just amazing icing on the cake. RockStar's best effort since GTA3 for me, and one game that fits perfectly with their strengths and weaknesses . Everything just fit together so perfectly for me.

It felt like I was playing the Dollars trilogy which is one of my favorite movie series. The game has great atmosphere. I loved riding my horse around in the countryside and desert. I think this has to be one of the few games where I never used fast travel.

03. Super Mario Galaxy 2 [WII] - 904 points, 12 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Utterly fabulous. Nostalgic yet fresh - something Nintendo might as well trademark. I cannot fathom how people managed to complain about having more of an absolutely astounding platformer.

The second biggest surprise of 2010. This game was to me what the original SMG was to a lot of people. I felt SMG held the player's hand too much, especially early on, and it suffered from pacing issues thanks to a confusingly complex and unfun hubworld. SMG2 seemed to run with the notion that SMG was the tutorial, and that now you should be ready for the real thing. The gimmicks are clever, doing things in 3D space that have not been done before, and things that challenge your reflexes in more ways than one. And well, I was pretty happy with the main game, but it was the second 120 stars that makes this the best Mario game. The green stars are all about thinking outside the box and challenging your knowledge of the levels. This is the only 3D Mario game I feel like I would ever like to play to completion again.

04. Bayonetta [360][PS3] - 697 points, 14 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

The Devil May Cry formula perfected. Contains pure concentrated insanity in the best way possible.

It's the best 3D action brawler ever made. In combos, controls, encounters, scoring, weapons, and everything else it is the peak of its genre. Its so, so good.

05. God of War III [PS3] - 588 points, 16 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

While the ending to the God of War trilogy might not have been as fulfilling as some had hoped, Kratos still provides some bloody great action. Never has my jaw been dropped by set pieces as much as when playing God of War III. Epic doesn't begin to describe the campaign, even if it was a little too brief.

The epitome of the God of War experience. A game more brutal than hell and deadly gorgeous.

06. Heavy Rain [PS3] - 568 points, 11 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Some of the most intense gaming moments for me this entire generation. I really cared for the characters, and knowing they could die kept everything interesting. Very unique and awesome experience, even though I could never replay it.

An incredibly flawed story masked by a ridiculous amount of tension. Despite some questionable actions, I was able to empathize with the characters and loved every minute of it. Doesn't really hold up as much on multiple playthroughs, but the first one is always the most important.

07. Halo: Reach [360] - 542 points, 11 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

The latest, and dare i say, greatest halo. despite a shorter then i'd like campaign and some questionable design choices and maps for multiplayer, this is the quintessential halo, an instant classic, and easily my game of the year .

There's not an aspect of this game I didn't like. No, there's not an aspect of this game I didn't adore. Well, maybe armour lock. There's no game this year that has brought me this amount of unbridled joy.

08. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty [PC] - 441 points, 6 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

I used to love RTS games, but now it's rare to find one I like. This one has all that Blizzard polish to make me love it.

Easily the best MP this year and the only game that will still be relevant in 5 years.

09. Super Meat Boy [360][PC] - 396 points, 15 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

The Best platformer ever made since Super Mario Bros 3 . The best and tightest controls ever programmed, ever. The short levels, the quick interface that lets you try again thousands of time without you even noticing it, and has you trying again even after you finished said level just to beat it the best way possible, the music, the style, the humor, everything comes together to make one of the games that i enjoyed the most in my whole life, and a contender for one of my favorite games of this gen.

I HATE THIS GAME. It's really great.

10. Gran Turismo 5 [PS3] - 373 points, 6 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

No game has me as excited to play it both on release day and well into the future as GT5. Feeling the weight of your car shift through a bend, the tires screaming as they maintain grip to the road, and trying to steer a 60s American muscle car has never felt so rewarding. The first few updates were early and fixed a lot of the basic complaints people had. The leveling curve is still weird, but it's a driving simulator and it's a damn good one.

When your racing, it's awesome. When your not, it's punishing.

11. Donkey Kong Country Returns [WII] - 371 points, 7 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Amazing update to a beloved classic, Retro does it again and cements their place as Nintendo's top western dev studio.

With its fresh but faithful 2.5D graphics and music, it's basically what many people wanted New Super Mario Bros. Wii to be. It's artwork in motion; it just so happens to also be one of the most creative and thoroughly challenging platformers of all time.

12. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood [360][PS3] - 371 points, 4 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

The best being a bad ass simulator ever. Every game needs a "Call your shadowy minions to murder that guy" button.

Ubisoft critically mismarketed this game. Going in, I thought that this was a multiplayer sidestory with a short single player campaign. Bzzt, wrong. This is Assassin's Creed 3, it just happens to take place in the same time period as Assassin's Creed 2. They took everything they did right with AC2 and made it better , added new layers, tried new experiments--some successful others not . What amazes me is that the game has literally dozens of mechanics that do nothing. You collect art just to stare at it on walls. You upgrade equipment but you could easily finish the game with starting equipment. You upgrade a city to get money that's not useful for anything. You upgrade assassin trainees that aren't useful for anything. You do side missions that lead to nothing. The platforming Assassin's Tombs / Temples of Romulus lead to nothing. The reward for playing with the games mechanics is the gameplay itself, which is refreshing and fun. If you are looking for a more external reward, you won't find it. The ending cliffhanger is hilarious. The Subject 16 segment probably goes a little far past the "wonderful mystery" territory and into "thinks it is cooler and more compelling than it is" territory, but that was inevitable from the growing confidence of the series. Can't wait for AC3.

13. Fallout: New Vegas [360][PS3][PC] - 349 points, 6 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Putting Fallout back into the hands of the people most capable of getting the most out of it was a no brainer. Obsidian didn't play it as safe as I feared, but they also could have gone a little deeper and darker. Still, it's a refined experience and my favorite game of 2010.

Buggy and ugly as sin. Despite that, this game manages to sink its claws into you and won't let go. A major improvement over Fallout 3, this game reignited my passion for Obsidian RPG's, and I'm eager to see how they'll expand this game.

14. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 [360][PS3][PC] - 328 points, 2 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

People always talk about "WOW" moments in video games, most of the moments they will mention come from a scripted single player experience, . BC2 is full of those moments but they come in a completely unscripted multiplayer setting, and each time its something different. Some of the moments I've experienced with this game were so incredibly intense that afterwards I felt like sitting back and lighting up a cigarette. Combine all that with great graphics, AMAZING sounds, fun gunplay and balanced multi-player and you've got a winner.

Didn't really care for the Single Player much, but that multi-player was fucking amazing. Especially if you had a really good team of people who were all working to complete objectives, the game shines like a diamond... Do diamonds shine?

15. Alan Wake [360] - 325 points, 9 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

The Twin Peaks/Max Payne fanboy in me helped me enjoy this despite it's numerous flaws.

Maybe it's because I live in the middle of Nowhere, PA, but the setting of AW grabbed me like few games have. I really felt like these locations could be real, it all had an organic feel that I loved to venture in. The story kept me involved and I liked the way they set up the hidden pages telling you the story of what was about to play out, there's a lot to dissect here. Pretty simple on the gameplay front and little variety overall, but even by the end I wasn't getting sick of the slowmo headshot you can pull on the last enemy of the group. Brownie points for episode 4 being completely awesome the entire way through.

16. Vanquish [360][PS3] - 325 points, 7 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

The people at Platinum Games are truly amazing. They released 2 games and both deserve a place on everyone's GotY list. Vanquish is the kind of game that becomes more and more enjoyable the more you play it. You'll play it like a regular TPS at first, and that's a mistake, but once you start experimenting with what's possible with the mechanics it provides, you'll be slowing down time to shoot a rocket as it exits the gun barrel of a giant robot, making it blow up in his face before you powerslide and kick him down and emptying your shotgun rounds between his eyes. And that's what it's all about.

Never has a third person shooter felt so alive. The controls are beyond responsive and the battlefield is full of energy, but in Vanquish it never feels like it's out of your control, because the game feels so tight and awesome. This game may look like gears, but that game feels dead compared to it, the pop and cover gameplay has no bushiness in Vanquish's shooter heaven.

17. Super Street Fighter IV [360][PS3] - 306 points, 9 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

A substantial upgrade to the refresh of the fighting genre with Street Fighter 4. 10 more characters, new ultras, new stages, overall balance tweaks, and an improved online have kept this game in my 360 longer than anything this year. While it can be a very frustrating game at times as you lose to your 300th laggy Ryu online those moments where you inch out a win over a neck and neck bout with your opponent more than make up for the bad times you could have.

More of the same, but that "same" is Street Fighter.

18. Final Fantasy XIII [360][PS3] - 260 points, 5 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Easily the game of the year. The combat in the game is absolutely incredible, and the entire experience was like a non-stop roller coaster ride that kept compelling me to move forward.

Stupid and linear, beautiful and addictive

19. Just Cause 2 [360][PS3][PC] - 210 points, 8 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Completely ridiculous, completely over the top, and completely out of it's mind; this game is a shinning example of what happens when you place emphasis on gameplay over narrative in an open world game. Instead of giving you a rich story with believable characters, it does the smart choice of letting the gameplay speak for itself. The amount of items to find, and buildings to destroy is insane. You could potentially spend more than 50+ hours with the game, still barely pass over 50% completion. The world is huge, and you lose yourself completely in it.

Launching a soldier into the sky by tethering him to a gas canister is awesome, and that's probably not even in the top 100 most awesome things you can do in this sandbox with the tools they give you. There's really not much more to say about the game than that, other than maybe that even the missions are fun this time around.

20. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light [360][PS3][PC] - 204 points, 10 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Best new game experience I had all year. I went to a friends house and we had a marathon Co-op session, it was amazing. Going back through the game for high scores and speed runs is extremely satisfying. I've played this game nearly 50 hours and would play it in a second for another Co-op run.

It's like finding something delightful from a parrellel universe where mainstream game development went in a different direction in the mid 90s.

21. Minecraft [PC] - 199 points, 10 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Even in alpha no game gives me more hope for the industry than Minecraft. No other game has quite given me the same sense of satisfaction from exploration to building the world as I see fit. As the game grows into beta and eventually full release I can see Minecraft becoming one of the best games ever made.

A game that challenges your imagination, freaks you out and begs to be explored, all done with a bunch of blocks. Truly a masterpiece, and one of the best games I have ever played. Notch am god.

22. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker [PSP] - 195 points, 3 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

This was a full-blown Metal Gear Solid on a handheld that had little to no sacrifices that effected gameplay. What more could you ask for a handheld game? Great gameplay, story, and some multiplayer to boot.

a flawed masterpiece like all MGS games. So eclectic and funny and weird. Hours went by just listening to the audio cassettes, I love the detail Kojima puts into his games.

23. Limbo [360] - 191 points, 12 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

It has some weaker bits, but it's one of those memorable 'finish in one sitting'-experiences I'd like to see more of.

Simple and elegant, but one of the most powerful media experiences I've had in a long time. Instead of what's presented and told, it's what's only suggested and left up to the users own conclusion - the brutal, dark world of Limbo teases you with its workings and reason, and leaves you with grim curiousity as to why things are the way they are within the game and its narrative. As well, the game's puzzles are smart and well-placed throughout the world, carrying the boy's dark situation along in interesting and compelling ways, never seeming too 'game-y' or there simply for effect.

24. Nier [360][PS3] - 183 points, 2 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Cavia's masterpiece and swan song. Flawed it may be, but Nier is by far my GOTY - a truly unforgettable journey. Containing the best soundtrack and storytelling of the year, Nier is a game that gives more the deeper you dig. Saving many of its most vivid moments for NG+ and beyond worked wonderfully as a narrative/thematic device, but pretty much damned it in the eyes of busy critics hurrying onto their next review assignment. Games are rarely constructed in such an extended format for this very reason - a sad indictment of how journalistic practices retard game design.

One of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Despite lacking the production values of something like Final Fantasy XIII, I found myself enjoying this much more by comparison. Easily the best soundtrack of the year as well, quite possibly of the generation.

25. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies [NDS] - 164 points, 8 honorable mentions

What GAF said:

Dragon Quest games have this je ne sais quoi that, despite the light-hearted plots, tug at my inner child by reminding me of when games used to be amazing worlds where impossible things happen. I won't say that DQIX is the de facto DQ, but it does a lot to renovate the formula without eschewing altogether. It's comfort food for the JRPG connoisseur, but sadly its writing leaves a lot to be desired.

I was skeptical about this series transition to a handheld device, but any doubts I had were quickly erased. This was a charming and fun game from beginning to end.

 

[Cheesemeister]

---------------------
GENRE AWARDS
---------------------
Action Game of the Year: Bayonetta [360][PS3]

2. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker [PSP]
3. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX [360][PS3]
4. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle [WII]
5. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game [360][PS3]


Action-Adventure Game of the Year: Red Dead Redemption [360][PS3]

2. God of War III [PS3]
3. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood [360][PS3]
4. Alan Wake [360]
5. Just Cause 2 [360][PS3][PC]


Adventure Game of the Year: Heavy Rain [PS3]

2. Minecraft [PC]
3. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors [NDS]
4. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth [NDS]
5. Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse [PS3][PC][IOS]


Fighting Game of the Year: Super Street Fighter IV [360][PS3]

2. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars [WII]
3. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift [360][PS3]
4. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 [360][PS3]
5. King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match [360][ARC]


FPS Game of the Year: Halo: Reach [360]

2. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 [360][PS3][PC]
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops [360][PS3][WII][PC]
4. Bioshock 2 [360][PS3][PC]
5. Metro 2033 [360][PC]


Horror Game of the Year: Amnesia: The Dark Descent [PC]

2. Deadly Premonition [360][PS3]
3. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories [PS2][PSP][WII]
4. Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition [360][PS3][PC]
5 (tie). Dementium II [NDS]
5 (tie). Die2Nite [PC]


MMO Game of the Year: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm [PC]

2. MAG [PS3]
3. Final Fantasy XI: Scars of Abyssea [360][PS2][PC]
4. Final Fantasy XIV [PC]
5. Global Agenda [PC]


Platformer Game of the Year: Super Mario Galaxy 2 [WII]

2. Super Meat Boy [360]
3. Donkey Kong Country Returns [WII]
4. Limbo [360]
5. Kirby's Epic Yarn [WII]


Puzzle Game of the Year: Picross 3D [NDS]

2. Angry Birds [IOS][AND]
3. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future [NDS]
4. Pinball FX 2 [360]
5. Cut the Rope [IOS]


Racing Game of the Year: Gran Turismo 5 [PS3]

2. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit [360][PS3]
3. Joe Danger [PS3]
4. Blur [360][PS3][PC]
5. F1 2010 [360][PS3][PC]


Rhythm Game of the Year: Rock Band 3 [360][PS3][NDS][WII]

2. Dance Central [360]
3. Bit.Trip Runner [WII]
4. DJ Hero 2 [360][PS3][WII]
5. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2nd [PSP]


RPG Game of the Year: Mass Effect 2 [360][PC]

2. Fallout: New Vegas [360][PS3][PC]
3. Final Fantasy XIII [360][PS3]
4. Nier [360][PS3]
5. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies [NDS]


Shooter Game of the Year: Vanquish [360][PS3]

2. Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor [WII]
3. Dead Nation [PS3]
4. Espgaluda II: Black Label [360]
5. Dodonpachi Resurrection [360][IOS]


Simulation Game of the Year: Game Dev Story [PC][IOS][AND]

2. Trauma Team [WII]
3. Apache: Air Assault [360][PS3][PC]
4. Out of the Park Baseball 11 [PC]
5. CityVille [PC]


Sports Game of the Year: NBA 2K11 [360][PS2][PSP][PS3][WII]

2. FIFA 11 [360][PS3]
3. Sports Champions [PS3]
4. Kinect Sports [360]
5. MLB 10: The Show [PS3]


Strategy Game of the Year: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty [PC]

2. Civilization V [PC]
2. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 – Chaos Rising [PC]
3. Heroes of Newerth [PC]
4. Carcassonne [IOS]



---------------------
CONSOLE/PC, HANDHELD, and DOWNLOAD-ONLY AWARDS
---------------------
Console/PC Awards

PC Game of the Year: Mass Effect 2
2. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
3. Minecraft
4. Civilization V
5. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm

Playstation 3 Game of the Year: God of War III
2. Heavy Rain
3. Gran Turismo 5
4. Demon's Souls
5. Yakuza 3

Xbox 360 Game of the Year: Mass Effect 2
2. Halo: Reach
3. Alan Wake
4. Limbo
5. Dance Central

Wii Game of the Year: Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Donkey Kong Country Returns
3. Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor
4. Monster Hunter 3: Tri
5. Kirby's Epic Yarn

Multiplatform Game of the Year: Mass Effect 2
2. Red Dead Redemption
3. Bayonetta
4. Super Meat Boy
5. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

Downloadable/DD Game of the Year: Super Meat Boy
2. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
3. Minecraft
4. Limbo
5. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX


Handheld/Mobile Awards

Handheld Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker [PSP] -- 195 points, 3 honorable mentions

A return to form after Guns of the Patriots was so disappointing. This game is classic Kojima.

02. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies [NDS] -- 164 points, 8 honorable mentions

Charming as always and with a lot of content after the ending. I'll be playing this well into 2011.

03. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver [NDS] -- 91 points

Such a nostalgia trip back to my favorite game as a kid.

04. Game Dev Story [MOBILE] -- 73 points, 7 honorable mentions

What was, I thought, to be a quick 5 minute test like most iPhone games, turned into well over 10 hours of gameplay taking my virtual company from rags to riches. An excellent experience.

05. Persona 3 Portable [PSP] -- 65 points, 2 honorable mentions

amazing but true - basically replaying a modified version of a game i'd played only 3 years ago turned out to be as much fun as playing almost everything else this year...

06. Picross 3D [NDS] -- 57 points, 7 honorable mentions

Another forgotten gem, hilariously addictive and original. 100 hours odd later and I'm still loving it

07. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors [NDS] -- 56 points, 4 honorable mentions

I've long hoped that a Chunsoft adventure game would come out in English, and this did not disappoint. Well-structured story, excellent characters, and logical puzzles. The finale was brilliant, a kind of storytelling that could only work in an interactive format. Top-notch localization from Aksys.

08. Angry Birds [MOBILE] -- 55 points, 1 honorable mention

This game is so hilarious. Catapaulting exploding birds at structures seemingly made from dominoes, seeing them topple and marvelling in their mutual destruction is a joy that only a 3-year old knocking down a lego house can feel.

09. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth [NDS] -- 53 points, 7 honorable mentions

While not quite as amazing as the last couple of games, I felt like they did a great job at really beefing up the way investigating in the series works, and the story is the tightest narrative in an Ace Attorney game yet.

10. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep [PSP] -- 53 points, 2 honorable mentions

Best KH gameplay. I'm a huge KH fan and this did not disappoint. So many cool moments, story and gameplay. As always it's a bit cheesy but that's part of the KH's charm.

Handheld Platform Awards

Nintendo DS Game of the Year: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
2. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
3. Picross 3D
4. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
5. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth

Sony PSP Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
2. Persona 3 Portable
3. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
4. God of War: Ghost of Sparta
5. Valkyria Chronicles 2

Mobile Game of the Year: Game Dev Story [IOS][AND]
2. Angry Birds [IOS][AND]
3. Fruit Ninja [IOS]
4. Infinity Blade [IOS]
5. Cut the Rope [IOS]


Handheld Genre Awards

Handheld Action Game of the Year: Fruit Ninja [MOBILE]
2. WarioWare D.I.Y. [NDS]
3. Patchwork Heroes [PSP]

Handheld Action-Adventure Game of the Year: God of War: Ghost of Sparta [PSP]
2. Okamiden [NDS]
3. X-Scape [NDS]

Handheld Adventure Game of the Year: 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors [NDS]
2. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth [NDS]
3. Last Window: The Secret of Cape West [NDS]

Handheld Fighting Game of the Year: Photo Dojo [NDS]
2. Ikkitousen: Xross Impact [PSP]

Handheld FPS Game of the Year: Rage: Mutant Bash TV [MOBILE]

Handheld Horror Game of the Year: Dementium II [NDS]

Handheld Platformer Game of the Year: Shantae: Risky's Revenge [NDS]
2. Aura Aura Climber [NDS]
3. Alice in Wonderland DS [NDS]

Handheld Puzzle Game of the Year: Picross 3D [NDS]
2. Angry Birds [MOBILE]
3. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future [NDS]

Handheld Racing Game of the Year: Loopop Cube: Loop * Salad Portable: Matatabi [PSP]

Handheld Rhythm Game of the Year: Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2nd [PSP]
2. DJ Max Portable 3 [PSP]

Handheld RPG Game of the Year: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies [NDS]
2. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver [NDS]
3. Persona 3 Portable [PSP]

Handheld Shooter Game of the Year: Who's That Flying?! [PSP]
2. Geometry Wars: Touch [MOBILE]

Handheld Simulation Game of the Year: Game Dev Story [MOBILE]

Handheld Sports Game of the Year: Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip! [PSP]
2. Inazuma 11 3 [NDS]

Handheld Strategy Game of the Year: Carcassonne [MOBILE]
2. Starship Defense [NDS]
3. The Eye of Judgment: Legends [PSP]


Download-Only Awards

Digital Distribution Game of the Year: Super Meat Boy [360][PC]
02. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light [360][PS3][PC]
03. Minecraft [PC]
04. Limbo [360]
05. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX [360][PS3]
06. VVVVVV [PC]
07. Game Dev Story [MOBILE]
08. Angry Birds [MOBILE]
09. Costume Quest [360][PS3]
10. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game [360][PS3]

 

[timetokill]

... ADDITIONAL AWARDS

Widespread Appeal Award
The top 20 games ranked by number of appearances in ballots.

01. Mass Effect 2 - 467
02. Red Dead Redemption - 423
03. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 321
04. Bayonetta - 271
05. God of War III - 264
06. Heavy Rain - 262
07. Halo: Reach - 249
08. Super Meat Boy - 190
09. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty - 180
10. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood - 168
11. Alan Wake - 166
12. Vanquish - 162
13. Donkey Kong Country Returns - 161
14. Gran Turismo 5 - 156
15. Fallout: New Vegas - 153
16. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - 153
17. Final Fantasy XIII - 135
18. Super Street Fighter IV - 132
19. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light - 116
20. Limbo - 111


Passion Award
The top 20 games ranked by quantity of scores of "4" awarded in ballots.

01. Mass Effect 2 - 128
02. Red Dead Redemption - 123
03. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 104
04. Bayonetta - 64
05. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty - 43
06. God of War III - 31
07. Gran Turismo 5 - 27
08. Heavy Rain - 25
08. Halo: Reach - 25
10. Super Street Fighter IV - 20
11. Fallout: New Vegas - 19
12. Super Meat Boy - 16
13. Donkey Kong Country Returns - 15
13. Alan Wake - 15
13. Minecraft - 15
16. Vanquish - 13
17. Nier - 12
18. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood - 11
18. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - 11
18. Just Cause 2 - 11
18. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - 11


Best New IP Award
The top 20 games that do not belong to a preexisting franchise.

01. Bayonetta
02. Heavy Rain
03. Super Meat Boy
04. Vanquish
05. Alan Wake
06. Minecraft
07. Limbo
08. Nier
09. Darksiders
10. Demon's Souls
11. Alpha Protocol
12. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
13. Deadly Premonition
14. VVVVVV
15. Game Dev Story
16. Resonance of Fate
17. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
18. Metro 2033
19. Dance Central
20. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors


High Quality Award
The Top 20 games with at least 10 appearances, ranked by Average Points per Appearance

01. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 2.82
02. Mass Effect 2 - 2.79
03. Red Dead Redemption - 2.78
04. Mount & Blade: Warband - 2.67
05. Demon's Souls - 2.63
06. Bayonetta - 2.57
07. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty - 2.45
08. Gran Turismo 5 - 2.39
09. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories - 2.36
10. Super Street Fighter IV - 2.32
11. Nier - 2.32
12. Donkey Kong Country Returns - 2.30
13. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift - 2.29
14. Monster Hunter 3: Tri - 2.29
15. Fallout: New Vegas - 2.28
16. Monday Night Combat - 2.25
17. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - 2.24
18. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors - 2.24
19. God of War III - 2.23
20. Minecraft - 2.21


Seal of Quality Award

The top 10 Publishers for the year, based on total number of points for all their titles.

01. Nintendo - 1980 points, 54 honorable mentions, 27 titles
02. EA - 1892 points, 32 honorable mentions, 16 titles
03. Sony - 1827 points, 50 honorable mentions, 24 titles
04. Sega - 1450 points, 50 honorable mentions, 21 titles
05. Rockstar - 1224 points, 18 honorable mentions, 3 titles
06. Microsoft - 1214 points, 52 honorable mentions, 14 titles
07. Square-Enix - 747 points, 21 honorable mentions, 12 titles
08. Capcom - 730 points, 33 honorable mentions, 15 titles
09. Blizzard - 577 points, 10 honorable mentions, 2 titles
10. Ubisoft - 526 points, 20 honorable mentions, 11 titles



-------------------------
NeoGAF 2010 VOTER CENSUS
-------------------------
Voting Data
# of Ballots: 918
# of Games Receiving Points: 336
# of Votes: 7944
# of Points Allocated: 16810


Exclusivity Data
The following data attempts to give a rough picture of how many ballots leaned heavily exclusive to one platform holder or another.
Data is presented as: % of ballots (raw number)

>50% Sony Exclusive: 8.93% (82)
>80% Sony Exclusive: 0.87% (8)
100% Sony Exclusive: 0.44% (4)

>50% Nintendo Exclusive: 9.80% (90)
>80% Nintendo Exclusive: 1.42% (13)
100% Nintendo Exclusive: 0.65% (6)

>50% Microsoft Exclusive: 1.63% (15)
>80% Microsoft Exclusive: 0.0% (0)
100% Microsoft Exclusive: 0.0% (0)

>50% PC Exclusive: 2.72% (25)
>80% PC Exclusive: 0.65% (6)
100% PC Exclusive: 0.22% (2)

>50% Multiplatform Exclusive: 62.75% (576)
>80% Multiplatform Exclusive: 8.06% (74)
100% Multiplatform Exclusive: 1.96% (18)

% of ballots with at least one Sony exclusive: 60.68% (557)
% of ballots with at least one Nintendo exclusive: 51.96% (477)
% of ballots with at least one Microsoft exclusive: 45.53% (418)
% of ballots with at least one PC exclusive: 43.03% (395)
% of ballots with at least one Multiplatform game: 96.95% (890)

Microsoft exclusive titles nominated: 8.79% (32)
Nintendo exclusive titles nominated: 18.41% (67)
Sony exclusive titles nominated: 16.21% (59)
PC exclusive titles nominated: 18.68% (68)
Multiplatform exclusives title nominated: 31.87% (116)
Apple exclusive titles nominated: 4.40% (16)
Arcade exclusive titles nominated: 1.37% (5)



Region Data
Where were GAF's favorite games developed, regionally?*
Data is presented as: % of votes (raw number)

Regional Vote Distribution
North America: 34.82% (2766)
Europe: 20.91% (1661)
Asia: 26.41% (2099)
Australia: 0.24% (19)

Regional Point Distribution
North America: 36.55% (6144)
Europe: 19.04% (3201)
Asia: 26.92% (4527)
Australia: 0.24% (30)

Regional Nomination Distribution
North America: 33.52% (122)
Europe: 26.37% (96)
Asia: 37.93% (139)
Australia: 1.92% (7)

*note: For these purposes, Australia includes New Zealand, and Asia includes Japan and South Korea.



Digital Distribution Frequency
Data pertaining to the number of digitally distributed (download-only) titles were voted on.
Data is presented as % of ballots, (raw number)

Ballots containing at least one download-only title: 62.2% (571)
Appearances of download-only titles: 13.95% (1108)
Points allocated to download-only titles: 11.68% (1963)


Ballot Length Distribution
The number of entries per ballot.
Data is presented as: % of ballots (raw number)

10 titles: 68.19% (626)
9 titles: 3.38% (31)
8 titles: 4.90% (45)
7 titles: 4.03% (37)
6 titles: 4.03% (37)
5 titles: 7.30% (67)
4 titles: 3.27% (30)
3 titles: 2.83% (26)
2 titles: 1.31% (12)
1 title: 0.76% (7)

 

[Cheesemeister]

-----------
ALL RESULTS
-----------

1. Mass Effect 2 1302
2. Red Dead Redemption 1174
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 904
4. Bayonetta 697
5. God of War III 588
6. Heavy Rain 568
7. Halo: Reach 542
8. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty 441
9. Super Meat Boy 396
10. Gran Turismo 5 373
11. Donkey Kong Country Returns 371
12. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood 371
13. Fallout: New Vegas 349
14. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 328
15. Alan Wake 325
16. Vanquish 325
17. Super Street Fighter IV 306
18. Final Fantasy XIII 260
19. Just Cause 2 210
20. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light 204
21. Minecraft 199
22. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker 195
23. Limbo 191
24. Nier 183
25. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies 164
26. Darksiders 156
27. Civilization V 156
28. Call of Duty: Black Ops 150
29. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 149
30. Dead Rising 2 147
31. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX 145
32. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm 136
33. BioShock 2 136
34. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 125
35. Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor 122
36. Demon's Souls 113
37. Alpha Protocol 108
38. Amnesia: The Dark Descent 100
39. Deadly Premonition 98
40. Monster Hunter 3: Tri 96
41. Yakuza 3 91
42. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver 91
43. Kirby's Epic Yarn 74
44. VVVVVV 73
45. Game Dev Story 73
46. Resonance of Fate 71
47. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle 71
48. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West 71
49. Mafia II 70
50. Rock Band 3 66
51. Persona 3 Portable 65
52. Metroid: Other M 65
53. Metro 2033 64
54. Dance Central 58
55. Picross 3D 57
56. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors 56
57. Angry Birds 55
58. NBA 2K11 55
59. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep 53
60. 3D Dot Game Heroes 53
61. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth 53
62. Costume Quest 52
63. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat 51
64. FIFA 11 45
65. MAG 45
66. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars 45
67. God of War: Ghost of Sparta 44
68. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future 42
69. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey 41
70. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game 41
71. Joe Danger 40
72. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 39
73. Goldeneye 007 39
74. Valkyria Chronicles 2 39
75. Sports Champions 38
76. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction 36
77. Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse 35
78. Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale 35
79. Sonic Colors 34
80. Fable III 34
81. Mount & Blade: Warband 32
82. Blur 32
83. Cave Story 32
84. Ys Seven 31
85. Kinect Sports 31
86. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City 31
87. Dead Nation 31
88. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 – Chaos Rising 30
89. Mega Man 10 30
90. MLB 10: The Show 30
91. Assassin's Creed II 29
92. Monday Night Combat 27
93. Bit.Trip Runner 27
94. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories 26
95. Trauma Team 23
96. F1 2010 23
97. Ys: The Oath in Felghana 20
98. Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare 19
99. Football Manager 2011 19
100. Medal of Honor 19
101. Phantasy Star Portable 2 17
102. Heroes of Newerth 16
103. Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip 16
104. Fruit Ninja 16
105. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 16
106. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge 16
107. Mod Nation Racers 16
108. Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition 15
109. Espgaluda II: Black Label 15
110. Dodonpachi Resurrection 15
111. Hydro Thunder Hurricane 15
112. Epic Mickey 15
113. Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City 14
114. Transformers: War for Cybertron 14
115. WarioWare D.I.Y. 14
116. Lost Planet 2 14
117. Red Steel 2 14
118. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 14
119. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands 14
120. Singularity 13
121. Patchwork Heroes 13
122. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening 13
123. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd 12
124. Infinity Blade 12
125. DJ Hero 2 12
126. Golden Sun: Dark Dawn 12
127. Two Worlds II 11
128. Deathsmiles 11
129. Infinite Space 11
130. Split Second: Velocity 11
131. Pinball FX 2 11
132. Carcassonne 11
133. Snoopy Flying Ace 11
134. Pokemon Black/White 10
135. Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent 10
136. Last Window: The Secret of Cape West 10
137. NHL 11 10
138. Cut the Rope 10
139. Umineko no Naku Koro ni: Chiru 9
140. The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom 9
141. Crackdown 2 9
142. Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman 9
143. The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom 9
144. Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 9
145. Dante's Inferno 9
146. After Burner Climax 9
147. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days 8
148. Shantae: Risky's Revenge 8
149. Tales of Monkey Island 8
150. Atelier Rorona: Alchemist of Arland 8
151. Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light 8
152. Shatter 8
153. DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue 8
154. Toki Tori 8
155. Europa Universalis 3: Divine Wind 7
156. Perfect Dark 7
157. Castlevania: Harmony of Despair 7
158. Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom 7
159. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa 7
160. Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead 7
161. Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing 7
162. Super Scribblenauts 7
163. Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi 6
164. Transformice 6
165. Divinity II: Dragon Knight Saga 6
166. Final Fantasy XI: Scars of Abyssea 6
167. Sleep is Death (Geisterfahrer) 6
168. Toy Soldiers 6
169. Chime 6
170. Starship Defense 6
170. Desktop Dungeons 6
172. Skate 3 6
173. Star Ocean: The Last Hope International 6
174. NBA Jam 6
175. Shank 6
176. Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes 6
177. Super Crate Box 6
178. Bejeweled 3 6
179. White Knight Chronicles 6
180. Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes 5
181. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2nd 5
182. Back to the Future: The Game 5
183. R.U.S.E. 5
184. Xenoblade 5
185. Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition 5
185. Kinect Adventures 5
187. Puzzle Quest 2 5
188. Half-Minute Hero 5
189. Dark Void 5
190. Final Fantasy XIV 5
191. Cladun: This is an RPG 5
192. Tumble 5
193. Star Ruler 4
194. King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match 4
194. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions 4
194. Yakuza 4 4
194. Apple Jack 4
194. Frozen Synapse 4
194. Inazuma 11 3 4
200. Deathsmiles II 4
201. Spelunker HD 4
202. Apache: Air Assault 4
203. Trajectile 4
203. Supreme Commander 2 4
205. Photo Dojo 4
206. Dead Rising 2: Case Zero 4
207. Arc Rise Fantasia 4
208. Digital: A Love Story 4
209. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem 4
210. Napoleon: Total War 4
211. Alien Swarm 4
212. Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love 3
213. Specter Spelunker Shrinks 3
213. Solomon's Keep 3
213. Terminator Salvation 3
213. Tales of Graces F 3
213. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective 3
213. Fractal 3
213. NecroVisioN: Lost Company 3
213. Hypership Out of Control 3
221. Star Wolves 3: Civil War 3
221. Okamiden 3
221. James Bond 007: Blood Stone 3
221. White Album 2: Introductory Chapter 3
221. Tomena Sanner 3
221. The Eye of Judgment: Legends 3
221. Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam 3
221. Art Style: Light Trax 3
221. AlphaBounce 3
221. Hero Core 3
221. Global Agenda 3
221. Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 3
233. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 3
234. Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess 3
235. Ivy the Kiwi? 3
235. Flotilla: Orbital Battleship Maneuvers 3
237. Out of the Park Baseball 11 3
238. Start the Party 3
239. Fluidity 3
240. Senko no Ronde: Dis-United Order 3
240. Coconut Dodge 3
242. Helsing's Fire 3
243. Madden NFL 11 3
244. Space Invaders Infinity Gene 3
245. Robot Unicorn Attack 2
246. Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon 2
246. Akai Katana 2
248. Football Manager Handheld 2011 2
248. The Precursors 2
248. Zen Bound 2 2
248. Aura Aura Climber 2
248. Blood Bowl: Legendary Edition 2
248. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation 2
254. Singstar Dance 2
254. Rig 'n' Roll 2
254. Spotto! 2
254. Who's That Flying?! 2
254. Trinity Universe 2
254. Ikkitousen: Xross Impact 2
254. CityVille 2
254. Arcania: Gothic 4 2
254. Epic Dungeon 2
254. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock 2
254. Frogatto & Friends 2
265. Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter 2
265. Radiant Historia 2
265. Metal Slug XX 2
265. Shiren the Wanderer 2
265. Vector Tower Defense 2
265. The Fight: Lights Out 2
265. Söldner-X 2: Final Prototype 2
265. City of Heroes: Going Rogue 2
265. Chaos Rings 2
265. Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame 2
265. Def Jam Rapstar 2
265. Loopop Cube: Loop * Salad Portable: Matatabi 2
265. Die2Nite 2
265. Dementium II 2
279. Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon 2
280. NCAA Football 11 2
281. Worms: Reloaded 2
281. A Shadow's Tale 2
283. Touhou 12.8 The Great Fairy Wars 2
283. The Whispered World 2
283. Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2
286. X-Scape 1
286. DJ Max Portable 3 1
288. Aliens vs. Predator 1
289. Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown 1
289. Tilt to Live 1
289. Auditorium 1
292. Sega Racing Classic 1
292. Pop Island: Paperfield 1
292. Hexyz Force 1
292. Thexder Neo 1
292. Zuma Blitz 1
292. Umineko no Naku Koro ni: Majo to Suiri no Rondo 1
292. Tropico 3: Absolute Power 1
292. Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Force 1
292. Blade Kitten 1
292. And Yet It Moves 1
292. Dinner Date 1
292. Hearts of Iron III: Semper Fi 1
292. Guwange 1
292. Elemental: War of Magic 1
306. Just Dance 2 1
306. Hustle Kings 1
306. HoopWorld 1
306. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 1
306. The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces 1
306. Runaway: A Twist of Fate 1
306. Crimzon Clover 1
306. Beat Sketcher 1
306. Alice in Wonderland DS 1
306. Hacker Evolution 1
306. Golden Tee 2011 1
306. Crystal War 1
318. Modern Conflict 1
318. The Infinite Ocean 1
318. Zangeki no Reginleiv 1
318. Dark Void Zero 1
318. Endless Ocean 2: Blue World 1
318. Hydrophobia 1
324. Rage: Mutant Bash TV 1
324. Pix'n Love Rush 1
324. One Chance 1
324. Victoria 2 1
324. Steins;Gate 1
324. Samurai Warriors 3 1
324. Ni no Kuni: The Jet Black Mage 1
324. Goldeneye: Source 1
324. Geometry Wars: Touch 1
324. Another Century's Episode: R 1
324. MovieCat 1
324. Making History 2: The War of the World 1
324. Iron Roses 1

 

[timetokill]

As a reminder, please let us know what you liked about this year's results and stats and what you'd like to see next year. Thanks again GAF!

 

[Cheesemeister]

Whew! =P

 

[Solo]

Mass Effect 2?

Fuck you, GAF!

 

[GhaleonQ]

Barf!

NEOGAF DOES NOT VALUE WHAT I VALUE IN VIDEO GAMES?! I AM SHOCKED.

Good job, you 2.

There's arguably a discernible point-of-view (my only criterion for a good list), so that's good.

 

[TacticalFox88]

This was a pretty great year. Only one I disagree heavily with is the FPS. That belongs to BC2.

I loved every second of Mass Effect 2. I don't care what the haters say, I played it for the story, while not good on the surface still kept me wanting more, which is more to say than about other RPGs.

 

[brandonh83]

Mass Effect 2?

Fuck you, GAF!

ME2 winning is okay. Heavy Rain being #6 isn't.

Great job, those of you who ran this thing. Awesome work.

 

[CrushDance]

Great awards. GAF voted wonderfully.

 

[Brinbe]

Awesome job, great to see the results.

 

[LosDaddie]

Nice!

I have no problem with a true gem like ME2 winnng GotY. And I'm happy to see Halo Reach get some love

 

[WJD]

Good choices GAF!

 

[ULTROS!]

I'm just glad Bayonetta and Heavy Rain had won their respective genre awards.

 

[seat]

I'm very happy ME2 won. It deserved the title.

 

[Leunam]

No worst game of the year?

Great job on the thread.

 

[Dilli666]

Wow! Great summary of the votes

 

[ultron87]

Kick ass job on the OP guys. I love all the stats. (And you picked two of my quotes )

ME2 is no surprise. Not my choice, but I don't want to fight about it anymore.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 being a rather strong third was really surprising to me. As was Donkey Kong Country. Guess you can't count those Wii games out.

Starcraft 2 being in the top ten was all I really wanted.

 

[perryfarrell]

GAF has great taste, and excellent vote-counters! Thanks for your hard work!

 

[Snuggles]

Mass Effect 2?

Fuck you, GAF!

Didn't you say you were gonna exile yourself from the Gaming side if ME2 wins? Your word is your word, bro, do I need to show you the way out?


Anyways, it's not quite my personal GOTY, but I don't think it's wrong. It was a great game and I probably would have ranked it much higher if I didn't lean towards the games I've played more recently. I had my disappointments with the game, but it doesn't get enough credit for all the improvements it made. The game is worthy, for sure.

The only surprise is Heavy Rain in the top 10. I saw quite a few vote for it, but considering how it's talk about around here, you wouldn't think that many people are fond of it. My biggest disappointment is seeing Dead Rising 2 at 30. It was a blast to play and a great sequel but it seems to have already been forgotten about.

 

[MYE]

So, Mass Effect 2 huh?

hmmmmm......okay :/

 

[pizzapizza64]

Great job to everyone who compiled all of this!

I'm fairly proud to have been a part of the list minus Heavy Rain being in the top 10, but opinions are opinions.

It's really cool that Bayonetta and Super Meat Boy finished so high!

 

[LongDongJunon]

 

[jetjevons]

Surprised Amensia dominated horror. Shattered Memories was pretty awesome.

 

[BeeDog]

Don't really mind the list at all, even though ME2 personally wasn't my GoTY (it was on 5th place, I think). Pretty good year all around!

EDIT: oh sweet, noticed you quoted my mini-review of New Vegas. Thanks!

 

[Regulus Tera]

SIN AND PUNISHMENT 2 WAS ROBBED

Now to read the OP.

 

[GhaleonQ]

No worst game of the year?

Great job on the thread.

The race among Heavy Rain and Final Fantasy XIII and XIV would arguably be just as thrilling as this one.

 

[Grisby]

Woo! ME2! "I'm Commander Shepard and this was Neogaf's game of the year for 2010!"

Good selection Gaffers, can't really disagree with the picks.

 

[CitizenCope]

Good job GAF. Never got around to voting but my votes would not have been much different.

 

[Empty]

well at least vanquish got in the top 25. i'm sure it'll get more traction now the game is dirt cheap. high quality award is interesting, would galaxy 2 have placed above the other two if the wii was owned by as many people on this forum as the hd consoles, or is it that the game/genre is a love it or hate it type thing.

oh and nice work timetokill and cheesemeister.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Surprised to see Bayonetta so high on the list.

Also, shouldn't Heavy Rain be ranked -100?

 

[Datwheezy]

ME2??

Damn you people. :lol

That being said, excellent job on the list like always. This is what I consider the definitive list every year

 

[Phaethon0017]

MASS EFFECT!!

That info is amazing, great job on the results.

 

[Solo]

Didn't you say you were gonna exile yourself from the Gaming side if ME2 wins? Your word is your word, bro, do I need to show you the way out?

I said I might have to, now MEET ME SOMEWHERE

 

[Durante]

Not a bad list, but Alpha Protocol could be higher.

Surprised and pleased that Nier managed to squeeze into the top 25.

 

[PasteyMF]

Heroes of Newerth was robbed.

 

[seady]

Expected Mass Effect 2 will win.
My #2 choice due to extremely weak main plot and behind Red Dead Redemption. But it's still good to see my top 2 games are in the top. My 3rd (Dragon Quest IX) is barely made it and way down at #25.

Surprise Bayonetta is so high.

 

[WrenchNinja]

RPG Game of the Year: Mass Effect 2 [360]

I am honestly surprised.

 

[jj984jj]

2010 was a good year and it'll be hard to top, though it does look like 2011 will really try to do it.

 

[jetjevons]

Also Just Dance 2 got 1 point.

GAF ≠ Rest of the world.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Holy shy one of my quotes made it in. D:


It's like I'm part of GAF now.

 

[Guevara]

1. Mass Effect 2 1302
6. Heavy Rain 568
15. Alan Wake 325

GAF cares more about story than game play sometimes.

 

[GregLombardi]

Heroes of Newerth was robbed.

I agree, it is an infinitely better game than Starcraft 2 for sure.

 

[nelsonroyale]

ME 2 eh? It was enjoyable , but in the end I found it somewhat unsatisfying. The story felt loosely held together, and the combat system is average. As an SP experience, I probably found it weaker than the first game. Mainly due to the structure of the narrative, it just felt too disconnected.

The experience didn't impress me nearly as much as 2009s winner.

 

[dark_inferno]

Facepalm

ME2 NGGOTY?

The rest is okay (besides FF13 maybe).

 

[Version 3.0]

Incredible job with all the stats, guys. And great presentation! Best GOTY thread ever.

Pretty darn good roundup of games, too. Heavy Rain sticks out like vomit in the buffet, but otherwise, yummy.

 

[Tain]

GAF cares more about story than game play sometimes.

six points for ketsui, lol.

Of the realistic contenders for top slot, I'm pretty okay with ME2 getting it. Sad to see Heavy Rain so high, though! Incredible breakdown.

 

[adamsapple]

Shepard

 

[Glix]

Great job guys. You put a lot of work into this and it shows.

It is appreciated.

GAF, you had good taste this year. (although Picross3D should be goty!)