The Score - Cool Springs, TN

The Score’s Best Games of Q1 2010

What a quarter! Historically, and even last year, January through March is not a friendly time for gamers looking for new games to play. But this year, developers loaded up the first quarter to try to avoid competing against Modern Warfare 2 during a busy 2009 holiday season. The result? There is absolutely no shortage of stunning video game entertainment to be had, regardless of system or personal genre preference.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Star Trek Online (PC); Mega Man 10 (Wii VC, XBLA, PSN), WarioWare DIY (DS), Just Cause 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC), Yakuza 3 (PS3)

10. BioShock 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

BioShock 2 is more of the same great gameplay we loved from the first release in the series, but doesn’t expound upon it further in the sequel or take the franchise in any new and interesting directions. Still, for fans of the original or those looking for an atmospheric morality tale will find it with BioShock 2, a game that in the first quarter of last year would’ve easily been at the top of the list.

9. No More Heroes 2 (Wii)

This is a gamer’s video game – pervasive homages to 80’s era retro gaming mixed in with a chaotic, violent storyline centered around anti-hero Travis Touchdown. The No More Heroes franchise continues to turn the Wii’s lack of graphical horsepower from a liability into an asset by creating a gameplay experience that celebrates fun, addictive gameplay over pretty scenery. Gamers looking for something new and different and engaging for the new-release-starved Wii have got it right here.

8. Bayonetta (Xbox 360, PS3)

Every so often, there’s a game that slides by, completely and totally off the radar of the gaming mainstream that’s focused on the biggest releases of the time. Last year, Demon’s Souls and DJ Hero were two of these types of games – underappreciated and almost completely ignored, except by those that didn’t and lived to rave about these titles. This year, Bayonetta kicks off our unofficial “Under the Radar” list with an action title rivaling the God of War series, both in its graphical over-the-top style and the tight gameplay mechanics that make the game hard to put down. It’s actually kind of remarkable this isn’t the best action game released in the last three months – definitely worth purchasing by gamers who enjoy the genre.

7. Resonance of Fate (Xbox 360, PS3)

A brutal learning curve guards the gate between the vast video gaming populace and a remarkably strategic and rewarding role-playing experience. Developer Tri-Ace doesn’t sacrifice graphics and character development either, with both rivaling that of the famed Final Fantasy series. In fact, some might question whether Resonance of Fate should switch places in this list with the latest Square Enix epic – yeah, it’s that good.

6. God of War 3 (PS3)

This is what we’ve been waiting for – the phenomenal ending to the phenomenal God of War trilogy. Awe-inspiring visuals, including excellent camera work, complement the series’ typically sharp gameplay mechanics and help define what an action game should and can be. This is sheer entertainment at such a high level, some might mistake it for Mount Olympus.

5. Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, PS3)

Epic in scope, this iteration of Final Fantasy evolves the series into a true current-generation role playing experience. With what might be the finest graphics of any console game ever, and a memorable soundtrack to accompany Square Enix’s typical fierce storytelling, gamers need to plan on setting some serious time aside for yet another masterpiece in the franchise.

4. MLB 10: The Show (PS3)

The best baseball video game ever made, hands down.

3. Heavy Rain (PS3)

Take a Choose Your Own Adventure book (remember those?), dress it in fully M-for-Mature themes and situations, and set it on a base of clever murder-mystery detective gameplay and you’ve got Heavy Rain for the PlayStation 3. This game will undoubtedly be discussed for years to come for blurring the line between game and movie, creating an undeniably emotional experience that branches into over 30 different endings, and singlehandedly progressing the entire video game industry further.

2. Battlefield Bad Company 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

If you’re looking for a better single-player campaign than Modern Warfare 2, and a significantly better multiplayer experience, then here it is. The ability to spawn on squad members, the construction of some truly fantastic maps around the game’s wide variety of vehicles, and the pitch-perfect tuning of character classes help BBC2 lay claim to being the best first-person-shooter we’ve ever played.

1. Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

This is a magnificent work of science fiction, all wrapped up in a shooter/RPG hybrid that’s a ton of fun to play and explore. The game’s insistence on making hard choices brings the player deeper into an incredible world, fully realized with top-notch Hollywood voice acting and a stellar soundtrack. EA has raised the bar: Mass Effect 2 is going to be a tough one to beat for 2010’s Game of the Year.