2010 at a glance: seraph's top 10 video games

Another year passed in my gaming calendar, and for some reason the titles I've played this year has increased significantly compared to 2009, partly because of the increase release of PS3 titles that were relevant to my interest. To sum up the year, I listed out my top 10 favorite games among those I've played this year:

10. Bayonetta

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Developer: Platinum Games
Genre: Action
Release Date: January 2010

Comments: A game that can be finished within a day. If you think Devil May Cry 4 is cool, then give Bayonetta a thought, because you'd probably find the same enjoyment in Bayonetta. I personally prefer DMC4 for the coolness factor and "more logical" approach (kinda hard to explain here), but Bayonetta is definitely not far off behind, with addition of stuff like Witch Time, and the torture moves which made the game more enjoyable. Kinda nice music too.

9. Final Fantasy XIII

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Developer: Square Enix
Genre: JRPG
Release Date: March 2010

Comments: I love the battle system - the paradigm shift, fast-paced combat, the crystarium upgrade...but there's one thing that I despise about the game - linear, totally plot-driven with no freedom to explore whatsoever until chapter 10. The quests that opens on chapter 11 onward kinda make up for these, but I really think the Square-Enix was trying too hard with the overcomplicated terms and linearity in the early-mid game.

8. Sengoku Basara 3

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3, Wii
Developer: Capcom
Genre: hack-and-slash, action adventure
Release Date: October 2010

Comments: Sengoku Basara, now in 7th-Gen console. Some returning familiar characters, some new characters, but there's no one with similar skillsets. The combat mechanisms looks smoother than its predecessor, with combo and basara attacks improved. There are also multiple story routes available to each characters, as well as unlockable costumes. It's kinda disappointing that the same stage has little to no difference between one character to another, hence repeating the same mission/stage can be a bit...dull.

7. Fifa 11

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Developer: Electronic Art
Genre: Sports
Release Date: September 2010

Comments: In term of gameplay, there's not much difference between FIFA11 and FIFA10, and they're friggin awesome. But FIFA11 comes with much improvement in other areas: more realistic Career mode, better options and settings, and recently, the addition of interesting feature, The Ultimate Team. Though, the improved Career Mode can be a pain in the butt because just like in real world, it's REALLY hard to improve a league 2 club of English League into a 5-star team.

6. Vanquish

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Developer: Platinum Games
Genre: Third person shooter
Release Date: October 2010

Comments: Fast games, and quick to finish too (8 hours average playtime). I'm not really a fan of third-person shooter games, I do like Gears of Wars series. Hence when I sawVanquish's trailer, which resembles a bit with GoW , I decided to give the game a try, and after finishing it, I was pretty satisfied with the game. The speed-skating features adds much pace to thegameplay , yet the graphic still remained smooth no matter how fast you charge forward. The story was left with a big hole, but that pretty much suggest that a sequel is coming.

5. Trinity Universe

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3
Developer: GUST, Nippon Ichi, Idea Factory
Genre: JRPG
Release Date: June 2010

Comments: A game that probably appeal to certain group of fans. What I like about the game is the total comedies and parodies used throughout the game, sometimes mocking the stereotype jrpg games. The addition of GUST (Prinny, Etna and Flonne) and Nippon Ichi (Pamela and Violet) characters made the game even more eventful. The game's weakness: rigged and overpowered meteorites system/convert shop that can break the game's balance, much like how a bonus point shop can break a Tale's game.

4. Persona 3 Portable

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation Portable (PSP)
Developer: Atlus
Genre: JRPG
Release Date: July 2010

Comments: Persona 3 remade for PSP. Same story and mechanics, but the addition of new female route really give the game a new perspective (or so the game claims), as well as some new challenge in the Tartarus . I've only played the female route (since the male route is pretty much similar to the PS2 release), and I got to say it was indeed interesting - the Social Link interaction, some which changed compared to the male route. It feel a bit awkward though, when Aegis was too affectionate towards the female main character that it looks like both of them were les...

3. Atelier Rorona: the Alchemist of Arland

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3
Developer: GUST
Genre: JRPG
Release Date: September/October 2010

Comments: To be honest I'm not really a fan of Atelier series, but when Rorona was made into a full 3D, I decided to give the game a full try. And my impression: amusing, entertaining and amazing! To the point that I even Platinum the game. Cute, lovely andlikeable characters, no typical jrpg plot, really nice folk musics, very funny and humorous moments. Even though I've completed the game, sometimes I still have the urge to replay the game, simply to watch the amusing scenes featuring no one else but Rorona :3
p/s: Rorona ignites my love for Mai Kadowaki :3

2. Valkyria Chronicles 2

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation Portable (PSP)
Developer: Sega
Genre: strategy-JRPG
Release Date: August/September 2010

Comments: The sequel to the unique Valkyria Chronicles, previously released on PS3. I thought that when the sequel is released on a portable console, the quality might be reduced. But I thought wrong -VC2, IMO was some of the best portable games I've played in recent years. Definitely much improved gameplay with more convenient features implemented to make the battle less of a hassle to plan, unlike VC1. Nice strings of characters too. The story was a bit cliche to a generic jrpg though.

1. Resonance of Fate

Wiki/Official
Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Developer: Tri-Ace

Genre: JRPG
Release Date: March 2010
Comments: And my number 1 games of 2010 goes to RESONANCE OF FATE. This game is unique and enjoyable in so many ways. For one, the story was so stupid that it does not make sense, but at the same time if you look at it at different way, you might see why the story was conveyed that way. Plus you are free to make your own interpretation of what's happeningthroughout the game, nobody has the exact right or wrong answer. Moving to the graphic - omfg freaking beautiful. You think the scenery in Valkyrie Profile 2 was awsm ? Then try Resonance of Fate and be amazed. The mix of jazz, techno and hard rock music fitting with the scenes and battles were splendidly done. The battle system was a bit complicated, but once you know how it works, you'll find yourself enjoying every bit of it (much like VP2). This game really hits me on all cylinder.

That's it for my top 10 video games of 2010, aka games that I enjoyed the most this year. There's some other 2010 titles I've played that didn't made it into the list, for various reasons:

• Last Rebellion (PS3) - interesting story and character, but the game was very short and I thought various part of the game could be improved to fit PS3's capability. I did get Platinum for this game, but the game was as easy as tetris.
• Nier Replicant (PS3/Xbox 360) - no doubt, this game has one of the best soundtracks I've ever listened to, but I was turned off by the lack of efforts/details put into the characters and graphic in general. The combat system wasn't really amazing either.
• Kenka banchou: Badass Rumble (PSP) - I would probably put this game in my top 10 games had I managed to finished the game. Unfortunately my copy crashed halfway through : (
• Ys Seven (PSP) - Same case with Kenka Banchou, although I've only started the game about last month and hence couldn't find the time to explore the game enough.
• Front Mission Evolved - My hope of seeing the repeat of epicness of Front Mission 4 was crushed when I started playing Front Mission Evolved. As an action third-person shooter games, it was great. But as a game in Front Mission franchise, this is far from emulating the great experience I had with FM4. EPIC FAIL.
  

Hoping to see even more awsm games in 2011. Wishlist: Catherine, Tales of Grace F, Tales of Xillis, Final Fantasy Versus/Agito XIII, Gears of Wars 3, Lord of Arcana, To Aru Index, Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 3, Valkyria Chronicles 3...