2009 Game of the Year Awards

Special Mention

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Despite showing lower numbers than expected in the vote, Uncharted 2 needs some recognition as, if anything, the PS3 game of the year. If numbers mean anything to you, then take note: Uncharted 2 is currently the highest-scoring game of 2009 on Metacritic, with a metascore of 96.

The game takes place two years after the events in Drake’s Fortune. Nathan Drake once again finds himself tangled up on the wrong side of everything, in search of the legendary Himalayan valley of Shambhala. He’ll have to use his wit, guns, agility and stupid amount of luck to survive. If that wasn’t enough, the game also features the much-anticipated multiplayer modes – including co-op and versus modes. There’s also been a free DLC pack released for the game, which always goes down well.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

While it didn’t have the strength to break into our top three, Batman: Arkham Asylum performed decently in the votes and certainly deserves a mention. It may have some elements that will annoy the impatient, but its combination of stealth and action elements, combined with awesome voice talent and a brilliant setting, saw it rise above the 90 mark on Metacritic.

Trapped in the famous Arkham Asylum by the tricksy workings of The Joker, Batman must fight his way through the tons of imprisoned villains (both super- and otherwise) in a twisted reality created by long-time Batman writer, Paul Dini. Batman will have to use a combination of stealth, sleuthing, combat and (of course) gadgets to get through the asylum; this title is so much more than a mindless beat-’em-up.

Downloadable game of the year

Cheap, quick and addictive: downloadable games are gaining popularity faster than Tiger Woods is losing it, and it doesn’t look like the trend is going to let up any time soon (in either case, actually). We’ve had tons of high-quality games from development studios of all shapes and sizes, from Epic’s Unreal Engine 3-powered Shadow Complex, to a remake of the arcade classic Turtles in Time, to the slew of casual games that make companies like Popcap lots and lots of money. Our winner in this segment, by a long shot, is Plants vs Zombies.

Take the simple premise of tower defence, add plants, add zombies, and you’ve got this little gem of a game. Its complexity is there for those that want it, but pretty visuals, amusing audio and addictive gameplay have helped Plants vs Zombies rise through the ranks of the Internet’s most addictive casual games, by giving every type of gamer who plays this something to enjoy. 26 zombies, five game modes, 50 levels (in the main adventure mode) and 49 types of defensive flora await anyone who downloads this game. Perfect for the holidays, and any time after as well.