Hi everyone, and long time no post!

As I do every year, I have compiled a list of my top games of the year--though this time, I did it in a slightly different format. Rather than list my top 10, as I did last year, I am presenting individual awards to the games I think are most deserving. Mind you, these are based on my own personal preferences; they should necessarily be construed as reflecting the winners in any official GameSpot Best-Of category.

This was an impressive year. I played a lot of games in 2009, and while some were immediately forgettable, others lingered, either because they were awesome, or because they were lousy. I enjoy this time of year, for what it's worth, and enjoy being part of the official GameSpot discussions. But the best part is getting to recognize games that would have otherwise been forgotten, had they not done one or two things exceedingly well. For example, Velvet Assassin will not blow anyone away, but its atmosphere was incredible--so incredible it was what made the game worth playing. Cryostasis was somewhat buggy and little-played, but its sound design and story were amazing, and we get to recognize it for those things.

It's also a time of surprises. Some readers believe that we buy into "hype," while others suggest that we should only include games they've heard of. (Obviously, those two things can't coexist, but that's lost on many.) But it comes down to this: What did we play, and love? We're in a unique position. We played a lot of games, the popular and the undersold both, and so we're not concerned with whether a lot of people played a game and are in a position to agree with us--we're simply concerned with whether it was good. In games, as in every other form of entertainment, what's good isn't necessarily what's popular, though sometimes it is. That's why you see categories that include The Sims 3 and Comet Crash living in harmony. (You may never have heard of Comet Crash, but you should damn well play it.) It's because we want to recognize what's good, not what's popular. If there's one hope I have this year, it's that you consider playing a game on our list you hadn't payed attention to before now. Never heard of Deadly Creatures or Bit.Trip Void? Now's the time to see what you were missing!

And so on to the Cubbies!

The Paris Hilton Award for Style Over Substance
Ninja Blade

I read occasional complaints from folks that see Ninja Blade as a sort of poor-man's Ninja Gaiden or God of War. And all I can say is: So? Gleefully silly, knowingly derivative, and brilliantly over the top, Ninja Blade is pure fun, and doesn't need excuses made for being exactly that.

The I Don't Get It Award
Borderlands

Borderlands gets a lot of love from various corners, but I haven't quite grasped what it is that people seem to love about it. It doesn't draw me in, because it doesn't do enough to hook me. There's no story worth mentioning, the world seems very bare-bones, and I can't shake the feeling that the art style is trying to compensate for a general lack of personality. Borderlands is a great tech demo, but it is a mere shell of what it could have been.

(Runner-Up: Shadow Complex)

The We've Seen This Before So Why Is It So Damn Good? Award
Dragon Age

There's nary an original bone in Dragon Age's fleshy, scaly body (which is what makes Bioware's recent comments about JRPGs' recycled elements seem hypocritcal), nor does that really surprise me. It's part Lord of the Rings and part D&D, and features enemy designs ripped right from the Tolkien playbook. Yet it works. Not because the plot is going to set the world (or Middle-Earth) on fire, but because the world is well thought out and filled with memorable characters that bring it to life. We've seen it all, but great writing and dialogue make us care in spite of the familiarity.

The Nicholas Cage "I Know You're Better Than This" Trophy
Creative Assembly

Empire: Total War is a great game, but a buggy, flawed beast as well; I have high hopes that Napoleon: Total War improves on this shaky foundation. But it's Stormrise that earns CA this nod. Tellingly, publisher Sega released Stormrise at the very end of its fiscal year, just as it did with Universe at War the year prior. It's a sign that the publisher had essentially given up and needed to get a product on shelves that would continue use up resources without any benefit to revenue. In other words: Sega likely had no faith that the game would get any better. And that's because Stormrise is flawed to its very core--and as we all know, you can't polish a... well... you've hear the saying.

(Runner-Up: Rebellion and Bethesda, for the shameful Rogue Warrior. What were they thinking?)

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Prize For Brilliance Over Bugs
Cryostasis

Had Cryostasis not been so buggy, it could have been 2009's PC game of the year. But in spite of its technical issues, its story, its ambience, and its originality stood out in a year of endless sequels. This is an awesome and flawed game that deserves its day in the sun. In this cases, an Arctic sun.

The John Cougar Mellencamp "Hurts So Good" Award
Demon's Souls

It's hard. It's unforgiving. And it's the most brilliant and innovative game of 2009, taking old-school dungeon crawling and infusing it with an incredible online component that's built into the very soul of the experience. And everything is implemented so well, never removing you from the world itself with "gamey" elements that intrude in other games. No "co-op" mode menu, no "player hint" menu, no "invite" menu... it's all built into the Demon's Souls' fabric. This is a game that will be played and loved by its fans long after 2009's sales juggernauts have been shelved and forgotten.

The Barry Manilow "I Can't Live Without You" Award
Moxie

"What the hell are you talking about, Kevin?" You thought this to yourself just now, didn't you? Well, fear not, for I am not insane. Moxie is an excellent word game for the iPhone that has kept me busy on my commute to work almost every day for months, when most iPhone games have gotten boring, even popular favorites like Bejeweled and Bookworm. You should check it out.

The Stripped Tease Award
Tie: Demigod and League of Legends

It seems like a great idea: Take the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III and turn it into a full-fledged product. The problem is, we're still waiting for a full-fledged product. Demigod could have been good had it worked at launch, and we garnered a lot of flak for criticizing this competitive online strategy game for barely working online. Fans felt it deserved the benefit of the doubt, but as it came to pass, we see that games shouldn't require that kind of benefit. Demigod still doesn't function properly (though it has improved), and it serves as proof that you can't trust patches to make it all better.

As for League of Legends, it's a great free game, but a lacking retail product. Again, it's a game built around future promises and expectations that delivers very little up front. If this sub-genre is going to take off in the retail market, we need a full-bodied game, a complete product. Until that time comes, there's simply no reason for DotA players to convert; not when it costs money.

The Unsung Hero Award
Killzone 2

It was easy to look at Killzone 2 as that "incredibly good-looking shooter." But when I wrote the review, I didn't write about the visuals until the second page for a reason: They weren't the defining feature of this fantastic first-person shooter. Killzone 2 is moody, intense, and the most fun I had with a shooter this year, including the super-anticipatedModern Warfare 2. Its multiplayer is an overlooked and amazing haven for 2009's best firefights, thanks to its multi-mode matches and lots of little features (spawn point cameras, for example) that kept me coming back. When other shooters delivered more of the same, Killzone 2 felt unique, and was more exciting than any multiplayer experience I had this year.

The "You Can't Go Home Again" Needlepoint Plaque
Tie: F.E.A.R. 2 and The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Athena

Some games exist as perfect points of light. They were the right game at the right time, and yet hold up years later as well. But some games are best left shining in the darkness. F.E.A.R. had already suffered from a couple of disappointing expansions, but with Monolith at the reigns of its sequel, I expected more, or at least, something on par with the original. F.E.A.R. 2 is a good shooter, but it isn't a special one. Dark Athena suffers in a similar way, which makes me wonder: Do developers sometimes forget what made their games so wonderful in the first place? It's not always about checking off all the right boxes; the best games grab you by the heart or the bollocks and don't let go.

The "It Isn't Just More Of The Same" Award
The Spore and Sims 3 teams at Electronic Arts

We've come to expect expansion packs that just give us more of the same. Rather than lazily crap out mundane and expected expansions, EA gave us delectable delights with Spore: Galactic Adventures and The Sims 3: World Adventures. In the Spore expansion, you got to create and experience little adventures, and in the process, be a bit of a game designer. In World Adventures, you took your sims on holiday to explore tombs, where all sorts of surprises were waiting. In both cases, we got something unexpected. And for that, I am thankful.

The Dan Brown Award
Assassin's Creed II's ending

You know what? It's nutty, maybe even a little cheesy. And you know what? I loved it. But one thing I am sure of: Whether you liked it or hated it, I bet you'll remember it. I'm already formulating ideas for what I think Assassin's Creed III could be (like I did with the first game), but this time, I didn't feel cheated. An awesome game with a memorable conclusion that had me eager for more. What more could I have wanted?

The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Dissidia Final Fantasy

Along with The Sims 3, this is the game that I had a hard time pulling myself away from late at night, bleary-eyed, desperately needing some rest. The action is great, but what makes Dissidia so difficult to put down is how it keeps doling out the rewards, never running out of wonderful things to give you. More importantly, it doesn't feel like you start with half a game to start with. Instead, the joys just pile on.

The Gift That Could Have Given More
Scribblenauts

I don't know a single person in our office that wasn't psyched about Scribblenauts. That is, until we finally played the full game. It's a fantastic toy if you're the creative type, but as a game, it lacks. It's exploitable and controls poorly, and after playing through a few levels, I have absolutely no desire to return; the controls killed it for me.

The "On A Roll" Award
Relic Entertainment

Relic has yet to release a bad game. From Homeworld to Impossible Creatures, each of these game delighted and sometimes astounded me, and with Dawn of War II, they have another winner. It wasn't a home run, mind you. Dawn of War II's identity crisis is an issue, and the single-player campaign is nothing compared to Homeworld II's astounding story. Yet online, Dawn of War II is a thrilling and dynamic experience that reminds me that even when it takes chances that don't work out, Relic is a developer you can rely on, when so many others can't consistently deliver.

The "It's Better Than You Think" Award
Tie: Comet Crash and Dirt 2

Forza 3 is brilliant in its own way, but Dirt 2 is a beautiful and thrilling game in its own right. Justin Calvert and I had a conversation not too long ago in which I mentioned that it is very difficult to find anything wrong with it. The cars drive so well, and the game looks and sound so good, that it's hard to find anything to criticize. You may argue that it could have done more, but it's hard to see how it could have done what it does any better, from it's cool menus to the pure fun of kicking up dirt on the tracks. It got overshadowed by Forza 3 (which is a different kind of experience), but I would argue that it's every bit as worthy of your time and money.

Comet Crash is this year's "huh?" game that showed up in multiple categories, including strategy game of the year. And it totally belongs there, though it's easy to see why someone who hasn't played it might be vexed. 2009 was the year of the tower defense games. Yeah, I am getting sick of them too. But Comet Crash does it much differently by keeping you constantly active, and its multiplayer is a total hoot because it lets you create unit paths using the turrets you place. It's an extra layer of strategy that keeps every game different from the last. Don't let its unassuming looks fool you: This is a game that everyone should play, and is deserving in every category in which it appeared.

The "I Will Remember You" Award
Tie: Red Faction and Infamous

Don't worry, Red Faction and Infamous. You're still awesome, and I will send you Christmas Cards every year so you remember how much I love you.

So that's it for this year's Cubby Awards! Don't forget to vote in GameSpot's Reader's Choice awards, and feel free to let me know what your favorites and least favorites were. Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter, where you'll get a lot more from me on a daily basis than you will here. Until later: Ciao!

Ran into the comments bug again after 50 comments. So, here is part 3!

To re-explain, off and on this week I have been gradually cleaning up my desk and going through my desk drawers to find goodies that I don't want to throw away! Check the comment for the latest.

What do you do? Just be the first to say YOU LIKE... whatever I mention. I'll PM you if you are the person who answered properly about sending it out to you soon enough!

UPDATE Comments bug happened. Go ahead and PM me if you happen to want a sword. New additions to WHO LIKES is coming to a halt now because I wont be in the office to go through my cabinets and stuff behind my monitors until Monday.

A bit of a random jumble today.

This is part of an answer to a question asked of Heavy Rain writer/director David Cage;
"I wanted to create an experience based on several points of view. I played with this idea since my first game, Omikron, where you could get reincarnated into another body when you died."

I found this interesting and thought it could make for a good mechanic in RPG's. Granted, I'm aware from some friends blogs/reviews that there was something like this in Planescape : Torment which I haven't played, so I don't know how exactly this was implemented. But I was thinking, what if you learned some information as some form of character, but due to some restriction (race, caste, cIass etc) were unable to seek audience with certain people or reach certain areas. But once you die, you can get reincarnated in a new body with your knowledge (or some of it) intact. Then you can go to places you couldn't before to complete these discussions. Or revisit people you have had personal conversations with and have them wonder how you came across such personal information. I can't think of many specifics, but I'm sure there is room for some interesting situations.

Went on a spending spree. Bought Brothers In Arms : Hell's Highway (360), Saints Rows 2 (PS3), Oblivion GOTY (PS3), Valkyria Chronicles (PS3). AU$120 because the cashier gave me $50 off BIA instead of 50%, knocking an extra $20 off. Plus I used a voucher still left over from work (which sadly they aren't doing anymore) so it still puts my spend on games this year probably under $300 which is awesome. I also bought my sister and her fiance a Wii for Christmas which was a bundle. She can have Mario Kart, but I'm going to keep New Super Mario Bros as they weren't actually packaged togother. Not like she can complain, she is getting a Wii!

Also playing Burnout Paradise on PS3 at the moment, which I'm not terribly good at, but am enjoying nonetheless. Had a good time trying some of the challenges with Foolz3h the other day, if anyone else might be keen to play some time let me know and I'll add you as a friend. Keep in mind I'm an aussie though so if you are on the other side of the world I might not be able to play with you that often!

Also finally bought my first Wiiware game, World of Goo. Awesome game. In 3 play sessions I'm up to the end of Chapter 3, so the game doesn't appear to be terribly long but based on my experience so far it is probably the perfect length as I wouldn't want it to overstay its welcome either. I finally completed the Upper Shaft level which was giving me grief, just needed to balance my bridge better.

I was thinking of writing a blog about what you could buy gamers for Christmas with a few ideas, but it is probably getting a bit late. One of my basic suggestions given that retail games are expensive and potentially out of budget, and it can be hard to know exactly what someone likes or has already played without knowing a fair bit about their preferences, is to buy them points for an online store. It shows you've thought about something they like, they get to choose the exact games they purchase, and they aren't prohibitively expensive like new games can be.

FACT: The dude on the cover of the new Medal of Honor reboot is, without dispute, the lead singer of indie rock darlings Band of Horses.

PROOF:

CONCLUSION: This game is already better than Modern Warfare 2.

No, I am not talking about the unending economic troubles, the impending energy shortage, credit and financial debacles, governments conspiring against their citizens, or a world destroyed.

Well, I guess I am talking about a world destroyed. Today's announcement of the new World of Warcraft expansion definitely sounds awesome. Changing the face of Azeroth sounds turbulent, but also promising for shaking up the world, the game, and the addition of some exciting new races. I am very much looking forward to playing a Worgen, almost as much as I had anticipated the arrival of the blood Elves.

Now if you will excuse me, I will go back to taking in Blizzcon, less people.

I had a bunch of stuff I was saving up to post about, but after something that happened today... I wanted to take a moment here and say thanks to GameSpot.

Why the thanks? Well, I was moderated today. I went to the "Ask the Mods" section to investigate the matter a bit further... and after politely inquiring about the moderation, I was given a very short, borderline rude response. I find that weird because I have seen "regular" users suspended or banned for being rude to Mods. I guess that's only a one way street. This incident has only confirmed what I have long suspected... And to make matters a bit more frustrating, after a swift response from the Mod, my thread was locked... leaving me without any chance to reply. Dare I make another thread about it... I may be banned. As a paying subscriber here, I would think that I would at least get a little more than that... I have been a dedicated and contributing member here at GameSpot for a long time. I really think it would better serve GameSpot if they paid a little more attention to what their Mods are doing. It was clear that my "infraction" was very much an accident, but that was not even considered. Rude reply, thread closed and game over. I can see more and more now why folks are jumping ship and heading over to GiantBomb.

Congrats GameSpot... you just lost another member.

On my last blog a few months ago i was talking about how demos were going downhill and i wasn't getting anything but a look at a 1 minute version of the game then telling me to buy it. Well i have found a game demo that i've been waiting for, for probably over a year now.

And that game is Red Faction: Guerilla, i never did play the original as i wasn't big into gaming back then but i saw this game in game informer over a year ago and just fell in love with it everything being destructible, and not like those games that claim that and you can destroy a few simple bits of cover. Mercenaries 2 and battlefield bad company came somewhat close to this but this actually has a realistic physics engine so all the buildings don't have predetermined way to fall like in the above games. Say there's a room full of baddies and you don't want to go in there, well bring the building down on top of them buy taking out some of the major structures holding it up like support columns and boom it's done for good.

I played this demo last night and it gave me a full mission letting me experience a good few weapons and a full length mission, along with an awesome mining walker thing (so cool lol) so i start out in a southern province of this martian world, which looks amazing it looks HD on my SD TV nearly and my SD TV is horrendous to say the least. So you simply "borrow" a vehicle which are quite unique considering you're on mars. Then, you go to an EDF (EarthDefense Force which are your adversaries in the game)base which you rampage through with your given remote charges and assault rifle.You're given a simple sort of military setup they have about a dozen structureswhich are all ofcourse easily destroyed with your plentiful amount of charges. then you blow away some soldiers then blow a hole in the side of the garage where there holding the mining walker which you're obtaining for some miners. Now here's where it gets awesome to say the least. You get in this "mining vehicle" and are able to swing it's arms or sweep them to absolute obliverate anything in you're way whether it be soldiers, shacks or buildings. Then you go down the street and put it in the back of a humungous flatbed truck and get on a grenade launcher turret, and basically incinerate all the pursuing vehicles, and let's face it shooting every building you can just for the sake of watching it collapse oh so smoothly *evil laugh*. Then you get to the miners base and the miners then blow the bridge to help you evade the rest of the EDF. An awesome ending to an awesome and pretty much perfect demo.

Now this is a demo, c'mon other games haha learn something from what i'm sure will be a phenomenal game.