Belated 2010 Favorites Part 2

For the second part of my 2010 favorites I thought I'd take a gander at some of my favorite games of the year.

Mass Effect 2
This hit the scene way back in January of 2010 and it held up as one of the most complete experiences in the industry.  The refinements found in this sequel over the first Mass Effect game really launched it into the mainstream very effectively.  Solid shooting mechanics with an expansive branching storyline throughout a massive universe to explore really hit on all cylinders.  Can't wait until Mass Effect 3!

Picross 3D
I'm not sure if there's a game I spent more time with than Picross 3D for the Nintendo DS.  The game really eases you into the puzzle solving mechanics and the whole design plays well in short or marathon game sessions.  I love me some puzzle games, and Nintendo may have made the definitive one for me.

God of War 3
Kratos came back for some more violent revenge on Sony's Playstation 3 this year, and it was as beautiful as ever.  Granted, the formula for the series hasn't changed much since the first God of War game, but the minor tweaks that were made and the amazing visuals really rounded out an engrossing experience.  Certainly not for the faint of heart or easily offended, but I'm not sure you could find a better character action game.

Red Dead Redemption
I'm not sure that I loved this game as much as everyone else, but I have to give it props for the most beautiful landscape I've ever played in.  Even with the impressive environments, I think my favorite thing about Red Dead would be the characters and story of our protagonist, John Marston.  The ending and denouement are something I've never seen before in a game.

Super Meat Boy
This game is nuts.  Plain and simple.  The creators of this game, Team Meat, set out to make an insanely difficult 2D platformer that would punish the player.  Well, mission accomplished Team Meat.  I found myself playing this game into all hours of the night just trying to get past, "one more level."  The incredible art style and fantastic level design really stand out for this game.  Throw in hundreds of levels with excruciating difficulty, and you've got yourself one addicting piece of software.

Here's today's Web Waster:

TheCuteOctopus - An area artist and crafter has started up a blog and I must say, the projects, recipes and miscellany all look awesome.  If you're looking for some unique craft/gift ideas, I highly recommend you start here.