So without much further ado, there’s some obvious, dubious and debatable selections in the articles ahead. Agree, disagree? Hit us up in the comments section. Make sure you check back in two days time to see which games managed to disappoint us the most this year!

Oh Bayonetta, you were so very close. You managed to hold off what the public might have thought to be ‘bigger games’ in my GOTY shortlist for most of the year, and just as I thought that you were about to clinch it, you were pipped at the post by Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. It was by mere chance too that I would end up with the review copy that would end your lengthy spell at the top of my list. I’m sorry it ended this way, but I’m happy with my choice.

Ahem… sorry about that, but Bayonetta was at least owed an explanation in this messy divorce. My choice for Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood was, in the end, a relatively simple one. This is a game so rich in content that is not only beautiful, but bold and significant. With this iteration it turned Assassin’s Creed from a series I merely enjoyed into a series I evangelised about. Offering not only a single player campaign that is as close to perfection as I’ve seen since Nathan Drake found himself among thieves, but also managing to provide a truly original multiplayer component that stands out masterfully in a sea of shooters. Easily the best, most polished and most immersive game I’ve played this year.

Runners up: Bayonetta, Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Being a huge fan of the too-often overlooked Mass Effect, pre-ordering the sequel as soon as possible was a must. When it came through my door a day before my 21st birthday, I could never have imagined how awesome it would be.

From the start, it reinforces everything that made the original so fantastic. The epic space opera, straddling Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica with ease and managing to create a huge, believable sci-fi galaxy to get lost in. The freedom of travel and choice running through every facet of the game, from how to react in conversations to where to start your journey and which planets to visit. The peerless ‘interactive cut-scene’ conversation system and the ability to truly create your personal Commander Shepard all back in force and enhanced for the new experience. Even the elements that failed the original have been brought up to scratch.

The somewhat flimsy combat of the first game has been hammered into shape, creating a cover-shooter experience to rival (and in some cases trounce) the competition. Planetary exploration is given a new lease of life with more missions to discover and wildly different locales to experience. The new plotline trumps that of its predecessor, twisting and turning while maintaining a solid structure and a constant level of excitement and enticement from the player. In-jokes and familiar faces, as well as the revelation of the consequences of your actions in the first game having an impact in this one, keep loyal players like myself feeling well looked after and immensely happy.

Mass Effect 2 ticks all the boxes, for fans and newcomers alike. It combines the depth and quality of an RPG, the thrilling and intriguing plot of a fantastic space epic, and the excitement and smooth playability of an advanced cover-shooter all comes together in perfect harmony to create one of the most complete, compelling and universally appealing games of all time. Bioware are at the top of their game, producing titles that are way ahead of the curve. Mass Effect 2 serves as a perfect example of this genius and that is why it’s my Game of the Year.

Runners up: Fable III, Red Dead Redemption.

My game of the year choice may come as something of a surprise. Initially I had to think about it as not many of the games I have played this year have really blown me away. I enjoyed Crackdown 2 and as a Sports fan have found some fun in the annual PES and Madden titles, but ultimately there can be only one winner.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane was released during XBLA’s “Summer of Arcade” promotion and is undoubtedly my most played game of the past calendar year. It boasts fast, high-adrenaline, good old-fashioned arcade racing and I love it.

Graphically, Hydro Thunder stands out not just against other arcade titles but also against some of the big full releases this year. There are an excellent variety of tracks and boats from the off and enough unlockables to keep even the most demanding gamers happy. What surprised me most is that in general I am not a fan of racing games yet I have been unable to put this down. It is definitely in the “easy to play, difficult to master” school of gaming and multiplayer, be it local or across xbox live, is as enjoyable as any game on the market.

In terms of pure gaming fun, I challenge anyone to find a game that surpasses Hydro Thunder: Hurricane and that is why it is my Game of the year.

Runners up: Madden 11, Sonic Colours.

I’ve never been the biggest fan of turn-based strategy games, but I’ve found Civilization V immensely enjoyable; accessible to the point I barely took any time to learn how to play, but also possessing tons of depth. Talking of depth, Halo: Reach has it by the bucketload in multiplayer and was a close contender for my no. #1 spot, but I found some aspects disappointing, particularly single player. My Game of the Year for 2010 then, is Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

I’ve loved the Battlefield series for quite a long time now, and Bad Company 2 certainly didn’t let me down. The campaign is surprisingly playable for a feature I expected to be a rubbish tack-on, and the online multiplayer is immense. Everything has been lovingly refined as the series has gone on from a tried and tested formula of gameplay, but it still feels fresh.

The destruction of buildings that the Frostbite engine allows is perhaps one of the most brilliant features, making Call of Duty’s comparatively static fields of play seem stagnant and archaic. The level of support that continues is great to see as well, with seven VIP map packs now released, along with the recent Vietnam expansion that expands the game even further.

Runners up: Civilization V, Halo: Reach.

I really dislike trying to choose a Game of the Year especially for 2010. We have had so many excellent games this year, from blockbusters like the thrilling Mass Effect 2 and expansive Red Dead Redemption, down to little indie games like the frustratingly fun VVVVV and the long-awaited Darwinia+. However, three games have stood out for me this year; Civilisation V (its way addictive!), Battlefield Bad Company 2 (its way multiplayer!) and ArmA II: Operation Arrowhead (its way realistic!). So out of those, my Game of the Year is Operation Arrowhead.

ArmA II: Operation Arrowhead is a game many of you won’t have heard of but it’s probably the game I have sunk the most of my time into. I’ve have spent several hundred hours flying over the hill of Takistan before piling out of a Blackhawk to doing several hundred different missions. It’s a game that let me play out my crazy military simulations with up to 50 human players and several hundred AI characters in a whole variety of tanks, cars, helicopters and fighter jets. However, it’s also a game that allows you and your friends to do stupid stuff like racing tractors away from attack helicopters or taking part in sniper battles at 5000m across valley’s and hills. If your PC supports it, and you’re willing to learn, this game is a ton of fun.

Runners up: Civilization V, Battlefield Bad Company 2.

Being a huge Zelda fan, and with this new knowledge in mind, Darksiders instantly became a title I just had to check out. In many cases this level of ‘industrial bootlegging’ can work against a title (although it has worked for some), but by borrowing elements from other titles and thanks to the brilliant execution, Vigil might just have a bit of a surprise hit on their hands.

War! Huh! What is he good for?! Murderising demons actually…
In Darksiders, players take on the role of War, one of the fabled Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The four horsemen, no matter which of the many interpretations of the myth you are familiar with, are summoned to Earth by the breaking of seven seals to pass divine judgement on the planet’s inhabitants. In this case, War is summoned to Earth amidst an escalating battle between Heaven and Hell in the streets of New York; yet one of the seals hasn’t actually been compromised, meaning that the end of the world has gotten off to something of a false start.

With only one Horseman present, Heaven loses the battle, and War is returned to the Charred Council where he is stripped of his power and charged with bringing a premature start to judgement day. A deal is struck as War manages to convince the Council to allow him to return to Earth to seek those who framed him, on the basis that, should he fail, he’ll die and the Council’s punishment will therefore have been received. It’s here where the game starts for real as you must traverse different areas of Earth one hundred years after the end of the celestial war to build up your power so that you can put things right.

I found the story for Darksiders extremely intriguing despite a heavy focus on religious themes (I don’t do religion). The game isn’t preachy, so don’t worry fellow atheists; the focus is on the darker themes of faith, mixed with a modern take on the end of the world, and it excels at creating a set-up for an enjoyable adventure with a purpose. Whilst the game provides a sound setting rife with twists and turns along the way, the plot probably wouldn’t be deep or strong enough to carry the game, but such is the quality of the other areas of the game’s design that the plot becomes a solid link in a well built piece of armour that comes to a fantastic ending that’ll only leave you wanting more.

The plot however, would be a lot stronger if the characters didn’t play their own part in its few moments of weakness. The key players seem to range from being excellently presented to painfully bland, and it’s a shame our protagonist is firmly in that latter bracket. While War has brutality in spades, he demonstrates as much charisma as a room full of accountants. I get the impression that the developers were aiming for a detached, cold-hearted killer, but they missed the mark by a considerable margin. Other characters, such as the bosses, and War’s guide to the apocalypse ‘The Watcher’, are far more engaging personalities.

The dullest man, in the most exciting scenario!

The road to ‘Ruin’…
I’m going to try my absolute damnedest here to get through this particular section without mentioning the little fella in the green hat, but I suspect that it will be a difficult ask. Stripped of all powers, War must work his way through to a number of differently themed locations. In each he’ll earn a power or new weapon there, that will help him overcome all obstacles presented to him and reach the end boss for that section. Each of these locations is home to a number of wicked puzzles and mini-bosses that your newly equipped ability will help you beat. The bosses are very much puzzles in their own right, and often require a bit of pattern spotting or lateral thinking to defe… STOP! Stop; stop the damn review right this minute. I can’t keep up this pretence any longer… Is there any part of this at this point that doesn’t sound like a Zelda game?

Everything about the set-up mimics most Zelda titles, however it doesn’t end there. You could easily see plenty of Zelda symbolism in Darksiders iconography. Collect four pieces of skull, and you get a new health bar. Some of the power ups you earn are a Crossblade, a Tremor Gauntlet and the Abyssal Chain. Replace some of those words with ‘Heart’, ‘Boomerang’, ‘Power Glove’ and ‘Hookshot’, and you’re in the right sort of frame of mind to embrace the Darksiders experience. The puzzles are very thoughtfully put together, with some of the later ones leaving you feeling like a genius upon completion, and it’s here where the game is at its absolute strongest.

The combat side of the game is also built on solid foundations, though it can feel a little on the basic side. This element is purely hack ‘n’ slash, with practically one button combat. Your sword (dubbed the ‘Chaoseater’) will be your main tool for bringing harm to the hordes of demons and celestial beings, and you unleash this by hitting the X/Square button. Eventually you’ll earn a secondary weapon, and to use this you hit Y/Triangle, and from that moment on you realise that the combat will continue to evolve slightly alongside the additional abilities you’ll unlock over the course of the game. Some of the different types of standard enemy sword fodder will require different approaches, so this basic system does allow for depth in other ways.

There is more depth to be found by players looking for it. By killing enemies (or opening the appropriate chests) War earns souls. Yellow souls help build your ‘Wrath’ which allows you to use some abilities you might purchase from Vilgrim (your one stop shop). Blue souls, which are the world’s currency, can buy you those abilities or new attacks, and finally green souls will replenish your health.

Once you get most enemies down to a certain level of health, a B/Circle sign will appear over their heads. By performing what it asks, War will unleash a brutal finishing move, sometimes with the game changing the camera angle for added dramatic effect. Another one of War’s more satisfying moves is the ability to turn into a powerful fire demon. When you attack enemies in your standard form, a red gauge will build; when full you can perform the transformation, which lasts for a limited time only but gives you devastating power. The animation in combat is seamless and beautiful to watch, with no transitions between normal hacking and finishing moves like you’d see in other games.

There are also three different flavours of firearms to use along the way. One War will earn, and the other two are found by disposing of particular enemies. The latter two are very powerful, and extremely helpful in some rushed situations, but you can’t take them everywhere with you. Lastly it’s worth mentioning that you will reunite War with his Horse, ‘Ruin’, who helps change up the gameplay a little. You can summon or discard Ruin at will in areas that allow you to use him, and he comes in useful for not only quick travelling, but also in some of the combat and puzzles you’ll face over the course of an enjoyable twenty hours or so.

War takes time out from fixing his mistakes to help Kevin Bacon & Co...

Not actually that dark
In spite of the name and what certain promotional images might portray, Darksiders is a colourful and varied title, far removed from the greys and browns of most of today’s games. It is a beautiful game, especially the environments, which showcase a great fusion of mythically gothic structures with modern architecture.

The characters and creatures are also very nicely modelled, with a pleasing amount of attention to detail; although they do harbour a slight cartoon feel to them. War, along with some of the other battle ready characters, is from the Marcus Fenix School of bodily proportions (where muscles are seemingly offset against the amount of personality you are allowed to assert), but it does add to the fantasy world that Vigil have tried to create, and no one ever really looks out of place.

It’s not all perfect; at times there can be some quite severe screen tear. This problem seems to become less of an issue the further you delve, and it’s never bad enough to be a game breaker. It is however, a blight on an otherwise eye-catching experience, which looks impressive from the moment you start. Developers Vigil have announced that a patch is already in the works to fix this issue, so hopefully latecomers to the game won’t have this to moan about.

Not quite ‘Darksiders of the moon’
The soundtrack found in Darksiders is one of dramatic drums, stabs of strings and vocal harmonies. It’s a powerful, if predictable affair that gets you in the mood for slaying, but never really changes throughout the course of the game.

I mentioned somewhere above that some of the characters were missing personality in spades, and this in part is down to the general voice acting. Most of the script is read so dryly and without emotion that making any sort of connection with the characters is nigh-on impossible. There is one notable exception to this however, that of Mark Hamill’s turn as The Watcher (War’s less annoying version of Navi), who totally steals the show. The problem being that his performance stands out massively when compared the mediocrity of the others; it’s like placing a single, succulent cherry in the middle of an entirely plain sponge cake… Now I’m hungry, where was I?

Join the Darksiders
On face value, Darksiders is a game that could be criticised for being completely devoid of originality, made up entirely of smaller components ripped right from some of the industry’s major franchises. Some of those key areas individually might crumble slightly under closer scrutiny, but all these parts pooled together this well make one hell of a gameplay experience; one I believe could well be a bit of a sleeper hit. While much of my own complaints fall on things such as characterisation, it’s hard to deny that in the midst of the gameplay, be it puzzles or combat, that the game is both challenging and rewarding enough to be worth anyone’s time and money.