Not every game we love makes it into the WingDamage top 10. Some of them just don’t have enough unanimous support. These are what we like to call “The Leftovers.”

As the only British contributor to WingDamage, my top 10 choices feel a little eclectic.

They’re a mixture of imports, big names and under-appreciated titles, mixed with a few games that only just graced Europe’s shores in 2010.

I feel a little behind, but the extra wait (in more than a few instances) was definitely worth it.

Michelle’s List [WingDamage List]

1. Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC) – WingDamage’s #1
2. Deadly Premonition (Xbox 360)
3. Monster Hunter Tri (Wii)- WingDamage’s #3
4. Demon’s Souls (PS3) (UK Release)
5. Minecraft (PC)- WingDamage’s #7
6. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game (XBLA, PSN)
7. Rock Band 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)
8. Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclispe (Wii) (Japanese Release)
9. Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360, PS3)- WingDamage’s #4
10. Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)

Deadly Premonition (Xbox 360)

Deadly Premonition is an enigma. It’s essentially a murder-mystery with equal parts humour and horror. But one that feels genuinely creative, through the organic open world of Greenvale, its 30 plus strong cast, and their individual motivations. Deadly Premonition’s aging (but quirky) graphical and gameplay style is propped up by a captivating storyline that doesn’t relent and isn’t afraid to take a few creative risks.

The game also benefits from one of the most imaginative video game leads ever in Agent Francis York Morgan; a vibrant personality who adds to the general air of mystery that SWERY65 (the game’s director) delights in. The identity of this bombastic agent and the unseen companion he converses with is the pulling force through SWERY’s expertly crafted gaming experience, one that few will completely appreciate, but those that do are in for a treat.

Demon’s Souls (PS3) (UK Release)

A nod to video games of old, Demon’s Souls was finally released onto European shores to wide critical acclaim, and rightly so. While the story is a little light in places, the combat most certainly is not. The premise of Demon’s Souls can be easily described as a challenge. It is a ferocious steed to be mastered, and the dark mindset needed to succeed despite Demon’s Souls‘ mutinous intentions will come in time.

Each level is a challenge, filled with traps, danger, and ominous bosses. Navigating the hostile land of Boletaria is made more tolerable by the gentle sense of community at the heart of the game, with in-game messages from other players helping to guide you as you battle, in a unique collaboration of knowledge. Which is comforting as other (meaner) players are lie in wait to invade and spoil your game.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game (XBLA, PSN) [Full Review]

Scott Pilgrim is a sublime multiplayer experience, capturing the essence of what made video games so special during the 80s and 90s. It is a loving homage to the beat ‘em up genre, gaming culture on the whole, and the comic book that the video game was adapted from. Packaged in a brilliant combination of artistic 16-bit style graphics, funky chiptune soundtrack, and four-player co-operative mayhem.

The fact that the multiplayer is local co-op only isn’t a limitation in my opinion. The jostle and chatter of playing with others in the room is part of the experience, as you all chuckle along to Scott Pilgrim’s distinct and well-targeted sense of video game humour. There are some subtle RPG elements too, in the rush to beat your friends to the next level and the next big move. Great fun.

Rock Band 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)

This is Harmonix’s love letter to the fans. A passionate (rather than soulless) musical experience which will no doubt define rhythm action games for years to come. Rock Band 3 is where the plastic instrument format has been utterly perfected – despite us not knowing how it could have been improved from the last iteration.

This is due in no small part to the inclusion of pro instruments, and the variety of soundtrack that the new keyboard feature affords. Both add a new layer of difficulty to an already challenging game – still crafted in such an expert fashion that even the most nervous or new Rock Band players can instantly feel part of the action. An experience mired by the unavailability of pro-instruments at launch, but even so Rock Band 3 will continue to be a stalwart party game long into 2011 and beyond.

Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclispe (Wii) (Japanese Release)

Although not technically released last year, 2010 led to the culmination of the fan-based project to translate Fatal Frame 4 into English. This was a game never intended to be available outside of Japan. Both Nintendo of America (and Europe) declined to announce it, and that’s a great shame when considering the games fantastic pedigree.

Building on the format of the previous three games, you have a simple camera to defend yourself against a genuinely terrifying assortment of ghostly beings. Developed in conjunction with Grasshopper Manufacture (with Suda 51 adding a wealth of ideas to the format), this is the most accessible Fatal Frame – and tellingly one of the few Wii games to use the remote appropriately for camera control, torchlight, and doors – and all long before Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)

The Halo mindset comes easily to many. As someone that found it difficult to feel really passionate about any title since the first game; Halo: Reach felt like a return to the basic ideas I fell in love with. Single weapon combat, balanced weapon choices, reusable armor options, and magnificent AI (the Elites’ return was welcome, too). It felt as though the single player campaign reached its potential rather than just being a simple excuse to dredge the past.

Then there are the options for players like me who prefer the co-operative angle to the game. Firefight mode (which debuted in ODST) is perfected here with matchmaking mode included as standard, enhanced scoring options, and all the features from the single player game. Setting up your own custom games to suit the people you’re playing with is an utter delight.

Tags: Deadly Premonition, Demon's Souls, Fatal Frame 4, Game of the Year 2010, GOTY 2010, Halo: Reach, Scott Pilgrim, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, The Leftovers 2010

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 1:28 pm and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.