Sonic Generations

Landon 6/10

Maybe I'm being a little harsh. But "Sonic Unleashed" had pretty spectacular pure Sonic gameplay and levels that never let up. So I went into "Sonic Generations" fully expecting Sega to have finally gotten it right. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The idea of two Sonics feels more like a gimmick, the levels are just copy and paste from past games making it feel very unoriginal, and voice acting and dialogue is just flat-out awful. However, Generations does retain some of Unleashed's awesome gameplay, and about half of the levels are actually a ton of fun. Some of the best levels are from Sonic games made before "Sonic Adventure 2" (with the exception of Sonic Unleashed). If you enjoy Sonic games as much as the next guy, then you will have fun with this game. But I'm still waiting for the perfect Sonic game to finally come along.

Minecraft

Garrett 9/10
Minecraft. Probably the most unique game I have ever had the pleasure of playing. This game is a 100% sandbox game, where anything goes. I've been playing this game since before it was popular (almost no one had even heard of this game back when I started playing), back when it was in alpha stages, through beta, and now it has been officially released. My first impression of this game is "What the heck is this game with really crappy graphics?" However, after I started to play, I quickly realized that this is one of the most fun, and addicting games I've ever played. The entire point of the game is in it's title. You mine, and you craft. The game begins in a randomly generated world, and you start with literally nothing but your bare hands. You make a shelter from the monsters that come out at night, start to make some tools and supplies, then you create. Even though all the blocks in this game are cubes, the creations you can make are endless. Huge mines, mansions, castles, cathedrals, statues, cities, and almost anything you can think of can be built. Even now, over a year since I started playing, I still play Minecraft all the time, and it is easily one of my all time favorite games. When I first started playing minecraft, I would have rated it a 10, no doubt about it. But now, Notch (the creator of minecraft) has added too many things to the game, so it's not the simple game it used to be, which is what I liked most about it. Now the game technically has an "end", there are enchantments, potions, starvation, etc. I don't really mind these things, but it's really not the same game it used to be. But even with these annoying additions, I still love the game, and play it all the time.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Garrett 9/10
I have to start this review with one word. Wow. This game exceeded any expectations I had. I really enjoyed Morrowind and Oblivion, prequels to this game, but Skyrim blew them out of the park. Skyrim has an amazing story line that will have your adrenaline rushing. The side quests can be just as exciting, and even more fun in my opinion. One of the greatest parts of this game is the flexibility on what you can do with your character. In previous games you would choose a type of character and perks, and you would be locked into that type of character the entire game (i.e. warrior, mage, thief, assassin). But with the new system Skyrim introduced, that's no longer an issue. One problem I had with this game is that it took away some of your ability to interact with the AI's on the game. In past games, you could persuade people, have more conversation choices, and talking to people in general was more interesting. In Skyrim, you can't even talk to guards, even for quests or directions, and most people you talk to that aren't related to a quest just have generic conversations points. Other than this minor issue, the game was incredible, and one of my favorites.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Landon 10/10

What better game to give my first 10 on the site to than "Skyward Sword." Nintendo's swan song on the Nintendo Wii and their latest addition to the huge collection of Zelda games is one of Link's best adventures yet. The graphics are a combination of "Wind Waker" and "Twilight Princess" and brings a unique style. The gameplay really brings out what the Wii is capable of, blending perfect swordplay with unique puzzle solving. The story is epic and emotionally satisfying, finally showing some great chemistry between Link and Zelda. Hyrule itself feels like a complete dungeon, being completely barren of any towns and villages. "Skyward Sword" attempts to fly towards new heights and lands successfully. If there's anything to gripe about at all is that there are a few side quests and they can be a tad tedious at times. But how could I complain when the rest of the game is this good? "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" is an incredible addition and soars right to the top of my list game of the year. Nintendo, you've wowed us again

Gears of War 3

Logan 7/10
The Gears of War series is famous for reinventing how the shooter genre is supposed to be (more or less), that being said, I enjoyed my time with this game. The gameplay feels more smoother than its past games, the graphics still take the top, and it also has suprisingly very good music. However, where Gears of War 3 fails is that nothing new has changed, quite honestly, there's really no huge difference between it's past games. It tries to have a more sensible storyline and while at times are not bad, I found myself bored and not focusing on character developement, it's gameplay hasn't changed either, aside from a couple of new weapons, and its biggest flaw, the characters are still as annoying as they ever were. But if you're a fan of the Gears of War series, then you will enjoy this game.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Landon 9/10

I loved the first two Uncharted games, and this third installment is definitely no exception. This game is more of what was already great and then some. You're set in the deserts of the Rub' al Khali as Nathan Drake seeks the fabled Atlantis of the Sands with his good pal Victor Sullivan. The narrative and writing is pretty smart and witty, but it's the relationship between Nate and Sully that makes it so good. Plus, the scenic vistas and animation is incredible, it's filled with sweet stylized action stunts from only the best action movies, and gun-play that's a little frustrating at times, but ultimately satisfies. Even though the game is a tad too short and some of the first few chapters drag a little bit, how could I complain when the rest of the game is this good? A more than welcome addition to the Uncharted franchise. Awesome

Batman: Arkham City

Logan 9/10
Batman Arkham Asylum was the very first superhero game to be game of the year worthy back in 2009. Does the sequel hold a candle to it? Not really. However, it is still an incredible experience, and much like Super Mario Galaxy, the second game wasn't very different but it was a step in the right direction. What Batman: Arkham City differs from the first one is that it has a much darker tone and storyline, the atmosphere matches completely well with its setting, you get to see more villains that you didn't have a chance to see in the first game, and the music is extremely symphonic, just perfect for the Dark Knight. The gameplay is extremely well paced and feels very smooth, and the AI is very smart and gives you a challenging effort. Batman continues to show us that even superheroes have a chance at the game of the year title, a must buy for anyone that has an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3.