PC Games of the Year 2009

We’ve seen the most disappointing computer games of 2009, we’re trying to forget about them and focus our attention towards the best of the best: the best PC games released in 2009! Even though there are many voices claiming that PC gaming is dead, the competition for a spot in the top 10 this year was really high and there were quite a few great games left out, but that’s life, right? Read on to find out Unigamesity’s PC Games of the Year 2009!

10. Risen

I simply loved Risen as I am a huge fan of the Gothic series and we can say that, up to a point, it’s the same game. A quality RPG with tens of hours of gameplay on offer, with a pretty huge map to explore, monsters to slay and quests to complete. The story itself is not brilliant, but still Risen remains one of the best RPGs released this year!

9. Left 4 Dead 2

When announced, the game was criticized and gamers decided to boycott the sequel, but after it hit the internet, it became a sure hit. Left 4 Dead 2 is a real high quality multiplayer game and I can’t really think about anything that it does wrong… however, having in mind that, in the end, the differences between the first game and this one are minimal, I can’t place L4D2 higher on the ladder. But still, a great FPS!

8. Wolfenstein

I was one of the few that had no high hopes regarding the release of Wolfenstein and that’s probably the reason why I was so excited when it came out. It has a really solid single player campaign (even though short), it has enough enemies and boss fights to get you hooked and, even though the multiplayer experience is not as brilliant as in the previous Wolfenstein title, let’s not forget that this first person shooter brought in some superpowers we might be seeing in other FPS games as well!

7. Drakensang: The Dark Eye

Drakensand is one of the few RPGs I will keep playing, and playing, and playing. It is so complex and has so much to offer that you probably need weeks of gameplay to say that you’ve learned how to create your character. Unfortunately, it got absolutely no marketing from the developers and publishers and most of you never heard of it. But it’s a real pity, especially if you love high quality role playing games and a very complex (and really hard) game doesn’t turn you off!

6. Resident Evil 5

I was expecting a bit more from Resident Evil 5, personally and I still can’t pardon the game for not letting me move and shoot at the same time, but this doesn’t mean that the overall quality level of the game was low. On the contrary, RE5 is intense and violent, it’s really well done and also offers some great experiences in multiplayer. Probably this one won’t enter the history books of gaming like other Resident Evil games, but it will still remain a great play. Whenever, wherever.

5. Torchlight

This little indie gem came out of nowhere, when nobody was expecting it, without being marketed too much, but still managed to take the computer gaming world by storm. More colorful and caroony than the upcoming Diablo III, Torchlight was considered the only game to play while waiting for Blizzard to release their RPG. It’s fun, it’s intense, it’s really addictive and it can be played even on a netbook. Now that’s how you create a hit!

4. King’s Bounty: Armored Princess

Last year, Katauri was delivering PC game fans a great TBS/RPG under the name of King’s Bounty: The Legend. This year we received King’s Bounty: Armored Princess and unfortunately the game was marketed even worse than the original (and you probably never heard of any of these games, right?). Still, King’s Bounty: Armored Princess continues the saga in a really classy way, delivering a more intense experience and much more difficult fights, making anybody who plays the game remember the great times when Heroes of Might and Magic was the best game in the world.

3. DiRT 2

I am not a fan of car racing/driving games and I rarely tend to give any credit to such titles (the same goes for sports games). Having these in mind and seeing that DiRT 2 is number three in the best of the best for 2009 must really mean something, right? Well, it does! It means tons of game modes, it means a more intense (even though a bit less realistic) gameplay experience, it means awesome graphics and a dream come true for basically every car lover on this planet. It’s that kind of the game you rarely see released on PCs!

2. Batman: Arkham Asylum

It was really hard to decide the winner of the PC Games of the Year 2009 awards and Batman: Arkham Asylum was almost a tie. But there can be only one and unfortunately that wasn’t Eidos’ game. Still, it clearly is one of the best ever computer games released in the past few years, an enjoyable experience for all kinds of gamers and a superhero title like no other. It is innovative, it is easy and fun to play (yet challenging and charming), it is everything you need from a computer game.

1. Dragon Age: Origins

And 2009’s game of the year is Dragon Age: Origins, proving the world that Bioware knows how to create an RPG! And you know that a role playing game is of huge quality when, after 30 hours of playing, you still remember choices you’ve made in the past and wonder what would’ve happened if you changed your mind. And when you start over, you have the same fun you’ve had the first time playing, and you know the same will happen the third time when you’ll play the game. Now that’s value for your money and we all have to thank BioWare (and EA) for delivering such a great game!