Best X-Box 360 Games of 2009

By Garreth McGrath

Col: Level Up

I know what you’re thinking: This list is at least a year late, but in the interest of our readers, I spent most of the year tirelessly testing out each of these games and had to make sure that Sega didn’t pull a surprise move such as announcing a third generation Genesis on New Year’s Eve. Besides, by this time all the unwanted Christmas gifts would have been sold back to used game stores so you could pick these titles up at less than their original cost. During these troubled economic times, we at the Muse look out for you as best we can. Now enjoy the spoils and level up.

SUB: 5. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Comic books have traditionally not been made into very good games. Nine chances out of 10, the game is a complete flop. Somehow, once in a while and against all odds, a game comes by that gives you hope for the future of mankind. Batman: Arkham Asylum is one of those games. The graphics make you thank your lucky stars that you have functioning eyes. The voice acting is sensational. In no small part due to the outlandish performance of Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hammil, in the role of the Joker, a role he also played in the television cartoon series. The controls are easy to master and the gameplay provides the perfect balance between action and stealth sections. This one knocked it out of the park and raised the bar for future graphic novel adaptations.

SUB: 4: Borderlands

This is the perfect blend of first-person shooter and role-playing game, my two favorite addictions. Here is a game that can finally do both of them equal justice. The post-apocalyptic setting will be very familiar to many of you who are just coming down off a Fallout 3 buzz, but if you were to ask me to choose between the two, I would say Borderlands is the all-around better game because the style, the combat system and the level design feels very refreshing by comparison.

SUB: 3. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

The Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) genre is dying a slow death. Many of them are endlessly boring, tedious, and require a dual PhD in Biomechanics and Ancient History as a prerequisite to play. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor has everything that long-time fans have come to love from the series. However, it is entirely accessible to any newcomer. Everything that Atlus has done for this franchise is gold and they have raised the bar to what a good JRPG can be. It’s fast-paced, dark, witty, and contains a story line to rival any Ayn Rand novel. Let’s see Atlas try and shrug this.

SUB: 2. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

For all the bitching and moaning I do about this game everyday of my life, it is still king when it comes to any online game. Regardless of all the cheaters and glitches online, getting a group of six people together and entering a match that is evenly balanced feels like nothing else. Getting that last knife kill, or dropping a missile on three enemies feels like victory in the morning. This is a game that I will play over and over until something takes its throne, which will probably be Modern Warfare 3.

SUB: 1. Dragon Age: Origins

Alright, I admit it – I am a complete Bioware whore. I have played every game they have ever made and have fallen in love with them. They can do no wrong by me and Dragon Age Origins is a shining example of why. It may not be the best role-playing game, and may not have the most original story line ever, but what it will do is immerse you in its world. As a new, interactive form of media, games need to be able to grab you, drag you in, and make you think you are present in another world. Dragon Age Origins does this. It does it so well sometimes, I forget about reality and feel myself drifting away. Bravo Bioware, I will never forget you. I think about you all the time. Please return my calls. I hope you got the flowers.

Agree or disagree with the list? Send me an e-mail, newfie@handheldheroes.net, or leave a comment at www.handheldheroes.net

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