Top 3 Games You Should Have Played in 2010, But Didn’t

Vanquish… you should have played it.

Last year I wrote one of these roundups, highlighting the best games in 2009 that no one played. Wolfenstein, Wet, and other titles that largely went ignored got their just due, and this year, I’ve got another batch.

From titles released on the same dates as major blockbusters (Vanquish vs. Fallout New Vegas) to unreasonably ignored titles with beautiful storytelling and narratives, here are three games you should played this year… but likely didn’t.

Have your own picks? Sound off in the replies! I’m an Xbox gamer, so I’m missing out on the PS3 and Wii titles.

1. Vanquish – Developed by Platinum Games (Bayonetta / Madworld) and released by SEGA, this game slipped in under the radar, surprising gamers with incredibly fast paced gameplay and an absolutely bizarre story line. Well, okay, maybe the convoluted storyline wasn’t such a surprise. After all, this was the studio that brought us Bayonetta. And despite universal acclaim from critics and gamers, SEGA was only “reasonably encouraged” about the game’s early sales back in October.

The game’s PR reps were kind enough to send me a copy to review early in the Fall, and let me tell you… this game is fantastic. Sure, you wrap it up in under 6 hours, and the plot feels like some sci-fi-anime nightmare… but the action is so over-the-top and addicting, you’ll get over these trite issues quickly.

Chances are, you missed out on this title due to two key issues. 1. The awful cover. Come on SEGA. Look at that thing. It looks like it was designed to appear to be shovelware. Have we not learned from Ico? And 2. The game came out the same day as Fallout: New Vegas. Studios delay games for a reason, and this is one of them. Vanquish clearly should have been pushed back to avoid the mad rush of New Vegas and Black Ops, in my opinion. But alas, I’m a blogger and not a gaming exec. As of this posting, you can grab Vanquish on Amazon for under $50.

2. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West – Enslaved is a game that deserves a sequel, nay, an entire line of titles dedicated to the fantastic narrative experienced there-in. Perhaps if Namco wasn’t so busy pushing their Ben 10 and Naruto titles, which are practically guaranteed to sell anyway, this game would have fared better, instead of finding itself tossed in the Amazon Gold Box for $25 back in November.

The voice acting is top notch, the cut scenes are stunning… and this should come as no surprise. Andy Serkis co-directed them and voiced a supporting character. You may recognize him as Gollum in Lord of the Rings.

As of this post, you can get Enslaved for about $35 on Amazon.

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3. Mafia II – While this game sold fairly well and scored decent reviews across the board, I can’t find a single person, save for myself, who played this game. And that’s a real shame.

Likely written off as a mere sequel to the poorly craft original title, and drawing in advance comparisons to the Godfather II / Godfather debacle, Mafia II was more than just a sequel. It was a reboot of the franchise. Gorgeous visuals, interesting characters, and a relatively decent storyline, Mafia II genuinely surprised me, as I went in with the lowest of expectations.