HardestLevel Gives Its Gaming Thanks

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

HardestLevel Gives Its Gaming Thanks
Thanks to Alex for putting this list together!

Here at HardestLevel, we work hard to make you think, make you laugh and generally make you feel all warm and fuzzy about games. Still, with games being so ingrained in our everyday lives, it's easy to take them for granted and easy to forget how excited and hopeful they make us feel. That's why, considering it's Thanksgiving season and all, the HardestLevel team is taking this opportunity to offer gaming the true thanks it deserves.

Joe says:

"I'm thankful most of all, simply, that the gaming industry looks to be in fine shape. Especially noting some of the releases post-E3, developers are still churning out high quality games. Modern Warfare 2's record sales and its reviews serve as a pretty good indication of this notion, and legitimately, Game of the Year for 2009 is a tough selection. Speaking of E3, the bold visions for motion capture and new ways to involve all types of gamers were breathtaking. Project Natal, of course, is the most ambitious of them, and some foresee it being more detrimental to serious gaming than anything, but you have to admit you'll want to see how it is ultimately manifested and sent to our homes. In any event, when most companies are scaling back and cutting down, video game companies are daring to dream big."

Tanner says:

"I'm thankful that so many incredible games came out this year, from Arkham Asylum to Brutal Legend to Tekken 6 to Left 4 Dead 2. I can't think of any year where I've been so overwhelmed by the quality of everything that's being released, but I'm too busy having fun with what I've already got to complain that I don't have the money for it all."

Yuliya says:

"I'm thankful for the game that actually managed to challenge my husband (Demon's Souls). I'm also thankful for the PSN for introducing me to indie games that I would never have otherwise heard about – like Critter Crunch and Flower. Oh and Flower! I'm thankful for that too. It's such a remarkably beautiful game, and it's calmed me down and cheered me up on more than one occasion since I got it. I'm thankful for finding an MMO that is not infested by little children (Atlantica Online)...although sometimes you wouldn't know that from the way these "adults" act. I'm NOT thankful for over-hyped games, but I AM thankful for Dante's Inferno for the countless amusing and definitely creative ads they've created. Lastly, I'm thankful for Xanga (and Wirebot and Examiner), for letting me rant about video games."

Alex says:

"Firstly, I'm thankful for another year where my aging gaming PC still manages to run new(er) titles without completely imploding (knock on wood). Secondly, I'm thankful for games being one of the best forms of stress relief. There's nothing better than hopping into a round of TF2 or playing a few games of Super Smash Brothers Brawl after a long day of writing, reading and classes. I'm also thankful to see another year of growth for the gaming industry. It's great to see something that our parents once wrote off as a useless pastime really holding ground and surging forward in both usage, popularity and complexity. If nothing else, this year has left me extremely excited to see what new games and technologies we'll be seeing in the next twelve months."

Tiffany says:

"In regards to gaming, there are a couple of things I'm thankful for this year. One was that I found out that they're finally releasing something I really want to play in English (Sakura Taisen 5). Secondly, I'm really thankful for the PSN store for PSP. I got my PSP for Christmas last year, and didn't really mess around with the store until this year, and I was able to really take advantage of all the demos. It helped me see that I really enjoyed some games (like Phantasy Star Online) and really hate others (like God of War). Now I'm just waiting for a larger memory stick for my PSP so I can get a copy of Final Fantasy VII that I can't lose. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!"

Last, but certainly not least, we'd like to thank you, the readers, for your comments, your support, and your post submissions! Now it's your turn, HardestLevelites! What are you most thankful for in gaming this year?