Games of 2009

Persona 4 - PS2
Despite being 10 years old, the creaking PlayStation 2 can still produce wonderful games. Persona 4 was a much more streamlined experience than its predecessor, but it retained the appeal that's made the series such as success. Unlike regular RPGs, Persona 4 mixes things up to create a unique experience. By day, your character goes to school, attends after school clubs and hangs out with friends. But at night, you explore randomly generated dungeons with the aid of your Personas - magical creatures which help you in battle. Persona 4 looks fantastic, and its fusion of social aspects and dungeon crawling make it one of the most memorable RPGs in recent years.

Flower - PS3
Flower is one of the most remarkable games of 2009. Controlling the wind by moving the Sixaxis, the aim is to open flowers that lie scattered about the game's beautiful locations, collecting petals as you go. Visually stunning with a beautiful relaxed atmosphere, Flower is perfect for late night gaming sessions. Lush, grassy meadows under bright blue skies give way to rocky canyons, sun-drenched amber vistas, midnight blue fields and rain-soaked plains - it's a marvellous experience.

Wii Sports Resort - Wii 
Nintendo bundled Wii Sports with their console to show off the Wii's motion-sensing capabilities. While it was fun, there's it lacked lasting appeal due to the shallow nature of the events. Wii Sports Resort features 12 events compared to the original's five and comes packed with the Wii Motion Plus - a device giving the player a greater degree of control. The events take place on sun-kissed Wuhu Island, and the game is instantly appealing thanks to bright blue skies and the island's cheery atmosphere. Table Tennis, Archery, Swordplay, Air Sports and Frisbee Golf were personal highlights, but everything on offer was a blast to play. It's still selling by the truckload and I'm sure Wii Sports Resort will be wheeled out in homes across the country after Christmas dinner this year.

New Super Mario Bros - Wii 
Super Mario Galaxy remains my favourite Mario title, but there New Super Mario Bros is a cracking game. Back to his 2D roots, Mario's latest outing on Wii is platform perfection. The old school single player action brings memories flooding back of Mario World on the Super Nintendo. Up to four people can take part in the fast-paced multiplayer mode, but the single player is no slouch. Later stages are a real test of nerves, but a handy help feature has been included to guide you through the more difficult sections.

Street Fighter IV - 360/PS3 
The best one-on-one fighter ever got a whole lot better in 2009. The culmination of years of fine tuning by the team at Capcom resulted in this spectacular brawler. While old combos and tricks from the past remain the same, the eye-popping graphics and sprinkling of new features make this the definitive Street Fighter experience. The announcement of Super Street Fighter IV might have taken the spotlight away from this in recent weeks, but this remains the best fighter on the market at the moment.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - 360/PS3/PC 
Games featuring superheroes have been a hit and miss affair in the past, but the Dark Knight's appearance this year proved to be a definite high point. On the trail of the Joker - who has taken over Gotham's famous Arkham Asylum - the Caper Crusader is drawn into a quest to bring the Crown Prince of Crime to justice. Arkham Asylum is an amalgamation of genres - with stealth-based sections, environmental puzzle solving, and bouts of good old-fashioned fisticuffs fused coherently together to produce a slick and well-rounded package. The visuals are excellent, and coupled with the asylum's oppressive atmosphere, create one of this year's most distinctive titles. With a second game announced this week, there's plenty for Batman fans to look forward to.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - PS3
Great things were expected of Uncharted 2, and developers Naughty Dog didn't disappoint, pulling out all the stops to deliver the finest action adventure to grace a home console this year. Packed with epic set pieces and thrilling gunfights, charismatic protagonist Nathan Drake's latest outing was a visual feast. Thanks to brilliant voice work, impressive in-game cut scenes and Naughty Dog's attention to detail, Uncharted 2 featured all the trimmings of a blockbuster film. The 12-hour single player campaign was a success, but for gamers craving more, a robust multiplayer mode was also added. The online fun is still incredibly popular and makes a great alternative to first-person online experiences. Uncharted 2 quite simply set the benchmark for future action adventures.

Assassin's Creed 2 - 360/PS3
The original Assassin's Creed was a great looking game, but was bogged down by repetitve tasks and awkward gameplay mechanics. The sequel mixes things up to give a better experience, making this journey through Renaissance era Italy a joy to play. Lead character Ezio is thoroughly likeable, which adds some much-needed personality to the series. Free-running across rooftops, scaling towers and exploring the beautifully rendered cities of Venice and Florence is wonderful, and with plenty of optional trinkets to collect and tombs to discover, Assassin's Creed 2 is head and shoulders above the original.

Flower - PS3

After months of waiting, Flower finally arrived on the PlayStation store a couple of weeks ago, and I've barely stopped playing.

Available for just £6.29, Flower is a beautiful and engaging piece of software by Thatgamecompany, the team behind the excellent Flow on PS3 and PSP.

Calling Flower a game in the traditional sense might be a bit wide of the mark, as although there are gameplay elements included, playing through Flower is more about the visual and aural experience rather than achieving a set objective.

Each of the game’s levels in represented by a potted plant sitting on the windowsill of a city flat. By moving the Sixaxis over the plant and clicking on it, you are taken into the flower’s dream. Here, you will skim through long grass, soar into the sky, create bright bursts of colour on the ground, while breezing over unopened flowers collecting their petals as you go.

The control system is inspired, with gentle movements of the Sixaxis used to control the breeze. Pressing any button causes the wind to gust, making for an exhilarating experience as you fly through the beautifully realised world.


This experience is made complete by the game’s wonderful visuals. Lush, grassy meadows under bright blue skies give way to rocky canyons, sun-drenched amber vistas, midnight blue fields and rain-soaked plains – Flower may not be the most technologically advanced game ever made, but is one of the most beautiful.

The music also adds to the zen-like experience, with gentle acoustic arrangements suiting the mood of the game perfectly. Each petal you pick up on the breeze is also accompanied by a note or a chime, adding to Flower’s dream-like quality.


While you are free to fly about to your heart’s content and make your way to the level exit - a swirling mass of petals - there are optional objectives that can be undertaken. Each level contains three green flower clusters, each cunningly hidden, and discovering them all rewards you with a gold trophy - one of 14 trophies on offer.

Another nice touch is if you leave the controller alone, the game flicks between stunning views of the landscapes. This is particularly nice to have on in the background, and it's very soothing to watch.

It’s not all perfect, though, the gloomy and oppressive fifth level introduces obstacles in the shape of electricity pylons. Clashing with these twisted metal structures makes the Sixaxis shudder and stops you briefly in your tracks. After being able to freely fly around the gameworlds, this addition really jars.

However, all is forgiven after experiencing the epic final level. I won't spoil it for you, but it is an incredible and uplifting experience that will have you grinning like an idiot.


Flower is not a long game, and those who choose to breeze through it will complete it in a couple of hours.

But why would you want to rush? Flower is best played in short bursts late at night and it took me around six hours to see the closing credits - which are the best and most entertaining closing credits I've ever had the pleasure of seeing.

So pour yourself a glass of wine, dim the lights, kick back, relax and enjoy the experience. Bloomin' marvellous.

Flower (PS3) - it's almost here!

A few months ago, I wrote about Thatgamecompany's forthcoming PS3 title, Flower.

Well news reached me today that this PlayStation network title will be breezing its way to Europe on February 12.

I'm delighted that we're getting it so early, as usually, Europe has to wait considerably longer than the US and Japan to get downloadable titles.

In Flower, the player controls the wind using the Sixaxis. As you breeze across the landscape, you sweep up a solitary flower petal. You then guide the petal across a beautiful landscape and if it comes into contact with other flowers, their petals join yours and are accompanied by a musical note.

It looks gorgeous and could be the ultimate chill-out game. I can't wait.

To whet your appetite, check out the latest video below. Sit back, relax and enjoy

Flower - PS3

With the E3 conference almost over I thought it would be fitting to focus on a game from the show which didn't get as much attention as the big hitters from Microsoft and Sony.

Amidst the guns, destruction and brutality of Gears of War 2 and Resistance 2 was a delicate offering from thatgamecompany, the same team who developed the excellent flOw on PS3 ­- Flower.

Flower was first unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show last year, although I have to admit I didn't pay it much attention at the time. However, after watching videos from this year's E3, Flower has become one of my most anticipated titles.



Controlling the wind with the PS3's Sixaxis, you pick up a solitary flower petal on the breeze. You can then guide the petal across a gorgeous looking landscape and if it comes into contact with other flowers, their petals join yours and make their way across rolling fields.

Creator Jenova Chen has revealed that every level is actually a different flower's dream, with each flower/dream featuring new sights, sounds and colours. The fields are made up of 200,000 individual blades of grass, each one completely independent from the others.



Only two landscapes were shown at E3, a bright, lush looking field and a drab, grey field - although this soon became a sea of brilliant colour, as the petals spread their pollen as they danced across the grey grass, transforming it instantly. It brought to mind the effect in Okami, although this was much more detailed. When I first saw this, I nearly dropped the mug of tea I was holding and it took me a few minutes to get my jaw back up off the floor.

Although Jenova is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the game, he did reveal that varying weather effects will play a part, as will music, with players able to blend their actions in time with the background sounds.



Flower will be a PlayStation 3 exclusive title and will be available via the PSN. No release date has been announced, but don't expect to be playing any time soon. It's still in pre-alpha stage, although you'd never guess as it looks absolutely stunning.

Take a look at these beautiful videos to get a feel for the Flower experience. Although they are in grainy web-o-vision, they give you a taste of what's to come. Just imagine it running in full high definition glory: