Top 15 Most Memorable Game Moments of this Gen (Part 2 of 3)

Well, it's time for Part 2 of this list so let's get started.

#10. Bayonetta

The Last Fight with Jeanne

Physics and logic are Bayonetta's bitch

I freaking love this game. And there were so many segments to choose from. All the excellent boss fights made for great candidates. Or there's the point where you ride the motorcycle INTO SPACE. The fact that game throws all logic out the window was a major factor in making this game so awesome.

But for me I decided the choose the and final fight against Jeanne, a witch who attacks Bayonetta many times throughout the game. You fight her a total of four times. This helped give a personal feeling as both times both you and her got progressively more powerful, though her weak state at the beginning was probably to give you a chance because she is a tough bitch. If you had fought her at this power at the beginning of the game you would have gotten f'ed up.

Climbing on the side of buildings, riding missiles through a city while fighting, and (I'm not kidding) playing hot-potato with missiles made this one of the greatest examples of "Crazy Awesome" in the last few years of video games. She may not be as big as Poseidon or the final boss in Bayonetta, but she gives a personal feeling in the sweet hand-to-hand combat. It's just a straight up brawl and I love it for that.

#9. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Scarecrow Hallucination

I think I had a nighmare about this guy once, on a certain street called Elm.

2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum was an incredible surprise for me. It was far better than any licensed comic-book game has the right to be and was one of the best games of the year and like any excellent game, there were many great moments in it. However, the ones that most stand out to most people (including myself) are the Scarecrow hallucinations. Trippy and freaky, these were just another part of Arkham Asylum that made it feel like it belonged in the Batman universe so much.

But by far the best one, was the last one. It begins with one of the greatest examples of what's known as "Fission Mailed" since Metal Gear Solid 2 named the term in 2001, with the Joker apparently shooting Batman. Then it just gets weirder. Scarecrow has long been one of my favorite Batman villains, using psychology against him the same way he attempts to use it on criminals and this game did him justice.

The last hallucination sequence is also an excellent showcase of Batman's badass determination. Despite being pumped with enough fear toxin to drive multiple men insane, Batman overcomes and keeps on going. A great conclusion to one of the best sequences of the past few years.

#8. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

The Train Sequence

This is where I kind of abandoned Tomb Raider for good (at least until the reboot).

The best game of 2009, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was everything that you want from a sequel. It was bigger and better than Drake's Fortune in every way possible with an incredible single-player campaign with a great story and characters and a fun multiplayer.

The train sequence in this game is combination of everything that made this game outstanding. Excellent third-person shooter and platforming controls controls, thrilling set-pieces and situations and beautiful environments. It goes from lush, green jungle to the snowy mountains in the span of about 20 minutes and my god is it gorgeous.

But like I said, the set-pieces and situations thrust on the lovable Nathan Drake are what made this game so memorable. Having a helicopter fly in and attempt to blow up each of the train cars you're own as you slowly but surely clear each car out and avoid its missiles and machine guns? Absolutely awesome. Being able to turn the tables later with an AA gun that you find? Awesome. Finding a guy with a gatling gun and using Nate's quick thinking to hurl him down a mountain? Sign me up.

This was everything great in the last 10 years of gaming put together and the train sequence is the ultimate example of what's so great about both games.

#7. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Ridley Boss Fight in Freefall

 

Never got to fight the Balrog in freefall in Lord of the Rings games, but this is the next best thing.

Despite the enormous disappointment that was Metroid: Other M, the Metroid franchise is still one of my favorite franchises ever. It had my all time favorite game with Super Metroid and the Prime games are outstanding. Metroid Prime 3, while not quite as good as 1 and 2, is one of the best games this generation. And while it's boss fights didn't quite hit the mark set by 1 and 2 (they're still really good), one stands out as maybe the best in the trilogy.

Early in the game you fight Samus most hated enemy. The intelligent and sentient dragon who murdered her parents when she was no more than 2 years old right in front of her in cold-blood...and you fight him in freefall. It's as awesome as it sounds. Ridley has always been among the best and most challenging bosses in the series and knowing the personal angle like I do make them even better. But Prime 3 might take the cake.

You have a certain time limit that you must defeat him in which is represented by the meter counter telling you how much time Samus has before she's paste on the ground. Being in First-Person view actually made it even more intense and Ridley's motif in the background aided the atmosphere. It was an awesome fight that I will not forget. Ridley, like always, still managed to survive and chronologically returned in the best game of all time, Super Metroid.

#6. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

The Nuke

 

This is gonna suck.

One of the most unexpected and shocking moments in years, the nuclear detonation in Call of Duty 4 (arguably the best in the series) was a remarkable moment in gaming. Before this, it was unfathomable to imagine a protagonist dying in a Call of Duty game, especially while still playing him (though it's now become much more standard).

So it was pretty shocking when it appears that you're about to get out of the blast radius, only to have it erupt in your face as everything you did in that particular mission (primarily rescuing a wounded pilot) turned out to be a wasted effort. The moment when you, as the player, realized that your character was probably not going to get out of this.

But the most memorable part is that the player character is still alive, barely. And you can get out and see the aftermath for a few minutes before he dies. See the buildings crumble, the red tint to everything, the enormous mushroom cloud, the dead bodies, it's incredibly surreal and was a brave move on Infinity Ward's part. That move paid off in spades.

Well, that's the second part. I'll be posting the third part in a few days or so and we'll go over the five most memorable sequences in video games this generation.