god of war 3

Mass Effect 2 - GamingBits.com Game of the Year

Here are our top 10 favorite game selections, of games released in 2010. These are the games we sunk our hours into throughout the year. Based on our personal top picks, our GamingBits.com Game of the Year is Mass Effect 2. Congratulations BioWare! Mass Effect 2 will be introduced to PlayStation 3 players in January 2011, so don’t miss out on it. Let us know what your favorite games of 2010 were with a comment below!

Alexis’ Top 10 games of 2010 picks:

Mass Effect 21- Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

BioWare topped the introductory Mass Effect game release with Mass Effect 2, improving on the game’s pacing, visuals and combat. The story was engaging, the soundtrack memorable and the voice acting delivered a solid, high caliber presentation. Not only was the core out of the box experience worth it, but Mass Effect 2 was the game that kept giving throughout most of 2010. Since its January debut, plenty of downloadable content was released. From some excellent paid episodes to a few freebies and even some unique giveaways. Mass Effect 2 is a must play.

God of War III2- God of War III (PlayStation 3)

Sony delivered an amazing God of War debut on the PlayStation 3 with God of War 3. More over-the-top action, creative weapons, challenging puzzles and gorgeous graphics made God of War 3 a rewarding game to play. This is one of those games that you can’t put down, from start to finish. God of War 3 may have been out fairly early in 2010, but still leaves an indelible impression today.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow3- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3, Xbox 360)

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow finally delivers a high quality Castlevania game for this generation of home consoles. Konami and MercurySteam boldy re-imagined and relaunched the series. The gameplay is a crescendo, all the way through the post-credits cutscene. There are many moves to master, plenty of dark lore explored and re-interpreted, and an amazing orchestral soundtrack that accompanies the rich tapestry of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. An excellent game. A tragic tale.

4- Alan Wake (Xbox 360)

5- Transformers: War For Cybertron (multiplatform)

6- PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX (PS3, Xbox 360)

7- Infinity Blade (iOS)

8- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)

9- Bayonetta (PS3, Xbox 360)

10- Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)

Geoff’s Top 10 games of 2010 picks:

Mass Effect 21- Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

This game did come out in January, but captured my heart and mind throughout its sweeping campaign. With an engrossing story and a myriad of DLC (both free and paid) adding greatly to the already lengthy story. The improvements over the first game are apparent even at first glance. It is a game that kicks you in the teeth from the opening cutscene and the ride doesn’t end until the final battle. I have never played a console game that left me wanting more than Mass Effect 2, therefore it is my personal game of the year.

Alan Wake2- Alan Wake (Xbox 360)

The survival horror genre is something which I have never gotten into very much in my years of playing games. Along comes Alan Wake from one of my favorite developers, Remedy Entertainment. I played it thinking I wouldn’t like it. I was dead wrong. Alan Wake is filled with mystery, challenging gameplay and a story that rivals most other great games of 2010. Somewhat overlooked, Alan Wake was not my favorite game, but was a close second. It confused me, shocked me and in the end was a truly unique, satisfying experience that everyone should at least try.

Red Dead Redemption3- Red Dead Redemption (PS3, Xbox 360)

Rockstar Games has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of what gaming is and forever shall be. With Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar San Diego took the spaghetti western and created a story unlike any other released. Melding a massive virtual world, filled with interesting characters that you grow attached to over the course of the single player campaign. Not too far from the Grand Theft Auto formula, Red Dead Redemption is a critical and retail darling, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

4- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (PS3, Xbox 360)

5- Costume Quest (PSN, XBLA)

6- Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

7- Comic Jumper (XBLA)

8- Enslaved: Odyssey Into The West (PS3, Xbox 360)

9- Transformers: War for Cybertron (multiplatform)

10- PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX (PS3, Xbox 360)

Roly’s Top 10 games of 2010 picks:

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood1- Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (PS3, Xbox 360)

While Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is not the actual sequel to its predecessor, the sheer depth of gameplay says otherwise.  The story of Ezio Auditore is “completed” within this chapter of the Assassin’s Creed mythos and Ubisoft continues improving the game’s superb story and action.  For conspiracy theorists, fans of beautiful architecture and of course old world action, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is a must play.



Mass Effect 22- Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

Mass Effect 2 takes what was great about the original and amplifies it once again, to Hollywood proportions.  While the first is far more dependent of RPG elements, BioWare has created a sequel which will appeal to fans of shooters without alienating its original fan base.  Exceptional voice acting to garnish the game’s compelling story make this a must buy for fans of action-RPGs.



Red Dead Redemption 3- Red Dead Redemption (PS3, Xbox 360)

This is the game that single handedly raised my appreciation for anything western, and it’s more than just a cowboy themed GTA.  Red Dead Redemption is a sandbox game with a great story, action, voice acting and soundtrack; the online play is also fun.  It has a broad range of missions and side missions, which never grow tiring. A gamer will easily get 50+ hours alone of gameplay from (in my opinion) Rockstar’s best sandbox game to date.



4- Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)

5- God of War 3 (PlayStation 3)

6- Shank (PS3, XBLA)

7- Angry Birds (Android)

8- Super Meat Boy (XBLA, PC)

9- Doodle Jump (Android)

10- Lunar: Silver Story (PSP)

JamesTop 10 games of 2010 picks:

Halo: Reach1- Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)

The Halo series holds a very special place in my heart and the wait for Halo: Reach was nearly unbearable. I played through the entire Halo series and even re-read The Fall of Reach before release. I got very little sleep those next two days as an epic tale unfolded right before my eyes. Hundreds of Covenant troops fell before the credits rolled and I was left breathless and slightly heartbroken. Bungie’s last entry in the Halo series is simply a masterpiece. Much like the previous Halo games, Halo: Reach will have an active community for years to come.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood2- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (PS3, Xbox 360)

For a series with only three games so far, the Assassin’s Creed games have matured exponentially. What was a rigidly structured and laborious experience in the original Assassin’s Creed has become completely open and diverse in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. Tired of the main story? Spend some money rebuilding Rome. Having trouble with a mission? Recruit assassins to your guild for help. Finished with the main story? Jump in to multiplayer or replay your missions to receive 100% synchronization. With all the options available and the cliffhanger ending, I can’t wait for the next game.

Mass Effect 23- Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

I’ve never been much of an RPG fan, but Mass Effect’s Sci-Fi universe hooked me instantly. After playing Mass Effect and reading the first two Mass Effect novels, I was ready to be blown away by the next entry in the series. Offering a much more streamlined interface and revamped shooting controls, Mass Effect 2 did not disappoint.




4- Red Dead Redemption (PS3, Xbox 360)

5- Rock Band 3 (multiplatform)

6- Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox 360, PC)

7- UFC Undisputed 2010 (Xbox 360, PS3)

8- PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX (PS3, Xbox 360)

9- BioShock 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

10- Puzzle Quest 2 (DS)

NOTE: For an expanded list of recommended 2010 games by system platform, see the following lists:

Top games lists for:
PlayStation 3 & PSN games
Xbox 360 and XBLA games
Wii and WiiWare games
Nintendo DS and DSiWare games
iPad, iPhone and iPad games
PlayStation Portable and PSP minis games
PC games

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The NPD Group has reported the total game hardware and software sales for the month of March 2010, a pretty busy month for gamers. Big games like God of War III, Final Fantasy XIII, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions and Battlefield Bad Company 2 were released in March 2010. God of War III was the number one game on the list (the PS3 had 4 games on the top 10 list). Pokemon is still kicking strong, and when you combine the two variations of the same game (HeartGold and SoulSilver), it’s the overall top seller for March 2010.

In March 2010, total game software sales accounted for $875.3 million. Game hardware sales were $440.5 million, with Nintendo’s DS and Wii platforms gaining the two top spots once again. Gaming accessories accounted for $206.8 million. That made for a total $1.52 billion March 2010 month in the gaming industry.

Here’s the breakdown of March 2010 video game industry sales, based on units, from the NPD Group (via IndustryGamers.com):

Game hardware sales (in units) for March 2010:
1. DS and DSi - 700.8K units
2. Wii - 557.5K units
3. Xbox 360 - 338.4K units 
4. PlayStation 3 - 313.9K units 
5. PlayStation Portable - 119.9K units
6. PlayStation 2 - 118.3K units

Game software sales (in units) for March 2010:
1. God of War III (PlayStation 3) – 1.10M units
2. Pokemon SoulSilver Version (Nintendo DS) – 1.02M units
3. Final Fantasy XIII (PlayStation 3) – 828.2K units
4. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Xbox 360) – 825.5K units
5. Pokemon HeartGold Version (Nintendo DS) – 761.2K units
6. Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360) – 493.9K units
7. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) – 457.4K units
8.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PlayStation 3) – 451.2K units
9. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Wii) – 429.6K units
10. MLB 10: The Show (PlayStation 3) – 349.2K units

There are quite a few multiplatform games on the list. It would be interesting to see, based on game title, how sales were. So, if you combine the game unit sales across the different platforms and different versions (for Pokemon DS games), the chart would look something like this:

1. Pokemon (SoulSilver and HeartGold) Versions (DS) – 1.76M units
2. Battlefield Bad Company 2 (Xbox 360, PS3) – 1.28M units
3. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Xbox 360) – 1.32M units
4. God of War III (PS3) – 1.10M units
5. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) – 457.4K units
6. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Wii) – 429.6K units
7. MLB 10: The Show (PlayStation 3) – 349.2K units

Looking a bit into the future in April 2010, Nintendo DS sales will likely get a boost from the Nintendo DSi XL’s debut. April 2010 won’t be as big a month for games as March 2010 was,
but some new game titles you might see in the top 10 list include Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction (Xbox 360), Grand Theft Auto: Episodes of Liberty City (PS3) and Monster Hunter Tri (Wii). That is, depending on how much March 2010 games want to budge.

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PlayStation 3 gamers in PAL regions will be getting the complete God of War Trilogy in one box set. The PlayStation.Blog Europe announced the God of War Collection, remastered PS3 versions of God of War and God of War II, will be released in April 2010. This is the same God of War Collection released in North America last year. It’s currently available for $29.99.

The God of War Trilogy bundles the remastered God of War Collection and last week’s new God of War III in one set, making it a great introduction for new PS3 gamers, or God of War collectors. It will be available for €89.99 or £64.99. Some PlayStation 3 PAL gamers may have already been able to pick up the Trilogy set in the God of War III Trilogy Collector’s Set, which included the extra God of War III downloadable content and Pandora’s Box collectible. Chances are that it may be tough to find, so the God of War Trilogy offers another bundled option.

See the release dates and more details on the God of War Trilogy here at the PlayStation Blog Europe. A God of War Trilogy box set has not been announced for North America.


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Along with today’s release of God of War III comes the God of War III Ultimate Edition. Curious to see what’s packed inside Pandora’s Box? See the God of War III Ultimate Edition unboxing pictures below or here in full screen. In the box you get the standard edition packaged God of War III game disc and box, Pandora’s Box and God of War III Art Book. Inside the God of War III game box is an additional sleeve which includes 3 download codes, which can be redeemed from the PlayStation Store. Upon downloading the additional Ultimate Edition digital content, you’ll see the God of War III game title screen gets updated to say "God of War III Ultimate Edition," a unique little touch.

The God of War III Ultimate Edition includes:

Exclusive Collectibles
– High-End Sculpted Replica of Pandora’s Box
- Limited-Edition God of War Art Book featuring exclusive art, content and interviews

Exclusive Digital Content
(Available via PlayStation Network voucher codes on day of launch)
– God of War Combat Arena containing an exclusive environment and seven challenges
– Premium Kratos Skin – Dominus
– God of War: Unearthing the Legend Franchise Documentary – a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise
– God of War Trilogy Soundtrack – God of War, II, and III scores from the game (mp3 digital download).
– God of War: Blood and Metal EP – a heavy metal homage featuring original music inspired by God of War (mp3 digital download).

It may be tough to find the God of War III Ultimate Edition online (try Amazon.com), but you may be able to find one at your local store. God of War III is now available for the PlayStation 3 (with a $10 credit here, while available).

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The wait is over. God of War III hits store shelves today for the PlayStation 3. Kratos returns to finish off this trilogy on a quest for revenge. New weapons, magic and the return of the signature double-chained blades will aid you throughout hordes of mythological monsters and puzzles in God of War III. Fans following the God of War saga probably already new this. Maybe some of you that picked up God of War III at a midnight launch may be well into your first playthrough, or grinded your way through completion today.

One of God of War III’s developers, Ken Feldman of Sony Santa Monica, commented on the godofwar.com forums: "Reviews are awesome, we are humbled as developers.  I think around 40% are perfect scores, unbelievable!!! The one issue that has irked me is some reviewers are listing this as an 8hr game.  This is not an 8 hr game, the fastest play tester on normal mode took 12 or 13 hours during the final play through – the fastest! I have no idea why or what the motivation is to put out misinformation."

A reviewer at (watch out for spoilers) Brave New Gamer said it did in fact take about 8 1/2 hours to complete God of War III on God (Normal) mode. That said, there’s always been a little controversy on completion time in God of War games, but it’s nothing that should take away from the fun of playing the game. The hardcore God of War fans will want to give it at least a second playthrough for the costume unlocks, Trophies, or taking it all in again. You can see the "Universal acclaim" review scores for God of War III here on Metacritic, with many perfect scores. Also, so far on GameRankings.com, God of War III climbs to the #1 rated PS3 game for 2010 to date.

Watch the new "Chaos" launch trailer below.

Visit the official God of War III website here at www.godofwar.com and catch up on the story of Kratos through this interactive experience. If you’ve already picked up and played God of War III, let us know your impressions of the game below!

God of War III is available in a standard edition here or the God of War III Ultimate Edition.

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