10 of the Best PC Games 2009 - Mana Pools Top PC Games 2009

What are some of the Best PC Games in 2009? This is a question that many gamers ask in order to determine their next purchase. Here’s our take on some of the essential games that came out in 2009.

Best PC Games 2009

(in no particular order)

Dragon Age: Origins

Genre: RPG

Dragon Age: Origins is the spiritual successor to BioWare’s critically acclaimed Baldur’s Gate, featuring deep character customization and role-playing, morally challenging decisions, tactical party-based combat, and a wealth of gritty, mature sub-plots. It is a dark, heroic fantasy game that combines original storytelling techniques with classic role-playing challenges.

In Dragon Age, your choices change the world and affect the people around you. Certain situations, storylines, and conversation options will change drastically depending on your origin and your motivations. You choose your origin, and from that starting point, your story begins. You play through your character’s early days, defining his or her background and motivation and begin to learn more about the world of Ferelden from your own distinct perspective.

Your choice of origin defines how you will view the world and how it views you. Choose a sneaky, disrespected commoner and you will play a story that focuses around subtle skills and careful wordplay. Choose a noble origin and the world will be much more positive and helpful, but those jealous of your status will not be afraid to take what you have, violently if necessary.

Empire: Total War

Genre: Strategy

Empire: Total War maintains the series’ genre-leading 3D battles, grand turn-based campaign map and rich historical flavor while for the first time introducing 3D naval combat into the series. The game is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances.

Empire: Total War sees the debut of 3D naval combat — gamers will be able to intuitively command vast fleets or single ships upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board taking control your men as they fight hand to hand on the decks.

Left 4 Dead 2

Genre: Shooter

Down in the bayou of Louisiana, all hell has broken loose in this second entry of the multiplayer zombie-fest. Players assume the role of four new survivors, each with their own personality and new dialog. The game leads them through the southeastern region of the US — from Savannah, Georgia through the bayou country, and climaxing in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

This co-operative action horror FPS takes you and your friends through the cities, swamps and cemeteries of the Deep South, from Savannah to New Orleans across five expansive campaigns. You’ll play as one of four new survivors armed with a wide and devastating array of classic and upgraded weapons. In addition to firearms, you’ll also get a chance to take out some aggression on infected with a variety of carnage-creating melee weapons, from chainsaws to axes and even the deadly frying pan. You’ll be putting these weapons to the test against (or playing as in Versus) three horrific and formidable new Special Infected. You’ll also encounter five new “uncommon” common infected, including the terrifying Mudmen.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Genre: Action

In Batman: Arkham Asylum the player assumes the role of Batman as he delivers The Joker to Arkham Asylum. There, the imprisoned super-villains have set a trap and an immersive combat gaming experience unfolds. With an original script penned by Emmy Award-winning Batman writer Paul Dini, the game brings the universe of DC Comics’ detective to life!

Batman: Arkham Asylum exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes them to the depths of Arkham Asylum — Gotham’s psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Gamers will move in the shadows, instigate fear amongst their enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City’s most notorious villains who have taken over the asylum. Using a wide range of Batman’s gadgets and abilities, players will become the invisible predator and attempt to foil The Joker’s demented scheme.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

Genre: Strategy

It’s the 41st Millennium in the Sub-Sector Aurelia — a cluster of worlds on the edge of the Galaxy – where a battle of epic proportions is about to commence. Ancient races will clash across the planets that dot this section of space, battling for the greatest of stakes — not only the claim to the land and its bounty – but the fate of each race.

Dawn of War II ushers in a new chapter in the acclaimed RTS series — taking players to the brutal frontlines of war to lead an Elite Strike Force on a mission to save the galaxy. With a focus on fast-action RTS gameplay, Dawn of War II brings to life the science fiction universe of Warhammer 40,000 like never before. Experience the intimate brutality of battle as you play through your chosen race’s epic campaign. Clash with enemies on battlefields ablaze with visceral melee and ranged combat. Lead and develop your squads from raw recruits into the most battle hardened veterans in the Galaxy.

The Sims 3

Genre: Family

The Sims return yet again in this third full evolution of the long-running and always-expanding sim series. The Sims 3 allows you to immerse your unique Sims in an open living neighborhood right outside their door, interacting with other Sims using the new, deeper personality system.

The game also allows you to customize anything, anywhere. From floors to flowers, fashions to sofas, wallpaper to window shades and more, The Sims 3 gives you all the flexibility and options you need to be the architect of your dream house or explore your interior design skills to outfit your ultimate home. Your Sims can make home an ultra-deluxe mansion, a cool bachelor pad, family’s dream home or charming cottage. The choice is yours.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Genre: Shooter

Return to today’s war front with the second chapter in the Modern Warfare series. Modern Warfare 2 continues the gripping and heart-racing action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse.

Playing as as Sgt. Gary “Roach” Sanderson, your international squad of elite soldiers battle through harrowing combat scenarios that range from snowy mountaintops in Siberia to the crowded streets of Rio de Janiero, Brazil and beyond, facing a terrorist force hellbent on redefining the boundary lines of today’s modern warfare. Players can face the threat alone or with other players in cooperative SpecOps mode. For even more intense combat, take up arms against online foes in enhanced deathmatch warfare on a host of Modern Warfare 2 maps.

Mirror’s Edge

Genre: Action

Mirror’s Edge introduces players to Faith, a “runner” in a world where communication channels are highly monitored and the movement of human traffic is closely watched. When Faith’s sister gets framed for a murder she did not commit, Faith finds herself on the edge of the city, on the wrong side of the law.

Mirror’s Edge delivers players straight into the shoes of this modern day heroine as she traverses the vertigo-inducing cityscape, engaging in intense combat, fast-paced chases and challenging puzzles. With a never-before-seen sense of movement and perspective, players are drawn into Faith’s world.

Torchlight

Genre: Action RPG

From the creators of Diablo and Fate, Runic Games presents a fresh take on action RPGs with Torchlight. The discovery of a rich vein of powerful but dangerous magic ore has turned the sleepy village of Torchlight into a thriving boomtown.

Players risk their lives to explore randomly arranged dungeons in a variety of treacherous and exciting settings, learning spectacular skills and finding the most exquisite and powerful treasures. The game combines single-player and MMO gameplay, with its launch state being for a single adventurer but a further MMO function added on post-launch.

Borderlands

Genre: Shooter, RPG

A sci-fi action RPG from acclaimed developer Gearbox, Borderlands combines the best in first-person action with player customization and vehicular combat for incredible layers of gameplay depth. The game features a groundbreaking content generation system allowing for near-endless variety in missions, environments, enemies, weapons, item drops and character customization.

Borderlands allows for multiple players to share the same game experience simultaneously online in co-op gameplay. Players can freely join or leave each other’s games at anytime, or choose to play in the full single-player mode. The game also boasts lifelike character animations, impressive real-time physics, and customizable vehicles.