Most Acclaimed Games of 2010

With the year drawing to a close, I thought that it would be interesting to present a list of the 10 most acclaimed games from 2010 based on the lists that I have been adding to the Acclaimed Video Games (AVG) database. However, since the number of lists that 2010 games are eligible for are scant, I have adjusted my formula (for this mini-list only) to include Metacritic scores. By combining a game's AVG score with its Metacritic score (weighted at 2:1), I have arrived at the most acclaimed video games of 2010. I have also listed the likelihood of each game appearing on the list of the 200 Most Acclaimed Games in the next update based on current data. The list starts after the jump.


10 - BioShock 2
Platform(s): PC / Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3
AVG Score: 8.92
Meta Score: 88
Overall: 35.28
Top 200 Chances: Impossible

 

9 - God of War III
Platform(s): PlayStation 3
AVG Score: 7.96
Meta Score: 92
Overall: 35.97
Top 200 Chances: Impossible

8 - Limbo
Platform(s): Xbox 360
AVG Score: 9.13
Meta Score: 90
Overall: 36.09
Top 200 Chances: Impossible

7 - Halo: Reach

Platform(s): Xbox 360
AVG Score: 9.13
Meta Score: 91
Overall: 36.42
Top 200 Chances: Impossible

6 - Alan Wake
Platform(s): Xbox 360
AVG Score: 16.29
Meta Score: 83
Overall: 38.53
Top 200 Chances: Very Unlikely

5 - Bayonetta
Platform(s): Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3
AVG Score: 17.17
Meta Score: 88.5
Overall: 40.95
Top 200 Chances: Very Unlikely

4 - StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Platform(s): PC
AVG Score: 16.21
Meta Score: 93
Overall: 41.81
Top 200 Chances: Very Unlikely

3 - Heavy Rain
Platform(s): PlayStation 3
AVG Score: 25.08
Meta Score: 87
Overall: 45.72
Top 200 Chances: Unlikely

2 - Red Dead Redemption
Platform(s): Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3
AVG Score: 24.09
Meta Score: 95
Overall: 47.73
Top 200 Chances: Unlikely

1 - Mass Effect 2

Platform(s): PC / Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 (2011)
AVG Score: 38.13
Meta Score: 95
Overall: 57.09
Top 200 Chances: Very Likely [AVG score of Final Fantasy IV in Version 2 is 32.18]

As a bonus, here is a rundown of the most acclaimed 2010 games on platforms that do not feature in the above list:
iPhone - Enviro-Bear 2010: Operation Hibernation
DS - Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
Wii - Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
PSP - Alien Zombie Death

Note: Since Metacritic is, to borrow a phrase, totally lamestream, it lacks listings for many of the indie games that have appeared on some of the newer lists (e.g., VVVVVV, Neptune's Pride). Therefore, I have done the Bayesian thing and added a score of 75 for each game that lacks a Metacritic score.