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Video Review
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Biggest Gaming Surprises of 2010Ten joyous games that caught us with our pants down this year.UK, December 3, 2010by Matt Wales and Martin Robinson
IGN UK

So long 2010, you funny old year for gaming. You've given us some genuine classics, the occasional disappointment and the usual deluge of so-sos and also-rans. Never mind those, however, 2010's also offered its fair share of surprises - those games that came out of nowhere and blew us away, or those that initially stoked our cynicism as they lurked unpromisingly in a darkened corner of the release schedule. It's these totally unexpected moments of gaming pleasure we're celebrating today so read on for our ten picks of the games that caught us off-guard this year.

A Shadow's Tale (Wii)
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Why we weren't expecting much: Third party platformer hits the Wii with no fanfare.

Why it delivered: A Shadow's Tale's inspiration may be obvious but, if you're going to borrow, why not borrow from the best? Yes the aesthetic is lifted straight from Ico, but A Shadow's Tale surprised by bringing enough of its own tricks to make it totally worthwhile and utterly unique.

Cast as the shadow of a boy who's desperate to regain his physical form, A Shadow's Tale plays with perspective, light and darkness to create a game that's as haunting as it is memorable. Its platforming is original, its puzzles challenging and its atmosphere perfectly melancholy. Alongside the better-known likes of Limbo and Super Meat Boy, it helped form the very welcome revival of the 2D platformer in 2010.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (X360, PS3, PC)
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Why we weren't expecting much: Assassin's Creed 2 was, let's be honest, amazing and left pretty much everyone clamouring for Desmond's next big adventure. When Ubisoft announced it was kicking a follow-up out the door a mere 12 months later, setting it in a location cynically snipped from its predecessor and with seemingly redundant multiplayer, it looked liked all good will for the franchise was about to evaporate in a blaze of greed.

Why it delivered: Despite a turnaround that would make even fleet-footed Ezio look like a lumbering elephant, Ubisoft Montreal infused Brotherhood with the same passionately obsessive attention to detail seen in its direct predecessor. The darkest nooks and loftiest peaks of a sprawling, vibrantly-realised Rome are packed with an exceptional number of things to do, each and every one of them expertly honed.

Acrobatic exploration proves as satisfying as ever, combat is subtly but effectively refined, platform-heavy secret locations make a striking return and even the slightest side quests benefit from Ubisoft Montreal's slavish enthusiasm. Most surprising though is that Brotherhood's thoroughly enjoyable multiplayer feels like a perfectly natural extension of the franchise. All in all, it's an exceptionally-crafted package, and generous compensation for the wait until Assassin's Creed III.

Darksiders (Xbox 360, PS3)
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Why we weren't expecting much: When it was first announced back in 2010 it had the subtitle "Wrath of War" and looked suspiciously like a lazy attempt to cash in on Sony's greatest anti-hero.

Why it delivered: Okay, so there was a slight whiff of Kratos about THQ's apocalyptic trilogy when Darksiders finally arrived, thanks largely to its frenetic combo-focussed combat system. What we weren't expecting though was the quality of the game's design elsewhere. Owing as much to Zelda as God of War, Darksiders combined brilliantly imaginative dungeon puzzling with a richly detailed, eminently explorable open world.

Rather than the cookie cutter action outing we confess to fearing, developer Vigil Games delivered an experience which paid its dues to gaming's most iconic moments while still managing to craft an assured, immensely enjoyable adventure of its own. Thankfully, we weren't the only ones caught off-guard and enough of you were swayed by Darksiders' charms to warrant a sequel. Frankly, we can't wait to see what Vigil does next.

Deadly Premonition (Xbox 360)
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Why we weren't expecting much: Despite its intriguing premise - let's be honest, who wouldn't want to see a Twin Peaks video game - hilariously naff YouTube videos and exceptionally unpromising reviews had us believing the only enjoyment we'd get out of this was on a purely ironic level.

Why it delivered: Sure, even the most charitable proponent of Access Game's bizarre survival horror game would struggle to describe its core game mechanics as anything more than adequate, with dull third-person combat and long-winded open world driving sections. Throw in hilariously antiquated visuals and other considerable technical shortcomings and it's not hard to see why Deadly Premonition received so much scorn.

Thing is, it's also one of the most deranged, original and inventive games we've played in years. Not only is oddball protagonist FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan one of the most likable, rounded characters ever committed to code - with his B-movie obsession and imaginary pal Zach - the sprawling, snow peaked town of Greenvale is so brilliantly realised, it's hard to resist its charms. As you attempt to solve a grisly murder, you zip from one landmark to the next, spying on the game's off-kilter cast of characters as they go about their business according to the in-game clock. It's frequently funny, oddly unnerving and thoroughly compulsive. And Deadly Premonition's final emotional sucker punch is genuinely unforgettable.

Game Dev Story (iPhone)

Why we weren't expecting much: Because we didn't even know it existed. When it's 3am and we're chasing a Game of the Year award, we sometimes wish that was still the case.

Why it delivered: Yes, Game Dev Story is a no-frills resource management game with equally no-frills presentation, seemingly drawn from the same pool of free-to-play titles that clog up internet portals. Except Game Dev Story managed to capture imaginations by putting at its core that one question all video game fans have been asking ever since they first picked up a controller: what if I was in charge?

Taking your own studio from boutique developer to publishing powerhouse is a journey that's as compelling as it is addictive, and the game's creator Kairosoft has been able to make Bobby Koticks out of all of us. Now, if only we could find a buyer for our online romance RPG Kiss Chase EX...