Also, let's be real here for a second. Bastion is published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and distributed via Xbox Live. Though it's made by a team of seven people, does that mean it qualifies as "indie?"

Well, the idea that something is somehow worth less because it's "indie" is a fallacy. Bastion is a pretty cool game with gorgeous, hand-painted artwork that gives it the best graphics of any game I've played this year, big-budget or indie. I spent more time with Bastion than I did with, say, Killzone 3, and I enjoyed…

Have arts and entertainment become so devalued thanks to piracy and various iMarketplaces that $15 is now considered a prohibitive expense for a video game? We're talking about a well-crafted piece of digital art capable of keeping its players entertained for a good eight hours or so. And it'll keep you busy longer if…

It was only on the 360.

You guys must not dig action games
This year seemed chock-a-block with decent action games. The two God of War games, Dante's Inferno and Castlevania: Lord of Shadow were all decent to excellent, but Bayonetta was a revelation. I've got it third in my own personal top 10, just behind BioShock 2 (whose story was more…

Rockstar bought the IP from Remedy several years ago. They publish all the games, and whoever they see fit develops them. In the case of Max Payne 3, I think that's Rockstar Vancouver.

Maybe some door knobs, too. Seriously, what's up with the doors in that game? Straight out of 2002.