The worst video games of 2009 (photos)

Being the only game in town isn't always a good thing.  MLB 2K9 failed in almost every aspect and left us with a clunky, bug-ridden baseball video game.  While it had decent graphics and a solid online experience, MLB 2K9 fell flat.

We had high hopes for Bionic Commando, most of which were based on the fact that the NES original was so much fun. Unfortunately, the current gen update was underwhelming. Aside from a few enjoyable moments and the occasional throwback, Commando left us wanting more.

No celebrity could have saved this game, even Vin Diesel--and he was in it! Wheelman actually worked when playing in the driver's seat, but once you got out, melee and gunplay literally ruined the overall experience.

The PSP Go makes our worst-of list because we think its $250 price tag is way too much to spend on a console that doesn't even play its entire library. Downloading and transferring games is tedious, and no original PSP accessories work with the Go. Sure it's a sexy little device, but the PSP Go brings with it too many annoyances for our recommendation. If you want a new PSP, go with the 3000.

The Brutal Legend hype train seemed invincible, but when the game was released in October it was met with mixed reviews. Even with legendary game director Tim Schafer in the director's seat, Brutal Legend tried to combine various game genres that left us with a bizarre and unexpected title that ultimately wasn't fun. Jack Black's humor and an over-the-top metal theme helped, but in the end Brutal Legend just didn't work. It might not be one of the worst games of 2009, but it was certainly among the most disappointing.

Unlike the classic film the game is based on, The Godfather II was a disaster. Many reviewers complained that the title felt unfinished and was too repetitive, and others blamed lackluster visuals and a brain-dead AI.

The most recent addition to our worst-of list, Rogue Warrior was a terrible gaming experience, failing on multiple levels. Reviews complained of an incredibly short campaign (we're talking 2 hours!), no originality, and gratuitous filthy language. Rogue Warrior also has the honor of being the lowest-rated game on our list, as our sister-site Gamespot gave it an abysmal 2.0.

Another year, another Sonic game. For the first time ever, Sonic wields a sword in Black Knight, which wound up being a terrible decision. Sloppy and frustrating gameplay had us wishing this title had never seen the light of day.

We really wanted to like Tony Hawk RIDE, but in the end, the game just didn't work well enough. The included skateboard deck accessory seemed cool, but when used, it didn't register accurately half the time. For $120, we wanted that same classic Tony Hawk experience, but got a disappointing, stripped-down game instead.

The fall of 2009 fell victim to various delays including Dark Void, Bayonetta, BioShock 2, and Splinter Cell Conviction. While a postponement in gaming is nothing new, we were surprised at the large number of high-profile titles getting the bump into 2010.
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