Trying to think of a suitable title for this but hopefully you can work out what I'm getting at. What games have taken you by surprise this gen? What games did you play and then were unexpectedly taken back by how good they were?
The games that come to mind for me are mostly all downloadable games, and are what inspired me to create this topic.
Braid
PSN/XBLA/PC
I only got this a few days ago when I saw that it was £2 on PlayStation Plus, and it's one of the main reasons for thinking up this thread. It's a puzzle platformer. You control Tim, who goes through levels trying to collect puzzle pieces, but also has the ability to mess with time, reversing it and stopping it etc. Some of the puzzles seem impossible, even on the first level! But I persevered and spent ages really messing around and thinking, and I eventually solved every world. There is a massive satisfaction after completing it, especially if you don't use any guides/videos to help. There's even a deep story hidden away in there, and I still don't know what the hell is going on. If you've still got your PS Plus subscription, do yourself a favour and spend a couple of quid on this masterpiece.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
PSN/XBLA
I heard about this from a mate last year who said it was awesome, then Marzy posted the thread when it came out, and I decided to give the demo a go. I loved it and took a chance with the game. I'd never had so much fun with one simple game in so damn long. It looks good, the music is awesome, and it's just so bloody addictive. The speed you get up to really puts you on edge and the thrill you get when you eat a shitload of ghosts is so sweet. I just had to get all the trophies in this one and play the hell out of it.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
PSN/XBLA/PC
I was a bit sceptical of this game when they announced it because it looked so different to normal Tomb Raider, but I decided to give it a go when the price dropped a little bit, and I'm glad I did now. This game is another puzzler, but with platforming and shooting from an isometric viewpoint. It still manages to retain that Tomb Raider feel through the level design, gunplay and puzzles. There are quite a lot of levels to get through, with some massive enemies and lots of good puzzles, difficulty levels, and tons of unlockables. The replay value comes in trying to beat the challenges and levels in certain time limits, collecting hidden items, unlocking new guns, powerups, and costumes. There's even 2 player co-op online and offline, although no voicechat makes playing online difficult when the other player is clueless. You don't need to be a fan of Lara or Tomb Raider to enjoy this game. If you love platforming, good arcade shooting and puzzle solving, you'll love Lara and the Guardian of Light.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
PS3
Everyone knows this series now, but I included it because I never expected it to be so damn good. I bought the first game for a fiver off a mate and loved it. I didn't pick up the sequel till a year after its release, but it was everything I enjoyed about Uncharted 1 and ten times more. What's more, I didn't discover the online multiplayer until well after beating the story. I loved the game for its story mode, and then I found this! The MP itself created another 20 hours of gameplay for me, and is probably the first real online game I got into. These sort of games make me glad I'm not a Nintendo fanboy anymore. I've become hooked on the series and will be buying Uncharted 3 on day one.
Even watching the trailer for U2 gets me all excited, and I've replayed this game over 5 times.