Game of the Year

I have decided to go ahead and have my very own Game of the Year awards. Why? Because it makes me feel special, that’s why! I’ll be choosing my overall favorite game for each of the major consoles and then choose an overall game to take home the honors for 2005.

As a side note, I unfortunately do not have the luxury of playing every game released for all systems, so the games chosen will have to be taken from the limited number of games I have been able to get my hands on this year. Until game companies decide to start sending me free copies of their games, this is how it will have to be. (Note: to any game companies reading this who wish to shower me with free games. E-mail me. We’ll talk)

On to the awards . . .

Playstation 2

Winner: God of War

Sweet graphics, super-responsive controls, gore galore, bad-ass main character and hot chicks baring their breasts. If that isn’t the recipe for Game of the Year, I don’t know what is. In all seriousness, God of War is a fantastic action game that serves up a nice challenge, great bosses (if only there were more!!) and a solid story. This game was so much fun and pretty to look at, even my girlfriend used to like watching me play it.

Runner-up: Shadow of the Colossus

I wrote my thoughts on this game earlier. Check here or here. I don’t want to sound redundant.

Gamecube

Winner: Resident Evil 4

This game is just flat out fantastic. It has of the best graphics of any current gen game (prior to 360), amazing atmosphere, revamped gameplay, is pretty damn long, and keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times, even during cinematics (gotta be ready to input commands or you’re a goner). I had an absolute BLAST with this one.

Runner-up: Were there any other Gamecube games released this year? Because really, RE4 is the only action my Cube saw all year and that game came out in January!!! Sad. Just sad.

X-Box

Winner: Ninja Gaiden: Black

I wrote about this game non-stop on this blog. I can quote my previous comments of God of War actually. “Sweet graphics, super-responsive controls, gore galore, bad-ass main character and hot chicks baring their breasts”. Well, they don’t actually “bare” their breasts in this one, but I’ll be damned if that Rachel doesn’t have some ridiculously large . . . .

Runner-up: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory was great. Close to next-gen visuals and probably the best stealth gameplay out there. If not for the fact that we have seen a Splinter Cell game every year since the series’ debut, this one might have won out. It just felt too familiar after all the yearly updates this series has been receiving.


X-Box 360

Winner: I wouldn’t fucking know since I have yet to get my hands on one!!! Argh!!!


Game of the Year - All systems

Winner: Guitar Hero

This was a tough choice for me. I have been playing Guitar Hero for about a month now and I am still enjoying it as much as when I first started. At the same time I look at it and its design and premise is so simple compared to games like RE4 or God of War. Plus, I’ve never been a fan of rhythm games and I hate to say it, but barely consider those games “games”. But in hindsight, seeing just how addictive, easy to pick-up, impossible to put down and down right genius this game is, I just had to give it the award. Besides, it boiled down to fun. And I have not had more fun with any other game this year.

Runner-up: Resident Evil 4

It was a close contest. VERY close. But Guitar Hero beat RE4 by the slimmest of margins. I couldn’t go wrong with either game though, since both equally deserve it. But I wasn’t going to cop out and hand out a dual-award.