This book is all about my yearly video game awards (previously known as "Sam's Top Games of the Year" or whatever). You can still find my previous awards here, or directly at:
All future SVGAs will be in this book. Enjoy!
Wow, what an exciting year for video games. Two new consoles, a whole new era of online gameplay, and a fresh battle for console supremacy. This year, since we had such radical change in the console arena, I will include some commentary on that.
So let's get on with it!
Very cool year to be a console gamer fan, we saw so many spectacular titles that it's knd of hard to narrow those down to just a few of the very best. But, I'll do what I can.
If I had to pick a game that was the very best of this last year, Oblivion would be it. It was a tour de force on the 360, and then an amazing improvement (as in, "I can't believe they were able to make it better") on the PS3. Games have been getting more and more immersive in recent years, but this game takes things to a whole new level.
I'll readily admit that the Zelda games are one of the few franchises that tend to get my fanboy nipples perked, and the latest title on the Wii is no exception. The last big console Zelda game was one of my top two games of 2003, and this year's entry easily deserves to be given honors. A long, lavish, and engrossing adventure with a new and innovative control scheme. Classical Zelda touches and modern technology make this the most compelling reason to get a Wii, IMHO.
I know it may be bad of me to include an expansion pack to a game that came out in 2004 in this list, but I have to. ToAU brought so many original and exciting additions to this game that it practically makes FFXI a new game. From the new jobs, to the new areas everything is designed impeccably. New modes like Assault and Besieged bring elements to this game we've never seen before. The only real downside is the investment necessary before you can enjoy ToAU. You really do need to be 60+ to be able to start scratching the surface of what ToAU offers, which means it's more for the hardcore FFXI fans. Even still, you'll be hard pressed to find anything else out there quite like it.
Wow, a good survival horror game from Capcom... and a funny one to boot! Dead Rising is a very fresh and original experience in a genre that has become very tired and stale. The difficulty can be a bit high (especially if you're like me and simply must unlock everything), but that shouldn't detract you from picking up this excellent title.
Sure, it's ultimately a simple shooter, but damn if it doesn't look pretty! Also, what's this? A semi-coherent story in a third person shooter? Heavens! Many are saying this will be the one game that pushes the 360 over the 10 million limit that everyone was suspecting they'd hit, and I'd be shocked if it didn't.
There wasn't much for the PSP this year as far as great games are concerned, but at least PSP-owners did get LocoRoco. LocoRoco is, at it's core, a platformer with a unique twist. On its surface it seems benign and even easy, but when you start diving deeper into it past just "completing the levels" you find a devious and even sinister game that will test your skills as well as your patience.
I so wanted to include this one in the best of the best, but I just couldn't. The game has brilliant visuals, innovative gameplay, and is overall an excellent title. Unfortunately, it's also too easy and over far too quickly. This game might not be one of the "Best of the Best", but it certainly is the "Best of the Rest".
This is a tough one. On the one hand, this is one of the most gorgeous games currently out... period. It is a fun FPS, and you will enjoy every minute of it. However, I think a lot of this game's appeal is due to it being "the best PS3 game amid a bunch of other lackluster launch titles". In other words, it's only as good as it is because we're comparing it to other shit. I think in the coming years this game will be a classic, but probably remembered more akin to "TimeSplitters" on the PS2 instead of "Halo" on the XBox.
The original LEGO Star Wars was on my list last year, and the sequel is more of the same. This is good because what was there was so good, but it's also bad because there's not much new here. I personally bought the 360 game, and I was actually disappointed by one thing: The game's multiplayer mode needed to also be online. Other than this one minor flaw, the game is great, go get it now.
Wow, this game almost made "Best of the Best". In fact, the only real reason I could see not to include it there was because I already had too many 360 games on there. Realistically, this game is the first time I've actually played a tactical, squad-based FPS that felt like my team-mates and enemies might actually be "human" (e.g., not silly A.I.s with quirks that become obvious after hours of gameplay). The way the enemies panic and regroup, or stalk and silently kill, is remarkable.
Zoinkers! This is one excellent little portable platformer! Classic Mario feel, modern graphics, and new gameplay make this game an instant classic.
I loved last years Burnout, and this year's isn't a huge improvement over what worked last year. However, since it was so very good, it still deserves to be on this list.
It's too bad this wonderful title wasn't bought more. This game is really just a great piece of science fiction with some simple gameplay tacked on, but the story is so good you hardly notice it.
Silly promotial gimmick at Buger King? Sure. Two cheap games that are actually fun (and one that is terrible)? Without a doubt. Get Pocketbike Racer and Sneak King, for the money, they are very good. Forget the bumper car one.
Ouch, this is hard title to recommend. Classic Mega Man gameplay is both good and bad. It's good because it can be so enjoyable and varied. It's bad because it can be so focking hard! This redux of classic Mega Man is thusly both good and bad.
I so wanted to include this in the lists above. I personally love this game. However, I can't deny that, at it's core, it is essentially a button-masher with limitted appeal. Still, this is the first great Phantasy Star game since IV, and and it has some very unique ideas in it (online + offline gameplay in a single RPG!), so it at least deserves an honorable mention.
Wewf! Take what was probably the best SFII available, throw in online multipler... and then fuck it up?! You have to work to suck this bad.
Wait... wasn't there already a title with this exact name? And didn't it rock? Yes, yes it did. Which is why this hideous crime against nature hurts so much. Sega needs to stop killing their classic characters!
The Wii-mote as a sword and a gun in a FPS-esque game? Cool! Where do I sign up? Hey, wait-a-minute... this game sucks. BAH!
I think the 360 had a very strong year, and, in the end, it's my personal console of choice out of all the "next-gen" consoles out now. It has a great life ahead of it and I'm sure we'll get more excellent titles on it.
Weeeeeee! Ahem... anyway... The Wii had a focking rocking awesome launch! This is especially funny considering there's really only a few launch titles that are decent. But between the hype, the kick-ass online content, and the innovative controller, this system surprised me. I personally felt Nintendo had shot themselves in the foot when they renamed this system from "Revolution" to the "Wii", but I'm not too big of a man to admit I was wrong.
*Sigh* I wanted this console to succeed. I loved my PS2, and I've loved my PSP. The graphical prowess of the PS3 and the wacky-doodle Cell processors that power it made me get all wet and creamy. Unfortunately, the nine-hundred-billion-million-gagillion dollar price tag and the lackluster launch titles left me limp. My personal bet is Sony wont be able to claim the top spot with this console like they did with the PS2, however, this doesn't mean they are out of the race entirely. In fact, my bet is the PS3 will occupy the same role that the XBox did in the previous generation: It'll be this cool, pricey console that everyone raves about how awesome it is, but very few will actually buy.
Bottom line, I think the race is between the 360 and the Wii... and since Microsoft has already said they aren't competing with the Wii, it wont be much of a race.
The PS3 will be there, for sure, but I doubt seriously it will be much of a driving force in the next-gen consoles.
2007 was a great year to be a gamer. In fact, it may have been the greatest year ever as we've managed to have hit after hit after hit.
But, in this sea of stellar titles, what games stand out from the rest? Well, I have the answers to that question as well as many others in this year's Sam's Video Game Awards.
Read on for the full poop...
Now, I know my saying Assassins' Creed is one of the greatest games of 2007 is a bit controversial. If you look at its Game Rankings page you see that the reviews for the game are all across the board. In fact, if you look, you'll find some pretty scathing reviews of the game. So why am I saying it's one of the top games of 2007? Am I a Ubisoft shill, or some sort of blind fanboy?
Well, if you look in my past SVGAs, you'll see I've only got a handful of Ubisoft titles... and none were in the "Best of the Best" camp. So I'm obviously not a fanboy or a shill.
Still, why do I think this game deserves special mention when so many others don't? Simple, this game is not something you can fairly evaluate under a deadline, which is something that blinded most reviewers to how brilliant this game really is.
I think Mike Krahulik ("Gabe" from Penny Arcade) explained it best:
Imagine what an open ended sandbox title must look like to a reviewer especially right now. How many games do they have piling up on their desks? A game like Assassins creed isn't meant to be played under a deadline. You shouldn't be trying to beat it as fast as you can so you can move on to Mass Effect or Mario Galaxy. As soon as I gave myself a deadline all of a sudden I understood all their complaints. It was like a fucking Escher painting. I had put myself in their shoes and suddenly the landscape flipped and I could see games from their perspective. In the end I wasn't angry at them for their bad reviews. I actually just felt bad for them.
This game is very different from other games on the market. The controls take some getting used to (you will likely pick up basic maneuvers quickly, but really mastering the nuances of the controls will take time), the game is huge and sprawling, and it rewards those who are willing to invest in it.
Thus, if you can just allow yourself an indeterminate amount of time to actually play this game, you'll discover one of the most rich and rewarding as well as unusual titles ever to grace the digital screen.
As for me, I was simply blown away by this game. The story is very original and unique, and deals with subject matter that has some fairly controversial overtones given the state of the world today (just wandering around the virtual streets of the cities in this game you will hear phrases like "Curse the Christian King and his army of infidels!" Makes me wonder why people haven't attacked this in the same vein as they have with The Golden Compass.) The graphics are among the best you'll see on the current generation systems. And the gameplay is engrossing and enjoyable. This is the sort of game you simply lose track of time playing.
One caveat I will say is that the 360 version gets my nod for the better version. This is simply because it has a lot of great achievements to unlock. Otherwise, both the PS3 and 360 versions are essentially identical.
I'm actually torn about putting Super Mario Galaxy in the top two greatest games of 2007. On the one hand, it is an incredible game. On the other hand, Nintendo fanboys wont shut the fuck up about it and I'm getting insanely sick of hearing about just how fucking great it is. Even still, I can't punish a great game just because of its rabid fanboys.
Put simply, Super Mario Galaxy is the reason to own a Wii. It's the reward for those of us who have owned a Wii while its library sucked ass, and it's the game people without Wiis pine for.
The gameplay of SMG is top-notch, to be sure. Somehow they've managed to give it that old-timey Mario feel while at the same time introduce a lot of new, high concept features. But the gameplay is only part of the story...
The real reason SMG is such an impressive title is the fact that it shows the Wii (with 4+ year old technology powering it) can match, visually, its competitors. Somehow, this game running at 480p is able to look as good as if not better than most of the games you'll find now for the 360 and PS3.
If you have a Wii, you must own this title. If you don't own a Wii, you must buy one in order to own this title. This is the first real killer app for the Wii.
Halo 3 really has to be on the list of the best games of 2007. Now, I know there are some idiots out there who, for whatever reason, didn't like Halo 3... but what do we care what the idiots think anyway?
At the end of the day, Halo 3 was a very gratifying conclusion to the Halo saga. It was filled to the brim with intense action, a pretty good story, great graphics, and some exquisite gameplay. All of this is topped off with one of the most amazing online multiplayer experiences.
It's not without problems, of course. It still has the trademark Bungie floaty controls, some repetitive level design elements, and the single player campaign ultimately is fairly short. But the game's nearly infinite replayability (*drool*.. metagame... *drool*) and enjoyable gameplay easily make up for its short comings.[1]
What can I say about Bioshock that hasn't been said already? Here you have a game with an incredible story that is filled with moral and ethical overtones, that is powered by the sublime Unreal engine, and has an exceptionally well thought out world.
I think the one thing that stands out the most about Bioshock is the fact that it has so many diverse elements in it that were a) so well thought out, b) assembled so nicely, and c) fit together as part of a more cohesive whole. I mean, every aspect of this game felt right, and that's a rare thing in today's games.[1]
BioWare's latest action RPG really is a great one. I've certainly raved about it, and I know many others have as well. In a nutshell, BioWare has done some incredible fan-service in this game as it's really everything that any action RPG fan could want.
The only problem with it is that it's more for the hardcore gamer. The fact that you really only get a fraction of the total available game on your first time through and that you really have to play it multiple times make it hard to recommend to the casual gamer. That being said, this is still one of the best games of the year.
Holy crap! A Pokemon game on this list? Have I gone mad?!
You see, Pokemon came out after I was already an adult, and it was something I could never get into. I could look past the lame-ass cartoons, the idiotic movies, and the boring games and see it for what it was: A gimmicky marketing juggernaut hell bent on getting every last red cent from the parents of obsessive children. Everything about Pokemon pissed me off. However, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl really surprised me.
Here we had a couple of games that were actually very good. They had solid gameplay, some clever graphics (not too glitzy, not too basic, just well done and enjoyable), addicting exploration, and a ton of replayability. Basically, we had games that stood on their own regardless of what crappy brand you affixed to them.
Even though I resisted including a Pokeproduct on my list, I ultimately had to add Diamond/Pearl to my SVGAs. Any game that I can lose 200+ hours in without realizing has to be a good game.
Any "Best of 2007" games list that doesn't include The Orange Box is a games list you shouldn't trust.
For those who don't know, The Orange Box is a collection of 5 games. You have Half Life 2, Half Life 2: Episode One, Half Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, and Portal.
The three Half Life games represent some of the best single-player FPS action on the market. HL2 was (and is) and exquisite game. At 15-20 hours of gameplay, this game would be reason enough to own this collection. Episode One is moderately weak, weighing in at around 5 hours and restricting itself to some of the more tedious areas from HL2, but it's not a terrible game. Episode Two, however, is the proverbial "money shot" of the HL2 franchise thus far. At 10-15 hours it's a decent entry in the series, and it has some highly impressive areas in it.
Team Fortress 2 is a class-based multiplayer FPS. It's the long overdue sequel to the original Team Fortress and features some spectacular gameplay and graphics. The only problem with it is the fact that it only has 6 maps and is saddled with some unfortunate load times.
Surprisingly, Portal winds up being the best part of this package. Portal is a game that can be beaten in less than two hours, but it has some of the greatest gameplay ever. Plus, it has an incredibly clever, funny and slightly disturbing story. Honestly, if The Orange Box just included Portal, it would still be in this list.
Taken as a whole, The Orange Box is an impressive collection. You have easily 30 hours of single player gameplay and many more hours of rich multiplayer. In fact, this collection is so good that I would have included it in the "Best of the Best" had it not been for Episode One and Team Fortress subtly bringing the rest of the package down.
Presented in no particular order...
The COD franchise is a popular one, and COD4 was the grand return to fan-favorite developer "Infinity Ward". The problem with the COD series previously was that it was stuck in the now cliched World War II shooter genre, and thus, moderately predictable. COD4 shook things up by fast-fowarding the action to more of a modern setting, thus breathing new life in what had become a somewhat stale series.
COD4 is a very exciting and enjoyable game. The online multiplayer is one of the richest around, in many ways outclassing its contemporaries like Halo 3. It has a brilliantly designed party system and introduces some RPG-inspired leveling in your characters.
Unfortunately, its single player leaves a tiny bit to be desired. The single player campaign is painfully short, and cannot be played co-operatively (which seems like a criminal mistake for multiplayer games like this these days). These two problems are the only things preventing COD4 from being included in the Best of the best list.
A satisfying and enjoyable conclusion to the Metroid Prime trilogy. The addition of the Wiimote controls really breathed life into a series that had become somewhat stagnant.
While multiplayer is noticeably missing, and some of the levels are pretty boring, the game still stands as one of the best games available for the Wii.
Warhawk for the PS3 is one of those crazily addictive little nuggets of gameplay that you crave to play when you're not playing it. It's also easily the best game available on the PS3 to date. The multiplayer is frantic and action-packed, the graphics are gorgeous, and the gameplay is divine.
Unfortunately, the game is fairly shallow. A small number of maps and no real single player experience mars what is otherwise a Zen-like experience.
Syphon Filter has always been a series that has played second fiddle to Konami's Metal Gear. The PS1 games were fun, but not great, and the PS2 game was mediocre at best. However, on the PSP, the Syphon Filter series has really shined.
Logan's Shadow is the follow-up to the last Syphon Filter game on the PSP. It includes the same training program, very similar gameplay, and online multiplayer. While it doesn't do anything too terribly new, what it does do is very well done.
This is the DS follow-up to the incredible Legend of Zelda: Windwaker game (which was one of my top games of 2003). The graphics are spectacular for the DS with the cell-shaded look of the original carried over accurately on the small screen.
The level design and story progression may be a "by-the-book" Zelda affair, but where this game really deserves credit is in its controls. This is one of the few 3D DS games that is completely controlled via the stylus. The controls are innovative in nearly every respect and work quite nicely.
Loco Roco may be the best game for the PSP. Anything I could write about it wouldn't do the game justice, so here's footage from the game:
Carcassonne is a faithful console adaptation of the popular board game. It's an addicting and exciting turn-based strategy game that includes a rich multiplayer experience. Plus, it's inexpensive and available from Xbox Live Marketplace.
Take the classic Pac-Man gameplay, add in some highly addicting puzzle elements, then slap a time limit on everything and you get one of the best game remixes to come along in a while.
Wii's online store in 2007 left a lot to be desired. Sure, it has a massive collection of classic console games, but these are games we've seen before... Tons of times. Super Mario Brothers has now been available on half a dozen consoles, did we really need it again. Where's the new and original content?
Well, thankfully, it can be found... if you look hard enough.
Nintendo exhibited sheer brilliance by bringing us classic console imports from Japan, and Treasure's "Sin & Punishment" is easily the best of the pack. Originally for the N64, this is classic Treasure shooting gold filled with giant bosses, non-stop action, and some spectacular graphical effects. Oh, and it's fun to play.
The controls don't translate very well to the Classic Controller, or to the GameCube controller, but don't let that minor blemish mar what is otherwise an incredible experience.
The PSP doesn't have the greatest library. Sure, it does have some pretty great games, but they tend to be few and far between and are usually just ports from other platforms. So when we get something new and unique it's always appreciated.
Grumin isn't going to win any "Game of the Year" awards, it's really just a solid if unexceptional action RPG. But it's a good game nonetheless, and a decent addition to any PSP owner's collection.
Last year's F.E.A.R. port to the 360 was a pretty good game, and this year's expansion is more of the same. Sure the Lithtech engine that powers it hasn't aged as well as its Unreal and Doom contemporaries, and the levels in F.E.A.R. Files are more of the warehouse/office-building variety, but the game is worth mentioning anyway simply because it is fun to play and has a fairly entertaining (if not very fear inducing) storyline.
Last year I had Oblivion picked as "the very best" of 2006. It was such a simply divine game, and still is today. If you own a 360 or a PS3, and do not own this game, you owe it to yourself to try it out.
Oblivion had several expansions in 2007, some where good (Mehrunes' Razor) while others weren't (Orrery). However it's best expansion could barely be called an expansion. Weighing in at 993.75 MB and including Over 9,500 new lines of recorded dialogue, Shivering Isles is more sequel than expansion.
It's also brilliant, capturing everything that made Oblivion great and then adding tons more on top of it. It's so good, in fact, I was very tempted to include it in the Best of the Best list. However, the fact that it only brings around 25% new territory to the game, and the fact that, once deep enough, it locks you into its storyline until completed bring it down just a tad.
The Mario RPG games over the years have always been great, and the Paper Mario line is no exception. Super Paper Mario expands on the formula by introducing some classic Mario platforming into the mix, which is a welcome addition in the franchise.
Unfortunately, the game is obviously a GameCube game converted very late in development into a Wii game as much of the Wii-specific features seem tacked on at best.
That one nitpick aside, this is a wonderful game and one I'd highly recommend for any fan of the stocky plumber.
Several years ago everyone was ga-ga over RE4 on the GameCube. Many people named it game of the year and it won tons of awards. Well, I never really understood why.
To me, the RE games hadn't been good in a very long time. The other survival horror games out there (Silent Hill series, Fatal Frame series, Condemned, etc.) have all outclassed the venerable RE series many times over, and RE4 seemed like a Johnny-come-lately ripoff of the other, better, games. Sure the graphics were improved and a grainy filter added for effect, but RE4 had the same lame-ass dialog and idiotic plot line as the earlier RE games.
And then I tried the Wii edition... Surprisingly simply tacking on Wii-specific controls and making the game widescreen seemed to have added enough into the mix that I could actually enjoy the game without griping at its lack of originality.
It all makes me kind of excited to see where Capcom goes with RE5... even though their track record leads me to believe they will fail to make RE5 as redeeming as RE4 was.
So we've looked at all the really good games for 2007, what about those games that wound up not living up to expectations?
Wow, how did this happen?
Gorgeous graphics coupled with some intriguing air/ground combat seems like it should be awesome. Unfortunately, the controls are terrible and the game practically unplayable. All of the delays this game experienced weren't enough to salvage this stinker.
I have no idea why there's a sudden rush of Conan licensed things, but it's generated quite the hype. From the early screenshots of this game it seemed like it should be fun. And, afterall, fast-paced beatem-ups are all the rage these days what with God of War and Heavenly Sword.
Unfortunately, Conan didn't live up to the hype. It's a shallow button masher with dull combat and repetitive gameplay. Avoid it at all costs.
Here's hoping the MMORPG based on the Conan franchise fares better....
Sure, if you look at my gamerscore details you see that I play Beautiful Katamari. You'll probably see that I play it a lot. So, if I play it so much, why do I think it was a disappointment?
Well, aside from the HD presentation and some minor multiplayer additions, there's really nothing new here. In fact, just about everything has been done before in every Katamari game thus far.
Yes, I love it, and I enjoy it. But I'm a Katamari nut, so I'll buy and enjoy any lame Katamari regurgitation spat up on the console-du-jour. Even though I'm a Katamari fanboy I can recongize that this game is really just the same thing we've all played before. Furthermore, it really doesn't even look that great. I mean, it's HD, sure, but it seems to have the same polygon count and redraw depth as every other Katamari.
So, at the end of the day you have a game that is for fanboys only... which is a shame considering how accessible and bizarre the original was.
I'm sure my ClanAM friends are going to call foul here.... and they may be right to. Wings of the Goddess (WotG) is, so far, a highly enjoyable addition to the FFXI universe. Hell, Campaign Battle is one of the best things to happen to FFXI in my humble opinion.
The problem is, WotG showcases just how assbackwards Square is with respect to adding expansions to their games. Put simply: WotG's installer is broken. Period.
Let me explain. When I went to install WotG I first encountered an update for FFXI proper. So, I installed this update, which took over an hour to download even with my very fine connection speed. I figured that installing this update would make installing the WotG expansion that much faster because I'd already have gotten the base updates out of the way.
I then installed WotG. WotG comes on a disc and is installed onto the 360's HDD. The 360's HDD is SATA, and the DVD drive on the 360 is fast. So you'd assume that installing it wouldn't take too long. Of course, you'd be wrong. The installation from disc to HDD took another hour at a minimum. It was crazy slow.
Okay, so with the update out of the way and WotG installed, I should be good to go, right? Wrong.
Boot into FFXI and you're then greeted with another update. This one is as long as the first, and if you pay special attention you'll note that it's replacing the exact same filenames that the first update replaced. Furthermore, it'll take just as long as the first update.
When it's finished, you'd think you can play, right? You just spent 3 hours installing this fucker, surely you can play it now...
NO! You can't. Now you have to exit back out of FFXI and back to PlayOnline to enter in the registration for the WotG expansion and attach it to your ID.
E-FUCKING-GADS! COULD THIS BE ANY MORE CONVOLUTED AND NEEDLESSLY COMPLICATED?!
Anyway... once you get into the game it's a lot of fun... and the expansion is really good. But, damnit to hell, this draconian and overly complex installation scheme has to go...
No one cares about the Manhunt games except conservatives with sand in their vaginas... So why do I mention Manhunt 2 as a disappointment in 2007?
Well, because the Wii version actually had something going for it in terms of interface with the Wiimote. I mean, throttling the throat of an enemy using the Wiimote and Nunchuck could have been a pretty neat way to play the game.
The problem is the horrible filters that cover up the brutality in the game. These filters a) can't be disabled and b) obscure the action to the point of unplayability.
Way to cave, Rockstar.
Last year I gave praise to both the Wii and the 360 while pointing out the PS3's lackluster performance. Has any of that changed this year?
Once again, Microsoft had an amazing year. The 360 was, hands down, the best console of 2007.
Incredible first party games coupled with stellar second party titles and many third party exclusives made the 360 really shine in '07. Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect, The Orange Box (a month before the PS3), Command and Conquer 3, the list of incredible 360 games goes on and on.
Plus, the 360 still has the best downloadable game content on the market. The Wii Store has been lame and lacking any original content. The PS3's "Home" service has been pushed off to 2008 (and still looks kind of stupid). The competing systems aren't even in the same league as the 360 in terms of downloadable online content.
And then there's Live itself. The way that Live permeates every 360 game is stunning. From the addicting achievements, to the useful voice and video chat, to the friend tracking, to the multiplayer game making, Live offers you the most comprehensive and seemless online experience on the planet.
Wow... after such an amazing launch in 2006 the Wii sure has been disappointing.
While there's been a few legendary games for the system (including Super Mario Galaxy which is on my Best of the Best list), the vast majority of the Wii's 2007 lineup has been mediocre at best, and terrible at worst.
Then you have the controls which, frankly, are starting to seem too gimmicky. Even in games like Super Mario Galaxy which have moderately fluid control schemes, the Wiimote is still a sub-par way to interface. In nearly every game for the Wii the lack of precision of the Wiimote will make you pine for a good old-fashioned controller.
But the real clincher that the Wii hasn't had the best year is its pathetic offerings in the online Wii Store. Sure, you have over a hundred classic NES, SNES, and Genesis games. Yes it's cool that they are paying fan service by including Turbographix-16 and Neo Geo games. And it's nice that there are some fun Japanese imports in there. But really, where's the new and original content?
You have the Opera browser (which is awesome, I'll grant you that), but what else? Stupid crap like "Jerk Mii Off"... erm, I mean "Check Mii Out", and the "Everybody Poops"... excuse me, I mean "Everybody Votes" channel. Where's the original downloadable games?
I know the Wii doesn't have the storage capacity of the PS3 or the 360, but, hell, you don't need that much! Give me an original cartridge-sized game using the polygon count of an N64-game with the resolution of the Wii and I'd be thrilled to death. Or create a new Genesis or SNES game and run it in the virtual console. I don't care if it doesn't look as good as Undertow on the 360, as long as it's new and fun I'll dig it.
The PS3 in 2007? One word: yawn.
Yes you've had some good titles, but thus far the PS3 is yet to have a killer app. Sure Warhawk was addicting and fun, and yes you have a new Ratchet and Clank game. But these are not reasons to go out and buy a PS3 if you don't already have one.
Additionally, most of the cross-platform titles available for the PS3 are better on competing systems. The F.E.A.R. games are woefully broken on the PS3 yet crazy fun on the 360. Oblivion lacks the downloadable content that you can find on the 360. The Orange Box came out a month late on the PS3 and lacked all the fun and exciting achievements (Go! Go! Rocket-Gnome!).
Finally, I have very little to say about PS3's online offerings... Mainly because Sony doesn't either. The PS3 "Home" service has been delayed, and looks like Second Life with even more corporate e-vertising. No real friend tracking or integrated voice chat (the impotently added Xfire support in games like Untold Legends doesn't quite cut it), scant little downloadable content, and online-as-an-afterthought multiplayer offerings make the PS3 feel decidedly last generation.
I do have high hopes for 2008, however. The PS3 has finally become price competitive with the 360, which means one of my big gripes is now gone. LittleBigPlanet looks to be the PS3's first killer app (and what a killer app!). And, who knows? "Home" may surprise me yet.
Once again, Nintendo has a rock solid year with their portable. The DS has simply had hit after hit ever since its birth. If you game on the go, you must own a DS. There's really not much more to say.
The PSP makes me sad. It's a brilliant piece of hardware and has the best online integration of the two major portables on the market. It has excellent controls and has large capacity media for its games. Really, by all rights it should be the top portable. Alas, it isn't.
There have been a few great PSP games this year, but for the most part the PSP library is lackluster. Great hardware doesn't mean jack unless there's a great library to back it up.
The 360 is the strong winner in 2007, and its outlook is great in 2008. If you buy one of the three main consoles, you should get the 360. Hands down, it's the best with the most impressive library and features.
The Wii kind of petered out, but is still a solid choice considering the few legendary titles it has. 2008 looks to be a good year for it as well with games like the new Smash Bros. Melee iteration.
The PS3 bombed in the most boring and tedious way in 2007. Maybe it can redeem itself in 2008, maybe not. We'll have to wait and see.
Finally, let's take a look at the games for 2008 that I'm looking forward to,
LittleBigPlanet is the poster-child for "high concept gaming".
Sandboxy, multiplayer platformer with a do-it-yourself, Youtube-y vibe. Yes, I know that's a whole lot of marketing bullshit... But what if they manage to pull this off?
In case you missed it in the last page, here's the LittleBigPlanet movie again:
The first game made it onto my list last year, and the sequel looks to be shaping up nicely. There's no real revolutionary leap forward in the graphics as near as I can tell... But this is the Unreal Engine, so you know it will look amazing anyway. The differences seem to be subtle: better team AI, better enemy AI (yikes, do we really want that?), and a sequel/prequel in one package.
I've never been a big fan of Super Smash Bros. It's the sort of game that required you to have 3 other people capable of playing with you in person. Since my friends are spread all over the country, it makes it difficult to really enjoy SSB.
That being said, the next iteration of the series will finally be online... and looks amazing to boot:
Plus, it's the ultimate fan-service with all the myriad of crazy characters it sports. Sure you have Nintendo mainstays like Mario, Kirby, Zelda, and Samus, but you also have characters from other franchises like Sonic, Kid Icarus, and Metal Gear Solid.
Yes, that's right, Solid Snake is in this bastard. That alone has to be worth something.
Look at that video above and tell me this doesn't look to be a spectacular game. Wario has flaming farts and looks like he is doing some sort of Drunken Boxing, Samus is sans-suite, and Pit is all hyper-realistic (making fanboys salivate at the thought of an updated Kid Icarus).
So, as long as they don't do anything stupid, this should be an awesome game. Now if I can only convince all my friends to get a Wii....
UT3 has already come out for the PS3, and will come out for the 360 in 2008, but that's not what I'm excited for.
See, we used to play Unreal Tourney back in the early ClanAM days. In fact, we played that game for ~4 years. The only reason we were able to play that long was because of the passionate and capable community that built up around the game which produced tons of new maps and content that kept the game fresh and exciting.
UT3 has made its way to consoles with somewhat of a whimper, and the only thing that can really salvage it at this point is if a similar map-making community grows up around it. If this happens the community's custom content must make it onto the consoles!
It really shouldn't be that hard to do, this custom content could be easily added to Live. I'm sure something similar could be done on the PS3. All that has to happen is for Epic to realize that the UT3 community is needed in order for their latest game to live as long as their previous ones.
It's true; GTA: San Andreas didn't thrill me the way past GTA games did. Sure, it was bigger, bolder, and in most ways better than the previous GTA games. But a lot of it didn't feel very fresh to me. In fact, it seemed like a whole lot of regurgitated previous GTA experiences rolled in with even more busy-work. So, for me, San Andreas sapped my hopes that future GTAs would capture the same joy the earlier ones did.
GTA IV, however, looks like it may very well be the fresh start the series needs. Who knows? Rockstar doesn't have the best track record these days so GTA IV could be the biggest let down yet. But I won't pass judgment until I try it.
Free Radical, developers of the classic TimeSplitters series, are heading up this FPS. Sure, the TimeSplitters series peaked at part 2 and the subsequent games have been less than stellar, but I still have high hopes that Free Radical will make us a new classic in Haze.
Too Human is mired in controversy. Developer Silicon Knights has filed lawsuit against Epic claiming that the Unreal 3 engine they licensed for use in Too Human was unfinished at best and broken at worst. Further, they allege that Epic shipped them (and other developers) a "hamstring" edition of the engine to show everyone up with Gears of War at E3. Finally, they say they had to ditch the Unreal engine altogether and roll their own.
Now, I personally suspect this lawsuit is without substance (afterall, Silicon Knights aren't the only ones to license the Unreal engine... In fact, it's been used by third parties for a lot of games including Bioshock, Rainbow Six Vegas, and several XBLA games... and yet you don't hear anyone else complaining). However, in spite of this lawsuit, I'm really excited for this game.
One part hack and slash, one part MORPG, this game looks to be everything we wanted Phantasy Star Universe to be. Here's hoping this lawsuit gets resolved quickly and quietly so we can evaluate this game based upon its own merits, rather than on its murky upbringing.
