Cheesemeister
Member
This thread lists the overall GOTY from media outlets that have announced a choice, grouped by title and listed alphabetically. The Orange Box encompasses all included games. If there are any missing entries, I'll be happy to update this post.
The standings...
Bioshock - 22
Super Mario Galaxy - 15
The Orange Box - 11
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - 5
Rock Band - 4
Desktop Tower Defense - 2
Halo 3 - 2
Mass Effect - 2
[360][PC] Bioshock
AP/ABC
Game Informer
Playboy
Telegraph
[360][PS3][PC] Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Gamedaily
[PC] Desktop Tower Defense
MTV Multiplayer
[360] Halo 3
Time
[360] Mass Effect
New York Times
[360][PS3][PC] The Orange Box
bit-tech
[360][PS3] Rock Band
Ask Men
[WII] Super Mario Galaxy
1UP
Amazon
Gamereactor
IGN
Kikizo
PALGN
The standings...
Bioshock - 22
Super Mario Galaxy - 15
The Orange Box - 11
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - 5
Rock Band - 4
Desktop Tower Defense - 2
Halo 3 - 2
Mass Effect - 2
[360][PC] Bioshock
AP/ABC
AP/Fox NewsThere's just nothing else like this eerie vision of an undersea social experiment gone horribly wrong.
Boston HeraldLou Kesten said:Ken Levine's undersea epic combines a thought-provoking story, compelling gameplay, dazzling visuals and a lush soundtrack to create one of gaming's true masterpieces.
Chicago Sun TimesDoug Elfman said:But succeeding at every ambitious turn makes this a masterwork.
DestructoidMisha Davenport said:It single-handedly raised the bar of what I expect in a video game.
Digital BattleChad Concelmo said:No doubt you have all heard many of the same things mentioned over and over again about this genuine masterpiece: gorgeous graphics, revolutionary FPS storytelling, breathtaking atmosphere.
Entertainment WeeklyJames Hyde said:BioShock brought something new to the table, something wonderful and entertaining, something that hasnt been seen in a long time, especially in the FPS genre.
G4 TVWe loved the game for its immersive sound and graphics, its deep (and philosophically rich) story, and for introducing some truly iconic characters in the form of armored brutes called ''Big Daddies'' and the powerful ''Little Sisters.''
Game Informer
GamervisionWith danger lurking around every corner (usually in the form of hulking Big Daddies), this game mixes the horror, adventure, and first person shooter genres while putting a new spin on twisted storytelling and intense game play.
Games MagazineSean said:No detail of this game went overlooked; from the art-deco-inspired environments, to the most beautifully rendered water youve ever seen, to a soundtrack that sends chills down your spine.
Journal StarThomas L. McDonald said:From a pure gameplay perspective, Bioshock can be called a first-person shooter, but that would sell it short.
Los Angeles TimesAimee Green said:From the moment I first found myself in the underwater city of Rapture, with the loud, terrifying thuds of a Big Daddy coming toward me, I was hooked.
Paste MagazinePete Metzger said:What makes it so good is that it's more than just a game; it's a complete experience.
Playboy
PrimotechYears ahead of its time, its winning marriage of philosophy and carnage manages to satisfy both the simian killer and the refined gentleman in us.
Salt Lake TribuneReggie Carolipio said:The deceptively deep FPS surface that the player is drawn under reveals a philosophical story wrapped within the dying face of a lost city crushed by the pressure of its own dreams.
San Francisco ChronicleVince Horiuchi and Sam Vicchrilli said:In what surely will be called one of the greatest years ever for video games, this stylistic, first-person journey through art deco universe gone mad is a high watermark for originality, game play mechanics and brilliantly-displayed art direction.
San Jose Mercury NewsErick Wong said:I don't care if it's a city at the bottom of the ocean terrorized by mutants and objectivists. I want to live there.
Spike TVDean Takahashi said:In the distopian world of video game sequel-mania, this game was original and surprising in every way.
Telegraph
UGOWhile it's terrifying at times, what makes BioShock arguably the best release of the year is its elegant controls and its utterly compelling story.
Adam Rosenberg and Russell Frushtick said:It's a brand new, edgy series that heralds a new age for the gaming industry.
[360][PS3][PC] Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Gamedaily
GameproChris Buffa said:We don't have military experience or know what it's like to live a minute in Iraq, but with thousands of bullets zipping by our heads, bombs exploding all around us and fellow comrades dying en masse, we couldn't help but feel respect for every man and woman serving in the armed forces and the horror they experience on a daily basis.
GamespyThe top slot went to office favorite Call of Duty 4 for its toe-curling action and deep online mode.
MaximSluggo said:It was a game that hit every target it aimed for, from its gripping single-player campaign to the ridiculously addictive I've-almost-got-enough-XP-for-that-cool-gun multiplayer.
PS3 FanboyReal war is hell, but video game war has turned out to be a damn good time.
Andrew Yoon said:Call of Duty 4 is a game that will have you coming back for more, and more -- and we can't wait for Infinity Ward's next game.
[PC] Desktop Tower Defense
MTV Multiplayer
Wedbush Morgan SecuritiesStephen Totilo said:No game released in 2007 took a tighter grip of my free time (and my not-so-free time) than this one.
Michael Pachter said:I like that its accessible and theres definitely strategy to it, and its fun.
[360] Halo 3
Time
VideogamerLev Grossman said:Like a pebble that has been rounded over the centuries by the gentle splashing of the ocean waves, Halo 3 has become the perfect hardcore first-person combat simulator.
[360] Mass Effect
New York Times
TeamXboxSeth Schiesel said:But with its focus on character development, personal growth and moral tension, all fueled by a graphics system created to evoke emotional empathy, Mass Effect points the way forward.
Will said:Whats most impressive about the game is the fact that it was able to draw in gamers that dont consider themselves fans of the RPG genre.
[360][PS3][PC] The Orange Box
bit-tech
EurogamerFor the first time we don't have one game which tries to be a jack of all trades, cramming in multiplayer modes which are clearly unsuitable or puzzles which don't mesh with the game world at all.
GamasutraMatt Martin said:Pretty much everything about Portal was perfect for me - the fact that it was only 2/3 hours long wasn't even an issue.
Game SpectrumThe brain-bending, portal-shooting, first-person puzzle gameplay was a feat in both creative innovation and technical grace, and it would be worth a mention on these merits alone.
GamebumpPacked with five games, The Orange Box completes any videogame enthusiast's collection and is a must-have this year.
GamernodeAaron Dunlap said:At heart it's a simple puzzle game, but through unique means [Portal] is given more character than most full-sized games.
GamesradarPortal isn't just the best game of the year, it's a landmark title for the industry whose influence will run as deep as our desire for change, and gives the best proof yet that games don't need to be long to be great.
GuardianPortal's concept is simple, unique and brilliant: You have a gun that literally shoots holes, which forces you to think in ways you never have before and feels more fresh and intriguing than any puzzle game we've played since Tetris.
Joy****Nick Gillett said:Half-Life 2, its two follow-up episodes, Team Fortress and puzzler Portals - not a lemon among them, just perfectly honed shooting action.
ShacknewsLudwig Kietzmann said:Gamers and designers alike must play Portal, not only because it's so sublimely designed from start to gripping finish, but because there's so much to learn from it.
Village VoiceChris Remo said:Never overstaying its welcome, like so many otherwise great games do, Portal is a tightly-packed experience that may very well be the shining examplar of a new format: the video game short story.
Gary Hodges and Chris Ward said:Part of the five-game Orange Box collection, [Portal] traps you in a futuristic lab from which you must escape using only a high-tech teleportation device and your comparatively low-tech noggin.
[360][PS3] Rock Band
Ask Men
Herald DispatchEasily one of the most impressive productions out there, Rock Band is extremely well done and just begs to be played.
NewsdayEvan Minsker said:With four playing possibilities (guitar, bass, vocals and drums) and more and more downloadable content being released, this game has opened up a world of happiness to people like me.
WiredMonty Phan said:Within minutes of setting up the microphone, guitars and drum kit, we were rockin' out as if we'd been playing for hours.
Chris Kohler said:Adding in drums and vocals to the guitar-based rock gameplay creates a collaborative, immersive and just plain addictive experience far greater than the sum of its parts.
[WII] Super Mario Galaxy
1UP
Amazon
CinemablendThe new standard in platformers, the best game on the Wii hands down, and maybe the best Nintendo game of all time.
Digital SpySuper Mario Galaxy is a marvel of game design and precision platforming.
Edge/next-gen.bizDavid Gibbon said:Nintendo went back to the drawing board with this sensational game and came back with an example of true genius.
GAFIts hard to describe the sheer joy that Super Mario Galaxy elicits.
Gamereactor
GameSpotResultatet blev en spelsupernova full av överraskningar och ofantlig spelglädje.
GametrailersNintendo didn't take so much as a single step back with Super Mario Galaxy, and instead reinvented Mario's traditional platformer adventures with beautifully designed levels that make unique use of zero-gravity gameplay and clever, enjoyable puzzles.
IGN
Kikizo
KotakuThere's a certain authenticity about the way the game is designed, with pure fun being the crucial element.
PALGN
Sky NewsDavid Low said:In an era of detailed plots and complicated controls, Mario presents players with 120 good old fashioned challenges of dexterity with controls so tight it's a joy to play every one of them.
Yahoo GamesWhile gravity was the games main theme, Galaxy offered ideas by the bucketload.
Mario Galaxy took us upside-down, turned us into bees, shape-shifted into ghosts, and we loved every minute.