Uno Venova
Banned
Just looked up 2004 and wow that was such a fantastic year, will vote on this later.
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GAF Games o' the Year Voting Thread 2004 (2012 edition)
- Thread starter AniHawk
- Start date
FrenchToastDisciple
Member
1.)Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door-in a sea of ungodly shitty game stories, this is maybe one of five that I never rolled my eyes at. Great writing, funny, charming situations every chapter, and just overall the most memorable gaming experience on the Gamecube, and maybe of all time.
2.)Metroid Prime 2:Echoes: Metroid might be my favorite series, and this is the ultimate extension of metroidiness that the series ever got. Agon Wastes might be a bit of a bore in comparison to the other two environments, and the dark world may be too annoying and purple, but the great inventive bosses, the fantastic use of morphball, and overall challenging, complex level design makes this one of the most memorable game experiences of all time for me.
3.)Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater: I only sort of like the other Metal Gear Solid games, but this one stands out in the series as being fantastic. The jungle was a drastic improvement for sneaking over bland concrete and metallic corridors, and although the story is long and slightly melodramatic, it manages to, unlike the other metal gear games, to find a sweet spot in between ridiculous plot developments and interesting, genuine emotional moments between characters. Get it Kojima? Don't throw an incredible amount of crazy shit into your games. Just make them slightly longer, more mystical/surreal bond movies. High point in the game (and I'm barely kidding): that ladder.
4.)Half Life 2: I'm not, unfortunately, much of a PC gamer, but the hype surrounding this game finally got me to play it 3 years later. Jesus, what an atmosphere. Gordon Freeman not talking sort of makes the story a little problematic, and that problem gets a little more pronounced in the proceeding episodes, but hear I was too busy enjoying the inventiveness of the gravity gun and the atmosphere to really care about the particulars of the story. It's linear, but who cares. It's linear done right, without the annoying repetitiveness of FPS's of the last gen. Love this game to death.
2.)Metroid Prime 2:Echoes: Metroid might be my favorite series, and this is the ultimate extension of metroidiness that the series ever got. Agon Wastes might be a bit of a bore in comparison to the other two environments, and the dark world may be too annoying and purple, but the great inventive bosses, the fantastic use of morphball, and overall challenging, complex level design makes this one of the most memorable game experiences of all time for me.
3.)Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater: I only sort of like the other Metal Gear Solid games, but this one stands out in the series as being fantastic. The jungle was a drastic improvement for sneaking over bland concrete and metallic corridors, and although the story is long and slightly melodramatic, it manages to, unlike the other metal gear games, to find a sweet spot in between ridiculous plot developments and interesting, genuine emotional moments between characters. Get it Kojima? Don't throw an incredible amount of crazy shit into your games. Just make them slightly longer, more mystical/surreal bond movies. High point in the game (and I'm barely kidding): that ladder.
4.)Half Life 2: I'm not, unfortunately, much of a PC gamer, but the hype surrounding this game finally got me to play it 3 years later. Jesus, what an atmosphere. Gordon Freeman not talking sort of makes the story a little problematic, and that problem gets a little more pronounced in the proceeding episodes, but hear I was too busy enjoying the inventiveness of the gravity gun and the atmosphere to really care about the particulars of the story. It's linear, but who cares. It's linear done right, without the annoying repetitiveness of FPS's of the last gen. Love this game to death.
MikeE21286
Member
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - One of the best entries in the Metal Gear series. Memorable events, bosses, and characters. Masterpiece
2. Half-Life 2 - A close second to MGS3 this year. Again, a classic shooter that spawned my appreciation for Valve and the Half-Life series, as well as ushered in the era of Steam.
3. Halo 2 - Epic multiplayer. Ok single player campaign that left you wanting more, but the multiplayer is really what made this one stand out
4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Huge world with great additions to the GTA formula. Not my favorite GTA during this generation, but very good nonetheless
5. Ninja Gaiden - a graphical showpiece that was hard as hell, but so rewarding. The story was awful, the but the gameplay more than compensated for that
6. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - fell short as the follow-up to Metroid Prime, the game of the generation, but was still solid on its own merits
7. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - a true surprise sleeper hit that actually used a movie property well. Also, Xzibit was in the game, c'mmon....Xzibit.
- That's all I care to rank, as nothing else really stood out for me personally that year
2. Half-Life 2 - A close second to MGS3 this year. Again, a classic shooter that spawned my appreciation for Valve and the Half-Life series, as well as ushered in the era of Steam.
3. Halo 2 - Epic multiplayer. Ok single player campaign that left you wanting more, but the multiplayer is really what made this one stand out
4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Huge world with great additions to the GTA formula. Not my favorite GTA during this generation, but very good nonetheless
5. Ninja Gaiden - a graphical showpiece that was hard as hell, but so rewarding. The story was awful, the but the gameplay more than compensated for that
6. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - fell short as the follow-up to Metroid Prime, the game of the generation, but was still solid on its own merits
7. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - a true surprise sleeper hit that actually used a movie property well. Also, Xzibit was in the game, c'mmon....Xzibit.
- That's all I care to rank, as nothing else really stood out for me personally that year
Refreshment.01
Member
1. Halo 2 ; Doesn't live up to the master piece that was Combat Evolved single player campaign. However it refined and advanced the aspects one would expect for a sequel. Greatest multiplayer FPS on consoles at the time.
2. Half Life 2 ; Your thoughts on Game B.
3. Ninja Gaiden ; The refinement of the action genre that once was evolved by Devil May Cry .
4. Burn Out 3 ; At that point in time it was the best arcade racer available. Also it was distinguished by vastly good and fitting sound track.
5. Far Cry ; Biggest technical show piece at the time. A FPS set apart from the pack by its ambitious scale and open ended approaches to battles.
6. Metroid Zero Mission ; Metroid goes back to its original self after the Soul less experience that was Metroid IV.
7. Pain Killer; The last great example of a game that its existence is justified to just evoke the pleasure of shooting. Bullet Storm is a pale shadow of this game.
8. Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines ; Among the best RPG's that year. It successfully combined mechanics of different genres and was backed up by a fantastic rule set.
9. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay ; one of the most competent licensed games at the time. A technical show piece for the XBOX with it's lighting effects that were above the majority of console games at that stage. And one of the few FPS that tried something new instead of being another Halo bastard.
10. PikMin 2 ; Doesn't inspire me the same amzement the first entry did. Yet still is a charming, beautiful and more action oriented take into the strategy genre.
x. Game K ; Your thoughts on Honorable Mention Game K.
x. Game L ; Your thoughts on Honorable Mention Game L.
2. Half Life 2 ; Your thoughts on Game B.
3. Ninja Gaiden ; The refinement of the action genre that once was evolved by Devil May Cry .
4. Burn Out 3 ; At that point in time it was the best arcade racer available. Also it was distinguished by vastly good and fitting sound track.
5. Far Cry ; Biggest technical show piece at the time. A FPS set apart from the pack by its ambitious scale and open ended approaches to battles.
6. Metroid Zero Mission ; Metroid goes back to its original self after the Soul less experience that was Metroid IV.
7. Pain Killer; The last great example of a game that its existence is justified to just evoke the pleasure of shooting. Bullet Storm is a pale shadow of this game.
8. Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines ; Among the best RPG's that year. It successfully combined mechanics of different genres and was backed up by a fantastic rule set.
9. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay ; one of the most competent licensed games at the time. A technical show piece for the XBOX with it's lighting effects that were above the majority of console games at that stage. And one of the few FPS that tried something new instead of being another Halo bastard.
10. PikMin 2 ; Doesn't inspire me the same amzement the first entry did. Yet still is a charming, beautiful and more action oriented take into the strategy genre.
x. Game K ; Your thoughts on Honorable Mention Game K.
x. Game L ; Your thoughts on Honorable Mention Game L.
Clairvoyance
Member
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - Best MGS. Made less impressive thanks to Subsistence but still an amazing game.
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Best GTA. Huge world, good characters and just plain old fun.
3. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - Not as good as the first game, but still amazing.
4. Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Underrated Zelda game.
5. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
6. Silent Hill 4: The Room
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Best GTA. Huge world, good characters and just plain old fun.
3. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - Not as good as the first game, but still amazing.
4. Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Underrated Zelda game.
5. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
6. Silent Hill 4: The Room
King of the Potato People
Member
Aw I can’t include MGS3 because it wasn’t out in Europe until March 2005.
1. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door; It has many fun aspects including: imaginative levels, being able to turn into a plane or boat, using Crystal Star abilities such as the supernova, charming graphics, catchy music, a funny story, innovative and interactive partner abilities like being able to be veiled underground, loads of variety in the levels such as a train detective mystery as wall as the fighting championship.
2. Tales of Symphonia; This is set in on an epic scale of two parallel worlds with a complex, interesting history. The battle system is very interactive and is comparable to a fighting game which are played on 2D arenas with potentially multi-player. Raine, Presea, Kratos and Regal are some of the mature characters in the team. The dungeons have a variety of puzzles; some of the towns are nice in their pastel-style way including the snowy Flanoir and sun-set Altamira. It’s a beautiful game.
3. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; Here's another game with dual parallel worlds, Metroid Prime 2 is a challenging adventure through Light Aether and Dark Aether, the latter in which the player must find shields of light or die quickly. This is one of the hardest Metroids because of the harsh world and a limited ammo of light/dark firepower compared to Samus’ unlimited ammo in the past. After the best Metroid game that was Prime, Retro Studios decided to make one of the more risky entries in the series, it’s a masterpiece that is not for everyone.
4. Half-Life 2; This game was revolutionary, the Source and Havoc engine was popularised by this and would be used in years to come. I could go on all day about the great moments: playing catch with Dog the giant robot, controlling the ant lions to invade the prison of Nova Prospekt, throwing a saw at a head-crab infested Zombie in Ravenholdm, being chased by a helicopter on a boat through the canals of what’s left of the lake that is being drained, seeing the Combine conversion process and then that ending which leaves you flabbergasted yet eager for more.
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap; This was the last great Zelda, it was about exploring a varied world as usual but now with some nice novelties. Unlike the steamboat or the train, these new additions such as shrinking and the environmental-changing Kinstones only served to make Hyrule a more elaborate world. The classic Zelda controls didn’t need to be changed; Capcom knew what worked in the past and paid tribute to the good qualities of the series. One of the best moments included Link reaching the Palace of Winds in the clouds when Link must fight one of the great bosses, a Gyor and Link has to ride a manta ray-like creature in order to defeat it. Also exploring the shoes of Hyrule Town as a borrower is just too good to pass on.
6. Ratchet & Clank 3; It has all the expected spectacle of a Ratchet game, now with some silly Captain Qwark 2D levels and introducing one of the series' best villains… Doctor Nefarious, a cackling robot scientist who has the misfortune of having his brain accidentally synchronised a to TV soap called Lance and Janice. So this game has that trademark Ratchet humour, now with your own Starship Phoenix filled with training missions. There’s also a bigger emphasis or bite-sized missions that involve using a Turbo Slider buggy, turrets and of course the first multi-player in the series.
7. Jak 3; From its humble beginning as another clone of Super Mario 64, the Jak series became more dark and desolate as time when on. Jak 3 took the series outside of Haven City again, which had made the genre change to a sand box in Jak 2. Now Jak can explore Precursor ruins in a hazardous desert where only a tribe of Wastelanders manage to survive. Introduced here are: the Leaper Lizards, a flying light mode, a variety of buggies and an impending alien invasion. It’s a unique setting and the game represents well the diversity of the series.
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; It’s both a prequel to the revolutionary GTA 3 and a sequel to Vice City, but with a more humble protagonist, Carl Johnson is a young man caught up with gangs which is far different than the professional hit man of 3 and the narcissistic gang lord in VC. It’s this shake-up of a protagonist, era and setting that kept the GTA games fresh. Now set in the 90s' sunny districts of a state inspired by Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, so as you’d expect SA has almost everything: jet-packs, harriers, Area 51 and "hill-billies" chasing you through the forest with a flame thrower. It’s difficult to complain about the amount of content.
9. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes; It includes many subjective changes: the cut scenes have Snake perform fantasy athletics, the music is changed and the voice-acting is a bit different. There are the new controls: such as being able to hang off a ledge, tranquillizing guards, shooting in first person, place books to distract the enemy, drag and hide guards as well as shooting from corners. These changes now make it easier to not have to deal with the hassle of standing next to a guard or having to shoot several times to achieve a head shot and they make the controls more complicated, I loved the new controls and can’t go back to the original.
10. Metroid: Zero Mission; Another remake that radically changes the original, Crateria now looks awe-inspiring, Brinstar looks more alien and Norfair suddenly looks like hell. Who knows if the sprites can be any better on the Game Boy Advance, unlike the original it’s certain that this game won’t age. Kraid is now a giant which says all you need to know about how the GBA took the design of the original NES game and magnified it, with influence from the SNES game too. What’s great about this remake is not just that it’s faithful but that it offers surprises even after you think it’s over with the defeat of Mother Brain.
Honourable mention; Legacy of Kain: Defiance.
That was the best gaming year ever, so much that the order of this list doesn’t mean much.
1. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door; It has many fun aspects including: imaginative levels, being able to turn into a plane or boat, using Crystal Star abilities such as the supernova, charming graphics, catchy music, a funny story, innovative and interactive partner abilities like being able to be veiled underground, loads of variety in the levels such as a train detective mystery as wall as the fighting championship.
2. Tales of Symphonia; This is set in on an epic scale of two parallel worlds with a complex, interesting history. The battle system is very interactive and is comparable to a fighting game which are played on 2D arenas with potentially multi-player. Raine, Presea, Kratos and Regal are some of the mature characters in the team. The dungeons have a variety of puzzles; some of the towns are nice in their pastel-style way including the snowy Flanoir and sun-set Altamira. It’s a beautiful game.
3. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; Here's another game with dual parallel worlds, Metroid Prime 2 is a challenging adventure through Light Aether and Dark Aether, the latter in which the player must find shields of light or die quickly. This is one of the hardest Metroids because of the harsh world and a limited ammo of light/dark firepower compared to Samus’ unlimited ammo in the past. After the best Metroid game that was Prime, Retro Studios decided to make one of the more risky entries in the series, it’s a masterpiece that is not for everyone.
4. Half-Life 2; This game was revolutionary, the Source and Havoc engine was popularised by this and would be used in years to come. I could go on all day about the great moments: playing catch with Dog the giant robot, controlling the ant lions to invade the prison of Nova Prospekt, throwing a saw at a head-crab infested Zombie in Ravenholdm, being chased by a helicopter on a boat through the canals of what’s left of the lake that is being drained, seeing the Combine conversion process and then that ending which leaves you flabbergasted yet eager for more.
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap; This was the last great Zelda, it was about exploring a varied world as usual but now with some nice novelties. Unlike the steamboat or the train, these new additions such as shrinking and the environmental-changing Kinstones only served to make Hyrule a more elaborate world. The classic Zelda controls didn’t need to be changed; Capcom knew what worked in the past and paid tribute to the good qualities of the series. One of the best moments included Link reaching the Palace of Winds in the clouds when Link must fight one of the great bosses, a Gyor and Link has to ride a manta ray-like creature in order to defeat it. Also exploring the shoes of Hyrule Town as a borrower is just too good to pass on.
6. Ratchet & Clank 3; It has all the expected spectacle of a Ratchet game, now with some silly Captain Qwark 2D levels and introducing one of the series' best villains… Doctor Nefarious, a cackling robot scientist who has the misfortune of having his brain accidentally synchronised a to TV soap called Lance and Janice. So this game has that trademark Ratchet humour, now with your own Starship Phoenix filled with training missions. There’s also a bigger emphasis or bite-sized missions that involve using a Turbo Slider buggy, turrets and of course the first multi-player in the series.
7. Jak 3; From its humble beginning as another clone of Super Mario 64, the Jak series became more dark and desolate as time when on. Jak 3 took the series outside of Haven City again, which had made the genre change to a sand box in Jak 2. Now Jak can explore Precursor ruins in a hazardous desert where only a tribe of Wastelanders manage to survive. Introduced here are: the Leaper Lizards, a flying light mode, a variety of buggies and an impending alien invasion. It’s a unique setting and the game represents well the diversity of the series.
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; It’s both a prequel to the revolutionary GTA 3 and a sequel to Vice City, but with a more humble protagonist, Carl Johnson is a young man caught up with gangs which is far different than the professional hit man of 3 and the narcissistic gang lord in VC. It’s this shake-up of a protagonist, era and setting that kept the GTA games fresh. Now set in the 90s' sunny districts of a state inspired by Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, so as you’d expect SA has almost everything: jet-packs, harriers, Area 51 and "hill-billies" chasing you through the forest with a flame thrower. It’s difficult to complain about the amount of content.
9. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes; It includes many subjective changes: the cut scenes have Snake perform fantasy athletics, the music is changed and the voice-acting is a bit different. There are the new controls: such as being able to hang off a ledge, tranquillizing guards, shooting in first person, place books to distract the enemy, drag and hide guards as well as shooting from corners. These changes now make it easier to not have to deal with the hassle of standing next to a guard or having to shoot several times to achieve a head shot and they make the controls more complicated, I loved the new controls and can’t go back to the original.
10. Metroid: Zero Mission; Another remake that radically changes the original, Crateria now looks awe-inspiring, Brinstar looks more alien and Norfair suddenly looks like hell. Who knows if the sprites can be any better on the Game Boy Advance, unlike the original it’s certain that this game won’t age. Kraid is now a giant which says all you need to know about how the GBA took the design of the original NES game and magnified it, with influence from the SNES game too. What’s great about this remake is not just that it’s faithful but that it offers surprises even after you think it’s over with the defeat of Mother Brain.
Honourable mention; Legacy of Kain: Defiance.
That was the best gaming year ever, so much that the order of this list doesn’t mean much.
1. Katamari Damacy ; This was so wildly innovative and crazy. I've played little of the sequels so I hope there is a XBLA style update of the series. I think it would fit that world very well.
2. Half-Life 2 ; It still holds up. And hitting guys with toilets was fun.
3. Outrun 2 ; Best Racing Game ... All Time ...
4. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas ; The RPG elements were a fantastic inclusion, something that I missed in 4. The cities don't have the crazy fun in terms of driving that Vice City had though.
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; This is one of the best games ever made & one of the worst & I despise it. It should be first & last simultaneously. The boss fight with The END is the best boss fight in any game ever by a huge margin. Kojima's cut scenes ruin games (after MGS1). I refuse to play anything else that guy makes. I only pray he creates something as satisfying as The End.
6. Alien Hominid ; Was such a welcome gift back in 2004. Chomp those heads!
7. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door ; I love it when Nintendo's writing. So weird.
8. Tales of Symphonia ; A satisfying JRPG.
9. Metal Gear Solid : The Twin Snakes ; A downgrade in some ways from the original but still a lot of fun. I do kind of like the idea of a crazy mixup of a classic game though. It'd be cool to see releases like this a little more often.
10. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II ; Really enjoyable for the parts that work. Frustrating that it's essentially unfinished and now glitchy on a modern system.
It's funny, there are a lot of big games from 2004 but I never recall the year as being that important. Even though it was, especially Steam of course.
2. Half-Life 2 ; It still holds up. And hitting guys with toilets was fun.
3. Outrun 2 ; Best Racing Game ... All Time ...
4. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas ; The RPG elements were a fantastic inclusion, something that I missed in 4. The cities don't have the crazy fun in terms of driving that Vice City had though.
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; This is one of the best games ever made & one of the worst & I despise it. It should be first & last simultaneously. The boss fight with The END is the best boss fight in any game ever by a huge margin. Kojima's cut scenes ruin games (after MGS1). I refuse to play anything else that guy makes. I only pray he creates something as satisfying as The End.
6. Alien Hominid ; Was such a welcome gift back in 2004. Chomp those heads!
7. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door ; I love it when Nintendo's writing. So weird.
8. Tales of Symphonia ; A satisfying JRPG.
9. Metal Gear Solid : The Twin Snakes ; A downgrade in some ways from the original but still a lot of fun. I do kind of like the idea of a crazy mixup of a classic game though. It'd be cool to see releases like this a little more often.
10. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II ; Really enjoyable for the parts that work. Frustrating that it's essentially unfinished and now glitchy on a modern system.
It's funny, there are a lot of big games from 2004 but I never recall the year as being that important. Even though it was, especially Steam of course.
Randomizer
Member
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - My favourite game in the series and one of my top 5 games of all time. Gameplay wise I do think that MGS4 just about tops it but the design is a thousand times better. Story filled with action, humour and a surprisingly emotional ending. Beautiful graphics that still hold up well today.
2. Ninja Gaiden - Part of my Holy Trinity of actions games along with DMC3 and Bayonetta. Extremely challenging but extremely rewarding combat and amazing visuals that still stand up well today.
3. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Hilarious dialogue, charming visuals and a fun twist on turn based combat.
4. Pikmin 2 - The perfect example of a sequel that improves on it's predecessor in nearly every way. The series has such a unique concept and the gameplay is a great mix of strategy and puzzle solving. As someone who isn't really a fan of RTS games I would love some form of competitive multiplayer mode in Pikmin 3.
5. Half Life 2 - I was blown away the first time I saw this game. Such an influential game with it's amazing graphics and revolutionary use of the havok physics engine. To me it was a bridge between this gen and last and was a small peak of things to come. The tech improvements weren't the only thing the game had going for it though. An immersive story with great characters and some of the best set pieces and design in gaming.
6. Metroid Prime 2
7. Metroid Zero Mission
8. Tales of Symphonia
9. Astro Boy: Omega Factor
10. Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure - Brilliant gameplay concept and one of my favourite multi-player experiences. Downsides are it's not half as fun in single player and the hardware set is just ridiculous with almost no way to play it at it's full potential, unless you're friends with three Gaffers in real life.
X. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
X. The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap
X. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
X. Dragon Quest VIII
X. Wario Ware DS
X. Shadow Hearts: Covenant
X. Outrun 2
Wow what a crazy good year I've played at least 40 games from that year, was so hard to choose from them all. Still a few I need to play though like Onimusha, SMT: Nocturne, Warioware Twisted.
2. Ninja Gaiden - Part of my Holy Trinity of actions games along with DMC3 and Bayonetta. Extremely challenging but extremely rewarding combat and amazing visuals that still stand up well today.
3. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Hilarious dialogue, charming visuals and a fun twist on turn based combat.
4. Pikmin 2 - The perfect example of a sequel that improves on it's predecessor in nearly every way. The series has such a unique concept and the gameplay is a great mix of strategy and puzzle solving. As someone who isn't really a fan of RTS games I would love some form of competitive multiplayer mode in Pikmin 3.
5. Half Life 2 - I was blown away the first time I saw this game. Such an influential game with it's amazing graphics and revolutionary use of the havok physics engine. To me it was a bridge between this gen and last and was a small peak of things to come. The tech improvements weren't the only thing the game had going for it though. An immersive story with great characters and some of the best set pieces and design in gaming.
6. Metroid Prime 2
7. Metroid Zero Mission
8. Tales of Symphonia
9. Astro Boy: Omega Factor
10. Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure - Brilliant gameplay concept and one of my favourite multi-player experiences. Downsides are it's not half as fun in single player and the hardware set is just ridiculous with almost no way to play it at it's full potential, unless you're friends with three Gaffers in real life.
X. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
X. The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap
X. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
X. Dragon Quest VIII
X. Wario Ware DS
X. Shadow Hearts: Covenant
X. Outrun 2
Wow what a crazy good year I've played at least 40 games from that year, was so hard to choose from them all. Still a few I need to play though like Onimusha, SMT: Nocturne, Warioware Twisted.
King of the Potato People
Member
Im surprised with how much Tales of Symphonia has been mentioned so far. You guys have good taste.
Cerebral Assassin
Member
1. Outrun 2;
The best drifting in gaming(sorry RR) with a amazing soundtrack, a great way to update an old franchise, its one of the few games I have bought 4 different times, the Xbox version(& I never even owned a Xbox, I just used to play it on a friends console), the PS2 & PSP versions of C2C, & the 360 XBLA version, & I will likely buy it if it gets re-released again(although I don't think they have the Ferrari license anymore).
2. Burnout 3: Takedown;
Probably the best Burnout game, you hardly have enough time to blink & it handles so well. Add the best crash mode in the series to that & you have a very special game
3. Beyond Good & Evil (EU GC);
A charming game, surprisingly well written considering one of the main characters is a pig-man mechanic. Where is my sequel Ubi?
4. Fire Emblem GBA(EU);
My first experience with Fire Emblem( & my first J SRPG) & it blew me away. Probably a bit too easy( but then again can a game with permadeath be considered too easy?) in terms of battle complexity, but as that means that it doesn't require grinding the difficulty curve feels nice & smooth.
5. Viewtiful Joe 2;
Thinking about VJ2 reminds me that no current gen(that comes to mind, at least) side-scrolling BEM comes close to the VJ series, R.I.P Clover( come on P*, return to the genre)
6. Second Sight;
An early(for consoles, at least) physics-based 3rd person action-adventure made by Free Radical(of Timesplitters fame) with more of an emphasis on stealth than action, & the main characters amnesia is handled well & adds to the plot well.
7. Gradius V;
Treasure + Gradius = A place on this list.
8. Animal Crossing(EU)
A game in which you quickly get lumbered with a mortgage & end up in forced labour doesn't sound like fun, but Animal Crossing manages to pull it off. A perfect game for young children( the "edutainment" parts don't feel preachy or worthy) what you get from AC depends on what you put in( I still, eight years later, remember my advertising slogan for Nooks Cranny, "You get more fanny, when you shop at Nooks Cranny").
9. Hyper SFII: The Anniversary Edition;
Pretty much every version of SFII in one package with lots of options(Imagine this game being released now, it would likely be chopped up into lots of DLC & some of the content probably wouldn't have ever come out).
10. Flipnic;
If I was lazy I would describe the game as "Pinball on Acid", but imagine pinball without being restricted to being on a table, mix in aliens & crazy beasts & add challenges, that's Flipnic.
Honourable Mention:
Spiderman 2; Only really included because of the web-slinging mechanics, the rest of the game is pretty poor to be honest, but that web-slinging made you feel like Spidey(which surely is the point of comic book games, right?).
The best drifting in gaming(sorry RR) with a amazing soundtrack, a great way to update an old franchise, its one of the few games I have bought 4 different times, the Xbox version(& I never even owned a Xbox, I just used to play it on a friends console), the PS2 & PSP versions of C2C, & the 360 XBLA version, & I will likely buy it if it gets re-released again(although I don't think they have the Ferrari license anymore).
2. Burnout 3: Takedown;
Probably the best Burnout game, you hardly have enough time to blink & it handles so well. Add the best crash mode in the series to that & you have a very special game
3. Beyond Good & Evil (EU GC);
A charming game, surprisingly well written considering one of the main characters is a pig-man mechanic. Where is my sequel Ubi?
4. Fire Emblem GBA(EU);
My first experience with Fire Emblem( & my first J SRPG) & it blew me away. Probably a bit too easy( but then again can a game with permadeath be considered too easy?) in terms of battle complexity, but as that means that it doesn't require grinding the difficulty curve feels nice & smooth.
5. Viewtiful Joe 2;
Thinking about VJ2 reminds me that no current gen(that comes to mind, at least) side-scrolling BEM comes close to the VJ series, R.I.P Clover( come on P*, return to the genre)
6. Second Sight;
An early(for consoles, at least) physics-based 3rd person action-adventure made by Free Radical(of Timesplitters fame) with more of an emphasis on stealth than action, & the main characters amnesia is handled well & adds to the plot well.
7. Gradius V;
Treasure + Gradius = A place on this list.
8. Animal Crossing(EU)
A game in which you quickly get lumbered with a mortgage & end up in forced labour doesn't sound like fun, but Animal Crossing manages to pull it off. A perfect game for young children( the "edutainment" parts don't feel preachy or worthy) what you get from AC depends on what you put in( I still, eight years later, remember my advertising slogan for Nooks Cranny, "You get more fanny, when you shop at Nooks Cranny").
9. Hyper SFII: The Anniversary Edition;
Pretty much every version of SFII in one package with lots of options(Imagine this game being released now, it would likely be chopped up into lots of DLC & some of the content probably wouldn't have ever come out).
10. Flipnic;
If I was lazy I would describe the game as "Pinball on Acid", but imagine pinball without being restricted to being on a table, mix in aliens & crazy beasts & add challenges, that's Flipnic.
Honourable Mention:
Spiderman 2; Only really included because of the web-slinging mechanics, the rest of the game is pretty poor to be honest, but that web-slinging made you feel like Spidey(which surely is the point of comic book games, right?).
1.Metal Gear Solid 3: Toned down the insanity from Sons of Liberty to tell a better story. The Cold War era backdrop was a genius move by Kojima as was the jungle setting. It allowed for the best gameplay we've seen from the series. The ending of MGS 3 is one of gamings greatest ever conclusions.
2. Half Life 2:
3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
4. Beyond Good & Evil
5. Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
2. Half Life 2:
3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
4. Beyond Good & Evil
5. Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
Spieler Eins
Member
1. Paper Mario TTYD, Perfect turn based combat, utterly creative, fun and charming settings that literally make you feel the love that was put into them. Only downside: too similar to PM1, but still amazing on its own.
2. Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap, might as well become my second favorite entry in the series. Best overworld and main town since MM, it truly feels alive with lots of good additional content. Very good visuals that have more of an N64-era vibe than WW and outstanding soundtrack.
3. Tales of Symphonia, First Tales game I've played. Finished it about 3 times, once in coop later on. I like the anime style in this, just as the music and at least back then, I very much enjoyed the story. Some great twists. Plus, addicting battle system.
4. Metroid Zero Mission, It's Metroid 1 finally made timeless.
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, well made sequel, even though FAR from flawless, it still has some obvious strenghts.
2. Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap, might as well become my second favorite entry in the series. Best overworld and main town since MM, it truly feels alive with lots of good additional content. Very good visuals that have more of an N64-era vibe than WW and outstanding soundtrack.
3. Tales of Symphonia, First Tales game I've played. Finished it about 3 times, once in coop later on. I like the anime style in this, just as the music and at least back then, I very much enjoyed the story. Some great twists. Plus, addicting battle system.
4. Metroid Zero Mission, It's Metroid 1 finally made timeless.
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, well made sequel, even though FAR from flawless, it still has some obvious strenghts.
I actually went out and bought ToS2 today because this thread reminded of the game (and Vesperia was very enjoyable as well). I brace myself for a huge disappointment.
The first chapter is the worst by FARRRR.
And you either love or hate monster capturing.
Emil is a pretty bad protagonist. Oddly enough, the game's main antagonist is probably my favorite in Tales. That's not really saying much considering just about every other Tales antagonist are pretty godawful.
It's okay. Not nearly as good as Vesperia or Symphonia.
Hellshadow
Member
1. Half-Life 2; probably my favorite game of all time
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater; who is more badass than big boss?
3. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; great game but not as good as the first one
4. Dragon Quest VIII; my favorite PS2 RPG
5. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne; incredible soundtrack
6. Doom 3; nowhere near as good as the first two
7. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
8. Metroid Zero Mission
9. Unreal Tournament 2004
10. Beyond Good & Evil
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater; who is more badass than big boss?
3. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; great game but not as good as the first one
4. Dragon Quest VIII; my favorite PS2 RPG
5. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne; incredible soundtrack
6. Doom 3; nowhere near as good as the first two
7. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
8. Metroid Zero Mission
9. Unreal Tournament 2004
10. Beyond Good & Evil
Spieler Eins
Member
It was.. okay. I mean, it still had the usual battle system and cool music, etc. Worth a playthrough if nothing else is in sight.
But I'm also pissed that I've imported it and hence can't really get rid of it properly :/
1. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines;
The best first person RPG ever made. Yes, it was buggy. Yet, I'd happily deal with all those bugs again if I could play another game like it.
2. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter;
One of the most unique JRPGs ever made. A truly strategic battle system and an interesting pervasive time limit mechanic that eliminates much of the drudgery, filler and grinding often associated with the genre.
3. Katamari Damacy;
I never thought I'd enjoy this as much as I did. It's a casual game, easy to pick up and play and yet still novel enough mechanically to hold your attention.
3. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War;
I much prefer this to its sequel. Sue me, I like base building. It filled the huge time frame between SC and SC2 very well.
5. Shadow Hearts: Covenant;
Another unique JRPG, and by far the best entry in an underrated series.
6. Phantom Brave;
Probably my favourite N1 SRPG. Great gridless system, and I liked the slightly more somber story/characters.
A good year for RPG/strategy fans.
The best first person RPG ever made. Yes, it was buggy. Yet, I'd happily deal with all those bugs again if I could play another game like it.
2. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter;
One of the most unique JRPGs ever made. A truly strategic battle system and an interesting pervasive time limit mechanic that eliminates much of the drudgery, filler and grinding often associated with the genre.
3. Katamari Damacy;
I never thought I'd enjoy this as much as I did. It's a casual game, easy to pick up and play and yet still novel enough mechanically to hold your attention.
3. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War;
I much prefer this to its sequel. Sue me, I like base building. It filled the huge time frame between SC and SC2 very well.
5. Shadow Hearts: Covenant;
Another unique JRPG, and by far the best entry in an underrated series.
6. Phantom Brave;
Probably my favourite N1 SRPG. Great gridless system, and I liked the slightly more somber story/characters.
A good year for RPG/strategy fans.
1. Half-Life 2 - One of the best games ever made.
2. World of Warcraft
3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Still the best GTA game.
4. Halo 2
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - Not as good as the original, but still awesome.
6. Metal Gear Solid 3 - Best game in the whole series.
7. Burnout 3 - Second best arcade racer released in this generation.
8. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - One of the few really great Nintendo games released on the GC imo.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures - Epic 4p mode.
10. Ninja Gaiden
2. World of Warcraft
3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Still the best GTA game.
4. Halo 2
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - Not as good as the original, but still awesome.
6. Metal Gear Solid 3 - Best game in the whole series.
7. Burnout 3 - Second best arcade racer released in this generation.
8. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - One of the few really great Nintendo games released on the GC imo.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures - Epic 4p mode.
10. Ninja Gaiden
SuperEpicMan
Banned
1. Star Wars Battlefront; Remember having such an awesome time playing this game with friends, one of the best uses of the star wars licence and universe.
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; The best of the series, pure open world epicness. Great humour with the cheats as well.
3. Spider-Man 2; One of the greatest super hero games ever made in my opinion, the web swinging mechanic was perfect and the sense of scale in the map was great.
4. Burnout 3: Takedown; best racing game ever, just a hugely enjoyable game, nothing to dislike.
5. Super Mario 64 DS; I never played the original, so it was a new experience for me, got so many hours out of it not even including the mini games in it.
6. Pokemon Fire Red; Pure nostalgia of the original, with loads of secrets and added stuff.
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; The best of the series, pure open world epicness. Great humour with the cheats as well.
3. Spider-Man 2; One of the greatest super hero games ever made in my opinion, the web swinging mechanic was perfect and the sense of scale in the map was great.
4. Burnout 3: Takedown; best racing game ever, just a hugely enjoyable game, nothing to dislike.
5. Super Mario 64 DS; I never played the original, so it was a new experience for me, got so many hours out of it not even including the mini games in it.
6. Pokemon Fire Red; Pure nostalgia of the original, with loads of secrets and added stuff.
1. Half-life 2 - One of my favorite games, I still feel like this is the bar for an immersive first person shooter. I don't think I had played a game before with such a well-realized, believable world.
2. Metal Gear Solid 3
3. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures - This remains one of my favorite multiplayer games ever, and nothing really has came close to the kind of experience this game had.
4. World of Warcraft - The first major MMO that I spent a lot of time with. Had a great time with friends playing this.
5. Ninja Gaiden
6. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
7. Metroid Zero Mission
8. Halo 2 - I had not been as excited for a game before. The campaign does not hold up very well today, but I have such great memories of playing this game.
9. Beyond Good and Evil
10. Pikmin 2
Honorable Mentions:
Spider-man 2
Katamari Damacy
MGS: The Twin Snakes
One of the best years for games for me. I was a senior in high school, and spent a lot of time playing all of these games with a lot of friends before heading off to college.
2. Metal Gear Solid 3
3. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures - This remains one of my favorite multiplayer games ever, and nothing really has came close to the kind of experience this game had.
4. World of Warcraft - The first major MMO that I spent a lot of time with. Had a great time with friends playing this.
5. Ninja Gaiden
6. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
7. Metroid Zero Mission
8. Halo 2 - I had not been as excited for a game before. The campaign does not hold up very well today, but I have such great memories of playing this game.
9. Beyond Good and Evil
10. Pikmin 2
Honorable Mentions:
Spider-man 2
Katamari Damacy
MGS: The Twin Snakes
One of the best years for games for me. I was a senior in high school, and spent a lot of time playing all of these games with a lot of friends before heading off to college.
King of the Potato People
Member
Just have courage and perhaps... magic will turn your dreams into reality.
1. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas; Did not enjoy it as much as Vice City but it was still a great game and a marvelous technical achievment on the PS2 with it's vast world (though after 30 hours of play driving between the cities became a little bit of a chore).
2. Ratchet and Clank Up Your Arsenal; Only the second best R&C game, but still great and I played through it twice within 2 months and I am looking forward to the HD collection this month
3. Burnout 3 - Takedown; Crash mode not as good as in Burnout 2, but everything else just great, best Burnout game
4. Sly 2: Band of Thieves; The best of the Sly series (so far). Really enjoyed replaying it in HD.
5. Shadow Hearts: Covenant; This came as a surprise RPG which I really enjoyed.
6. Phantom Brave; liked it, not as much as Disgaea though. Reminds me, that I have it on my PSP backlog
7. Jak 3;
8. WRC 4: FIA World Rally Championship; I wish there would be a good WRC or even a good Rally game on HD consoles.
9. Tales of Symphonia; The only game I enjoyed on the Gamecube.
10. Onimusha 3; Wanted to like it more than I did. The weakest Onimusha even though it hyped me up with the inclusion of Jean Reno.
Beyond Good & Evil was a 2003 game if I am not mistaken? And Dragon Quest VIII a 2006 game (in Europe). Otherwise those two would be in the list too.
2. Ratchet and Clank Up Your Arsenal; Only the second best R&C game, but still great and I played through it twice within 2 months and I am looking forward to the HD collection this month
3. Burnout 3 - Takedown; Crash mode not as good as in Burnout 2, but everything else just great, best Burnout game
4. Sly 2: Band of Thieves; The best of the Sly series (so far). Really enjoyed replaying it in HD.
5. Shadow Hearts: Covenant; This came as a surprise RPG which I really enjoyed.
6. Phantom Brave; liked it, not as much as Disgaea though. Reminds me, that I have it on my PSP backlog
7. Jak 3;
8. WRC 4: FIA World Rally Championship; I wish there would be a good WRC or even a good Rally game on HD consoles.
9. Tales of Symphonia; The only game I enjoyed on the Gamecube.
10. Onimusha 3; Wanted to like it more than I did. The weakest Onimusha even though it hyped me up with the inclusion of Jean Reno.
Beyond Good & Evil was a 2003 game if I am not mistaken? And Dragon Quest VIII a 2006 game (in Europe). Otherwise those two would be in the list too.
AgentChris
Member
MGS3
GTA: SA
GTA: SA
A Huge Battleship
Member
1. Phantom Brave
While the cast/setting isn't NI's finest, in gameplay terms it's vying for the top spot with Soul Nomad. The depth and sheer variety of weapons, techniques and classes made this one of my greatest timesinks, and the greatest if you exclude anything that has 'Phantasy' in its title. Incidentally, if there was a thread for Game OST of the Year 2004, this would take the top spot for me there as well.
2. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
A fantastically desolate world with the sublime atmosphere so typical of the SMT series. The combat distinguishes itself by being challenging and actually requiring preparation and thought.
3. Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
The plot and characters are weak, but the game endures by the strength of its brilliant battle system. The diverse locales and superb soundtrack also deserve a mention. I could say much the same for Star Ocean 4, but this prequel had far more of an impact on me.
4. Phantasy Star Online: Episode III
A definite guilty pleasure in that it combines a universe I'm partial to (PSO) with a mechanic I love (card collecting/battles) and succeeds almost by virtue of this alone. Still, for such a radical departure for the series the core gameplay is remarkably well-handled and enjoyable.
5. Otogi 2
From a purely aesthetic standpoint, this is one of my favourite games of all time. In terms of its gameplay, it's an excellent hack 'n' slash fest with a diverse selection of settings and missions and which still holds up superbly today.
6. Halo 2
This makes the list almost solely on the strength of its multiplayer, with fantastic maps like Headlong, Zanzibar and Waterworks. It's one of only a few FPSs I've ever spent any time with online.
7. R Type Final
If the stage design had been on a par with the ship roster, it'd be the best shmup ever devised. As it is, it's merely brilliant.
8. Breath of Fire V
A uniquely frantic and engaging atmosphere complete with an incredibly underrated battle system. There were so many elements here I'd love to see more regularly in RPGs.
9. Tales of Symphonia
My first foray into the Tales series. A rarity in that it scores highly across the board, with characters, combat, scenario and aesthetics all being of an impressive standard.
10. La Pucelle: Tactics
Combines NI's glorious SRPG gameplay with a respectable plot and cast. I actually prefer it to the original Disgaea, despite it getting considerably less praise/attention.
x. Donkey Konga
I still have calluses on my hands from this and its sequel, though more so because of the latter.
While the cast/setting isn't NI's finest, in gameplay terms it's vying for the top spot with Soul Nomad. The depth and sheer variety of weapons, techniques and classes made this one of my greatest timesinks, and the greatest if you exclude anything that has 'Phantasy' in its title. Incidentally, if there was a thread for Game OST of the Year 2004, this would take the top spot for me there as well.
2. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
A fantastically desolate world with the sublime atmosphere so typical of the SMT series. The combat distinguishes itself by being challenging and actually requiring preparation and thought.
3. Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
The plot and characters are weak, but the game endures by the strength of its brilliant battle system. The diverse locales and superb soundtrack also deserve a mention. I could say much the same for Star Ocean 4, but this prequel had far more of an impact on me.
4. Phantasy Star Online: Episode III
A definite guilty pleasure in that it combines a universe I'm partial to (PSO) with a mechanic I love (card collecting/battles) and succeeds almost by virtue of this alone. Still, for such a radical departure for the series the core gameplay is remarkably well-handled and enjoyable.
5. Otogi 2
From a purely aesthetic standpoint, this is one of my favourite games of all time. In terms of its gameplay, it's an excellent hack 'n' slash fest with a diverse selection of settings and missions and which still holds up superbly today.
6. Halo 2
This makes the list almost solely on the strength of its multiplayer, with fantastic maps like Headlong, Zanzibar and Waterworks. It's one of only a few FPSs I've ever spent any time with online.
7. R Type Final
If the stage design had been on a par with the ship roster, it'd be the best shmup ever devised. As it is, it's merely brilliant.
8. Breath of Fire V
A uniquely frantic and engaging atmosphere complete with an incredibly underrated battle system. There were so many elements here I'd love to see more regularly in RPGs.
9. Tales of Symphonia
My first foray into the Tales series. A rarity in that it scores highly across the board, with characters, combat, scenario and aesthetics all being of an impressive standard.
10. La Pucelle: Tactics
Combines NI's glorious SRPG gameplay with a respectable plot and cast. I actually prefer it to the original Disgaea, despite it getting considerably less praise/attention.
x. Donkey Konga
I still have calluses on my hands from this and its sequel, though more so because of the latter.
revolverjgw
Member
1. Metal Gear Solid 3- Snake Eater ; it's an awkward jankfest like all MGS games, but it has so much chutzpah and charm, it's sheer goofy genius and bursting with creativity. Kojima and crew just make such damn interesting games... I spent countless hours just listening to the weird radio conversations, and there's an easter egg/secrets FAQ as lengthy as any standard FAQ for an action/adventure game.
2. Thief- Deadly Shadows ; unfairly maligned masterpiece with unrivaled atmosphere and great mission design. Disregard the opinion of anybody that considers this comparable to DX- Invisible War.
3. Sly 2- Band of Thieves ; not quite as good as Sly 1 but I appreciated how they changed up the formula and managed to make you feel like more of a thief , watching your complex heist schemes coming together was fantastic. A meaty game, actually probably TOO much content.
4. Splinter Cell- Pandora Tomorrow ; a worthy followup to the original. Some weird design decisions, like the alarms, bring it down a tad, but the mechanics are still wonderful and I couldn't wait to see the next mission.
5. Grand Theft Auto- San Andreas ; my favorite of the series. It's almost overstuffed with content and ideas... some are stupid, but easy to ignore, unlike some of the stuff in GTA4. Incredible sense of time and place. I'll never forget dirtbiking through the countryside.
6. Hitman- Contracts ; my favorite of the series... the mission design probably isn't as good as Blood Money, but I love the extremely dark and foreboding mood so much. It's intoxicating and deranged.
7. Maximo vs Army of Zin ; another reason why the PS2 was the best platforming console ever. I prefer this game over the original because the difficulty is dialed back from GnG levels, but it's still a decent challenge and hell of a jump and slash workout.
8. Ratchet and Clank- Up Your Arsenal ; I'm going to be honest, when I think of all the Ratchet games, they all get mixed up in my mind. I can't remember what levels, characters or weapons were from what game. All I know is they're insanely fun when I'm playing them.
9. Killzone ; I've been a card carrying member of this game's defense force since its release, I'll always love it. One of the few FPSes with a cast I kind of cared about (also helps that it had awesome voice acting by the likes of Sean Pertwee and Brian Cox), and there's actually a great feeling of adventure as you traverse lots of varied terrain. It's rough around the edges but the game's feel just clicked with me.
10. Paper Mario- The Thousand Year Door ; mostly a rehash of the first game, which is fine... it's still a distinctive formula and you can't forget scenarios like the wrestling chapter.
2. Thief- Deadly Shadows ; unfairly maligned masterpiece with unrivaled atmosphere and great mission design. Disregard the opinion of anybody that considers this comparable to DX- Invisible War.
3. Sly 2- Band of Thieves ; not quite as good as Sly 1 but I appreciated how they changed up the formula and managed to make you feel like more of a thief , watching your complex heist schemes coming together was fantastic. A meaty game, actually probably TOO much content.
4. Splinter Cell- Pandora Tomorrow ; a worthy followup to the original. Some weird design decisions, like the alarms, bring it down a tad, but the mechanics are still wonderful and I couldn't wait to see the next mission.
5. Grand Theft Auto- San Andreas ; my favorite of the series. It's almost overstuffed with content and ideas... some are stupid, but easy to ignore, unlike some of the stuff in GTA4. Incredible sense of time and place. I'll never forget dirtbiking through the countryside.
6. Hitman- Contracts ; my favorite of the series... the mission design probably isn't as good as Blood Money, but I love the extremely dark and foreboding mood so much. It's intoxicating and deranged.
7. Maximo vs Army of Zin ; another reason why the PS2 was the best platforming console ever. I prefer this game over the original because the difficulty is dialed back from GnG levels, but it's still a decent challenge and hell of a jump and slash workout.
8. Ratchet and Clank- Up Your Arsenal ; I'm going to be honest, when I think of all the Ratchet games, they all get mixed up in my mind. I can't remember what levels, characters or weapons were from what game. All I know is they're insanely fun when I'm playing them.
9. Killzone ; I've been a card carrying member of this game's defense force since its release, I'll always love it. One of the few FPSes with a cast I kind of cared about (also helps that it had awesome voice acting by the likes of Sean Pertwee and Brian Cox), and there's actually a great feeling of adventure as you traverse lots of varied terrain. It's rough around the edges but the game's feel just clicked with me.
10. Paper Mario- The Thousand Year Door ; mostly a rehash of the first game, which is fine... it's still a distinctive formula and you can't forget scenarios like the wrestling chapter.
Posting a list without any comments, proof that they didn't read or disregarded the OP.
1. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines ; this one was too easy. I didn't play it for the first time until about a year ago, but it fuckin' rocked my shit. It has a few rough spots, but it has one of the most engrossing settings and some of the best writing in any videogame. Some of the quests are downright amazing too, like the haunted mansion. It has too many memorable moments and characters to fit into one post, but anyone who likes RPG's and isn't a total dumbshit owes it to themselves to experience this game. I made a pretty lengthy LTTP thread if anyone gives a shit: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435192&highlight=
2. Sly 2: Band of Thieves ; Maybe I'm messed up in the head, but I enjoyed Band of Thieves almost as much as the first Sly game. The highs, particularly exploring the hub cities for bottles, were higher, but the lows were lower, like the side missions featuring Sly's shitty friends. It retained Sly 1's charming art style and excellent controls, while fleshing out the structure of the game. With a few cuts here and there, it could have been a classic.
3. Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater ; MGS2 is my favorite in the series, but I can't deny that Snake Eater is an amazing game. Both of the PS2 Metal Gear games are sublime. This one has been adequately covered in this thread, and I'm feeling lazy, so I'll leave it at that.
4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords ; The KOTOR games are the best use of the Star Wars license outside of the Original Trilogy. It's been awhile since I've played this one (no DD release), but I loved Obsidian's take on the series. They built upon the foundation of the first game, adding a more involving plot and superior characterization. Really wish that LucasArts would stop pretending this game doesn't exist.
5. ESPN NFL 2K5 ; The last traditional sports game that I loved. It was polished, feature rich, and a lot of fun to play...and 2K did the right thing by releasing it for only $20, since after all, $60 is a joke for a glorified roster update. Shame it was the last one, fuck you EA!
2. Sly 2: Band of Thieves ; Maybe I'm messed up in the head, but I enjoyed Band of Thieves almost as much as the first Sly game. The highs, particularly exploring the hub cities for bottles, were higher, but the lows were lower, like the side missions featuring Sly's shitty friends. It retained Sly 1's charming art style and excellent controls, while fleshing out the structure of the game. With a few cuts here and there, it could have been a classic.
3. Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater ; MGS2 is my favorite in the series, but I can't deny that Snake Eater is an amazing game. Both of the PS2 Metal Gear games are sublime. This one has been adequately covered in this thread, and I'm feeling lazy, so I'll leave it at that.
4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords ; The KOTOR games are the best use of the Star Wars license outside of the Original Trilogy. It's been awhile since I've played this one (no DD release), but I loved Obsidian's take on the series. They built upon the foundation of the first game, adding a more involving plot and superior characterization. Really wish that LucasArts would stop pretending this game doesn't exist.
5. ESPN NFL 2K5 ; The last traditional sports game that I loved. It was polished, feature rich, and a lot of fun to play...and 2K did the right thing by releasing it for only $20, since after all, $60 is a joke for a glorified roster update. Shame it was the last one, fuck you EA!
What a GREAT year of gaming.
1. Metal Gear Solid 3; Possibly my favorite game of all time. While everybody else was trying to replicate that GTA open-world gameplay, MGS3 gave you a sandbox of tools and ways of approaching situations. There are so many little small touches and easter eggs that it just floored me... still floors me. Everything comes together, the gameplay, story, characters, music... and one of the best endings ever. The last hour or two is incredible.
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door; another one of my favorites, a classic Nintendo game through and through. It's charming when it needs to be, hilarious frequently, simple but rewarding over time, and constantly engaging. A great RPG and great story that only could be done with Mario.
3. Rome Total War; Excellent strategy game. Just epic in scope.
4. Battlefield Vietnam; Perhaps not as solid as its predecessor, this game still blew my mind the moment my friends and I capped a flag, called a transport chopper, and hopped on board to the next deployment. Never saw online teamwork integrated with vehicles in such a cool way.
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap; Great little handheld Zelda. Small, but dense. More progressive than people gave it credit for, adding sensible gameplay mechanics (cool new items, interesting abilities from the 3D games) and creating a cohesive overworld.
6. Tales of Symphonia; Perhaps it was totally nonsensical in the plot department when all was said and done, but I don't care. For the 50-60 hours I played this game, this was one of the most fun RPGs I played. Despite its measurable length, very little of it dragged.
7. Star Wars Battlefront; Fond memories of playing this with my brother over split-screen. Good use of the license... wish it would come back.
8. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes; I know this game gets bagged on a lot for its over-the-top cutscenes, but I still think it was an enjoyable romp and a good update to the MGS gameplay.
9. Kirby & the Amazing Mirror; It's a Kirby game. And that's awesome.
10. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War; A distillation of fighter pilot movie cliches with ridiculous mega weapons, epic story, and beautiful music.
Honorable mentions
x. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
x. Metroid Zero Mission
x. Mario Power Tennis
x. Half-Life 2
x. Pikmin 2
1. Metal Gear Solid 3; Possibly my favorite game of all time. While everybody else was trying to replicate that GTA open-world gameplay, MGS3 gave you a sandbox of tools and ways of approaching situations. There are so many little small touches and easter eggs that it just floored me... still floors me. Everything comes together, the gameplay, story, characters, music... and one of the best endings ever. The last hour or two is incredible.
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door; another one of my favorites, a classic Nintendo game through and through. It's charming when it needs to be, hilarious frequently, simple but rewarding over time, and constantly engaging. A great RPG and great story that only could be done with Mario.
3. Rome Total War; Excellent strategy game. Just epic in scope.
4. Battlefield Vietnam; Perhaps not as solid as its predecessor, this game still blew my mind the moment my friends and I capped a flag, called a transport chopper, and hopped on board to the next deployment. Never saw online teamwork integrated with vehicles in such a cool way.
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap; Great little handheld Zelda. Small, but dense. More progressive than people gave it credit for, adding sensible gameplay mechanics (cool new items, interesting abilities from the 3D games) and creating a cohesive overworld.
6. Tales of Symphonia; Perhaps it was totally nonsensical in the plot department when all was said and done, but I don't care. For the 50-60 hours I played this game, this was one of the most fun RPGs I played. Despite its measurable length, very little of it dragged.
7. Star Wars Battlefront; Fond memories of playing this with my brother over split-screen. Good use of the license... wish it would come back.
8. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes; I know this game gets bagged on a lot for its over-the-top cutscenes, but I still think it was an enjoyable romp and a good update to the MGS gameplay.
9. Kirby & the Amazing Mirror; It's a Kirby game. And that's awesome.
10. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War; A distillation of fighter pilot movie cliches with ridiculous mega weapons, epic story, and beautiful music.
Honorable mentions
x. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
x. Metroid Zero Mission
x. Mario Power Tennis
x. Half-Life 2
x. Pikmin 2
1. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines;
2. Half-Life 2;
3. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal;
4. Painkiller;
5. Thief: Deadly Shadows;
6. Katamari Demacy;
7. Tales of Symphonia;
8. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape for Butcher Bay;
9. Metal Gear Solid 3; I think once I reached around the halfway pont, I started literally just running through the jungle, with no consequence. You just had to keep going until you hit a cutscene, which was every two to three maps, and any outstanding alerts would vanish. This was on normal difficulty. I never would've even thought to do this if I'd been enjoying the game more; I think all the pausing and micromanaging was tedious, and the game was definitely more ambitious than the camera system of MGS2 was capable of. So, I'll enjoy the cutscenes, and I'll enjoy the much-improved Subsistence, but I'll never play this version of the game again.
10. Evil Genius;
2. Half-Life 2;
3. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal;
4. Painkiller;
5. Thief: Deadly Shadows;
6. Katamari Demacy;
7. Tales of Symphonia;
8. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape for Butcher Bay;
9. Metal Gear Solid 3; I think once I reached around the halfway pont, I started literally just running through the jungle, with no consequence. You just had to keep going until you hit a cutscene, which was every two to three maps, and any outstanding alerts would vanish. This was on normal difficulty. I never would've even thought to do this if I'd been enjoying the game more; I think all the pausing and micromanaging was tedious, and the game was definitely more ambitious than the camera system of MGS2 was capable of. So, I'll enjoy the cutscenes, and I'll enjoy the much-improved Subsistence, but I'll never play this version of the game again.
10. Evil Genius;
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
What if I played GTA:SA and Half-Life 2 various years after 2004? they are in my top 10 but it was long before I realized it.
I'm happy to see so much Tales of Symphonia love.
I'm happy to see so much Tales of Symphonia love.
1. Halo 2; There's a reason there are so few games on this list. Halo 2 stole an incredible amount of time from me, and it's not an experience that I'd trade for anything in the world at this point. Even though fewer of them play Halo with each subsequent title, I still regularly talk to several people I met and bonded with through this game. It, along with its predecessor, was the catalyst for my love of thinking critically about game design. The added elements to the universe, the exquisite map design and multiplayer action, and a forward thinking online setup that some games to this day cannot match in form or function all contribute to this being at the top of my list.
2. Half-Life 2; This is a game that defies logic and makes it near the top of my list despite it not being very good at its primary mechanic. The Half-Life 2 trilogy is a high water mark for storytelling and world-building as well as emotional attachment to an NPC, overcoming the fact that frankly, I think they're kind of crappy shooters.
3. Fable; I'm so very glad that I didn't pay attention or have any awareness of Peter Molyneux's promises for this game. I didn't come into it hoping to plant a tree that would later strangle my enemies to death and take care of my newborn child or whatever nonsense he put out there. What I ended up with was an extremely competent action RPG with a charming world and great combat systems, with a pretty decent story told along the way.
4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords; It's an incredible shame that Obsidian was forced to rush this out. There is a kernel of something truly great in there, and even with all of the cut content and annoying bugs (I ended up having to replay a full 6 hours of the game due to a Taris bug) the characters and story still manage to shine through. It really says something that even given the problems this game had, I was still eagerly anticipating a KOTOR 3.
2. Half-Life 2; This is a game that defies logic and makes it near the top of my list despite it not being very good at its primary mechanic. The Half-Life 2 trilogy is a high water mark for storytelling and world-building as well as emotional attachment to an NPC, overcoming the fact that frankly, I think they're kind of crappy shooters.
3. Fable; I'm so very glad that I didn't pay attention or have any awareness of Peter Molyneux's promises for this game. I didn't come into it hoping to plant a tree that would later strangle my enemies to death and take care of my newborn child or whatever nonsense he put out there. What I ended up with was an extremely competent action RPG with a charming world and great combat systems, with a pretty decent story told along the way.
4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords; It's an incredible shame that Obsidian was forced to rush this out. There is a kernel of something truly great in there, and even with all of the cut content and annoying bugs (I ended up having to replay a full 6 hours of the game due to a Taris bug) the characters and story still manage to shine through. It really says something that even given the problems this game had, I was still eagerly anticipating a KOTOR 3.
1. Metal Gear Solid 3 : Snake Eater - One of my favorite games of all time , gameplay, story, characters, music , bosses just incredible, i can't wait for the VITA version
2. Final Fantasy XI : This has been one of the best online experiences of my life, shame about what happened to FF14.
2. Final Fantasy XI : This has been one of the best online experiences of my life, shame about what happened to FF14.
1. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes ; I started playing this game just after beating Metroid Prime and I was surprised it could be even more difficult as I wasn't used to this type of games. I love this game, even Dark Aether (and thanks to the Trilogy version I don't hate the Boost Ball Guardian and the Spiderball Guardian anymore).
2. Final Fantasy X-2 ; I'm pretty sad when people hate on this game
Even if the story isn't the best one, it has one of the best battle systems in Final Fantasy and the optional content is massive. The worst thing about this game is that you almost need a guide to get many things.
3. Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen ; This game is nostalgia in pure state, updating the first games with all the improvements of the third generation of Pokémon. The existence of this game means that I can't go back to Red/Blue.
4. Metroid Zero Mission ; This game has the exact length to be perfect to play in a stormy afternoon. All the finals and the hard mode help in the infinite replayability of this game, screw multiplayer.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap ; When all things fail you can always return to Zelda. It has a lovely cast and overworld, but maybe the weak spot is in the dungeon department.
6. Star Ocean Till the End of Time ; Ooops, I don't know why I forgot this game. It's a fantastic game that managed to suck me in the world of trophies.
7. The Sims 2 ; I've spent soooooo many hours with this game. I loved doing nasty things to my poor sims.
8. Half Life 2 ; This game wins for me the award for the technical aspects: the models and the physics were and still are superb.
9. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas ; This game is huuuuuuge.
10. Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes ; It was funny playing this for the first time and seeing all those cutscenes. Interesting movie.
2. Final Fantasy X-2 ; I'm pretty sad when people hate on this game
Even if the story isn't the best one, it has one of the best battle systems in Final Fantasy and the optional content is massive. The worst thing about this game is that you almost need a guide to get many things.3. Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen ; This game is nostalgia in pure state, updating the first games with all the improvements of the third generation of Pokémon. The existence of this game means that I can't go back to Red/Blue.
4. Metroid Zero Mission ; This game has the exact length to be perfect to play in a stormy afternoon. All the finals and the hard mode help in the infinite replayability of this game, screw multiplayer.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap ; When all things fail you can always return to Zelda. It has a lovely cast and overworld, but maybe the weak spot is in the dungeon department.
6. Star Ocean Till the End of Time ; Ooops, I don't know why I forgot this game. It's a fantastic game that managed to suck me in the world of trophies.
7. The Sims 2 ; I've spent soooooo many hours with this game. I loved doing nasty things to my poor sims.
8. Half Life 2 ; This game wins for me the award for the technical aspects: the models and the physics were and still are superb.
9. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas ; This game is huuuuuuge.
10. Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes ; It was funny playing this for the first time and seeing all those cutscenes. Interesting movie.
yeah that's fine. the only restriction with regards to the year is when it came out with regards to your region. or if in 2004 you played something that wasn't available in your region (you imported a title that was available in your region in 2005), that's also fine.
bigboss370
Member
didn't a mod close the last thread like this and say it wasn't allowed?
No, we even got a results thread for GotY 2008 (2012 edition)
EDIT: Also, the reason why generic voting threads were banned in the first place was to avoid pointless list threads. AniHawk/CheeseMeister/timetokill clearly are trying to stir discussion in this thread, rather than just having posts of lists of games with no context. Mods are trying to enforce that, evidenced by the bannings on this page.
nincompoop
Banned
Not sure if I'm forgetting anything...
1. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; Perfect follow-up to Metroid Prime 1 with memorable locations (Sanctuary Fortress), well-balanced dark world mechanic and increased difficulty
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door; Hilarious story with incredibly well-written dialogue, amazingly deep battle system was a huge improvement over the original. Contains a ton of unique and memorable sequences from start to finish involving the game's varied characters and their abilities.
3. Metroid: Zero Mission; One of the best remakes ever. It enhanced everything that was great about the original Metroid while fixing everything that sucked.
4. Katamari Damacy; Amazingly weird concept which at the same time is brilliant from a game design perspective. The awesome soundtrack probably bumps it up a few spots.
5. Outrun 2; An incredibly well-done throwback game, with excellent track design and vehicle handling and a ton of variety due to the mission mode. The unlockable Daytona and Scud Racing tracks were an excellent addition.
6. Rallisport Challenge 2; Rally racing at its finest. Also HOLY SHIT TEH GRAPHIX. I played it for the first time in 2010 and it still blew me away.
7. Jak 3; Couldn't quite live up to the perfection of Jak 2, but it still managed to be a very enjoyable experience with tons of well-designed missions involving the enhanced driving physics and light Jak powers.
8. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne; Amazing style and setting, demon fusion mechanic added a ton of depth to the battle system.
9. Painkiller; Ripping apart hordes of enemies with a chainsaw is just too damn fun in this game.
10. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong; Not as good as the original Game Boy Donkey Kong, but it still was quite a lengthy and well-designed puzzle platformer with tons of variety.
Honorable mentions -
x. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes;
x. Tales of Symphonia;
x. Half-Life 2;
x. Crash Twinsanity;
probably more that I can't remember atm.
1. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; Perfect follow-up to Metroid Prime 1 with memorable locations (Sanctuary Fortress), well-balanced dark world mechanic and increased difficulty
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door; Hilarious story with incredibly well-written dialogue, amazingly deep battle system was a huge improvement over the original. Contains a ton of unique and memorable sequences from start to finish involving the game's varied characters and their abilities.
3. Metroid: Zero Mission; One of the best remakes ever. It enhanced everything that was great about the original Metroid while fixing everything that sucked.
4. Katamari Damacy; Amazingly weird concept which at the same time is brilliant from a game design perspective. The awesome soundtrack probably bumps it up a few spots.
5. Outrun 2; An incredibly well-done throwback game, with excellent track design and vehicle handling and a ton of variety due to the mission mode. The unlockable Daytona and Scud Racing tracks were an excellent addition.
6. Rallisport Challenge 2; Rally racing at its finest. Also HOLY SHIT TEH GRAPHIX. I played it for the first time in 2010 and it still blew me away.
7. Jak 3; Couldn't quite live up to the perfection of Jak 2, but it still managed to be a very enjoyable experience with tons of well-designed missions involving the enhanced driving physics and light Jak powers.
8. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne; Amazing style and setting, demon fusion mechanic added a ton of depth to the battle system.
9. Painkiller; Ripping apart hordes of enemies with a chainsaw is just too damn fun in this game.
10. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong; Not as good as the original Game Boy Donkey Kong, but it still was quite a lengthy and well-designed puzzle platformer with tons of variety.
Honorable mentions -
x. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes;
x. Tales of Symphonia;
x. Half-Life 2;
x. Crash Twinsanity;
probably more that I can't remember atm.
Hobbestetrician
Member
2004 was a great year but apparently not in the year 2004 for me. I only played I think 3 of my top 10 actually in 2004 and the rest later. Not sure what I was playing instead but I didn't get to buy nearly as many games as I do now.
To Far Away Times
Member
2004 was a great year for gaming. My god.
1. Half-Life 2 ; The best FPS game ever made.
2. Ninja Gaiden ; The best action game ever made.
3. Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines ; The best WRPG ever made. (Did I mention 2004 was a great year in gaming?)
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be frustrated, but you'll experience a game like no other.
5. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal ; I love this game. Has a sense of humor to it, 60fps and colorful visuals.
6. Metroid: Zero Mission ; The definitive version of the first Metroid game. Awesome game.
7. Unreal Tournament 2004 ; If only FPS games were influenced by Unreal Tournament's direction instead of Call of Duty...
8. Astro Boy: Omega Factor ; More Treasure goodness. Severely underrated game.
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; Fun game and best of the GTA games, but doesn't hold up as well as when it came out.
10. ESPN NFL 2K5 ; The last great football game.
1. Half-Life 2 ; The best FPS game ever made.
2. Ninja Gaiden ; The best action game ever made.
3. Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines ; The best WRPG ever made. (Did I mention 2004 was a great year in gaming?)
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be frustrated, but you'll experience a game like no other.
5. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal ; I love this game. Has a sense of humor to it, 60fps and colorful visuals.
6. Metroid: Zero Mission ; The definitive version of the first Metroid game. Awesome game.
7. Unreal Tournament 2004 ; If only FPS games were influenced by Unreal Tournament's direction instead of Call of Duty...
8. Astro Boy: Omega Factor ; More Treasure goodness. Severely underrated game.
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; Fun game and best of the GTA games, but doesn't hold up as well as when it came out.
10. ESPN NFL 2K5 ; The last great football game.
Version 3.0
Member
Wow, that "notable releases" list has fully half of my list missing. Boo.
1. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; Screw 2004, this is one of the best games of all time. It's the best of the Primes, thanks to its higher level of challenge and better-connected world. The Light/Dark world mechanic is not as good as it could've been, and the hand-holding that accompanies it is totally unacceptable, but overall it's a small gripe in a near-perfect game.
2. Spider-Man 2; This is the only one of the Spider-Man games that gets the web-swinging right, and it's so damned good, it makes up for some otherwise shallow, repetitive design. Fun fact: the Manhattan setting is so great, I knew my way around New York when I visited in 2005...even from the ground
3. Metroid: Zero Mission; very nicely done update to a game that aged terribly. How I wish they'd do the same for Metroid II.
4. Gradius V; An excellent shooter with a great hook: the new option mechanics are great fun.
5. Katamari Damacy; easily the most original (and weird) concept in gaming for the year.
6. Maximo vs. Army of Zin; Totally underrated. Great platformer and a very pretty game, too.
7. Transformers; what a shock: another good licensed game!
8. Halo 2; big improvement on the first game, for the most part. Good fun, still very overrated, though.
9. Donkey Konga; very fun intro into the rhythm genre. Try watching beginners play for amusement; it's like watching a toddler try to figure out the square pegs.
10. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; I didn't get into this like III, but it still makes the list just for the great time I had getting my ass kicked in the restricted zone again and again.
1. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; Screw 2004, this is one of the best games of all time. It's the best of the Primes, thanks to its higher level of challenge and better-connected world. The Light/Dark world mechanic is not as good as it could've been, and the hand-holding that accompanies it is totally unacceptable, but overall it's a small gripe in a near-perfect game.
2. Spider-Man 2; This is the only one of the Spider-Man games that gets the web-swinging right, and it's so damned good, it makes up for some otherwise shallow, repetitive design. Fun fact: the Manhattan setting is so great, I knew my way around New York when I visited in 2005...even from the ground
3. Metroid: Zero Mission; very nicely done update to a game that aged terribly. How I wish they'd do the same for Metroid II.
4. Gradius V; An excellent shooter with a great hook: the new option mechanics are great fun.
5. Katamari Damacy; easily the most original (and weird) concept in gaming for the year.
6. Maximo vs. Army of Zin; Totally underrated. Great platformer and a very pretty game, too.
7. Transformers; what a shock: another good licensed game!
8. Halo 2; big improvement on the first game, for the most part. Good fun, still very overrated, though.
9. Donkey Konga; very fun intro into the rhythm genre. Try watching beginners play for amusement; it's like watching a toddler try to figure out the square pegs.
10. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; I didn't get into this like III, but it still makes the list just for the great time I had getting my ass kicked in the restricted zone again and again.
If only every series/trilogy could have a "worst game" as good as Echos.
nincompoop
Banned
Anyone who thinks Echoes is worse than Corruption is out of their mind.