The 10th Hour 12.21.07: Top 20 Games of the Year

Posted by Derek Robbins on 12.21.2007

The year 2007 is just about over, but what are the top 20 games to be released in this calendar year? 411's Derek Robbins tells you what he thinks they are in this week's 10th hour.

Hello and welcome to this week's rendition of the 10th hour! Before I get goin', let's knock out a couple of things real quick.

-I got the new NiGHTS game on Wednesday. I think it's okay, but…I have to disqualify it from today's list. It probably wouldn't have made it anyhow, but I feel that two days time isn't quite enough time to justify its place on the list.

-At the Toys R Us in which I work…it seems we get a rather large portion of parents that don't shop until the last minute and expect all the popular toys. It's crazy, really. When someone goes: "DO YA'LL HAVE ANY OF DEM DAR WIIS?" I die a little bit on the inside.

-On a brief baseball note…Curt Schilling probably had to scan the Mitchell report to make sure he wasn't mentioned before he badmouthed Clemens. Dude, Schilling, just shut the fuck up. You wonder why everyone outside of BAWWWWWWWWWWWston hates you? It's for crap like this. I hope you test positive for steroids some day because I would laugh my ass off.

Well that's enough of that, let's hit the reader feedback for last week's column!

Reader Feedback

I'm not going to cover ALL the feedback, since I got a ton last week, but I am going to hit over a few-

As always, their stuff is in italics. My responses are in normal font!

This first comment was from David


Okay, you are on Crack. Listing the 360 in the same league as the SNES, Playstation 1, NES, GBA, and many others is nothing short of lunacy. I'm sorry, but it is. You are comparing a current console with Next Generation consoles? Tell me, besides shooters, what the hell the 360 has done that puts them in the same league. The answer, my friend, is zero. They don't have Japanese RPGs that are in the same league as Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy IV, etc. To consider any of those games to be in the same league as Final Fantasy XII, X, or Final Fantasy V. The 360 hasn't been around long enough to compete with the prestige of SNES, PS1, PS2, or NES. I'm sorry.

I agree that the 360 isn't in the same league as the others. That's why it's number 10 and not further up on the list. Honestly, I feel there is a HUGE measure of separation between the SNES and 360. Could the 360 eventually become great? Sure. But will it ever be as great as the Super Nintendo?

It'd doubtful at this point, but never say never. If you had told me two years into the PS2's lifespan that it would be the best console ever…I would have called you a liar. Look where we are now

Here is one from natedoggcata

The dreamcast is the most OVER RATED system of all time. How could you not put the Nintendo 64 on there and um hello Colecovision? Intellivision? Atari? sorry about my previous comment, I hit enter by accident

I love Nintendo systems, it's true…it's DAMN true. That said, the problem with post SNES systems is that outside of Nintendo (or RARE in the case of the N64) developed games…you're really left with nothing to play. I don't really complain because a lot of those Nintendo developed games are sensational (See: Smash Brothers Melee. I *STILL* play that game). However, I was trying to look at an overall body of work…and I felt the N64 – as a whole – was weaker than the 360. It was a close call though. Number 10 was either N64 or 360.

Also, Colecovision? Intellivision? Atari? I'm sorry. As much as I enjoy fossils and archaeology…I don't rate system greatness on how important the systems were. Were those systems important? Hell yes. Were they fun for the time? Sure! Would you drag one out now and play it over any of the ten systems I named last week? No. Probably not. And if you would, you have a crushing love of nostalgia. In my opinion.

This next comment was from a nameless guest. Let's call him wut?

How about the original Xbox? It's so easy to mod and once modded can run NES, SNES, PS1, N64 as well as multiple audio and video formats. Dammit, it can even be turned into a Linux box! WTF? You're wrong for not including it in the list. I much rather spend 129 on an old Xbox rather than a PS2.

I don't count emulation. If I were to, the DS would rank number one thanks to the R4. An un-upgraded PSP would be on that list. Honestly, if you rely on emulation to be a "great system"…you really aren't a great system.

One more comment, and this one was from Jon

I completely agree Persona 3 was the best and most enjoyble game I bought for the PS2 since Jak 2 or the original Ratchet and Clank. It's that good.

This man knows what he is talking about. Without a doubt, you NEED (and I emphasize that) NEED to play this game. Persona 3 is "the balls".

I did have an e-mail from Fred this week (he's a troll with bad grammar that e-mails me like every week), but I'm gonna hold off on it due to this column being longer than usual. If anyone wants to see it, I'll post it in the comments later one.
Outside of that though, I think I'm ready to start with the actual list.

TOP TWENTY GAMES OF 2007

So should this week's column be called the 20th hour? No. That'd be dumb. Anyhow, I have to break down some rules for eligible games. FIRST…games that are compilations are not themselves eligible…but the games that they include ARE eligible. That means the Orange Box isn't on the list, but Portal, Team Fortress 2, and Half-Life 2: Episode 2 are eligible for it. If you want my opinion…if it wasn't for this rule the Orange Box would EASILY be game of the year.

My second rule is that if it is a re-release…it has to do something significantly different for it to be eligible. This is why Half Life 2 and Half Life 2 Episode 1 were excluded from the games I listed above.

My final rule is that I *HAVE* to have played the game. This disqualifies other sites GOTY candidates Crysis and Call of Duty 4 .. I have never liked a Call of Duty game (Which is why I haven't played that)…and I haven't gotten around to Crysis yet.

This also affects foreign games that haven't been released here yet. I suppose of most note here would be Jump Ultimate Stars.

Outside of this, EVERY GAME is eligible. So enough of the legal mumbo jumbo, let's get this party started!

20-) Rock Band (PS3, PS2, 360) - Now some of you may feel that this is a bit low, and you may be right. Is it a great game? Hell yes it is, but it also has some inhibiting factors. First is the price. 160 bucks for the entire bundle. Sure, you could buy JUST the game and play with your Guitar Hero guitar…but why would you do that? If you wanted something different, this is what you would play. In my opinion, for the game to be worth it you need to have a lot of people dedicated to playing with you. Yes, you can play online…but for me – and remember, this is my list – I get more joy out of playing with offline friends in this sort of game and I really can't think of anyone who would be dedicated enough to play with me whenever. That hurts the game, in my eyes. A great soundtrack and a good rhythm game, it truly deserves a spot on this list. The only thing that puts it so low is accessibility. If it weren't for that, I feel it would have ranked higher.

- ROCKIN'

19-) Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (PS2, Wii) - Like it or not, Dragonball Z is in the ether of our culture. If you talk to most people between the ages of 10-25 they'll be able to name at least ONE character from the classic anime series. (Usually Goku) Atari has done a sensational job with the DBZ license. Most of their fighting games have delivered the goods and this one continues that trend. With a rather huge library of characters ranging from all eras of dragonball and a new story mode that features interesting scenarios…a fan really can't lose with this game. I grew out of Dragonball Z long ago, but this game makes me wax nostalgically over the franchise and makes me a fan of it once again. The only complaint I have about this game is that it can take a while to get used to the control scheme if you haven't played before. For us veterans, it's a piece of cake and honestly…I'm just nitpicking. Plus, the wii version has wifi play and I like kicking ass on wifi. It'll be one of two fighting games to hold my interest until Smash Brothers Brawl rocks my world early next year.

- OH SHI-

18-) Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PSP) - Now some of you may be saying: "HEY, THIS IS A RE-MAKE". Why yes it is, but it does something different. Enough so to warrant a mention on this list. The original game had a TERRIBLE and I mean TERRIBLE translation. This new one fixes that with a rather good translation and new anime cut-scenes to help further tell the story. If you haven't played Final Fantasy Tactics before, you definitely should give this a try. It involves a lot of depth for such a simple looking game and I would recommend it to anyone. Actually, in my opinion it fares quite well when you compare it to other Final Fantasy greats…so it's definitely worth a try. The only knock I have against this PSP version is that there are some lag issues for certain attacks. You get used to it eventually, but…it is rather sloppy to have such problems on a game that is ten years old. I don't mind though, it was GREAT to play through this game again and even better to actually know what the hell is going on. Without a doubt the PSP game of the year. Edging out Disgaea and Jeanne D'Arc (Which will be mentioned in the honorable mentions section)

- An example of the cutscenes.

17-) Super Paper Mario (Wii) - A lot of people are torn up over this game. From what I have read…a lot of people either love it or hate it, and I guess that I fit into the former category. What it does great is that it mixes classic side-scrolling gameplay with clever 3D puzzles. I like that, I'm a fan of that, I think it's refreshing not to simply just "go right"…but to warp your environment. On top of this, I feel that the story is well written and funny. It's certainly rewarding to those of us who love Nintendo. Did it disappoint some people who simply wanted another Paper Mario RPG? Sure. Not me though, I wanted something different and that is what I got. A lot of people get on the wii's case (and rightfully so) for there being not enough to play or everything being too kiddy…well anyone who owns a wii and says that should own this game as I feel it is one of the true upper-tier titles available for that system. Whether that means anything? I don't know, but I do know that it's an amazingly fun game that you'd be unfortunate to miss out on if you're a Wii owner.

- Lol Wii graphics

16-) Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3) - Although I think currently the Playstation 3 is the WORST next-gen console…I felt that this game delivered. Now, was it a "console saver"? Was it enough to tide you over until Metal Gear Solid 4 or FF XIII? No. It's a good game that is fun. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that this game was good – initially I thought it would simply be a Tomb Raider game wherein the main character had a penis – given that it is developed by Naughty Dog. Now I will admit, the game IS a bit like a male tomb raider…but only if you mix Tomb Raider with the fantastic Gears of War. It has actiony-bits, it has puzzle solving, it really has anything. Sony won't be making SAVEUSUDF commercials or anything…but it is certainly a game that is worthy of this list. If you own a PS3, I would highly recommend that you play this title.

- Wow, what a nice looking game.

15-) Super Mario Strikers: Charged (Wii) - This game was probably the finest sports game released this year. I guess that's not hard to do, given that its competition usually consists of the same game as the previous year and a new roster. Whatever the case, Mario Strikers is, simply put, an amazingly fun game. Unlike other soccer games, it's an easy pick-up and play game that is fairly accessible to everyone…and the online play? Well, it's quite wonderful and adds a ton of replay value. Do people disconnect and make the matches annoying as hell sometimes? Sure. The thing is though, most people DON'T disconnect and you can lose hours at a time just playing against faceless people. It's fun trying to get as highly ranked as you can. Could the online play have been better? Sure. In my opinion, we need simple games sometimes when you're tired of the more ‘hardcore' games out there…and this game fits the bill. Also, I have to give this game bonus points for being a ‘casual friendly game' that is fun to play even when you aren't a casual gamer. The Wii is FULL of ‘casual' games that most of the gaming community scoffs at. This game isn't one of those.

- GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL

14-) Sonic Rush Adventure (Nintendo DS) - This is something I figure I should admit now, ‘lest I never admit it. I love Sonic the Hedgehog. I enjoy most every game he is in while I whole-heartedly acknowledge most of them are crap. With that said, I've always felt that the portable games he stars in are quite good and worthy of his name – no matter who you ask. This one is no exception as Sonic Rush Adventure is a highly accessible game to most hedgehog fans. Whether it's those who swear by the old-school genesis games…or those who were brought into the Sonic franchise by Sonic Adventure 2. What I like about this game is that it plays in mostly 2D (like old Sonic games), but does have some 3D elements – including 3D bosses – for those too whiny when games aren't in 3D. Is it the best Sonic game? No. Is it a great game in its own regard? Hell yes it is. In my opinion this was a weak year for games, but I still feel that in most years a game like this would have made the list. Then again, maybe I'm biased?

- Wow Sonic, quite the cast you have there.

13-) World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (PC) - I am well aware that this game can be a chore. I listed games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing in my over-rated games list a while back when they share a lot of features that WoW does. I'm not sure what it is, but I think the socialization factor makes WoW manageable for me. I like forming parties and dominating areas. But enough on why I like WoW, and more onto why I think its expansion is worthy of this list. The Outlands is a fantastic area and, in my opinion, puts Azeroth to shame. Not only in level design but also in overall fun. I had MUCH more fun in the Outlands grinding up to 70 than I had in Azeroth working my way up to 60. On top of this the Burning Crusade offers up flying mounts and arena battles. Arena Battles in particular I enjoy because it offers an alternate endgame to simply raiding dungeons over and over again. Anything that improves over the World of Warcraft is impressive in my book and I am eagerly anticipating the Lich King expansion. My only concern is that with Smash Brothers Brawl coming out around the same time…will I really want to devote myself to this expansion? We'll see. Oh, and for those who were wondering…I play on Dark Iron under the name of Melthazalt primarily. I haven't gotten on in a while, though.

- What can I say? I'm a sucker for Blood Elves.

12-) Pokemon Diamond and Pearl (Nintendo DS) - When I was younger…I was huge into pokemon. From the Red/Blue generation on up to Silver/Gold…I loved the stuff. Then the Gameboy Advance generation came out and I went through a phase where I was "too cool" for the stuff. Well, I got over myself just in time for the newest incarnation of pokemon and I must say…I came out quite impressed. It combines the accessible to everyone playability of pokemon – that is to say, easy to play for kids looking for fun as they can beat the game easily and try to catch them all…and it's good to play for older people or ‘hardcore gamers' in that you can customize your party through EV and IV training – with WiFi! Pokemon plus Internet equals pure win. Now it isn't important to know someone around you who has a particular pokemon, you can simply access the internet and trade for it! It's quite cool, and the ability to battle over the ‘net and see who really is the best is quite awesome. In a lot of ways, this is similar to every pokemon game ever released – and I am docking it a couple of places for this – but is that such a bad thing? When a game has the formula for success down so perfectly, and changes things just enough so you know you're playing a new game, is it such a bad thing for a company to hold a "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" ideology? I don't think so. Long live Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. I'll remember you as the game(s) that drug me BACK into the dark world of Pokeymanz.

- *sigh* 20 years old and still playing pokemon. What a dope I am.

11-) Virtua Fighter 5 (PS3, X-Box 360) - I am quite a large sucker for fighting games. Whether they are simple fighters like Smash Brothers or more advanced ones like this…I dig them. It's probably my favorite genre out there. Casual gamers have their shooters, weeaboos have their jRPGs…and I have my fighting games. The Virtua Fighter series continues to be the most strategically involved fighting game out there. It's probably the only one I've seen where if you button mash against a player that knows what they are doing…you can't win. You just can't. On top of this, the game is super balanced – which is great, because some fighters really aren't too balanced – and unless you choose Dural…you're pretty much guaranteed an equal fight against a player of equal playing skill. NO TIER LISTS. How cool is that? Also, the one-player mode continues to be fantastic with a mode that lets you hop from fictional arcade to arcade and fight in continual battles against computer AI based on actual players. It's pretty fun trying to rank up. As for multiplayer? Of course it's fun! But on the 360 you can play online and you can rank up as you would in the arcade conquest mode which only adds to this package. I wish more people would give this series love…as it has been one of the top tier fighting series out there for a long while.

- I'll kick your ass as her. I'm not even kidding.

10-) Mass Effect (X-Box 360) - Hey! We're at the top-10 now! Anyhow, Mass Effect was a pretty highly hyped up game. It was billed as a WRPG with shooting elements and space travel. SHOOTING appeals to the casual gamers. WRPG appeals to the more hardcore gamers. IT'S LIKE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. That said, this game really was pretty fun and wasn't a total bore in the fighting system like most WRPGs (That's western RPG, if you aren't familiar with the lingo). It also has an interesting story. It would be ranked higher on the list if it wasn't so short. In that sense, you can compare it to Fable. Fable was supposed to be the next big game…but floundered and many people blamed that on length. Now, unlike Fable…Mass Effect doesn't leave out a lot of things that it promised, but...for a game billed as ‘epic', I was expecting a bit more. I mean, it IS a WRPG…They ARE noted for length, right? Regardless, it's an awesome game…and if you own a 360 you should own it. Simple as that. Also, there is a sex scene you perverts. Sure, it's tame…but hey! A lot of people like that sort of thing.

- Mass Effect. It's a good game, even if it was considered a bit of a let-down.

9-) God of War II (PS2) - Like Matt Hardy, the PS2 simply won't die. God of War II is such a fantastic game and is a worthy sequel to the original. It has an interesting story and a lot of fun action. If I had to be quite frank, I think that this game is like the ultimate ‘man' game. There's blood! There's gore! There's breasts! On top of that, there's a really cool Grecian plot going on in the background. With the success of movies such as 300 and Gladiator…the urge to play as someone that would remind you of someone from that era is quite high. This game fills that need quite nicely. I don't think that this is a game that a lot of the ‘hardcore' would enjoy because it IS quite simple and you can just mash your way to success…but that doesn't really bug me. I found the whole quest to be fun and interesting all the way through. There was no ‘down time' in my opinion, and you really can't say that about many games. I'm just shocked the PS2 is still churning out hits when it is, theoretically, on Death's door. Long live the PS2.

- Kratos does look quite badass.

8-) Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3) - In my opinion, this is easily the finest game available for the Playstation 3. It plays a lot like the previous Ratchets which is a good thing, since I felt the previous Ratchet games were approaching near Mario levels of platforming excellence. As if that wasn't enough, this newest game continues the tradition of witty writing. Game rarely make me laugh out loud, but EVERY game in the Ratchet series has made me laugh and this is no exception. I think Ratchet and Clank are both truly likable stars and should be marketed as the mascots of the PS Triple. A lot of people may complain about this game rehashing what made the previous Ratchets great, but I don't see that as an issue. When a game is as fun as this, I don't think it really matters if a lot of the gameplay is similar. Fact is, the game is fun, it's well written, it's easy to control, and it's beautiful. Easily, and I mean easily, the best exclusive game available on the Playstation 3.

- It is indeed a wonderful world.

7-) Halo 3 (X-Box 360, PC) - Is Halo 3 a good game? Hell yes it is. I'll go a step further and call it a great game. Is it a legendary game that redefines the industry and changes the way we play games? Hell no. The fact is, Halo 3 plays a lot like EVERY OTHER SHOOTER on the market. It's a very important video game, but it's not the best video game. Why is it important you ask? People are buying it by the droves, and I don't care WHAT you say, that helps the industry. There will *ALWAYS* be alternate genres to the first person shooter, so I think that money being pumped into the Halo machine isn't a bad thing. What makes Halo 3 great is the multiplayer. It's fantastic. I really wish the online play let you choose what kind of game or even what kind of map you wanted to play on…but I suppose it's hard to complain. Halo 3 gets you on a map really quick. Now, let me talk about the Single Player. It, well, it's nothing special. The story is average at best, and at times things can get rather tedious. The 8th level, or the next to last if you will, is ALMOST as bad as the Library from the original Halo. It doesn't matter really, if you own a 360…you probably own Halo 3 and it's safe to say that it was worth your money. Is it the most important game of this year? Absolutely. It had the single-largest launch day in the history of entertainment. Is it the best game of the year? No.

- pwn3d.

6-) Persona 3 (PS2) - Another PS2 game in the top-10! That really says something about the Playstation 2. Anyhow, Persona 3 tells probably the best story of any game released this year. It is full of twists and is enjoyable throughout. It also features the most realistic character EVER. Junpei Iori is the kind of character that EVERY SINGLE ONE of us knows. Someone we know or love is like this guy, so it's...hard not to love him. As if that wasn't enough, Persona 3 plays like a mixture of Pokemon, dating sims, and final fantasy. Pokemon in that you have a lot of persona (Essentially monsters you control. They reside inside of you) to ‘capture and master'. You need certain ones in certain situations. Dating Sims in how you raise your persona up. You need to develop various social relationships with people around your school and other people in order to make your ability to create Persona stronger. Lastly, it's like Final Fantasy in the combat. Turn based goodness. Really, the only complaint I have about this game is that you are unable to issue orders to your fellow party members. You can give them various tactics, in which they'll think for themselves what to do based on your orders, but I'd prefer full out control. Outside of that, I'd say this was one of the finest RPGs I've played in years. It plays good, it has a good story, it has memorable characters…it has everything. If you own a PS2 you NEED to track down this game. You won't regret it.

- Ignore the emo look, the game is awesome.

5-) Bioshock (X-Box 360, PC) - I feel that Bioshock is the successor to System Shock 2 for a couple of reasons. One: It's made by the same people and two: Really, formulaically speaking, it goes along a lot like it. Is that really a problem though? System Shock 2 was a fantastic game and so is this. In motion, this game is a work of art…it's beautiful and rather fun to play. Yes, I realize it's a shooter and a lot of shooters play the same…but that isn't the case here. The plasmids that give you various abilities make the game feel different. On top of this, unlike a lot of shooters, I felt the story was quite good. It has a lot of moral implications – namely the involvement of the little sisters – which is always a favorite of mine. I think this game, even without multiplayer, is a more fulfilling experience than Halo 3 or, frankly, most shooters this year. It's just wonderful. Also, the Big Daddies are just…creepy. If a game can legitimately creep you out, it's doing a good job. I hear the game on PC has a share of problems, so you may want to hunt this down on the 360 instead…but if you can't get a hold of the 36 version, go ahead and play the PC version. This game really needs to be experienced.

Not to be confused with Big Daddy V

4-) Team Fortress 2 (X-Box 360, PS3, PC) - Team Fortress 2 is, without a doubt, the finest multiplayer game released this year. It has the most in depth gameplay – featuring different classes that you can utilize – and is really the most fun to play with other people. I think I get more joy out of specializing a particular character than specializing the same character that everyone uses. Also, unlike Halo 3…Team Fortress 2 emphasizes team work. I find that while playing TF2 online, people are more apt to work together than they are in Halo 3 in team matches. Why? Well in Halo 3…most of the time when you play on a team, everyone is out for themselves. In TF2, everyone seems to understand that team work is where it is at and that is how you go about winning. I think the class system aids this along, as having various people skilled at various classes is the key to victory. Honestly, I think if TF 2 got the same advertising behind it as Halo 3…it'd be just as big. It plays better and is more in depth. That's just my opinion. This was the reason I wanted the Orange Box and it did not disappoint in any way. Oddly though, it wasn't my favorite part of said Box. You'll hear more on that one later.

- It costs a LOT to fire his weapon, did'ja hear?

3-) Metroid Prime 3 (Wii) - Remember when everyone freaked out when Metroid was being developed as a first person adventure game? Seems like a thing of the past when given the quality of the three prime titles, but I'll let you in on a little secret: I did not like the first two Metroid Primes. The controls were clunky and I felt there was a bit much back-tracking, but…the third one seems to fix this. I felt that there was less back-tracking involved, and the controls? Wow. The controls are a dream. When I envisioned shooting on the Wii, THIS is how I envisioned it. The action through the game is fun and the story is pretty good…so in my mind, this game surpassed the other two in every way. I must also add that the music in the game was also top tier. I was not a huge fan of the Metroid series prior to this game. I liked a couple of the games, but…I was never blown away, you know? This changes that, for what it's worth, and I encourage anyone who owns a Wii to pick this game up right away. Outside of a game featuring a certain plumber, this was the finest Wii game of the year.

- Dark Samus. I know, original character name.

2-) Portal (X-Box 360, PS3, PC) - You see, if the Orange Box had been eligible, I feel that it would have been game of the year. It is the finest compilation EVER produced. With that said, I'd like to denote something about Portal: If it were maybe a couple of hours longer…I feel it would have been the best game of the year. It was inventive, it was new, it was interesting. It was amazing. What it did was invent unique puzzles which, once you figured them out – which admittedly didn't take too long – were just a blast. On top of this, the game is legitimately hilarious. Towards the end, there's almost a laugh a minute…and the ending? Well, let's just say it's one of the best endings ever. A matter of fact, let me quote it verbatim. Just picture a robotic voice singing this. Spoiler alert, if you're ultra sensitive to this sort of thing.

This was a triumph
I'm making a note here
HUGE SUCCESS
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction
Aperture Science

we do what we must because we can
for the good of all of us except for the ones who are dead
but there's no sense crying over every mistake
you just keep on trying until you run out of cake
and the science gets done and you make a neat gun
for the people who are still alive

I'm not even angry
I'm being so sincere right now
even though you broke my heart and killed me
and torn into pieces
and threw every piece into a fire
as they burned it hurt because I was so happy for you!
Now these points of data make a wonderful line
and we're out of beta, we're releasing on time
so I'm glad I got burned
Think of all the things we learned for the people that are still alive

go ahead and leave me
I think I prefer to stay inside
maybe you'll find someone else to help you
maybe black mesa
that was a joke, haha, fat chance
anyway this cake is great, it's so delicious and moist
look at me still talking, when there's science to do
when I look out there it makes me glad I'm not you
I've experiments to run, there is research to be done
on the people who are still alive

and believe me I am still alive
I'm doing science and I'm still alive
I feel FANTASTIC and I'm still alive
While you are dying I'll be still alive
and when you're dead I'll be still alive
STILL ALIVE, still alive

Just an amazing experience, and it was LITERALLY a couple of hours from being Game of the Year. We need a sequel to Portal. I'm sure Valve can think of more inventive puzzles. Whatever the case, this was a HUGE SUCCESS.

- Best character of the year.

1-) Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) - Let me start this out by saying that I feel Mario Galaxy may be the finest Mario game ever. That's right, I'd even rank it above my ex-number one Super Mario 64. That should say enough right there, but I'll go on. Mario Galaxy is the perfect mix of nostalgia and new gameplay. It plays a lot like Super Mario 64, but the gravity mechanics and the different outfits help to separate it. Nostalgically speaking, it packs a LOT of classic themes from old Mario games and places them in 3D. A lot of the music is even borrowed from the older games, which is just swell and releases a feeling of familiarity. What I like is that this game is accessible to everyone. Casual gamers can play the game. They can get their 60 stars and call it a day. They'll have fun. More dedicated gamers can get all the stars, unlock Luigi, and then get a bunch of stars as him too. Nintendo can really bring two different kinds of gamers together, and that is quite commendable. I feel that Super Mario Galaxy is like a love letter from Shigeru Miyamoto to the loyal Nintendrone. The Wii may not have had a ton o games this year, but I feel that Galaxy helped to make up for what we were missing. This is probably the best game I've played in the past three or four years. Amazing, amazing game and no matter what side of the console war you sit on…you need to play this. I honestly think the only people who don't like it are either A-) People who just hate videogames or B-) Biased towards Microsoft or Sony to an insane degree. UR MR GAY suggest the stars on the cover? UR MR GOTY in my opinion.

- I got my friend Connor to draw this for me. I hired him as my artist. He'll draw a random picture every week. How nice of him, eh?

Honorable mentions: Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations, Warhawk Online, Disgaea (PSP), Jeanne D'Arc, Assassins Creed, Mario Party DS, Skate, Wild Arms 5, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns

There are a couple of other awards I would like to hang out:

Worst game of the year, Lair (PS3) - We all know that there are a ton of junky games produced every year. So instead of looking at the ones we all know are junk (since there ARE games worse than this one this year), I'm looking at a game a lot of us felt was full of promise, but failed in every possible way.. I felt that Lair just was terrible. It wasn't fun, it controlled horribly, and it was just a huge let down. A lot of Sony fans were looking at this as a possible system savior but were left sorely disappointed.

Most questionable practice of the year, Gamespot firing Jeff Gerstmann - They SAY it had nothing to do with the Kane and Lynch review…but I have a hard time believing that. If they had waited a couple of months to can him, maybe I could have accepted this, but right away? Come on guys, nobody is buying this. This hurts the credibility of Gamespot.

Best phrase in gaming this year: The Cake is a lie - I'm serious! It is! Don't even try eating that cake because it is a lie!

Best game of the year, if you believe advertisements: Halo 3 - Halo 3 had AWESOME ads. It did. It also had a lot of publicity. It has its own drink for goodness sakes! Burger King endorsed it! It was a good game guys, but I think a lot of our impressions are influenced by a media onslaught.

Best game of the year, IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON TIME: Super Smash Brothers Brawl - ...Man, only a couple of more months. But the wait is killing me. I want to kick some Mario ass as Sonic RIGHT NOW.

Best game that should have been released in America this year, but wasn't because Nintendo is afraid of bad sales, Mother 3 - It was released last year in japan. We should have this already, dangit! If I am not playing through Mother 3 in English by the end of next year I may go crazy! Yes, I am aware of the fan translation...but man, I really want an official translation. I want to hold that cart dangit!

Well…that's it for this week. I don't know what next week's column will hold. Make sure to write me at [e-mail] or [e-mail] to tell me what you think. Actually, I want some GOTY opinions too. The beauty of a top-20 GOTY list is that...there are a ton of alternate lists out there. I'm curious as to how my list compares to other lists. Or simply write a comment down below. You can also kick my ass on X-Box LIVE if you want. My gamer-tag is Croix22.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope it's good to all~

Til' the crossroads

Screenshots
All 9 The 10th Hour Screenshots