Game Of The Year 2007: Part I

Did your favourite games of the past year make the list?

2007. By all accounts, it was a great year for games. We were flooded by so many quality titles that a lot of them continue to sit in a ‘to do’ pile next to the TV for many gamers. Naturally, there were huge-hitting sequels, but there were also an impressive amount of new IPs – hopefully this trend will continue.

It wasn’t easy culling down titles for this year’s Game of the Year Awards, and many words and fists were traded in the NZGamer staff room. But we finally reached some kind of consensus – and the results are here before you.

Below are our non-platform specific awards - all the cool things like Best Story and Best Technical Achievement. Read on to find out who made the winner's list!




Tekken: Dark Resurrection

[Game Hub]
Tekken: Dark Resurrection Online was hands down the best downloadable game because not only did it bring Namco’s second best fighting series online, but it also upgraded the already awesome visuals of Tekken 5, bringing them into the high def era. Although it lacks the endings, prologues, Devil Within, and the classic Tekkens found in Tekken 5, all of the original Tekken 5 fighters including the unloackables are available from the start as well as the two new characters, Lili and Sergei Dragunov. Tekken 5’s boss, Jinpachi Mishima, is also playable for the first time. You can grab the new characters' endings using in game money as well as a plethora of concept and fan art. For players who found the original version of Jinpachi Mishima a bit on the hard side, Namco has adjusted the difficulty to make him a more balanced boss. At a budget price of $35 this is worth the money even if you have Tekken 5 on the PlayStation 2.




Streets of Rage II

Picking GOTY from catalogues that include nearly every jewel in the industry’s crown would be a tall order if it wasn’t for one of those games being so utterly perfect that it makes all the competition look dull and boring. Streets of Rage II was Sega at its finest. While the first game was merely a solid Final Fight clone, the sequel still remains the epitome of the beat ‘em up genre. The graphics are gorgeous, the soundtrack infectious, and the gameplay so subtly deep that it’s a crime against humanity when people choose to beat the game by spamming Axel’s “Grand Upper”. Streets of Rage II is the type of game you can finish over and over again and never get bored of it, and a two-player co-op mode only adds to the fun. If you have an Xbox 360 or a Wii online and you haven’t purchased Streets of Rage II, our Classic Download GOTY for 2007, you really need to get your head examined.

Runner-up: Super Metroid




Halo 3

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Music is one part of video games that never gets enough credit, especially as it can often make or break a game. There were some absolutely stunning original scores this year: Heavenly Sword’s haunting ethnic tunes; Lair’s sweeping orchestral epics; and Mass Effect’s subtle, haunting Blade Runner synths. However, there was one soundtrack that if removed would totally neuter the video game experience: the Halo 3 soundtrack. From the moving, remorseful violin pieces to the booming, dramatic war-beats that get the adrenaline pumping, Halo 3 just wouldn’t be the same game if the soundtrack were missing. When the world is ending around you and that tune is playing, you really do feel like you could take on the entire universe. O’Donnell and Salvatori’s work is of such quality that not only can it easily stand in the soundtrack hall of fame along with Street Fighter II, Mega Man II, Sonic CD, Final Fantasy VII, and Super Mario Bros, but also in your local record shop – and that is why it is our Best Original Score for 2007.

Runner-up: Mass Effect




Okami

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As much as I’d like to say it was a tough choice with games as conceptually strong as Metroid Prime 3 or BioShock, Okami just leaves everything else in its paw prints. Sure, cell shading has just about been done to death, but Okami really shows what the technique can do in the hands of skilled artists.

Okami looks like no other game ever made. Take a screen, anywhere, and you can tell at a glance which game the shot is from. The art direction in Okami is completely coherent, building a believable and unique game world that you will soon call home. Remember when playing games as a kid, you just had to see what was around the next corner? Well that’s Okami. While never feeling disjointed, the variety in settings is fantastic. Despite now being a jaded gamer, I just had to take time out to explore such a lovingly created universe.

Despite all this, it’s really the little touches such as the zany character design, cute animations and dreamlike atmosphere that really tops things off. It says a lot about the artists when many other games this year technically have ‘better graphics’, yet Okami manages to make the biggest impression.

Runner-up: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption




BioShock

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Set in a dystopian underwater city, BioShock drew gamers in to its intriguing world through a combination of excellent dialogue, plot arcs, and a thousand tiny narrative pieces. While you could probably name quite a few sources from which the game drew inspiration, the end result is a fictional world that will stay in the memories of millions of gamers for a long time to come.

Runners-up: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Folklore




Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

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We've all heard the term "Pixar quality graphics" applied to video games, but only now does the phrase ring some truth with Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. What makes this so technically impressive is how Insomniac makes it looks easy to have a game with good looks and great moves that never skips a beat. The closest thing to playing a CG movie lies right in the heart of Ratchet and Clank.

Runner-up: Portal




Crysis

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It's true that in order to get the most out of Crysis you need a computer powered by advanced alien technology, but it doesn't change the fact that when running well Crysis is an absolute wonder to behold. Utilising Direct X 10 technology is what gives Crysis the upper-hand; Crytek have said themselves that even a dumbed down version wouldn't be possible on the PS3 and 360. Whether you're in the jungle, the snow or within an alien airship you'll find yourself saying "wow" over and over again. Crysis is just one more reason that proves that PC gaming isn't going to die anytime soon.

Runners-up: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction




Halo 3

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Sound is a difficult award to assign because it encompasses so much: voice acting, sound effects – even the little noises that accompany menu navigation. We’ve certainly come a long, long way since the bleeps and bloops that accompanied the jumping of Mario and Sonic. While many games stand out from the rest, one game stands at the front, leading the rest of the pack: Halo 3. From the ridiculously professional voice acting to the attention to detail that went into crafting vehicle noises, Halo 3 is proof that sound is a vital part of an immersive experience and doesn’t have to be a tacked on afterthought. Even in multiplayer, the echoing gunfire of a far off skirmish provides vital information that can cost you a game if you are not paying attention. Such finesse and subtlety should be rewarded, and consequently Halo 3 wins our Best Sound Award for 2007.

Runners-up: Mass Effect, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare




Halo 3

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Halo 3 was extremely well tuned for a broad multiplayer experience. Players could create their own custom game types along with their own semi-custom maps. They could invite their friends and rivals into these games and experience something completely different to the stock standard map and game types. The game was also balanced very well. New players were paired with other new players and well seasoned veteran players were matched against each other. This necessary seperation between the two made the game easier and more accesible to play. Bungie had also taken the 'n00b' out of weapons such as the rocket launcher and the sword by removing the rocket's 'lock-on' feature and adding the 'sword clash' to the energy sword. Overall the multiplayer experience for Halo 3 remains the best in gaming history, clocking over one million players online at once within the first twenty-four hours of its release.

Runners-up: Call of Duty 4, Unreal Tournament III




Okami

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Anyone that calls themselves a ‘gaming connoisseur’ has played ICO. Despite initially not selling well, it gained such a cult following that it was re-released much later in the PlayStation 2’s life-span. ICO offered a brilliantly paced adventure that plays like nothing you have ever experienced. It was a new IP so it didn’t have the recognition of a game like Metal Gear Solid. ICO also lacked explosions, half-naked chicks or any obvious commercial hooks.

Okami is a very different game, yet shares many of ICO’s traits. It’s strongly artistic, very immersive and a truly sublime experience. Either of these games would make a great case study for developers the world over as both titles have left behind the boundries commonly encountered by mere ‘games’, truly connecting with many lucky gamers' souls.




The Gerstmann Conspiracy

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It’s ironic that the winner of our Best News Award is some of the worst news of last year. Longtime GameSpot writer Jeff Gerstmann was seemingly fired for his editorial “tone”, with his scathing review of Kane & Lynch being the final straw. The most shocking part of this is that after crudely dismissing Gertsmann after over a decade of service and loyalty, the suits at CNet were actually surprised at the backlash from the internet community. While originally damage control tried to cover up the situation, the recent departure of two of GameSpot’s most prolific writers (neither of which hide their reasons for leaving) merely confirms what we’ve known all along: Jeff was fired because he gave a game a bad review. Extremely hypocritical of CNet, as GameSpot has always marketed itself on not being influenced by advertising dollars or bribes. The worst part about this is that it casts a shadow over the entire review industry; now that the audience knows how publishers can hold publications to ransom, every single positive review will be subject to intense scrutiny. These matters weren’t helped by the fact that Eidos faked positive reviews on the Kane & Lynch website. The only thing the gaming journalists can do now is to pick up the pieces and assure our faithful readers that advertising dollars do not influence our recommendations. Although the news is largely shocking and negative, by simply exposing the seedy underbelly of the video game industry, The Gerstmann Conspiracy wins our Best News Award for 2007.

Runner-up: PS3 Price Drop


Check out our platform and overall Game Of The Year awards, here.