Game of the year • Gaming • General Gaming • Eurogamer.net

lost_soul 26 Nov 2002 17:41:44 9,372 posts
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OK, it's almost the end of the year, so I thought I'd ask what is your game of the year?
The only console I own at the moment is a GBA, so don't think I'm trying to be controversial by ignoring Halo, Vice city or Mario Sunshine, Its just that I haven't played them yet.

Anyway my GOTY is a tie between:
Grand Theft Auto 3 (PC): Just a hell of a lot of fun, even if you ignored the missions you could spend hours driving around and killing people. Any game that gives you as much freedom as this does is always going to rate highly with me.

Medieval Total War (PC): I've always enjoyed RTS games, but this game is several steps ahead of the rest. The gameplay is so deep and there are a whole load of different ways to play it. The real time battles are amazing, watching your battle hardened English billmen go ploughing into the side of a unit of French peasents is worryingly enjoyable!

The most dissapointing games I've played this year are:
Medal of honour Allied Assault (PC): I really don't know what people saw in this, the game was just tedious, even the graphics are poor, I can't believe it used the Quake3 engine. I gave up when I reached the supposed highlight- the D-day landing level, nothing annoys me more than getting killed at random intervals by an invincible, invisible enemy.

Never Winter Nights (PC): I was really looking forward to this after Baldurs Gate2, but just gave up through boredom early on, not really sure what was wrong with it, it just didn't light my candle. I'll probably give it another go at some point though, maybe it'll be better with some of the mods that are out there.

Bill-Gates-is-Evil 26 Nov 2002 17:45:59 8,934 posts
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I forgot you guys only got Halo in 2002.

I'd choose Splinter Cell as game of the year, just because I really love those kind of games and it's practically perfect.

sam_spade 26 Nov 2002 18:24:17 15,745 posts
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It seems a bit early as the Christmas rush is yet to deliver it's fruit.

But at the moment these are the ones I would put up for nomination.

Eternal Darkness

Probably the first survival/horror game I've really enjoyed. The pacing, tone and effects are all perfectly balanced. It's tight, unlike Silent Hill and has a more intuitive control system than Resident Evil.

Super Monkey Ball

A great party game, and the only selection my nieces and nephew make when they complain about being bored. Considering I bought it on the day of release it has lasted a mighty long time.

GTA: Vice City

A sufficient upgrade to the game of last year, a few of the bugs (disappearing helicopters mid-mission) have lowered it in my opinion, but not enough to take it out of the running.

Advance Wars

Just brilliant, so much fun. Perfect for passing the long hot days when I was in America. Played it everyday and still haven't finished it. The perfect travelling companion.

Edited by sam_spade at 18:25:06 26-11-2002

UncleLou Moderator 26 Nov 2002 18:44:00 40,723 posts
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at the risk of being predictable (I keep mentioning it):

ICO

For creating an atmosphere in which you lose yourself. For the best sunlight effects ever seen in a game.

Deleted user 26 November 2002 18:50:47

It's been a disappointing year for pc stuff, imho. Practically nothing in the mags has inspired me to even try a coverdisc demo, let alone buy a game. Warcraft 3 probably the only pc contender I can think of.

Console-wise, Luigi's Mansion and Mario Sunshine really stood out for me. Lots of v good stuff on PS2 but nothing i'd call game of the year. I'd like to say ICO but I've really not put that much time into it - despite loving every minute of it when i DO play!

For GBA Golden Sun was v good (with a bloody awful story, mind) but Advance Wars exclipsed it.

If forced to pick one overall winnder I'd probably go for Mario Sunshine.

Bill-Gates-is-Evil 26 Nov 2002 20:02:19 8,934 posts
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Super Monkey Ball for game of year? Are you kidding me?

BartonFink 26 Nov 2002 20:07:44 35,268 posts
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As someone else pointed out a bit early for this but so far:

Predictably Halo as number one, absolutely amazing game.
A very close second has to be GTA:VC

Will probably revise this to:
Halo and Splinter Cell by the end of next week though.

Edited by BartonFink at 20:11:15 26-11-2002

skalmanxl 26 Nov 2002 20:14:12 982 posts
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My picks for GOTY would probably be Splinter Cell, Vice City or Burnout 2.

Biggest let down was Halo and MGS2.

catterz 26 Nov 2002 20:21:58 8,763 posts
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Ummmmmmm... Well...

Got to be Vice City. Smackdown Shut Your Mouth's not bad though. (Has much better season mode than Know Your Role).

ssuellid 26 Nov 2002 20:39:19 19,142 posts
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DC - Ikaruga
PS2 - GTA VC
XBox - Rallisport Challenge and bits of Halo
GC - SMB - best multiplayer party game at the moment
PC - Civ 3 - ( or was that last year?)

Out of them the best for me would be Ikaruga as its the only one to exceed my expectations.

terminalterror 26 Nov 2002 21:01:23 18,932 posts
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Eternal Darkness: for the most engaging story line (for me) since Blade Runner (PC)

Super Monkey Ball: sheer gaming perfection

Advance Wars: sheer gaming perfection

Universal Studios: fantastic litter picking simulation

Super Mario Sunshine: despite the annoying camera, a worthy successor to Mario 64

spot the odd one out.

dailynail.co.uk 26 Nov 2002 21:52:17 83 posts
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Probably Super Mario Sunshine for it's inventiveness, though I loved the atmosphere created by Luigi's Mansion. I thought TimeSplitters 2 was over-rated, and still don't understand how anybody ever liked Resident Evil!

Fizzy 26 Nov 2002 22:13:08 929 posts
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GTA:VC.

I liked NWM exqactly b/c it wasnt like Baldurs Gate game.

Baldurs Gate is way too long and complicated for someone who doesnt know D&D that well, and I find Diablo too simple, NWN is in between and perfect. After playing it I can try out Baldurs Gate since now I have a idea of what D&D is about and what are good tactics to use.

X-Vector 26 Nov 2002 23:28:49 21 posts
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PC: GTA III

Console: no new games released for the Vectrex this year, unfortunately

Deleted user 26 November 2002 23:42:20

Long time no see.

X-Vector 26 Nov 2002 23:51:52 21 posts
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Well, I just lurv to lurk.

Deleted user 27 November 2002 00:46:13

Post deleted

Mugwum Director of Audience Development, Greenlit Content 27 Nov 2002 00:46:53 625 posts
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You want moderation? Okay, removed that one because it bears no relevance to this thread.

Shinji 27 Nov 2002 00:51:53 5,902 posts
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Tricky one... I'll have to say ICO, just because I reckon that when I think back to this year in five years time, that'll be the game I remember - and quite probably the one I'm most keen to pull out of the loft and have another play of.

Otherwise... Hmmm. Final Fantasy X, Project Zero and Warcraft III are all games I spent a LOT of time with this year. And Burnout 2, at last a PS2 racing game for me to love!

And then, of course, there's Advance Wars... In fact, hell, I'd rate Advance Wars second to ICO in that list, with a toss up between FFX and Project Zero for third place.

FWB 27 Nov 2002 01:10:51 56,369 posts
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A tough one. I'd like to reserve final judgement until I finally get a taste of Hearts of Iron, which I strongly suspect would take the crown no questions asked, but for now I'd have to go for:

PC

Europa Universalis 2
I'm sure everyone's heard me rave on about this, but it is just so great. So the sequel wasn't a major change, but it perfected an already great game. A must buy for anyone into strategy games.

Battlefield 1942
I haven't touched SP for more than 5 minutes, which says two things. It is shite and MP is alot of fun. Hopefully once they sort the bugs out it'll be top notch.

Morrowind
An epic RPG. Yes, it has its faults, but it was just so grand and beautiful to play

To be honest I don't think I've been wowed this year on the PC, but there is still plenty of time. Master's of Orion 3 is soon out, along with HoI, and they could both produce a great ending to the year. Only problem is I'll probably only find myself playing them... well I'd say early next year, but I have a sneaking suspicion that won't be the case, since I'm, fingers crossed, going to shaking my life to bits and heading off in a completely new direction.

I'd also like to add my worst game of the year, which must go to Mafia, without a doubt. Unbelievably boring, long-winded and just mega... well I won't go down that road. Stay away from it.

GC

Mario
Hands down. I've never been a huge platform fan, or should I say I never really played them (which is not the same thing). However, I've rediscovered a love that I haven't had since Commander Keen. Screwed up difficulty (damn hard at times, piece of cake at others) and a messed up camera, but it is still great.

I really should try ED too. I loved Alone in the Dark on the PC and it sounds very much up my street.

Edited by FWB at 01:23:41 27-11-2002

sam_spade 27 Nov 2002 01:13:19 15,745 posts
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sam_spade 27 Nov 2002 01:22:23 15,745 posts
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Worst game for me, was Stuntman.

Just a great concept just completely wasted with a poor implementation of gameplay. Not fun in any way, shape or form.

Deleted user 27 November 2002 01:25:32

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Daryoon 27 Nov 2002 05:32:07 5,912 posts
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Vice City will get the awards, but it really doesn't deserve any of them...

Deleted user 27 November 2002 08:27:03

A close one between ICO and Vice City on the PS2. Splinter Cell or Rallisport on Xbox.

Biggest dissapointments: Stuntman, FFX, Halo.

Worst PS2 game: State of Emergency. I can't belive I actually bought that. Sold it two days later though.

Tiitiz 27 Nov 2002 10:18:11 1,128 posts
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Well, it may be Splinter Cell after Friday but up until now it's easily Halo for me

Ox1de 27 Nov 2002 10:23:47 98 posts
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Jet Set Radio Future.

Great graphics, fun tunes, easy yet absorbing gameplay, and a final boss encounter that suggests the designers had some of Razz's christmas present.

Killerbee 27 Nov 2002 10:36:13 5,249 posts
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GTA Vice City is my nomination for best game of the year - for being even better than GTA III which was already one of the best games ever made.

Final Fantasy X is a favourite, although I think Square can still improve upon the overall unity of the magic, combat, equipment and character levelling sytems FF games use. The armour and weapons were a missed opportunity in FFX.

Beyond that, I still haven't played ICO and I really must. I'm kind of waiting for a Platinum release now though...