10. Pac-Man Championship EditionXBLA
Namco Bandai
6/6/07
This one almost completely blindsided us. What more couldve been done with Pac-Man, and why should anyone care about a a game that's a direct descendent of its low-fi 1980 arcade forebear? Pac-Man CE answers this simply by adding a time limit and changing the way level progression works. Elegant in its simplicity, the new formula works to great effect. Twenty-seven years after Pac-Mans introduction, creator Tooru Iwatani managed to show that the real Pac-Mannot the one that runs around 3D worlds or drives go-kartsis still the man.
9.World of Warcraft: The Burning CrusadePC
Vivendi Games, Blizzard
1/16/07
World of Warcrafts first expansion was a critical and commercial smash, and we had little reason to expect anything othewise. Hordes of gamers snatched up The Burning Crusade when it launched in January2.4 million of them. On day one. The game upped the level cap to 70 and added gorgeous new environments helping drive the user base of the game over 1 million players throughout the course of 2007 to over 9.3 million. We can hardly imagine the kind of impact that the upcoming expansion Wrath of the Lich King will have on the international games industry.
8.God of War IIPS2
SCEA
3/13/07
In March this year, amidst all of the next-generation hype, God of War II released on the incomparable old timer, PS2. And Kratos latest managed to mercilessly beat down many of the so-called next-generation action games that released in 2007. God of War II improves upon 2005s God of War in every conceivable way, adding more bosses, more mind-sharpening puzzles and more sheer brutality. Being near-perfect, it will appropriately be remembered as the last great game for PS2.
7.The Legend of Zelda: Phantom HourglassDS
Nintendo
10/1/07
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is actually the first Zelda game for the three-year-old Nintendo DS. Now that it has finally arrived, most everyone can agree that this sequel to the GameCubes Wind Waker was worth the wait. Intuitive controls, endearing cartoonish graphics and an engrossing adventure make Phantom Hourglass a must for Zelda fans and one of the best entry points for newcomers to the classic series.
6. Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfarePC, Xbox 360, PS3
Activision, Infinity Ward
11/5/07
The Call of Duty series is back in top form with Infinity Ward at the helm. Call of Duty 4s single-player story mode is very short, but plenty of surprises and razor-edge execution more than make up for the length. As excellent as the single player mode is, its the multiplayer thats the main draw here. A compelling class system and a groundbreaking reward system for consecutive kills (two consecutive kills improves radar capabilities, five-kills lets you call in an air-strike, etc.) will keep the 2 million Americans that have bought this game so far coming back again and again. Oh, and the graphics are some of the best youll find on consoles.
5.Halo 3Xbox 360
Microsoft, Bungie
9/25/07
Its pretty rare that any sort of trilogy can maintain a high level of quality throughout all three entries, but Bungie pulled it off in 2007 with the release of Halo 3. Gameplay is tighter than ever and the white-knuckle multiplayer modes are plentiful. The Forge and Save Films features push console shooters to new heights and integration with Bungie.net fosters an already strong community. Four-player online co-op for the campaign mode turns out to be one of the best multiplayer experiences around. And the games story is a satisfying culmination of all of the Halo mythology that has been expressed in everything from books to graphic novels, and of course, Halo 1 and 2. Hands-down, the best game in the series, which says a lot. $300 million in global week-one sales prove that Master Chief's draw is as powerful as ever.
4.The Orange BoxPC, Xbox 360, PS3
EA, Valve
10/10/07 (PC, Xbox 360); 12/11/07 (PS3)
Were kind of glad that Valve and EA decided to put all of these great games in one package, not only because its likely the best deal in gaming right now, but also so we have an excuse to wedge all of these top-tier games into one slot. Everyone knows that 2004s Half-Life 2 is one of the best examples of the FPS genre, and 2006s Episode One was icing on the cake. New, though, is the raucous Team Fortress 2, with its comically gory style and gameplay that expertly adheres to the playing style of virtually anyone. And then theres Portal, a mind-bending game that took the portal mechanics used in 2006s Prey to entirely new levels. And Half-Life 2: Episode Two is the best entry into the saga yet. Were not sure how this package could possibly be any better outside of including a free functional Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device with every purchase.
3.BioShockPC, Xbox 360
2K Games, 2K Boston
8/21/07
BioShock would be prime material for a videogame lit. course. Its inspired by the work of writer and philosopher Ayn Rand and explores ideas surrounding ethics, politics, metaphysics, genetics and perhaps one or two more ics. This is a game whose events you almost want transcribed on paper so that you can examine at leisure the various intertwining themes that are presented in-game through vehicles like the Big Daddy, Little Sisters, Adam, plasmids and splicers. And there are tons of tape recordings strewn about the watery **** called Rapture that dot its hyper-atmospheric hallways, nearly all of which are worth listening to. But dont get us wrongthis is a shooter, and an innovative one at that, encouraging players to experiment with different killing tactics. BioShock contains the best examples of emergent gameplay this year. Look beyond the nearly flawless gameplay execution and youll realize that the themes explored in BioShock are perhaps more interesting than the game itself. Color us thrilled that the game sold well enough to warrant a sequel.
2.Rock BandXbox 360, PS3, PS2
MTV Games, EA, Harmonix
11/20/07
We were hard-pressed to think of any games that we had more fun with in 2007 than Rock Band. This game is inherently social and hands-down the best multiplayer experience this year. Its also a supremely addictive game that is completely accessible where it wants to be and tough as all hell if youre into digital masochism. Thinking back on Rock Band, were kind of surprised that it took this long for someone to combine all of these instruments into one cohesive package. But were exceedingly grateful that the musical mavericks at Harmonix were the ones to take the initiative and create a game that well continue to play into the wee hours of the morning for many sessions to come.
1.Super Mario GalaxyWii
Nintendo
12/12/07
Its hard to describe the sheer joy that Super Mario Galaxy elicits. At times, this game plays the player. It plays with your sense of direction, your sense of space and your sense of whats possible in this narrow genre that we define as platforming. But Super Mario Galaxy flies in the face of preconceived notions. While the game gifts the player with a wide spectrum of advancements and fresh concepts, it remains remarkably accessible. Dont be mistaken by that accessibility though, because there is ample challenge for more avid players. Its a high water mark for videogame design and a shining example of what this medium is capable of, which is why its Next-Gens 2007 Game of the Year.
Edge mal wieder, werde das Mag nie verstehen.
