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 Features
Question of the Year Responses:
Top 3 Games Of 2005?
"2005 has been a treat for gamers on multiple platforms. Plenty of enticing games were released that not many people played; like Psychonauts, Fire Emblem: Sacred Stone, Riviera , Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow, Trauma Center, Mario Kart DS, Growlanser Generations, Dragon Quest VIII, Battalion Wars, and a whole list of other titles. However, I think my top prize this year has to go out to a game that very few people heard about, even less cared about, and even less yet managed to play.
A little gem of a budget title called Phantom Dust. It brought a very refreshing online experience that got lost in an abundance of FPSes on Xbox, which really is too bad because it really is an amazing game. I spent countless hours into the early morning even on work days playing with my friends, something no game has ever gotten me to do online.
Next up would be Shadow of the Colossus on PS2. A brilliant game, which was lost in our market. Colossus reminded me why I started playing games in the first place. I plowed through the game in one sitting with a friend from work - a day that we should have been at work, but couldn't resist the charm of Colossus.
Resident Evil 4 for the GameCube rounds out my top picks this year. It wasn't merely another entry in the RE series, it was a game that could have stood on its own without being branded with the RE name. It also proved that the GameCube really can push beautiful graphics in the hands of the right people. Capcom's Production Studio 4 really proved that they have what it takes to deliver a great experience and not just a game."
-Randolph Stayer, EA Canada
Guitar Hero
"The Movies - Thank you Peter Molyneux. In a day and age when most other developers are abandoning PC-based games, you go ahead and bring us one of the most original pieces of software I have ever seen. So much more than just a game, The Movies taps into the primal urge to create our own stories, and is a godsend to the novice machinima creator. I was a bit worried how it would develop after seeing it at GDC, but it really does deliver. Definitely a sleeper hit.
World of Warcraft - Even though it officially debuted last year, there have been plenty of content updates this year, and it is arguably the best MMO ever made - certainly the first American born one to enjoy widespread success in Asia. The attention to detail that Blizzard gives to its games is an inspiration to us all. I am just happy I weaned myself off of it early on, otherwise I'd probably be living back home with the folks.
Lego Star Wars - Yes, I am man enough to say it - this game just rocked. Maybe I had an insatiable urge to relive my childhood Saturday mornings (playing with my Legos while watching the 'holy trilogy'), but I found this game to be everything I could hope for. The use of so many different playable characters, each with their own abilities, along with different types of levels really made me feel this captured the full gamut of the Star Wars universe. The use of Lego really adds a humorous overtone that just added to my enjoyment, and the cut scenes just go on to emphasize this. I was definitely left wishing for more, and hopefully Eidos and Travellers Tales will be making episodes 4-6 soon enough."
-Nick Smolney, Sonic Branding Solutions
"Guitar Hero is important for a multitude of reasons, firstly because it shows you can make an awesome video game without spending $15 million - a big deal if game innovation is going to survive. Secondly, Harmonix and RedOctane have created a title that's getting genuine mainstream buzz, even from those not necessarily interested in conventional gaming. And thirdly - 'I don't share your greed, the only card I need is... the Ace of Spades.'
We Love Katamari is, it's true, a straightforward, barely iterative sequel to an existing title. But when Namco's original Katamari was one of the best new video game ideas of the past decade, and Keita Takahashi's sequel piles on cuteness like underwater levels (cats wearing snorkels!), snowball-rolling and flower-collecting levels, and an adorably unhinged plot. It works for me, and, I fear, for the obsessive collector in all of us. But where's the Katamari novelty record, like Pac-Man Fever?
Psychonauts made me happy this year, because it showed me that you can create an original-IP living, breathing world in a console game that I (and a lot of other people) cared about. Sure, I could take or leave the persnickety platforming parts, but Double Fine's trials and tribulations ended up birthing a title which made me feel like video games were a vibrant art form all over again. In the words of Tom Cruise - 'Much love.'"
-Simon Carless, Gamasutra
"My 3 favorite games of 2005...a tough task since I really didn't get to play too many games in 2005 (thanks to World of Warcraft), but of the games I did play there are definite stand outs.
When the Nintendo DS first came out, I wasn't too impressed with it...to the point where I wasn't even planning on getting one. I blame a friend of mine for showing me a video of the game Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! as I thought in my head "Sold!" Originally, I had bought my DS for another game, Nintendogs, but Ouendan has stayed in my DS almost 90% of the time. What can I say, it's fun, the music is cool, the stories are funny, and it's addictive. Everything you want in a game...without the fancy graphics or ultra violence.
Staying on the theme of fun and quirky games, We Love Katamari! is another game I love. After playing the first one, you'd think...what more could they do. Well, they did enough to make the game as fun as the first one. Who would have thought rolling a sticky ball around could be this much fun. Ball of fire, ball of snow, ball underwater, ball racing... really... who would have thought...?
My third game, something that finds its way back into my PSP, is Lumines. This is pretty much the reason I bought my PSP. I was never much of a Tetris fan but Lumines keeps me coming back. The vs. CPU mode is really frustrating (but at least you can't beat up the CPU like you can your friend that you're playing against). The puzzle mode is kind of cool. The Challenge mode is very addicting. I have barely touched my PSP this holiday season because everyone in the family wants to play Lumines... not just my favorite, but a family favorite."
-Bert Gatchalian, Electronic Arts
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!
"Halo 2 Expansion Pack - With the ridiculous amount of production time going into top-tier games like Halo 2 , I say its about time publishers and developers started cashing in on the hard work and resources that go into these titles. As a huge Halo 2 fan, I was thrilled to see more content for my favorite game, and the documentary that game with the levels was also great to watch. Gotta love the guy wearing the IGDA shirt!
'Hot Coffee' Minigame - Let's face it. While Grand Theft Auto 's Hot Coffee has created a political firestorm and given the Take-Two folks a few headaches, this could be the best thing to happen to the games industry since Pong . When was the last time everyone you knew had such a strong opinion about games? Soon the politicians using the issue as an election-year headline grabber will find a new hot-button issue, and the games industry will be left stronger than it was before.
NCAA Football 2005 - The best part about it? It wasn't that it looked particularly amazing, or had flashy graphics; it was all done through creative implementation of existing features. Evolving the Impact Player system, redressing the create-a-player mode as the "Race for the Heisman" game mode, and a slew of other minor improvements easily made this my favorite football game of the past 15 years."
-Coray Seifert, Large Animal Games
"Battlefield 2 (PC), I feel, is one of the best military games ever made and it's the most addictive game I've played in years. The map design is very balanced and with a variety of weapons, equipment, and vehicles - the number of possible tactics are endless. Players can choose to command the team, lead a squad, join a squad, or function as a lone soldier. Regardless of the choice, there are always opportunities to help out teammates whether it's healing/reviving them, providing ammunition, or offering cover fire and support in dangerous situations. Also, you really feel that you're in the "battlefield," especially with the lights off and the surround sound cranked up!
My next game is Resident Evil 4 (GameCube). I actually bought a GameCube (and the game) the day this was released and it was one of the best $150 purchases I ever made.. The game features an array of weapons and possible upgrades and leads players through a tense and action-packed story. While the story is quite linear, there are plenty of areas to explore, puzzles to solve, and secrets to uncover. The new over the shoulder camera view and aiming system give players precision control of their weapons and accessing the map and inventory is easier than ever. I was completely blown away by the boss battles and feel that they alone are worth the purchase price. In addition, there are a few new game modes and weapon unlocks that are available after completing the game so players will have enough content to keep them around for awhile.
Last, but certainly not least, is God of War (PS2). The initial cutscene swept me right into the mythical Greek universe that the developers worked so hard to create and I knew that a memorable adventure was on the horizon. The action began right from the start and the first boss battle set the tone for just how great the game was going to be. The main character is easy to identify with, especially after viewing vivid cutscenes that are extremely well-written and tell a deep, compelling story. The boss battles are absolutely incredible, and I often found myself marveling at power and speed of the enemies. Also, the puzzle design is very well thought out and involves more logical thinking than brute force, which is a nice balance with fierce and fast-paced action that takes place for most of the game!"
-Brian DeLay, University of Advancing Technology
Lumines
"Capcom's Resident Evil 4 was certainly the best console game of the year, in my mind. It takes the survival horror formula and improves upon it with giant steps, rather than the usual iterative process we generally see in games, without alienating the fanbase. This game is universally lauded for its excellence, and for once, I actually think the hype is deserved. RE4 is forward-thinking in its design, with automatically scaled difficulty, measured introduction of new play elements. While the story is linear, the player feels a great degree of freedom in terms of how to approach any given situation. The several month GameCube exclusivity was also a bold move, showing that Capcom cares deeply about hardware manufacturers that put games to the fore.
Doukutsu Monogatari, or Cave Story, was a breath of fresh air, with its simple sprite-based graphics, oldschool play aesthetic, and charming, involving story. It was released only for the PC, an independent (doujin) game from a Japanese designer who calls himself Pixel. The game was the darling of the indie gaming community for some time, and received an English language patch just a few months after its release – an uncommon feat for any Japanese-originating amateur game. The attention Doukutsu Monogatari garnered was large enough to generate new interest in doujin games from a wider audience, making the game's achievements twice as important.
The Rumblefish 2 is the Atomiswave-based arcade sequel to Dimps/Sega's 2004 original IP 2D fighting game effort. Like its predecessor, the game uses a unique flash-like graphical technique to give the characters extremely fluid animation, and the high resolution fighters look quite nice in motion. The system marries the best from other popular series such as Guilty Gear, King of Fighters, and Asuka 120% (with new twists, of course), making the game very intuitive to pick up and play for fans of the fighting genre. The main 'gimmick' in The Rumblefish series is that characters' clothing will tear as the player progresses, with the tears reflected in subsequent battles and character profiles. This, combined with the fast action and furious combos, makes for a very exciting series. The Rumblefish 2, while not totally suited for competition, is much more balanced than its predecessor, and shows that original 2D-fighting games can still be made in this day and age, and made well."
-Brandon Sheffield, Game Developer magazine
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[Please note that the opinions of individual employees responding to the Question Of The Week may not represent those of their company.]
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