Gamasutra's Top 10 Games Of The Year

Continuing Gamasutra's year-end retrospective, we're proud to present the editors' picks for the Top 10 games of this year. We've collectively put our heads together to pick the titles that we believe shone the brightest during 2007. All picks are the editors' alone -- we're not trying to tell you what you should like, only our collective opinion. Any title released for console, PC, or handheld during the year was eligible.

10. Puzzle Quest (Infinite Interactive - Wii, PS2, XBLA, PC, DS, PSP)

One of the quietest hits of the year, Puzzle Quest's industry importance was felt in a number of ways, from truly establishing the Western presence of its publisher, D3, to receiving one of the most successful word of mouth campaigns in 2007, and managing a staggering number of multiplatform releases for such a small developer, through smart external partnerships.

As a game, too, its acumen showed through both in its deceptively deep mechanics and, most blatantly, in its audience-widening marriage of casual and hardcore play. Rarely does a game come along that can ease casuals into the deeper potential of strategic play, while also managing to convince the hardcore to spend hours with something that, outside its fantasy garb, they've convinced themselves isn't "real" gaming.

Truly one of the landmark achievements of the year, and one that gives us great hope for Infinite's next puzzle outing.

9. Pac-Man CE (Namco Bandai - XBLA)

We've already selected Pac-Man CE as the Top Downloadable Game of 2007, and as we commented before,

"The original Pac-Man is simply one of the best games ever created. And, in this world of enhanced remakes, the Japanese developers at Namco Bandai worked with Pac-Man's father Toru Iwatani and created something incredibly special - a remake that improves on the original.

With all the flavor and excitement of the original, the multiple new modes - many of them with explicit time limits and related high scores - layered even smarter strategic gameplay upon the peerless original. And with smart art direction, the title looks amazing in HD. Tremendous."

8. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools Of Destruction (Insomniac - PS3)

Insomniac's second PlayStation 3 title is a spectacularly polished, playable platform adventure title - which is notable precisely because it iterates so well on an already-winning formula.

R&C Future has some of the most dynamic, high-quality art we've seen on the PS3 so far, and some clever variety built into the newest version of the franchise which has always prided itself on smooth, accessible gameplay.

The game is practically worth picking up alone for the wonderful weapon gadgets, which pack more creativity into just the weapons than many games have in their entire gameplay system. Bravo, Insomniac.

7. Persona 3 (Atlus - PS2)

Breaking ranks with a long dynasty of traditional Japanese fantasy RPGs, Persona 3 stands out in that its largest setting -- the one wherein you build your character, strengthen your ranks and move the story along -- is nothing more supernatural than an ordinary high school.

There, with a fascinating duality between a mysterious "dark hour" and the light of day, most of the key RPG elements take place through building relationships with your schoolmates and taking care of school responsibilities.

This normalcy is tidily contrasted with the more sinister, fantastic elements of the game, and set against stylish character designs and a peppy, electronica-infused J-Pop soundtrack.