So 2007 is finally here and I just realized, we never made our top 2006 games list.
Here's my list.


5. Zelda Twilight Princess
I actually haven't played it but I know its going to be awesome. Would have probably been one had I played it.


4. PSU
What can I say, I loves my PSU.


3. Final Fantasy III
Obviously I never played the original FF3, but for some reason this game brings back alot of feelings of Nostalgia. Touch screen makes it all the more enjoyable for me.


2. Okami
Such an Awesome game, too bad it didn't get the recognition it deserved. really magical, enchanting and charming. I play this game and I'm literally transported to another world. This game is really a Zelda game, made for PS2.



1. Gears of War
I've said this before and I'll say it again. Any game that keeps me activly playing for 6 hours is a winner. Everytime I made a headshot I just had to stick my tongue out to see if the blood would land on it and I could taste alien brain.


*Honorable mentions
Metriod Prime Hunters
Elite Beat Agents
Dawn of War: Dark Crusade

5. Dead Rising - 360
All your zombie survival fantasies come to life. To hell with any naysayers who bitch about the save system, or the game's difficulty. Once you wrap your head around it, this game keeps on giving.

4. Oblivion - 360/PC
Although it took a few steps back in complexity from Morrowind (just like Morrowind stepped back from Daggerfall) it more than makes up for it in the quality of the quests, NPC interactions, graphics, and sheer vastness of the world.

3. Okami - PS2
Like Breaker said, this is basically PS2's response to Zelda. Huge world, tons of fun puzzle filled dungeons, lots of weapons and abilities, and an excellent fluid combat system. The characters are really memorable, and the graphics are undeniably unique and eye-catching. It's a shame that we'll probably never see a follow-up.

2. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - DS
This game is pretty much the best Castlevania since SOTN. Its a nice mix of the "metroidvania" style of gameplay and the stage-based style of the classic CV series. And the two controllable characters adds a fun twist to the gameplay, along with some great "wonder twin powers activate" abilities.

1. Guitar Hero II - PS2
Somehow they took the awesomeness of GH, and made it... Awesome-er. You truly feel like a rock god when you get into the songs and just start jamming out.

I haven't gotten to play Gears of War yet, but I think I'd probably end up ranking it on of the best. I also gotta give it up for FF12, I think that game was the shot in the arm the series needed. Too bad it sounds like they are going a more "traditional" (read: crappy and played out) style for FF13.

5. Melty Blood: Act Cadenza
"What the fuck is that?" Yes I know, there's a great chance you have no idea what this game is. Well, it's an incredibly sick 2D fighting game that was released for the PS2 in Japan (YouTube always helps in times of doubt haha). Using my uh... "methods" I was able to snag a copy and it's utterly incredible. It's one of my favorite fighting games ever and I highly recommend it.

4. Tales of The Abyss
This game likely went under the radar for a lot of people, and that's a shame. This is one of the best RPGs to be released in a long time. It has a great battle system, an original story, amazing characters, and a bunch of side quests and extras. Of the Tales games I've played (5 including this one) I believe this one to be the best.

3.Final Fantasy XII
This game impresses on many levels. Initially, I didn't play this game much at all (PSU owned my soul), but I eventually got back into and gave it some quality time. It's one of the best in the series, because it takes risks with tradition, and succeeds because of it. When you get into the game, it's hard to let go. If you haven't played it, I suggest you do.

2.PSU
This game had to be on this list. I had been waiting on this damn game for years, and it's finally here. Admittedly, the initial release was well... weak. Now though, the content has racked up and it's turned into a solid game. It easily replaces that dramatasic game we call "Final Fantasy XI" . This is the game that teaches us all one very important thing: SELL EVERYTHING! (and for 100k).

1. Guitar Hero II
Yeah... um this game is so awesome it hurts. I'm not sure what the developers did, but they pretty much made this game a thousand times better than the first. They also sprinkled crack or something on the guitar controllers, because this game is both incredibly fun and scarily addicting. Don't have it? Go get it, and then proceed to burninate the countryside.

Great topic AC9!
Alot of the games Iplayed this past year weren't so much new, as new to me. So, here is my list. In no particular order (other than what came streaming out of my head).

1. Legend o' Zelda - The Minish Cap
I really loved this game. First off, I loved the fact that it was on the GBA and I could play it anywhere at anytime. Bad TV show that my wife wants to watch? No probs... Hanging out at the coffee shop while the wife studies? No probs... Convenience aside, the game itself also rocked! Moving from normal sized to tiny, Minish sized basically doubled the size of the game. Hack, slash, collect, search, adventure... everything you'd want.

2. Shadow of the Colosus
Wow. This game actually took me away. Transported me. Made me care. Also, I have never been so angry at a video game in my life. The size of the land... the size of the Colossi... epic and awesome. Remember hiding in those caves while the Colossus thunders above you? Seeing his face try to peer down into the hole where you are hiding, he actually looked pissed off that some little nit was bothering him only to get seriously pissed off when he realized that you were stabbing him in the face! Then, just as in Ico, the game takes a wicked turn and everything you're fighting for comes in question. Did you win? Did you do the right thing? ...

3. Half Life 2
Yeah, yeah... I know. But I really liked this FPS. The difficulty wasn't insane so even I could finish it. Plus, I am a huge sci-fi dork and this one had everything I like going on, the near-future - not 10,000 years from now, but maybe 50... 20 even?, the dirty-tech stuff - the giant parts built "Dog" comes to mind, the crazy "overlord" - well... he was just a regular guy, but he was crazy with power!, the humanoid enemies - I prefer my bad guys to look like they could make and use the weapons that they are using. Claws and tenticles can't create a shotgun and they sure as hell can't aim and fire one, and the giant monolithic structure that destroys all in it's path. Not to mention those headcrabs. Boom! Fun times! Put all that together and I'll play.

4. Legend o' Zelda - Four Swords Adventure
See? What did I tell you? I'm talking about the game for the GCN. I loved this game! It was actually fun! Games = fun! I enjoyed everything about it. Hell, I even got stuck on a puzzle or two. I'll admit it! hehe... Whatever, I really liked this game.

I'm having trouble coming up with a 5th game. I'm at work and so I can't remember what games I have. I'll write my 5th one later.

I told you my games wouldn't be new!

Biggest Dissapointment
PSU
Yeah... I said it. Maybe it was because I played the original to death, but I don't think so. Slow progress, Partner Machinery B.S., tiered areas (I just want to fight a dragon but I have to fight my way thru the level before it), weapon selection scaled down, etc. It's still a fun game, but I'm not sure if I like it because of my past with PSO or did my previous experience with PSO hurt this game?

Heres my list


5, Final Fantasy XII
I haven't played it much which is a shame since I normally don't put the controller down untill I'm done, but I like the new direction for the game to make it less like the sterotypical "JP RPG"


4, Final Fantasy III
Now to say the opposite of what I said about XII, I llove the old school feel of the remake and the DS fuctionality of the game. The only draw back is I would have love to see FFVI get the same treatment and not just another gba port like the other Nintendo era FF's


3, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
What can I say? Yet another great 2D Castlevania game or Metroidvania is you prefer. Great story, new takes on classic monsters many have new sprites, and of course awesome level design. This game proves that lack of change is not always a bad thing.


2, The Legend of Zelda: The Twlight Princess (GC)
Heres the Zelda game we should have gotten 3 years ago, the same great feel of the N64 Zelda's backed by the gamecube's awesome proformance. From characters to monsters to dungeons and a 40+ hour game time truly makes this game an epic. But alas it took to damn long to come out and then having to wait even longer for the gamecube version was bleh.


1, Phantasy Star Universe
As suprised as I am, I was sucked back into it, much better game then the vortex of dispair known as Final Fantasy 11 and oddly enough PSU does things on the ps2 version that square says is impossable to ie the vast amount of storage space and character cusomtization and coming up with a solution for large amount of character's on the screen with out massive lag. Though Sega made a bad choice of relying on Gameguard and for a bit suffered from slow release of content. To be fair Sega's intent was for people to play the offline mode then goto the online mode, but as proven with the JP release that was a huge understatment and the Sega America screwed up the US launch due to problems with billing site. But for sticking with the game I think its more then earned the price of admission with all thats being offered.

Edit- Alas, I forgot one game, the grandest of them all...

Literati!

5. .Hack// G.U.
Vast improvements from its original series of games. Way better story, and a much better battle system.

4. Zelda Twilight Princess
I gave my review on this before, so in here, in short I will say it rocked.

3. Final Fantasy XII
Same cliche story, though beautiful graphics, and killer battle system.

2. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Just read everyone elses reviews. I played the shit out of this game!

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsitence
The first game in a very long time to take me to a new level of awe.

Honorable Mention

Megaman ZX
Not bad, but I was expecting something a little more "Xish" over Zerioish.

Trauma Center: Second Opinion
This game works fantastic on the Wii.

Unfortunetly I have not played Guitar Hero II yet, and i've also yet to divulge into dead rising or gears of war.

F.E.A.R Multiplayer: Score - 4 out of 5

Yeah fear is a 2005 game, but the online portion of the game went free in 2006, We've had several really fun ATHQ shootouts. The physics in this game are incredibly lifelike, everything is really top notch as anyone who's played it can tell you, except the damn SCISSOR KICK! ugh.. lol, The best online FPS on the market right now, IMHO.

Phantasy Star Universe: Score - 3 out of 5

Ah the nostalgia this game brought back, I immensely enjoyed the big gatherings and such, just like the old days, everyone standing around just bullshitting, good times. Honestly though the game itself... I found myself somewhat dissapointed with, the P.M. annoys me, and certain aspects of the game feel clunky and ackward. Combat is conciderably improved from previous PSO's, however the lack of a functional guild system, and limited content forced me to get bored here pretty quick, I really wanted to totally get back into it, but i found myself falling asleep at the end of long missions, i think, like SCU; i just played the old versions into the ground way too much. but man, the meetings and stuff i thuroughly enjoy, and i'll be at the next one if possible.

Dawn of War: Dark Crusade: Score - 5 out of 5

The third installment in the Dawn of War series really shines. Best RTS action around if you ask me, the maps (including all maps from the previous DoW games) are quite varied and fun, each race requires completely different strategies and tactics and the action is intense.

Guitar Hero II: Score - 5 out of 5

This is the most addictive game i've played in a long, long time, Vitamin D was right on the money when he said It's so much fun it hurts. the game is quick to pick up, and incredibly difficult to master, i've spent hours on end rocking out until i thought the controller was going to break. This is a must play game for everyone IMHO, even people not fond of the music seem to find it very entertaining.

Oh and D... the game is so much smoother and refined because they totally fixed the Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs, which were nigh impossible to use in the original game. The difficulty of the sequel raises the bar several notches over the original, yet i find myself pulling off certain notes and chords that would have given me fits on the original.

5th game.. hmm, undecided.