GameSpy Game of the Year Awards

[freshie]

So the usual annual rounds of award giving for good games has begun. First out of the box is gamespy with it's awards.

http://www.gamespy.com/goty2003/pc/index10.shtml

First off, it's telling that 3 of the top 10 games mentioned in this article are console ports, and 2 more are cross-platform titles that have obvious roots for the console. I don't subscribe to the PC gaming is dead argument, but I do admit this was a pretty bleak year for PC games and looks to be so for the first 4 monthes of 2004 as well.

SPOILERS




Halo, Vice City and Knights of the Republic all made their debut on consoles first.

I only played the demo of Halo, it pretty much despised it. The environment and setting didn't grab me, and I thought it was a pretty average shooter.

KOTOR, I haven't played it yet. A lot of people say the controls are akward for PC, but that it is a great game. No opinion.

Vice City was fun. Really fun. But it's console origins were plainly evident. Things like all mission are located on a mini-map, and the save-point system are completely console.

Furthermore, DX: IW was by a lot of accounts, dumbed down for it's cross-platform release. Gone are XP based skills and inventory management.

Tiger Woods 2004 is a cross-platform title. I liked 2003, but never spent that much time with it.

There was Max Payne 2. I think MP2 pales in comparison to MP1. Plus the buggy sound issues haven't enamored me either.

That leaves Railroad Tycoon 3, Tron 2.0, Rise of Nations and Call of Duty. None of which I have played.

[Turkish]

I can only mention about Tron2.0 that with the newest patch enabling DM and TeamDM, sure makes this an excellent alternative for PC shooters and it's damn fun.

Turkish - Tron2.0 freak to the max.

[Idle Idol]

I have no faith in gamespy.

They called Donkey Kong Country one of the most over rated games of all time.

I don't know what they are smoking, but whatever it is i think it would even make Tali cringe.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php...03-09-19&res=l

--Idle, god bless you two

[Dorkorama]

The only Top 10 list from Gamespy that actually resembles being correct is their one for the GameBoy Advance.

Personally, I wish someone would just do a top 10 list of games that are really good, but just didn't get the proper attention they deserved. It's around this time of year that people are actually looking to surprise people with the gifts they buy.

[freshie]

Originally Posted by Idle Idol

I have no faith in gamespy.

They called Donkey Kong Country one of the most over rated games of all time.

I don't know what they are smoking, but whatever it is i think it would even make Tali cringe.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php...03-09-19&res=l

--Idle, god bless you two

A most over-rated list, by it's very nature will be controversial. That particular article was quite poor. The funniest part was they mentioned Halo as #9 on their most overrated list. Then when Halo came out for the PC, a week later, they gave it a super high score again, despite some almost the exact same content as the X-box release.

Now personally I couldn't care less about them trashing Halo, however, they got me mad when they trashed Morrowind. Now, there was a game.

[cUnNiNg_StUnTs]

Damnit I almost bought Call Of Duty the other day. I hope I get it for Christmas now.

[IHopeToGod]

I'm hearing KOTOR (Knights of the Old Repuiblic?) is good as well. Generally I don't like Star Wars games, but this looks very interesting.
But I'd have to clear close to 4 gigs of hard drive space to install it

[nicnak]

Originally Posted by freshie

A most over-rated list, by it's very nature will be controversial. That particular article was quite poor. The funniest part was they mentioned Halo as #9 on their most overrated list. Then when Halo came out for the PC, a week later, they gave it a super high score again, despite some almost the exact same content as the X-box release.

Now personally I couldn't care less about them trashing Halo, however, they got me mad when they trashed Morrowind. Now, there was a game.

Halo is my favorite on X-box, although the legendary setting could have
been a little harder to beat.

Counterstrike is fun on X-box, and i managed to pick up a copy of Tron 2.0 for 23 dollars amazing price.

[freshie]

Originally Posted by IHopeToGod

I'm hearing KOTOR (Knights of the Old Repuiblic?) is good as well. Generally I don't like Star Wars games, but this looks very interesting.
But I'd have to clear close to 4 gigs of hard drive space to install it

It suffers from severe consolitis.... but it is very strangely addictive.

[Switch]

KOTOR is my GOTY. Beautiful, compelling, sorrowful, brainteasing and fun.

It is a great game. The thing is, you may be disappointed if you're looking for:

a) real-time battles, since KOTOR is really turn-based, as all d20 and D&D systems are (it feels like Neverwinter Nights), and

b) Running down a hall with a blaster, in 3rd person, blasting everything in sight, ala "Star Wars" (remember Star Wars? I LOVE that!). Even the Jedi Knight series doesn't do this well, even though it's possible, since Lucas has become senile or something

BUT, you will be happy playing KOTOR if you're looking for:

a) Graphics, eye-candy, effects, environments, mapping quality (ohhh yes, mapping quality), even a sense of organig beauty in a completely fantastic and virtual wold, and character models that are by far the best I've ever seen, especially the females hehe, even the armor is tailored for each sex, no matter which peice of armor you put on a character, it looks like it fits them and accentuates the gender-specific abnormalities ();

b) Sound and music to complement the graphics. The sound would be invisible if it weren't so uncharacteristically 'natural'; the music is remeniscent of a Star Wars film pre-dating all Star Wars films, which is exactly what it is... hmmm.

c) Characters that are both helpful and indulging. The hilarity of AK-47's lines as his particular story unfolds are something I've never seen in a game. OK, UT is the reiging champ as far as voice taunts go ("HAHAHA! Ohhhh, yeahhhh.) But KOTOR's characters are played out through voice actors that do an amazing job. The important ones, anyway. Alien races all use the same language, in a different dialect, tone, inflection, etc. I think it's Batchi....

d) Story. Very good. Could be better, but in a world of games with crappy stories, this one is pretty much the ONLY keeper for the year.

e) Action. There's always someone to fight, some quest to complete. There is no forced level of peace, where nobody is killed. Most of the time, the levels (worlds, actually) have only one way out: slice everybody in half. wOOt!

f) Items are good, more like D&D than Diablo. Plus, you get to build components into upgradeable weapons. So, while your "Lightsaber" in the right hand and your "Short Lightsaber" in the left may not be called "Keen Lightsaber of Massive Criticals" and "Stunning Short Lightsaber +5", they certainly can be.

g) Choice. Be good, which is what the predominantly good characters will prompt you to do when they're with you, or BE BAD, which is mostly up to you, and which a couple characters with you will advertise. The storyline allows for both, but don't think it'll be easy to be a dark jedi--after all, you're operating on orders from the Jedi Council.

h) Puzzles. There are some real brain-benders in here. Be warned that they are not all easy, but if you don't like puzzle games, either trudge through them or look up the answer on the KOTOR Bioware site, because the rest of the game is worth it.


Call of Duty is just like Medal of Honor, but with a better engine that handles improved graphics, improved weapons use, and more players online. If you liked MOH or BF1942, then you'll really like CoD.

But get KOTOR no matter what

Gamespy or no Gamespy! There are many review sites, they each hold only the weight they can carry through their honesty and their writing.

[freshie]

I'm in the middle of playing KOTOR and I find the game really fun and quite addictive. However, there are some things about this game that it holds too much in common with Neverwinter Nights.

1) Tactical Gameplay. By far, the worst part of this game as there is very little tactics in the battles. I consider it to be one step above the Charge up until you can power attack type gameplay of FFVII. Although some of the battles can be tough, unlike NWN. Mostly to the design decision to not let you warp back to your ship in the middle of battle, like you could do in NWN.

2) "There is an unspeakable evil, who is trying to get their hands on an ultimate weapon." It's up to you to stop them. And for your gaming enjoyment the keys to this weapon are split up into 4 different subsections, where you will go and have to solve a local problem to get the key you need.

3) Little Subtlety. You have a choice of being a goody two-shoes or being acting like a complete jerk.

4) "We'll just continue this conversation after you gain 3,000 more experience points." I hate the "we'll take later" NPC sub-quest system.

Now, after ripping this game apart, I'll go on to say that this game did much better in the graphics department then NWN did. And I still think the game is a lot of fun. It's just that Bioware did some things much better with the Infinity Engine than they did with the Aurora Engine.

They've done a great job overall in capturing the Star Wars universe, and avoided the sterileness that plagued NWN.

And the fact they've voice-acted every line in the game. That is unheard of in an RPG, and sets a new standard.

[Switch]

Yes, I agree, Herr Freshmacher. There's no middle ground - as you said; only goody-goody or murdering, hating, a-hole.

Their next project, Jade Empire, looks absolutely killer, but it's only for X-Box. :( It combines Chinese folklore and mythology with some martial arts fighting :)))))

[Recon]

I have Rise of Nations.

Similar to command and conquer series, build to destroy. Cool.

I like it. Anyone who likes strategy and has time, buy it.

edit..I play online with the same nick. Havent won a game yet, much like UT.. sigh. heh