Idolores Dec 24, 2009 (edited Dec 24, 2009)
Going in order of year, best game of that year.
1999: Jet Force Gemini (N64)
Not that it was hard to choose from. This was a scarce year for me as I had been catching up on releases I had missed out on during the SNES days. Initial impressions were not good. It looked like a run-of-the-mill shooter with dumb looking "kiddie" graphics, which were a concern of mine at the time. Oh, lord. I remember killing my first enemy. Firing like crazy, trying to get used to the admittedly ass-backwards controls, perforating that motherfucker with bullets until my gun went *click* and watching as blood painted his immediate surroundings. All qualms of this game being kiddy were laid to rest shortly after. Did I just pick up some heat seeking shurikens? Did I just automatically target the necks of my enemies? Shit yes, you did, man. And yes, you just watched a wave of detached heads fly up in perfect formation.
Game had brilliant music, amazing sense of visual style and had the blackest sense of humour I've ever seen in a game. Let's get going on a sequel, Rare. It's been over a decade . . .
2000: Final Fantasy IX (PSX)
In a year that also saw Vagrant Story, Diablo II, and Chrono Cross also competing for my pick of that year, Final Fantasy IX stood alone. Everyone I've talked to either loves this one, or hates it. There is no in-between, it seems, and maybe it's better like that. It's predecessor holds the dubious distinction of being the title that polarized Squares' fanbase the most and was personally responsible for me not impulse buying any more of their work, but if anything, it can be said that IX was a strong return to form that fixed everything I have ever found wrong with Final Fantasy VIII.
As a gameplay experience, one could charitably describe it as "safe". It takes no risks, and knows exactly what it is at all times: a lighthearted return to the final fantasies of yore with a surprisingly strong cast of characters, an excellent soundtrack, and time-tested gameplay.
2001: Silent Hill 2 (PS2) My views here may lack legitimacy for some; it wasn't until years after this had been released that I had played it, but of all the big name titles that came out that year, this one stuck with me more than any of them. As a gameplay experience, it was lacking. Controls felt stiff and clunky, I hated walking to get anywhere only to find the area conveniently blocked off with my only consolation being a marking on my map to let me know it was a dead end, and puzzles were sometimes vague and obtuse.
But as a character study, it is unrivaled in the video game medium. James' plight is explored in a manner that left me hating him immensely, yet sympathizing with him utterly, and he places on my very short list of characters who have stuck with me long after their stories have ended (Only Char Aznable of Gundam and Griffith of Berserk can say the same). Truly a gem of the video game medium.
2002: Metroid Prime (GCN)
Jesus, this was a tough one. To choose between this and Resident Evil, Super Mario Sunshine, Kingdom Hearts and Zelda: Wind Waker is not a choice one undertakes lightly, and while I loved all of these, I have to give it up for Retro Studio's first outing with the Metroid franchise. It sounded impossible and repugnant on paper: Take the exploratory nature of the Metroid series and make an FPS out of it. It seemed doomed to fail, but they somehow managed to pull it off with divine results. Complaints were incredibly minor, almost seeming non-existent (the only one I ever hear is the control scheme). At the time, it was the best looking console game on the market, a feat just as remarkable; seeing Samus' face reflected in her visor as a nearby explosion from a freshly launched missile lights up the area, or looking around in rainy/humid environments as droplets trickled off the visor or steam clouded your vision was such a perfect effect, well-thought out and executed. One of the most immersive games I've ever played.
Gameplay was amazing, music was incredible, exploration never took a backseat to shooting enemies (one of my biggest fears for the game) and the omission of several of Samus' powerups were more than made up for by the frenetic boss fights and new additions to Samus' arsenal. Nearly flawless.
2003: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (GCN)
Oh, God, this one came out of nowhere like some kind of digital rapist. My past experiences with the Persia series were marred by gameplay I had always viewed as clunky and too realistic for my liking, and I had always wondered what it'd be like if the series had moved to 3D (not counting that hokey Prince of Persia 3D title that came out on PC that, like, three people played). It handled so well! Pulling off ridiculous acrobatic maneuvers both in and out of combat felt so fluid and intuitive that every other system for a long time after felt wrong. For all these reasons, it beats out my other pick of the year, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, which would've won this year for me if not for some amazingly stunted dialogue . . .
Gameplay was tight, and the soundtrack from Stuart Chatwood impressed me on every level. It looked beautiful and had amazing in-game architecture. Voice acting was handled well, something I'm normally picky about (I even got to meet Yuri Lowenthal at a convention once, he's a chill dude!). But you wanna know the best part about the game? The last time the Prince uses the powers of the dagger . . .
2004: Shadow Hearts: Covenant
It was either this, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, or Half-Life 2. Covenant wins over those two because it is an incredibly haunting experience. Forget the greater emphasis on light hearted camaraderie that it packed and remember that at its' thematic worst, this game was incredibly dark. I will never forget Yuri's pathos as he searched long and hard for a way to revive his lover, nor will I forget Karen desperately wanting to win his heart, brought to tears over her longing. Most of all, the ending I got (one out of a possible two). To say anything about it would ruin the experience utterly, but it came out of left field, naked and raw, like a streaker during half-time. Not only did it leave me gobsmacked with the implications it presented, it also completely wrapped up the story with a depressing bow, leaving no room for a sequel, a move I would describe as bold and brave. Nautilus, I salute you fully for such a moving game.
A brilliant RPG with an interesting battle system, absolutely incredible music, and an astounding cast of characters, this game ranks very high on my list of greatest RPG's ever. Even its' supporting cast kicked ass!
2005: Resident Evil 4 (GCN)
There's nothing I can say about this one anymore. Everyone on this site at one point's been in front of this game, on their knees like a goddamn circus seal, and with good reason, too. It represented a shift in the way the series played, something I'd argue was due. No more clunky controls and seemingly luck-based gameplay, and in their place, complete control over your character. The story and dialogue were as throw-away as ever, watching Leon and Saddler bicker back and forth was kind of like watching two retards trying to kiss. Damn, but was that gameplay ever slick. Being able to have the choice of upgrading existing weapons or buying newer, more powerful ones was a nice touch, a level of control not seen in the series previously; I preferred it much to the arbitrary item box system of the previous games. And how about those set pieces? They were perfectly placed, with the game given adequate attention to detail for each one. This is to say nothing about the incredible boss fights. An incredibly tense and atmospheric experience all across the board with almost nothing lost in the retouching of the workings of Resident Evil.
Near flawless revision of gameplay that did enough new things for the RE formula while still being slightly familiar. I cannot think of a single thing wrong with this game.
2006: Ōkami (PS2)
2006 was a tough year for gaming in my eyes. We got Kingdom Hearts II, Final Fantasy XII, and Zelda: Twilight Princess that year on top of Ōkami, which turned out to be the strongest in my eyes. I was actually surprised at the lack of reception this game received. People complained about the amount of dialogue (something you never hear of for a Final Fantasy game, go figure), or the repetitive nature of the gameplay (something that can be attached to almost every game in existence). I don't think I've seen a game so successfully straddle the line between a dark, serious storyline and moments of absolute silliness (save for the aforementioned Shadow Hearts title). Of the two Zelda games released that year, this is clearly the superior title, no contest.
Interesting concepts peppered throughout not only the tapestry of gameplay, but also in story and set pieces, the sheen Clover polished this title to was brighter than any body in the night sky. I will never understand the criticism the game gets.
2007: Bioshock (Xbox 360)
It is with many apologies to Odin Sphere, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, Persona 3, Super Mario Galaxy and Mass Effect that I say Bioshock was my favorite title of 2007. It was particularly close, but Bioshock wins because it stunned me in ways the other games didn't. We were given a beautiful underwater experience, as cold and unyielding as it was stark and imaginative along with a glimpse of a society that had completely fallen apart. As the lone survivor of a plane crash (actually, apart from the pilot, I'm not sure anyone else was on that plane), I made my way to Rapture, completely unaware of what awaited me below the ocean. My arrival was welcomed with a fanfare of insanity as splicers lurked around every corner, and the chilling image of little sisters, whose presence indicated the greater threat of Big Daddies, painted a disturbing portrait of a world gone to hell and back. It's lackadaisical soundtrack, mostly consisting of hit radio songs from the 30's-50's set an incredibly unnerving tone that lasted the entire game. A masterpiece of atmospheric storytelling as far as I'm concerned.
I do take issue with the gameplay. It was an easy affair, being that it was impossible to ever die, and hacking machines felt more like playing Pipedreams than anything else, but other than that, the game is incredible. The story and it's dark implications more than make up for any shortcomings.
2008: Persona 4 (PS2)
It would've been much easier for Persona 4 to snag my top title of 2008, if it weren't for the likes of Persona 3 FES, Grand Theft Auto IV, Dead Space, Saints Row 2 and Fallout 3, all of which suffered from faults that could've been readily fixed with just a bit more attention to detail. Not that Persona 4 didn't deserve it. Just as Persona 3 could've been better had they spent a bit more time, Persona 4, in a way, represents my satisfaction with a company that must've listened to people's complaints. They completely eradicated every fault that you could accuse its' predecessor of and did so with aplomb. Instead of the completely tedious Tartarus plot object, we're given smaller individual dungeons for the proceedings, depending on what arc of the story the player is on. What this means is that the story allows for a lot more intimacy than P3 ever did, making it more special in my eyes. Characters are laden with faults, weaknesses, and realistic dilemmas that set the cast apart from almost every other JRPG on the market. A completely unexpected triumph.
Gameplay was tweaked to near-perfection from the previous entry in the series. Additionally, the soundtrack is composed with just as much thought at care to deliver a completely different flavour while being as memorable as P3. This is what P3 always wanted to be.
2009: Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Wii)
With all due respect to Punch-Out!! and Batman: Arkham Asylum, no other game completely captivated me like this one did. I've heard some label the game a simplistic button-masher, and that's true enough, I suppose, but I got a lot of respect for the artists and designers who did their best making this game look the way it does. It's like a 2D Ōkami in style, with amazing attention to detail. Gameplay is fast, tight and retains the same quirky soul-stealing, cooking based downtime that Odin Sphere was known for (an interesting experience, even outside combat!). Rounding out the package is a completely sublime soundtrack, courtesy of Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata, among others and a compelling storyline and you have a beautiful gem that I'm sure will be ignored. ;_;
A tight, fast paced and frenetic side-scrolling beat 'em up set in feudal Japan, bolstered by amazing music and interesting character and monster designs, fluidly animated to degrees never before seen in the medium. It may not be the deepest game I've ever played, but it resounded in me more than any other title in the year, and going up against Arkham Asylum and Punch-Out!!, that's saying quite a bit.
