GLewis' GotY Ballot

Best Single Player Game: Crackdown

When someone takes the time to sit down and think about the answer when asked “hey, what was the best game you played in the 2007 year, single player wise?” Most people wouldn’t think of Crackdown, but to be honest it’s my opinion. No other game had me coming back for more like Crackdown did, granted I only beat the game twice, some people did it more, some people less, but it was fun every time I played it. Rent or buy everyone atleast had a crack at crackdown.

Some people bought the game for the covenanted Halo 3 beta ticket, and to honest it was the only real reason why I did actually dropped $60 bucks for the game; but if I would have known how fun the game would have been I would have bought it for different reasons. In the end I think I spent more time playing crackdown than the actual beta, while the beta was available. Sure Bioshock is a good single player game but only because of the story; but if you’re looking for the best GAME than it is undeniably Crackdown.

People wanted to play Bioshock because they wanted to see what would happen next along the story line Crackdown, however, made you play for the pure fun the game brought. To see if you could flip the 18-wheeler over this or that tower; to see if you could launch 3 cars at once with one rocket, and so on.
Crackdown was by far one of the best Single player experiences in my whole gaming career; it had a great story with one of the biggest cliff hangers, it had fun elements, and allowed players to “JUMP BUILDING TO BUILDING.” (< the more mentioned quote has a great story behind it, if you wanna know just ask)

Runner Up: Mass Effect

Best Multiplayer game: Halo 3

And for the biggest surprise of the year! Best Multiplayer experience goes to halo 3! For some people halo 3 could be the best single and multiplayer game of the year, making it the all around game but that’s for later on in the review (foreshadowing!).

Anyway, what game brings you the experiences Halo 3 does? It can’t be touched. Sure some people like how CoD4 is, in a way easier (aiming wise) and they don’t understand the tactics used in halo besides just running and gunning like CoD4, which can be fun, for a little under a month. There is a reason halo 2 was played for 3 years, and there are reasons to why halo 3 is going to be played for probably 4 or more, it’s that damn entertaining. Places like podtacular make it that way. You can’t find any other game with this kind of profound effect in history. Nothing has grabbed people and brought them together like the halo community has in gaming history. Like it or not a lot of us are here because of this game.

But really it’s all about the game play right? Halo 3 is fun even if you’re getting your ass kicked. No other game will leave a player up all night just because “I didn’t finish on a good game.”
Congrats bungie you have done it again.

Runner up: Rock Band

Best Game No One Played: Battlestations: Midway

I honestly do not know many people who were lucky enough to grace this title in its prime. The game had one of the best multiplayer experiences of the 2007 year. It was an RTS and a third person shooter all in one game. The only big drawl-back on this title was the extensive, and rather confusing, control scheme. To be honest it did not take too long to master, after the first grueling hour of play things became much easier.

The single player Midway had was not as heralded though, which will probably make people steer away from this game at the moment. At the titles ship date, many people joined up on live to grab a few rounds and were met with some of the most exciting and intense multiplayer experiences ever created. Sadly, not too many people experienced it though.

(Everyone played Crackdown guys…)

Runner up: Command and Conquer 3

Biggest Let-down: 65nm who?

Well after it was slated to come to consoles worldwide by the fall, not all if many actually got the promised fixed to the Three Red Rings of Death (RROD). Unfortunately, I would of bought a whole new console, called the elite, if it were true; but it never happened. Sure some of them got the 65nm, but there was no telling way that you were going to get one, so I steered clear. It was my real letdown.

Runner up: So, many damn Wiis being sold. (I think it sucks)

Game That Revolutionized the Industry: Bioshock

Telling a story through written words? Telling a story through the radio? Telling a story through a game? C’mon there are only so many good ways to tell a story, and gaming just isn’t one of them, or is it? I mean halo brought millions of people together because of this big ring thing that just might blow up the entire universe. Maybe another game could tell a good enough story so that people would buy it. Case in point: Bioshock.

During my playing of Bioshock I never really found the game extremely fun to PLAY rather than fun to UNFOLD. As the game progressed it was entertaining to follow the story, the game play was just an added on feature. It showed the public that a good story can be told and told right inside of the confines of a video game. Look for many more of these great masterpieces for years to come; I just wait to get my hands on Fable 2 now.

Runner Up: Rock Band

Best Downloadable Content: Rainbow Six Vegas

Even though the game was released in 2006, all of the games expansions came out during the 2007 year, and they were all pretty fun and added a lot of depth to the overall game play. I really enjoyed both the red and black player’s packs that added a few new maps, weapons, and other things. Out of all the DLC this year, it’s really the only things besides movies I actually used and bought, if you don’t count the new halo maps.

Runner up: Rock Band

Best Xbox360 Game of the Year: Halo 3

If you are looking for the total package, and if you picked up the legendary edition I do mean package, then look no further than Bungie’s last entitlement to their saga, halo 3. The single player was astounding, done right, and well enough to keep people from throwing their controllers (well if they beat it on legendary that is). Single player wise halo 3 had its let downs but it was still amazingly fun. It just wasn’t anything really new besides a few new buttons, vehicles and weapons. Nevertheless the story gripped us from the beginning and wasn’t going to let us go until we actually finished the fight. And even though finishing the fight might have been a little annoying toward the end (how many times can we drive a warthog in the event of sheer doom!?), the game is amazing.

Now I don’t need to really rehash why halo 3 was so great through the multiplayer aspect, but just in case you forgot, it’s kind of a big deal; love it or hate it; halo 3 is going to be around for a long time.

Runner Up: Bioshock

Best Downloadable Game: Didn’t download much…

Best PS3 Game:
Never played a PS3

Best Wii Game
Don’t get me started about the Wii

Best Handheld Game of the Year: Legend OF Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

I enjoyed the game, didn’t play too many other DS titles since I sold my DS soon after I beat this game; but it was still fun. The only other game I played on my DS in 2007 was Mario Kart. Shame…

Runner Up: ???

Best PC game
Don’t Play PC games

Top Three Games of the Year:

1. Halo 3
2. Bioshock
3. Mass Effect