SVGA 2006

Sam Hart

2006-12-20 17:27:03

Wow, what an exciting year for video games. Two new consoles, a whole new era of online gameplay, and a fresh battle for console supremacy. This year, since we had such radical change in the console arena, I will include some commentary on that.

So let's get on with it!

Best of the Best

The best console games of 2006

Very cool year to be a console gamer fan, we saw so many spectacular titles that it's knd of hard to narrow those down to just a few of the very best. But, I'll do what I can.

• Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (360, PS3)

  If I had to pick a game that was the very best of this last year, Oblivion would be it. It was a tour de force on the 360, and then an amazing improvement (as in, "I can't believe they were able to make it better") on the PS3. Games have been getting more and more immersive in recent years, but this game takes things to a whole new level.



• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)

  I'll readily admit that the Zelda games are one of the few franchises that tend to get my fanboy nipples perked, and the latest title on the Wii is no exception. The last big console Zelda game was one of my top two games of 2003, and this year's entry easily deserves to be given honors. A long, lavish, and engrossing adventure with a new and innovative control scheme. Classical Zelda touches and modern technology make this the most compelling reason to get a Wii, IMHO.



• Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan (360, PC, PS2)

  I know it may be bad of me to include an expansion pack to a game that came out in 2004 in this list, but I have to. ToAU brought so many original and exciting additions to this game that it practically makes FFXI a new game. From the new jobs, to the new areas everything is designed impeccably. New modes like Assault and Besieged bring elements to this game we've never seen before. The only real downside is the investment necessary before you can enjoy ToAU. You really do need to be 60+ to be able to start scratching the surface of what ToAU offers, which means it's more for the hardcore FFXI fans. Even still, you'll be hard pressed to find anything else out there quite like it.

The Rest of the Best

Everything else that was great this last year

• Dead Rising (360)

  Wow, a good survival horror game from Capcom... and a funny one to boot! Dead Rising is a very fresh and original experience in a genre that has become very tired and stale. The difficulty can be a bit high (especially if you're like me and simply must unlock everything), but that shouldn't detract you from picking up this excellent title.



• Gears of War (360)

  Sure, it's ultimately a simple shooter, but damn if it doesn't look pretty! Also, what's this? A semi-coherent story in a third person shooter? Heavens! Many are saying this will be the one game that pushes the 360 over the 10 million limit that everyone was suspecting they'd hit, and I'd be shocked if it didn't.



• LocoRoco (PSP)

  There wasn't much for the PSP this year as far as great games are concerned, but at least PSP-owners did get LocoRoco. LocoRoco is, at it's core, a platformer with a unique twist. On its surface it seems benign and even easy, but when you start diving deeper into it past just "completing the levels" you find a devious and even sinister game that will test your skills as well as your patience.



• Okami (PS2)

  I so wanted to include this one in the best of the best, but I just couldn't. The game has brilliant visuals, innovative gameplay, and is overall an excellent title. Unfortunately, it's also too easy and over far too quickly. This game might not be one of the "Best of the Best", but it certainly is the "Best of the Rest".



• Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)

  This is a tough one. On the one hand, this is one of the most gorgeous games currently out... period. It is a fun FPS, and you will enjoy every minute of it. However, I think a lot of this game's appeal is due to it being "the best PS3 game amid a bunch of other lackluster launch titles". In other words, it's only as good as it is because we're comparing it to other shit. I think in the coming years this game will be a classic, but probably remembered more akin to "TimeSplitters" on the PS2 instead of "Halo" on the XBox.



• LEGO Star Wars II (PS2, 360, GC, XBox, PSP, etc)

  The original LEGO Star Wars was on my list last year, and the sequel is more of the same. This is good because what was there was so good, but it's also bad because there's not much new here. I personally bought the 360 game, and I was actually disappointed by one thing: The game's multiplayer mode needed to also be online. Other than this one minor flaw, the game is great, go get it now.



• Rainbow Six Vegas (360)

  Wow, this game almost made "Best of the Best". In fact, the only real reason I could see not to include it there was because I already had too many 360 games on there. Realistically, this game is the first time I've actually played a tactical, squad-based FPS that felt like my team-mates and enemies might actually be "human" (e.g., not silly A.I.s with quirks that become obvious after hours of gameplay). The way the enemies panic and regroup, or stalk and silently kill, is remarkable.



• New Super Mario Bros. (DS)

  Zoinkers! This is one excellent little portable platformer! Classic Mario feel, modern graphics, and new gameplay make this game an instant classic.



• Burnout Revenge (360)

  I loved last years Burnout, and this year's isn't a huge improvement over what worked last year. However, since it was so very good, it still deserves to be on this list.



• Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (XBox)

  It's too bad this wonderful title wasn't bought more. This game is really just a great piece of science fiction with some simple gameplay tacked on, but the story is so good you hardly notice it.

Honorable Mentions

Not the best, but still very good

• Burger King Games (360)

  Silly promotial gimmick at Buger King? Sure. Two cheap games that are actually fun (and one that is terrible)? Without a doubt. Get Pocketbike Racer and Sneak King, for the money, they are very good. Forget the bumper car one.



• Mega Man Powered Up (PSP)

  Ouch, this is hard title to recommend. Classic Mega Man gameplay is both good and bad. It's good because it can be so enjoyable and varied. It's bad because it can be so focking hard! This redux of classic Mega Man is thusly both good and bad.



• Phantasy Star Universe (360, PS2, PC)

  I so wanted to include this in the lists above. I personally love this game. However, I can't deny that, at it's core, it is essentially a button-masher with limitted appeal. Still, this is the first great Phantasy Star game since IV, and and it has some very unique ideas in it (online + offline gameplay in a single RPG!), so it at least deserves an honorable mention.

The Worst of 2006

Real Stinkers?

• Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (360)

  Wewf! Take what was probably the best SFII available, throw in online multipler... and then fuck it up?! You have to work to suck this bad.



• Sonic the Hedgehog (360)

  Wait... wasn't there already a title with this exact name? And didn't it rock? Yes, yes it did. Which is why this hideous crime against nature hurts so much. Sega needs to stop killing their classic characters!



• Red Steel (Wii)

  The Wii-mote as a sword and a gun in a FPS-esque game? Cool! Where do I sign up? Hey, wait-a-minute... this game sucks. BAH!

Console Commentary

• XBox 360

  I think the 360 had a very strong year, and, in the end, it's my personal console of choice out of all the "next-gen" consoles out now. It has a great life ahead of it and I'm sure we'll get more excellent titles on it.



• Wii

  Weeeeeee! Ahem... anyway... The Wii had a focking rocking awesome launch! This is especially funny considering there's really only a few launch titles that are decent. But between the hype, the kick-ass online content, and the innovative controller, this system surprised me. I personally felt Nintendo had shot themselves in the foot when they renamed this system from "Revolution" to the "Wii", but I'm not too big of a man to admit I was wrong.



• PS3

  *Sigh* I wanted this console to succeed. I loved my PS2, and I've loved my PSP. The graphical prowess of the PS3 and the wacky-doodle Cell processors that power it made me get all wet and creamy. Unfortunately, the nine-hundred-billion-million-gagillion dollar price tag and the lackluster launch titles left me limp. My personal bet is Sony wont be able to claim the top spot with this console like they did with the PS2, however, this doesn't mean they are out of the race entirely. In fact, my bet is the PS3 will occupy the same role that the XBox did in the previous generation: It'll be this cool, pricey console that everyone raves about how awesome it is, but very few will actually buy.

Bottom line, I think the race is between the 360 and the Wii... and since Microsoft has already said they aren't competing with the Wii, it wont be much of a race.

The PS3 will be there, for sure, but I doubt seriously it will be much of a driving force in the next-gen consoles.