Sam Hart

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  Grumin: A Monstrous Adventure

  
  

  PSP

  
  The PSP doesn't have the greatest library. Sure, it does have some pretty great games, but they tend to be few and far between and are usually just ports from other platforms. So when we get something new and unique it's always appreciated.
  
  Grumin isn't going to win any "Game of the Year" awards, it's really just a solid if unexceptional action RPG. But it's a good game nonetheless, and a decent addition to any PSP owner's collection.
  


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  F.E.A.R. Files

  
  

  Xbox 360

  
  Last year's F.E.A.R. port to the 360 was a pretty good game, and this year's expansion is more of the same. Sure the Lithtech engine that powers it hasn't aged as well as its Unreal and Doom contemporaries, and the levels in F.E.A.R. Files are more of the warehouse/office-building variety, but the game is worth mentioning anyway simply because it is fun to play and has a fairly entertaining (if not very fear inducing) storyline.
  


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  Shivering Isles

  
  

  Xbox 360

  
  Last year I had Oblivion picked as "the very best" of 2006. It was such a simply divine game, and still is today. If you own a 360 or a PS3, and do not own this game, you owe it to yourself to try it out.
  
  Oblivion had several expansions in 2007, some where good (Mehrunes' Razor) while others weren't (Orrery). However it's best expansion could barely be called an expansion. Weighing in at 993.75 MB and including Over 9,500 new lines of recorded dialogue, Shivering Isles is more sequel than expansion.
  
  It's also brilliant, capturing everything that made Oblivion great and then adding tons more on top of it. It's so good, in fact, I was very tempted to include it in the Best of the Best list. However, the fact that it only brings around 25% new territory to the game, and the fact that, once deep enough, it locks you into its storyline until completed bring it down just a tad.
  


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  Super Paper Mario

  
  

  Nintendo Wii

  
  The Mario RPG games over the years have always been great, and the Paper Mario line is no exception. Super Paper Mario expands on the formula by introducing some classic Mario platforming into the mix, which is a welcome addition in the franchise.
  
  Unfortunately, the game is obviously a GameCube game converted very late in development into a Wii game as much of the Wii-specific features seem tacked on at best.
  
  That one nitpick aside, this is a wonderful game and one I'd highly recommend for any fan of the stocky plumber.
  


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  Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition

  
  

  Nintendo Wii

  
  Several years ago everyone was ga-ga over RE4 on the GameCube. Many people named it game of the year and it won tons of awards. Well, I never really understood why.
  
  To me, the RE games hadn't been good in a very long time. The other survival horror games out there (Silent Hill series, Fatal Frame series, Condemned, etc.) have all outclassed the venerable RE series many times over, and RE4 seemed like a Johnny-come-lately ripoff of the other, better, games. Sure the graphics were improved and a grainy filter added for effect, but RE4 had the same lame-ass dialog and idiotic plot line as the earlier RE games.
  
  And then I tried the Wii edition... Surprisingly simply tacking on Wii-specific controls and making the game widescreen seemed to have added enough into the mix that I could actually enjoy the game without griping at its lack of originality.
  
  It all makes me kind of excited to see where Capcom goes with RE5... even though their track record leads me to believe they will fail to make RE5 as redeeming as RE4 was.