Time Magazine's Top 10 Games of the Year

[Jabberwocky]

I work where Time magazine is printed and we just printed the year-end "lists of the year" edition. I noticed there was a list of "10 Best Video Games". Notice this is a "Best" list, not a "Most Popular" or "Best Selling."

1) Halo 3
2) The Orange Box (5 'masterpiece' games in a bundle)
3) Rock Band
4) Super Mario Galaxy
5) Bioshock
6) Call of Duty 4
7) Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
8) Mass Effect
9) Ace Combat 13 (or whatever number it was)
10) God of War

Now, I haven't personally played a single game on this list, but I have plenty of opinion about it. First, I say #2 doesn't even belong considering it's 5 previously released games all in one package. As for the rest it seems console exclusive (other than the games that were also PC+console released).

Anyway, just thought I'd throw this out there... any thoughts?

 

[Icefire]

The only one on that list I have played is "Rock Band". I agree about #2. I do not understand how just a compilation of previously released games makes it on a list like this. Although most lists like these I tend to take with a grain of salt anyways.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

First, I say #2 doesn't even belong considering it's 5 previously released games all in one package.

"Portal" is considered by many to be unique in a way, yet short.

I read hat this was a stand-alone game, rather an experiment of a few university guys, but somehow the people behind Halflife goit notice of it and put it into this environment.

 

[JDR13]

Now, I haven't personally played a single game on this list, but I have plenty of opinion about it. First, I say #2 doesn't even belong considering it's 5 previously released games all in one package.

Huh? Only 2 of those games were previously released.

 

[txa1265]

"Portal" is considered by many to be unique in a way, yet short.

Huh? Portal itself is GOTY material, and is unique without question ... and remember that of the 5 games in the Orange Box, 3 are new, and if you own the others you get 'gift vouchers' for the others.

Orange box is THE absolute best value for a new release that I think has ever been released.

Halo 3 on the other hand ... I just don't get the love ...

 

[Jabberwocky]

My apologies. I didn't realize that the orange box had new games in it. But my arguement still stands that it should not be included in a best game list seeing as how it is a compilation. It would have been more appropriate to list those games singly within the list as opposed to altogether.

Anyways, it's not like it matters.. it's a silly list from a non-gaming magazine and like Icefire mentioned, has to be taken with a grain of salt.

I would be curious though as to what criteria the list was based on. Super Mario Galaxy? C'mon!

 

[Dez]

Now, I haven't personally played a single game on this list, but I have plenty of opinion about it. First, I say #2 doesn't even belong considering it's 5 previously released games all in one package. As for the rest it seems console exclusive (other than the games that were also PC+console released).

Anyway, just thought I'd throw this out there... any thoughts?

my comments:

1) Halo 3 <- BORING...a third installment to a medicore fps game. I couldn't care less.
2) The Orange Box (5 'masterpiece' games in a bundle) <- Well I'm a huge team fortress fan, so this release propably deserves some credit, but I'll save my comments later when I've actually played tf2. As for hl2 + episodes..well a really nice set of fps games nodoubt..still I wouldn't consider any of them this year's game of the year material. (I have the orginal hl2 + EP1)
3) Rock Band <- never heard of this game, but judging by the name it probably has something to do with music?
4) Super Mario Galaxy..Mario used to be a big thing when I was younger and had 8 bit nintendo, but nowdays I'm not a fan of jumping games.
5) Bioshock <- still haven't played it. Is it really this good? I got the impression from the users here @ watch that it was pretty overrated.. I'm definitelt going to buy it, but not yet.
6) Call of Duty 4 <- A shooter on rails, so no thanks and to be honest I'm a bit fed up to overused ww2 theme.
7) Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass <- don't have wii so obviosly....
8) Mass Effect <- I'd love to play it, but as its a console exclusive...
9) Ace Combat 13 (or whatever number it was) <- unknown to me.
10) God of War <- again console exclusive.

Final comment: why isn't witcher on that list?!

 

[Dantre]

7) Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass <- don't have wii so obviosly....

Actually, Phantom Hourglass is a DS game.

Decent game, albeit not very original despite the nice usage of the DS touch screen. The french canadian translation was also hilariously bad.

 

[dteowner]

Witcher probably missed their cutoff. That article had to be written a month or two ago. Really, though, has Witcher really gotten much hype beyond the hardcore crowd? If the high schoolers aren't playing by the thousands, it's not going to make this list.

As for Bioshock, it was short and relatively simple but had a decent story for a shooter and one of the most immersive worlds I've ever played. There was some backlash to the monumental hype machine plugging this game, but I think overall people were pretty pleased. It really came down to expectations. People wanting an involved RPG or a complex shooter were disappointed. People taking the game for what it was generally seemed pleased.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Yes, Dez, I would put Witcher in the #1 spot myself, but I wasn't surprised it didn't make a list like this.

Incedentally of all the faults I saw with this list, Halo 3 was the one I had the least disagreement with! I haven't played it mind you, but I've completed the first two and thought they were tremendously spectacular. I don't see how anyone can call them mediocore, but I guess that's why there's no such thing as a perfect list for everyone.

 

[txa1265]

Super Mario Galaxy? C'mon!

Absolutely one of the best games of the year.

I mean, do you guys have a clue about any of these games?

 

[txa1265]

Perhaps your 'comments' should have been "I have no clue about most of the list, and am therefore in no position to either comment or judge". It certainly would have positioned you better than this ...

3) Rock Band <- never heard of this game, but judging by the name it probably has something to do with music?

Yes, one of the biggest things this year - you get a massive box with 2 guitars, a microphone and a drum set ... and you actually need to drum to do well!

4) Super Mario Galaxy..Mario used to be a big thing when I was younger and had 8 bit nintendo, but nowdays I'm not a fan of jumping games..

Yeah, kiddie crap

6) Call of Duty 4 <- A shooter on rails, so no thanks and to be honest I'm a bit fed up to overused ww2 theme.

Thanks for the insight ... oh, except that it is less on rails than most shooters, and ... um ... it isn't WWII ...

7) Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass <- don't have wii so obviosly....

So obviously ... you don't know that this is one of the best handheld games of the year.

 

[JDR13]

LOL, git em Mike!

 

[Jaz]

Yes, Dez, I would put Witcher in the #1 spot myself

Not having played Witcher (and not counting the Orange Box as a game even though I love TF2), my pick for the No. 1 spot would have been Puzzle Quest. Coincidentally it's one of the two or three new games I bought in 2007, so my personal list would be somewhat shorter.


Memo to myself: must check out Super Mario Galaxy. If Mike recommends it, it's probably great.

 

[bjon045]

I think that list shows how bad gaming has gotten recently.....

 

[Dez]

Yes, one of the biggest things this year - you get a massive box with 2 guitars, a microphone and a drum set ... and you actually need to drum to do well!

sounds awesome!

Yeah, kiddie crap

Please don't jump on me so quickly.. I never said that Mario was "kiddie crap". This title just reminded me of how much i liked mario back in the days..I tried n64's super mario 64, but it didn't feel the same as the good old nes or snes games. I know galaxy is a hugely innovative (new wii controller, space theme etc). I have 3-4 mario games..1&3 for nes and 2 others for snes and 1 for the nintendo 64... MArio is hardly kiddie crap, but I'm not just intrested of this game because i don't have wii.

Thanks for the insight ... oh, except that it is less on rails than most shooters, and ... um ... it isn't WWII ...

Sorry thats what call of duty first reminded me off. I admit my ignorance in this case. I have call of duty 1 in my shelf and COD felt like a shooter on rails. Maybe i'll take an other look on series now and see how it has evolved.

So obviously ... you don't know that this is one of the best handheld games of the year.

nope .Life is choises..look Mike, I'd love to buy all those cool consoles and enjoy mass effect, rock band, new mario and god of war, but I don't have money for it. Gaming isn't the cheapest hobby and I have other intrests too. Either I keep my pc updated and buy pc games or forsake pc gaming and buy few consoles..Maybe in the future when I've a better job, I'll get to enjoy all the wonders of gaming

 

[Arhu]

I think that list shows how bad gaming has gotten recently.....

Not necessarily, only that most of us, myself included, probably have no idea whatsoever about today's console games. Although there's some titles I'd love to have played.. (Ico, Colossus?, God of War, ...) and I like the concept of the Nintendo CS. Still, I guess I'll stick to my PC.

 

[magerette]

The problem with Top Ten lists like this is that they aren't specific enough. I think if you're not going to divide into genres or platforms, you just get a best-sellers list. I'd rather see Top Ten Console Games, Top Ten Pc, or Top Ten Action, Top Ten MMO etc than everything lumped together.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I would personally say this has been a good year for gaming. I mean, granted I haven't played hardly any new games, but judging from the hype and popularity many titles have received, there must be something there. As many people have enjoyed Bioshock, Stalker, Two Worlds, and The Witcher, as well as many indie titles, and the games on this list.... it seems to me that the quality of releases have been strong, whether they suit my personal taste or not.

 

[txa1265]

Sorry if I got tweaked, but we all often rail against 'know nothing' reviewers who are clueless about RPG's and therefore shouldn't open their yaps about them.

I don't feel positioned to weigh in on the XBOX360 vs. PS3 debate as I have neither ... but that doesn't mean that those systems don't have great games.