BEST TACTICAL RPG
Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon (GBA)
Not really a surprise here. Considering Shining Force has and always will be the measuring stick for tactical RPG’s since 1992, it’s not hard to see why the re-release won this award. Shining Force gives you everything you could want in a Tactical RPG. A strong plot with memorable characters, great graphics, but of course the best overall tactical combat you can find. Sure games like Ogre Tactics and FFT give you a lot more options in terms of character design, but Shining Force gives you actual tactics and terrains you have to deal with in a way no other tactics game has ever bothered to, and emphasizes the personality of the characters instead of giving you 1-2 characters with a back story and a dozen plus generics. And unlike a lot of other tactics games, Shining Force is fast paced and manages to appeal to even action RPG fans. Truly, Shining Force is still the king of Tactical RPG’s, and as this award shows, there’s very little chance of it EVER losing that crown.
RUNNER UP: Phantom Brave (PS2)
BEST FIRST PERSON GAME
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GC)
Among being year of the sequel, year of the over-hyped, and year of the remake 2004 will also be remembered as year of the first person shooter. So many great entries hit the shelves it was incredible. It was near impossible to choose, but amongst the contenders only one stands tall. Forget about Master Chief, because he just couldn’t keep up with a certain power-suited female named Samus. When it comes to the genre Metroid Prime 2: Echoes just had a little bit more than it’s competition. Certainly it will always be debated on which FPS game was better in 2004, but when it comes to our choice that argument has always been decided. Hail to the King people, because Samus has taken the throne and if the next games in the Metroid series continue on the same trend that MP2 has followed then we don’t think she’ll be relinquishing this title anytime soon.
RUNNER UP: Halo 2 (XB)
BEST TRADITIONAL SHOOTER
Gradius V (PS2)
There’s a reason we have the category of “Traditional Shooter,” and Gradius V is that reason. The competition was fierce, however, as R-Type: Final gave a well-needed shot in the arm to the genre as a whole; both games could have easily satisfied the requirements to be called Best Traditional Shooter. However, when it comes to replayability and overall longevity, Gradius V keeps the player coming back for more. The quality of the Gradius shooter experience is unmatched, as it offers players not only a challenging experience, but also rewards players who take the challenge head-on over time. Do yourself a favor and quit reading this now: run to your favorite game shop (preferably Mom & Pop) and get Gradius V NOW.
RUNNER UP: R-Type Final (PS2)
| “Yup. I’m a DDR freak, and lovin’ it baby. All 6′ guys and up play DDR.”
Alex Williams
SYSTEM OF THE YEAR: This is a particular year where I honestly can’t choose which video game system came out a clear winner. So many games occupied my time this year, all spread out across these three platforms that made me happy. The PS2 gave me Katamari Damacy, DDR Extreme, two Karaoke Revolution games, and a slew of other quite enjoyable titles…not by Sony themselves. On the GameCube, I found Metroid Prime 2, Paper Mario 2, Mario Power Tennis, Pokemon Colosseum, and the pure addictive CRACK that is Wario Ware: Mega PARTY Game$. And the Game Boy had itself another banner year, with Mario VS Donkey Kong and the new Pokemon remakes leading the charge. I CAN say that the XBox does not deserve the honor. It had its share of good titles, but hardly any with the game staying power found on the other three systems.
GAME OF THE YEAR: Yes, they are remakes of games already released. However, these RPGs have perhaps the most staying power of any game I have played this year. Not only does it add a TON of stuff to the original RBGY games, but it also interacts flawlessly with both R/S and PokeCol. It breathes life into OTHER GAMES, while sustaining itself like no other game can. Best gaming experience this year, bar none.
BEST PLAYSTATION 2 GAME BEST NINTENDO GAMECUBE GAME BEST MICROSOFT XBOX GAME BEST GAME BOY ADVANCE GAME BEST NINTENDO DUEL SCREEN GAME BEST SPORTS GAME BEST ALTERNA-SPORTS BEST FIGHTING GAME BEST DRIVING GAME BEST ACTION RPG BEST TURN BASED RPG BEST FIRST PERSON SHOOTER BEST TRADITIONAL SHOOTER BEST PARTY GAME BEST RHYTHM GAME BEST REMAKE/RE-RELEASE BEST PLATFORMER BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE GAME BEST FAMILY GAME (ALL AGES) BEST STORY BEST NEW FEATURE MOST IMPROVED FRANCHISE MOST UNIQUE GAME BIGGEST NEWS STORY GAMING LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR MOST OVERHYPED GAME OF THE YEAR WORST GAME OF THE YEAR |
| “Being the staff artist is easy. Since the kliq is too lazy, no one ever bothers to tell me to do anything.”
Gygaxis
SYSTEM OF THE YEAR: It’s still got the versatility that the other systems lack. Niche games like Katamari Damacy, Great platformers in Jak and Rachet & Clank, great RPGs (SO3), tactical, sports. It’s not as strong online as Xbox Live, but still thrashes the Cube.
GAME OF THE YEAR: I Didn’t get a chance to play this game until fairly recently, and it really blew me away. I was expecting something akin to Xenosaga, similar setting, superficially similar artistic style to go into it. But then I got into the game and everything about it blew me away. The art direction is wonderful, the characters are unique, well designed, as are the settings, which is a challenging thing to manage. The models for the characters are extremely expressive, which matches the top notch voice acting by the main cast. The writing and character designs really drew me into the game, and give unbeleivable life to the characters. Beyond that, the battle system is genuinely enjoyable. If you’re looking for it, there is good degree of depth to go in to in this game, high replayability.
BEST PLAYSTATION 2 GAME BEST MICROSOFT XBOX GAME BEST GAME BOY ADVANCE GAME BEST ALTERNA-SPORTS BEST ACTION RPG BEST TACTICAL RPG BEST FIRST PERSON SHOOTER BEST RHYTHM GAME BEST REMAKE/RE-RELEASE BEST PLATFORMER BEST ONLINE GAME BEST FAMILY GAME (ALL AGES) BEST STORY BEST NEW FEATURE MOST IMPROVED FRANCHISE MOST UNIQUE GAME BIGGEST NEWS STORY GAMING LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR MOST OVERHYPED GAME OF THE YEAR WORST GAME OF THE YEAR |
BEST HORROR GAME
The Suffering (Multi)
Sadly most Horror games are just that: Stuck on gore and repetitive boring enemies like Zombies and no real plot or depth. It’s run, get a key, run back, solve some other mini quest, all while shooting zombies. But occasionally a game comes that breaks the mold. In 2002 it was Eternal Darkness and then two years of pretty much crap. This year, it was The Suffering. With an emphasis on Plot and gameplay over cheap scares and controls that make you swear, The Suffering came out of nowhere and captured a lot of the Kliq’s hearts. The Suffering valued terror and storytelling over gore and hackyned cliches with multiple endings and a story that was creepy to the very end; especially if you got the Monster ending. It also helped they included a documentary on a haunted prison on the game to help set the mood. The Suffering is a game that we should be seeing more of in this genre, but instead it’s going to be more zombie killings and beheadings. Sad sad sad.
RUNNER UP: That’s So Raven (GBA)
BEST PARTY GAME
Mario Party 6 (GC)
Combining some of the best parts of the previous games, Mario Party 6 stands above others in the genre. While the game does rely more on luck than skill it also allows you to play with a group of people of all skill levels and have fun. Even when getting beat by someone who has never picked up a controller before Mario Party 6 is still fun and that’s what a party game should be all about. That and beer; it’s also the perfect drinking game. Grab some GameCube controllers, some friends, and have yourself a ball.
RUNNER UP: The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords (GC)
BEST RHYTHM GAME
Donkey Konga (GC)
In a year when DDR was seemingly less prominent, gamers everywhere were searching for The Next Big Music Thing. And at the ECTS in Earl’s Court, our resident Brit, Misha found exactly that. Bundled with a custom controller that suits the game PERFECTLY, Donkey Konga takes the rhythm game formula and runs with it, adding a smattering of its own character along the way. Somehow, it jumped the barrier that DDR often found itself stuck behind (this may be due to the reduced Potential Humiliation Factor, as well as the fact that Konga requires less physical ability to play), and found itself a niche with those who would never normally touch a rhythm game. An impressively varied song list (everything from pop ballads to Rock ‘n’ Roll anthems, with added “in-house specialties”), a good mix of easy and hard tracks, all topped off with Nintendo’s inimitable style, combine to create a game that, at the end of all, is insanely good fun to play. And that’s the mark of a truly great game.
RUNNER UP: Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 2 (XB)
| “Yes, somebody around here loves Microsoft more than Nintendo.”
Chris Pankonin
SYSTEM OF THE YEAR: Xbox made all the right moves that appealed to me personally all year long. First, they finally put EA Sports games online, so now I can finally represent some college football online, even if the Huskers sucked ass this year. Second, they released Halo 2, which absolutely lived up to the hype and more. Finally, they also seemed to acquire the rights to virtually every title, so Xbox owners didn’t need to feel left out on any game, because they were ALL on Xbox, except for GTA: San Andreas. Toss in surprises such as The Chronicles of Riddick, and Xbox beat what I consider weaker competition this year. I actually managed to go the entire calendar year 2004 without purchasing a Nintendo Gamecube game, that’s sad.
GAME OF THE YEAR: Absolutely no question in my mind here. It’s virtually impossible for a game to live up to the hype of Halo 2, but for me, it absolutely surpassed my expectations. The single-player is short, but solid while it lasts, while the multiplayer maps are absolutely the best-designed beauties this side of a PC game. Its rare to get 16 college kids ambitious enough to link Xboxes together and all play one game and have a hell of a time doing it, I’ve managed to do it twice already. Can’t say enough good things about Halo 2.
BEST PLAYSTATION 2 GAME BEST MICROSOFT XBOX GAME BEST GAME BOY ADVANCE GAME BEST NINTENDO DUEL SCREEN GAME BEST SPORTS GAME BEST ALTERNA-SPORTS BEST FIGHTING GAME BEST DRIVING GAME BEST FIRST PERSON SHOOTER BEST HORROR GAME BEST ONLINE GAME BEST FAMILY GAME (ALL AGES) BEST STORY BEST NEW FEATURE MOST IMPROVED FRANCHISE BIGGEST NEWS STORY GAMING LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR Yep, I said it. I’m going to compare the ‘Cube to the Nebraska Huskers football team. Those familiar with sports know the Huskers have been traditionally one of the greatest franchises in football, so much so that they had gone to 42 straight bowl games and no losing seasons since 1961. This year they went 5-6 and all that tradition went down the drain this year because other teams had evolved and moved on to a new style of play that appealed to new recruits, who would rather go for the flashy stuff than the old traditional powerhouse. Does that NOT describe the Gamecube right now? Nintendo has it’s tradition to bank on, and that is it. It’s time to do like the Huskers and rebuild, bring in flashy new plays (such as the DS) that’ll lure in those blue chip recruits and hopefully within the next couple years both Nebraska and Nintendo will have rebuilt themselves back into the powerhouses they both should be. MOST OVERHYPED GAME OF THE YEAR WORST GAME OF THE YEAR So EA, you rebuild the Bond franchise earlier this year into a very solid, reputable series again, then include the word “Goldeneye” in the next installment and how can you not expect people to get fired up? Then you release a DUD, that took 10 steps backward after the series had only made babysteps since the N64 classic. What the hell happened? This game wasn’t awful, but it was incredibly disappointing considering the direction the series had been heading over the past few years. |
| “I went to America on vacation this summer and all i did was play Spiderman 2. Am I pathetic or what?”
Misha USUAL DISCLAIMER: I live in the UK. We generally get scabby release dates. Thus, I’m only nominating games I’ve played. SYSTEM OF THE YEAR: So many games, so little time… And ultimate flexibility in when you can play it. And when you’ve got a 1.5 hour commute to work, you really appreciate your little undle of portable joy.
GAME OF THE YEAR:
BEST PLAYSTATION 2 GAME BEST NINTENDO GAMECUBE GAME BEST GAME BOY ADVANCE GAME BEST TURN BASED RPG BEST TACTICAL RPG BEST RHYTHM GAME BEST REMAKE/RE-RELEASE BEST FAMILY GAME (ALL AGES) BEST STORY BEST NEW FEATURE BIGGEST NEWS STORY GAMING LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR |
BEST REMAKE / RE-RELEASE
Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green (GC)
Whether you want to admit it or not, Pokemon captured the hearts of not just a nation, but the entire world when it came out. Pokemon surpassed Mario and Link as it’s most profitable franchise, and even when Pokemon’s popularity was “Waning” it was still 2 of the five best selling games in 2003. This year, Pokemon exploded again with games like PokeCol, Pokemon Box, but most of all, the game everyone wanted to see: A remake of Pokemon R/B/G. No longer are there 150 pokemon in Black and White with 4 bit graphics. Now the original can be played in color, with new quests, tag team battles, more challenges, and a lot more options added to the game. And of course, wireless capability too! Every aspect of the original game was kept intact. Everything that made Pokemon the most popular portable game of all time was preserved perfectly. And then…they added things that only made it better. Knowing all of this, how could Pokemon NOT get this award?
RUNNER UP: Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon (GBA)
BEST PLATFORMER
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
We swear we’re more amazed year after year that so many 3D platform games can come out and most of them STILL don’t have the basics down. The camera sucks, or the game is far too easy, or they haven’t taken into account things like how to make jumping from point A to B not be a pain in the ass. Luckily there are still a couple of series redeeming the whole genre. Like Rachet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal. UYA follows some of the same winning formula and great level design from the previous games while adding new elements like an online mode. While there may not be many changes from the other Rachet and Clank games, the challenge and rock solid gameplay are what keep this title ahead of all of the rest.
RUNNER UP: Mega Man Anniversary Collection (Multi)
BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE GAME
The Legend of Zelda: Collector’s Edition (GC)
Some might say that this is cheating slightly, since it’s technically FOUR games on the one disc. But when the games are as good as these, who cares? Even the lesser games on the disc (Adventure of Link and Majora’s Mask) are damn fine games in their own right, even if they wouldn’t make the cut on their own. But when you add in the original Zelda (sooooooo much nostalgia, backed up by a game that still hold up today, gameplay-wise – all you need the mental capacity to see past the dated graphics) and the masterwork that is Ocarina Of Time, you have a compilation that stands head and shoulders above almost everything else. Remember way back in the mid-1990s, when SNES owners were going nuts over Super Mario All-Stars? Well, that’s the level of what we have here. Another 4 tasty slices of quality videogaming, and a worthy pizza-pie of a category winner.
RUNNER UP: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
| “It’s not my fault I’m unable to take a picture without looking extremely naughty! It’s the whore boots!!”
Melissa Blum
SYSTEM OF THE YEAR: Hands down, this is the most deserving of System of the Year. Unlike the boring, wire-ridden, clunky consoles out there, the DS brings PDA technology, voice recognition, and wirelessness to the hands of the gaming masses — in a tiny system! However, the DS game selection at the moment is quite unexemplary, but I find myself unable to fault the system itself for this (plus, I have hope for the upcoming year). This system is portable, stylish, and a delicious alternative to conventional consoles (…Come on, you can touch the screen! How great is that? It provides an even MORE interactive experience.).
GAME OF THE YEAR: Honestly, I really hated to admit this one since it was so hyped. On the other hand, this game thoroughly blew me away — it surpassed all the expectations I have for a good game. It was ridiculously expansive and the graphics were beautiful despite this fact. The amount of interactivity was impressive; the ability to work out in the gym, eat (though it wasn’t really “eating”), and shop (from clothes to hairstyles and tattoos!). To complete the experience, the game was filled with humorous elements and an abundance of challenging missions…and profanity.
BEST PLAYSTATION 2 GAME BEST GAME BOY ADVANCE GAME BEST NINTENDO DUAL SCREEN GAME BEST ALTERNA-SPORTS BEST TURN BASED RPG BEST FIRST PERSON SHOOTER BEST RHYTHM GAME BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE GAME BEST FAMILY GAME (ALL AGES) BEST STORY BEST NEW FEATURE MOST IMPROVED FRANCHISE MOST UNIQUE GAME BIGGEST NEWS STORY GAMING LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR MOST OVERHYPED GAME OF THE YEAR WORST GAME OF THE YEAR |
| “Alright. I’m taking 10 seconds to submit these picks. But then I’m going back to Halo 2, at which point leave me ALONE.”
Mike OReilly
SYSTEM OF THE YEAR: With exclusives like Ninja Gaiden and Halo 2, and virtually every multiplatform game looking better on X-Box, I don’t think I really even touched my PS2 for about 8 months. GC was even less than that. X-Box Live continued to improve and EA Sports was brought into the fold. Everything that people said Microsoft needed to do was done. GAME OF THE YEAR: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2) They could have released another game that was just GTA3 with a few enhancements, and most people wouldn’t have minded. Instead they took two years, added mini games galore, and then went about fixing everything that was broken in the first two games. The game is deep, long, and full of fun. In a year where so many outstanding games were released, none kept me as enthralled as GTA: SA
BEST PLAYSTATION 2 GAME BEST NINTENDO GAMECUBE GAME BEST MICROSOFT XBOX GAME BEST PC GAME BEST SPORTS GAME BEST FIGHTING GAME BEST DRIVING GAME BEST ACTION RPG BEST TURN BASED RPG BEST FIRST PERSON SHOOTER BEST REMAKE/RE-RELEASE BEST PLATFORMER BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE GAME BEST ONLINE GAME BEST FAMILY GAME (ALL AGES) BEST STORY BEST NEW FEATURE MOST IMPROVED FRANCHISE MOST UNIQUE GAME BIGGEST NEWS STORY GAMING LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR MOST OVERHYPED GAME OF THE YEAR WORST GAME OF THE YEAR |
BEST ONLINE GAME
Halo 2 (XB)
Through the grace of 2 and 4 player split-screen, the miracle of XBConnect and the advent of a quasi-affordable LAN partying, the original Halo survived long past it’s single-player component and further solidified itself as the X-Box’s sole reason to give it a roof over it’s head. So what happens when you take the multiplayer bliss and replicate it thousands of times over Microsoft’s proprietary 50 dollar-per-year LIVE service? Quite simply, you get the best online experience this side of finding Radiant Silvergun for under 50 dollars. Halo 2‘s online play is second to none, as the game plays as flawlessly against 15 other players as it does in single player mode. The voice capability will redefine the way that voice is done on a console for any game of this type. And when you add the plethora of Bungie.net’s Online Ranking system (in tandem with the .NET passport), you’ll find yourself spending so much time playing Halo 2 online that you’ll neglect everything you hold dear, and blatantly disregard everything you don’t.
RUNNER UP: MISSING: Since January (PC)
BEST FAMILY GAME (ALL AGES)
Donkey Konga (GC)
It’s been said that Nintendo only makes games for kids. And that’s a lie. What Nintendo does is make games that EVERYONE can enjoy, regardless of age. Obviously, not everyone IS going to appreciate them (as some of the Kliq’s less enlightened feedback proves), but it doesn’t change the fact that, when it comes to Games For All Ages, Nintendo is king. And in Donkey Konga, they have a game that’s accessible to all, with as much (or as little) complexity as you choose. We’ve seen University (college) students lining up to take turns. We’ve seen career men and women take one look and think “Wow! We’ve got to get some of those!” We’ve seen physiotherapists with 30+ years of experience take one look and say “Hey, I could use this as part of a treatment routine for some of the children I work with.” We even had a radio journalist, who was intrigued by the ECTS demo, ask to record Misha playing so she could use it in the broadcast. Now if you can turn round and honestly tell us that Donkey Konga isn’t a game for all ages, then leave the site now and never return.
RUNNER UP: Mario Party 6 (GC)