Gamespot's Best & Worst 2004

[stubby]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/12...s_6115069.html

CATEGORIES AND FINALISTS

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS (FINALISTS):

Best Original Music
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (Xbox, PC)
Halo 2 (Xbox)
Katamari Damacy (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)
Myst IV Revelation (PC)

Most Surprisingly Good Game
City of Heroes (PC)
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball (Xbox)
Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders (Xbox)
TrackMania (PC)

Best Licensed Music
Battlefield Vietnam (PC)
Def Jam: Fight for NY (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Red Dead Revolver (Xbox, PS2)
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)

Best Story
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)
Myst IV Revelation (PC)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GC)

Best Sound Effects
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Half-Life 2 (PC)
Halo 2 (Xbox)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)
Myst IV Revelation (PC)

Best Graphics, Technical
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Doom 3 (PC)
Far Cry (PC)
Half-Life 2 (PC)
Rome: Total War (PC)

Best Voice Acting
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Half-Life 2 (PC)
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors (Xbox)
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Xbox)

Best Graphics, Artistic
Half-Life 2 (PC)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)
Myst IV Revelation (PC)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GC)
World of Warcraft (PC)

Best Expansion Pack
Call of Duty: United Offensive (PC)
IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles - Ace (PC)
Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots (PC)
Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed (PC)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Athena Sword (PC)

Best Game Based on a TV or Film Property
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 (PS2)
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (Xbox, PS2, GC)
The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth (PC)
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Xbox)

Best Budget Game
Colin McRae Rally 04 (Xbox)
ESPN NFL 2K5 (Xbox, PS2)
ESPN NHL 2K5 (Xbox, PS2)
Guilty Gear X2 #Reload (Xbox)
Katamari Damacy (PS2)

Best New Character
The Boss - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)
Dog - Half-Life 2 (PC)
The King of All Cosmos - Katamari Damacy (PS2)
Kreia - Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Xbox)
Ryder - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)

Funniest Game
Alien Hominid (GC, PS2)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Katamari Damacy (PS2)
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude (PC, Xbox, PS2)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GC)

Biggest News
Acclaim shutters offices, staffers ushered off premises
Big Deal: EA and NFL ink exclusive licensing agreement
ESPN NFL 2K5 officially $19.99
PSP hitting Japan on December 12 for $185
Valve vs. Vivendi Universal dogfight heats up in US District Court

Most Innovative Game
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Feel the Magic: XY/XX (DS)
Full Spectrum Warrior (PC, Xbox)
Katamari Damacy (PS2)
Perimeter (PC)

Best Multiplayer Game
Burnout 3: Takedown (Xbox, PS2)
ESPN NFL 2K5 (Xbox, PS2)
Halo 2 (Xbox)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow (Xbox, PC)
Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC)

Best Use of a Celebrity
James Woods (Mike Torreno) - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Jean Reno (Jacques) - Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (PS2)
Samuel L. Jackson (Officer Tenpenny) - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Vin Diesel (Richard B. Riddick) - The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (Xbox, PC)
Willem Dafoe (Nikolai Diavolo) - James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (Xbox, GC, PS2)

Best Original Game Mechanic
Burnout 3: Takedown (Xbox, PS2)
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (Xbox, PC)
Fight Night 2004 (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (Xbox, PS2)
Halo 2 (Xbox)

Most Improved Sequel
Burnout 3: Takedown (Xbox, PS2)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 (PS2)
FIFA Soccer 2005 (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)
Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders (Xbox)
Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC)

DUBIOUS HONORS

Most Despicable Product Placement
Cy Girls (PS2)
Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (Xbox, PS2)
Need for Speed Underground 2 (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)

Worst Use of Celebrity Voices
The Bard's Tale (Xbox, PS2)
Catwoman (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)
ESPN NFL 2K5 (Xbox, PS2)
Need for Speed Underground 2 (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw (PS2)

Most Disappointing Delay
Forza Motorsport (Xbox)
Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)
Resident Evil 4 (GC)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (PC)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (PC, Xbox)

Biggest Disappointment
Driver 3 (Xbox, PS2)
Doom 3 (PC)
Halo 2 (Xbox)
Fable (Xbox)
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Xbox, GC, PS2)

Most Baditude
Need for Speed Underground 2 (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)
NFL Street 2 (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Outlaw Golf 2 (Xbox, PS2)
Pocket Kingdom (NGE)
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)

Most Light Bloom
Def Jam: Fight for NY (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Fable (Xbox)
Hitman: Contracts (PC, Xbox, PS2)
Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders (Xbox)
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)

Worst Use of a Good License
Bad Boys: Miami Takedown (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Fight Club (Xbox, PS2)
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Seven Samurai 20XX (PS2)
Spider-Man 2 (PC)

War of the Year
Vietnam
[The War] on Terror

Best Game No One Played
Codename: Panzers, Phase One (PC)
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors (Xbox)
Silent Storm (PC)
TrackMania (PC)
Wade Hixton's Counter Punch (GBA)

Flat-Out Worst Game
Apocalyptica (PC)
Bad Boys: Miami Takedown (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing (PC)
FBI Hostage Rescue (PC)
Space Raiders (GC)

GENRE AWARDS

Best Action Adventure Game
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (PC, Xbox)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GC)
Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)

Best Shooter
Half-Life 2 (PC)
Halo 2 (Xbox)
Far Cry (PC)
Painkiller (PC)
Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC)

Best Fighting Game
Dead or Alive Ultimate (Xbox)
Def Jam: Fight for NY (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 (PS2)
Guilty Gear X2 #Reload (Xbox)
Mortal Kombat: Deception (Xbox, PS2)

Best Platformer
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror (GBA)
Jak 3 (PS2)
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2)
Sonic Advance 3 (GBA)

Best Adventure Game
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut (Xbox)
Law & Order: Justice is Served (PC)
Myst IV Revelation (PC)
Silent Hill 4: The Room (PC, Xbox)
Syberia II (PC)

Best Driving Game
Burnout 3: Takedown (Xbox, PS2)
Colin McRae Rally 2005 (PC, Xbox)
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup (Xbox, PS2, GC)
Rallisport Challenge 2 (Xbox)
TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Racing Simulator (PC, Xbox)

Best Puzzle/Rhythm Game
Feel the Magic: XY/XX (DS)
Dance Dance Revolution Extreme (PS2)
Karaoke Revolution 3 (PS2)
Katamari Damacy (PS2)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA)

Best Role-Playing Game
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (GC)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GC)
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2)
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Xbox)
Tales of Symphonia (GC)

Best Massively Multiplayer Online Game
City of Heroes (PC)
EverQuest II (PC)
Final Fantasy XI (PS2)
World of Warcraft (PC)

Best Traditional Sports Game
ESPN NFL 2K5 (Xbox, PS2)
ESPN NHL 2K5 (Xbox, PS2)
Fight Night 2004 (Xbox, PS2, GC)
MVP Baseball 2004 (Xbox, PS2, GC)
World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 International (PC, PS2)

Best Alternative Sports Game
Mario Power Tennis (GC)
NBA Ballers (Xbox, PS2)
NFL Street (Xbox, GC, PS2)
Pool Paradise (GC, PS2)
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 (PC, Xbox, GC, PS2)

Best Strategy Game
Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders (Xbox)
Rome: Total War (PC)
Sid Meier's Pirates! (PC)
Silent Storm (PC)
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (PC)

PLATFORM AWARDS

Best N-Gage Game
Asphalt: Urban GT
Colin McRae Rally 2005
FIFA Soccer 2005
Pathway to Glory
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm

Best Game Boy Advance Game
Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Metroid: Zero Mission
Pokémon FireRed Version / Pokémon LeafGreen Version
Sonic Advance 3

Best GameCube Game
Mario Power Tennis
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Pikmin 2
Tales of Symphonia

Best PlayStation 2 Game
Burnout 3: Takedown
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 International

Best Xbox Game
Burnout 3: Takedown
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
Halo 2
Ninja Gaiden
Rallisport Challenge 2

Best PC Game
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay - Developer's Cut
Half-Life 2
Rome: Total War
Unreal Tournament 2004
World of Warcraft

GAME OF THE YEAR (FINALISTS)
To be announced on Tuesday, December 21 (11:00am PST):

GAME OF THE YEAR (WINNER)
To be announced on Wednesday, December 22 (11:00am PST)

READERS' CHOICE AWARDS (Voting Begins Thursday, December 23, 11:00am PST)

PC
Best Action Game
Best Adventure Game
Best Driving Game
Best Role-Playing Game
Best Simulation
Best Sports Game
Best Strategy Game
PC Game of the Year

Xbox
Best Action/Adventure Game
Best Driving Game
Best Role-Playing Game
Best Sports Game
Xbox Game of the Year

GameCube
Best Action/Adventure Game
Best Driving Game
Best Role-Playing Game
Best Sports Game
GameCube Game of the Year

PlayStation 2
Best Action/Adventure Game
Best Driving Game
Best Role-Playing Game
Best Sports Game
PlayStation 2 Game of the Year

Portable
GBA Game of the Year
DS Game of the Year
N-Gage Game of the Year

[Mr. Hunt]

Looks like a good list for the most part... here is what I think should win:

Best Original Music
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Most Surprisingly Good Game
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (and I am judging this off of the Xbox version... and I hear the PC version is much better, which I figured it would be).

Best Licensed Music
Red Dead Revolver

Best Story
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Best Sound Effects
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (seeing a pattern? ... sorry but it is the closest thing to perfection)

Best Graphics, Technical
Doom 3

Best Voice Acting
Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (although I would like to know WHY Metal Gear Solid 3 wasn't in the running :\)

Best Graphics, Artist
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

I will skip the Best Expansion Pack one :\

Best Game Based on a TV or Film Property
Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

I will skip best budget game (haven't played any of them)

Best New Character
The Boss - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Funniest Game
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude

Skipping Most Innovative because I don't think any of the ones listed were very innovative.

Best Multiplayer Game
Unreal Tournament 2004

Best Use of a Celebrity
Jean Reno (Jacques) - Onimusha 3: Demon Siege

Best Original Game Mechanic
Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

Most Improved Sequel
Unreal Tournament 2004 (although I think MGS3 is above MGS2... it isn't an option )

Best Action Adventure Game
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Best Shooter
Unreal Tournament 2004 (seeing as I see no Doom 3 :\)

Best Fighting Game
Mortal Kombat: Deception

Best Adventure Game
Silent Hill 4: The Room

(Skipping Best Gamecube game because none of those interest me and I haven't played them)

Best Playstation 2 Game
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Best Xbox Game
Ninja Gaiden (man... I can't wait for the sequel)

Best PC Game
Unreal Tournament 2004

So there you have it... I am very biased towards the Metal Gear series .

[Riptide]

Chronicles of Riddick really looks to be a surprise hit.

[Seoulstriker]

They say that Doom 3 is the biggest disappointment? F*** gamespot. I thought it was one of the best this year. What a group of f***ing idiots.

[superklye]

Biggest Disappointment
Driver 3 (Xbox, PS2)
Doom 3 (PC)
...

Best Shooter
Half-Life 2 (PC)
Halo 2 (Xbox)
Far Cry (PC)
Painkiller (PC)
Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC)


I think this speaks for itself.

[Mr. Hunt]

Yeah it does... Gamestop sucks .

Your "point" isn't very good since it is some persons opinion (which is stupid since they expected something completely different from what was shown). Doom 3 was always supposed to be a dark "scary" game... that is what we got and it was one of the funnest experiences I had.

[Edge]

Some nice finalists, I'm surprised Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders is getting some (deserved) mention in a few catagories, though I have a feeling it won't win any of them...

Otherwise a decent list, although some of their entries are a bit contradictory to their scores. Halo 2 in the running for "biggest disapointment" when they gave it a 9.4? Seems a bit strange when none of the other games running against it for that "award" even got above 9s. But it certainly looks like Chronicals of Riddick is getting a lot of attention from them, they certainly seemed to love that game. Too bad Breakdown didn't get any recognition though, it should at least be MENTIONED in the innovation or best story line awards, maybe even in best voice acting...but nope, it's completely forgotten

Oh, and isn't this list a little premature? What about the game that are going to be released between now and 2005?

Edit: now that I think about it, why the hell isn't Vampire The Masquarade: Bloodlines in the Best RPG list? Yeesh, Baten Kaitos is on there, I think Bloodlines at least deserves a mention.

[CaptNKILL]

Well I pretty much agree with everything on there. Doom 3 wasnt amazing to me, but I think they are being a bit too hard on it by encluding it in the biggest disapointments. It looks like these guys think the same way I do though. Doom 3 had impressive graphics from a technical standpoint but the artist work didnt impress me even a little bit, so its understandable that they didnt enclude it in the "best graphics artistic" list. I hope Half-Life 2 wins for best artistic graphics. I really enjoyed looking at it

Also, its a shame Flatout isnt in there because it isnt available in the US yet. That game looks amazing, sounds great and is the most fun racing game I have ever played in my entire life. We had a copy sent from the UK, and it truely is AWESOME.

Oh, and Im getting the Chronicles of Riddick for christmas... I cant wait. This game sounds so amazing, and its getting so much praise! I havent seen a surprise game make this kind of impression since Deus Ex (which IMO is probably the best single player PC game ever made).

Hopefully I'll get to finally play Halo 2 around new years. My girlfriend is getting an XBox and Halo 2 for christmas and ill be there for new years. What a great year for gaming!

[superklye]

Originally Posted by Mr. Hunt

Yeah it does... Gamestop sucks .

Your "point" isn't very good since it is some persons opinion (which is stupid since they expected something completely different from what was shown). Doom 3 was always supposed to be a dark "scary" game... that is what we got and it was one of the funnest experiences I had.

Well, thank God this isn't Gamestop and thank God again that I can't have an opinion that agrees with someone else.

[saturnotaku]

Originally Posted by superklye

Well, thank God this isn't Gamestop and thank God again that I can't have an opinion that agrees with someone else.

Gamestop does suck, though at least in Chicago/Rockford, not so much in the South Bend area. But I digress.

How can they have Halo 2 as a nominee for bigges disappointment and best shooter? Wouldn't you think those two would be mutually exclusive?

[Mr. Hunt]

You know I meant gamespot... not my fault those 2 crappy companies have names so similar to each other.

And your opinion is alright... but you need to stop trying to enforce it as a fact.

[ynnek]

Thats funny, I heard the movie was cheezy so I ignored the game.. maybe I'll check it out.

Originally Posted by Riptide

Chronicles of Riddick really looks to be a surprise hit.