Just a round-up for anyone interested in what I was playing last year. Keep in mind I had basically no money in 2007, so this is by no means taken from the full list of quality titles that came out last year. Just the ones I cared enough to fork out for, or at least rent (or liberally borrow from the internet, but only in a few cases. Honest.) :
1. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
- Sort of obvious, really. A pureblooded Mario platformer is on average as fun as supermodels in jello, and this one was the best one yet.
2. Mass Effect (XB360)
- My XB360 game of the year is Bioware's Mass Effect, a game I ended up renting three times overall. The combat never gets boring (despite having rather dumb enemies for an FPS) and the exploration elements were top-notch - I loved scanning the planets for valuables and reading their detailed histories (I know, nerdy). What this game really does for me, though, is create that optimistic Dark Chronicle feeling: that the first game was the flawed experiment of a new format which the inevitable sequel will nail perfectly.
3. Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
- Technically a 2006 game, though Europe (and therefore I) didn't get to play it until February of last year. Fantastic game that distanced itself from the tired traditions of the series while retaining the Final Fantasy charm.
4. Bioshock (XB360)
- Bioshock already got reviewed once by me. It's somewhere on the blog, go look for it.
5. Rogue Galaxy (PS2)
- My inevitable Level-5 entry, Rogue Galaxy was a little more generic than Dark Chronicle but still maintained a high level of RPGing quality with much, much to do by way of sidequests and the like. The weapon system was similar but improved, the Hunter missions were fun and time-absorbing and the whole setting - an intergalactic pirate ship out to find the galaxy's greatest treasure one planet at a time - is perfect for an exploration-based RPG. Outshone by Mass Effect in terms of sheer spectacle and size, but a great little game nonetheless.
6. Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 (DS)
Yep, compulsory elitist video game snob entry of a Japanese-only release with a unpronounceable name. Ouendan 2 is a sequel to the similarly-named hit DS rhythm game and continues its mission to bring cheer and bolster confidence to people on the edge of failing some monumental event of their lives. As well as the comedy aspect (largely intact despite the dialogue being entirely in Japanese), the game continues to be devilishly difficult and fun at the same time. The songs have improved and a few very convenient features have been added (some from the ill-received US version, Elite Beat Agents). It's a nigh-perfect DS game.
7. Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)
- Widely reported to be the best DS game of 2007 and one I'd agree with if I hadn't wasted an exorbitant amount of time on Ouendan 2. A similar case to Mario Galaxy: the Zelda developers could've phoned it in - the name alone would've shifted a million copies without even trying - but went ahead and created a fantastic, innovative game anyway.
8. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2)
- Valkyrie Profile 2 is the first chance, along with the PSP port of the original, for many European gamers to play this fantastic Norse God-based RPG series from Tri-Ace. You only have a small cast of "normal" human characters - the bulk of your adventuring group comes from Einherjar: the glorious dead that the Valkyries are charged with delivering to Asgard, the home of the Gods. This dynamic party of characters, coupled with unique 2D exploration and an almost-real-time strategic battle system brings together one of the finest RPGs I played last year.
9. Metroid Prime III (Wii)
- Included as part of the "most improved" category. The second game kind of dropped the ball, giving the game an interesting (if occasionally exasperating) gimmick but nothing else new. The third takes full advantage of the Wii, no mean feat for an already stable engine, as well as adding a whole bunch of cool new elements, such as remote controlling your ship to assist you in crucial missions.
10. Eledees (Wii)
- Guilty pleasure time. Eledees (Elebits in the US) is essentially hide-and-seek with a HL2-esque gravity gun, allowing you to throw the furniture around as you seek out tiny electric-based lifeforms and capture them. The more you capture, the more power the surrounding electronic objects gain and the resulting power boost increases the weight limit of the items you can toss around. It becomes addictive fun very quickly and perfect for those of us who have always wanted to trash a house with little effort.
Ten Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
Blue Dragon (XB360) (Cute RPG with lots to explore but essentially flawed)
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS) (Terrific 2D Castlevania, like most of them)
Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol (DS) (Brilliant sequel to the GC classic)
Drawn to Life (DS) (Innovative "draw the stuff you need" platformer)
Eternal Sonata (XB360) (Another cute RPG with repetition problems)
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales (DS) (Minigames galore in this card-battling curio)
God of War II (PS2) (Hyper-violent, button-mashing myth-them-up)
Overlord (XB360) (Like Pikmin, only with way more carnage and farting)
Puzzle Quest (DS) (Bejeweled/Zoo Keeper with a great RPG built around it)
Super Paper Mario (Wii) (A decent, but not amazing, RPG/Platformer hybrid)
Games I didn't get to play but will acknowledge that they may have made the top ten list had I played them: COD4, Guitar Hero 2 (and 3, and Rock Band for that matter), Orange Box (including Portal, which sounds great), Crackdown and either of the new Pokemon
Games which were out in 2007 in Japan/US but aren't out until 2008 in Europe and may make next year's list: Beautiful Katamari, Persona 3, Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaro's Treasure.
And finally, fuck Halo 3.
Thank you and good night.
