2003's gaming - mid-year analysis/review?

[Geoff D]

Now that we're at a halfway point through the year, how do we think 2003 is going as a gaming year? Classic? Or just ordinary?

I'm sensing that the latter half of the year is going to eclipse part 1 - there are some amazing looking products being released over the next 2-3 months - VJ, F-Zero, Initial D, Slug 3 etc. - plenty to get excited about there, with titles like FF:CC, WE7 etc bringing up the rear.

Personally, I've felt that 2003 has taken a walking start rather than a run & jump to get going - some highlights including, but not exclusively, US releases of Zelda & Panzer Orta, but I'm also feeling very positive about the next 6 months.

Any opinions?

[?pint]

I think 2003 is going to be one of those years that'll disappoint tremendously, as I think Wind Waker was probably the only astonishing game to be released. There will be tonnes of pap that nobody gives a damn about, which is a shame really. Still, it won't be as bad as last year (probably one of the worst gaming years in a long time, imo). There are a few things I'm looking forward to - Viewtiful Joe, F-Zero - and if everything goes right I'll have a few amazing games at the end of the year I can be playing.

[Concept]

The two standout games by far for me in the first half of the year have been PDO and Silent Hill 3. I've not really played all that much of Zelda yet to comment, but I intend to check it out again when I get the time.

Of course if you're a PAL gamer, then March was an absolutely mad month, seeing about 10-15 AAA titles released in a three week spell.

For the rest of the year:

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Well Doom III, Half-Life 2, Deus Ex 2 on the PC.

F-Zero, Viewtiful Joe, Giftpia (US), Mario Kart: Double Dash, Killer 7 (not sure if it's 2004 now), Resident Evil 4 on the GC.

Fable, BC, PGR 2, True Fantasy Live Online, Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox.

Resident Evil Outbreak, Jak & Daxter 2, Gradius V, R-Type: Final, GT4, Eye Toy, Castlevania on the PS2.

There's some good stuff on the horizon, albeit stuffed with an unhealthy dose of the sequel bug.

[PeteJ]

The general quality this year has been quite low, but contrast to this there have been a number of real class acts.

Made in Wario, Zelda and Silent Hill 3 to name three of the best.

After Fzero and Viewtiful Joe there isn't really anything until the end of the year for me. KOTOR looks good on the Xbox though....

[Max M]

Hmm, I don't think it's been too good this year so far. I've mainly been picking up old PAL Xbox and PS2 games that I've missed.

The second half of the year looks amazing though, especially the US GameCube line-up.

[2097]

2003 has been great so far..

After an empty end to last year the GC has been on overload in terms of PAL releases, with Zelda: The Wind Waker, Metriod Prime, Ikaruga, Skies Of Arcadia Legends, Super Monkey Ball 2, Sonic Mega Collection, Resident Evil Zero and Warioworld (out this friday - although it seems a bit iffy as nowhere has reviewed it!).

The GBA has had Warioware Inc. and Donkey Kong Country... Even the PSone has had some decent releases in the way of Final Fantasy Origins and Jinx.

The only PC game ive got this year is the rollercoaster tycoon 2 addon and i dont have an xbox.

What has been a disapointment so far in 2003 is the PS2. There has been very little of interest, since the end of last year ive gone from being a major ps2 addict to playing the nintendo consoles instead. Stuff like primal, sly raccoon and mark of kri were too flawed to be worth the bother.. this year the only ps2 games ive bought have been: SOS: The Final Escape - which I enjoyed more than ICO.. until i got stuck and never played it again. Wild Arms 3 = crap beyond belief. Syberia = I love it but even then its a conversion of a year old PC game that no-one noticed and sold about 10 copies.

Music 3000 looks nice, but its basically MTVMG2 again but slightly bigger.. Silent Hill 3 looks nice too.. but its just silent hill 2 again.. and i never completed the others so its just gonna be a waste of money..

[Mr Ono]

FIRST HALF OF YEAR:

Good:
WE6:FE (Cube)
PN03 (Cube)
Zelda WW (Cube)
Wario Ware Inc (GBA)
GBA Player
PDO (XBox)
Burnout 2 (Cube/XBox)
Metroid Prime PAL (Cube)
Green XBox
Soul Calibur 2 (all)
Hori Arcade Sticks (all)

Bad:
Lack of XBox only releases.
Animal Crossing PAL no show.
PC gaming - drying up?
PS2 - same old same old.
Enter the Matrix


SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR:

Good:
Doom III (PC)
Half Life 2 (PC)
F-Zero GX (Cube)
Viewtiful Joe (Cube)
Mariokart DD (Cube)
Gradius V (PS2)
R-Type Final (PS2)

Bad:
Halo 2 delayed
Tomb Raider 4 - the Enter the Matrix for Jul-Dec
Lack of XBox only releases
PS2 price.

[Streets Of Rage]

The only really good games for me so far this year have been zelda and ikaruga (not released this year but i didnt get it till this year ), however im really looking forward to the second half of the year, Initial D, F Zero and Viewtiful Joe are all games im really looking forward to, also i havent yet got VF4 Evo but shud get it on US release, im looking forward to that and Soul Calibur 2 as well, roll on the summer, 6 weeks of F Zero

[Che Musashi]

For Musashi san this has been a great year for games. I'll remember 2003 as the year I stopped waiting for games, well their US release.

On the GC front I had PN3,Mr. Driller Drill Land and at the end of this month Viewtiful Joe!!!! oh yeah and Zelda was bucketloads of fun.

PS2 - Soul Calibur 2, and I was able to track down an import My Cooking not to mention a few other strange titles. Also of note the discount releases of Gunbird (Mobile Light Force) and Shikigami no Shiro (Mobile Light Force 2)!

GBA - Wario Ware, Pokemon Ruby, and Boktai looks good. There's probably some other stuff but who cares.

Either way 2003 I think I hit my gaming peak. I deeply debate weather I should get the Namco Drum Game or Mr. Driller G. I never had so many choices in gaming, now that I no longer fear the language barrier.

Also on the horizon I got the US release of Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution and July off to catch up. I think 2003 has been a groovy gaming year. Let my fellow Americans wait like a bunch of cattle, my days of patience are over. I only buy the US version to understand the story if I need too, or because we get it first. Thanks NTSC-uk!

[lordcookie]

Well I think the start of the year has been really good. Most big games get released towards the end of each year yet we have seen Zelda, Made in Wario, VF4 evo (it was released this year and not last wasnt it?), SC2, Naruto, PDO, GB Player, the PAL territories are getting Psyvariar and thats just to name a few titles.

The end of the year is looking really special too.

How many games can we all really play anyway? There are enough great titles released so far this year to certainly keep me happy.

[eva-01]

The first 6 months of 2003 have been amazing.. Even if you're only taking into consideration the US/JPN releases!

IMHO, the best game on each 'next-generation' console has been released this year.. Zelda (US) on GC, Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution on PS2, Panzer Dragoon Orta (US) on XB and Made in Wario on GBA.

Not to mention other A+ games:

Silent Hill 3 (PS2)
DoDonPachi Dai-Oujou (PS2)
PN03 (GC)
Pokemon Ruby & Saphire (GBA)

Oh and June isn't over yet.. We still have Viewtiful Joe (GC) and Initial D (PS2) to be released on the 26th in Japan. w00t!

~ z4<k ^_^

[Systemshock]

I've enjoyed this year alot, with Metroid Prime, Animal Crossing, Super Monkey Ball, Super Mario Sunshine, Zelda TWW all pretty stunning (got a cube at the turn of the year in case its not obvious). Oh and Fusion on GBA (still playing Link to the Past but I'm not sure about it yet).

PS2 hasn't been good at all though and although I don't own an Xbox the only game I rue missing is Panzer Dragoon Orta.

My PC has now lost most of its game playing ability but hoping to kick start that again with a brand spanking new one towards the end of the year (Half Life 2, Doom III, Rome TW and Halo sounds pretty damn good to me).

[MD]

Huh? What? The year is 2003 is it? Oh right.

If someone said name a 2003 release title to me, I would probably struggle, Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire, VF4 Evo, Windwaker and KOF 2002 (DC) the only games I can remember. There looks like lots of good stuff coming out, Initial D, F-Zero GX, GT4, Half Life 2, so maybe 2003 will be a reasonable year.

Still no Outrun 2 tho. :/