GamesTM 51 Scores

[MattyD]

And so we once again enter that phase of the lunar cycle that finds us waxing dialectical over arbitrarily-assigned numerical signifiers of quality.

Here?s the goods:

Gears of War: 10 (front cover says "game of the year")
Guild Wars: Nightfall: 8
GTA Vice City Stories: 8
Sonic the Hedgehog (360): 5
Wii Sports: 6
Medieval 2: Total War: 8
Red Steel: 5
Warhammer: Mark of Chaos: 7
Guitar Hero 2: 9
F.E.A.R. (360): 8
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: 9
Call of Duty 3: 8
Lumines 2: 8
Rainbow Six: Vegas: 9
Gunpey Reverse (DS): 8
Need for Speed Carbon: 7
Phantasy Star Universe: 4
Tony Hawks Project 8 (360): 8
Pathalogic: 8
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii): 7
Wii Play: 3
Mario vs Donkey Kong 2: 7
Tingle?s Freshly Picked, Rose-Coloured Rupee Land: 6
Crusty Demons: 3
PDC World Championship Darts: 7

Cover is reversable with the 'prroper' side showing Resistance: Fall of Man - "The best thing on PS3, but can one game carry a console?" and the back is an advert in the style of a front cover, showing Guild Wards Nightfall.

Features on AI, the industry movers and shakers, and a Games Bible on platformers (primary colour schemes FTW )

Retro has an interview with Alexey Pajitnov and a guide to collecting Metal Gear / Kojima-related games and merchandise.

And guess what, factoid fans: Resistance: Fall of Man is set in Grimsby

[MattyD]

Now for my tuppence-happeny's worth: Gears of War, as good as Metroid Prime? I'd hesitate to say that. It's close, real close, but... i'll have to let it sink in, and finish the solo campaign on Insane, but I think it just might be a gnat's danglies off a ten (if only for the piss-poor squadmate AI EDIT - and AWFUL online lobby system).

Also note how the Wii reviews not only garnered poor scores but were tucked away in the cheapseats. That doesn't bode well for those looking to buy a machine in a forthnight's time - but since Zelda is getting universal acclaim there should be at least one Wii launch title worth playing.

[Big Seany]

Thanks Matt - can you expand at all on the Wii Play review? Was looking forward to that. Why such a low score? Must be something fundamentally bad about it, or maybe it is limited in scope?

Also, am deffo getting the darts game - perfect post-pub stuff.

[MattyD]

Thanks Matt - can you expand at all on the Wii Play review?

The (short) review says the controls are too clumsy on most of the games and the rest are too short-lived. I also get the impression it's basically a bunch of tech demos put on disc, and not really something you'd go out and buy on its own if it wasn't bundled with a remote.

[Team Andromeda]

GOW getting a 10 is pushing it just a bit . F.E.A.R is way better for me . Nice to see Rainbow 6 get a good score , after the joke that was the EDGE review

[PeteJ]

So many good reviews this month, it's crazy.

Shame they made so little of the Wii though - Zelda, one of the biggest titles of the year, gets reviewed after Sonic, Guild Wars, Red Steel etc etc...and monkey ball gets a tiny half page review at the back. Was hoping for a bit more of a impact, make the launch a little bit more exciting...

[sj33]

Once again, PSU has been criminally underrated.

[Pirotic]

Wii Sports just a 6? that's a shame.

[Concept]

No way a 10.

Both Edge and GamesTM have undervalued and overvalued the game it would seem by the scores.

Oblivion is game of the year.

[MartyG]

If Gears was being scored on the way it looks alone it'd be a definite 10 - it's glorious looking Act three in particular, but, I don't believe it has the legs to carry it to GotY. Without doubt it's a great game, and I've really enjoyed playing it, but give it a few more weeks and I reckon we'll have moved on to the next great game ( I'm still playing Oblivion ).

I'd agree with you Concept, Oblivion remains GotY for me.

[merf]

the old game score argument rears its ugly head yet again.

i took Oblivion back to the shop as thought it was awful, at the moment quite agree that GoW is the game of the year.

one mans terrorist is anothers freedom fighter and all that I guess.

[El Leone]

Can't stand Oblivion anymore. Too stale and once you've completly completed it you're left in a fairly boring world. Hasn't been my GOTY for awhile now. Dead Rising took the throne of it and now Gears has. I myself would probably give Gears a 9/10, although i'm not complaining if people give it 10/10

[sputnick]

No way a 10.

Both Edge and GamesTM have undervalued and overvalued the game it would seem by the scores.

Oblivion is game of the year.

oblivion is game of the millenium so far for me, so much depth and quality.........truly a next gen title well before the whole gears of war hype began.

[sputnick]

Can't stand Oblivion anymore. Too stale and once you've completed it you're left in a fairly boring world. Hasn't been my GOTY for awhile now. Dead Rising took the throne of it and now Gears has. I myself would probably give Gears a 9/10, although i'm not complaining if people give it 10/10

oblivion had sooo much more to do than simply finish the single player quest, the guild missions were ace for example.

[El Leone]

Yeah, Done that as well. Lemme edit "completly" into my original post.