Critics Club IV: Game of the Year 1999 - The Final

[Neon Ignition]

Time to take the results of the prior ten rounds and bring the final year of the decade toward a close. Taking the highest voted games, we add them together for the final vote off.


Which of the above games truly where the best released in 1999 and why?

[phillv85]

It has to be 3S for me. THPS was great, but has been bettered, I don’t think 3rd Strike has.

[Atticus]

Shenmue still stands as the most ambitious game I can remember. The experience is something I’ll never forget.

[Cepp]

Tough list, but if I limit myself to just one, it would be THPS. It was that or Virtua Tennis.

[Colin]

Shenmue was awesome in its day, but I'd never feel the need to play through it again. Has to be MOTW for me as it's never stopped being regularly played by me from then to now.

[Neon Ignition]

One more day to cast your vote!

[QualityChimp]

Tony Hawks on that list, but realistically, I much prefer RollerCoaster Tycoon, Quake III, Unreal Tournament, Kingpin, Driver and Typing of the Dead over anything in the final's list. *Shrug*

[wakka]

An easy one for me. Shenmue all the way.

Kind of want to play it through again actually.

[Anpanman]

Bangai-O and Crazy Taxi for me, remember seeing CT for the first time in Game on the massive projection thingy TV at the front of the shop, looked ace and graphics wise kicked the PS1's arse.

Loved the customers comments in the game which I still use today.

BO had some excellent gameplay once you got into the zone with it.

[Neon Ignition]

A good year for Dreamcast

[tokyochojin]

Crazy Taxi, Powerstone, 3rd Strike and Virtua Tennis are all amazing games but Shenmue was life-changing for me.

[Asura]

Looks like Shenmue has got it.

I dunno... I loved Shenmue at the time. I was excited about it for months and I think I played it back-to-back numerous times after getting it. But the years have been pretty unkind to it; I find it hard to go back to.

[Neon Ignition]

The final three based on which game took third place first:


01 - Shenmue
02 - Crazy Taxi
03 - Street Fighter III: Third Strike

[QualityChimp]

I only got a Dreamcast in the last 5 years or so and one of the first games I tried was Shenmue, but found it unplayable after decades of twin stick gaming. I also struggled with the Ace Combat clone for the same reason.

So I have no attachment, nostalgically, to Shenmue and can't get into it now, but it was definitely groundbreaking at the time.
I remember a review where they'd basically followed someone around as they pootled about town.
I did a similar thing in RDR2, remembering the Shenmue review and it's fascinating to see the tiny things the developers come up with to make their virtual world feel alive.

I'm deffo revisiting some of the other games I preferred though, so thanks again for these threads, Neon!
It's a fun trip down memory lane and an opportunity to discover/rediscover some past gems.

[fuse]

Lots of great games on this list...

... but Third Strike was robbed