CCIV: Game of the Year 2001 - Round Six

[Neon Ignition]

A weekend bonus as the sixth round opens, the next line up of games emerges for a face off, but who will make it through to the final?


Which of the above games are among the best of 2001 and why?

[Cepp]

Not Legend of Mir that's for sure! I've got some good memories of it though after discovering it on Game Network

[fuse]

The Hudson River, two years ago.

[Neon Ignition]

I'm going to give LM the recognition it wasn't given at the time it released

I hovered over MGS2 because even now the level of detail is insane but... the bulk of the game is amongst the weakest of the four MGS's.


That's right, I said four

[teddymeow]

MK Super Circuit, Luigi's Mansion, MGS2: oh my!!

[Hirst]

Not Legend of Mir that's for sure! I've got some good memories of it though after discovering it on Game Network

HEY GAMERS! Or whatever it was that GJ Noel used to say.

[wakka]

Solidus Snake:

Unlike an intron of history, I will be remembered as an exon. That will be my legacy, my mark on history. But the Patriots would deny us even that, I will triumph over the Patriots, and liberate us all. And we will become the Sons of Liberty!"

Me, aged 11:

*nods sagely*

->Open Spoiler<-

Yeah, MGS2 all the way. Absolutely GOATed game. Holding the guards up and shooting out their radios blew my mind. As a kid and a colossal fanboy of the first game I absolutely loved it. In retrospect I think the first game is better, but MGS2 was ridiculously playable and fun, with tons of style.

Such a great score by Harry Gregson Williams, too.

Honourable mentions to Super Circuit and Kuru Kuru Kururin which were really great GBA games at the time, but can't really hold a candle for me to what an astonishing experience MGS2 was at the time.

BTW I guessed immediately where Fatman's bomb was. I got trolled with Meryl's codec in game 1 and it wasn't gonna happen again.

[QualityChimp]

I was reading the game list like "no, no, no, no, no MAX PAYNE!"

Bloody love Max Payne. What a great game.
I played it on PC, quicksaving every encounter, so that I could redo every single shootout in the coolest way possible.
That first section where you're in the subway, burst open a door to find a load of perps in there, so you go to slow motion and dive through the opening, twin Berettas flashing, a can of Coke spinning from a stray bullet in a carbonated water jet and you meticulously take aim at the bad guys before they have time to react.

The bastard child of John Woo and the Matrix who read too many pulp noir novels. Top tier.
I rinsed all the mods, including the one that let you play The Lobby Scene from The Matrix.



Obviously MGS2 is going to win, though.
I remember rinsing the demo and tranquilising a guard then HIDING HIM IN A LOCKER LIKE IN AN ACTION MOVIE!
Mind BLOWN!

[Asura]

Yeah, MGS2 is clearly going to run away with it. I remember going out at 8am for an early shop-opening on launch day to get it, and pulling a sickie to play it to completion, which I managed around 4am IIRC.

But a couple of other honourable mentions...

I remember playing a lot of Mech Platoon. It was effectively an attempt to do Starcraft on the GBA and while it wasn't amazing, it's distinguished because I think it's the only isometic RTS game available on the platform.

Also, Megaman Battle Network is a real gem which went overlooked by much of the gaming press at the time. Unfortunately, Capcom, as they are wont to do, absolutely pummled it into submission with about 7 follow-ups in 3-4 years (I may have the numbers slightly out but you get the point) but they started off well.

[MartyG]

Microsoft Train Simulator was awesome.