Hey Drew,

Here's my top 5 of 2001, and I don't think many will agree with it:

5) Super Smash Bros. Melee: The imporovements that Nintendo made on their original, quirky idea for the N64 have really made it *the* game for multiplayer madness. Great graphics, sound, lots of extras, a single-player mode worthy of the title, and a decent new-character selection make it a definite improvement over the original. However, it still lacks the depth of past fighting gems like Soul Calibur and the Vs. series, so it isn't the best game ever (as some would fanatically want you to believe).

4) Final Fantasy X: Reasons for this game being one of the Top 5 need not be repeated, but the game's overdependance on cutscenes that don't do enough to flesh the game out and excess linearity make it "less than the best".

3) Metal Gear Solid 2: A great narrative, great gamelay and great presentation. Unlike most, I have no problem with Rose and Raiden's/Emma and Otacon's relationships (but then again, I thoroughly enjoyed The Royal Tenenbaums, so maybe I'm a stickler for dysfunctionality) or the _stupidest_ complaint ever, not being able to play as Snake through the entire game. It is Kojima's story, not yours - and no matter how much of a hard-on you have for Snake, the way the characters were portrayed was *much better* than in MGS. How much more character development can you go through from a first-person perspective? The game is still very much about Snake, but it gives you a radically different view of him while still encompassing the development of other characters. And as for the Rose-Raiden "shut her up" complaints, I personally believe that's just some macho-ism shining through in most cases, not wanting a woman prattling on about stupid things like -relationships- during their testosterone-charged killing sprees. This is one of the few games I would call the gaming equivalent of a "film" (as opposed to "movie"), if such a word existed. The only fault tht I percieved in the game is the actual presentation of scenes - usually too many at the same time, especially at the end.

2) Wizardry: Tales of the Forsaken Land: Wow. Picking this game up with Wizardry 8 without any high expectations for it (and high ones for W8), I am torn apart as to which one to play more. The characters, the setting, the gameplay - classic Wizardry, given the "Persona" treatment (beautiful anime portraits for unique characters, moon influencing outcome of item creation, meaningful NPC dialogue, etc.) I can't stop playing this game, and I love it more every second I do. I am continually surprised at how much NPC and even PC development the game contains, and even the most barren dungeon becomes lively and entertaining - not to say the dungeon is barren, of course, but hell, it's a d-u-n-g-e-o-n. Impressive graphics too, although that isn't the real selling point of the game. The ambience the graphics create, similar to Silent Hill 2, is where they excel. I hope you guys review it soon, and if you don't give it a good score I'll just chalk it up to the evolution of the RPG standard from Bard's Tale/Wizardry to FF and then smack each and every one of you with a halibut.

1) Dance Dance Revolution: Not necessarily the US version, but the game in general. Discovering it over the summer, I have't been able to stop playing it since. The game not only is innovative, entertaining, and deep, but it creates a sense of community like no other - just go look at the internet communities that have sprung up over this *dancing game*. The game has also taught me a great deal (such as how not to be embarrased in public, even when doing something people might look down on - screw them, I'm enjoying myself, and that's all that matters when it comes right down to it), and improved my level of fitness, something which _no other_ game has ever done. I can say so many good things about this game, and so few bad things. Sure, a good home pad is a little expensive, the arcade version is better, and the best versions are japanese (but easy to import), but those are little kinks in the grandness that is DDR.

Honorable mentions go out to Silent Hill 2 (creepy but repetitive), Tony Hawk 3 (awesome but non-revolutionary w/o online support), Devil May Cry (fun but hollow), Frequency (great, but not as good as Beatmania IIDX), and ICO (a masterpiece, but saddeningly short).

Drew,

1. Grand Theft Auto 3

This earns my top spot simply because it has the most lasting appeal for a game this year. It very easily could have been a title selling entirely on shock value, but it does not limit itself to being just another 'violent' game. Oh yes, its definately the most "M" of any "M" rated game on the market, but its one with content that should be noted by ANYONE who likes freedom/exploration as a game theme. With the dream combination of a Shenmue-ish engine, Driver vehicle mechanics, and even a small bit of Microsoft Flight Simulator, its invitation to enjoy the game on your own terms won it's no. 1 spot for me.

2. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Majora's Mask, for me, was one of the most fun romps through an adventure game in a long time. It's biggest weakness, sacrificed longevity, is also one of it's biggest strengths. Aside from the area in the introduction and a couple of scenes involving Tatl, any part of Zelda MM's storyline or sidequests can be _redone at any point in time_ due to it's "Groundhogs Day" setup. Considering the sheer mass of things to do, and the ability to redo a story at a moment's notice makes MM one of the most intuitive games of this year. I'd like some RPGs to take notice of this formula, and thus eliminate the need for "replay value" entirely.

3. Dragon Warrior 7

Numbers don't lie, even in Japan. Unlike mostgames on the market, Dragon Warrior 7 refuses to carry you along for it's ride. Its not a game to sweep you away with interesting characters, fascinating lands, or any of that. In order to enjoy it, you must enter the game world as yourself and keep all but the barest connection with the other characters. Once you stop caring about falling behind in the game levelwise, storywise, WHATEVER... and care more about what YOU... YOU, not some hero... are going to do next, the game's true colors reveal themselves. Once you put yourself into the game, any heroic accomplishment that follows feels like one YOU made, rather than helped or "coached" a character into doing.

4. Final Fantasy X

Well, Final Fantasy 7 has officially entered the Rose Colored Glasses of the FF yesteryear and has now joined FF4 and FF6 upon Mount "Final Fantasy" Olympus of RPGs. Its sad that Square had to rush development of the game, and the two games following it, or it wouldn't have taken that long. But when Squaresoft takes their time, like the three years that went into FFX, sometimes the game is born for glory. What can I say that hasn't been said, whether it be about Sphere Grid, Blitzball, or what have you? Instead of going through the "Old Schooler" flogging gauntlet that FF7-FF9 had to go through, FFX had jumped past the whole thing in a fashion that hasn't been seen since FF6. Bravo Squaresoft. This game has gone a LONG way to restoring my consumer confidence in you.

5. Metal Gear Solid 2

This is the most linear game on the market. You are so force-fed the story, you half expect the game package to come with a bib with little duckies printed on them. But how many ultra-linear games on the market have gameplay that rewards you for thinking outside the cardboard box? Simply put, this game would not be interesting to me if there wasn't so much detail put into it besides following the main story. Absurd easter eggs are abundant to put lots of laughter in an otherwise tense game. These you find on your own... or... well... lets just say that close to the end are some lines to give "All your base" a run for it's money. It made my list 'cuz if a story is so well woven it actually causes me to take a break to vomit from it's sudden turns, its worth it!

Dear weekend the Agent:

Here is my list, and i'll try to be brief with my justifications.

1 - ICO. I had the poor fortune of twisting my ankle something serious right after I had brought ICO home, and with few distractions (housemates bearing Hot Pockets aside), made it through the game within 24 hours of getting it. The only reason I knew I wasn't dreaming while playing it (besides the terrible searing pain of a well-swollen ankle) was that, nerd that i am, my dreams featuring video games are audio-only. Huh.

2 - Star Wars : Rogue Leader. I wore out an A button because of this game, and I'm just about done with the gold medals. I waited for this game my whole life.

3 - Rez. The number 2 reason I hate Europe, cause I can't afford me no Xbox. Referred to by a friend as the only video game they can stand to watch.

4 - Super Monkey Ball. The game so addictive, it's making one of my housemates scheme to write it for the Dreamcast. (I tried to stop him. He's already spent $200 to start working on it.)

5 - Castlevania: Circle of the Moon. This game had me at "hello". Luckily, it came out when the sun wasn't a stranger to these parts. Took more batteries than any other game on my list.

Honorable mentions - haven't had enough time to get _all_ up in they:

Paper Mario
Metal Gear Solid 2
Dragon Warrior VII
Halo
Madden 2002

Tear away, eh?

B

Straight to the point:

5. Pikmin (GC). Resource harvesting thats fun, micro-management in a completely new way, all within the first (successful) timed adventure I can possibly remember.

4. Advance Wars (GBA). The most tactical fun I've had since playing Front Mission 3. The war appears simple, but if you're not careful, you'll spend hours on the wrong side of the re-creation of Stalingrad. Why, oh why is my CO so cheerful after 2 hours of losses?

3. Final Fantasy X (PS2). Okay, the story has its share of bugs. Random Battles should be abolished. I don't see any reason why a gamer could have fun dodging lightning. Despite all that, I kept pushing through the story, desperate to see how it all turned out. That is the mark of a good video game.

2. Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2). Okay, the story has its share of bugs...wait, didn't I just say that? All great things are judged by what came before it, and in that respect MGS2 moves ahead of Final Fantasy X. With the eve of the Gamecube launch near, and a weekend rapidly running out of steam, neither sleep nor food nor bodily fluids could keep me from finishing the game. Every stomach growl and bowel movement was silenced when those Metal Gear Ray's came to play "catch".

1. Shadow of Destiny (PS2). Like "Memento" and "The Truman Show", it came out too early to be remembered by the time awards season came around, but it was easily the most fresh and exciting example of a game I've seen this year. Its truly a credit to the development team when you can look at other titles on the shelf (Tsugunai, for example) and wonder why they don't use the exact same system as SoD.

And all of that praise is without mentioning the most well-thought out replay ever - multiple endings (like Chrono Trigger), but with the cumulative ending as well (EX mode).

Brilliant!

KZ

All hail Drew,

Praise be to Yevon. My top five games of the year start with Pikmin. Although it was extremely too short and boring after 10 minutes it gets top billing for creativity. The ending could have used work (just a coincidence it was 3 onions and red blue and yellow carrots in his soup?) the rest was jsut plain new and kool.

Next comes Arcanum. I don't care what kind of reviews anyone gives it its an awesome game. It gets points just for trying to be a one player Everquest. On my computer it looks like a very cool chess game but screw graphics i play for the game not some pretty packaging.

Third is Halo. Its pretty it kicks ass and you get to kick ass in more ways than a marine can kill you. There nuff said.

Fourth comes the everunknown Giants: Citizen Kabuto. I don't care that it was a PC game it came out last year for PS2 so it fits. You are 5 sex-starved idiots, the Princess of Bitchland, and a King Kong with a kill switch. It doesn't get better than that. Oh and you get the dry English humor which i love (monty python and the quest for the holy grail is great)

THe top game of 2001 is no surprise FFX. Girls, Love, Aeons (Espers was a better name), Swords and Underwater footsketball (basketball and football). It has everything including the little red arrow that helps you not get lost. But where's Mog?

Thats it i am done. Oh and Bahamut is god.

---Dragonius, Emperor of the Confederacy of Man located on Planet Bob

Nic's Top Five Games of 2001:

1. ICO (Sony) -- The best damn six hours I've spent with all my roommates. They should bundle this in with the PS2 so everyone can be enlightened to the wonder that is ICO.

2. Phantasy Star Online (Sega/Sonic Team) -- I don't think I have ever or will ever spend as much time on one videogame as this one. I bought PSO on launch day last year and I've got around 250 hours into my Humar, and I'm still missing some great weapons.

3. Final Fantasy X (Squaresoft) -- This might have made number two on my list, but I was only able to play fifteen hours of it in 2001 due to the fact that I finished FFIX (never owned a PSX) on December 27th.

4. Grand Theft Auto III (Take Two/Rockstar) -- I hated GTA I and II but this was one is pure magic, if you're over 17 mind you. This game has attracted many people who would never give videogames the time of day before. My girlfriend whose previous favorite videogame was Konami's "Cabbage Patch Kids Adventures In The Park" for the Colecovision is smitten with Rock Star's gem.

5. Halo (Bungie/Microsoft) -- Other than Counter-Strike, I hate shooters, but Halo is in a league of it's own. Two-player cooperative mode is a blast.

Honorable Mentions: Klonoa 2, Golden Sun, Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Castlevania: Circle Of The Moon.

-Nicolas George