Dave's Top Five Picks of 2005
5. God of War (PS2)
Publisher: SCEA Developer: SCE Santa Monica Studios
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In all my years, never did I expect to see one of a system's swan songs loaded with gore, mythical beasts and busty, topless maidens. A story of revenge, retribution and debauchary, SCEA Santa Monica's God of War is amongst the 3D action elite. It's an action game that while scant on new gameplay elements -- save for the "mini-game" action events -- does everything we've seen before better than most have done it. It's dark, violent, bloody, and malevolent; it's a thing of beauty. Kratos' story may be no more than a tale of vengeance, but it's a compelling and enjoyable one, and a true testament to just how far the PS2 has come.
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4. Mario Kart DS (GBA)
Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo
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Mario Kart is a series that needs no introduction. Ever since its SNES debut, it's a franchise that has been a staple of every Nintendo platform since. From the wonderful Mario Kart 64 to the questionably great Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, every version has brought something new to the table. With Mario Kart DS, it's the first time you can get your kart on against players from all over the world via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection. Though online play itself isn't revolutionary, what's revolutionary about Mario Kart DS's Wi-Fi capabilities is the fact it's free. It marks a milestone for the series, and in all honesty, for Nintendo as a whole.
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3. Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat (GameCube)
Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Namco
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Okay, so the game revolves around what may be the GameCube's most gimmick-ish peripheral, the DK Bongos. But who the hell cares? Regardless of the control mechanism, Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat harkens back to the days of the SNES, and RARE's killer Donkey Kong Country franchise. Though the graphics have changed -- ACM went out and polygons came in -- the gameplay remains the same at its heart; hopping, bopping and barrel tossing. If ever there was a game that demanded a sequel, it's Jungle Beat. It's proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks, and that looking like a jackass pounding a drum can be rewarding and entertaining. Social grace, be damned. This game is fun!
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2. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (Nintendo DS)
Publisher: Konami Developer: Konami TYO
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So you say 2D is dead, huh? Then perhaps you haven't played Koji Igarashi's latest entry in his long-running Castlevania franchise. Dawn of Sorrow marks the first time the series has appeared on Nintendo's little dual-screened portable. Blending elements of the last Game Boy Advance title with brand new DS elements, Dawn of Sorrow is easily the finest Castlevania game since Symphony of the Night on the PlayStation. White-knuckle action, multiple game modes, a wonderful soundtrack, and an exhibition of 2D graphical mastery, DoS is reason enough to own a DS if you don't already have one.
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1. Resident Evil 4 (PS2, GameCube)
Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Production Studio 1
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Genetic experiments, crazed villagers and a fistful of shotgun shells; those are the things Resident Evil 4 is made of. The return of Raccoon City P.D. rookie, Leon S. Kennedy, proved to not only be the return of a beloved character, but also a new beginning for an aging series. Initially a GameCube exclusive -- not to mention a reason for bragging rights -- RE4 proved that the guys at Capcom still have it. After the mundane Resident Evil: Code Veronica, RE4 helped usher in a rennisance for a classic franchise birthed on the original PlayStation close to ten years ago.
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2005 Overview
To say 2005 wasn't a year of diversity would be naive. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all had very different strategies for the year. One was focusing on expanding their brand, the other was looking to the future, and the third was looking for new ways for gamers to play.
With millions and millions of PlayStation 2's in homes all over the world, Sony has an undeniable chokehold on the home gaming market. When you think about it, it's really quite unbelievable how far the PlayStation brand has come; from the new guy to the top dog, life on top has been good to Sony. With the PS2 in its waining years, 2005 brought us some of the most impressive titles in its library. Games like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus showed us that even with the PS3 on the horizon, the PS2 still has some fight left.
2005 also saw the release of Sony's entry into the handheld market, the PlayStation Portable. The system came out of the gates with a whole lotta power -- making the Game Boy Advance look like a graphing calculator -- and a whole lot of hype. Did the system deliver? Some would say yes. I would say no. As the year went on, the releases became more and more scant, and at year's end, the system was riding on UMD movies. Going into '06, I can't name one triple-A title on the horizon.
It might have more power than Nintendo DS, but it's the software that wins the war, and right now, the PSP is out of ammo.
Microsoft came into 2005 with one thing on their mind; casting the first stone in the next-generation war. When the 360 made its grand debut in May, many people were shocked, some were pissed, but deep down, anyone who played games was excited. Microsoft promised that in November, the way we play games would be forever changed. Taking graphics and the Xbox Live experience to the next level were their plans. While the best is still yet to come for the 360 -- just wait and see what '06 brings -- the foundation is there, and I see the house that the 360 built being very strong.
And now we come to Nintendo... Oh dear Nintendo, how I love thee. Let me count the ways. While the GameCube userbase took a kick in the shin when Nintendo announced that the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess would no longer be available in the winter, they fired right back with an incredibly strong year for the Nintendo DS. 2005 started off slow, but when the summer rolled around, the windfall began, and we got one killer release after another. The year culminated in the release of Mario Kart DS, Animal Crossing, Tony Hawk American Sk8land, and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Nintendo promised DS owners free Wi-Fi, and thus far, they've delivered.
Of course, the Nintendo DS wasn't the only way Nintendo delivered. Always the consumate promise maker, Nintendo finally pulled the veil off their next generation system at the Tokyo Game Show when they revealed the Nintendo Revolution's controller interface; a nunchuck. The little controller which resembles a TV remove with an analog stick attached to the bottom definitely evoked a "wtf?" when I saw the concept videos. But after letting it simmer for a few moments, I began to crack a smile. My fear of change turned to an air of optimism, and I reminded myself that Nintendo has never failed to make fun games. That's reason enough to believe in them. Will the Revolution, well, revolutionize the way we play games? We'll know for sure in 2006.
2006 Outlook
I can summarize 2006 in one sentence; the year of the pissing contest.
After an embarassing holiday season, Sony has something to prove in terms of showing everyone that the PSP wasn't a splash in the pan. The system has had practically no original games since the system's launch, still sells for twice the price of the competition, and has been adopted by most as a digital media device, not a gaming handheld. To say the new commercials which label it as portable cheese are lame would be a major understatement.
Supposedly Sony will also be releasing their super-powered PlayStation 3... But much like Sasquatch, it basically doesn't exist; tech demos don't count, guys.
Nintendo perhaps are the ones with the greatest amount of opportunity in 2006. Sometime in the spring (*knocks on wood*), they will be releasing the much anticipated Twilight Princess for the Ninendo GameCube. 2006 will also be their year to grow the Nintendo DS userbase with a variety of awesome games from classics franchises like the New Super Mario Bros. and Final Fantasy III DS, as well as additional Wi-Fi enabled games from several popular franchises, including the classic Tetris. Much like Sony, they will also be entering the next generation arena with their system which remains codenamed the Nintendo Revolution, which promises access to 20 years of Nintendo games right out of the gate; can you say instant purchase based off that alone?
And Microsoft, well, they'll be spending the first several months of the new year building the Xbox 360 brand so when their competitors enter the ring, they're battle-hardened and have a solid installed userbase. Titles like Gears of War, Final Fantasy XI, and Burnout Revenge insure a strong start, but remember guys, slow and steady usually wins the race... Play your cards right and I really think you have a chance to take first place; but you never heard that from me.
