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2004 has been another great year for video games. We have seen the release of blockbuster titles like Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 as well as some great racing games like Burnout 3 and Need for Speed: Underground 2. We look back now at some of the games that really shined for us here at Silicon Fusion - and maybe, just maybe, one of them is wrapped up beneth your Christmas tree.
Halo 2 (Xbox)
We had to start off with this one - three years of waiting all our expectations were sky-high. It's not perfect, but it's a worthy sequel to the reason you own an Xbox. A few minor graphical quibbles and a short, sharp ending in the campaign mode took a little polish of this first-person shooter, but the inclusion of the Xbox Live online play made up for this and then some. The best online console title yet.
Half-Life 2 (PC)
As our reviewer stated, it has been six years in the making, the victim of an electronic mugging and the winner of a 2003 Vapourware award. But Half-Life 2 was worth the wait - games of this quality don't come around very often. Half-Life 2 feels like your first love you who meet once more at a reunion - familiar, recognisable, despite the years and yet more mature, more sophisticated, better looking with an air of dangerous tension as you try to get reacquainted.
Savage (PC)
Slick blend of RTS and FPS style games that proved to be more than the sum of the two elements. With some nasty units and a fun atmosphere Savage deserved to be received far better than it was .With the successful blending of elements from not just two but three distinct types of game Savage has set the benchmark for what could be the beginning of a more broad based gaming experience.
Cy Girls (PS2)
Cyberpunk in flair and look, Cy Girls combined a multi-strand storyline with some nifty moves by the girls as they tried to solve a deep conspiracy. With the blend of world spanning and VR missions, sometimes from the two viewpoints of the characters, a control system that - while the same for both characters, reflect their combat styles and abilities perfectly.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (PC)
Quite simply showed us all that there was a good title within Games Workshop's venerable license. With a stunning backdrop of war and mayhem, four races to choose from and deft touches it showed that the RTS genre was far from dead. Games Workshop over the years have with the Warhammer 40,000 licenses given out created some hefty slices of turkey, however with Dawn of War they have finally found a polished and fun real time strategy on their hands.
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Mayhem (PS2/Xbox/GC)
This title caught the feel of the cartoon down to a tee, and we remember it. From the 'sneak' mode through to game's plot, those pesky kids showed that they had a life after Buffy, and probably had more fun too. Gameplay follows Scooby and Shaggy as they navigate the puzzles to find clues, avoid ghosts - by use of the costume trunks or the wonderfully accurate 'sneak' mode, where the pair tip toe about as in the series - and try to avoid loosing their cool.
Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC)
The 100lb gorilla of first person shooter, flexed its muscles and proved to everyone that with new additions such as 'Onslaught', a sense of humour and some of the best gameplay to be seen that last years title must have been an officially leaked beta version. Unreal Tournament 2004, feels and at times looks like the original game and has managed to mix together elements from both previous games (UT and UT 2003) in such a way that all the nifty bits from them are there and most of the niggling, points from the latter have been ground away into a nice gleaming whole. Our PC reviewer's personal favourite title of the year.
Burnout 3 (Xbox/PS2)
The Xbox version is one we still play today, with crisper graphics and a custom soundtrack option - racers don't get any better than this. Pure speed and adrenaline are all that's needed as you weave in and out of traffic - and don't even get us started on the insanely addictive Crash modes!
Need for Speed: Underground 2 (Xbox/PS2/GC)
Another multi-platform racing title from EA, but this one is surprisingly deep. It offers racers the ability to completely customise their cars with spoilers, rims, neon, designs, paint colour and type - that's not even starting on the changes you can make under the bonnet. King, at least until Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition roles along in the New Year.
Fable (Xbox)
Another huge title with enormous aspirations, some of which did not make the final game, but Peter Molyneux and his team at Lionhead gave gamers the chance to immerse themselves in the colourful world of Albion. Your character can perform deeds of good and evil, or even a mixture of both - marry, grow old, burp, fart - even have edited sex. You can't get much better than that for realism. Our favourite action RPG of the year.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
This amazing title puts players into the shoes of Carl Johnson, who escaped from the pressures of life in Los Santos, San Andreas...a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs and corruption. The story takes place in the early 90s, and the story follows Carl when he returned home to find his mother has been murdered, his family has fallen apart and his childhood friends are all heading towards disaster. Worse still, a couple of corrupt cops frame him for homicide. So Carl is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets. Rockstar at their best. Due for release on the Xbox and PC in June 2005.
So that's our favourites of 2004, they may well not be your cup of tea, but we had fun playing them. And it strikes me now, writing this, that all of the games above are all about just that - about having fun, not a frustrating platformer or poor first-person shooter amongst them. (We know who you are Mr GoldenEye). So thanks for all your support over the year, loyal readers, and as well as another fantastic line-up of games coming our way in 2005 - look out for a few exciting changes here at Silicon Fusion in the New Year.
Festive greetings to you all.
John Grothier
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