Game of the Year: So far....

Halfway through the year and I think it's time to reflect on some of the best the interactive arts have had to offer us. The following games are presented in order of release for the calender year 2005.

Winning Eleven 8 International (PS2/XB)

What is expected to be the best sports game of 2005 lacks online play, but who cares when it is so much better than every other sports game out there?








Resident Evil 4 (GC)

Take equal parts scary as shit, fantastic gameplay, killer visuals/sounds, and the RE franchise and get the front runner for game of the year. A must play.








Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)

A sentimental choice for game of the year with every edition. Still one of the best racers out there, but too many unaddressed issues from previous games will probably hold this one back.








Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (PS2/GC/XB)

It's like three games in one (single player, online multi-player, online co-op), and each game is better than most. Some of the best visuals and sound on any platform don't hurt Sam Fisher's chances of another award.







God of War (PS2)

Neither revolutionary or evolutionary, GoW is the poster child for taking a familiar genre and doing everything in it perfectly. All hail.









Jade Empire (XB)

From the creators of KotOR, one of 2003's best games, Jade stands as a unique and beautiful RPG in a year when RPGs on the whole have been neither.








Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (XB)

Essentially a port of last year's PS2 version, San Andreas is still a great game with some new features that give it a second wind.










I would very much appreciate any comments on the list thus far.