01/09/2007 07:21:50 AM
Gameplay of the Week - Grab hold of the best games of 2006
[Olympian, The (WA)]

Published Date: January 5, 2007
Page: 10B
Section: Features
Author: Harold Goldberg

For The Olympian

T his year, I've decided to do some thing different with my best games of the year column. That's because each year, games that are sequels always enter the list.

I'm not saying these games aren't popular or good. But I'd rather see creative, striking first efforts on my list.

So the first list contains the best games that aren't sequels. The second, shorter list deals with the Zeldas and Marios of the world. Ready? Here we go.

1.

"Okami" (Capcom):

Okami has everything I'd ever like to see in a game. It offers beautiful graphics based in elaborate Japanese myths, decent writing and new gameplay where you get to use your PlayStation 2 controller as a virtual paintbrush. This one's a candidate for game of the decade.

2. "LocoRoco" (Sony):

I just can't get enough of this cute game for the PSP that features mercury-like blobs called LocoRoco i n crazy environments. It's a simple game where you use two buttons on the PSP con t roller to move through its various fantasy lands. Add Halloween and Christmas upgrades that were free to download, and you have a game well worth the price of admission.

3. "Bully" (Rockstar):

Sure, it was a mature-rated game that was controversial. But you'll never see a better portrayal of the real emo tional issues and angst of going to school and coming of age - not in a game, not even in a novel.

4. " Dead Rising" (Capcom):

There's never been this much action in a shopping mall. Arguably, there has never been this much action in a video game, either. Yes, it's all about killing zombies. But the Xbox 360 game spans such a large amount of virtual real estate, it rivals the grandeur of other free-roaming games such as "Grand Theft Auto 3."

5. "Wii Sports" (Nintendo):

Yes, everyone talks about Twilight Princess as being the game of the year. But the simplicity of Wii Sports makes it a game that's friendly to parents and grandparents, too. You'll mimic rolling a bowling ball like you do in the alleys, and you won't be able to stop playing. It's the essential game for the Wii because it's a game for everyone.

6. "Viva Pinata" (Microsoft):

It turns out that Viva Pinata, the graphically lurid, endlessly creative gardening game starring colorful pinatas, is the swan song for retiring Rare developers Chris and Tim Stamper, who have made 60 games. They turned what could have been a toss-away kids' game into one adults and kids will remember for years to come.

7. "Gears of War" (Microsoft):

I've never before been scared when playing a shooting game. But this one is creepy from the first moment. Add to that online play that never ceases to be compelling and monsters that appear as eerie as your most dire nightmares, and you have the best shooter of the year.

8. "flOw" (Sony):

Most games put you on the edge of your seat. This underwater casual game that is free online has a zen-like quality that soothes you as you play. Sony saw the beauty of it and will soon make an upgraded version available for download via the PlayStation 3. It's a nearly perfect game made by a couple of college students who soon might rule the game world.

9. "Elite Beat Agents" (Nintendo):

There were many great music-based games this year - everything from the addictive "SingStar Rocks" to the innovative "Gitaroo Man Lives." But the concept of Elite Beat Agents for the DS keeps me coming back for more. The agents remind me of the Blues Brothers. The cell-shaded art is the kind that's never been seen on the handheld system, and the rhythm-based gameplay features covers of everything from David Bowie to Avril Lavigne.

10. "Orcs & Elves" (Electronic Arts):

Made by "Doom" creator John Carmack, the depth of this role-playing game for cell phones makes it feel new and old-school at the same time. There are a ton of monsters to defeat, mazes, dragons and crazy, mead-drinking elves, too. What do I mean by depth? You care about the characters because they're not one-dimensional. Think you've figured out the mazes? Suddenly, you're transported to a spot that destroys your sense of direction.

Best sequels

1. "The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess" (Nintendo):

It's the same old story - save the princess. For the Wii, however, everything seems new, from the way you fish to the way you ride your horse. Your parents are not going to play it. But if you're a gamer, you'll be floored by the magic, graphics and adventuresome story.

2. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (2K/Bethesda):

"Oblivion" for the Xbox 360 was such a rich role-playing game that you felt like you were inside of its world, partly because you played from a first-person perspective. The depth of story and the 1,000 characters you meet make you feel like the guest of honor at a Knights of the Round Table reunion. Of course, the demons you encounter won't treat you so nicely.

3. "Final Fantasy XII" (Square-Enix):

In Japan, they have to close down the schools when a "Final Fantasy" epic is released. This particular version for the PlayStation 2 offers a complex story full of magic and a new way of playing the game in which you program the action of a group of characters you deem worthy for a melodramatic trek into fantasy. Then, there are the graphics that inspire awe from the opening movie to the fireworks-filled final moments of gameplay.

4. "New Super Mario Bros." (Nintendo):

Everything old is new again. Sure, it's a running and jumping platform game for the DS. But like the original from way back in 1985, it's full of traps and monsters and pure fun. It so good, you might wish there was a Disney-like Super Mario Bros. theme park you could travel to that's based solely on this game.

5. "Fight Night Round 3" (Electronic Arts):

It doesn't matter which platform you choose (although I prefer the Xbox 360 version). "Fight Night Round 3" lets you feel like a real boxer. Yes, you'll hate the Burger King ads in the arenas and the BK coach that's sometimes ringside. But you'll train and box your way through a lifetime of punches, awards and accolades. Play too long into your 40s and you'll begin to develop a paunch and slow down. Should you hang up the gloves or keep going? It's your choice.

Harold Goldberg writes the Game Break blog for VH1games.com and has written about games for Entertainment Weekly, Radar and The Village Voice. E-mail him at mediaowl@aol.com.


Copyright ?2007 Knight-Ridder Digital



前半截是原创游戏，后半截是续作游戏

我怎么看上去这个作者谁都不得罪啊，3家，每家2个游戏

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