the very best (gaming 2004, part 1)

Virtual Best Of

The best games seemed to spill out onto the public in the second half of the year. They were immediate successes, and despite occasional glitches and disappointments, they all are instant classics, setting bars higher and higher for developers of future classics.

Since you (probably) already know enough about each of these, I'll keep it brief. The Best Games of 2004, with reservations (where applicable):

#5: Halo 2 (ending could have used some work, and having so little time in Earth landscapes was kind of a rip) - Such a beautiful and fun game that its length and inability to evolve didn't really matter.

#4: Katamari Damacy - Simplicity and a quirky nature are its genius. The soundtrack is unique and as addictive as tar heroin.

#3: Burnout 3: Takedown - One of the most awesome and highly-charged games in the history of gaming. Period.

#2: The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher's Bay (while shorter than I'd have liked, still awe-inspiring) - Polished graphics, a delightful balance of stealth, action and cinematic fun, and terrific mood and atmosphere make this the best game of the year - except for...

#1: GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS (despite some annoying glitches and a few levels that were difficult to the point of cursing the names of Rockstar's founders) It's vast. It offers 100 times the gameplay of the average game as well as new and different game elements. It has a hard edge, good humor and the best soundtrack this side of your own CD collection. But more than all that, it has interesting characters that you watch change and grow, and you hate to see them go when you role past 100%...and even better, you don't have to.

Now, on to the just-plain-old good stuff...