Games of the year

Dr Game,

Are you going to do your games of the year like all the other websites?

- Kev, via email

Well, I wasn't Kev but since you asked...

Best Action Game - Metal Gear Solid 4
The keyword here is action. This was action packed. The setpieces were unbelievable and the story brilliant and satisfying for any Metal Gear fan. Yes the cutscenes were a little long and if you were new to the series you were left oblivious to what was going on. I'm sure some people were expecting GTA IV here but no, I thought GTA IV was overrated. Missions felt ripped from previous GTA games and it just got repetitive in the end.

Best Sports Game - NBA 2K9
The NBA 2K series has always been top notch and 2K9 is no exception. The daily updated rosters, the animations, the action on the court is so realistic it looks like you have a front row seat right next to Spike Lee.

Best Online Game - Call of Duty World at War
It was between this and Resistance 2 but WOW just edges it out because of its depth. Although that's courtesy of Inifinity Ward rather than Treyarch. I still hate the map Seelow and I'm not a fan of the tanks but you just can't beat the Nazi Zombies mode.

Best RPG - Fallout 3
The moment when you come out of the vault and your eyes adjust to the sun is the moment you realise how brilliant Fallout 3 is. You really identify with the character as you discover everything in the wasteland for the first time.

Best FPS - Resistance 2
Just brilliant. Builds on everything that made the first game special but just makes the entire experience better. The moment here for me was when I first saw the skies of San Francisco littered with Chimera ships. Just amazing. The online is top notch too as well as the co-op campaign.

Best Handheld Game - God of War: Chains of Olympus
I'm still amazed at how they made this work. Ready at Dawn will be a developer the PSP will miss. It was a brilliantly done title and fit in with the series perfectly. Sadly who knows when we'll see another handheld God of War but I can't wait for GOW 3 on PS3.

Best Racing Game - Burnout Paradise
A no brainer although Grid was a contender. Burnout Paradise was a frantic racer with a beautiful city that let you decide the tracks a la Midnight Club. The free updates also played a factor and the upcoming island and new cars only make this one more exciting.

Best Platforming Game - LittleBigPlanet
When I told my brother about LittleBigPlanet he called me gay because it looked kiddy. Then he bought it and he loves it. It's one of the most original games out there and the ability to create your own levels is brilliant.

I could go on about sound design, graphics, voice acting and other crap but seriously who cares? These are my top games. I'd love to hear yours.

If you have a question for Dr Game then email paulfrew@hotmail.com or join Dr Game's Gaming Advice for a free newsletter.

Vote