2001 arrives with a bang and a bit of bad news for those who run their own websites, but we accentuate the positive here! So, I present to you a bit of bad news, a bit of good news and (drumroll) it's time for the Annual Beatdown Best/Worst awards! Aren't you glad you clicked in?
Game Quote of the Week: "It is absolutely breathtaking, and yet, that strange feeling again." ~Stoneship Age Book from Cyan's realMYST
What a marvelous year we've had, eh? I mean in terms of gaming. Unlike previous years it's actually hard to pick some winners out of the pack. Not because there were so many fantastic and outrageously good games this year, but because there were so many that were almost fantastic and outrageously good. In some categories it was like picking your favorite B movie or mid-range bottle of vino. Anyway, here are my picks….
Sacrifice: Shiny's bizarre strat/action game blew away the competition by simply being odd. Offering incredible balance and a kick-ass story didn't hurt either. Plus, the sheer joy of seeing Battlezone's promise fulfilled was worth the price of admission.
Baldur's Gate II: Bioware fixed most of the errors in BG and hands us an epic in inventive AD&D storytelling. Start it now and you'll probably still be playing it in May.
Crimson Skies: Though riddled with annoying slowdown menu bugs, the game just caught my attention and made me remember why I love gaming. Another world, daring duels and stunts galore, oh I so love to fly those unfriendly skies.
Giants: Planet Moon's Giants is hilarious and offers an awful lot of gameplay for your buck. Plus, 30' of rocking stomping terror, ‘nuff said. (MDK2 is a close second.)
High Heat 2001 is the best recreation of a sport on the PC, bar none. (Though NHL 2001 comes awful close.)
Mechwarrior IV: Mechwarrior IV, oh my god Mechwarrior IV!
Daikat… nah, it fits but it's too obvious. Star Trek New Worlds certainly fits the bill, as does Force Commander. And not much can compare to the inept hell that is Hasbro's Squad Leader.
Thief 2: Looking Glass' bittersweet swansong is basically a perfect version of the original. Some of the missions fall a little flat but this one beats the rest by serving the word of Karras, the word of Karras…. Thief 2 is one of the deepest games you'll ever play, and lets all heave a sigh of thanks that Warren Spector and Ion Storm hired the bulk of the Thief team for Thief III.