test for 2006 GoTY’s

With 2007 in full force, AMN is still wondering where the year 2000 went. No flying cars or teleporters. A Moon base or exploration to Mars still hasn’t happened, what is the deal? While I’m still waiting for these things to happen, one thing is for sure, 2006 was a huge leap for gaming. Yet again, the gaming industry had a banner year of releasing tons of great titles and found time to sneak two new consoles on store shelves. Alright, so “sneak” is a large understatement but you get the picture. One of those consoles happens to be the much hyped PlayStation 3. Amid a delay for Europe and massive shortages in North America and Japan, Sony went ahead with the mighty console to eagerly awaiting fans. Only being released for a couple of months and with developers pushing the supposed launch title back, not many games saw a 2006 release date. Still, most genres were represented and he are the cream of the crop.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Game Republic

Keen readers will know that Genji: Days of the Blade is the only true action game on the PS3 currently. Sure, there was Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire but that should really count as a game. Genji, while it doesn’t provide for a brand-new action experience, has you go through hundreds and thousands of bad guys for one action packed experience. The ability to pick you samurai to deal all sorts of death was a nice touch. You can swap characters on the fly and send giant enemy crabs in a world of hurt. In 2006, Genji is the one (and only) stop shop for all your action gaming needs on the PS3.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Insomniac Games

Resistance: Fall of Man had some competition for this title, the Call of Duty franchise. Still, Insomniac beat out the venerable WWII shooter with a fresh story and some fresh weapons. Resistance incorporated the best elements of FPS games and put them together for one of the most enjoyable FPS experiences on consoles in 2006. The story revolves around Nathan Hale as he tries to stop the Chimera from taking over the world. The game is set in an alternate reality WWII setting where the Nazis did not rise to power but strange mutants came out of Russia. If that doesn’t appeal to a FPS gamer, nothing will. On top of the story, there are weapons only the team behind Ratchet and Clank could dream up and make work in a First Person Shooter. It will be hard for another FPS game on the PS3 to come close to the polish and craftsmanship Insomniac poured into Resistance in 2007 and beyond.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Bandai-Namco
Developer: Namco

Before we insert the obligatory Kaz Hirai quote let’s give praise where praise is due. Ridge Racer 7 is one fine racing game. RR7 might have taken a few blows to being an updated port of Ridge Racer 6 from the Xbox 360 but that still doesn’t stop it from taking 2006’s checkered flag for best racing title. The amount of polish and new features really got motor heads interested as they drifted into first play with the use of the SIXAXIS controller. While Ridge Racer 7 didn’t branch out into exploratory gameplay, it took what previous Ridge Racers have offered and moved forward from there. On top of that, the game is hard to put down. Heck, RR 7 had to beat out the always solid Need for Speed series on the PS3 to drive away with this award. This one is for you, Bandai-Namco, RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RACER!!!!!

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: EA
Developer: EA

When the launch list was getting set for the PS3, gamers weren’t all that excited with last year’s Xbox 360 title, Fight Night Round 3 was being ported over to the brand new PlayStation. That apathy went away when EA announced that not only would the PS3 version see a visual upgrade, from the already impressive 360 title, it would get an exclusive mode. That mode was “Get in the Ring” and it put you, the gamer, in the eyes of a boxer. As you would get punched, flashes of light and double vision clouded your sight and made it hard to knock out the opponent. The absence of a HUD made it imperative you use visually clues to determine when it was time to strike and when it was time to hold back. With the care and attention Fight Night Round 3 received while in the workshop at EA, Fight Night was more than just a run-of-the-mill port.

Release Date: November 17
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Insomniac Games

There is nothing better than corralling some friends in a room and fragging them into smithereens with a good multiplayer game. When it comes to the multiplayer “it” game on the PS3, Resistance: Fall of Man takes the cake. With the slew of multiplayer matches like Breach, Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, and Team modes there is sure to be a game type that will interest everyone. Being able to choose between the human soldiers and the creepy alien Chimera is another draw for diverse gameplay. The humans get radar and can sprint forever, a nice bonus. Chimera, on the other hand, go into “Rage Mode” where they can see through walls and dish out more damage but they have to worry about over heating. Finely tuned levels add to the intensity that someone could be around the next corner and spring a trap. The arcade-y feel of the deathmatches make the game fast, furious, and addicting.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Raven Software
Leave it to the Marvel Super Heroes to weave a tale that is memorable. Dr. Doom assembled the greatest collection of villains to further his quest for world domination and S.H.I.E.L.D. called the greatest heroes to combat him from the heights of Asguard to the depths of Atlantis. Although Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an Action/RPG, there are strong elements of traditional and new wave RPG staples. For those that like traditional RPGs, there is the leveling up system as well as items that boost stats. A great story that has twists and turns is included in the package and the way it is told brings back memories of opening a fresh comic book. For those gamers with a taste for the new, the costume options that effect how your characters perform in battles and there is not a confusing system to understand, which makes the game accessible to every body and not just those with patience to grind levels.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Game Republic

For as much flack Genji: Days of the Blade got for the “giant enemy crabs” statement, nobody can say anything ill about the graphics. For starters, the attention to detail on all the clothing and armor is astounding. Once you see the game in motion, it is as if poetry came to life as you see your samurai gracefully slash through the forces of evil. The scenery is equally impressive. Yoshitsune and friends will run through the foothills of a mountain where a waterfall dumps into a stream to a battlefield where “massive damage” is happening. It is a shame that the overall gameplay experience couldn’t have followed the elegant and stunning visuals because it would have made Genji a tour-de-force. The recreation of feudal Japan in a more mystical setting will set the bench mark for other PS3 games to come with deep color saturation, high-def characters, and beautiful animations.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch

Sound is the most underappreciated aspect in gaming today. When the Dolby 5.1 is cranked up to 11 a game with good sound can make you feel in the middle of a great battle. With the release of Call of Duty 3, the sound can pull you into war torn Europe as you fight the Nazi enemy. Call of Duty 3 incorporates teammates barking orders, realistic gun sounds, and shells exploding in the distance with shocking realism. So real you might have neighbors wondering and calling to see if everything is ok. If you want to experience what leaps have been made in gaming sound technology, Call of Duty 3 is a great case study in closing your eyes to pretend you are back in time.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Insomniac Games

Is it any surprise that Resistance: Fall of Man keeps winning awards? For the innovation award, AMN PS3 gives it to Resistance: Fall of Man for the creative and inventive weapons that fill the Resistance universe. Weapons like the Auger that shoots through cover add another dimension to cover tactics as you are being rushed by a team of Chimera. The creative train doesn’t stop there, the Bullseye tags your enemies and affords you the opportunity to take cover and let the laser guided bullets to do the work. The ways you use the weapons are entirely up to the gamer and they give lots of chances to try new ways to spam plasma in effective and deadly ways.

Not the best surprise as much as the biggest surprise. When November 2006 was rapidly approaching it was clear there would be a mad rush to secure one of the few PlayStation 3’s available. We all heard storied of people camping out for over a week outside retailers to be assured the must sought after next-gen console. Once the clock struck midnight on November 17th, reports came streaming in that eager gamers were getting injured from pushing, pulling, and racing to the check out counters. While those are tragedies themselves, none was bad as someone losing their life over the console. Police serving a search warrant entered a home where they shot and killed a young man and his German Shepard dog on suspicion of the PS3 being stolen. What provoked the shooting? Reports claim the man had a PS3 controller in his and that made the police open fire because they were uncertain if it was a gun. While console launched might be exciting for some, stories like this bring us back down to Earth and make us realize what is truly important in life.

Release Date: The Future!
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Kojima Productions

Out of all the awards the brain trust at AMN PS3 had to come up with and… uh… award, this also known as the “No Brainer” award. Who wouldn’t want MGS 4 to hit the PlayStation 3 right at launch? What could have been better for Sony other than launch with one of the largest titles in gaming culture past and present? As most gamers drool and wet their pants over the news snippet of the next Kojima masterpiece, we here are AMN PS3 just can’t wait for the game to release already! If Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops was any indication of what is to come, gamers around the world are in for the biggest treat of their lives. So, as we watched the trailers for the 235,951th time, we were firm in our belief that this game needed to come out in 2006. Now, we all sit at our desk counting the seconds until the game is released which is still doesn’t have a “solid” release date (that pun was SO intended).

What does it take to make a polished launch game? Apparently the development team of Insomniac Games because they delivered a remarkable game for Sony and their PS3. Insomniac didn’t set out to make “just another WWII shooter” they chose to tweak that conventional genre and bend it into an original game with a setting that feels familiar but is original as well. Insomniac was not content with crafting a single player experience; they put their heads together to deliver a 40 player lag free online experience. AMN PS3 imagines that the entire development team must have found some sort of fountain of knowledge where they know the exact areas where to polish a game to make it the most enjoyable FPS to come along in 2006. Some might call it the power of the Cell processor but true gaming aficionados will give credit to where credit is due, and that is to Insomniac Games.

Activision has been steady in their acquisition of many game developers to become one of the largest publishers in North America. They lined up some of the best products for the PS3 in 2006. Call of Duty 3, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, and Tony Hawk Project 8 were out in 2006 and offered gamers a diverse library of quality games to choose from. Activision has competition coming from all sides, EA and Sony also had impressive showings in 2006 but they could not stop the onslaught of WWII, Captain America, and some Skate punks. If Activision can keep up this kind of work, they are poised to take more awards as the years progress.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Insomniac Games

Rack another one up for Resistance: Fall of Man. Not only does the offline multiplayer rock, the online multiplayer is even better. Just a quick run down of the features would impress Mr. I. HateOnline. 40 player matches, Bluetooth support, clans, large maps, two character models to choose from, stat tracking, gamers always on, and a lag free experience. The multiplayer is still being worked on by the development team as it has seen some significant changes since launch. It is always a good sign when the multiplayer gets worked on and not dropped from the sky without a parachute. For Resistance, the multiplayer is just as important as the single player experience and for years to come, people will be playing a Team Deathmatch in Resistance.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch

When the SIXAXIS controller was unveiled, the gaming community was shocked. Sony had a motion sensitive controller just like Nintendo. The debate on if it was an intentional rip-off will never end but that did not stop game developers from including different ways to control a game. While most inclusions were gimmicky at best, Call of Duty 3 answered the call of the SIXAIXIS. Pistol whips were as easy as a flip of the wrist and the team at Treyarch even went as far as to turn your controller into a paddle to cross a river. Out of all the motion controls, driving the car had to have been the most fun not because it was so precise, but because you’d end up crushing Nazis by accident.

Release Date: December 7th
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Team17

Not only did Sony have the monumental task of launching a new system they rolled out the PlayStation Network. With that, they gathered up a few titles that new PSN users could download right to their systems. In December, Team17 in conjunction with Sony Computer Entertainment released Lemmings. This version of Lemmings included all new levels and high-def 2D visuals. Out of the first crop of downloadables, Lemmings stood out as a title that had that arcade appeal people look for when it comes to these types of games. For the price of $5.99 it was easy to digest for gamers scorned by Xbox Live and their points system.

Release Date: November 17th
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Insomniac Games

If this was a huge surprise to you, then you need to read up on games more. Resistance: Fall of Man is the must own title for the PS3 for reasons we have already stated 100 times over. Not only does it do most everything right, it does it with a flare that makes it fresh and fun for gamers regardless if they like FPS games or not. Resistance might be too scary for the young PlayStation gamers but those mature enough to play it will find few faults from start to finish. Even if the PlayStation 3 had a bloated list of launch titles, AMN PS3 is confident that Resistance: Fall of Man would still rise above the rest to show of a true polish lacking in many modern games today. It would be to your disservice if you do not play Resistance: Fall of Man, only to read about it here and else where.