It's that time of year again when everyone needs to name winners and losers. In my heart, we're all winners. OK, that's a lie. In my heart, about 3% of us are winners. And also in said (speculated) heart, some of these winners have won because they've gotten to play some of the incredible games from this year. X-Play has developed their nominee list for best of 2007 and will announce the winners December 17th on their show (of course). And while X-Play's Game of the Year picks are pretty standard: Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed, BioShock, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Halo 3 and Super Mario Galaxy, it's tough for me to take any GOTY list seriously that excludes Portal and/or Orange Box. Still, they didn't completely miss the mark. Here's their whole list:

Game of the Year * Mass Effect * Assassin's Creed * BioShock * Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare * Halo 3 * Super Mario Galaxy

Most Original Game
* Assassin's Creed
* Portal
* Overlord
* Crackdown
* Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

Best Gameplay Innovation
* Assassin's Creed (free-running/climbing)
* Mass Effect (conversation system)
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (online level-up system)
* Halo 3 (Forge/Replays/Screenshots)
* Crackdown (Advanced Co-op features)

Best Multiplayer Game
* World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
* Team Fortress 2
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
* Halo 3
* Rock Band

Best Action/Adventure Game
* Super Mario Galaxy
* Assassin's Creed
* Crackdown
* God of War II
* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best Sports Game
* MLB PowerPros
* NCAA Football 2K8
* Forza Motorsport 2
* DiRT
* Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

Best Shooter
* BioShock
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
* Halo 3
* Half-Life 2: Episode 2
* Team Fortress 2

Best Role Playing Game
* Mass Effect
* Final Fantasy VI Advance
* The Witcher
* Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
* Titan Quest: Immortal Throne

Best New Character
* Weighted Companion Cube (Portal)
* Saren (Mass Effect)
* Andrew Ryan (BioShock)
* GLaDOS (Portal)
* King Bohan (Heavenly Sword)

Best Art Direction
* BioShock
* Assassin's Creed
* Super Mario Galaxy
* Mass Effect
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Best Animation
* Assassin's Creed
* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
* Heavenly Sword
* Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

Best Writing/Story
* BioShock
* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
* The Simpsons Game
* Mass Effect
* Portal

Best Original Soundtrack
* Mass Effect
* Portal
* BioShock
* Super Mario Galaxy
* Halo 3

Best Sound Design
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
* Assassin's Creed
* Halo 3
* BioShock
* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best Downloadable Content
* The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (XBL)
* Pac-Man Championship Edition (XBLA)
* Super Stardust HD (PSN)
* Carcassonne (XBLA)
* Crackdown Download Packs (XBL)

Best Strategy Game
* World In Conflict
* Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
* Supreme Commander
* Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar
* Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

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