"... it is the most thoroughly entertaining video game of the past year." Very true. I showed the game to a friend of mine who has only played maybe two other current-gen videogames, and now he randomly visits every once in a while to play the game. He's hooked and he doesn't even own a system to play it on!

Am I blind or aren't there any RPGs listed at all?

Good pick easily my favorite game of last year albiet I haven't played uncharted or galaxy.

I can respect that. Though it did thoroughly depress me(single player).

@FranUnFine: No, I cut it this year. Bk I'm random like that.

I agree. Best $60 I have spent for my 360 yet. Nothing else has even touched my 360's disk tray since I purchased CoD4. The funny thing is, I actually hated CoD4 the first day I got it because I thought it was too different. Most addicting, most fun game Ive ever played.

It's one those few games that keeps a great balance in multiplayer and has thorough take on storytelling. One of those games I have to play daily since it's launch.

@FranUnFine: mass effect was reallly the only noteworthy RPG of last year maybe persona 3.

@Ninjapirate2000: yeah, that was the issue. I didn't feel like there were enough to fill out the category, and I dont like feeling obligated to mention games that may not make the cut just as fluff.

COD4 is easily the most entertaining game I've played in awhile. I've played every game in that category and the only one to hold my interest still has been COD.

@Brian Crecente: I find it hard enough to get through RPGs with my job, and I'm not even REQUIRED to play every decent game that comes out. I feel the lack of an RPG category represents the lack of time to adequately play through several RPGs and pick a "best". It's cool. We understand.

I really disagree with it being the "most entertaining" game of the year.

I played it through, and it was a great game, don't get me wrong.
But IMO, it was also every bit as overhyped as Halo 3.

There are a number of flaws in CoD4 that people just seem to overlook and ignore, I really don't get the obsession ...

And the storyline and "film" elements you seem to salute I found absolutely rediculous.
.
Playing CoD4 felt just like watching your standard action movie.
It has all the war movie cliches, right down to the infuriatinly cheesy and unrealistic "you have 15 minutes to stop the missile" ending ...
.
IMO Bioshock and Galaxy both proved more entertaining.
I've not yet had the chance to play Uncharted.

Haven't played Uncharted, but the rest would make up my top 5 of last year, with the possible addition of Mass Effect or Desktop Tower Defense, damn N'Gai Croal for introducting it to me... !

I'm going to start using "golden Crecentes" as a euphemism. i.e., "Stop scratching your golden Crecentes in public."

It's because I care. :P

P.S. The Witcher's story is great. Your body will reject the unnatural combat system... just swallow it down. It will learn to accept.

@Brian Crecente: I almost agree with the pick its a three way tie for me between mass effect orange box and Cod4

@Brian Crecente: It's kind of a bummer that Mass Effect would be denied recognition because of a lack of genre competition like that. Oh well, at least it'll always have its virtual orgasmic rape.

I can see where you're going with the COD4...that was some intense single playa bizness. All the finalists were pretty awesome, but you did pick the most intense (barely edging out Bioshock).

Cod4 isnt the most original game idea... but the multiplayer is so amazingly polished.

I cant quite explain it, but I think it deserves game of the year.

Gonna play COD4 next week. But I doubt it will be better than Mass Effect IMO.

@Luis: Apples and Oranges really, I loved both, as I'm sure most people did. If you dig online play, say goodbye to your free time now however!

Goog Lord I want that golden hunk of a trophy. I don't know what the articles about because I can't take my eyes off it.

@Falconrith: *good, damn I thought I checked my typos.

Statue should be more piratey rather than angelic.

...yeah, I'm nitpicking a bit but i think it would be nicer to see your body in frilly cloths than the Adonis figure in a toga :p

I've been playing Shadow of the Colossus a lot lately and I realized that the platforming aspects of Uncharted remind me most of that game. Even more so than Prince of Persia and Tomb Raider, which are the two games it is most often compared to (excepting Gears of War, which is similar in it's shooting & cover mechanics). There is only one real difference between the platforming in Shadow of the Colossus and the platforming in Uncharted: in SotC, the "platforms" move, and you have a limited grip, which adds a great deal of strategy to it. That's about it. I'd like to see more games with that sort of platforming mechanic. You know... hold on, climb, jump, grab, pull up, shimmy, etc.

I liked COD4 just as much as the next guy, but IMO it's no game of the year. Uncharted was far more entertaining and far less monontonous. COD4 online is far too crippled in too many ways (on the PS3) to keep me coming back. I shouldn't be frustrated when trying to join friends online. Warhawk, to me, is ten times more enjoyable than COD4 simply because I can get in and actually play a game without having to wait 10 minutes to connect to a server.

@Brian Crecente: COD 4 is the winner for me because it supports southpaw and legacy controls. Feel like brining up the topic?

www.alt-controls.com
www.altcntrlgmr.com

Nice call! Loved the single player and I've just been sucked into COD4's beautiful, beautiful multiplayer...

*swoons*

Needs more Mass Effect and skate!

Okay, got that off of my chest. Shooters tend to wear thin quickly for me unless they have co-op.

Usually Crecente is pretty darn smart.

But I just can't get over insulting the Bioshock ending and praising the CoD4 ending.

CoD4's end ending is copied from a hundred war and action films and I saw it coming from 2 levels away.

And the level before the "ending level", that 15 min missile level, was the dumbest pile of cheese they dared put into the game.

I don't understand how so many can compliment such a corny and cliche'ed ending, I really cant.

Maybe im one of the few people that does not have the minimal interest in playing cod4...

I absolutely agree with you on COD4. The SP game delivers the type of emotionally compelling "movie" moments that I would expect from a well made film. But unlike a movie, the FPS format allows for a level of immersion into the characters and story that isn't possible in a passive format like a movie.

Infinity Ward produced something really special with COD4 that goes beyond graphics and game mechanics and touches on the potential of games as a storytelling medium that could rival film. I hope other developers take note.

COD4 is a great choice. I know everybody hates Halo, but I think it was much more innovative, but I like the weapon balance in COD much better (i.e. starting guns and grenades actually feel effective against almost anything you can pick up on the map...not as many nerfed guns (unless you are picking them just for XP)...keeping the playing field more level.) I just wish COD had the save replay stuff like Halo...Oh well IW has plenty of things they can do with their next sequel, like adding these features to an already outstanding game. May I suggest that next time around they do a Vietnam themed game, I've read that all the 'Nam games have pretty much sucked, but IW could make a kick-ass "COD-Nam" if they wanted to, plus with all the political complexities that made that war seem so tragic, it could make a great single player expierence, if done tastefully, and IW has touched on some potentially touchy subjects with at least COD 2 and 4, so they would seem to be able to overcome this.

Can't argue with the awards. Was hoping Boom Boom Rocket would show up under the Rhythm section but I know it's an acquired taste and not everyone's cup o' tea.

"Orange Box" pwns COD4.

Sorry Brian, graphics and online are not the only things to consider in a game.

My game of the year is Mario Galaxy - it's more inclusive than every other game that came out this year. It's a game that gamers will probably love no matter what because it doesn't come with one of the big "if's" (i.e. you'll love it IF you're into multiplayer)and needs no apologies.
I don't mind the shortness of COD4's single player campaign but monster closets should have been a thing from the past.

Um, how does Portal (and therefor Orange Box which also includes TF2) not sweep?

As much as I can appreciate the over-advertised, achingly repetitive gameplay of COD, I'm a fan of original concepts that do not compromise and actually deliver an amazing gaming experience in a mass-market digestible timeframe. It's so much like a good novel it's scary.

I'm kinda disappointed that Rock Band didn't get more recognition in everybody's year-end awards.

You die in the game? thanks for the spoiler B!

@brent_w: Wow. Is Crecente's choice bothering you that much? Or are you simply not a huge fan of the game and would like to see your game of choice chosen as GotY?

Fair enough. Can't say I agree, but whatever. That's what makes horse races. Part of it may be that I feel FPSs are derivatives at a level which other genres simply don't reach. Speaking specifically about Call of Duty 4 though, I felt that the game itself was a little too scripted...at points I felt less like a player in a game than an actor simply waiting to read their lines. The story also lost something once you moved out of the Middle East. Honestly, the idea that the Russians were the masterminds behind everything was so utterly cliché that the narrative and scenery lost nearly all of its bite after the level "Shock and Awe".

A good game to be sure, but it wouldn't have appeared in my list of contenders for Game of the Year.

I've only just begun playing COD4, but it has a very gripping story. No other shooter I've played has made me feel so immersed in the situation. I absolutely love the night missions in the beginning; the atmosphere is spot on.

I am a huge fan of Bioshock, and would probably still put it on the top of my list for 2007, but I can completely understand why COD4 tops so many others'.

In retrospect, 2007 was an awesome year for gamers.

You should have said the Rocky was named after the "Outstanding Achivement in Mathematics" award Rocky Dennis got in that movie Mask.

Are there really Golden Crecentes or are the pics just renders? My mantleplace needs some spiffying up.

I really don't agree with the choice of GOTY. COD4 is a really good game but I feel Mass Effect or Bioshock are better choices. Then again, this type of awards are just based on opinions.

COD4 was cinematic, for sure. I just didn't have as much fun with it as Galaxy or Bioshock. I guess I just like story-driven single player affaris. Your choice is extremely valid though.

ALL HAIL MY GLORIOUS GOLDEN GOD!

@R3load: Sorry,
Its just been bugging me how much people ignore CoD4's flaws.
.
Its a great game or sure, but there seems to be some hypnotizing aura around it convincing people that its better than it is.

And Crecente's admiration for the cheeziest and corniest parts of the game just gets under my skin.
.
I don't understand how people are going so nuts over the story of this game as If they've never seen an action flick before.

A type of movie, may I point out, which is never lauded for its brilliant writing.

@brent_w: Be specific. What didn't you like? Also, did you beat the game?

@brent_w: And I think I've shown restraint, considering how I've really held back from ranting about his awful RTS choice.

@brent_w: I take that back, his RTS choice was good, just not my style.