The paper has kicked off the past three years with an annual Game of the Year feature, that the Rocky decided to name the Golden Crecentes. It's a chance for me to not only name some of the big titles, the triple-A games of the previous year, but also to sneak in a couple of more subtle categories like Best Indie, Best Downloadable, and this year, Best iPhone Game.

The latest Golden Crecentes ran this morning in the paper, and I suspect it might be the last with the Rocky seemingly heading toward closure. I could be wrong. I actually didn't think the article would see the light of day.

Here's my editor's wonderful intro for the awards:

Even during this economic apocalypse, the winners of the Third Annual Golden Crecentes should resist the urge to melt down these valuable awards for the bullion within. Because these babies are worth more than their weight in gold. They say, "We are the absolute best games of the year, the dazzling pinnacle of technical and artistic achievement."

Besides, the Golden Crecentes are really figurative honors. There are no actual statuettes - just the priceless glory that comes prepackaged with year-end accolades bestowed by gaming guru Brian D. Crecente.

Yes, I picked Grand Theft Auto IV as game of the year again, but I bet you don't know what other games made the cut.

Golden Crecentes honor year's best video games [Rocky Mountain News]

First a thing about the name: I didn't pick it. I think it's hilarious, but I'd never name an award after myself, it's obnoxious... and quite funny. Which is what I think the Rocky was going for. There are quite a few closet smart-asses over there. :)

So my annual pick for best video game ran in the Rocky Mountain News today and I picked Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare as the overall winner. The game beat out The Orange Box, Bioshock, Super Mario Galaxy and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

Here's why I decided to pick a war-time first-person shooter sequel over the splendor of a dystopian society, amazing character interaction of Uncharted and innovative design of Galaxy and Orange Box:

This solid first-person shooter for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 may not be as innovative as The Orange Box and Super Mario Galaxy. It may not deliver an awe-inspiring glimpse at an eschewed philosophy like BioShock or create the sort of sizzling character interaction found in Uncharted, but, hands down, it is the most thoroughly entertaining video game of the past year.

The single-player story is captivating, set in a present-day Middle East and parts of Russia and comes at the player in a mix of sweeping cinematic set pieces and smart pacing that can easily glue the audience to the game for the entire six- to eight-hour experience.

It's a game that has the sorts of moments usually found only in film, hiding these startling revelations in gamers' blind spots. People you come to care about die. You die, and not in the sort of plastic, ephemeral death found in video games. These deaths are permanent and, at times, evocative.

A deep, seemingly limitless online multiplayer experience also adds quite a bit of life to the title. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare may seem like more of the same, but this title is the realization of a rewarding franchise meeting its complete potential.

Hit the link to check out my winners for the rest of the categories, including a selection of "hot flashes" I managed to sneak into the awards. Feel free to bash me here for not choosing (your selection here) for best (your category here).

Ps. I didn't write the awards' intro, that's one of those smart-asses I was talking about.
Game Gold

Good lord, look at my giant golden head.

There's a story behind why the Rocky Mountain News decided to call the soon-to-be annual Best Games of the Year the Golden Crecentes, albeit a short one.

They told me they wanted me to do an award story for the best games and I said, jokingly, only if you call them the Golden Crecentes. Well, the did. So, of course I had to write the story to match the golden image of my visage.

And no, if you won an award, you don't get an actual Golden Crecente. I'm keeping them all for myself.

I went with Gears of War for best game because, well, it really was the best despite the fact that I also really loved Okami, Brain Age and tons of others.

Hit the link to check out my pick for best sequel, driving game, fighting game, indie game, portable game, rhythm game, strategy game, shooter, action, sports, party and platformer... and be prepared to disagree. Brian Crecente

The Golden Crecentes [Rocky Mountain News]