Talk Xbox 2004 Game of the Year Awards
Added 12/28/2004 by Talk Xbox
2004 will probably be remembered as one of the best gaming years of all time, for every console. Yet, we cannot help but feel that the Xbox may have had the best year of them all, thanks to a multitude of AAA games many of which released just weeks apart from each other. And so, to help you sort out the best that the Xbox has to offer, we present the 2004 Talk Xbox Game of the Year Awards. Enjoy.
Technical Awards:
1.) Best Graphics of the Year: Halo 2
Bungie truly outdid themselves with Halo 2, and the graphics are no exception. Halo 2 graphically set itself apart from other games with an enormous amount of detail, much of which isn't even noticed until played on a widescreen high-definition television. This game is the definition of the term 'eye candy'.
-Runner-Up: Dead or Alive Ultimate
Who can deny the power and visual presence that Dead or Alive Ultimate delivers with this re-mastered version of Dead or Alive 2? The environments dazzle and prove just how much power the XBox has, even now as the generation winds to a close.
2.) Best Sound of the Year: Halo 2
Halo 2 used it’s soundtrack to set the tone for every aspect of the game’s campaign. Adding suspense and tension, the soundtrack made the game far more exciting then it would be otherwise, and sounds great even on its own. The gameplay sounds were superb as well- each gun has a distinct and fitting sound that lets you immediately know what is being fired without even seeing it.
-Runner-Up: Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors
Otogi 2 is one of those special games that always get overlooked but will be remembered for years to come as one of the best games published on the console. Otogi 2 stepped it up from the original with stunning graphics, superb art direction, improved sound, and a more unique aesthetic than ever. Otogi 2 just couldn’t be overlooked this year by the Talk Xbox staff.
3.) Best Multiplayer/Xbox Live Title of the Year: Halo 2
How could we possibly not say that Halo 2 was the best Xbox Live Title of the Year? Being the most popular Xbox Live game since its release, Halo 2 has been the multiplayer game of choice for the Talk Xbox staff. Whether it be an Arranged Game or Matchmaking, we simply love to play Halo 2 online.
-Runner-Up: Dead or Alive Ultimate
With Itagaki showing us what the future of Xbox Live could hold through its implementation of the "virtual arcade’, Xbox Live hasn’t seen a better online addition in a long time. Waiting in line and watching your competitors fall to an opponent is such a blast that you just can’t pass up Dead or Alive Ultimate.
Individual Awards:
4.) Game Studio/Developer of the Year: Bungie
Even though Halo 2 has been released, not many will soon forget the antics of Bungie prior to release. By releasing only small tidbits and keeping the rest a secret Bungie enticed us all with their ultimate killer app: Halo 2. Thanks to an unprecedently massive advertising campaign, Halo 2 generated such an incredible level of hype that some wondered if it could live up to the expectations. Thankfully, upon release fans of the Halo series were not disappointed as Halo 2 offered superb Campaign and Multiplayer action.
-Runner-Up: Team Ninja
Team Ninja is the best thing happening on the Xbox besides Bungie, period. Team Ninja put forth the Action Title of the Year, Ninja Gaiden, and even had time to develop a reworked and remastered version of Dead or Alive 1 and 2. Team Ninja couldn’t have had a better of a year.
5.) Publisher of the Year: Microsoft
Microsoft published so many great games this year that they are a no brainer for this category. A list of a few of the games they published this year is really the main reason they won. How could anyone lose with Halo 2, Blinx 2, OutRun 2, RalliSport Challenge 2, Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, MechAssault 2, and Fable?
-Runner-Up: Midway
Midway sure was a surprise this year. Not only have did they publish great games, but they also went ahead and strengthened the titles they plan to publish in 2005. Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy flew under the radar and showcased many robust ‘psi’ powers that have now become a hot commodity for other titles to use. 2005 may be an even better year with the upcoming releases of Unreal Championship 2, Area 51, and NARC. 2004 will be remembered as the year Midway turned from fallen juggernaut to up and coming star of the industry
6.) Character of the Year: Master Chief
Master Chief, the universally recognized hero of the Halo series, is the alien-fighting super soldier that made us all fall in love with both Halo and Halo 2. Being such a man of mystery because of his armor hidden body, the Master Chief has done it all. His exploits in Halo 2 made us love to play as him even more as he continued his mission to save humanity from the Covenant.
-Runner-Up: Sam Fisher
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow may not have won any awards from us but it sure does sport one of the most intriguing characters on the Xbox. Sam Fisher showed off classy reflexes and moves that not even I would try and has worked his way into the top tier of Xbox characters because of it.
7.) Villain of the Year: Solus
Solus from Breakdown was one of the most interesting characters this year on the Xbox, and the fact that he came from such an underappreciated game just cemented his win in this category. Whenever you faced Solus a huge, tension filled battle or danger filled escape was always promised and that is why Solus is the Talk Xbox Villain of the Year.
-Runner-Up: Darth Sion
Darth Sion could may just be the one Sith that has built up with so much hate and anger that it will give Star Wars fans a new favorite ‘Darth’. Darth Sion plays out the fears of those who play KOTOR 2 and helps expand the great story that Obsidian put together for this sequel for one of the best RPGs of all time (KOTOR 1).
8.) Surprise of the Year: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
When it was announced that Obsidian instead of Bioware was developing KOTOR2 many were worried about how the sequel to one of their favorite RPGs would fare under the new management. Well, I am pleased to say that it has faired very, very well. KOTOR 2 is truly one of the best games this year, and it is the Surprise of the Year for that very fact.
-Runner-Up: Breakdown
Breakdown has shown that first person titles may have a lot of innovations to go. Not only did it impress many with its story. Coming out of nowhere and being as great as it was, Breakdown would certainly have been surprise of the year had it not been for Obsidian’s great effort on the sequel to KOTOR.
9.) Disappointing Title of the Year: Star Wars: Battlefront
Star Wars: Battlefront was one of those games that just didn’t live up to its hype at all. It lacks the polish of a good game and just doesn’t offer much innovation in any way. With its terrible AI and inconsistent map quality, the game doesn’t give gamers any reason to spend their hard-earned money on it.
-Runner-Up: GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
EA set themselves up big time for this when they went ahead and labeled the next James Bond game as a sequel to the N64 great GoldenEye. Puzzlingly deciding to stray from the critically acclaimed new angle the series had taken with Everything or Nothing, GoldenEye wound up being quite possibly one of the most mediocre first person shooters on the Xbox, lacking all charm and any innovation. It’s a shame to see such a good license go to waste.
10.) Underrated Title of the Year: Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors seems to have been overlooked by gamers because of its inopportune release date having been so close to the bigger, better publicized titles. Along with solid visuals, this game offers fun and unique combat that is sure to keep any gamer occupied for hours and hours. It really is too bad that Otogi 2 slipped under the radar of so many Xbox owners.
-Runner-Up: Breakdown
With a lack of marketing and subsequent poor sales, Breakdown is easily one of the most underrated games on the Xbox. Breakdown sported a diverse and intricate story along with break through first person animation and point of view usage, all of which made for a very unique game experience. If you have a chance, I suggest you give this title a go, especially at its current low bargain bin price at many retailers.
11.) Best New Title/Franchise: Breakdown
Breakdown is an innovative first-person action title that keeps gamers entertained. With a thrilling storyline Breakdown offers moments and sequences that were spectacular enough to impress the staff at Talk Xbox. It’s just too bad that the sale numbers weren’t high enough to warrant a sequel
-Runner-Up: Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
Psi-Ops is easily one of the best titles to be introduced to the video game scene this year. With its climatic cliffhanger ending, lots of innovation, and the open-endedness to find your own way through problems, Midway has found a gold mine with Psi-Ops. Not only will it provide Midway with a high profile title in the future, but it will be a huge seller for them for years to come as well.
12.) Video Game Adaptation (of Movies) Title of the Year: The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
Escape from Butcher Bay is definitely fitting for this award simply because it truly captures the essence of the movie. With a pacing similar to the movie itself, it is obvious that as much effort was put into the game as the movie. Vin Diesel even does some of the dialogue. Not only does it stay true to the movie, but it is a fantastic game on its own. With impressive graphics and fantastic gameplay, The Chronicles of Riddick outdoes every other Video Game Adaptation with ease.
-Runner-Up: Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 had a lot riding on the success and quality of the title. Not only did it have to help change the view of video game adaptations of movies as being terrible, but it also needed to show that other games can use the Grand Theft Auto formula and remain original. Being able to web-sling yourself around New York City has never felt so authentic.
13.) Game We’re Still Playing in 2005: Halo 2
Halo 2 doesn’t just offer a great single player mode, it offers an outstanding multiplayer mode with as much Xbox Live support as a game can have. With all the stat tracking, rank gaining, and upcoming downloadable content we are positive that this game will keep us occupied well into 2005… and beyond
-Runner-Up: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
With so much depth to the story in KOTOR 2, we find ourselves playing into the late hours of the game trying and finish the game on either the dark or light side. We are eagerly anticipating the third and possibly fourth title in the KOTOR series as Obsidian has now proved that they can deftly handle the franchise. Let's just hope the name doesn't get any longer.
14.) Where Did it Go? Award: StarCraft: Ghost
After Nihilistic became disassociated with the game, many wondered if the game would ever see the light of day. The changeover in developer caused a major delay that in turn made many consumers forget about the game all together. However, with Swingin' Ape Studios now at the helm, StarCraft: Ghost is sure to be a quality title, especially considering their previous title was the impressive Metal Arms. With such a vague release time frame as "Sometime in 2005", we are not sure when we will see StarCraft: Ghost on shelves, or if it will even show up on the Xbox at all. StarCraft: Ghost at Xbox 2 launch anyone?
-Runner-Up: Psychonauts
Psychonauts fell off the face of the earth when Microsoft announced they were no longer publishing the title because they felt it was taking to long in development. Majesco soon picked it up after E3 and gave the title a fresh breath of life. What’s concerning us is the lack of content and high-quality movies being put out by the publisher with such an entertaining title. We can only hope for the best and that what used to be an exclusive Xbox title can still wind up being a fun filled, original game.
15.) Best Story/Plot of the Year: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
KOTOR 2: The Sith Lords offered us an exciting storyline that was every bit as complex and open ended as the first. The game’s storyline is what really it apart from the pack because of its unique ability to follow the path that made KOTOR so great while till staying incredibly original
-Runner-Up: Breakdown
Breakdown was such a great title that we are making sure that nobody misses out on the thrill ride it delivers. It contains so many deceptions and deceptions that Breakdown could be an ‘A’ class movie in theatres.
16.) Game of the Year Winner: Halo 2
Halo 2 has everything that is necessary to be the Talk Xbox Game of the Year. In its fantastic single player campaign we are immersed with tons of tiny details. From birds in the sky to looking down and seeing that your FPS character has legs, every little thing is there. The game doesn’t just stop with that. Exciting moments are brought to life with a great soundtrack and thrilling plot that includes many twists and turns. And after completing the campaign you will still have a lot to love about Halo 2. The multiplayer brings the game into superstardom by allowing you to play with friends and strangers alike on Xbox Live, Split Screen, and System Link in the best Xbox multiplayer package ever put together. Halo 2 is truly this year’s Game of the Year.
-Runner-Up: Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden would have been Game of the Year had it not been for it for Bungie’s Halo 2. Ninja Gaiden’s incredibly challenging levels and fast paced action gave Xbox fans another title to be proud to own. With Team Ninja already planning Ninja Gaiden 2, we can only hope they plan to put it for the Xbox 2.
Genre Awards:
17.) RPG Title of the Year: Fable
Fable is the revolutionary RPG that allows you to choose either a path of good or a path of evil. Living up to epic levels of hype is never easy, but for the most part Fable delivers outstanding RPG gameplay and solid graphics. It stands out from all the other Xbox RPGs thanks to these two very important qualities."
-Runner-Up: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
KOTOR 2 may have just missed being RPG of the year because of its late winter release . With a new influence system, a multitude of characters to join your group, and stellar voice acting, KOTOR 2 doesn’t disappoint to upholding what the original left in the minds of many RPG fans.
18.) Action Title of the Year: Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden really shines in comparison to other Xbox action games. It features smooth and fast paced gameplay that keeps owners of the game coming back for more. Not only that, but Ninja Gaiden's truly amazing graphics are also accompanied by one of the most exciting and well done soundtracks yet.
-Runner-Up: Halo 2
Halo 2 may not be the traditional action game, as it is a first person shooter, but we couldn’t help but classify it as one of the best action titles of the year with all the frantic action contained in it. Besides, what else could top Halo 2 and its incredible duel wielding system?
19.) Racing Title of the Year: RalliSport Challenge 2
RalliSport Challenge 2 is our Racing Title of the Year for more many reasons. The first (and most important) is that it is just a lot more fun than any other racing game. The second reason is that it looks amazing. Every car looks incredibly realistic and the damage system allows you to wreck any foreign car can imagine. The game is an instant classic for racing game enthusiasts.
-Runner-Up: Burnout 3: Takedown
Even with Burnout 3’s splendid action and arcade feel to it, it just wasn’t enough to surpass one of Europe’s best pastime, rally racing. Burnout 3, however, did show that racing games don’t need to feel too realistic and have fancy cars when crashing them and looking at the wreck can be as fun or more fun then racing.
That's it for this year's Game of the Year Awards, and here's hoping for yet another great year for the Xbox in 2005.
