f13.net

What the Hell is This, Mr. Tom Chick?

It's been a great year so far, across many genres and platforms. Oblivion, Titan Quest, Rise of Legends, Chibi-Robo, Syphon Filter, Monster Hunter: Freedom, and even Drill Dozer and the latest Yu-Gi-Oh card game on the GBA are all top-notch titles that would normally make the choice of the half-year difficult.

But for me, there's been one game this year to marry almost perfectly technology, gameplay, innovation, pacing, and sheer knock-you-back-in-your-seat awesomeness: Electronic Arts' real time strategy masterpiece, Battle for Middle Earth II. It's one of the most beautiful games I've ever played, of any genre. It makes incredible use of sound, from the rumble of Rohirrim, to the skitter of spiders, to Aragorn's stirring call of 'Elendil!'. Sources: [Yahoo|Q23]

So, uh? What? The only game you've played from the above paragraphs is BfMEII, isn't it? First of all, whuuuu?  On principle alone MEII shouldn't have been in the running. Secondly, WHY? Nearly every game you listed above, except ehhhh, well OK. You made a bad list. About half the games you listed above are better than MEII. Also, were you asleep for 3 of those months? What about Field Commander, Heroes of Might and Magic V, NSMB, Dreamfall (if you can include MEII, I can include a half-baked adventure title!), Brain Age, Kingdom Hearts II, GRAW, Shadowhearts 3, Subsistence, Atelier Iris 2, and the list goes on.

All I'm saying, is there are better games and you know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. I don't even like half the games I listed above, but I can at least appreciate what they did. Maybe you were making a joke that flew over my head. I don't know.

But I can tell you the best game from the first half of this year: Mega Man: Powered Up.

You should pick up the consoles and portables more often.

Whores, whores, whores.

The units and possible scenarios in these games (LotR) don't seem to be very interesting or varied. Can't imagine why someone would find them that great.

Possibly he likes huge sackfuls of cash money.

Tom Chick is not that popular.

Edit: He obviously does like hitting himself in the face with the integrity-destroyer bat though.

Ahh, the innovative RTS. When will that fad die, I wonder.

I'm up to level 17 in Oblivion, a couple dungeons were just loaded with mobs. Still haven't progressed the main plot from the last time I mentioned my progress in that game. Screw innovation, I heart Bethsoft.

To be fair to yahoo VG X-treme or whatever they are called the other two guys took a more sane viewpoint if you bother to read the whole page.  Then again, what true gamer gets his news from YahooVG anyways?  In closing, sure this guy might be a tool for all I know or care (console games  :roll: ) but Schild man you need to stay away from anything that resembles a top <anything> list.  You know they aren't good for your blood pressure.

Please. I don't read Yahoo for gaming news. I got it from Q23 (http://www.quartertothree.com/) which I do read.

God knows why he linked it on the frontpage there.

This article is exactly why I don't read Q23.  I'm glad schild is taking one for the team.  I look for Wii news and he reads Tom Chick.  Fair trade if there ever was one.  Tom Chick's "AvP is Better Than Sex" article is an anomaly as one of my favorite articles ever, but otherwise I find him uninteresting.

As for "best ever game in the first half of 2006", I just took the TESIV disc out and replaced it with a shiny new Titan Quest disc.  Baby Jesus loves some "work from home" days.  An automated DB restore, beer, Titan Quest, TS (if your fuckers are on), and night swimming -- it's a winning combination!