Hmmm what the hell, seems like fun.
2000: Shenmue (Dreamcast)
I count Shenmue 1 and 2 as one game split into two parts, and together they form what is easily my favourite game of all time. I don't think I need to elaborate much more, I love EVERYTHING about them.
Runner Ups;
2001: Shenmue II (Dreamcast)
See above.
Runner Ups;
2002: Mafia (PC)
Still one of my all-time favourite games. It has one of the best combinations of gameplay, story and presentation of any game I've ever played. I really can't think of much that I don't like about this game.
Runner Ups:
- Jet Set Radio Future
I didn't really get into this at the time, but afterwards I realised it's brilliance. Excellent game.
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
The game that kicked off what has become one of my favourite video game series. Probably the first stealth based game I ever played, I absolutely loved this.
2003: Project Gotham Racing 2 (Xbox)
As soon as I saw this title pop up in 2003 gaming, I knew I had my GOTY. Quite simply my favourite racing game ever (Sorry Sega). The gameplay, range of game types, excellent online options, number of tracks, number of cars, the graphics, the music... just outstanding.
When I first got this game, I played for about 3 hours and decided to stop because my eyes were sore. I lasted about ten minutes before sitting down to keep playing.
Runner ups;
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
One of my favourite RPGs ever, the game world, gameplay and story were all top notch. It just felt so bloody great and just like being in a Star Wars movie. The sort of game I'm constantly pining to play again.
- Deus Ex 2: Invisible War
No where near as good as the original, but then again what game is? Still a great game in it's own right.
- Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick
Not a 'good' game by any stretch, but it was so much FUN. The game has Bruce Campbell and a 'one-liner button'. This is still the single best use for a button in any video game ever made.
- Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
I can't decide if I like this or the sequel better, but I really loved both of these games. The gunplay was fun and the comic book storytelling seems like it was ahead of the curve (look at how many comic book inspired games and movies are around now).
- OutRun 2
Again, a game I didn't really 'get' when it came out, but learned to love later on.
- Postal 2
This game has a button dedicated to urinating. Second only to Evil Dead for the best use of a button in any video game ever.
- Rise of Nations
Great little RTS title. Not quite turn-based and not quite real-time, but it was all fun.
2004: Rome: Total War (PC)
I could lose months playing this game. I'd never played a strategy game with the scope and size of this. The amount of factions and units was amazing and the gameplay was awesome fun. I can still go back and play this game from time to time and have fun with it.
Runner ups;
- Fable
It's simple and it's short, but it's got character by the truckload and theres something about it that just clicks with me.
- GTA: San Andreas
I didn't like this anywhere near as much as Vice City, but this was still a damn good game.
- Half-Life 2
After how much I adored the first game (still my favourite FPS), this was a dissapointment, but still excellent
- Halo 2
I didn't like this as much as Halo 1 (Is there a pattern emerging here?) again, brilliant multi-player and a solid single player game made this a favourite on the Xbox.
- Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Great follow up to the original, it was more of the same, but that's all I wanted from it.
2005: Psychonauts (Xbox)
Absolutely brilliant game, both in terms of the gameplay and the truly unique style and direction. This year was a tough call, but I had to go with this in the end, it was just all kinds of wonderful. If you haven't played it and like platformers even a minute amount, you need to get it.
Runner ups;
- Yakuza
Fantastic game that I only played for the first time this year. I don't need to go into detail about why this game is good on this forum.
- Age of Empires III
First RTS game i played online, and wow I loved it. The card system was really addictive and I just loved the way the factions had gained so much more diversity since the second game. Not quite as good as Age of Kings in my mind, but a great game.
- Condemned: Criminal Origins
A fantastic horror game, probably the scariest game I've played as well. Some things, like the way guns work, haven't been outdone by any horror game since IMO.
- Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes
Bought this game on a whim, and i'm so glad I did. Outstanding mix of strategy and action, and hard as a fucking rock. It's a game I constantly want to come back to and play again, purely because there is so little else like it.
- Resident Evil 4
I only played the re-release on Wii, but wow is this game polished. The gameplay is fun, the unlockables are numerous and it's just plain great all around.
- Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion
It's an expansion, but it felt like a brand new game. All new factions and units and new options that really changed the game (like swimming units and night-fighting), I lost many more months to this, just like the original.
I'm going to be here all night if I keep up this detail, I'll have to get back to it later!
