Best of the rest: James's picks
Bully (PS2)
Bully is my current favorite and has renewed my faith in Rockstar as a forward-moving publisher. The familiar game mechanics don't feel stale in this decidedly more innocent universe. Bully relies more on mischief than shock value, a relief, as are the smaller scale and lower difficulty level (really, the missions are simply less frustrating than some of the tedious tasks that abound in the GTA series). Bully isn't deserving of 'Game of the Year' honors, but Rockstar Vancouver's effort is one of the most refreshing and outright fun titles of 2006. [See also: "Dissecting Rockstar's formula"]
Additional picks (listed alphabetically):
Brain Age (DS)
The doc convinced me to "train" my brain daily for three straight months instead of playing something that was actually fun -- which is ludicrous; and also why this title is noteworthy. By the way, still recovering from the latent OCD this game triggered; and still writings my '5's likes 'S's. (Don't sleep on the bonus Sudoku games.)
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360)
Repetitive and soulless. Yeah, it's game crack -- and just as addictive as the cocaine derivative. (My personal pick for Game of the Year.)
Fight Night Round 3 (Xbox 360)
Hipsters prefer Table Tennis, me and my people just box. Classic 1-on-1 gameplay. Perfect for a room full of jeering friends.
Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
This is the one I wish I had more time to play. Love the new battle system, gambits and all.
LocoRoco (PSP)
I avoided this for months -- didn't what to update the PSP firmware. Things changed when Portable Ops hit; and I decided to scoop LocoRoco too. Now I find myself sneaking a quick level on the regular. (Tip: mute the sound.)
Okami (PS2)
Clover's masterwork would have made 'Top 5' if it'd been on Wii -- DualShock 2 makes for a poor ink brush. This is the best action-adventure outside of the Zelda lineage.
Worthy of a shout out: Clubhouse Games (DS), DJ Max Portable (PSP), Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PSP)
Disappointing:
Dead Rising (Xbox 360) - Great concept, but clunky controls and moronic survivor AI spoiled the fun.
Elite Beat Agents (DS) - Have you played Ouendan?
GRAW (Xbox 360) - Poor teammate AI ruined this game; should be called Ghost Recon Advanced Babysitter.
Prey (Xbox 360) - A decade in the making, and the outcome is this forgettable?
Resistance (PS3) - Derivative presentation, slow start, and chaotic multiplayer were all turnoffs.
Splinter Cell Double Agent (Xbox 360) - Choice-making gimmick failed to keep me interested in the series, which might have peaked with Chaos Theory.
See also: Joystiq's Game of the Year
