IGN OVERALL Game Of The Year Awards

[DigiQ8]

Im just gonna write what Half-Life 2 got.....


BEST FPS : HALF-LIFE 2
- runner up : halo 2 (XBox)

BEST GRAPHICS : HALF-LIFE 2
- runner up : Metroid Prime 2 (GameCube)

BEST USE OF SOUND : HALF-LIFE 2
- runner up : Halo 2 (Xbox) | DOOM 3 (PC)

BEST STORY : METAL GEAR SOLID 3 : SNAKE EATER
- runner up : half-life 2 (PC)



OVERALL GAME OF THE YEAR : HALF-LIFE 2

Why it Rocked:
It's hard to express how excited I was after finishing Half-Life 2 off. It's a fairly long game, but after I finished it I just wanted to play more. After seeing some of the initial print reviews of the game months before its release, I was still a bit skeptical that the game could be as good as some people were saying. But from the first weaponless moments of being chased through the tenements of City 17, not only was I hooked, I was chewing on the hook that initially grabbed me hoping to sink it in further.

With Half-Life 2, Valve has created a complete experience, largely due to their storytelling style that never leaves Gordon Freeman's perspective. I was Gordon Freeman. I was at war with the Combine. I was trying to figure out what was happening and fighting for my life. Any game that can immerse me like that and keep me entertained and excited with both frantic and thoughtful gameplay easily deserves the title of Game of the Year.

-- Dan Adams, Editor-in-Chief, IGN PC

There were more "wow" moments in Half-Life 2 than probably any game I've ever played, and that right there says it all. From the first time you're running for your life from the Combine across rooftops all the way to the final seconds of the game, various segments of the game are better described as intense action sequences rather than simply calling them "levels." But even that description would be unjust to the game's design.

It's not just destroying everything in sight that makes Half-Life 2 the best game of the year. You're encouraged think through every aspect of the game as the design offers you various options of how to tackle each unique situation and rewards you for experimentation. Valve's implementation of physics, eerily realistic characters and overall art design make you feel more like a singular yet important character in a living, persistent world rather than the center of a simulated, fake environment. Half-Life 2 is simply one of the most involving shooters ever, and the best game of the year.

-- Chris Roper, Editor-in-Chief, IGN Gear

For this game, phenomenal would be a fairly accurate descriptor, but the more I use it, the more I find myself doubting its ability to properly convey my Half-Life adulation. HL 2 is simply that terrific.

I tried pinning down why my heart was so happily skipping beats after I finished dueling with an assault helicopter that thought strafing Gordon was a good idea (it was not). From what I can figure, most of my love stems from Half-Life 2 being the best paced game in existence.

Some titles are predominantly dynamic. Halo 2 and Far Cry are good examples of dynamic action. In both games it's not uncommon to face a handful of smart enemies that are dropped into a large environment. There they are. There you are. Go nuts. It's a simple formula that works because it offers a great deal of combat variation -- it offers approachability. Other games are heavily scripted. Allied Assault's enemies are dumber than broken bricks, but the game presents a long series of polished wow moments that create a cohesive, exciting experience. Half-Life 2 is the near perfect combination of both design directions. It features excessive scripting that borders on interactive brilliance and within these meticulously planned segments it features enemies that boast frightening intelligence.

Like some of you out there, I wanted to laugh at all the hype, dismiss Steam, and gawk at how all the money, development, and ravings of bulletin board users worldwide amounted to nothing more than some stupid piece of crap with a funny install. I wanted to, but after I played it I just couldn't. Half-Life 2 is just fantastic, and it's definitely the best game I've played all year.

-- Ivan Sulic, Editor, IGN PS2


- runner up : Burnout 3: Takedown | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

 

[WhiteZero]

Good read.
:thumbs:
Cheers to IGN.

BTW: Can we get a link to this?

 

[DigiQ8]

Here : http://bestof.ign.com/2004/overall/

lol Halo 2 got owned by Half-Life 2 , 2 times

 

[Iconoclast]

Runner up for best story? Is IGN playing a different game?

 

[MigaS_tX]

Wow nice! Hope we get a few more.

 

[Dead-Inside]

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for best story and Half-Life 2 Runner-up.

Yes, indeed, bs.

 

[shoman24v]

Best sound? Come on lets be real. Stutter factor takes off -100 pts.
Best GFX? They are good yes, love the character animations! Lights that are fused to the map? Can't be shot out, can't be moved to show how light affects the map. Bah good job lacking in that department.
Best FPS? Hated boat and Buggy level, game is also too short. (Ever throw a grenade at the boat? Do it when it's on land and you will notice that the boat seems to weight about 5 lbs., thats why it gives the impression that you are floating.)

Half life 2 is good and i'll leave it at that. I think it's worthy of an 8.2

 

[DigiQ8]

I think MGS3 deserve to get the best story , i played it and beated it
its just one of the best stories ever

 

[ship]

YES! I just read it and ran over here to share the news. Glad someone had it posted.
I'm so happy for VALVe and HL2. Sooooo deserving!!! :cheers:

ETA - Kudos to IGN for overlooking the Halo 2 hype. I'm not bashing the game because I like it very much and play it a lot on XBOX Live; it just wasn't that good. I'm so satisfied with IGN's picks. Especially seeing as how they included Metroid Prime 2 and Burnout 3 in so many of their awards.

 

[Sid Burn]

Damn... HL2 almost filled all the awards...

 

[jimbo118]

how can you call bs that hl2 came second to mgs3?mg series are on a whole other lvl storywise to hl

 

[The Monkey]

Where's Gamespy's GotY?

 

[MiccyNarc]

Best sound? Come on lets be real. Stutter factor takes off -100 pts.

That's not a sound issue, it's a performance issue.

Best GFX? They are good yes, love the character animations! Lights that are fused to the map? Can't be shot out, can't be moved to show how light affects the map. Bah good job lacking in that department.

While they may not be as technologically advanced as Doom III's, at least they look 1000x better. Most screenshots taken in HL2 can be mistaken for photographs (IF you have a good computer)

Best FPS? Hated boat and Buggy level, game is also too short.

That's your very lame opinion.
Shut up.

Half life 2 is good and i'll leave it at that. I think it's worthy of an 8.2

And since you say it, it must be fact!

In short, you're lame and wrong. Now leave before I start getting mean.


:thumbs: @ IGN

 

[DigiQ8]

Yea HL2 deserve Game of the Year

 

[Deadly200]

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for best story and Half-Life 2 Runner-up.

Yes, indeed, bs.

If you played MGS3 you would say the story was good too. all mgs games have realy great storys lines.

 

[SLH]

And since you say it, it must be fact!

In short, you're lame and wrong.

What he said is a fact (unless he's lieing ). He does think that half-life 2 is worthy of an 8.2, it's just an opinion.
If he said that HL2 is worthy of an 8.2 it wouldn't be a fact, but he said he thinks its worthy of an 8.2.

No need to be insulting, just because he doesn't share your view of HL2. It only makes you seem like an idiot when you say that someone's opinions are wrong.

Personally i think that HL2 deserved first place, but i think it should've been a lot closer than that IGN article showed.

 

[AmishSlayer]

MGS3 deserves the best story award by a longshot. I would've been surprised if HL2 had won it.

I expected the rest of the awards to come out the way they did though.

 

[shoman24v]

That's not a sound issue, it's a performance issue.

While they may not be as technologically advanced as Doom III's, at least they look 1000x better. Most screenshots taken in HL2 can be mistaken for photographs (IF you have a good computer)


That's your very lame opinion.
Shut up.

And since you say it, it must be fact!

In short, you're lame and wrong. Now leave before I start getting mean.


:thumbs: @ IGN

Typical answer from a fan boy. Sorry, opinions can't be wrong so stfu. Have you ever written a paper in class where the teacher says express your opinion on this subject? When you got the paper back did you get a big fat F because your opinion was wrong? NO. I don't care if you think its the greatest game ever made and you have played it 10 times. Once is enough for me.

I have a pretty good computer (3.2P4 X800 XT PE) Half Life 2 does not look like a picture in my OPINION

 

[SystemShock2]

I thought half life and half life 2's stories were really good. It seemedthey didn't have much plot, but there actually quite a bit if you understood the whole thing, BUT the plot isn't completely the story. The story is what you do during the game, it doesn't have to have a plot to have a good story. Half life 2's story was really good because of its pacing, intense battles, the dialogue, and the feeling of satisfaction you get after shooting down a helicopter or when you do something really cool.

Pretty much the story is great there is so much to do and you can make it all yourself....I mean you're always gonna go through the same parts, but you're going to do it completely different each time.

 

[Maxi]

Typical answer from a fan boy. Sorry, opinions can't be wrong so stfu. Have you ever written a paper in class where the teacher says express your opinion on this subject? When you got the paper back did you get a big fat F because your opinion was wrong? NO. I don't care if you think its the greatest game ever made and you have played it 10 times. Once is enough for me.

I have a pretty good computer (3.2P4 X800 XT PE) Half Life 2 does not look like a picture in my OPINION

Define the word fanboy... everyone has a different definition... so stfu with the personal insults, be a man.

Your oppinion isn't the majority, it's the minority, which all the gotys and awards and people who like the game prove. Yoyr oppinion is just that, your oppinion. Nothing more, nothing less. His oppinion is his oppinion and nothing more ore less etc. A game becomes a Goty when most peoples oppinon, or the people who give the gotys oppinon is that game X is the best. And when most people think game X is the best, well it's the best. If you've ever heard anything about what an innovation is, you'll know hl2 falls right into it.

 

[shoman24v]

When Doom was reviewed by PC gamer they gave it what a 97%? They then said that that was the best game and it raised the bar for gaming. Then good 'ole Half Life 2 comes around, supposedly jumps the bar by a lot. A lot being 1% to make 98% Games should not be scored so high because the next game made that Jumps Half Life's 2 bar is going to get what a 99%? Plus How do you explain a game that wins GOTY when it's almost one of the buggiest ones and requires internet connecting to just install, not to mention the installation for some took hours.

For instance, my PC and my PC at work both run HL2, my computer at work which is a piece of crap actually runs the game better then my home computer which is A LOT better. My new laptop at work, which is one of the best out (Dell XPS 3.4GHz extreme edition, 1gig of ram, 9800 pro) won't even run the game, it gets a memory error when it gets to the menu screen. I think to myself, wtf a $4300 computer can't run a $50.00 game?

Yes HL2 is great and deserves GOTY, but for 2005 It may be beaten out by Brothers In Arms and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Which is an entirely unscripted game. Now thats what im taking about. A game that won't ever play the same time twice. That in my opinion is raising the bar.

 

[kupocake]

Where's Gamespy's GotY?

http://goty.gamespy.com/2004/overall/index10.html

It was Halo 2, a fact no one really understands when Halo 2 was beaten in just about every other website's FPS GOTY by HL2, even if HL2 didn't manage Overall GOTY (e.g. Gamespot).

HL2 came second to Halo 2 in the Gamespy Overall GOTY runnings because of the steam install; an excuse to end all pathetic excuses.

 

[Max35]

For instance, my PC and my PC at work both run HL2, my computer at work which is a piece of crap actually runs the game better then my home computer which is A LOT better. My new laptop at work, which is one of the best out (Dell XPS 3.4GHz extreme edition, 1gig of ram, 9800 pro) won't even run the game, it gets a memory error when it gets to the menu screen. I think to myself, wtf a $4300 computer can't run a $50.00 game?

Well, I think I remember reading somewhere that HL2 doesn't support laptop vid cards/ you see they run slightly different, even though they are probably just as powerful, the game is optimized for Desktop PC's, as are alot of others. But don't take my word as gospel, and your right a $4300 comp should be more than capable to run the game.