“X-Play Best of 2007 Awards” Nominees

It’s that time of year again when everyone needs to name winners and losers. In my heart, we’re all winners. OK, that’s a lie. In my heart, about 3% of us are winners. And also in said (speculated) heart, some of these winners have won because they’ve gotten to play some of the incredible games from this year. X-Play has developed their nominee list for best of 2007 and will announce the winners December 17th on their show (of course). And while X-Play’s Game of the Year picks are pretty standard: Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, BioShock, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Halo 3 and Super Mario Galaxy, it’s tough for me to take any GOTY list seriously that excludes Portal and/or Orange Box. Still, they didn’t completely miss the mark. Here’s their whole list:

Game of the Year
* Mass Effect
* Assassin’s Creed
* BioShock
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
* Halo 3
* Super Mario Galaxy

Most Original Game

* Assassin’s Creed

* Portal

* Overlord

* Crackdown

* Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

Best Gameplay Innovation

* Assassin’s Creed (free-running/climbing)

* Mass Effect (conversation system)

* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (online level-up system)

* Halo 3 (Forge/Replays/Screenshots)

* Crackdown (Advanced Co-op features)

Best Multiplayer Game

* World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade

* Team Fortress 2

* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

* Halo 3

* Rock Band

Best Action/Adventure Game

* Super Mario Galaxy

* Assassin’s Creed

* Crackdown

* God of War II

* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best Sports Game

* MLB PowerPros

* NCAA Football 2K8

* Forza Motorsport 2

* DiRT

* Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

Best Shooter

* BioShock

* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

* Halo 3

* Half-Life 2: Episode 2

* Team Fortress 2

Best Role Playing Game

* Mass Effect

* Final Fantasy VI Advance

* The Witcher

* Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer

* Titan Quest: Immortal Throne

Best New Character

* Weighted Companion Cube (Portal)

* Saren (Mass Effect)

* Andrew Ryan (BioShock)

* GLaDOS (Portal)

* King Bohan (Heavenly Sword)

Best Art Direction

* BioShock

* Assassin’s Creed

* Super Mario Galaxy

* Mass Effect

* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Best Animation

* Assassin’s Creed

* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

* Heavenly Sword

* Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

Best Writing/Story

* BioShock

* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

* The Simpsons Game

* Mass Effect

* Portal

Best Original Soundtrack

* Mass Effect

* Portal

* BioShock

* Super Mario Galaxy

* Halo 3

Best Sound Design

* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

* Assassin’s Creed

* Halo 3

* BioShock

* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best Downloadable Content

* The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (XBL)

* Pac-Man Championship Edition (XBLA)

* Super Stardust HD (PSN)

* Carcassonne (XBLA)

* Crackdown Download Packs (XBL)

Best Strategy Game

* World In Conflict

* Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts

* Supreme Commander

* Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar

* Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars