Picking Halo 3 as a top title of the year isn't conforming. If it's a good game, then it deserves it. Persona 3 is good, just not popular. It could be on a top list, and people could say "lolwut" Fuck em'

Halo 3 was a letdown to many from what I understand. I have it cause it was the thing to have once I got my 360 for online play.

I'd take Odin Sphere or Persona 3 easily over any Halo trash though. Maybe even Soul Nomad granted I ever pick up the damn game.

I felt Halo 3 was really generic and mediocre, it just happened to be full of options.

I still haven't re-bought my PS2 after deciding not to get a PS3 so I couldn't comment on Odin Sphere/Persona, but I would say my opinions definitely fall into the nonconformist category.

Shouldn't they be like... picking their top games off Gametap or something?

Also you forgot Soul Nomad.

Doug is my hero for putting Crackdown on his list.

@ Cheeburga

Thank you for not being a jaded ass twat.

I can't help but to feel like with a lot of more "mainstream" gaming media, the likes are so obsessed with shooters, anything that isn't gets ignored. Look at the list! Call of Duty 4, Bioshock, Halo, Orange Box, Crysis, Metroid all shooters (well maybe not Metroid. I don't want a debate)! Even Mass Effect has a lot of shooter-like qualities.

What about those of us that don't play shooters?

The GOTY debate seems very one-sided

and the winner is my penis! no actually it's cool they included God of War II. It seems to have been forgotten by many, simply because it's a last gen game, but it still kicked ass! Kudos to including Peggle. Seems strange to like a game my mom likes too hehe.

I agree about Halo3 being a letdown. I beat the single player in one sitting and the multiplayer just doesn't call me back to play. I dunno if it's because there's too many players at once, the fact I have to hit a button to speak on the mic, the lameness of shooting someone. Where's the blood splatter? I also hate chaotix multiplayer games. I'm more Gears of War, where you can hide behind corners, take a breather, setup attacks. Having an audience with spector mode. You really feel good when you win at that game. Back in the lobby, Everyone pats you on the back, way to go! nice job! Halo3 feels more distant, like no one cares. Halo's always felt like an exclusive club. I was never part of and in Gears I'm real good at it and in Halo you have these insanely good players that take all the fun outta the game.

I actually felt let down by Persona 3 more than Halo 3. Not actually controlling my party led to far too many moments where they would act in a haphazard manner, causing avoidable game overs. On top of that, I just didn't feel like there was enough time to really get into all the school activities. Having everything done for me and just picking and choosing was lame. that, and the completionist in me just found it bland to actually finish everything. Still enjoyed the game very much, but it could have been so much more.

@ Orionsaint

Halo in general is just full of idiotic asses most of the time who talk trash. I generally just don't even have my headset on outside of playing with my friends online. cause it's just silly stupid people. STFU and play.

@Naia the gamer
Have to realize this was mainly shooters this year. Or rather 360's year of shining. Granted yes, games like Odin Sphere, Persona 3, Soul Nomad, and many other non 360 games came out, it aint a shooter. The increasing number of luv for shooters is sad only cause i'm tired of constantly shooting people in different outfits/pixels/games/area. I could say the same for any game but there's some gameplay variety in those that would change my mind. Shooters tend to just stick to the main platform and people flock.

my point really being though, I agree. needs more Varietyism.

I've also been rather disappointed that Persona 3 hasn't been in any big Top Ten lists yet. Heck, or in any Best RPG categories even.

I don't like Jared's statement: "5.2 million people can't be wrong."

ITT people who get bullied playing Halo.

Odin Sphere = BAD to the ass. What an awesome game, one of the best I played all year.

sales = good right? these are the same people that bash the wii lulz :D

also, since when is gametap relevant?

I feel Halo is an above average game, that's it. With CoD4 coming along it showed me that a game can have both great offline and online play.

These people are whack, half of them didn't even put Bioshock in the top 3. and what's with any sort of sports game being the top game of any year?

TOO HIP

Bioshock shouldn't be in the top 100. /OVEREXAGGERATION

"and what's with any sort of sports game being the top game of any year?"

I understand that a lot of you dislike sports. I dislike anime. Therefor, I don't get drawn by games like Persona. That still doesn't mean a game can't be great. Learn to stop being such closed minded, elitist pricks, pleez.

If you're going to say a sports game can't be a top game of the year, then a short game like Portal can't be in one either. And to be honest, Bioshock was great on the first go, but I can't pick that game up again. It's a one trick pony. It's also a love it or hate it game. Some people really disliked the word they were in (not me - I enjoyed it).

I don't understand why people get insulted when Halo or any other game is put before the games they thought should be the best. Chill out. It's someone else's opinion. No one's forcing you to play the games they liked.

I'll say it right now; Halo 3 is my game of the year. Orange Box is second, followed by CoD 4, and Mass Effect. Flame me for my tastes, pleez.

Soon, the wave of negativity directed towards Halo 3 being included in top 10 lists will collapse in on its smug cool self and people will be publicly beaten for not including it. I might still take that beating though.

I'm not being closed minded, most sports games don't bring anything new year in and year out. They simply are roster updates and I don't see how they can be better than a game that does thing new, and does them well.

vexed alex has the right answer. Year after year people make game of the year lists and year after year people bitch about it. It's all subjective and everyone knows that and still people bitch that games like Under Water BB Stacking 5 wasn't included. I also wouldnt worry to much about all the shooter love, as I can recall years that it was mostly RPG's. People bitched then too. As long as someone states their opinion someone else is going to complain about it.

vexed alex has the right answer. Year after year people make game of the year lists and year after year people bitch about it. It's all subjective and everyone knows that and still people bitch that games like Under Water BB Stacking 5 wasn't included. I also wouldnt worry to much about all the shooter love, as I can recall years that it was mostly RPG's. People bitched then too. As long as someone states their opinion someone else is going to complain about it.

Try comparing Fifa '07 to Fifa '08 and then come back to me. A sports game may not be game of the year, but that doesn't mean it can't be someone's favorite game of the year or on a top 10.

I'm tired of hearing about how boring sports games are. Especially from the same people who use their PS3's or 360's to play fucking card games or derivative J-RPG after derivative J-RPG.

It just depends on the sports games. Winning Eleven is the only sports game ill really play and even that seems to be losing its lustor. Hopefully the next one when it comes state side won't get butchered.

But every other franchise seems to have exhausted itself: Madden, any baseball game, even wrestling games seem to just be the same cookie cutter format.

Odin Sphere is a perfect example of the direction I would personally like to see more games go in. More gorgeous hand drawn sprites please!

My entire summer was spent playing odin sphere and persona 3.

I tried really hard to like Odin Sphere, but the game was ruined by its nonsensical alchemy and frustrating inventory systems. It just didn't know whether it wanted to be extremely simple or overly complicated and ended up being both.

The graphics were gorgeous, but in order to pull that off the camera is zoomed way too far in on your character and you just run around the same tiny circular areas.

If they did a sequel with the same graphics where you actually explored big levels it'd be amazing.

I’m glad one of them mentioned God of War II, and another mentioned Uncharted. Granted, I haven’t finished either game (I’m playing through the latter right now and I’m near the end, but I haven’t touched the former since, like, June...I’m at the part where you have to swing from the pillars). But I love them both, especially Uncharted (seriously, that guy’s right — it plays like a movie, and it looks beautiful). And I’m also supporting vexed alex here: I don’t know why so many people on Destructoid have to hate on sports games all the time — personally, I’ve loved them ever since I played NHL 95 on Genesis back in the day. But that’s an argument for another day.

I think that MP3 has been underrated this year. Just because of all the other amazing games that came out. I'm always happy to see that game get some love.

I vote that Halo 3 is not on a top 10 list.

I would like to nominate Ninjabread Man as game of the year. Lol.