November 22, 2007
Now that 2008 is upon us the Staff here at XboxAddict takes a look back at the best games of 2007. Let me first say that 2007 was without a doubt the best year for games on the Xbox 360. We've seen games like BioShock which is one of the best looking games of all time, Call of Duty 4 which is one of the best multiplayer games of all time and how can we forget Halo 3 which is the last game in the award winning francise developed by Bungie. We took many factors into account while making this list. Factors include but weren't limited to staff reviews, member reviews, forum posts, games innovation and fun factor. We've also used quotes from the member and staff reviews, see if a quote from your review was used. XboxAddict Presents the Best Games of 2007:
Best Party Game
 Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Screenlife
Quote from BunnyRabbit: " This game is best described as pure "family fun". I would in fact go so far as to call this the best offline multiplayer game out for the xbox 360! Whether you are winning or you are losing you will find yourself and family (or friends) enjoying this game.
The gameplay is the absolute root of appeal to this game. It is full of thousands of likely useless, but ultimately fun movie trivia questions so that this game can be enjoyed over and over again!(Like Alex Trebek's mustache!) The questions are also proposed in a number of different ways throughout each round. Anyhow, whats awesome is the simplicity. One-button and you already did it! I know it sounds lame put that way, but what I mean to say is you can permorm most actions/responses with the touch of just one button. This means your parents won't be foolishly pressing X-UP-B-B-B-A-RTRIG-Y before they get mad and tell you that the Atari was easier to power on..No confusion for them with this game, just fun! Not only that, but its even so simple that your younger siblings or possibly children can join in on the fun. " Honorable Mention: Fuzion Frenzy 2 Best Music Game
 Rock Band
Publisher: MTV Games
Developer: Harmonix
Quote from Highlite23-XBA: " It’s (Rock Band) addicting to spectators, you may have friends and family who will start off just wanting to watch, but I’ll guarantee they will eventually be jockeying for position to get in the mix. The music, the variety of genres is fantastic, not only in terms of era, but styles. From Bon Jovi to the Ramones. The Rolling Stones to Radiohead, there is something for everyone in this package, and if all the DLC’s come to fruition the game will never get stale.
This game will appeal to all ages young and old, and hardcore gamers will get a charge out of battling head to head over Xbox Live in a cyber Battle of the Bands if you will. It’s one of the best party games available; you can enjoy it with friends as well as family. So for what I originally thought might be a stretch, Rock Band turned out to be a great gaming experience. So if you have to, start digging in the sofa pillows for loose change, pass on a few DVD purchases and find a way to go pick up Rock Band. And if all else fails..."Dear Santa..." Rock Band is just that much fun. "
Honorable Mentions: Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock, Dance Dance Revolution: Universe
Best Sports Game
 Skate
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Black Box
Skate is a skateboarding video game by EA Black Box for the Xbox 360. It was released in North America on September 14, 2007 for the Xbox 360. Skate has sold more than 700,000 copies. The player controls a custom-designed character to use as their skateboarding avatar in the fictional town of San Vanelona, a conjunction (in both name and appearance) of the cities: San Franscisco, Vancouver and Barcelona. Similar to the HUD of the Grand Theft Auto series, skating challenges are marked on a mini-map, along with stores and subway stations that allow the player to traverse the city quickly. Skate is focused on the player gaining sponsors and notability through photography and video of their skating skills, eventually leading up to the X Games.
There are several "filming" challenges that allow the player to chose anyplace within a zone to create a line of tricks to meet the filming goals; the player can also place a session marker to return to a spot quickly after finishing a line. Several "spot own" locations throughout the city allow the player to try to claim that spot by beating a certain score requirement, thus "owning" the spot from other skaters. Additionally, there are jam sessions and "death races" against other AI-controlled characters. Completing challenges will generally unlock new clothing and equipment items, characters, and additional challenges to compete in.
Honorable Mentions: NHL 2K8 , Madden 08
Best Fighting Game
 Virtua Fighter 5
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: SEGA-AM2
Virtua Fighter 5 is the latest game in Sega's Virtua Fighter series. The Xbox 360 version was released in October 2007 in North America and Europe. The Xbox 360 version has benefited from the additions and refinements that have been made to the Version C arcade revision, while the PlayStation 3 port is based around the older Version B. The Xbox 360 version also included online play on release.
All of the sought after invitations for the Fifth World Fighting Tournament have been sent and now the 17 best fighters in the world begin their final phases of preparation. They must learn from their prior mistakes and perfect every aspect of their mind, body, and soul - for there is no room for mistakes in this competition. Little do they know that J6, the organization funding the tournament, has sinister ulterior motives for the contest and the company's top secret Dural program is already well underway. In the organization's quest for world domination, the scientists at J6 are creating the ultimate fighting machine with human features. Their first model was defeated in the Fourth World Fighting Tournament, which drove them to kidnap Vanessa. She was able to escape with the help of an insider, but not before they captured her combat data and transferred it to the new advanced Dural model named V-Dural.
Honorable Mention: Def Jam: Icon
Best Racing Game
 Forza Motorsport 2
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Turn 10 Studios
Quote from racethis: " Ah, Forza Motorsport. The brilliant alternative to the likes of the Gran Turismo series. I'd say the enjoyment is much much higher than gran turismo. It's an incredibly likeable and realistic racing sim. The car list on the other hand was too simular to the original Forza Motorsport. The customization and personalization is amazing though. Simply put, it's an excellent sim and one the most complete racing games to date, on any system, not just the 360.
The gameplay was remarkable. The handling of the cars is perfect, and i mean that literally. They handle very realistically. Another positive was that the cars in Forza 2 actually show damage, unlike that tough-as-a-diamond cars that employ the Gran Turismo series. The auction house is addicting as gamerscore itself. "
Honorable Mentions: Project Gotham Racing 4 , DiRT , MX vs. ATV: Untamed
Best RPG
 Mass Effect
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: BioWare
Quote from Folgerboy-XBA: " Mass Effect is a game that requires a serious investment of time to pay off – casual arcade gamers may initially be put off by the learning curve and the amount of time that’s needed to get the story rolling. The Lord of the Rings wouldn’t have been nearly as rich if the camera had just jumped in when Frodo was on the run with a stolen ring and bad guys after him – with the backstory of where he comes from and what he needs to do, the story is that much more urgent and impelling. So it is with Mass Effect – when you get into the game for a few hours and roll around, meeting aliens and learning mankind’s place in the universe, you’ll discover that this is a saga that could engage you for a month or two, and the unlockable achievements reward gamers for repeated playthroughs with Long Service Medals for second and repeated playthroughs.
Gamers should give the game a second go around – played through as a hero the first time? Play it as a vicious, no-nonsense bully the second time through and indulge your inner villain, or take a different class of character. Played through as a diplomatic techie, talking your way through trouble and using smarts to solve your problems? Play as a hardcore war vet, shooting your way through trouble and not even bother to ask questions later. You’ll find on the second play that characters you’ve met and known within the game react and interact with you quite differently, as you are not the person you were. Achievements abound to pad out your gamerscore, including expected milestone awards for completing specific chapters of story as well as awards for skills used and story subplots explored(e.g. ‘Assault Rifle Master – 150 kills with assault rifle, 'Paramour' - 15 points for completing a romantic subplot). "
Honorable Mentions: Blue Dragon , Eternal Sonata
Best Action Game
 Crackdown
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Realtime Worlds
Quote from Deleti0n: " A massive sprawling metropolis filled to the brim with crime and a failing police system. Sound good? Well it is. Your a new species of agent, using your advanced power take back Pacific City, using any way you want to.
The gameplay is endless, spending time building up all your skills is fun cause you just kill gangstas, and who doesn't loving pwnin' up the whitebread gangsta? I know I sure do! It doesn't stop there, soon as you complete the game you can regenerate the gangs at any point or any time! WAIT! It doesn't stop there, with a free DLC you get "the keys to the city" a DLC which gives you a menu allowing you to spawn anything in the game at any time, give your self any skills at any level, and basically times the fun by four. "
Honorable Mentions: John Woo Presents Stranglehold , Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Best Adventure Game
 BioShock
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Boston
Quote from Variation: " It's not very often that a game comes along that almost everyone can agree is a required play experience for any gamer that brings together all game elements so perfectly. Bioshock is more than a very attractive FPS, it also has a blend of RPG elements where you can customize your character and weapons to anything you choose.
With a very engrossing story, amazing visuals, incredible sound and enough scary moments that you care to admit, the plot has a much more emotional impact than an explosive one. "
Honorable Mention: Assassin's Creed
Best First-Person Shooter
 Half-Life 2: Orange Box
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Valve
Quote from Jaken Bear-XBA: " What's an Orange Box you ask? The obvious answer would be somewhere that you keep your tasty oranges locked away. Perhaps you only take this “orange box” of yours out on special occasions like Christmas or Easter.
The real answer though is that the Orange Box is one of the best "bang for your buck" sack of goodness to come along in awhile, stuffing 5 chunks of gaming magic into one beautiful package. Included in the package you get Half Life 2, Half Life 2 Episode 1, Half Life 2 Episode 2, the class based multiplayer shooter Team Fortress 2, and to top things off the brand new world of Portal. "
Honorable Mentions: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare , Halo 3
Best Multiplayer Game
 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
Quote from Megaherz *RAGE*: " The multiplayer is everyones favorite part of the game. Maybe you think it is just another first person multiplayer game, but the addition of perks changes everything. No one is geared the same, you can have someone with a stopping power, which increased damage, someone else with martyrdrom, which drop a grenade when they die, or maybe someone spying on your conversation with the voice perk.
So many combinations to do, so many gun to choose from, many multiplayer challenge and stuff to unlock, that Call Of Duty 4 is going to take all you free time. If you are worrying about the gameplay types, let me tell you that there is nothing greater than playing Search And Destroy, where you must plant a bomb ( Counter Strike look alike ) or Headquarters, where you must capture the headquaters and hold it, or Hardcore, where one shot and you die, with your friends in a party. A nice addtion was rank. In fact, you can go up to level 55 and redo it ten times with prestige mode. "
Honorable Mentions: Halo 3 , Half-Life 2: Orange Box
Game of the Year
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
What more can be said about Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare? It is without a doubt the best game of the year and one of the best games of all time. Not only does this game have an engaging single player campaign that will keep you busy for hours on veteran difficulty, but it has a multiplayer mode that puts it right up their with games like Halo 2, Halo 3, Orange Box, Unreal Tournament. The multiplayer mode is so good that we here at XBA started a clan.
Runner-Ups: BioShock , Mass Effect , Assassin's Creed , Halo 3
Best Xbox Live Arcade Games
As you can see it can't get much better than that, with games like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, BioShock, Halo 3, Mass Effect and many other great games, 2007 definitely didn't disappoint. Now that we've seen the best games the Xbox 360 had to offer lets look back at the biggest disappoints and worst games of 2007:
Worst Games
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