The 10 best games of 2007

By: Matthew Tyson

Posted: 11/29/07

10. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (Playstation 3)
Naughty Dog has a hit on their hands with Uncharted. The game is very fun to play and even more fun to look at. Uncharted has some of the best visuals in the gaming market today. It also has a large variety of gameplay mechanics that keep the game fresh and interesting.

9. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
Link's newest adventure takes him back to the land of the handheld. Phantom Hourglass is truly a work of art, featuring graphics and sound that push the Nintendo DS to the next level. The game strays away from the standard Zelda experience, but still retains the quality that you would come to expect from the series.

8. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii)
Metroid Prime 3 takes the Wii's unique controls to a new level. Samus makes her debut on Nintendo's newest console with a game that seems to perfectly blend shooting and adventure elements. Metroid Prime also provides the challenge that many Wii games lack.

7. God of War 2 (Playstation 2)
God of War 2 proves that there is still a good reason to keep that Playstation 2 hooked up. The title is one of the best action games to come along in recent history. Every little detail of God of War 2 shines--from combat to puzzle solving.

6. Halo 3 (Xbox 360)
Master Chief's debut on Xbox 360 prompted a launch event that put every other form of entertainment to shame. Halo 3 combines a good single-player campaign with a fantastic multiplayer mode to produce one of the year's best games. Developer Bungie included both a level editor tool and a saved games feature in order to strengthen the games longevity. They were successful as many people will be playing this game for years to come.

5. Mass Effect (Xbox 360)
BioWare is notorious for creating some of the best role-playing games in the industry. Mass Effect continues this tradition and shows that the company does not have to rely on the Star Wars license. The game shines in the role-playing aspect, with each player made decision being crucial to the story. Mass Effect is a huge game that will keep you playing well into next year.

4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC/Playstation 3/Xbox 360)
Infinity Ward has taken their hit franchise to the next level with Call of Duty 4. The war shooter has an amazing single-player campaign that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire ride. The multiplayer experience is one of the best you will find this year. The game has many jaw-dropping moments that simply do not exist in many of today's games.

3. The Orange Box (PC/Playstation 3/Xbox 360)
The Orange Box features five quality games in one package. Half-Life 2 is the meat of the group, and it comes complete with both expansions. In the making for nearly a decade, Team Fortress 2 proves that the wait was worth it by delivering amazing class-based multiplayer. Portal rounds out the package, and has become a cult favorite among gamers all over the world. The Orange Box is by far the best bang for your buck this year.

2. BioShock (PC/Xbox 360)
BioShock is the most memorable experience of any game on this list. Irrational Games' first-person thriller surprised many people this year by delivering a game that was near perfect on all cylinders. The world of Rapture is an absolutely breathtaking place that perfectly fits the dark mood of the story. The use of plasmids adds more variety to tackling enemies, and ignores the constant run-and-gun gameplay of most shooter games. BioShock is a breath of fresh air to the first-person shooter genre.

1. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Super Mario Galaxy is, simply put, the best game of 2007. Nintendo has yet again reinvented the platformer by sending their loveable mascot into space. Everything about the game shines, from the amazing animations to the top notch musical score. The level design is by far the best ever in a Mario game, and the controls utilize the Wii Remote's strengths. Galaxy proves that Mario is still the king of video games.

An avid video game enthusiast, Chris Pittman is the web editor of The Chanticleer. He can be reached at (256) 782-8521 or at chantyweb@gmail.com. You can read his weekly gaming blog at chantygaming.blogspot.com.