Many of the following ten games are great. A few came close to being on my top ten list (to be posted tomorrow). I would call a couple of them works of genius. But I think they're the most overrated games of the year for the simple fact that I'm surprised at how well received they were. I wouldn't recommend any of these without a few important caveats.
10) Civilization IV: Colonization
I've never won a single game of Colonization. But I've loved every game I've played. I don't imagine many people would feel the same.
9) Left 4 Dead
It's a great showcase for zombies that can run and co-op gameplay, but it's as fast, slick, fun in groups, and gratifying as chasing a greased pig (take that however you will). Serious Sam and Robotron were pretty cool, too, while the thrill lasted.
8) Burnout: Paradise
A racing game largely devoid of meaningful physics or convenience, also known as Burnout: Drive All the Way Back to the Starting Line Because There's No "Re-Try Race" Option, Suckers!.
7) Spore
The developers have explained that Spore was essentially three products: a content creator, a game-ish sort of thing, and a way to share stuff. Unless you're interested in at least two of those three things, and if you're willing for at least one of them to be rather anemic, Spore will be a head-scratcher.
6) Wii Fit
Wii fad.
5) Mass Effect
The long-in-the-tooth Bioware RPG formula applied to a generic sci-fi universe, with bouncing buggy driving/shooting sequences standing in for the exploration of alien worlds
4) Metal Gear Solid 4
For fans only. For everyone else, this is Kojima's long slow wank and you have to get to watch.
3) Braid
This is not a game that moves and it's not very accessible. You need to have a stomach for old-school platformers and mental brick walls. Which is a shame, because the place Braid eventually goes is sublime.
2) Little Big Planet
Awesome graphics! And those little sack people are so cute I could just eat them up! Now where's the game?
1) Grand Theft Auto IV
One of the most amazing realizations of a real-world-ish place and one of my favorite games this year. Also the setting for a poorly told story and uninspired gameplay, and the subject of a system-shattering PC port.
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