Well, we're now into mid-January and every gaming site/publication feels the rightful need to declare their Game of the Year. We can treat this topic like the rant that it will inevitably become, bitching about why "Game X" was not the clear winner.
I don't think we're going to see anything near unanimous this year. Many people will say Zelda is going to win multiple awards. And, it will--deservedly so. However, IGN has already selected Okami as their GOTY. This is the one potential GOTY contender that I don't own just yet. How am I supposed to play everything? I think Okami is a nice choice--and suprising--but just seems like a ploy by IGN to the hardcore community. Isn't this something we would choose when asked? Isn’t IGN just supposed to take the easy route...ala EGM and GamePro and just choose Zelda? I'm not the biggest fan of their writing or their reviews all the time. But, kudos to IGN...kudos.
Personally, I have played a TON of games this year and finished very very few. Comparing games of different genres to determine a GOTY is an incredibly difficult task and often just not fair. However, for sake of argument, I'll present to you my top contenders for 2006, and an eventual winner (in no particular order). Drum roll please...
Legend of Zelda: TP
Great gameplay that actually refines the legendary play mechanics to pinpoint perfection. Good story for a change too. It is incredible this is really just a GC game--and we're talking GOTY for it in 2007. Personally, I was disappointed by the lack of orchestrated music.
Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
I don't think I will ever stop playing this game. The more I think about it, the more I want to compare Oblivion to Grand Theft Auto meets Lord of the Rings. Great graphics, incredible open-ended gameplay and top-notch voice acting. 100+ hours of gameplay easy for most players. I just can't get over how I never know what to do next---because I can do WHATEVER I want. That is a rare rare feeling in a video game.
FFXII
It was about time someone revolutionized the turn based RPG. I was more than glad to see it come from Squeenix. I'm only about 14 hours in, but so far am loving the combat system and am duly impressed with the visuals. It will be hard to go back to an RPG where you can't see your enemies. Doesn’t that seem like something that should have been left in the days of the Apple IIe? Let me see what I'm going to fight dammit!
R6: Vegas
Incredible, incredible, incredible online multiplayer. Get a good group of guys and you'll blow hours while you coordinate plans to eliminate the other team. Single player is excellent as well--and the game has a unique cover system the feels natural (just hold the left trigger) with the control scheme. Casinos look flashy, characters mouths move with their voices in-game and co-op play is available. This game just has a boatload of options.
I don't feel I can include Okami here as I have only played a Japanese demo. Others that have please chime in. And no, I am NOT including Gears of War. This is NOT --- I repeat NOT intended to create a flame war. Personally, I felt Gears was a good game that had very little new to offer beyond visuals. The cover system was not as good as Rainbow 6, and the "hold A button all the time" control scheme just feel forced. Great graphics? Of course. But, as we have all argued about forever---GREAT GRAPHICS DON'T MAKE GREAT GAMES. Again, please don't flame the hell out of me...this is a very debatable personal opinion.
So...
Elder Scrolls: Oblivion it is for my GOTY.
I love Zelda, but feel like I've played it before. I love FFXII, and may feel different when finished, but just feel that Oblivion offers more interactivity. And, in the end...isn't the feeling of interaction and "being there" the point of playing? I'll likely NEVER finish Oblivion. Do I care? Definitely not. We're ALL playing it totally differently...and how cool is that?