IGNPS2 Editor's Favorites 2003 - IGN (original) (raw)

We all have personal favorites. You know, they're the games you play and play and play, even though your friends have moved into the cooler, newer thing. Personal favorites are games you know have major faults, and they can even be well, terrible to a degree, but you love them for strange or even unexplicable reasons. You return to them again and again because they deliver a sharp emotion, an intuitive feeling, or the simple sense of satisfaction of having beaten them. We have some serious love-favorites here, and surprisingly, these titles aren't necessarily in our Game of the Year list.

Thus, we created a set of top 10 lists of personal favorites for the year 2003. These are the games we played the most, that we personally adore, and that we would, without batting an eye, return to in a heartbeat. These are our personal favorites of the year, be they low budget puzzle games, high production action-adventure games, or niche Japanese RPGs. And since we here at IGNPS2 play games of all types, i.e. titles on more than just the PlayStation 2, our list isn't restricted to just the PS2.

Since we have a slightly different staff on IGNPS2 than before, the players and therefore the tastes are also slightly different. I'm (Doug) still here and so is Jeremy Dunham, and now we have super-happy slacker Ed Lewis working for us. Also, a quick visit was made by Kaiser Hwang of renewed Xbox fame, who gave us his top 10 list too. We've each listed our top games of the year -- our personal favorites -- regardless of system preference, to give you a little sample of our preferences for 2003. IGN traditionally presents its "Best of" awards in January, and just to clarify, this is not it. This is not the annual "Best of" Awards feature. It's not. Instead this is an "unofficial list of our personal fetishes," I mean, our guilty pleasures... in the videogame category.

How did we come up with these lists? Simple. The most important aspect in our formula is time. Which games did we spend the most time with? Naturally, there were far more than 10 of these, but these lists are the final result of our extraneous and complex culling system. (They read down, from number 10 to our most favorite game at the bottom.) Hope you like these as much as we did.

Doug Perry, Editor-in-Chief

ManhuntRank: 10 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by Rockstar North Published by Rockstar Why?: Even though the anti-climactic ending removed some of the satisfaction due by beating this very focused, highly violent game, beating the majority of these levels was rewarding regardless. Transitioning from one-off stealth to tactical gunplay was a rush, and the last four levels felt good. Memorable for what it does and the reaction it's causing.

NBA Street Vol. 2Rank: 9 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Sports Action Developed by NuFX, EA Canada Published by Electronic ArtsWhy?: Solid, deep and super stylish, EA's arcade basketball sequel is perfect in nearly every way. The two-on-two player gameplay provides an incredible adrenaline rush and long-term play while the single-player modes are riddled with extra stuff to unlock. The second Gamebreaker is a knockout addition, and the new moves (Off the Heezay and Back 2 Papa among others) are stylish and cool. An excellent, excellent, excellent game.

AmplitudeRank: 8 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Music Action Developed by Hamonix Published by Sony Computer EntertainmentWhy?: While I could seriously improve on my rhythm skills, I still cannot kick the addiction of Amplitude, Harmonix's exemplary sequel to Frequency. The range of music is likeable, broad in taste and in some cases surprisingly good, though not nearly as techno-based as before , but to be honest, all of the songs work in their own way. A must-have and unique music-rhythm game that I return as often as possible.

World Soccer Winning Eleven 6 InternationalRank: 7 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Sports Developed by Konami TYO Published by KonamiWhy?: Soccer the way it should be played in a videogame. Challenging, low-scoring, and based on skill and strategy, this regularly-impressive series may only inch forward, but let's just admit it, it's hard to improve on perfection. The only thing is that it's harder here in the US to find players who know the game that well. Hopefully it goes online sometime soon.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeRank: 6 | Xbox Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by Ubisoft Montreal Published by UbisoftWhy?: While most folks here at IGN agree that we over-rated Prince of Persia at 9.6, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that it's a great looking and superb-playing action-adventure game. I wish there were more puzzles and replay value, but while it lasted, Ubisoft's smooth-playing, brilliantly animated and complex game did everything right from being compelling and mysterious to challenging and beautiful to look at, it's a must-have on any system.

Jak IIRank: 5 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Platform Developed by Naughty Dog Published by Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: The one and only game that plays like an action-adventure game but feels like a platformer, Naughty Dog's Jak II is a complete turnaround for a company that practically specializes in the fuzzy-jump and bump genre. While Haven City's purposely winding streets were a source of annoyance deep into the game, the depth of gameplay is broad and likeable, the technology is some of the best on the PS2, and the feel, control and skill level required to play it are all impressive (in other words, it's not easy).

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerRank: 4 | GameCube Genre: Adventure Developed by Nintendo Published by Nintendo Why?: Shigeru Miyamoto, the genius behind Nintendo's huge library of games, returns with a 75% brilliant action-adventure. Too bad that after the dungeons are done, the game turns into relentless fetch-quest. While that bugged me, the dungeons are still filled with strange, likeable creatures, an amazing sense of pacing, control and perfect blend of puzzle, action and adventure, and the use of the leaves, the wind and well, every little thing in the game is still dazzling.

Viewtiful JoeRank: 3 | GameCube Genre: Action Developed by Capcom Studio 4 Published by Capcom Why?: Old school gaming to the Nth degree. Everybody is always asking for this very game and finally somebody has the huevos to do it. Thank you Capcom. Hard, quirky, stupid fun, the kind you used to play in the arcades and that took you days, even weeks to beat, but that never was far from your mind, Viewtiful Joe is an homage to those great old 2D arcade games that outdoes even our sentimental memories of them.

Ratchet and Clank: Going CommandoRank: 2 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Platform Developed by Insomniac Published by Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: I know a lot of people questioned why I scored Jak II 0.1 higher than Ratchet and Clank Going Commando, and it seemed confusing, and the real reason is confusing. Intuitively, in my heart, in a non-logical, entirely unreasonable way, I just love Insomniac's sequel. Naughty Dog's game is more ambitious in many ways and it's technically impressive, but I keep going back to R&C2 over and over again because I love playing it. Is it that perfect blend of the familiar platformer everything else? God only knows. All I can say is that it feel soooo right.

SSX 3Rank: 1 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Extreme Sports Developed by EA Canada Published by Electronic Arts Why?: Why the rest of the game trade is not going bonkers over this unbelievable third sequel is beyond me. EA Canada's game is perfect in nearly every single way - it's beautifully textured, gorgeously animated, huge in size and scope and it's by far the deepest, most radical snowboarding (eh-hem, snowcross) game ever. When I'm not trying to maximize my UBERs, or beat all of those insane little surprises hidden throughout the scenery, I'm scheming to connect one big combo for the entire level (which, I admit, I'll never do). Oh yeah, and when I'm not doing all those things, I'm online competing. If you don't already own this for the PS2, just go get it. Go. Get. It.

Other Notables:

I tried to not mention all of the other obvious stuff (like Beyond Good and Evil and Knight of the Old Republic), but I have to admit there are several other games I still dig playing. Midnight Club II was really captivating, and other small releases such as Bombastic, The Simpsons: Hit and Run are very much on my play list still. Then there are games I wished I played more such as Virtua Fighter 4 and games that are more mass market yet still awesome, like Lord of the Rings: Return of the King that are awesome for two-player co-op. Oh yeah, and for a great, deep, satisfying story? Get Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Turn the page for Jeremy's picks...

Jeremy Dunham, Editor

WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain!Rank: 10 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Wrestling Developed by Yukes Published by THQWhy?: I think it says a lot that despite the fact that I played Smackdown every single day of the week for three months, I still had the same amount of fun with it during the review period as I did when I first tried it out. Bitch and complain all you want about the roster omissions and limited additions to create-a-character; it's still the most improved game of the season and offers innumerable positive changes in a multitude of categories. It's a great, great game for wrestling fans and enormously better than its Xbox and GameCube counterparts.

.hack//INFECTION, MUTATION, OUTBREAKRank: 9 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Action RPG Developed by CyberConnect2 Published by BandaiWhy?: There are definitely much better RPGs available for other systems out there (Breath of Fire V, Arc the Lad, and Dark Cloud 2 to name a few of them), but there was a certain intangible about the first three parts of Bandai's .hack series that managed to hook me from the opening cinema. Sure, it would have been much more effective on a singular disc and its separation into four parts is an obvious money-making ploy, but who cares? I own all three of the suckers and can't wait to pick up part four in January regardless. So sue me.

Xenosaga Episode I - Der Wille zur MachtRank: 8 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Turn-Based RPG Developed by Monolith Software Published by NamcoWhy?: Okay I admit it, my bizarre attempt at impressionist German cinema may not have made for the most informative video review, but c'mon -- it was kind of funny. Bizarre film projects aside, Xenosaga makes for a much better gaming experience than it does documentary subject, as it sports one of the best storylines I've seen for a videogame in a very long time. Throw in Yasunori Mitsuda's kick-ass soundtrack and a cool sci-fi theme and you have yourself a winning combination. My only gripe here is that there's more plot development and characterization than actual gaming; but with production values this good and a story this involving, it more than makes up for it.

Disgaea: Hour of DarknessRank: 7 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Turn-Based RPG Developed by Nippon Ichi Published by AtlusWhy?: I'm glad that Disgaea caught on with RPG aficionados, because when I first played it I was afraid I was the only guy on the planet who'd enjoy it. Though it's not shattering any sales records by any means, it has managed to pick up a lot of underground steam -- which couldn't make me happier -- as it's worth every bit of the 9.2 I gave it a few months back. Hopefully it will continue to do well as time goes on and enjoy the same kind of post-launch success that games like ICO and Jak and Daxter did. Here's to hoping.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson ButterflyRank: 6 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Adventure Developed by Tecmo Published by Tecmo Why?: Tecmo's second shot at survival horror was a great way to cap the year for me. As not only are the elements of play a lot more creative than your typical zombie adventure game, the scare factor is legitimately spine-tingling. If you don't believe me, pop it into your PlayStation 2 around two in the morning on with the lights turned off and see what happens. It's seriously creepy and has some of the most disturbing imagery we've seen this side of Silent Hill 1. I can only pray that we get a third installment sometime soon.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3Rank: 5 | Xbox Genre: First-Person Shooter Developed by Red Storm Entertainment Published by Ubisoft Why?: I'm not going to sugarcoat it, the A.I. in the single-player aspect of Rainbow Six 3 is a pound and a half of pure unadulterated ass; but it didn't stop me from enjoying the multiplayer shenanigans with the other editors in the office. I've logged well over 40 hours worth of online time with the rest of the IGN staff already -- and have every intention of doubling that before the end of the year. Easily the best Xbox Live game I've experienced all year long, I just can't get enough of this violent bastard; God help me.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeRank: 4 | Xbox Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by Ubisoft Montreal Published by Ubisoft Why?: The Super Nintendo version of the original Prince of Persia stole every minute of my time when it first came out back in the day, and this latest update to the series is just as successful. Yeah, there are some definite problems with the camera during combat and its small list of documented bugs are kind of off-putting, but when all is said and done nothing can overshadow the quality of its gameplay -- which is awesome. Hopefully Ubisoft will follow-up next year with a sequel. The results would be devastating to my sleeping habits.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicRank: 3 | Xbox Genre: Action RPG Developed by BioWare Published by LucasArtsWhy?: I love Star Wars and I like Baldur's Gate, but putting the two of them together made for software ten times better than I imagined. The bugs did bother the hell out of me (I lost my save three times!) but its solid storyline and better party-building mechanics were worth it. I particularly liked BioWare's decision to allow players to select the light side or the dark side -- and one I hope Obsidian expands on with KOTOR 2. RPGs forever baby!

Civilization III: ConquestsRank: 2 | PC Genre: Turn-Based Strategy Developed by Firaxis Published by AtariWhy?: I have an unhealthy obsession with the Civilization series and Atari's final Civ3 update Conquests just cemented it for me. Not only Firaxis finally fix the online probles associated with last season's Play the World fiasco, it also added an ass-load of new features, races, wonders, and gameplay changes. I play this game literally three to four times per week every week and have seen no hint of getting bored with it yet -- me likey.

Final Fantasy X-2Rank: 1 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Turn-Based RPG Developed by Square Enix Published by Square Enix Why?: Final Fantasy X was my favorite RPG of 2001, and its sequel met my expectations extremely well. Square Enix's shift to a non-linear setup and more flexible job-oriented combat system was a blessing in plain sight and the graphics and production values are some of the best available for PlayStation 2. I'll admit that the music and story isn't as strong as what was found in the original, but it didn't matter; I loved this baby from start to finish and can't wait to do it again=. It's fun, fun stuff and my favorite title of 2003.

Other Notables:

Monster Rancher 4 and Magic Pengel reminded me of how fun the battle genre can be with some new twists, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII proved that KOEI listens to its fans more than any other publisher. Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, kill.switch, and Viewtiful Joe brought out the best in my inner-actioner, and it was the year of the RPG as Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter, Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits, and Dark Cloud 2 cemented the PlayStation 2 as the system of choice for genre lovers.

Turn the page for Ed's picks...

Ed Lewis, Associate Editor

BombasticRank: 10 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Puzzle Developed by Shift Published by Capcom Why?: Puzzle games are often maligned for being simple games that don't change too much during the game. Bombastic may look like that, but the gameplay is so addictive and intense that any attempt to get further in the game reveals that this is some hardcore stuff that sends your brainwaves into a pattern reminiscent of the days when you obsessed about getting the rocket ship in Tetris. It's all about quickly recognizing patterns and manipulating various elements into place on a subliminal level and that marks it out as being a standout in the genre.

Grand Theft Auto Double PackRank: 9 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by DMA, Rockstar North Published by Rockstar Why?: I am one of the few people on the planet who didn't buy a copy of GTA3 or Vice City so when this double pack came out. Go ahead and laugh, but it's true, I always played these games at my buddy Matt's place. OK, now stop laughing. Anyway, I'm sure you already know about the two games in here by heart so I won't bore you with the details, but to get both for under $40 warms my bargain-hunting sensibilities and keeps me out of Matt's living room.

Jak IIRank: 8 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Platform Developed by Naughty Dog Published by Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: It's GTA3 except in the future in an alternate universe and there's a wise-cracking Daxter there to provide witty commentary. If you still have some patience left for platformers, Jak II combines an adventure set in a sprawling cityscape with plenty of running and jumping to keep any fan of moving platforms and gaps over bottomless chasms happy. The characters have freakishly large ears (the better to hear you with) and look like stretched out rodents, but look beyond the deformities for a fun adventure.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeRank: 7 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by Ubisoft Montreal Published by Ubisoft Why?: Two words: rewind time. That one feature made this game for me. It turned what could have been a tedious _Tomb Raider_-style process into a fun puzzle experience. The combat was clumsy and Farah tries to kill you with her poorly aimed arrows, but rewinding time brings a new elegance to the adventure genre. For anyone who wants the closest thing to an Indiana Jones adventure with spinning blades and swinging spiked logs, this is the business right here.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3Rank: 6 | Xbox Genre: First-Person Shooter Developed by Red Storm Entertainment Published by Ubisoft Why?: I write for the PS2 site and supposedly that's where my bias lies, but hands down I would pick Rainbow Six 3 over SOCOM II any day of the week. Even though the AI is freakishly idiotic, the level design still saves the single-player experience, but who cares because it's all about the online play. We have a LAN room that was originally supposed to host any video game, but has quickly become the RS3 room with ign.com staffers in there as soon as the work day is done in order to slaughter each other online.

AmplitudeRank: 5 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Music Action Developed by Hamonix Published by Sony Computer Entertainment **Why:?**Developer Harmonix is the same team that was behind Karaoke Revolution and that alone should be enough of a reason to track down Amplitude on eBay right now. Getting down and dirty in the rhythm genre is not looked on too favorably these days, but this is a straight up party title that deserves to be in any self-respecting gamer's library so they can show all the doubters and the haters that games can improve your hand-eye coordination and rock the house at the same time.

Tony Hawk's UndergroundRank: 4 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Extreme Sports Developed by Neversoft Entertainment Published by ActivisionWhy:? Yeah, sure, it's the same old Tony Hawk engine and a lot of the same moves, but it still rocks. The new way of bumping up stats, the trick builder, and the story mode are all things that the series has needed for a long, long time. Adding running to the combos is weak and should be removed for THPS6, but the other new additions bring some fresh ideas to a franchise that could easily have become stale.

Karaoke RevolutionRank: 3 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Music Action Developed by Harmonix Published by Konami Why:? The mere fact that this game has the ability to rate you on your singing ability and has some special effects for when you do well makes this one well worth a purchase. Sure, the actual "game" aspect is minimal, but when you can prove to your girlfriend that you aren't completely tone deaf, that's the good stuff right there. Now go out and buy it so that Konami will get on the ball about an expansion disc or a sequel or whatever it is they finally decide to do, I need more songs.

Beyond Good & EvilRank: 2 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by Ubisoft France Published by Ubisoft Why:? The most consistently entertaining and enjoyable adventure game this year. Beyond Good & Evil has a fantastic storyline, but doesn't forget about being an actual game in the process. It has an excellent balance of a puzzle game, an RPG, and an adventure game. All along, the emphasis is on creating a fun world and taking out as many extraneous and repetitive tasks as possible. It can be finished in only eight hours, but has enough extra touches to make further exploration worth it.

Viewtiful JoeRank: 1 | GameCube Genre: Action Developed by Capcom Studio 4 Published by Capcom Why:? By far the best, and most bizarre, game to come out this year. Combining retro-style cell shading with retro-side-scrolling action and time-twisting techniques and a crazed sense of humor has resulted in this mad, mad mess. If the odd techniques make sense to you, odds are that you'll fall for this game. It can be a bit of an acquired taste, but it'll reward you with a buffet of freakish action once you get into it. Nobody could have predicted that a side-scroller would be a contender for a game of the year, but this is so fresh and unique that it's in a league of its own.

Other Notables: I hate to say it, but Barbie's Horse Adventure and Lowrider. Yeah, Doug and Jeremy made me play all the winners this year.

Turn the page for Kaiser Hwang's picks...

Kaiser Hwang, Former Associate Editor

IkarugaRank: 10 | GameCube Genre: Shooter Developed by Treasure Published by InfogramesWhy:? There use to be a time when shooters ruled the gaming industry. The shift to 3D gaming all but brought death to the 2D shooter, but a few shooters did make it through. One of them was Ikaruga. The unofficial sequel to Radian Silvergun, Ikaruga teased the eyes and challenged the reflexes. It also added a level of depth not found in many 2D shooters with the ability to absorb shots of like colors. It's beautiful, challenging and nostalgic all at once, and I absolutely love it.

Panzer Dragoon OrtaRank: 9 | Xbox Genre: Shooter Developed by Smilebit Published by Sega Why:? Another shooter? Yeah, well, what can I say? There's a special place in my heart for shooting things. Panzer Dragoon Orta more or less takes the gameplay from the original Saturn Panzer, adds a little bit more variety, and wraps it all up in one shockingly gorgeous package. I hate to say it, but the Xbox ceases to amaze me with some of the graphics it produces. Like Ikaruga, this game takes the classic shooter formula and presents it in a way that's unforgettable. shooters with the ability to absorb shots of like colors. It's beautiful, challenging and nostalgic all at once, and I absolutely love it.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicRank: 8 | Xbox Genre: Action RPG Developed by BioWare Published by LucasArts Why:?Knights of the Old Republic is not without its problems. But that doesn't stop it from being one of my favorite games of the year. The incredible story, ambitious gameplay, and always-appealing license ate up so many hours of my life that I'm almost jealous of it. The game started off a bit slow, but once I became a lightsaber-wielding Jedi, I was hooked - for a long, long time.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3Rank: 7 | Xbox Genre: First-Person Shooter Developed by Red Storm Entertainment Published by Ubisoft Why:? As a single-player experience, Rainbow Six 3 is just good. As a multiplayer experience, the game is astoundingly fun. We here at the office love the game so much that we set up an eight-Xbox LAN just for the game. Then when we go home, we play every other night for hours at a time on Xbox Live. I love the way it isn't as slow as previous Rainbow Six games, but it doesn't resort to arcade-like tactics to provide a cheap thrill. This game rocks my hizzy. (Except when Fran, my teammate, shoots me in the back of the head.)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeRank: 6 | Xbox Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by Ubisoft Montreal Published by Ubisoft Why:? Why do I love Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time? Because it's a ravishing display of old-school gameplay mixed with new-school presentation. People complain about the camera, but what game doesn't have its issues? Yeah, the game's a little too short and a little too easy, but the time spent playing is sublime. This game single-handedly made me remember how fun games could be.

Wario Ware Inc: Mega Microgame$Rank: 5 | Game Boy Advance Genre: Compilation Developed by Nintendo Published by Nintendo Why:? My attention span varies day to day at its worst bordering on severe ADD. That's why I love Wario Ware. I can pick it up, play it for ten minutes (which is a long time in this game), and feel like I had a satisfying gaming experience. On top of that, the mini-games found in Wario Ware are so bizarre and silly that I don't know whether this game is simply absurd and obnoxious, or pure genius. Actually, I know - pure genius. I love Wario Ware like I love Fran.

Virtua Fighter 4: EvolutionRank: 4 | PlayStation 2 Genre: Fighting Developed by Sega-AM2 Published by Sega Why:? Fighting games are what I excel at, so I have to throw one in here. Luckily, one of the best fighting games ever created happened to come out this year. That game is Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution. An updated and improved version of Virtua Fighter 4, Evolution tickles my fancy with its jaggy-less graphics (a problem that plagued the orginal), deep fighting system, and addictive Quest mode. When I first got the game, I think my record in Quest mode was 163 wins, 1 loss. And that was after only two days of playing (when I should've been working). The moment I felt my thumb get sore, I knew I was in fighting game heaven.

Amped 2Rank: 3 | Xbox Genre: Extreme Sports Developed by Microsoft Published by Microsoft Why:? A lot of people prefer SSX to Amped, but I don't. Amped 2 improved on the last game in every possible way, and though the game is still not perfect, it's damn fun to play. And relaxing, too. One of my favorite things to do in the game is put on my customized soundtrack - which consists of Cat Power, the Delgados, Wheat, Low, and Sufjan Stevens - and just cruise around the mountains. That's what I like so much about Amped 2 - I can compete against others online, or I can simply enjoy a nice day on the mountain, not worrying about my performance. The last game that was like this (for me, anyways) was Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball. But we won't go there.

Beyond Good & EvilRank: 2 | Xbox Genre: Action/Adventure Developed by Ubisoft Montreal Published by Ubisoft Why:?Beyond Good & Evil. Outside of the (intentional?) Nietzsche reference, this game really felt magical to me. Sure, the gameplay wasn't anything really new, but the Jeunet-inspired art direction (or maybe it's just a French thing), tangled storyline, and especially the enchanting score, made me forget that I was playing a somewhat derivative game, and instead made me feel like I was doing something much, much bigger. What that is, I don't know, but whatever it is, I love it. Just like this game.

Project Gotham Racing 2Rank: 1 | Xbox Genre: Racing Developed by Bizarre Creations Published by Microsoft Why:? Along with shooting things, I also love driving. So its no surprise that Project Gotham Racing 2 is on my list. But my number one game? You bet. PGR 2 has almost everything I look for in a racing game. The graphics are beautiful, the control is perfect, and it's online. Actually, the online aspect of the game is what really appeals to me. Besides the requisite competitive play, PGR 2 has one of the best leaderboard implementations found in a game; I can't remember the last time I was so motivated to be the number one racer. The game also features a good soundtrack, which is a rarity these days. So yeah, this game is my personal favorite game of 2003.

Other Notables: (Note: Kaiser didn't have any other notable games -- loser!)

And that's it folks. The editor's personal picks for 2003. Hope you enjoyed them and we'll see you next year!