So it seems that everyone here at Gamervision has their own opinion of what "Game of the Year" should mean.  I figured I'd chime in with my two cents, and mix a few metaphors while I'm at it.  To me, GotY is really dependent on the system you own.  If you only have a PS2, Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty 4 are meaningless.  If you have a PS3 and an Xbox 360, your definition of Game of the Year may be very different depending on the system you play it on.  Hell, there're still plenty of gamers out there who only play on their PCs, mocking all those sad console sheep out there (and vice versa).  This being the case, I've decided to break my nominees (as well as honorable mentions) down by platform.   It works like this: If you can only buy one of this year’s games for each platform, how would your money be best spent?  From this list, I'll choose my official, unbiased, fully sanctioned GAME OF THE YEAR.

Titles that are available on multiple platforms are only listed once, on the platform that serves them best.  Also, I left the original Xbox off the list because there were only like five games released for it, and better versions of all of them are available on other platforms.  Oh, and for anyone out there who plays only cell phone games?  Yeah, you don't get a category.



Game of the Year Nominees

Mass Effect

The Xbox 360 has had a hell of a year.  With solid sales and more A-list exclusive titles than any other console, the last 12 months have been  a breakthrough year for Microsoft, and no exclusive hit with the impact of Mass Effect.  Bioshock's rpg-shooter hybrid featured powerful storytelling, a massive, fully fleshed-out (and utterly feasible) backstory and some of the year's most impressive visuals.  Despite some technical quirks and balance issues, Mass Effect is the biggest and best experience available on the 360 this year. 

Honorable Mention: Orange Box, Bioshock

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Link never disappoints, does he?  The Zelda series may be the most consistently excellent franchise in the business, and Phantom Hourglass lives up to the legacy.  Animated in the "Wind Waker" style, the DS' best offering of the year has all the hallmarks of a great Zelda game.  Controls?  Flawless.  Puzzles?  Sublime.  Boss fights?  Epic. If you own a working DS, there is no excuse for not owning this game.

Honorable Mention: Bleach: Blade of Fate, Contra 4

Super Mario Galaxy

The platformer has returned, and it is a mighty beast.  Every iteration of the Super Mario series has tried to 1-up the one that came before, and almost all have succeeded.  But none quite like SMG.  Easily the best looking Mario game ever, it's also got some of the most creative and enjoyable level-design ever conceived.  Throw in perfect controls, miles of explorable space, classic Mario charm and an unforgettable soundtrack, and you've got one of the greatest entries in the greatest franchise ever.

Honorable Mention: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

Crush

Let's face it; the PSP is not the Nintendo killer that Sony had planned it to be.  That being the case, the industry's most powerful handheld did get some software love this year, thanks to games like Crush, a unique puzzler where your character has the ability to "crush" his 3D environment into a 2D world to solve puzzles within his own psyche.  Sound bizarre?  It is.  It's also an absolute blast to play, and it actually features an interesting story.  Not bad for a PSP puzzle game.

Honorable Mention: Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

God of War II

The old boy just won't die,  Well, maybe this year it will, but the PS2 kept on chugging in 2007 with the release of God of War II.  Kratos' mythic adventures once again pushed the seven-year old system's limits while delivering one of the year's most visceral and satisfying experiences on any platform.  While it doesn't stray too far from its predecessor, the sequel's excellent story and stunning presentation elp make it one of the best and bloodiest action games of 2007.

Honorable Mention: Shin Megami Tensei: Personae 3, Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

Finally, the PS3 shows what it's capable of.  With a crazy cool story, utterly likable characters, unbelievable graphics and just the right balance between combat and platforming, Uncharted snuck in under the radar to deliver one of the most satisfying, beautiful and just plain fun experiences you could have with a controller this year.   

Honorable Mention: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Virtua Fighter 5

World in Conflict

As good as Call of Duty 4 is, the lesser-known World in Conflict is just a teensy bit better.  Set in an alternate universe where World War III erupted in 1989 between the US, NATO and the Soviet Union, WiC is a real-time strategy game that feels like an action game.  It casts off the resource-gathering and base building mechanics of traditional RTS' and instead focuses on large-scale destruction and quick action.  It's real pretty, too, with the best explosions of the year.  If your rig can handle it, it's the best pick for PC's in 2007.

Honorable Mention: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Supreme Commander

Well that's that.  It's been one of the best years ever to be a gamer, which made it really hard to cut this list down even this far.  My apologies to games like Skate, Halo 3, Assassin's Creed and Lunar Nights, but the competition was as stiff as it gets.  In the off chance that Nights: Journey of Dreams (coming 12/18) beats out Super Mario Galaxy, I'll let you know, but I'm pretty sure this is my final list.