What a whirlwind year for the humble PC it's been. With more
and more gamers getting online, it seems that the massively
multiplayer online games are finally coming of age, and titles
like Unreal Tournament 2003 and even Counter-Strike are pulling
in the 'Net gamers.
As always, we had to whittle the list down to a select few.
Just click on the image or the number link and you'll be able
to see why we thought the game was deserving of such a prestigious
accolade.
While this one's aimed at the littlies, it is one of the
better kids games to release in 2002. With a plethora of game
modes and lively graphics, this is one game the ankle-biters
won't want to miss.
Whether you crave ultra-realism or something a little more
fast and fun, this next game can be tailored to suit many
different play styles. Arguably the last word on Formula One
games, it is said that many professional drivers use it to
refresh themselves with the circuits.
As Richard Moore, our resident tactical genius, puts it:
"Strategy gamers will play this for hundreds of hours
- possibly in one sitting - and it will hang around on the
hard disk for a very, very long time. Europa Universalis 2
is a classic-to-be that will eclipse even Civilization
in gamers' minds."
The only flaw for this game was that it all eventually had
to end... With solid multi- and single-player offerings, this
is the action RPG that keeps Blizzard coders up at night.
Ah - the first-person shooter. Arguably one of the most popular
and best-selling genre's for the PC, this one was a bit of
no-brainer. Improving on the games that came before it, the
'2003' revision offers bigger levels, better graphics and
superior weaponary.
The second RPG in our "Best Of" list, this one
offers more scope than most, while giving players one of the
most sumptuous and engrossing storylines ever, brought to
life with some seriously hot visuals.
Prior to its release, this game was built-up, hyped and given
a right-royal PR spinning. Thankfully, the final iteration
doesn't disappoint. Combining the goodness of an RPG with
the tactics of a real-time strategy game, this is fantasy
gaming at its best.
This one is an absolute Hit, man! While the original game
- Codename 47 - had a few issues with the physics, the recently
released sequel is - quite simply - a brilliant game. It's
not perfect, but then it's not far from perfection either.
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin should be on everyone's must-have
list, without a doubt.
