2005 Game of the Year Awards

2005 was an interesting year for PC games, though you would hardly know it with all the hype surrounding the launch of the Xbox 360, PSP, and the upcoming Playstation 3 from Sony. Despite all this activity on the console side of gaming, some really great titles landed on the hard drives of PC gamers this year, while computer gaming hardware continued to improve and grow more powerful. In addition to becoming more powerful, 2005 saw many PCs drop down to a price range where nearly anyone who wants one can afford a decent system. Ironically, console systems are beginning to look more and more like PCs all the time. At any rate, this was a solid year for gamers and we had an opportunity to play some really great titles.

Our editors PC games from the following categories:

* Best Strategy Game
* Best First-Person Shooter
* Best Multiplayer Game
* Best Expansion Pack
* Best Graphics
* Missing in Action
* PC Game of the Year

Without further ado, here are our picks for the top PC titles of 2005.

BEST STRATEGY GAME
Civilization IV

Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Firaxis

The Civilization series boasts one of the most prestigious pedigrees in all of PC gaming. It's probably not much of an overstatement to say that a large chunk of today's strategy gamers cut their teeth on earlier Civ designs, and that the series has done as much or more than any other game to introduce players to the strategy genre. The series is renown for the addictive nature of its gameplay, and this latest incarnation is no exception. A state of the art interface, solid multiplayer support, top notch presentation, tons of options, and great replay value combine to make this a game that had us coming back for more. Anyone who says that turn-based gaming is dead may want to reevaluate that position after spending a little time with this title.

The bottom line is that Civilization IV is just intelligent game design. It's tremendous fun, looks great, and has tons of replay value. What more can you ask for? Well, since we can be a little on the greedy side, we'll ask for a remake of Alpha Centauri. But until then, Civilization IV is one of best strategy games we've ever seen and offers something for nearly everyone. This is Xtreme-Gamer's clear pick for Best Strategy Game of 2005.

Runners Up:
Age of Empires III

BEST FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER
F.E.A.R.

Publisher: Sierra
Developer: Monolith Productions

First-person shooter games have grown steadily better over the last few years. Developers seem to have finally digested the fact that gamers are no longer satisfied to simply walk around and shoot whatever gets in their way. Half-Life 2 raised the bar and reminded us all why we play these games in the first place. Monolith has jumped into the deep end of the pool with F.E.A.R., and the results are pretty spectacular.

F.E.A.R. successfully creates an environment of, well, fear. The firefights are incredibly fast-paced and frenzied, which tends to make encounters more lethal than those found in some other first-person shooters. Also, the enemies in F.E.A.R. are capable of working together in an intelligent fashion that makes the single player experience deeper and more enjoyable. The developers did an excellent job of crafting a story which fully immerses the player as the creepy plot unfolds.

Although F.E.A.R.'s environments are more mundane than those found in Doom III or Half-Life 2, the F.E.A.R. engine does a wonderful job of making the game world come to life. The level of destruction during combat is impressive as is the attention to detail throughout the game. This is one of the most intense shooters we've played in quite some time and our pick for Best First-person Shooter of 2005.

Runners Up:
Call of Duty 2

BEST MULTIPLAYER GAME
Battlefield 2

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Digital Illusions CE (Dice)
The Battlefield series already had a lot going for it, but Battlefield 2 has improved on the basic design in almost every way. For starters, the environments are a lot more interesting and convincing than earlier titles in the series. Set in the near future, Battlefield 2 captures the frenzied and lethal nature of modern, small unit combat. Firefights are fast-paced and teamwork is essential if you want to survive.

Battlefield 2 was created for multiplayer gaming, and it is perhaps the best game of its type we've seen to date. There are an excellent assortment of weapons to choose from, character kits, vehicles, air support, squad organization system and much more. There is even an option to play by assuming the role of team commander, which goes a long way towards bringing some much-needed organization to multiplayer combat.

Anyone who is a fan of multiplayer gaming should definitely give this game a try. This is Xtreme-Gamer's pick for Best Multiplayer Game of 2005.

Runners Up:
Civilization IV

BEST EXPANSION PACK
Dawn of War: Winter Assault

Publisher: THQ
Developer: Relic
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War was one of our favorite real time strategy titles of the past few years. The game's wild melees and over-the-top presentation combine to form an addictive gameplay experience. Winter Assault carries on this tradition with held held high.

Winter Assault introduces the Imperial Guard as a fully playable faction. Although they might seem a little bland at first blush, they prove to be anything but. Though they work hand in hand with the Space Marines on a regular basis, the Imperial Guard have completely different weapons systems and capabilities and have an entirely different feel in the game. This turns out to be a good thing, as the addition of this new race adds more depth to an already excellent system.

The campaigns in Winter Assault are even more fun than those found in the original Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The campaigns can be played from multiple sides and feature some truly spectacular battles and desperate holding actions. Voice acting is top notch and the overall presentation of the title is superb. We're looking forward to more Warhammer material in the future. This is Xtreme-Gamer's pick for Best Expansion Pack of 2005.

Runners Up:
Battlefield 2: Special Forces

BEST GRAPHICS
F.E.A.R.

Publisher: Sierra
Developer: Monolith Productions
Great graphics are no longer limited to a handful of tier 1 gaming titles. Now days, it seems that just about every game on the market has decent graphics, yet some developers continue to push the envelope and create ever more impressive environments.

F.E.A.R. is such a title. Granted, you'll need a beefy gaming system to enjoy this title the way it was really meant to be played. But if you're lucky enough to have such a system, F.E.A.R. is a rare gem to behold. The environments do tend to be a tad on the mundane side compared to the fantastic locations in titles such as Doom III and Half-Life 2, however, F.E.A.R. does a remarkable job of bringing even dingy warehouses and offices to life with a gritty realism. The attention to detail is superb, the animations are top notch, and the lighting and shadow effects are second to none. We wish every game could look this good.

F.E.A.R. will push even the most powerful gaming rig right to the limit, but man does it look good doing it! There were many other games with killer graphics this year, but F.E.A.R. is our choice for Best Graphics of 2005.

Runners Up:
X3 Reunion

MISSING IN ACTION
Combat Leader: Cross of Iron

Publisher: Matrix Games
Developer: Matrix Games
This year's Missing in Action award goes to Matrix Games and Combat Leader: Cross of Iron. This is a title we've been eagerly watching for several years. The title is being developed (or at least it was) by Matrix Games, and is more or less the spiritual successor to the venerable Steel Panthers series.

The last time we saw it, the order of battle (OOB) databases were being developed along with the game editors. We also saw a number of screenshots that clearly demonstrated just how far the graphics had improved over the earlier titles from SSI. We would love to get our hands on this one, as Steel Panthers is a classic design and still has a loyal following of wargame diehards. Unfortunately, it appears the title has run into development issues and is currently in limbo.

The last five years have not been a kind period for simulations in general, and wargames in particular. The community continues to dwindle as gamers have moved on to more mainstream offerings. That's too bad, because wargames and simulations once dominated the PC gaming scene.

Runners Up:
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

GAME OF THE YEAR
Civilization IV

Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Firaxis

The Civilization series boasts one of the most prestigious pedigrees in all of PC gaming. It's probably not much of an overstatement to say that a large chunk of today's strategy gamers cut their teeth on earlier Civ designs, and that the series has done as much or more than any other game to introduce players to the strategy genre. The series is renown for the addictive nature of its gameplay, and this latest incarnation is no exception. A state of the art interface, solid multiplayer support, top notch presentation, tons of options, and great replay value combine to make this a game that had us coming back for more. Anyone who says that turn-based gaming is dead may want to reevaluate that position after spending a little time with this title.