MaximumPC 2006 03

BEST EXCUSE TO BUY 5.1 SPEAKERS

CALL OF DUTY 2

MG42! Germans! The sounds of warfare never sounded so glorious or

so terrifying as they do in this bombastic WWII shooter. As one editor

quipped, “When I hear an MG42 fi re up in front of me, I want to dive

under my desk for cover.” $50, http://www.callofduty2.com, ESRB: T

PHYSICS REALLY IS PHUN

AGE OF EMPIRES III

!o% ))) marks the fi rst appearance of the Havok physics engine

in a real-time-strategy game, and it’s about time. This slick inno-

vation lets us send massive cannon balls directly into rows of

musketeers. When they’re hit, they get thrown around like rag-doll

bowling pins, and we laugh sadistically. It’s just fun!

$50, http://www.ageofempires3.com, ESRB: T

THE “YOU REALLY NAILED HIM”

AWARD

FEAR

The nail gun in &%!2 takes the typically mundane

experience of wasting foes and turns it into an

exercise in interior decorating. “Let’s see, I’ll put

you up on that wall, and you over there.” The pos-

sibilities for new arrangements are simply endless.

$50, http://www.whatisfear.com, ESRB: M

THE MOST GRATUITOUS USE OF

POOP IN A GAME

BLACK AND WHITE 2

"laCk anD 7hite 2 is really all about choices. Do you use your

creature’s house-size poo as a weapon against your enemies, a

blessing from a benevolent god, or another way to mete out the

punishment of a malevolent god? You decide.

$50, http://blackandwhite.ea.com, ESRB: T

MOST ANNOYING SQUAD MATES

Every mission in Call of Duty 2 starts with your

squad mates yelling “Germans!”, “Krauts!”,

“Fascists!” It gets old, fast.

MOST BOTCHED COVER-UP

Rockstar Game’s infamous Hot Coffee brouhaha hurt

the entire industry’s case for self-policing. Shame on

you, Rockstar.

THE MOST GRATUITOUS USE OF

GAMING

AWARDS
2005

WORST GAMING MOMENTS 2005