GAMING
AWARDS
THE MOVIE SUCKS, BUT THE
GAME ROCKSCHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: ESCAPE
FROM BUTCHER BAY
Gravity, male pattern baldness, sucktastic games based on
movie licenses—all have been inescapable truths of the universe.
Until, that is, Escape from Butcher Bay saved the latter from the
category. Easily one of the best—and most underrated—games
of the year, Riddick blew us away with its badass nature, and
was all the more enjoyable since we were just expecting another
awful movie cash-in. $20, http://www.riddickgame.com, ESRB: M$20, http://www.riddickgame.com, ESRB: MMOST ORIGINAL GAME
PSYCHONAUTS
This twisted platformer puts you inside the mind of 12
deranged antagonists, allowing you to tower over a citadel
populated with lungfi sh on one map, and play chess against
Napoleon’s army on the next. Wildly entertaining and always
hilarious, Psychonauts is easily the most original game of the
year, and the best platformer we’ve ever played on the PC.
Bravo, Tim Schafer. Brav-o.
$40, http://www.psychonauts.com, ESRB: TGAME
YEAR
OF
THE
$40, http://www.psychonauts.com, ESRB: T46 MA XIMUMPC MARCH 2006
BATTLEFIELD 2
Forget World War II; it’s over, man.
The modern battlefi eld is a much
more exciting place. With dozens of
land, sea, and air vehicles and a wide
assortment of modern small arms,
Battlefi eld 2 delivers the defi nitive
large-scale combat experience.
There are dozens of ways to play—
you can be anything from a snake-
eater deep behind enemy lines to
the commander who orchestrates an
entire offensive. This is truly a game
for everyone.
$50, http://battlefield2.ea.com, ESRB: T