Top Five Games Of 2006

Phil brought his guitar controllers over on Saturday for my first experience of the legendary Guitar Hero for Playstation (using my new Eltax floor-standing speakers). The fella who sits behind me at work raves about it and it's inspired Dr. Heimlich to learn REAL guitar. I see now what the fuss is about.

It's like one of those dance games where you have to stamp the pads in time with the music except you have to hold down one of five buttons on the fretboard (with only four fingers, unless you have undergone a rock mutation) and simultaneously strum at the right moment. You get a "whammy bar" to waggle on long notes but that was one piece of co-ordintion too much for me and I forgot to strum whenever I attempted it.

Still, for an hour I was the leather clad hair-mountain Lars Ümlaüt, jumping around my flat with the neck upright (it can tell) when in Star Mode and playing bum notes to Killing In The Name. Those special controllers are worth every penny of someone else's thirty quid each.

5. Outlaw Golf 2, Take Two Interactive.
Strippers on the golf course reminds me of this guy I used to work with. In spite of the silliness, it's a darned good golf game.
4. Midnight Club: Dub Edition Remix, Rockstar Games.
Super-fast and arcadey street racing with lots of jumps, boosts and four famous cities to abuse. Unbeatable for adrenaline.



3. Hitman: Blood Money, Eidos Games.
This requires stealth, not brute force or a spray of bullets. In the previous game I poisoned a target in Japan by infiltrating his kitchen and mis-cutting his fugu fish. I'm currently in disguise at Mardi Gras in New Orleans dressed as Big Bird.
2. Guitar Hero II, Activision.
1. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, LucasArts.
As much as I hate to pay George Lucas' piper one measly groat, this is just too much fun to be denied. Six famous scenes per movie have been expanded into full levels where everything is made of Lego: C-3PO's limbs fall off and Chewie can carry him; you can fly as minifigure Boba Fett and use the Dark Force as the minifigure Emperor; Leia's close combat attack is a slap to the face - useful when Lando's nearby and not under player control. You know you want it. But don't buy it - borrow mine.

I highly doubt those all came out last year but count the Platinum Edition re-releases and maybe... maybe. I think I only played five games last year. I forgot Ratchet & Clank 3! Well, hey. I'm not re-writing this.

The next biggie for me is Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories because the devolved gameplay of Liberty City Stories, like, sucked, man. I don't care about bicycles but I hate drowning. Two people are still with me.