I apologize in advance for this, the biggest award, being the most brief...but this is probably the only way it's ever going to actually get done.
The Best Games of 2005 (finally)
Number 10
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
Simply visceral...probably the greatest feeling of locomotion I've ever felt in a game, coupled with very satisfying fighting mechanics. Even though you might seem completely out of control at times (and occasionally you are) the game never feels unwieldy. It took the "All-Time Best Comic Book Game" crown away from last year's Spiderman 2, in my opinion.
Number 9:
LEGO Star Wars
Actually making the 3 newest Star Wars movies compelling? That's a novel idea. Great co-op, too, with a sense of humor to boot.
Number 8:
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
I still don't really understand how they packed an entire GTA game onto one of those tiny discs...I'm just glad they did. Oh, and Jeff, I still know where you're headed...
Number 7:
Lumines
I still find it hard to describe the feeling you get after Lumines hooks you...it just becomes every thought in your head. During Sarah's longer play sessions, I would try to distract her by cavorting about the room, wildly proclaiming that I was "King of the 3rd Quadrant," but even then... nothing.
Number 6:
Guitar Hero
I say again : The only thing that could possibly make this game better would be more songs. Everything about the game is spot-on, down to the extra long controller cord, perfect for long-distance "crouch and wiggles."
Number 5:
God of War
This game is something that just has to be seen to be believed. That the PS2 manages to crank out the scenery and battles in this game makes it even more jaw-dropping. Incidentally, this game also got bumped up several notches for sheer visceral mayhem. There may never be a more "Bad Ass" video game character than Kratos.
Number 4:
Resident Evil 4
I certainly hope I'm not giving away too much to Scott with this screencap, but yes, you do fight giant creatures with only ten bullets in this game. In fact, that seems to be most of the game. Still one of the scariest gaming experiences ever, even after being out for, now, 14 months.
Number 3:
Dragon Quest VIII
One of the best stories of the year, and certainly one of the best RPG's of all time, this game was hands-down Top 3 material. Any game that suddenly has taken 60 hours of a week from me deserves these kinds of props. I just wish the game were a little longer ;)
Number 2:
The Warriors
Oh, those Warriors...I still can't believe how much fun Jeff and I had playing through this game. The best co-op of the year, solid graphics engine and fighting mechanics, interesting story, and more open-ended than any brawler I've ever played...Cheers to Rockstar for getting everything right on this one.
Number 1:
Mercenaries
To see this game in motion...wow. Between the spot-on physics engine (which allowed for a little cinematic flair now and then), a dozen weapons that felt perfect when fired, some of the best graphics seen on current gen consoles, and hell, even a halfway interesting story with good voice-acting, this game would have been on this list anyway. But what makes this game Number 1, what makes it better than anything else that was released in 2005, is the immersion. When you're playing Mercenaries, you never feel quite safe. Whether it was the helicopter that wrecked on the road in front of you (even though, on every other playthrough it never happened), the constantly shifting opinions of your enemies/allies, or the fact that there are certain regions of the map that you just don't visit, this game never lets up. Luckily, instead of being frustrating, it makes the game just that much more fun. The creativity that being in a warzone allows you is near endless. Can't figure out a "safe" way to cross that narrow bridge to take out the mortars? Well you could call in an airstrike on them from half a mile away, or for a more economical choice you could disguise yourself as a civilian and blow them up with a car bomb, or you could steal a tank from the enemy and disguise yourself as one of their own and-
You see how it goes from there. To call this game "free-form" is truly fitting, and I believe, after much deciding, that Mercenaries is the Greatest Game of 2005.
See, that wasn't so hard, was it?
*dies*
-Patrick | 
