Mark's Pick: Squad Leader
 Note
to Hasbro Interactive. When Gutenberg finally got his printing press
working, he wisely decided to print a Bible. Perhaps even more wisely,
he actually did print the Bible, the Christian one, the one that
was so popular, and not some half-witted interpretation of the words
of the Apostles from some wild-eyed Waldensian heretic. If he had
gone the nutzo route, I think he would have at least chosen to not
call his work “The Bible.” One can only look at this game
and say, “Hasbro, you know not what you do,” and then
promptly return it.
Tom's Pick: Deus Ex
 "What?"
you're asking in disbelief, "You picked Deus Ex?" Interestingly
enough, this is my reaction to the sites that gave it Game of the
Year awards. Yes, Deus Ex was, to me, the most disappointing game
of 2000. The game's creator, Warren Spector, has had a hand in the
creation of some of gaming's greatest games. So why, oh why, is
Deus Ex the way it is? Why is the AI so brittle? Why is the story
so unimaginative, convoluted, and cliche-riddled? Why is the lead
character so flat? Why is the setting so hackneyed? Why is the engine
so stiff? Why is ammo so scarce? Why the contrived puzzles and the
plot driven by characters who give you four digit keypad codes?
Why the crates and sewers and spiders and fake doors and key hunts?
And why does everyone adore it so? That last was a rhetorical question,
so don't bother emailing
me with the answer. Believe me, I've heard it all -- the review
I wrote led to my very first death
threat as a game reviewer.
Best Game of 2000, Second
Runner Up
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