Seeing as how it's nearing the time to write about the best games of 2008, it had occured to me that, oh, no, I never actually posted my picks for 2007!" Well, something is better than nothing, and I think I owe it to the developers who made 2007 enjoyable (especially Capcom, as always). Highly-anticipated next-generation stuff like Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and Commando 3 were mostly work-in-progress, so we got a lot of games for last-generation hardware in 2007. Which wasn't bad at all, because what we got were those really impresive, quality games that come when the sun starts to set on older hardware. 2007 showed that 2008 was going to be the year to look forward to, but the slow trickle of releases in 2007 essentially gave me time to get to the flood of good games that were released from 2005 - 2006 (two years which fate would have me strapped with very little to spend on games). For me, 2007 was really all about upgrades (as can be seen from my list) and continued support for non-HD hardware. I'm sure there was plenty of HD support from EA and other shit "developers" like them, but I'm not counting them. Only the cream of the crop, here; I'm getting my money's worth!

[ 10 ] = Battle Fantasia
I give them credit for using "RPG elements" to make a game without the end result being an actual RPG. RPGs are shitty because of all the reading and "waiting" to crush your enemy. Breaking pots to find shit is annoying as hell, too. So, imagine a game without all that crap. Imagine a game that looks and sounds like an RPG, but without the waiting, reading, and pot-breaking that makes RPGs so incredibly boring. Some of the characters have that typical "gay" RPG look to them, and a few are cute enough to make you cry, but there are a few cool, menacing ones in there, too. The sound is strkingly similar to Power Stone, as well (which is a good thing). Like Raiden IV, it would be nice to see the game find a larger audience with the home release.

[ 9 ] = Soul Calibur Legends
The main thing that makes this game appealing is that it's based on SCIII (which, to this day, is probably the best in the series). All I heard was bad, bad, and more bad about this hard-to-find game. It took me forever to find it, and when I did, I was pleased at how fun Namco made it. No review can really describe how cool this game is, and (more importantly) how well Namco implemented motion controls into the game. The cinematic parts are uniquely nice, and tell the story well. I'm not a fan of the new (sub) character (he looks like a pansy), but all of the others look good, and never-before-seen monsters make the game fresh. I had fun with this game, and you might, too!

[ 8 ] = Dynasty Warriors - Gundam
Not at all perfect in execution, but the fact that Namco and Koei got together for this is enough to make it an instant classic. Namco's touch can be seen especially in the graphics (Musha Gundam alone looks incredibly nice), while elements from other Koei games can be seen in the overall presentation of the game. The dialogue can be cheesy and stilted at times, but at least they tried to guide the flow of the game by the story from the cartoon.

[ 7 ] = Raiden IV
Raiden III was modern but classic, and Raiden IV expands on it. The game is, essentially, a perfect medium between classic shooting and modern shooting. Anyone can pick the game up and play because it is simple, yet rewarding with its score system. I'd say that most fans of the original Raiden games were happy to see not only that III came out, but that it was followed promptly by IV (I know I was). Even in Japan the game wasn't easy to find, but the home release should fix that and bring the game to a wider audience for years to come.

[ 6 ] = God Of War II
Almost better than the first, and damn-near perfect. I say "almost better than the first" because the portrayal of the towering God of War as a sweaty biker is ridiculous. I don't think i have to waste time talking about how cool the game is (since every other site on the web has already done so).

[ 5 ] = KUF Circle of Doom
Was the game perfect? Not by a long shot, but what it did, it did good enough to bring back memories of Capcom classics. And that, precisely, was the re-creation of Capcom's D&D in 3-D (since Capcom hasn't been "capable" of doing it themselves). Collision anomolies and a bug that crashes the game (and forces you to reboot the system) prevent it from attaining perfection, but the game is still very much something to appreciate. Fans of Capcom's CPS-II D&D games can appreciate this game; if not as a successor of sorts, then at least as a tribute.

[ 4 ] = Devil Kings 2 - Heroes
Capcom pulled all of the stops with Devil Kings 2 - Heroes (Sengoku Basara 2 - Heroes in Japan), but the game had no release outside of Japan. Only importers and the Japanese got to see it; which is unfortunate, since it is one hell of a full, comprehensive game that demands appreciation. Lush graphics, incredibly splashy effects, cool characters, nice stages, tons of items, and killer weapons make DK2H one of the best Capcom games in the genre, ever. The inclusion of the mysterious (unplayable) black ninja from the original Devil Kings 2 is all the reason you really need to buy the game, but everything else makes it an absolute must-have for the game enthusiast. Capcom utilized the hardware to its fullest extent to bring fans of the genre unrivaled, over-the-top, white-knuckle fun.

[ 3 ] = Resident Evil 4 - Wii Edition
Only an upgrade, but one hell of an upgrade, at that. With several different, playable characters, modes, and a ton of secrets and modes, this is the definitive version of RE4; approprite for both the enthusiast and the casual player. Nothing can really prepare you for the experience that is RE4WE. For veterans, there's enough new content here to warrant a full-price purchase, and for the casual player, there's enough here to show that you are getting a the real-deal any way you look at it.

[ 2 ] = KOF Maximum Impact - Regulation A
A first-generation Type X2 hardware title, this game turned heads but didn't stay in Japanese arcades as long as it should have. With the new Samurai Shodown Sen on the way, though, that was to be expected, and it still kick-ass in all its 3-D glory! Some say that the sacrifices made from KOFMI2 in the transition to KOFMIRA weren't worth it, but even without those things the game is still cream of the crop! SNK did a great job all-around, from character creativity, to environmental mood and fresh design. It was one of the first games on Taito's Type X2 hardware (actually the first, if I remember correctly), and apparently as such lacks true HD support like Battle Fantasia, but even so, the game looks incredible. All of SNK's characters look just as they should, and 2-D purists need not worry about the transition from SNK's distinct style of 2-D; it's all there. As a long-time SNK fan, I love this game, and honestly should have played it a lot more than I did. Adamant KOFMI haters won't even give this game a try, but anyone else with an open mind should definitely try importing it.

[ 1 ] = Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Federation VS Z.A.F.T. - Portable
Capcom made a nearly-perfect title that much closer to perfection with this upgrade. They added some things in here and there, while keeping all the 4P madness that made the original (and its predecessor) so successful in arcades. Oh, and even though the "Portable" in the title is a little odd, it does serve as a reminder as to how great the graphics look in the palms of your hands. An absolutely killer game, and one of the best games on the hardware, by far. Recommended for anyone who enjoys fighting games, Gundam, and/or pretty graphics.