Welcome one and all to Armchair General Online’s first annual game awards. It’s that special time of year to honor the games that made 2006 a stellar year for players all around the world. This year we laughed at crazy bunnies, cried during frustrating checkpoint segments and shouted in triumph when bosses slumped into a defeated mass of flesh. When the going got tough, we got angry. We threw controllers, accidentally knocking over our girlfriend’s favorite lamp, then went to the store to buy a new one, setting it up just before she got home. Everything was good, she suspected nothing.
Our categories this year are limited, and a reflection of our novice status at doing this whole awards thing. We have held a vote among the staff to choose Best Action Game, Best First Person Shooter, Best Role Playing Game, Best Real Time Strategy Game, Best War Game, Best Grand Strategy Game, Best World War II Game and Game of the Year. Some were unanimous and some were closely fought. The decision for the war gaming was a difficult one and we spent time evaluating what exactly the criteria was. Our resident war gaming expert Jim Cobb said it best, "To be considered a war game, the design must put the player in the role of a commanding officer. Furthermore, resources are not to be gathered; the troops must make do with what headquarters gives them."
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So sit back and enjoy this year’s awards. When you read our accolades, know that you’re reading about the experiences of regular gamers. These are the games that brought out our emotions. These are the games that made us spend an entire paycheck on a new lamp.
Special thanks to Jim Cobb and Ryan Stepalavich for their contributions to this year’s awards feature.
Sincerely,
Adam Faubert
Games Editor
Armchair General Online
[next, Best World War II Game]
