
Game of the Year
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow

Does any game really harnass the power of the PSP as much as Logan's Shadow? The stellar graphics are accentuated by an interesting plot and some truly incredible music. What sells the game are the controls. They may appears overly complex at first, but the team at Sony Bend has somehow managed to create an experience that really works well on the PSP. You'll be performing head shots in no time.Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow

The underwater battles of Logan's Shadow need special commendation. Why? They work so incredibly well, and we can't think of any game (portable or console) that does it as well as this one. Add the return of a fantastic multiplayer component, and you have a game that'll have you coming back for more.
Reader's Choice: Game of the Year
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (17% of votes)
Logan's Shadow took PSP Fanboy readers, held them at gunpoint, and made them love the game. The incredible variety in the game is quite impressive: not only will you be using a terrific cover system -- you'll be able to snap people's necks, stab them in the back and shoot explosive darts from your sniper rifle. It really is a lot of fun. Jeanne D'Arc takes second place in a year of many strong contenders.Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (17% of votes)
Runner-up: Jeanne D'Arc (13%)
Best Graphics
SOCOM Tactical Strike

SOCOM Tactical Strike is the kind of game that puts most PS2 games to shame. The jungle scenes are among the most realistic environments we've seen in a PSP game. Massive cityscapes stretch for miles, and the PSP manages to let you run around freely in both outdoor and indoor environments without a single framerate drop. Slant Six conjured some kind of demon to squeeze so much tech into this game.SOCOM Tactical Strike

Reader's Choice: Best Graphics
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (29% of votes)
Did you see the water of Syphon Filter? It made us thirsty, and PSP Fanboy readers agreed. Our favorite moment in the game is when you're in a sinking sub -- water comes rushing in, and you see steam shooting everywhere. Absolutely gorgeous. Konami's Silent Hill Origins took second place, thanks to its impressive lighting engine.Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (29% of votes)
Runner-up: Silent Hill Origins (15%)
Best Multiplayer
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron

We describe it to our PS3 fans as PSP's version of Warhawk. If you love driving, flying and shooting, then chances are you fell in love with Renegade Squadron. Yes, the framerate is a bit questionable -- but the massive battlefields push the PSP system to its limits. The controls work incredibly well on the handheld, making it our pick for best multiplayer game on the PSP.Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron

Reader's Choice: Best Multiplayer
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron (20% of votes)
PSP Fanboy readers agree that Battlefront is a lot of fun. But, let's give a shout out to the fantastic Metal Gear community, which supported Konami's Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus to a near-win second place. As the only way to play Metal Gear online right now, we understand the love for this PSP-exclusive.Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron (20% of votes)
Runner-up: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus (19%)
Best Original Soundtrack
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow
You know you have something special when you throw in the UMD and hear Logan's Shadow's theme play for the first time. Then, you'll be surprised by the ethnic influences of the orchestral score from the very first level. The game plays like a big-budget action movie ... and sounds like one too. Grab some headphones, because no other portable gaming system is be able to deliver a soundtrack with this kind of fidelity.Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow
Best Story
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions

Final Fantasy Tactics weaves a complex tale of political intrigue. Newcomers will be taken aback by the surprising maturity of the narrative, while seasoned vets will appreciate the Shakespearean remastering of the script. The new translation stands out as one of the most compelling pieces of game literature we've read this year -- on any platform.Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions

Best Action/Adventure Game
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow
Yes, it's a shooter -- but it's also a great stealth game. Logan has a number of fantastic tools at his disposal, and going for the more elegant approach makes Logan's Shadow that much more exciting. The variety of visors and rifles makes this that much more fun for the thinking man.Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow
Best Shooter
Medal of Honor Heroes 2

The PSP isn't ideally suited for FPS controls, but EA Canada did a stellar job with Heroes 2. We were surprised by how intelligently paced this PSP FPS is, and how intuitive the controls are. In no time, you'll be ducking, peeking, shooting and throwing grenades, just like in any other modern FPS game.Medal of Honor Heroes 2

Best Downloadable Game
Beats

The surprise release of Beats on the PS Store caught us off-guard. But, boy -- do we love this surprise. At only $5, this stylish downloadable has redefined the PSP experience for us. We're storing a lot more music on our Memory Sticks these days, just to play more Beats.Beats

Best Driving Game
Burnout Dominator

It may be missing a few features, but Dominator successfully recreates the Burnout experience. With great graphics, even better controls, and downloadable content, Dominator really delivered a top-notch racing experience for handheld owners.Burnout Dominator

Best Fighting Game
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes

It may have won by default, but it deserves it nonetheless. Naruto not only looks sharp, it plays sharp as well. The lack of a worthwhile story mode makes this Heroes game fall short of its console brethren, but the Game Sharing feature is a nice addition that more PSP games should include in the future.Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes

Best Puzzle Game
Crush

The only thing harder than Crush's final stages is finding the game. Sega did an awful job of promoting the game, but that doesn't change the fact that Crush is one of the most innovative titles of the year. Fantastic graphics and presentation only help cement the game's well-executed premise. Crushing two dimensions to three (and back again) changed the way we looked at the world for a very long time. Do not miss this game.Crush

Best Music Game
Beats
Why play other people's music when you can jam on your own? This novel concept works beautifully on the PSP -- and with sexy skins and a fun music creation mode, Beats delivers a lot of game for very little money.Beats
Best RPG
Brave Story: New Traveler

Once again, another great PSP game simply didn't get the attention it deserved. XSEED's fantastic RPG brings a traditional console-like role playing experience and makes it accessible to handheld gamers. A solid story with fantastic presentation makes this game a must for any fan of the genre.Brave Story: New Traveler

Best Strategy Game
SOCOM Tactical Strike
If you don't think this game should win, it's probably because you haven't played it. SOCOM fans were shocked to see their beloved franchise so radically transformed and chose to ignore this iteration of the series. That's too bad. Each level requires true strategic thinking, where one wrong move can spell doom for your squad. Easily the most intense game on the platform, Tactical Strike will make you gain a newfound respect for the armed forces, and the tactics they must employ in the field. With over 20 hours of gameplay, the best graphics on the system, and knuckle-biting gameplay, this is one of the best games of the year.SOCOM Tactical Strike
Disappointment of the Year
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
We love Final Fantasy Tactics. Heck, it even won an award from us today. So, why does it get Disappointment of the Year? Because we wanted so much more from it. The game receives so many accolades for the quality of its gameplay -- that's undeniable. However, purely technical issues hinder the experience so much so that we've seen many people simply give up on the game. A game as great as FFT needed to be handled with a bit more love and care. We love the new translation and the new cutscenes -- but we're really disappointed by the lackluster framerate. Thankfully, Square Enix will make it all up to us with Crisis Core in March. Right?Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
And so concludes PSP Fanboy's Best of awards for 2007. And remember this: if you disagree with our choices, it's probably because there were too many games this year. Hopefully, this feature has reminded us, at the very least, that the "PSP has no games" argument is totally baseless. See you in the comments section!
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
12-28-2007 @ 2:38AM
Chris Matchett said...
Once again...
No WipEout Pulse = American bias = Fail
IMPORT IT LIKE WE IMPORT SOME OF YOUR GAMES YOU LAZY LAZY FOOLS
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 7:03AM
James said...
Very good point. Wipeout isn't mentioned once which is a bit odd.
12-28-2007 @ 3:29AM
pixelator said...
I take it some categories were 'reader's choice' and some weren't? Because Jeanne clearly won Strategy (though why it's in the same category as SOCOM is a mystery to me)... At least according to Reader Votes.
Guess our measly opinions don't matter?
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 3:45AM
noyd_mcbennet said...
best rpg brave story? god i hope 2008 is better/more interesting
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 8:52AM
Alien said...
Cool , overall all my choices have won :D
Still as Hasbrown_hunter pointed out , 08 will be an even more interesting year :D
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 11:07AM
Rodec said...
Did I just miss something!!!!!!!!!!!!
What about the Sports Category???????????????
Madden was great this year, so was Tiger…
But my vote would go to NBA 08
Oh and FIFA rocked too.
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 3:45PM
merc25 said...
Yes, you missed the memo sent out to all gamers that sports titles are shovelware, and are not worth your time or money.