183 down, 182 to go for 2004. So after a wonderful first half that encompassed all platforms, with the possible unfortunate exception of the GC, what games have you played so far this year? What games from 2003 rolled over into 2004 ' cuz you got ' em for Christmas? What 2000-2003 titles do you keep playing in 2004 just ' cuz they' re THAT good? List ' em up.

Games in italics are either beaten or complete.

Games Released and Played in 2004

Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)
Onimusha 3 (PS2)
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (Xbox)
Champions of Norrath (PS2)
Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance II (Xbox)
The Chronicles of Riddick (Xbox)
Front Mission 4 (PS2)

Games Released in 2003, didn' t get to until 2004

Beyond Good and Evil (PS2)
Prince of Persia (Xbox)
Max Payne 2 (Xbox)
Deus Ex: Invisible War (Xbox)
Burnout 2 (Xbox)

Games Released Prior to 2004, but still playing in 2004

Silent Hill 3 (PS2)
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (PS2)
Madden 2004 (PS2)
Final Fantasy VII (PSOne)
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (PS2)
Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball (Xbox)
Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2)
Heroes of Might and Magic III (PC)
Deathrow (Xbox)
Gitaroo-Man (PS2)
Gran Turismo 3 (PS2)
Hot Shots Golf 3 (PS2)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)
Dead or Alive 3 (Xbox)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSOne)

I also play my GameBoy now and then and I' m working on recreating my SNES collection, but I won' t add those right now.

I have hardly played any recent games
The most recent maybe being Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkhaban (PC)
Other than that I' ve been trying to catch up with my PS2 games
Only recently beat Suikoden III and before that was Legaia 2 and Soul Caliber 2 so I am way behind

After I get a game, its release date fades from my memory, as it no longer serves a purpose if I have the game. So I can' t say what really came out in 2004 or late 2003. But so far in 2004 (I think) I have played the following:

Ninja Gaiden for the Microsoft® Xbox™ Videogame System
This game kicks my ass, but I' ve been progressing when I play it from time to time.

Toca: Race Driver 2 for the Microsoft® Xbox™ Videogame System
A good game that could have been great if it had spent 10 to 15 more minutes in development. The controls are really bad.

Metal Slug 3 for the Microsoft® Xbox™ Videogame System
Awesome 2D game but I wish the programmers would have put a Pro Logic flag into the Dolby digital bitstream. The game sounds better in analog unless you are sitting equidistant from both the left and right speakers.

Downhill Damnation for the Sony® PlayStation®™ 2©™® Videogame System
I' ve always been a BMX bandit ever since I got my first dirt bike at the age of 8. I would have killed for a game like this back then. It' s still fun today, though. Too bad Sony forces crappy music on us. Instead of crappy bands chosen by Sony I wish I could listen to real game music, or perhaps stuff I load onto the hard drive.

Mario Kart Double Dash for the Nintendo® GameCube™ Videogame System
I actually bought this one thinking it would be good. The title screen popped up and I heard crappy cartridge music! The music never got any better. The game itself was boring. My friend came down and we hooked up 2 GameCubes in LAN mode, and it is the worst LAN ever to be implemented anywhere in the history of everything! Nintendo proves again that the programming should be left to Sega or someone else like Retro Studios. I returned the game to EB a few days later for a full refund.

F-Zero GX for the Nintendo® GameCube™ Videogame System
This game is awesome. The SNES version was fantabulous. The N64 version blew chunks (just like the N64 itself). The GBA version was half-assed. But here we have total redemption!

Need fo' Speed: Undaground for the Sony® PlayStation®™ 2©™® Videogame System
This game is really cool. Why are all of the streets wet? It makes no sense. I do like the motion blur and I do NOT like the music they thrust upon us once again. It just goes to show ya, American music sure does suck ass. Must Rob Zombie be in EVERY game? Geesh! I picked up the PS2 version due to the online play.

were all the copyright symbols necessary, joe?

anyway, out of this year' s games i' ve played ( and beaten) twin snakes and ninja gaiden. and you know what? i can' t think of anything more ( i usually have more by this time of the year). i' ve beaten some from last year, like fatal frame 2 and castlevania:loi. currently at work on top spin, ' cuz i got pissed off at ninja gaiden on very hard ( though i plan to get back to it sooner or later).

Sorry to derail, but Fathoms what did you think of Front Mission 4?

The reviews weren' t great, but I don' t really like reviews these days

I haven' t really played that many games this year due to a general lack of time and being slighly bored of games. Anyhow here' s what I' ve played for more than a couple hours:

Completed
Gran Tursimo 4: Prologue - GC
A very good demo of GT4.

Skies of Arcadia Legends - GC
Skies of Arcadia was always one of my favourite games and this is simply better with a wealth of excellent additions. Simply superb.

Diddy Kong Racing - N64
Replayed this classic a few months ago. Still very good now and much better than Mario Kart Double Dash.

Incomplete
Beyond Good & Evil - GC
Heard very good things about this so picked it up on the cheap. Found the game to be a tedious affair and gave up roughly midway through.

Xenogears - PS1
Having owned this for over a year I started playing it a few months ago. Roughly 25 hours in and am slightly bored with it atm.

Red Dead Revolver - PS2
Brilliant spaghetti western themed shooter. Currently on what I think is the final level.

Other
Pro Evolution Soccer 3/Winning Eleven 7 International -PS2
Simply the best sports game ever. Brillaint in both single and multiplayer modes.

Crazy Taxi - DC
You' ve got to love the game' s simplicity, challenge and hidden depth. A game that I always return to for a quick 15 minute blast.

Gran Tursimo 3 - PS2
Been playing this off and on for the best part of two years now. It' s good but at times I can' t help but feel that I' m only playing to achieve a slightly higher complete %

PS2: It' s actually on hold right now while I play Champions of Norrath (FANTASTIC game). But I played and completed the lengthy demo you get for pre-purchasing it.

The reason why reviewers gave the game mediocre reviews is pretty simple- unless you' re a fan of the series, you probaby won' t like FM 4. If you loved FM 3, then you should really enjoy the sequel. It' s geared toward that niche group, and just about nobody else. If you like strategy games in general, I think it' s great.