Konami
A year of handheld, Wii and 360 XBLA offerings made up the bulk of Konami's list for 2007. Unfortunately, most if it is painfully average. So with no-shows for 'big' versions of Metal Gear or Silent Hill, it was really up to Pro Evolution Soccer to do the business for the publisher/developer on new-gen consoles. However, new PES still falls way short of its own high standards - something Konami will be aware of after seeing it marked lower than previous old-gen versions.
Highest ranked game of the year: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (360 XBLA) 89%
Lowest ranked game of the year: Winx Club: Join the Club (PC) 30%
Average review score for 2007: 65.3%
Above: Halo 3 was definitely one of Microsoft's finest moments in 2007
Microsoft
The hard work of high scoring games like Halo 3, Project Gotham Racing 4, Crackdown and Mass Effect is offset by the below average efforts of Fusion Frenzy 2, Vampire Rain, Yaris and Word Puzzle. In fact, thanks to freebie Xbox Live Arcade racer and Toyota marketing tool, Yaris, Microsoft gets a dishonourable mention for publishing 2007's lowest scoring game according to Metacritic. Good work.
Highest ranked game of the year: Halo 3 (360) 94%
Lowest ranked game of the year: Yaris (360 XBLA) 17%
Average review score for 2007: 69.5%
Midway
2007 has been a decidedly flaccid - and quiet - year for Midway. Hour of Victory was a flop and the publisher would have been hoping that Stranglehold and BlackSite: Area 51 would have conjured more enthusiasm from reviewers than they did. Xbox Live Arcade offerings Root Beer Tapper, Paperboy and Cyberball 2072 also failed to spark anything that could be mistaken for more than just a modicum of passing interest. Indeed, out of the 16 Midway games ranked on Metacritic, only Lord of the Rings Online and Unreal Tournament 3 pushed the 80%+ mark.
Highest ranked game of the year: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar/Unreal Tournament 3 (PC) 86%
Lowest ranked game of the year: Hour of Victory (360) 38%
Average review score for 2007: 67.7%
Above: Halo 3 was definitely one of Microsoft's finest moments in 2007
Microsoft
The hard work of high scoring games like Halo 3, Project Gotham Racing 4, Crackdown and Mass Effect is offset by the below average efforts of Fusion Frenzy 2, Vampire Rain, Yaris and Word Puzzle. In fact, thanks to freebie Xbox Live Arcade racer and Toyota marketing tool, Yaris, Microsoft gets a dishonourable mention for publishing 2007's lowest scoring game according to Metacritic. Good work.
Highest ranked game of the year: Halo 3 (360) 94%
Lowest ranked game of the year: Yaris (360 XBLA) 17%
Average review score for 2007: 69.5%
Midway
2007 has been a decidedly flaccid - and quiet - year for Midway. Hour of Victory was a flop and the publisher would have been hoping that Stranglehold and BlackSite: Area 51 would have conjured more enthusiasm from reviewers than they did. Xbox Live Arcade offerings Root Beer Tapper, Paperboy and Cyberball 2072 also failed to spark anything that could be mistaken for more than just a modicum of passing interest. Indeed, out of the 16 Midway games ranked on Metacritic, only Lord of the Rings Online and Unreal Tournament 3 pushed the 80%+ mark.
Highest ranked game of the year: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar/Unreal Tournament 3 (PC) 86%
Lowest ranked game of the year: Hour of Victory (360) 38%
Average review score for 2007: 67.7%
