It is probably not presumptuous to predict that 2007, like 1998, will go down in gaming history as a watershed year for the medium. It saw some of the best, freshest, and most ambitious titles to be released in recent memory, with great games spanning all genres and platforms. It would be difficult to love games and not have had some great experiences in 2007; by the same token, it is difficult to pick winners in such a competitive year.

But pick them we must, for that is apparently the way of game journalism, and we began the daunting process of doing so in the final months of the year. Some decisions were easier than we expected, some considerably more difficult, but we are satisfied with our final picks. You may not be, and we expect to hear about it in the comments. Stay tuned for the Shackers' Choice Awards--until then, sit back and read the Shack staff's own Game of the Year Awards 2007.

Following yesterday's screenshot release, Shacknews is pleased to premiere the first new Duke Nukem Forever teaser trailer in over six years. According to George Broussard of developer 3D Realms, the approximately minute-long video was originally created internally for the purpose of holiday festivities and marks the beginning of further media unveilings surrounding the notoriously long-in-development first- person shooter.

"The release is still 'when it's done,' but you can expect more frequent media releases and we're not changing engines again and we have considerable work behind us," Broussard told Shacknews today when asked about a release date.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Registered users can also use the HD stream or download the HD trailer.

The trailer features the work of longtime Duke voice actor Jon St. John as well as prolific game composers Jeremy and Julian Soule. Several captures from the video are available below.

Platforms for the game were not confirmed, but when asked today whether Xbox 360 in addition to PC is likely, Broussard's response sounded positive though not definitive. "I don't think we've stated that yet for the record but your observations are probably correct," he conceded.

First announced for PC in 1997 as a followup to the studio's classic Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem Forever is known to have gone through several significant development iterations. Its last major showing was at E3 2001 with its impressive gameplay trailer; the current Duke Nukem Forever is said to share little in common with that game. For more on the history of Duke Nukem Forever, check out Nick Breckon's feature, published today.

"It's basically a restart as the tech changed and we've been on this version of the game since 2004 or so," Broussard said today. "The released media up to this point are not longer relevant other than for curiosity purposes."

Here's a quick summary of all this week's feature content, followed by some of the more prominent news items, in reverse chronological order.

Features:

• Unreal Tournament 3 PS3 Quick Impressions
  Chris Remo checks out the PS3 version of Epic's new shooter. Works pretty well, it turns out.
• The Year Ahead: PC Gaming in 2008
  Part one of Nick Breckon's list of anticipated 2008 titles points out every major upcoming release in the PC gaming world.
• Replay Couch 8: Let's Party
  Nick Breckon invites you to join him once again for another installment of Replay Couch--the greatest collection of gaming videos on the Internet.
• Shacknews' Most Wanted Rock Band Tracks
  The Shack staff shows its naivete with baffling music picks. Shacknews editor-in-chief Chris Remo actually has a music degree.
• WorldShift (PC) Preview
  Shacknews editor-in-chief Chris Remo takes a look at Black Sea Studios' WorldShift, which looks like a Diablo-esque real-time strategy game.
• The Year Ahead: Xbox 360 Gaming in 2008
  Nick Breckon's second installment of hot gaming anticipation looks at next year's Xbox 360 releases.
• Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Preview
  Shacknews editor-in-chief Chris Remo tries his hand at barbarism with a preview of Funcom's upcoming MMO.

News posts:

• Call of Duty 3 Developer Treyarch Likely Developing New COD WWII Title
• Guerrilla Admits Killzone 2 Shots 'Touched Up'
• Microsoft VP: Halo 3 Surpasses 5 Million Copies Sold, Mass Effect Sells Over 1 Million
• Star Trek Online Dev. Perpetual Sued by PR Firm, Charged with Breach of Contract, Fraud (Updated)
• Valve: New Maps, Fixes, Machinima Tool for Team Fortress 2 in the Works
• Blizzard Confirms 'Unannounced MMO' in Works
• Harmonix: Activision Blocks Rock Band Guitar Compatibility Patch
• Ubisoft Reveals Free Heroes of Might and Magic Web-based Massively Multiplayer Strategy Game
• Game Sales Swell to $2.63B in November, COD4 Takes Top Software Spot
• Activision Responds to Harmonix/MTV Accusations: Harmonix 'Unwilling to Discuss an Agreement
• Metal Gear Solid 4 Includes Metal Gear Online

Though Rock Band is already on some store shelves, the work of developer Harmonix is far from over. With weekly content updates promised on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, someone has to pick out all these new tracks and put them together.

Luckily, Shacknews is here to help. As an early Christmas present to one of our favorite studios, we've put together a list of tracks and albums we think are perfect for the Rock Band experience. Scope 'em out and let us know what you think.

Modest Mouse, The Lonesome Crowded West
Before Modest Mouse became every college kid's favorite band, they made some pretty quality stuff. This album's jangly guitar, prominent drums and singular vocals on tracks like "Lounge (Closing Time)" make it an easy choice for a Rock Band album. This was before frontman Isaac Brock changed his vocal style to that of a drunken circus ringmaster, so the songs are all singable, too. -C.B.

Here's a quick summary of all this week's feature content, followed by some of the more prominent news items, in reverse chronological order.

Features:

• The Shacknews Opinion Section
  Shacknews' guest commentators give their expert opinion on the state of the industry.
• Turok Multiplayer Hands-On Preview
  I checked out the multiplayer mode in Propaganda's reimagined Turok (PC, PS3, X360). It had facial stabbing.
• Draglade NDS Review
  The Shack's own Chris Faylor reviews Banpresto/Dimp's rhythm-based fighting game. It's weird.
• Dark Sector Impressions
  Shacknews editor-in-chief Chris Remo takes a new look at Digital Extremes' ambitious third-person action title, Dark Sector (PS3, X360).
• Replay Couch 7: Lit Fuse
  Nick Breckon invites you to join him once again for another installment of Replay Couch--the greatest collction of gaming videos on the Internet.
• Omega Five Hands-On Preview
  I took Natsume's throwback horizontal shoot-em-up Omega Five (X360) for a spin. You can play as a samurai (with his magic dog).
• Ninja Reflex First Impressions
  Chris Remo took a first look at Sanzaru's reaction-based party game, Ninja Reflex (Wii, NDS).
• GripShift (X360) Hands-on Preview
  I checked out the newest and best version of Sidhe Interactive's GripShift (PS3, PSP, X360), coming soon to Xbox Live.
• Pirates of the Burning Sea Impressions
  Cap'n Nicholas Breckenbeard took a stab at Flying Lab's pirate-themed MMO, Pirates of the Burning Sea (PC).

News posts:

• Activision and Blizzard Owner Vivendi Games Merge
• Acclaimed Blogging Organization Shacknews, Ltd. Launches First Official Blog
• MS Restricting Access of Free Xbox Live Content
• Microsoft Intentionally Sabotaging HD DVD and Blu-ray, Claims Director
• Rock Band PS3 Patch Adds Guitar Hero III Controller Support
• GameSpot Details Gerstmann Situation; Claims Termination 'Unrelated' to Advertiser Pressure
• EVE Online Update Cripples Windows XP, Developers Urge Caution
• FASA Founder Regains Rights to MechWarrior, Shadowrun, Crimson Skies
• Guitar Hero 3 Wii Mono Sound to be Remedied with Free Remastered Discs

DALLAS, THE NETHERLANDS--Independent gaming news and feature conglomerate Shacknews, Ltd., whose properties include Shacknews, FileShack, and latestchatty.x, today announced the latest addition to its portfolio of internet websites targeted at today's hardcore gamer: ShackBlog, from the people who brought you Shacknews.

ShackBlog marks Shacknews, Ltd.'s first true excursion into blogging, despite Shacknews recently being named one of PC Magazine's Favorite Blogs of 2007 and being cited in a separate honor as featuring an "oft-updated blog." ShackBlog launched last week, and has already hosted sharp, incisive commentary on recent breaking news topics as well as the merits of various food condiments.

"Yeah I guess it's pretty cool," said Shacknews, Ltd. owner Steve Gibson, who is frequently cited as a landmark figure in the history of blogs. "Maarten programmed it so I didn't have to hire any extra employees. Since I don't pay my real employees either, that meant I could buy a second summer home this year."

"God damn you, Steve," commented Shacknews Editor-in-Chief Chris Remo.

Shacknews, Ltd. plans to synergistically leverage its existing intellectual property in order to best capitalize on the paradigms of the web 2.0 blogosphere. Cyberspace.

We invite you to browse ShackBlog and subscribe to its RSS feed. Shacknews editors are available for interviews upon request.

Sure, the internet is a great and wondrous invention that allows us all to voice our opinion on an equal plane. But sometimes that plane isn't really equal. Sometimes people put more effort into their arguments, and in doing so rise above the rest of the mob, like grease in gravy.

Starting today, I'd like to shine a spotlight on a few of these worthy commentators. Click on through for a handful of divisive, poignant arguments.

Don't get me wrong, I am really looking forward to this game and everything, the graphics are cool (and the shooting is cool), the RPG parts are cool, the Tetris minigame is fun, the tricycle combat stuff looks fun, and the way you can walk into a store and change your shoes is pretty sweet. But what I want to know is this: can I drown people and animals? Can you force your enemies to drown in a toilet? Read more...

The month in review starts off with a list of this month's most notable Shack-crafted features, followed by the most popular news items and feature posts. It continues after the jump with a concise synopsis of November's most important news in an easy to digest paragraph form.

Shacknews' feature picks:

• The Shacknews Holiday Buyers' Guide 2007
• Shacknews' Guide to Underhyped Holiday Titles
• Shacknews' PlayStation 3 Buyer's Guide
• World of Warcraft: The Guilded Age
• Super Mario Galaxy Review

Most popular news items:

1. First Crysis Patch Arriving Within Two Weeks
2. Report: GameSpot's Gerstmann Fired Due to Negative Kane & Lynch Review
3. Call of Duty 4 Online Woes Being Addressed
4. Wireless 360 Guitar Hero III Controller Compatible with PC Version
5. Update: Star Trek Online to Become 'More Casual,' Developer Perpetual Acquired by New Ownership

Most popular features:

1. Crysis Review
2. Hellgate: London Review
3. Gears of War PC Review
4. Mass Effect Review
5. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Review

The month of November will come to a close tonight, heralding the arrival of December and its multitude of traditional celebrations. But November has much to be remembered by in in the world of gaming news.

The month started with the creation of a hack for the PSP version... Read more

Here's a pre-Thanksgiving holiday summary of all this week's feature content, as well as some of the more prominent news items.

Features:

• Mass Effect Review
  Nick Breckon played through BioWare's new space odyssey and found it an unbelievably ambitious but slightly flawed epic RPG.
• Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Review
  The jovial Chris Faylor took a trip through Naughty Dog's latest offering and found it to be an amalgam of game genres with lots of pirate killing.
• Undertow Interview
  Were you aware: The concept for XBLA's Undertow came from the designer's childhood doodles? Chris Faylor reveals all in this exploratory interview.
• The Shacknews Holiday Buyers' Guide 2007
  The Shack staff assembled an incomparable cast of gaming experts to make well-informed recommendations on this holiday's best games.

News posts

• First Halo 3 Map Pack Arrives Dec. 11
• Sony Cuts PS3 Dev Kit Price to Attract Developers
• Newest Halo Novel Makes Times' Bestseller List
• Ubisoft Delays Haze and Splinter Cell: Conviction
• Manhunt 2 Controversy Hangs On by Bloody Thread as Senators Demand ESRB Re-rating
• Sony CEO Claims PS3 on Same Sales Rise as PS2

The holidays are here, and that means plenty of time for uninterrupted gaming. But what to buy? And what to buy for those friends and family--the uneducated fools that they are--who might not have pre-ordered every major game release this year?

Shacknews is here for you, and we've brought in a full cast of gaming experts to lay down a solid list of recommendations. Hit the link for our multi-page guide.

Rhythm game guitar compatibility is becoming an obnoxious, headache-inducing internet pastime. And so, with the release of a Guitar Hero competitor, the question is even more complicated: what the hell guitar do I need to play this game?

The answer? All Xbox 360 guitars are compatible with Rock Band. All of them. Even most third-party controllers should work. However, things aren't quite as rosy for PlayStation 3 owners.

For Xbox 360 owners, both the Guitar Hero 2 X-plorer and wireless Guitar Hero 3 Les Paul (pictured below right) will fill in as extra instruments. PlayStation 2 users have their pick of controllers released to this point, although while Harmonix has stated third-party controllers will work, testing results are scarce at this point.

As for the PlayStation 3, it was once believed that any PS3 Guitar Hero guitar would work. However, IGN reports that the PlayStation 3's wireless Guitar Hero 3 controller, the Les Paul, won't work with Rock Band, at least in its current slate. That... Read more

Here's a quick summary of all this week's feature content, followed by some of the more prominent news items, in reverse chronological order.

Features:

• Indie Adventures: PixelJAM and Dino Run
  Chris Faylor chats with indie developer Richard Grillotti to learn about PixelJam's cool-ass retro-looking web games.
• Crysis Review
  Chris Remo built an entirely new PC so he could review Crysis. It's awesome, but you may have to do the same to play it.
• Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Review
  I played through Io Interactive's much-hyped squad shooter. It's got some problems.
• Replay Couch 5: Glitches, Exploits, and Mario
  Nick Breckon invites you to join him once again for another installment of Replay Couch--the greatest collction of gaming videos on the Internet.
• Legendary: The Box Hands-On Preview
  I take a look at a pre-alpha build of Spark Unlimited's upcoming myth-inspired shooter. More games need griffins in them.
• Super Mario Galaxy Review
  Chris Remo's heart of ice is melted by this early Christmas present from Shigeru Miyamoto and friends.
• Shacknews' Rock Band Guide
  Got questions about Rock Band? Nick Breckon gives you more than you ever needed to know about the game.
• Contra 4 Review
  Chris Remo gets annihilated by WayForward's new Contra game. It is hardcore, and he is no match. Read his review.
• Weekly Download Rundown
  Chris Faylor gives you the lowdown rundown on this week's downlow downloads. Sorry.

News posts:

• Supreme Commander Confirmed for Xbox 360 in 2008
• Report: Guitar Hero 3 Wii Only Outputs in Mono
• Microsoft Announces Downloadable Xbox Titles, Celebrates Xbox Live Anniversary with Free Game
• Praise Be, Rocket Race Added to Halo 3 Playlists
• Ghostbusters Sequel Coming in Video Game Form, Original Cast and Writers Heavily Involved
• Willis and Thornton Rumored as Stars for Kane & Lynch Film Adaptation
• Rock Band DLC Pricing, Details Announced
• id Software Dives Fully into Mobile Development

We bring you a complete rundown of everything Rock Band has to offer. Want to know more about Band World Tour? Concerned about demo unit build quality? Want to see the full song list, with confirmed DLC included? Check it all out here, or skip right to the master song list, featuring the newly-confirmed DLC lineup and pricing information.

Rock Band's downloadable songs will come in a variety of packs and purchase plans. Most songs will cost $1.99 apiece, with some costing as little as $.99, and others as much as $2.99. Three-song packs will run $5.49. Full albums will also be available, but while some have been confirmed, they have yet to be priced or dated. Read more...

Here's a quick summary of all this week's feature content, followed by some of the more prominent news items, in reverse chronological order.

Features:

• Unreal Tournament 3 Single-Player Campaign Preview
  Chris Remo reports on the single player portion of Epic's upcoming shooter. It's kind of a multiplayer training mode, with missions like multiplayer AI skirmishes.
• Gears of War PC Review
  Nick Breckon reviews the PC version of Epic's tactical shooter. It's still great and includes more single-player chapters and other bonus content.
• Replay Couch 4: Intualgalactic War
  Nick Breckon invites you to join him for yet another collection of great gaming videos. The Video of the Week is a trailer for Techland's ambitious Chrome.
• Shacknews' Guide to Underhyped Holiday Titles
  I put together a list of this season's under-the-radar games. Buy them all. You will thank us.
• Savage 2: A Tortured Soul Preview
  Nick Breckon checks out the beta of S2 Games' RTS/FPS sequel. It's weird and fun, but probably not for everyone.
• Weekly Download Rundown
  Chris Faylor summarizes this week's downloads. Highlights: a free episode of Telltale Games' Sam & Max on FileShack and Super Mario Bros. 3 on Wii VC.

News posts:

• Confirmed: EA Chicago Shutting Down
• God of War II Director Will Leave SCEA, Sony Confirms Sequel
• Target Confirms Pulling All Versions of Manhunt 2 From Shelves
• Flagship Responds to Hellgate Subscription Issues
• Rock Band DLC Revealed: Police, Bowie, Radiohead, Sabbath, Metallica, More
• Max Payne Movie May Star Mark Wahlberg
• Bungie Prototyping New IP, Developing 'Halo Games'
• Xbox 360 Outsells PlayStation 3 in Japan; Mario and Ace Combat Top Software Charts

With titles like BioWare's Mass Effect (X360), Nintendo's Mario Galaxy (Wii), Crytek's Crysis (PC), and others retailing later this month, lesser-known games have a good chance of being buried beneath the onslaught of big budget releases. Shacknews has decided to step in and rescue these games from relative obscurity with a guide to this season's great under-the-radar titles.

We're not making concessions, either--all these games are worthy of your time based on their own merits. These titles span all platforms and were chosen by members of the Shack staff, with at least one staff member having hands-on time with each title. The bulk of these games have already retailed, so you can enjoy them as soon as you want. Read on to check out our picks.

The newest PlayStation 3 model hits stores in the U.S. today, packing a 40GB hard drive and retailing for $399.99. It doesn't play PlayStation 2 games, but did you know it still plays PSone titles? It's easy to be confused by all the PS3 SKUs out there, as this newest model is the fourth one introduced in North America.

If you can't wait any longer to watch Blu-ray movies or play games like The Eye of Judgment, check out this buyer's guide to figure out which model has all the features you want, and take a look at this helpful Shack-crafted table to compare all four packages. Read on for the full report.

Update: Discount superstore Wal-Mart has exclusive Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock bundles for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2, which retail for $10 less and include the older, inferior wired guitars. As confirmed by Guitar Hero fansite ScoreHero, the Xbox 360 bundle includes the Gibson Xplorer and the PS2 bundle comes with the Gibson SG. These are the only versions of these editions sold in Wal-Mart's stores, so buyers looking for bundles packaged with the revised Gibson Les Paul wireless guitars should shop elsewhere.

Original post: Neversoft's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PC, PS2, PS3, Wii, X360) will arrive in stores this Sunday. Confused about which version has what features? This official Shacknews buyer's guide will give you the scoop. I've chosen a best version, in addition to a runner-up, and put together a handy table to compare all five renditions. Everything you need to know about the game to make an informed purchase is here in the full report.

"Valve demands a match against the Shack," said Erik Johnson of Team Fortress 2 developer Valve one week ago in The Steam Community's Shacknews chat room. "Prepare your team."

The Bellevue, Washington studio had previously challenged members from Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka's venerable Something Awful to a match that ended in humiliating defeat for the humor site. Last night, two Shacknews teams went up against Valve for a total of six games.

Though the SourceTV spectator server was down, Shackers pancake humper and rosewood provided live audio commentary on the games via KOCK, the Shacknews internet radio stream. The first round of the first game on map Dustbowl was over in minutes, with the highly organized and well-practiced Valve team making short work of their plucky Shack opponents. Commentator pancake humper noted that the Shack team started to find its bearings in the second round but fell apart for the remainder of the game, calling it "a... Read more

With the Shacknews staff in Santa Monica gearing up for E3, we've launched a dedicated expo coverage site at E3.Shacknews.com. Check it out now for a spate of coverage and media from publisher pre-E3 events, with updated content to follow as the show proper kicks in. We'll have live updates from all twelve publisher press conferences where the week's biggest news will be announced, starting with Microsoft tonight. Tomorrow will see coverage from Nintendo's and Sony's events, followed by third parties. Keep checking back!

As promised, we have the Shacknews Game of the Year 2006 results for you. Read on to see what your fellow Shackers voted on as being the best PC and console games released during the past 12 months.

- Page 1: PC, Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, PS2, Xbox, DS, PSP results
- Page 2: More console and overall GOTY results

Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote!