It’s no big secret that 2007 has been a banner year for games. It seemed like each of the past twelve months brought with it its own amazing title. With a slew of shooters, handhelds, rhythm games, and so much more, picking just one to name “The Best” was no easy task. But it was a task that had to be done.

Everyone on the staff voted, and once the votes were tallied, the landslide winner for 2007 Game of the Year is Bioshock.

No detail of this game went overlooked; from the art-deco-inspired environments, to the most beautifully rendered water you’ve ever seen, to a soundtrack that sends chills down your spine. Simply put, Bioshock has it all.

Anyone who has visited Andrew Ryan’s vision of a better world knows that Bioshock is a gaming experience unlike any other. The combination of action, graphics, atmosphere, and compelling story clearly sets a new bar, not just for shooters, but for games as a whole. Few games have ever had such a lasting impact on its players’ psyches.

For anyone who thinks that video games are a violent and amoral wasteland, Bioshock serves as a reminder that powerful storytelling can be utilized in order to create an gaming experience; one that is not only tremendous fun, but also makes the player think. Players have to decide how to “proceed” with the Little Sisters, and the consequences of that decision can and do have serious repercussions on the player’s path in the game.

Now, no game is perfect, and Bioshock does have its problems. Many felt that the game is too easy, even at on the hardest setting, due in large part to the Vita-Chamber save system. There was also some talk that the game was too short. But the fact is that, even with its hitches, Bioshock is head and shoulders above the competition.

Take-Two has been racking up the awards this year. The Spike TV VGAs named Bioshock Game of the Year, as did countless blogs, the Associated Press, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and a ton of other publications. And for a game (particularly an FPS) to get such wide mainstream media attention and praise is rare and shows that, in spite of its violence, Bioshock wins over anyone who has played it.

Congratulations to Bioshock- 2007 Game of the Year!

Click here to read Coop's full review of Bioshock.