Retro gamers may scoff, but I think that this is a golden age for gamers, and not just because Half Life 2 is finally out today. The last few weeks have seen the breathless release of genuine classics on all formats. The obvious biggies may be sequels, but GTA: San Andreas (PS2), Halo 2 (Xbox) and Half Life 2 (PC) have honed their templates to an incredibly high standard.
Then there is the life-sapping and hugely ambitious Rome: Total War on PC and the charming and unique Animal Crossing for Gamecube. Elsewhere there is Zelda: Minish Cap for GBA, Pro Evo 4, and the list goes on. Even the vast array of middling games - Getaway, Jak 3, Flatout - are vastly better than their average cousins from even two years ago.
It could be down to the maturing console platforms, or it could be luck - Half Life 2 and Rome coming together at the same time. But whatever the causes, this IS a gaming golden age. So what do you think? 2004 best year for games ever?
