Connor's picks:

Most Overrated Game:

I mean no offense to any Modern Warfare fans—of which there are bajillions—I'm just not a member of the franchise's massive, cult-like following. Don't get me wrong: I love a good FPS, especially a cinematic one, and the MW games are without question damn fine games. But my feeling is that there is only so much ground a present-day military-based shooter can cover, and even a mind-blowing set piece still smacks of the familiar to me. For my money and my time, the priority lies elsewhere, in less reality-restricted realms. It should be noted though, that I don't play MW multiplayer in any significant amount. Personally—and I say this with no judgment toward MW superfans—I would rather be playing other games than spend the time it would take to not be frustratingly outmatched by anyone in the MW online community.

Most Disappointing Game:

Warner Bros. clearly put a lot of money into marketing War in the North. What got me was the nerdy celebrities like Sean Astin, Brian Posehn and Alison Haislip they got to give shining reviews in their pre-release trailers. It worked; I was pumped. An action-RPG set in Middle Earth emphasizing co-op play, with a story steeped in LOTR lore? Yes, please.

Unfortunately, the thought that kept running through my head as I played was: “This game could have been so good.” It didn't help that War in the North was released in the middle of the veritable onslaught of fantastic games we are all still spending our free moments trying to catch up with. But in the end, it wasn't just disappointing by comparison; it was disappointing because it didn't live up to its potential.