Revolutionary PC Game of 2001

Black & White
Electronic Arts

The release of Peter Molyneux's Black & White marked a turning point for PC gaming, introducing unprecendented complexity and detail. B&W is a technical masterpiece, from its terrific game engine to its incredible AI programming. Tack on a healthy dose of humor, a unique spellcasting system and a menagerie of gigantic pets and you're left with the definition of Revolutionary.

Best PC Game - Action
Max Payne
Rockstar Games

It took a while, but Max Payne finally showed us all why we were so excited for so many years. A great mood and outrageously fun gameplay made for a memorable experience. And was there a cooler gaming innovation this year than bullet-time?

Best PC Game - RPG
Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal
Interplay

Sure, it sort of requires that you've played the other BG games. But when it comes to serving up PC role-playing, nothing comes close to Throne of Bhaal. Massive spells, massive enemies, and massive fun. Just a great finale to a superb series.

Best PC Game - Strategy
Civilization III
Infogrames

Sid does it again. Civ III had a lot to live up to, and it hapily came through with flying colors. Incredibly deep, complex gameplay coupled with that patented Civ addiction factor leads to yet another monster from Meier.

Editor's Choice Award - Commandos 2 (Eidos Interactive)

Commandos 2 is like an intelligent supermodel - gorgeous and challenging (and also quite rare). A very worthy sequel.

Editor's Choice Award - Serious Sam (Gathering of Developers)

The little engine that could! Croteam's Sam took the gaming world by storm and reminded us all that the fun part about first-person shooting is the shooting part.

Editor's Choice Award - C&C Red Alert 2: Yuri's Revenge (Westwood)

New units and a new story lead to entirely new strategies in Yuri's Revenge. Easily the best expansion pack of the year.

Special Award - Best PC Game NOT Released In 2001 That We Play All The Time And Still Continues To Rule
Half-Life: Counterstrike (Sierra)

We know, we know. We already gave this an award last year. Yeah, so what...we almost gave it the best of this year, too, since it gets more play than any other game around here. Sweet crack like this never gets stale. It still ownz j00. :)