Eh, I think GOTY is subjective, and Mass Effect could get it still.
I think Game of the Year probably should/could come down to 1 thing:
Innovation.
If that was the case, you can ax:
SMG (recycled gameplay from SMS/SM64)
Halo 3 (recycled components from Halo 2)
The Orange Box (a compilation of old HL2 games)
God of War 2 (recycled components from God of War 1)
So that tends to leave:
Metroid Prime 3 (most likely)
Bioshock
Mass Effect
Rockband
Atleast thats the way I'd hope it would go. Game of the Year should be picked due to innovation. Alot of reviewers trash games for re-hashed components if it's a new IP, but praise the same type of game for re-hashed components if it's the succuessor of a previous game (Blue Dragon's similarity to DQ/FF vs. Grand Thef Auto: San Andreas' similarity to Vice City)
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
