Tom's Pick: Shogun
After Braveheart, I had no hope for these historically-oriented, epic battle wargames. Besides, an English company doing a game on Japanese history? But it couldn't have worked out better. As fansite Whizzo's Shogunate puts it: "a game about people on an island who drink a lot of tea written by people on an island who drink a lot of tea". Shogun recreates the spectacle and sweep of battle better than any other game ever. But it goes even further than that. Creative Assembly wrapped their powerful and attractive tactical engine in a compelling strategic wrapper. What's more, the Feudal Japanese setting isn't just for the graphics: they've folded historical and cultural factors into the gameplay. And I never would have guessed it would be as commercially successful as it was. Shogun was a suprise on many counts and wonderful bridge between flash and depth, wargame and RTS, and East and West.

Mark's Pick: Majesty
This was a game that was almost made into a Dungeons and Dragons game after Hasbro acquired Wizards of the Coast. I remember seeing Majesty for the first time at Gen Con and being so intrigued that I went back the second day to play it again. It’s surprising because it’s an RTS that isn’t, really. Most RTS games are about tactics and frantic building, but Majesty is a game about producing heroes and then letting them do battle in the game world for you. Majesty makes you the King, but your subjects have a mind of their own, which is both pesky and fascinating. I’d put my little independent-minded Majesty populace up against The Sims any day.

Most Surprising Game of 2000, First Runner Up