GamesRadar's potentially annual Platinum Chalice awards 2006

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It's been a stupidly big year for games. Why don't we reduce it to a single glib article?

Winner: Tomb Raider: Legend
Eidos | GameCube, PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360

So apparently there's more to Lara Croft than big guns and, er, big guns. After ten long years of pin-up posters and feverish fan art, the star of Tomb Raider finally managed to earn the gaming world's respect back.

What'd it take? Well, like the empowering plot of a Lifetime original movie, the beautiful heroine just had to learn to be herself. New developer Crystal Dynamics went back to what made the first game great - plenty of exploration, puzzles, action and - at last - a true sense of epic archeological adventure. Lo and behold, what worked a decade ago still works today. You know, maybe how a game plays is more important than how a character looks after all...

Welcome back, Lara. We're sorry we ever doubted you.

Honorable mention: Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock
Telltale Games | PC

With 13 years between the original, beloved Sam & Max Hit the Road and this hard-won sequel, this series wasn't just dying. It had turned to dust. But Culture Shock and follow-up Situation: Comedy finally gave gamers the demented point-and-click adventures they demanded.

Winner: Tomb Raider: Legend
Eidos | GameCube,PC,PlayStation 2,Xbox,Xbox 360

So apparently there's more to Lara Croft than big guns and, er, big guns. After ten long years of pin-up posters and feverish fan art, the star of Tomb Raider finally managed to earn the gaming world's respect back.

What'd it take? Well, like the empowering plot of a Lifetime original movie, the beautiful heroine just had to learn to be herself. New developer Crystal Dynamics went back to what made the first game great - plenty of exploration, puzzles, action and - at last - a true sense of epic archeological adventure. Lo and behold, what worked a decade ago still works today. You know, maybe how a game plays is more important than how a character looks after all...

Welcome back, Lara. We're sorry we ever doubted you.

Honorable mention: Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock
Telltale Games | PC

With 13 years between the original, beloved Sam & Max Hit the Road and this hard-won sequel, this series wasn't just dying. It had turned to dust. But Culture Shock and follow-up Situation: Comedy finally gave gamers the demented point-and-click adventures they demanded.

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