Dear Defunct Games viewers, Over the last three years you have come to expect a lot from us. Through reviews, articles, and flat-out sexist jokes, you have come to look up to me, perhaps even idolize me, worshiping me as a God-like figure. That's why I write this letter to you with a heavy heart, because I know I let you down. You've always expected the best from me, but I couldn't provide it to you, I am a worthless loser that shouldn't have his email address on every single page of this site. You see, it happened just a few weeks ago. After getting over a month-long drunken stupor, I decided to reminisce about the good (and bad) games of 2003. I started to write a list of all these experiences I've had, and numbering them, so I would know (years later) just how much I loved such and such game on whatever system was popular at the time. As I tried to recover from my binge drinking, I realized that I had a lot to say about each of these games, and dammit, I was going to say it! The little secret to getting over a month of total alcoholism is to take as much pain medication as you can find. Well ... at least, that's what I did, and it worked for me, for the most part. Over the next couple of weeks I was pretty strung out on meds, singing show tunes while ripping apart the bathroom to make a shrine to my friend (and your friend) Eric Roberts. It was in this fit of drug dependency that I realized that I needed to finish writing, and laying out, my top twenty list of 2003. I've been sober for a few weeks now, off everything except water and bran muffins (which makes me just as crazy as those meds ever did). I've been following the steps, trying to get my life on track, trying to own all of my mistakes. But as I was trying to forget my last few months, I ran into this list of the top twenty games of 2003. Looking at it now I realize I must have been high if I was going to do something this, well, mainstream! I mean, this is the type of thing you would expect from GameSpot or IGN, but not the mighty Defunct Games. I felt bad that all my work would get thrown out, so I decided to run this article, no matter how mainstream it is. I assure you my take on 2003 is different from just about every other site, and there are quite a few side panels that you wouldn't get from some stupid GameSpot list. And to make things even better, I'm going to start you out on the number one game, so you know what I think is the best from then on. So shoo, stop reading the rants of an ex-junkie and get your butt over to number one game of 2003! Your faithful editor, Cyril Lachel Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic SSX 3 SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs NBA Street Vol. 2 Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time Midnight Club 2 Dark Cloud 2 Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution Panzer Dragoon Orta Amplitude the Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker Wario Wares: Micro Mega Games Project Gotham Racing 2 Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Zone of the Enders: the 2nd Runner Manhunt Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Ratchet & Clank 2/ Jak II [Tie] Ikaruga Beyond Good & Evil