1.) Oblivion.
2.) Not Gears of War, that's for sure. Overrated by a good point, point-and-a-half even. Maybe if I'd ever get around to it, it'd be Twilight Princess. Also, just got Viva Pinata yesterday, a candy-stuffed dark horse that got a critical reception far from the repeated whacks to the midsection that I thought it would.* So who knows how that will go.
Nothing quite as mind-blowing in '06 as Resident Evil 4 in '05.
I'm already penciling in Mass Effect for 2007 Game of the Year. But the competition will be stiff, and it will make gamers stiff...as in, from not moving, of course. Heh.
*--And that's my 'local fishwrap movie critic' groan-inducing, vaguely fey-sounding 'pull quote' sentence for this month.