I can`t say that I am already fondly looking back at all the great games that have been released in 2008 simply because I will still be playing the abundance of games that have been released in 2008 well into 2009. With titles such as Fallout3, Mirrors edge, Dead space, Rockband 2 , Far Cry 2 and many more still waiting patiently on my shelf to be played and finished !
Yes, 2008 has been a great year for gaming that saw a dizzying amount of quality
game releases troughout, most notably alot of them concentrated in the November timeframe. Aside from the AAA titles, that everybody knows about years in advance, we`ve also seem quite some surprising entries and new franchises that swooped in from under the radar to deliver a crushing blow to your wallet for having to purchase them. The most notable pair of these kind of titles is arguably Valkyria chronicles on the PS3 and Sins of a solar empire on the PC.
What follows is my own personal top 5 spread across all platforms, and as a disclaimer like Brett`s statement, my list is also purely subjective to my own gaming pleasure and personal taste so by all means dont take this as a definitive.
#5. Dead Space Available on PC,X360,PS3
Dead Space is one of the two major new franchises that EA started this year.
This is a third-person horror/adventure game with the oceasional puzzle elements thrown in, very simular in a way to Resident evil albeit with far superior combat and a creepy atmosphere that can be very tense and haunting at the same time.
Actually now that I think of it, you can best describe this as a very mature Metroid game as it borrows elements from that with the learn new abilities, get new weapons thing and track back for the unlockables you couldnt earlier. The new approach to engrossing you into the world by completly removing any "out of game" HUD`s, indicators and making everything refer to the character your playing is a great idea and adds to the atmosphere even more, fidgetting with your map or what not could actually get you killed for example. All in all, just go play this, with the lights off, and the (surround) sound on !
#4. Saints row 2 Available on X360,PS3
I bought GTA4 when it came out, I played it intensivly for 2 weeks, then dropped it. Why ? it just wasn`t fun anymore as no matter how good the sandbox world around you was constructed the gameplay mechanics were still very archiac. The same annoyances I had in GTA3, I now have 3 installments later (Vice city and San andreas in between offcourse) in GTA4. Namely -no mid mission saves- it can be very bothersome if you happen to die on a silly little whim to start over again at your apartment afterwards. With all your spent ammo gone meaning you have to spend minutes in preperation before going at it again, over and over if it`s a tough mission.
Saints row 2 shows you that the focus on your game shouldn`t be to cram as much things in a city, that work around you. ( who cares about watching TV with your in-game character ?) and focus on fun, sheer fun and lots of ways to have fun.
Sure, Saints Row 2`s activities may not be the most serious of all the things in gameland with spraying shit out of a truck on houses, riding around on fire lighting other things up ?? But it`s just fun, it works and the main storyline is really good.
Not to mention, the in-game co-op, expansive customisation ?
Volition put the fun back in sandbox cities.
#3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the patriots, available on: PS3 (exclusive)
The fourth installment in the "Solid" series of Metal gear games which is also according to producer Hideo Kojima, the last in which he will directly has his hand involved and the last in which the character Solid Snake will be in. Since obviously, Konami wouldn`t be quick to hang up this cash cow just yet I assume more metal gear titles will submerge to expand the universe, albeit with different characters.
I probably don`t need to go into the gameplay details here as everybody who reads this blog should be aware of what Metal Gear is about and how it plays.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is a great experience if you like cinematic types of games, something that Hideo Kojima knows how to do very well. As such, the typical complaints from most avarage, or hardcore (action) gamers have been that the cutscenes were way too long and etc. etc. Didn`t bother me at all.
It is too bad that Metal Gear Online aspect of the game is too tacked on, I had high hopes for it but in the end the levels were too small, with too many players in them meaning that you ended up being killed by somebody as you spawn ! If the levels were bigger, and the player caps kept realistic it would have been such a better experience. Nevermind the 1 hour signup process for MGO, having to create not one, but 3 seperate new accounts alongside your PSN account is just ridiculous !
Still, this is the best in the series and damn; now I`ve got to show my metal gear to my girlfriend, cause it is very solid.
#2. Sins of a Solar Empire, Available on PC (Exclusive)
Space opera RTS strikes back ! From the small indie creators of Galactic Civilisation (galciv) comes this true gem of strategy gaming. Sins of a Solar Empire boldly goes where no RTS game has gone before, deftly combining the empire-building of 4X strategy games (explore, exploit, expand, exterminate) with the tactical precision of real-time strategy. Despite not being a triple A, well hyped title this game surprisingly was one of the best sold games of 2008 on the PC and got so many awards it`s insane. Just shows you that if you truly have insight as a developer into what makes great gameplay that no matter the genre of your game, it`d appeal to the masses.
#1. Valkyria Chronicles, Available on PS3 (exclusive)
Allright this was a total surprise to me as well. For the Western gamer this game came out of nowhere as this is a Japanese strategy RPG and we all know how those can be. Valkyria Chronicles does it all right from storyline,gameplay to graphics.
It`s single player only, but it shouldn`t hamper you down since the single player game has alot going for it. If the storyline and gameplay alone weren`t enough crack for you to keep on playing, the developers have also put into place that you gradually get new skills, weapons,items and ways to adopt various new strategies or abilities with each new mission, shifting and shaping the style you play with every session is very addictive indeed as it keeps you thinking. I love it !
Noteworthy mentions that didnt make it
Left 4 Dead
+ Great multiplayer experience
+ Very original concept, well tought out.
- Graphics could`ve been way better ..
- Ally AI is so bad that Single player is just not a viable option
- Could have been "more" to it
Gears of War 2
+ Bigger, better, faster,stronger
- More of the same, except it`s bigger,better, faster, stronger I.E should have tried to innovate more.
Mirrors Edge
+ Parkcore baby ! Very innovative new type of platforming gameplay
+ Very cool graphical style
+ Timetrial mode
+ Great soundtrack
- *WAY* too short . .
- Storyline and writing pretty much absent !
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