The Best Games of 2008

[G-Boobie]

This may be, perhaps, just a tad early, but since my top contenders are already out and providing me with wild entertainment, I figured I'd get the party started while it's on my mind.

I've already stated my opinions in my blog(Joe Q. Gamer), but I have a new addition, and I couldn't rob you fine folks of that.

List your five favorite games that came out in 2008, along with a few words describing why you've picked each one.

1) Little Big Planet. It's pure fun, and a great twist on the classic 2D platformer.
2) Metal Gear Solid 4. A satisfying end to a great series.
3) Dead Space. Fantastic set pieces and a terrific atmosphere.
4) Condemned 2. An overlooked game with some great ideas and innovative mechanics.
5) Fallout 3. Yet another Bethesda time sink. Way to go, Bethesda!

Hows about you?

[modest9797]

1.) Rock Band 2 - Awesome party game
2.) Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe - Mortal Kombat in HD
3.) Burnout Paradise - Not much to say besides it's fun
4.) Condemned 2 - ITS A BEAR!!!
5.) Battlefield: Bad Company - fun to play over xbox live

[nintendoeats]

1.Metal Gear Solid 4- it is my opinion that the MGS series is our modern mythology. fantastic games, fantastic stories, fantastic storytelling.

2.Super Smash Bros. Brawl- If you have a regular group of 3 freinds, the smash bros. games are pretty much the pinnacle of fun. Plus, the last two have been great history lessons. I know some people will hate me for putting this game so high, but I guess I still have a little nintendo fanboy left in me.

3.Grand Theft Auto IV- Deciding between this and SSB.B was a real toss up. It was only edged out because it does get very repetetive. Some of the best storytelling this side of MGS.

4. fallout 3-ok, so I didn't spend much time with the first two, and I know alot of fans didn't dig Bethesda's version, but I really liked this game. I see it as a sequal to oblivion. Oblivion was great, but man it had problems. This game fixed alot of them, including the setting which is much more interesting this time around. Unfortunately its still damn repetetive, and caps out at level 20:deadhorse: (easily fixed with a code though). Wait a minute, I WAS saying that I liked this game right?

5.Rock Revolution


...NOT


Actually 5. Bionic Commando Rearmed-I wasn't even born when the original came out, but I went played some of it when I heard this was coming out. The original is great, and I want more remakes of this quality. It maintains the appeal of the original, while providing plenty of worthwhile updates.



Red Alert 3 would probably also make this list, but I haven't played it yet so I couldn't really say.

[Nebagram]

A while ago I went through my game collection and picked out all my games of the year way back to 1989. In most cases, picking them was almost a no-brainer. The only year I really struggled with was 1998... and here we are again, a year ending in the number '8', and again I can't pick a definitive game and say 'this is the best game of the last twelve months' (well, okay, eleven, but you know what I mean). I can pick five however...

1= Fallout 3
1= Metal Gear Solid 4

Fallout 3 because it takes everything that was great about Oblivion and just makes it incredibly more awesome. I don't think I've ever played a game as immersive as this.
MGS4 because it really is an evolution in videogaming as we know it. No game, no game at all has characters as well-realised as Snake & co, and despite Kojima's love of twist endings running right through until the frickin' credits sequence, it's the perfect end to a magnificent series.

Bubbling under...

3 Little Big Planet. Such a magnificent idea only marred by some dodgy controls. I don't think this has come even close to realising its potential yet.

4 Banjo Kazooie N&B- A return to form for a legend of the British gaming industry, I don't think I've ever been as addicted to a game as I was to this for that one marvellous week.

I'm going to be controversial here and state that SSBB, GTA4 and Guitar Hero/Rock Band are NOT on my top 5 list for the year. Reasons being-

SSBB- the schizoid game. Deeply multiplayer-centric yet the game is crippled until you spend hours going through the single-player game. Someone needs to tell these people that time-released characters are fine in arcades, but not in home versions. Wouldn't be all that bad if the single-player experience actually had some substance to it.

GTA4- oh dear, what happened? San Andreas was a great example of the fun that could be had with GTA, so many insane characters and witty one-liners. And Samuel L. Jackson. This game takes itself too seriously. Far too seriously.

GH/RB- or rather, Rock Band 2, as it's the superior game by miles- it doesn't add anything new to the rhythm game experience. Sure, playing guitar and drums all day will always be fun, but there's more, surely? (and no, GHTunes isn't on my card).

Instead, #5 goes to...

5. Echochrome. How to use new technology to make new ideas a reality. Beautiful in its simplicity and with the right combination of frustration/excellence to the gameplay that made Lemmings what it was 18 years ago.

EDIT: Though Animal Crossing City Folk may well KO this from #5 spot if it proves to be anything like as compulsive as Wild World was.

[nintendoeats]

5. Echochrome. How to use new technology to make new ideas a reality. Beautiful in its simplicity and with the right combination of frustration/excellence to the gameplay that made Lemmings what it was 18 years ago.

Hey, I just bought that today. its 5 bucks now. w00t.

[Drifter 2000]

I didn't think it would be possible to top last year as far as quality gaming goes but I think 2008 is head over heels better than last year. This is the first time I can remember when I've just been so swamped with games that I can't possibly hope to play them all before year's end. I'm still working on my top ten list I do every year on another forum so I won't put these in order...but here are five in no particular order:

Grand Theft Auto IV - This is Rockstar's opus as far as I'm concerned. Despite the fact it seems to be the cool thing to retroactively bash this game on some sites I still think it's a fantastic experience. The more realistic direction Rockstar are taking the series suits me just fine. A wide variety of unique missions, great characters, a massive city to explore, and an overall fun storyline make this sucker another winner.

Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir - Total party creation?! Overworld map?! Non linear exploration?! Constant skill checks during dialog?! YES PLEASE! Obsidian continue to prove that they've got the talent to make the best RPGs money can buy. Storm of Zehir harkens back to the glory days of the WRPG when stats, character skill, and choices/consequences were all the standard for a RPG. This game is fantastic...simply fantastic.

Fable 2 - I loved the original Fable despite it's obvious flaws, and the same goes for it's sequel. Lionhead took everything about the original and opened it up even further. The areas are much bigger and contain loads of secrets for those willing to explore. Your dog adds a whole new dimension to the game, and you finally have the kind of ability to change your character's appearance at a level the first game lacked. They really outdid themselves with this one.

Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - When I heard this was going to be 80% vehicles I nearly threw up. Then when I got to finally see the game in motion I was taken back to a time when Rare had a special charm all their own. Despite not being a "true" Banjo platformer this game is the first time since the N64 that I have felt that special something in a Rareware title. Being able to make unique vehicles for every situation lets your creative juices flow, and the need to find new parts helps quench the desire for collecting. Viva Pinata and this game make me feel that Rare are back on the up swing!

Braid - This game is art, what can I say? Stunning 2-D visuals, a wonderful sound track, and mind bending gameplay had me hooked right from the get go. Even the storyline for this game is pretty incredible for a downloadable game. In a year when the XBOX Live Arcade saw it's most amazing slate of releases Braid stands head over heels above the rest.

[Nesmaster]

1. GTA IV

Based on how hyped I was for this game and the fact I've been through it 3 times, this is no doubt my game of the year. I will go on record and say that while GTA IV can tell a good story, it's just not as "fun" to play as San Andreas was. Multiplayer, for me, was unlike anything I've seen done on a console before this came out. The trouble is even that got tiring really fast. The physics are great, we were introduced to euphoria, and includes the best damage modelling on cars I've seen in a video game. Now, take all of this and make a game that is FUN to play next time around, Rockstar.

2. Fallout 3

This wasn't even on my day one purchase list, I picked it up on a whim about a week after it came out. And boy was that a good decision. The sense of freedom and choice in this game is unmatched for 2008, with your choices actually holding some major/minor impact on the game world. Lends itself well to replayability. This is the first multi-platform game I'm considering buying new twice, just as an excuse to own both and to pick up the CE which I regretfully did not do the first time around on PS3. While the gunplay is lacking, the wonderful VATS picks up the slack here and never, ever gets old. Especially if you have the Bloody Mess perk. :P

While I haven't played the game with melee weapons, it seems to me that it would be a worthless way to play through the game. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. :)

3. Banjo Kazooie: NnB

To think I was going to drop my preorder of this if I didn't get my code for BK XBLA for free! I would have missed out on 25 hours of some of the most addictive gameplay all year. Budget priced at $39.99 with the BK preorder code for free was probably the best $40 I spent on gaming this year. Unlike the BK games of old, and I would like to see another platformer in the series, but I was totally happy with what we got. I guess you could call it a vehicle-based platformer/racer with LEGO elements. Probably not for everyone, but good enough to place in my top 3.

4. Saints Row 2

The sequel to one of my favorite games of 2006. Throw in some new vehicles, some new guns and clothing, brand new missions and activities, FULL co-op play and an altered Stilwater and you basically have Saints Row 2. And that includes all of the pop-in, framerate hitches (albeit far less this time around) and weird physics glitches found in the first game over two years ago. It is hard to hate a game that delivers the most varied and wacky gameplay yet to be seen in an open-world game, not to mention the pure fun and entertainment to be had that makes me hope and wish Rockstar takes a long look at what is done here before giving us GTAIV-2. The only downfall of this game is that it feels WAY too similar to the first game. I had an absolute blast with my 30 or so hours, and I'd be in line day one if they decide to somehow turn this into a trilogy.

5. Far Cry 2

Great game, nice fire effects. Gunplay is awesome. AI is on both ends of the scale. Sometimes they do nothing, sometimes they put up a good fight. I liked the mild RPG elements found here, and the self-first aid sequences were really cool. The game's major downfall? Too repetitive. Drive here, take mission, shoot. Drive there, grab malaria pills, drive to next mission. Start a fire, blow something up, more driving etc. Actually, it wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the driving and the fact that you can actually die if you run out of malaria pills. Still, based on what I have played this year This rounds out my top 5.

Downloadable titles:

1. Banjo Kazooie

Behind Goldeneye, this was Rare's best work back on the N64, and still one of my favorite games on the system. Retouched in 720p, widescreen, and the ability to play with one of the best controllers out there at a steady locked framerate (unless you upscale to 1080p, haha) makes this my number one choice for downloadable games. Getting it for "free" is just the icing on the cake. :)

2. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix

My favorite fighting game, remixed in HD? Even though I still haven't bought the game, judging from the demo I know this will be worth my $15 whenever I decide to buy it.

3. Megaman 9

What needs to be said here? Exactly.

Biggest Letdown:

Mercenaries 2

Mercenaries was a fantastic game in 2004. When Pandemic announced a sequel I jumped for joy. Then EA buys Pandemic and delay after delay. Considering how long this game was in "development" what we got surprised the hell out of me. And not in a good way. What the hell happened here? Mercs 2 had potential to be THE definitive open-world sandbox game, instead we got a rather mediocre, bug-ridden, uninspired mess full of technical shortcomings. And what bright minded individual came up with the idea to exclude cheat codes at launch?! Sure they patched them in with an update, but that was a case of too little, too late. There's fun to be had here, but you really have to dig to find it. Broken co-op (tethered) doesn't help Mercs 2's case.

I did not play Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, or a lot of the bigger games that came out in the last two months, but this is what I've come up with from what I've played.

[Slate]

I'm not sure what all of my top 5 are.

My #1 has to be Fallout 3. I love it. There is so much to do and there are so many ways to play the game, From small things like dialogue to blowing up the bomb, This game provides many, many hours of entertainment.

My #2 could be Left 4 Dead because the game plays different every time, You can play as a zombie online (Lots of fun) And it has 4 player co op, Something you don't see too often.

[kupomogli]

-Grand Theft Auto 4. This is the first GTA game I've beaten and enjoyed the entire way through. The other games I'd end up getting bored of by the time I reached the second island. GTA4 has a fixed shooting system, adding realistic driving, and some good missions.

-Wild ARMs XF. I'm a fan of tactical RPGs, but this is the first release since FFTactics Advance that has been really good. Infact, this game is on par to the original FFTactics in how good the gameplay is, though storyline isn't as good.

-Star Ocean First Departure. Sure it's a remake, but as soon as I started it up it's just pure fun to play. Star Ocean 2 is better, but that's an '09 or '99 release.

-Gundam Battle Universe. The latest in the Gundam Battle games, it carries the same gameplay but goes through 0079, 0083, 0087, 0088, and 0093 plus mobile suits from up to the F91 series. There are over 200 missions in the game, including bonus missions. Aside from being a great game it's a huge fanservice for any fan of the UC Gundam series.

-Little Big Planet. This will probably be one of the best PS3 games for years to come. Now if only Koji Igarashi would take lead from this game and Mega Man Powered Up and create a PSP game that we can create our own Castlevania stage based "or" exploration Castlevania type map.

[BHvrd]

Home - Yes i'm counting Home as a game and i'm also considering the Beta a release, sue me. Home is just the mutts nuts.

Resistance 2 - Took everything the first game did and improved everything. The closest thing to PS3's answer to Halo till Killzone 2 arrives. Online co-op is an experience.

Little Big Planet - Not only has 2D (ok kinda, its 3D I guess *shrugs*, lol) made a comeback with this game but it's also a never ending experience. Fun is the key word here and it is definitely that.

Lego Batman - It's brilliant. Very well designed and hella fun, good stuff.

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Classic beyond words. Shows the perfectionist that Hideo Kojima longs to be. Takes everything that has made the franchise what it is and rolls it into one tasty piece of Sushi. Imo, this is game of the year on ps3 and on every platform.


I may have mentioned Left 4 Dead, Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, or a couple others but I haven't played them all. Even if I had I doubt my opinion would change, well maybe Lego Batman. :D

[Draven~]

Halo 3
GTAIV
Little Big Planet
Metal Gear Solid 4

[hydr0x]

@Nebagram

had to laugh when I saw your Top Gear signature

[The 1 2 P]

Halo 3
GTAIV
Little Big Planet
Metal Gear Solid 4

Halo 3 came out in 2008? Maybe in BoliviaLOL

[mnkysuit]

Gears of War 2
Left 4 Dead
Fable II
Dead Space
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix

It's been a good year. ;)

[Gamebrain]

GTA IV and Fallout 3

[SpaceHarrier]

1. Megaman 9

[scooterb23]

These are the 2008 games that I've enjoyed most this year.

1. No More Heroes
2. Pinball Hall of Fame - Williams Collection
3. de Blob
4. Megaman 9
5. Civilazation Revolution

[Rob2600]

My favorites this year:

Dr. Mario Online Rx
LostWinds
Mario Kart Wii
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection
World of Goo

I still need to play de Blob, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Mega Man 9, and Boom Blox!

[DKTheArcadeRat]

Hmmm. I don't know what order to put things in but 5 I enjoyed this year.

Gears of War 2
Professor Layton(I think that came out this year)
Mega Man 9
Fallout 3

and I have no idea what a fifth one would be.

[swlovinist]

This has bee a good year for ALL systems. Here are my top 5 that I will personally play alot

1. Megaman 9
2. Fallout 3
3. Mario Kart Wii
4. Left 4 Dead
5. Resistance 2

[Overbite]

Top 5 in order:

Tales of Vesperia
World of Warcraft WotLK
Rock Band 2
Mirrors Edge
Fable 2

[Chainsaw_Charlie]

I havent played any of the "big" console games and wont till my backlog has been squashed

So my picks are in no particular order

Professor Layton
Wild Arms XF(160+ hrs with that)
God Of war chains of Olympus
The World ends with you
Apollo Justice Ace Attorney
Time Hollow
Sonic Chronicles Dark Brotherhood

Yeah I like the DS and there havent been many Top notch PS2 games this year

[SegaAges]

Hmm, from what I have played (I want to put Sonic in there, but I have not played it yet):

1.) Rock Band 2
2.) Spore
3.) The Force Unleashed
4.) MegaMan 9 (The demo is awesome)
5.) Fallout 3
6.) Braid

[Deadman]

Like most of the above, I have a considerable backlog, but here are my faves of the ones that I've played:

1. Gears of War 2
2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (a game that actually made me want to turn off my console and grab my PSP)
3. Pinball HOF - Williams Collection (wii)
4. Grid
5. Super Smash Bros Brawl (iffy, but I'm reaching here)

The games that I probably played more than any others were Halo 3 and Rainbow Six Vegas 2. Hooray for 2007!!

[Buns34]

Mega Man 9
Fable 2
Banjo Kazooie N&B-Probably the funnest game i have played since Super Mario Galaxy
Chrono Trigger
Fallout 3

[TEND]

My top 5 favorite/most played/most enjoyed games of 2008,

Fallout 3
Farcry 2
MLB: Power Pros 2008 (I've gotten sooooo much playing time out of this)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Final Fantasy Tactics A2

[Sotenga]

I know it's technically a remake, but it's so much more awesome than that to me. My avatar could probably tell you that, and I've been semi-lazy about changing it, but I'm glad I'm keeping it up to emphasize my number one choice: Bionic Commando: Rearmed. I was freaking floored when I played this game. I may be biased, as I love the original title to death, but this game was an absolute delight to play through... on Super Hard mode, even! :D

As for the other four... in no particular order:

Mega Man 9
Castle Crashers
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Heh... mostly rather old-school style there, but that's just how I am. Honorable mentions go to:

No More Heroes
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Braid
Super Smash Bros Brawl
Mirror's Edge (A bit of a cheat, as I've only played the demo so far, but I sure as hell intend to get this one)

I'd like to say GTA4, but I simply have not had enough cash to get it yet... same goes for MGS4, but a PS3 isn't in the cards for me until next year, and probably pretty far into next year to boot.

[heybtbm]

There are so many games I haven't bought yet (Tomb Raider Underworld, Prince of Persia) or games I do have but haven't had the chance to really play (Gears of War 2, Far Cry 2, Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Tales of Vesperia) that could be on the "Best of 2008" list.

These are games I've played to the end and feel qualified to judge...

2008 A-list...

GTA4
Battlefield: Bad Company
MGS4
Fallout 3
Super Smash Brothers Brawl
Mario Kart Wii

Honorable Mention...

Soul Calibur IV
Dead Space
Left for Dead
Bully: Scholarship Edition

Biggest Disappointments:

Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Frontlines: Fuel of War

[DiabolicalAdvocate]

1) Metal Gear Solid 4
2)
3) Dead Space
4) Ninja Gaiden 2
5) Valkyria Chronicles (and I don't even like RPG's)

I'm reserving the #2 spot for Prince of Persia; hopefully it deserves it.