Game(s) of the Year - 2008

ExMachina

ExMachina

fails the turing test
Since '08's drawing to a close soon, it's time to take stock of all the great games that have come out this year.

Of course, the whole point of these lists is to foster discussion... so listing your reasons for your choices would be nice too. ;) If there are any categories you'd like added, please let me know and we can toss 'em into the mix.

So let's get this rolling! Post your votes in the following format:

Best Handheld Game

Chrono Trigger DS. It's hard to compete with a re-release of arguably the greatest J-RPG of all time... that said, I haven't played some of the other big DS releases like Professor Layton, TWEWY, or Castlevania: OoE. We can argue whether Mother 3 counts as a 2008 game since it only got unofficially localized for the States this year. xD

Best PC Game

Left4Dead. Sorry, console ports of Valve games, you don't count. :P In all seriousness, I have not played any great PC games that haven't been ported to at least one other console... which says something about the state of PC gaming, probably. However, some games are simply best played on your computer with kb/m.

Best PS3 Game

LittleBigPlanet. Pure fun, especially when you get 3 other players and romp around the user-created levels. I really think the PS3 is coming into its own as far as games go, "moderation" controversy around LBP notwithstanding. Yes, I picked this over MGS4.

Best 360 Game

I still haven't played Gears of War 2 or Fable 2... Not up to date on my 360 games. So no vote here.

Best Wii Game

Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the last Wii game I bought, I think... But I'm giving my vote to No More Heroes, from way back in January. Definitely had its flaws but the stylishness and well-implemented motion controls made it worthwhile. I do want to play de Blob though, I've heard nothing but good things about it. Overall a pretty disappointing year for the Wii, here's hoping 2009 (Punch-Out! Sin and Punishment 2!) will be better.

Best Multiplatform Game That Isn't SoulCalibur IV

The fact that we're all on a site dedicated to SC4 is the reason I decided to remove it from this category... yeah, we play it, study it, love it, but what non-SC4 multiplatform release deserves your praise? My vote goes to Prince of Persia. Gorgeous game with an interestingly implemented control scheme and sweet character interaction with Elika.

Best "Last-Gen Is Still Around" Game

Persona 4. Doesn't exactly have a lot of competition, but it really is an instant classic and would have been worthwhile even if released in the PS2's heyday.

Best DLC Game

SF2T:HDR is the only choice here, right? Wrong! Pixeljunk Monsters is the most fun I've had with a tower defense game in a long time. It's easy to pick up, hard to master, looks fantastic, and is absolutely hilarious to play co-op with a friend. Again, I haven't played any XBL games to any extent, otherwise I might have given this to Castle Crashers or Braid. I'm sure MM9 will get some votes here, old-school style perfection that one.

Best Game Not Released in 2008 That You Discovered in 2008

Team Fortress 2. I'd played the hell out of TF2 v.1.0 on the PS3 prior to this, but I only recently got a computer that could run it properly in its full glory. With all of the updates continuing and the new maps and game modes, the game remains fresh. TF2 really is the most fun FPS I have played in a long, long time.

Best New IP

Mirror's Edge. Yeah, the game definitely has its flaws (too short, frustrating combat, wtf story...) but ya gotta give DICE some props for releasing something completely different when it could have just churned out another Battlefield. Come to think of it, with EA also publishing Dead Space... weirdly successful year for EA as far as trying something new goes.

GAME OF THE MOTHERF'IN YEAR

I still haven't decided, honestly. I'll let you know closer to Dec. 31. ;)
 
Good list ExM, I don't disagree with any particular facet of it. though Chrono Trigger pick may be a bit bias, there is a ton of handheld comp this year.

My picks that differ from yours:

360: GoW2, it's not the best game imo, but as far as exclusives go, I give this the nudge over Fable and others.

Wii: De Blob is amazing AND innovative. No more heroes is overrattteeedddd.

new IP- Dead Space, way better than than Mirrors edge in both gameplay, story, replay-ability and visuals. Plus it doesn't have the laundry list of defects to accompany it.

best multi-platform- CoD: World at War, it's just like CoD4, but FUNNER. THAT alone is amazing. Prince of Persia is also great but CoD is a beauty.

cha cha
 
um...fallout 3 i think for GOTY

i can shoot them in the foot and their face explodes.

breaking up happy marriages....the tiny slasher...duping a priest into leaving the church to marry a barmaid---then showing up to drop a few grenades in the wedding...then robbing all the crack from the dead wedding-goers...then getting addicted to said crack...
 
Although ExM refuses to acknowledge console version of Valve games. To some(like myself, without a up to date PC), the console ports are all we have. So when I say Left 4 Dead, I mean BOTH versions.

FYI, Valve did something with L4D on Xbox360 that TF2 should have had. Its a simple addition, but you have no idea how it can single handily effect a purchase for this console's FPS games(its also why ALOT of people didn't bother with 07's Shadowrun, either). Its called, Split-Screen. This simple feature allows MORE people to locally experiance the game at places such as LANs or even get togethers and as with L4D on Xbox360, I was able to influence purchases.

Left 4 Dead, No matter which version. gets my vote for Game of The Year. Both sides have good points, but should NEVER count out the console version either. TF2 was screwed up and over on console, valve shows with L4D they learned from their mistakes. As for the game itself, its a winner on so many levels. While not a game you'll want to play solo, you can play(going by console version)Split-Screen(both online and offline, does allow guest play), System Link, and of course Xbox Live. The VS mode was also very crafty, both sides have the ability to win. But it all comes down to how coordnated you and your team are.

If split-screen doesn't mean jibber jabber to you, you have an updated PC, or you want more than the out of the box content. The PC version is there to answer the call. But if you are a console junkie like I am and/or a 360 owner who loves dat Live, you cannot go wrong with the 360 version either. The game is just too damn fun, to be ignored. Sleeper Hit of the year, people.
 
Best game found in 2008, not released in 2008: Bioshock. If it was released this year I'd probably nominate it for game of the year. Stylish design, great character models, tonics are interesting and plasmids are fun, luscious design models, always a reason to explore.

Best 360 game: Being very behind (not played the new Fable, Fallout, etc) I'd probably go with L4D, though your entire experience will hinge with your teammates. If you play with those you know and have a basic understanding of how the game works, you'll have a lot of fun. If you get small children who just learned their new favorite swear word and think they're Rambo, it's somewhere between the sixth and seventh circle of hell. Weapons seem well balanced, dismemberment is done perfectly (I'm looking at you, hunting rifle), and final encounters are well scripted.

Best DLC game: Braid. Interesting puzzles, plot is well written and thought out, inner monologue of the main character is awesome.
 
Cha: RE: CTDS. Yeeeah, perhaps I should have made that category "Best Handheld Game Not Including Remakes of Arguably the Best RPG Ever." :P I really want to give Dead Space a spin, but haven't found the time/funds to do so. Even so, I still think ME would resonate more with me of the two games. In all likeliness, DS is the better game, but I think conceptually ME is more exciting and I look forward to seeing its gameplay refined in the sequel. And yeah, NMH is kind of a weak pick for a GOTY, but that's just how '08 was for the Wii... I definitely will pick up De Blob as soon as I get the chance though, and it's very likely that it would bump NMH off the map for me.

I was being semi-facetious, Rek. TBH, if not for L4D, I cannot think of any PC releases this year that really excited me. I basically built my computer to play older games (*cough* TF2 *cough*) and do video editing/graphics, but I was pleasantly surprised by L4D dropping last month. And if we restrict it to PC-exclusive games... then I'd really be drawing a blank. Like I said, it says something about the state of PC gaming that almost nothing is PC exclusive outside of Blizzard still holding it down. It's just the kind of thing that comes up with these platform-based categories... In all honesty, L4D is a fantastic experience regardless of what you play it on.

I'm not tallying votes or anything, just wanted to pick other people's brains on what they played and enjoyed this year.

Anyways, good stuff guys! Keep it coming.
 
I think with this game being released so early in 2008, any hype for the game is pretty much gone but Devil May Cry was probably one of the best/satisfying games I played all year. I'd definatley say it deserves "Best Multi platform" game.

Mirrors Edge is also an honorable mention

SFHD remix is also freaking awesome. Maybe the best fighting game of the year?
 
For me...

360: Fallout 3 (though Fable 2 is a close 2nd)
DLC: Castle Crashers. Braid is a close 2nd.
PC: Left 4 Dead
Wii: EDIT - Oh man, what am I thinking. Super Smash Bros. Brawl was this year. #1

Don't have a PS3, so that about does it.

EDIT: I have to give honorable mentions to Mirror's Edge too. I loved that game, but it needs just a *bit* more polish to be top tier material.
 
Felix: Bioshock DOES qualify. I was ported to the PS3 not to long ago.

ExM: Its all good. Just as long as peeps getting dat L4D, Im a happy fat guy. Game is TOO DAMN GOOD! But I understand ya, tho truth be told. Me not being able to play THE REAL TF2, makes me hella jealous of everyone who can.(Which is why a new pc is on my to-do list next year)

I also Enjoyed GoW2 pretty hardy, and most likely will somemore once Landslide gets his copy over Xmas. It's broken MP is really just a clusterfuck funfest. I love the games MP and Co-Op. Good times to be had.
 
Considering the majority of my gaming activities consisted of nothing besides fighting games for the past 3 months I'm really at a lose in terms of what to pick. I'll try to remember what I've played that hasn't been SCIV, 3S, GGXX:AC, or HDR.

Best DS Game of 2008

TWEWY (aka The World Ends with You)

Never thought I'd give Square any props considering I've been hating them quite a bit for a long while now. However, I have to hand it to them, they did a good job with this game (despite Nomura's design of those hideous KH rejects). The gameplay was very tight (although a bit hectic) and a nice break from the normal RPG mold and the story was surprisingly decent. The soundtrack was pretty nice as well.

Best PSP Game of 2008

Star Ocean: First Departure

Sure it might have Square's logo on it, but it was developed by Tri-Ace and they did an excellent job finally bringing this game to the US while updating everything about it. The gameplay was drastically improved upon it's first debut which was on the SNES (which never made it to the states). The new animated cut scenes and new voice overs were also handled very well. This game was very solid.

Best PS3 Game of 2008

Little Big Planet

This was a hard one. As much as I love MGS4 and Valkyria Chronicles, I have to give this to Little Big Planet. This games has so much potential it should be a crime not to give this game best of 2008 for PS3. Granted this potential can only be tapped into by the community of this game. However, that doesn't seem to be a problem as there are some people who dedicated to tapping into it. I just hope MM allows it. That moderation nonsense caused up quite a stir.

Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Gears of War 2

Considering the fact that Left 4 Dead is not exclusive to 360 (as it's on PC) and Fable 2 didn't really impress me, I'm giving this to Gears 2 (although I bet come 2009 it won't be a 360 exclusive anymore and will be put on PC). There isn't much to say about it though. I liked the first one and Gears 2 did not disappoint (aside from that terrible final boss).

Best XBLA Game of 2008

Castle Crashers

This game kicked so much ass I couldn't stop playing...and laughing. This game was too addictive, playing with friends only made the experience that much better. I, personally, wasn't too hot on Alien Hominid so I wasn't expecting much from this but I was surprised how much better this game flowed. Why couldn't PSN get a game this kickass?

Best Multiplatform Game of 2008

Tie: Dead Space & Left 4 Dead

This was another hard one for me considering how much I liked Mirror's Edge. However, Dead Space and Left 4 Dead are easily a more solid games, despite Mirror's Edge being more original. It's a shame the animation movie for the Dead Space was laughable. The reason for the tie really is because Dead Space was multi-plat for all 3 (PS3, 360, and PC) while Left 4 Dead was only for 2 (360 and PC).

That's all I've got for you at the moment.
 
Best DS game:
TWEWY. If I remember the release date of a game, that means I like it. March 5, 2008. Best handheld RPG ever. Seriously. Just straight up seriously. Runner up is Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia.

Best 360 game:
Hehe, I get to cheat here. Mirror's Edge. November 12, 2008. I love racing games, and FPS. Here's a mix of the two. Runner up is Gears of War 2.

Best PS3 game:
I don't play any PS3 games, so...Soul Calibur 4. July 29, 2008. Uh, yeah. Guess why this game's here. Take a wild guess. Runner up is Prince of Persia, because it's also on the 360, and it deserves to be in a category.

Best PC game:
Left 4 Dead. November 11, 2008. Zombies? Yes. Zombies. I approve of the zombies. Runner up: World of Goo.

Best XBLA game:
SSF2THDR. November 26, 2008. It's Street Fighter! Man, I approve. Runner up: Ikaruga.

Best Music game:
Rock Band 2. September 16, 2008. DLC makes it kick the living shit out of Guitar Hero any day. And Harmonix rocks. Runner up: DDR Universe 3. Cause I like DDR and this is my list.
 
Best DS/PSP:
Didnt play any handheld games this year. Although my brother got hooked on Patapon pretty hardcore, i think that came out earlier?

Best 360:
L4D, hands down. I play games for the MP experience and, so far, Valve hasnt let me down. Complaints about the lack of content are invalid, IMO cause of its incredible replay value, and, as is becoming more common in this age of gaming, Valve promises to expand the game further on down the line.
Honorable Mention: GoW2. Fable 2 was a piece of shit. GoWs saving grace was its SP story was actually very good, IMO.

Best PS3:
MGS4. heh, I just got a PS3 and I got both LBP and MGS4. Just started playing MGS4 so I kinda just threw this in there just because. :-p havent played it enough yet to really say yea or nay.

Best DLC:
SSFHD. IMO, this year has been a fucking fantastic year for fighters. I remember a few years ago, when SC3 dropped, people were talking about the death of the genre. Now, I cant think of a time when there was a better selection of fun, well balanced shit to play that came out recently, or will be coming out shortly. SSFHD, while not with out some faults in its menu scheme and bugs, is awesome.
 
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