Best Game titles of 2008

2008 brought an excellent crop of games to living rooms around the world. All three of the major systems had huge releases and I managed to narrow it down to what I felt were the top 3 releases for each system as well as a few overall categories. Here are my 2008 picks:

Nintendo Wii

1) Mario Kart

One of many consistent first party offerings throughout the years, Nintendo’s Mario Kart franchise is definitely one of the strongest franchises bearing the Mario name. While not much of the gameplay has changed over the years, the formula for fun is still fully in tact.   Basically, if you’ve ever played a Mario kart game, you should be able to pick this one up fairly easily and have just as much fun.  The new steering wheel controller adds a new dimension to gameplay, although just as much fun can be had using the regular wii-mote. 

2) Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The Smash Bros. games have always been known for intense yet easy to learn gameplay that appeals to skilled gamers and newcomers alike.  Super Smash Bros. Brawl is no different. The game is so easy to pick up and play that little kids with no experience can jump right in and mix it up with the pros effortlessly, all while having a blast.  The game has a surprising amount of depth and strategy that can be incorporated, however it is entirely unnecessary as even button mashers can grab a controller and start winning. This universal appeal is found on most Wii games, and is undoubtedly a huge reason behind the success of the wii, and SSBB is perhaps one of the most universally appealing games out on any system to date.

3) Animal Crossing

Here is a game basically about nothing. If you have played any previous AC games, this one is almost exactly the same with a few new features. Basically, players have the option of catching fish, catching bugs, and a few other activities.  Overall the game doesn’t have much of a structure, yet surprisingly it works. Although it may not sound too exciting, the concept of “laid back” fun is actually pretty ingenious. After playing this game for a few minutes it becomes apparent how someone could kill hours on this game.  If you have a Wii this is one to check out.

Playstation 3

1) Little Big Planet

For anyone that has ever wondered what would happen if a bunch of hippies got together and made a game, wonder no longer. Little Big Planet is an amazing platform game complete with a user friendly interface,  customizable cute characters, psychedelic mind numbing visuals, all presented in worlds completely controlled and created by the users.  As a platform game, LBP is excellent. The controls are extremely basic, however don’t let that fool you as the gameplay mechanics incorporating those controls can be difficult at times.  Perhaps the greatest thing about this game is user created content.  By playing the single player mode, players can unlock different objects and backgrounds to be used in the creation of their own levels. The sky is the limit in terms of creativity as everything from levels paying homage to movies to levels based on other video games are abundant on the Playstation network.  Everything from stages based on the movie “Saw’ to stages where players collect bubbles underwater, this game has it all. This is definitely the next step in gaming and anyone who dismisses LBP as a simple kiddie platform game is sure to miss out. 

2) Resistance 2

Resistance is an FPS that is one of Sony’s flagship titles. Having tried to play through the first Resistance, I was less than impressed. To be honest I couldn’t even bring myself to finish the game, which is a rarity as I’ve stomached some pretty horrendous games just for the sake of completing them. For some reason though, I picked up Resistance 2 and I was so glad that I did. R2 is an excellent game. I can’t remember the last time I felt so compelled to keep playing through to find out what happens next. R2 is exactly that type of game.  The bosses are epic, some of which take up the entire screen, and the gameplay is fast and frantic, all while maintaining tight and responsive controls. Add in the fact that this game features one of the greatest video game endings EVER, and it becomes a no brainer why this made my list.

3) Metal Gear Solid 4

If there is a game that the PS3 will be remembered for, it is this one. MGS4 practically redefines gaming as there is no game I can even try to compare it to in giving a description.  For anyone who has played a MGS game, each entry in the series offers its own unique gameplay and setting while progressing some of the most fantastic storylines in all of gaming.  This fourth installment is supposed to be the series’ swan song, and it undoubtedly went out with a bang. Not only is MGS4 great in terms of story and gameplay, it is also a technical marvel.  The graphics are jaw dropping and perhaps the best on any console to date. This game is so good it almost ruins other games by comparison. The attention to detail and the level of polish that went into this game is astounding  and makes me wish that other game developers get half of the things right that MGS4 was able to pull off.  this is the game that made me cave and buy a ps3 and I haven’t looked back since then.

Xbox 360

1) Grand Theft Auto IV

Here is a game that many hyped up to be God’s gift to gaming. While not entirely deserving of all the hype, the game is far from disappointing. Rockstar games showed everyone why they are the best at Sandbox genre games by adding just enough changes and tweaks to their winning formula to provide a unique and memorable experience.  While many games can be addicting, GTA IV is a game where you can literally get lost in its city just doing whatever your heart desires. From surfing the internet, going on dates, to assassinating mob bosses, this game has it all. While not quite as good as previous GTA games overall,  this game was easily better than any of the other similar games that had hit the market since the last GTA iteration. Whether you love the series or hate it, this game is definitely worth a try just for the sake of experiencing the living and breathing Liberty City.

2) Call of Duty: World at War

Although this is a multi-platform game, I am listing it under the top 360 games. I have played all of the versions and feel that the 360 is by far the best due to multiplayer on xbox live. While the single player is decent, it is the multiplayer component of this game that truly shines and places it in the upper echelon of video game shooters. For 2008, there is no better FPS than COD: WAW. The graphics, the sounds, the gameplay are all top notch and worthy of a spot in any “best games of 2008″ listing. Despite it being limited by the rehashed and redundant WWII setting, the game manages to maintain widespread freshness and appeal, almost through the quality of the game alone. 

3) Gears of War 2

Gears of War 2 has a horrible matchmaking system, horrendous lag, and glitches galore. Despite all of this, it is still one of the most fun games on any console, period.  Whether single player or online, Gears boasts some of the best graphics around as well as unique characters and enemies.  They managed to maintain most of the elements from the first game while making a few modifications to adjust the gameplay to give it a new overall feel while keeping what made the original such a great and unique game.  Of all the games on this list, this is perhaps the most controversial as many people either love or hate this game with a passion. Obviously, I am one of the former. While not without its problems and issues, Gears still manages to be one of the top games of 2008 strictly based on fun factor alone.

Best Graphics: Gears of War 2

This year has had its share of graphically gorgeous games.  From Prince of Persia to Metal Gear Solid 4, gamers fortunate enough to afford the HD experience were no doubt treated to a visual feast.  there were a few games that had equally impressive graphics and so the deciding factor is usually art direction. I chose Gears of War 2 since it utilizes a theme of “destroyed beauty”. This is a combination of destruction and victorian era architecture all with a sci fi twist. the 360 manages to pull this off beautifully, giving great detail to each texture and object within the environments.  Again, with so many great looking games for 2008, this was a tough choice but ultimately i felt Gears was the best.

Best Multiplayer Game: Call of Duty:WaW

Call of Duty: World at War is just as addictive and accessible as the previous COD games.  The streamlined menus and easy access make it the best online multiplayer setup out right now. The beauty of it is that everything is so straight forward. You hardly ever have to stop and think about how to access something as it is usually clearly displayed as an option in the menus. It is as if the developers considered what players need and what they may want to access and they structured their menu accordingly. Imagine that, a company that actually takes into account its customers needs and wants.  Also impressive is the online ranking, which is the best in any online game to date. Rather than have a computer use logarithms to attempt to calculate how good a player is, COD simply uses their stats. Its quite simple: kill more, rank up more. The system implemented by COD is so effective it is a wonder that other games don’t use a similar system. While Treyarch definitely deserves props for their multiplayer, a great deal of kudos must also go to Infinity Ward for laying down the blueprint with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. 

Best Mass Appeal Game for 2008: Little Big Planet

While  on the surface it appears to be nothing more than a brightly colored kiddie platforming game, Littel Big Planet is so much more than that. While simple enough for players of any age and experience to get into, the game also offers a considerable amount of depth in the form of more difficult levels and the game’s crown jewel, customization.  While admittedly, the kid friendly packaging that is LBP is a bit of a turn off, once you get into the heart of the game, the level design, it becomes another animal entirely.  There is nothing more rewarding that creating a level, posting it up online, and having other players play through it and rate it. This concept of sharing user created content has been done before, but never on a scale like this. While it has been a standard for many PC games, few have made it as user friendly and fun to create your own content. I see this as a great trend for the future and strongly feel that more and more games will be placing tools of creativity in the hands of their users. With the current evolution of online console gaming, this seems to be the next logical step.

Best Overall Game for 2008: Metal Gear Solid 4

This is easily my pick for the best game of 2008.  This genre bending game is so difficult to classify as it falls into a number of categories.  This game oozes with originality. Rather than try to imitate or emulate the trends going on in modern gaming (regenerative health for example), MGS4 utilizes its own control scheme and its own unique interface.  The storyline and voice acting are top notch, with the level design and locales being varied enough to provide a unique experience for each stage.  The plot is the culmination of events that have been brewing since the playstation 1 days.  The end result is an artistic masterpiece that clears up any doubt to the question of whether video games can be considered works of art. One play through of this game and it quickly becomes apparent that not only are video games an art form, they are the new medium which may soon become the standard. While it may not have the same profound impact it had on me, this is one of those games that you will remember for a long time.