Long time since I've posted here but hopefully this will be the 1st of many regular posts. The aim is to get back to one a week so keep checking!
It's a bit late for GOTY lists but I'm going to do one anyway. It was an excellent year for game releases. Arguably, better than 2007. The biggest problem last year was how to get the money and the time to play them all. With that in mind, here is my pick of the top 5 games of 2008:
1. Fallout 3
I invested over 100 hours into Oblivion and the Shivering Isles and it looks like Fallout is going to get the same commitment from me (if not more judging by how expansive the DLC looks).
It's not just Oblivion with guns, it's improved in so many areas. The setting is an unusual one for an RPG and post-apocalyptic DC is very well realised and very atmospheric. Actions now also really feel like they have far reaching consequences and the world and quest paths really do change depending on you decisions. Just when you think you've seen everything the game has to offer, something surprising or unexpected happens again. It's games like this that are really starting to make traditional J-RPGs start to look very stale indeed. Final Fantasy has a lot of catching up to do.
2. Deadspace
DeadSpace took a lot of flak in reviews for not being original. It's my belief that not every game that comes out has to re-invent it's genre. Especially, when the end product is as polished as this. Deadspace takes the Resident Evil formula and injects it with lots of very good ideas and moves it to a setting that is right up my ally. The movie influences in this game are from some of my favorite films (Aliens, Event Horizon, The Thing). Worth particular mention is the excellent sound, which really adds to the tense atmosphere.
3. Burnout Paradise
Burnout gets this high a mention as it dared to do something different with the racing genre. The notion of playing your single player game in a city full of other online drivers to interact with is excellent. It was touched on by Test Drive Unlimited, but burnout brings it to the next level with the city full of opportunities to create chaos with friends or random strangers. Plus the city looks great. I must confess that I haven't downloaded and of the generously free online content but it's been that kind of year.
4. Left 4 Dead
I play a lot of online multiplayer and I particularly love co-op play, so I was very excited for this. Valve once again didn't disappoint. They have crafted a balanced co-op experience that encourages players to really play together and co-ordinate and punishes players that like to go it alone. In doing so they have created a new template for co-op online and I'm really looking forward to where they go with it next. I'm sure Valve had some good DLC in the pipeline, if 2007's TF2 is anything to go by.
5. Gears of War 2.
"Bigger better and more Bad Ass", Cliffy B sums it up nicely. It really is a traditional sequel, with almost every aspect of the game improved. For me though, the new horde mode was a genius idea and many hours were spent online screaming into the mic in panic. I did it though... all 50 waves cleared. Phew.
Honourable Mentions:
So many good games means that a top 5 is really hard to compile. I'm disappointed there is no room for Fable 2 which really won me over with a combination of humour, original idea and a whimsical fairy-tale setting. World at War, will of course suck hundreds of hours of time from me for most of the year. I've not played Mirrors Edge yet, but I know I'm going to love it. GTA IV would have been in the top five had the story and setting not fell apart in the last 3rd of the game. GRID was a great racer and has some of the most thrilling online crashes ever!
Ok, that's it. Be sure to cast a vote for your Game of the year on the poll there. Coming soon, Smokey gives his top 5. We'll also be doing a look forward to the year ahead.
