Top Games of 2008
Alrighty kids, taking a nod from bradyocallahan (mainly because I feel like I’m wasting file space on here not doing more important things and he’s made me feel guilty with his epic ranking skills) I figure I’ll add to the countdown cacophany of the New Year’s Eve celebration by ranking the top five games of 2008. There were some sweet ones, some epic fails, and some missed gems here and there, but here they are:
5. Braid (XBox Live Arcade)
One of the most pleasant surprises of the year, Braid is a calm platformer that plays more like a book. Jonathan Blow weaves a subtle tale that follows the classic “Princess is in Another Castle” formula, but manages to bear with a message to any and all gamers who play it. This message carries drastically different ideas to different players, all of which the creator acknowledges as “at least partially correct”. Beyond the simplistic (yet tirelessly fun) gameplay and deep-ish subtext, the game is a graphical dream. Each background and level look like a scene from a Disney movie. Bright colors abound and the levels pop and come to life add more playability to a game that’s vastly shorter than any professionally published game out there. The biggest mark this game made on the year, however, is taking the currently fledgling “indie-game” trend and proving that smaller studios and designers can produce top notch experiences.
4. Left 4 Dead (XBOX 360/PC)
Survival horror games are no big secret in the world of gaming, but Left 4 Dead takes a novel new approach at the genre by establishing a mulit-player experience, throwing four players together as survivors in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. The formula is built upon one step further by allowing a second team to play as the “Head zombies”, large, specially talented zombies that serves as bosses for the game. Resident Evil: Outbreak attempted the formula once before, but lacked any kind of single player experience, while Left 4 Dead plays the same should you be on your own or with friends. This kind of mulitplayer survivor experience is sure to see a rise in future releases, but it’s exciting to see a game get it truly right first.
3. Little Big Planet (Playstation 3)
Cute characters? Check. Simplistic Gameplay? Yup. Massively open-ended level design with the possibility to transfer, download, and create any level possibly imaginable? Natch. Little Big Planet dropped late in the year, but has already managed to make an enormous splash in the gaming world. Players take on the role of Sackboy (all innuendo and sack jokes aside) and simply guide him from point A to point B, gathering bubbles and items along the way. Some of these items include costumes to customize the character, stickers to decorate levels and the home hub of the game, and items to solve in-game puzzles. While simple, the addiction is quick to hit with Planet. From the beginning tutorial and customization of your Sackboy, you’re invited to explore any of the worlds unlocked, or search for more customization options, or simply just chill, exploring the various emotional responses mapped to the controller. A simple game by nature, Little Big Planet changes the rules by allowing ANY gamer the chance to make the game whatever they want, and that’s a freedom every gamers wanted for a while.
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Nintendo fanservice phenomenon continues in the latest installation of Super Smash Bros. The classic gauntlet of feuding Nintendo IP arrives on the Wii with stellar result. The brawling roster’s been pumped up, now offering 35 fighters to knock each other around on any of the Nintendo-themed worlds. The fighters are especially novel this go-round however, adding from outside the classic company’s typical cast-list, enlisting Sonic the Hedgehog (a sega franchise) and Solid Snake (of Konami’s Metal Gear franchise). The inclusion of these two marks a turning point for cross-corporation collaboration, the improvement of which is eagerly awaited. Another selling point for Brawl is it’s massive single player campaign “The Subspace Emissary”, a side scrolling brawler that weaves a complex tale across a dozen classic worlds. Taking about 40 hours on it’s own, the story mode warrants more than its fair share of plays. Also, the online component (while still somewhat hampered by the friend code system) proves to be a one of Nintendo’s best forays online yet, offering single and team battles, as well as a spectator mode and the ability to download homebrewed levels and game video.
1.) Grand Theft Auto 4 (Mulit-Platform)
The top game of the year is also likely the most long-awaited. Rockstar’s flagship series returns with its most open-ended installation yet. As Niko Bellic (an eastern European immigrant), the player is given compete freedom to explore the vastly reimagined Liberty City, a faux New York complete with parodied versions of actual landmarks. Now, in mere description, this city can’t be properly explained. Just suffice it to say that Liberty City is HUGE this time around. The gameplay is everything fans would expect from the franchise: societal outcast/outlaw makes friends/acquaintances in the city and proceeds to do chores or missions for said friends/acquaintances. The remarkable innovation this go-round is the ability to explore every last inch of this fictional city thanks to the new ability to climb up and over obstacles, hijack boats and helicopters, and venture into any of the new buroughs or outer limits of Liberty City. On top of this new adventure (which also offers a mild commentary on “The American Dream”) the mulitplayer offers something for everyone. After creating an in-game avatar, the player is able to join up with up to fifteen other friends for a romp through the game’s 14 multiplayer modes, including Team Deathmatch and “Cops N’ Crooks”, essentially GTA’s answer to the classic “VIP” game style. The total package of deep multiplayer carnage and the largest single player experience in the series’ history make Grand Theft Auto the number one game of the year.
