TNL's Games of the Year For 2008

2008 is pretty much over in gaming terms, might as well get to this topic before it gets stale.

READ THE DIRECTIONS FIRST:

1. Please add at least some kind of small description as to why you chose a given game, even if only for the first game you choose in a category. Nothing's more boring to read than a thread full of comment-free lists.

2. List your top 3 in a given category. You don't have to list 3 games if you don't want to; not everybody is going to play 3 games in a given category, or find 3 of them vote-worthy I'll aggregate everyone's list like so: 3 points for a 1st place vote, 2 for a 2nd, 1 for a 3rd. I'll keep track of everything in this post.

3. Anything released in calendar 2008 is up for grabs. That means imports, download-only games, remakes - even rereleases, with the caveat that there was something significant added to it in game content terms, not just put into HD - are all fair game.

4. The list is platform agnostic - PC, portable, browser games, cellphone games, whatever, as long as it's digital and came out this year.


CATEGORIES:

RPG

SPORTS

RACING

ACTION

FPS

PLATFORM

STRATEGY

ADVENTURE (I'll leave the exact definition of this category to your discretion.)

OVERALL GAME OF THE YEAR

There are other categories I could add, but I'm not even sure there were 5 fighting games released this year. If there's one you feel should be added, feel free to nominate it. If enough of you played avant garde quasi-games like The Marriage or Gravitation and want a category like that, I'm all for it.

Fallout 3. Nothing else needs to be said.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dyne

Fallout 3. Nothing else needs to be said.

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I'm tempted to card you for not even reading the OP.

I read it. Nothing else matters to me besides that game.

I'd say definitely not Fallout 3. I like the game but it's Morrowind in a different wrapper. There's nothing that moved the genre ahead or made it better.

I don't play enough games anymore to vote in these kinds of lists, but surely we can come up with a GOTY that isn't basically the same game for the 3rd time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stormy

I don't play enough games anymore to vote in these kinds of lists, but surely we can come up with a GOTY that isn't basically the same game for the 3rd time.

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This.

Looking at my purchases this year I haven't bought anything that was released this year other than SSFIIHDRemix. Unless Uno for XBL was released in 08?

Looking fwd to seeing this list so I can make some informed purchases this spring.

Here's my list, I didn't play a ton of new stuff this year. Most of my time was spent playing older games, either catching up on things I missed or things on Virtual Console.

RPG

1. Valkyria Chronicles

You guys are all just going to list WoW & Fallout anyway, so I might as well give Sega's overlooked gem a nod. Visually stunning, it controls like Final Fantasy Tactics was a 3rd person shooter. This is one of those games that nobody who's played it doesn't like.

2. Fallout 3

I like Bethesda games, even though I thought they went overboard with the gore porn with this one.


SPORTS

1. NBA 2K9 - I think this is literally the only new sports game I played this year.

RACING

1. Wipeout HD - This is the best futuristic racer on a console in a long, long time. As good as the PSP games are, this is the point where I truly consider the series to be back.


ACTION

1. Metal Gear Solid 4 - I liked this game right from the start. If you're going to be ridiculous, might as well go whole hog and start off your game with a live action jungle vermin cooking show (it felt so Robocop somehow). It's not without its flaws - this gameplay template is getting a bit long in the tooth, and felt kind of silly when viewed through the hyper-realistic battlefield setting. But nonetheless, if you come in hoping for Python-esque absurdity, this game delivers.

2. King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match - Hands down one of my most played games this year. The new tweaks & additions make a perfect game like 110% perfect. Plus, GEEEEESE *shakes fist*

3. Mega Man 9 - While I can see some having a problem with the recycled visuals, when they're as iconic as Mega Man's I'm cool with it. With some really cool level ideas, this is one of those games that just puts a big dumb grin on your face.

FPS

Wow. I managed to make it through the whole year without getting a single one (except Bioshock, which doesn't count here). I might not until Killzone 2, either. Too bad everybody seems so down on Resistance 2, I really liked the first one.

PLATFORM

I didn't play any platform games this year, not really my thing.

STRATEGY

1. Valkyria Chronicles again. I wanted to get into E.V.E. Online or Sins of a Solar Empire, but never did. Sadly, Kou Shibusawa & Koei seem to have given up the strategy ghost and are content to just churn out Dynasty Gundam stuff.

ADVENTURE

1. Yakuza 2 - An even better story than the first one, with better load times and combat as well. Other than that it's mostly more of the same, but still a fantastic game overall. This and Valkyria are the two home runs Sega hit this year.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The_Meach

This.

Looking at my purchases this year I haven't bought anything that was released this year other than SSFIIHDRemix. Unless Uno for XBL was released in 08?

Looking fwd to seeing this list so I can make some informed purchases this spring.

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Actually, last year I did a "best games you played this year from any year" list. Looking at my list here, I'm wondering if that's not a better idea :lol:

It also might just be a sign that this wasn't a great year for games in general.

RPG
1. Fallout 3
2. Valkyria Chronicles

RACING
1. GRID
2. Wipeout HD
3. Midnight Club: LA

ACTION
1. Gears of War 2
2. Dead Space (OK, what IS Dead Space?)
3. Geometry Wars 2

FPS
1. Far Cry 2 (I have not played Crisis Warhead so I claim ignorance...weak year for the best genre out there)

PLATFORM
1. Braid

STRATEGY
1. Valkyria Chronicles (this is not my genre)

ADVENTURE (I'll leave the exact definition of this category to your discretion.)
1. Dead Space

OVERALL GAME OF THE YEAR
1. Gears--I don't care what problems the MP has...the co-op experience was fantastic and Horde mode is sweet.
2. Dead Space
3. Fallout 3

honorable mention: GRID
dishonorable mention: Wii

This year saw FPSes go down, racers way up but there was nothing that was head and shoulders above all other games

FPS makes absolutely no sense as a genre, and FarCry 2 is much more an adventure game than a shooter, which just furthers that point. Gears of War is much more shooter than FarCry 2. Hell, if we want to be stupid, let's call FallOut 3 an FPS.