1. Metal Gear Solid 4
No game gripped me as much as this one did this year. When you really analyse it, you can pick apart a lot of little faults, but as far as experiences goes, no other game this year was able to get me to play 18 hours worth of game over two days. This game will always be remembered by me as one of "those" games. One of those games that are just reminders of why I like playing games. When I finished MGS4 I felt like I could just stop playing games, it was that fulfilling.
2. Gears of War 2
This game basically defines water-cooler moments. As a player you are whisked from set piece to set-piece, unforgettable moment to unforgettable moment. Stunning.
3. Left 4 Dead
One of the best multiplayer games I have ever played. Valve just
gets it.
4. Dead Space
Easily the biggest surprise of 2008. The game takes the third person gameplay that made RE4 so great, adds a hint of creepy ass abandoned spaceship Event Horizon-inspired atmosphere and cooks for about 8-10 hours.
5. Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Fun. Innovative. Clever.
This is the game that so many people will never know they adore. If I had to recommend one game to anyone this year, it is this one. The game is literally a joy to play.
6. Fable 2
The happy go-lucky nature of this game, coupled with some very dark moments it sprinkles in as it goes, creates a fantastic atmosphere. I never really warmed up to the dog, but all of the main cast of characters were very well realised, and the quests were clever. Playing co-op online with a buddy made this game even better.
7. Braid
The puzzle/platformer gameplay just worked for me. The story was interesting and even a little bit thought provoking. The art and music complement the dark story incredibly well. The way the gameplay in itself is like an offshoot of the story (or visa versa) is mind-bogglingly well executed.
8. Mirror's Edge
The single best level of the game was the demo, the prologue of the final game. ME is flawed. But there's some undefinable quality about the whole package that makes it stand out as one of the best games of the year. Just typing about it makes me want to go play it. A very strange case. Quite good though.
9. Soul Calibur 4
I usually don't get into fighting games. I guess that's why I like the Soul Calibur series so much. The amount of hours I've spent playing this game with friends is absurd. I also credit it with getting me reinterested in the fighting game genre, which branched off into SF2:HDR and next years SF4. Pure fun.
10. SIREN: New Translation
This is sort of the black sheep of my list. I debated about whether or not this spot would go to Fallout 3, Smash Bros, Prince of Persia, GTA4 (yep) and the like, but ultimately, when I look back on 08, I remember being blown away by the atmosphere of this game the most. The story makes no sense of the surface, but it's oddly fun trying to piece together all the parts. While RE4 may be my favourite game of all time, I'm glad there are still games being made that retain the old school RE/Silent Hill Japanese horror vibe. Oh and the whole episodic nature was such an amazing idea for a game like this. Outstanding.
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It breaks my heart that I had to cut the following, all were very good in their own way. In no particular order:
Mega Man 9
Geometry Wars 2
Devil May Cry 4 (I only played about half of the game, I plan on playing more as soon as Monday, when I get my shiny new PC)
Fallout 3
Super Smash Bros Brawl
SIREN: New Translation
Prince of Persia
Grand Theft Auto 4
LittleBigPlanet
The World Ends With You
Bionic Commando
WipEout HD
Street Fighter 2 HD Remix
World of Goo
Professor Layton
Ace Attorney 4
Oh and I never got to play Ninja Gaiden 2, Tales of Vesperia or Silent Hill: Homecoming.
