Last year saw the release of many strong titles across all platforms, and was truly a great time to be a gamer. The GamerNode editors have poured hundreds of hours into these games, and we enjoyed so many of them that we’ve decided to forgo the traditional year-end award format in favor of simply telling you which were our favorites. Without further ado, the games:
Brendon’s Favorites:
LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
What’s not to love? Anyone who’s been at GamerNode for more than a few months knows I’ve been in love with LBP since E3 2007 (if not earlier). The idea of the game was — and is — fantastic, and the platforming elements are great fun. It may not be the best game in terms of visuals, and it may not have the best actual gameplay, but no other console game has attempted (and managed) to involve the community in such a way. Also a plus, it’s one of those games that non-gamers love to play, so I don’t have to play alone, or wait until certain friends come over to enjoy the full experience.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)
A curious choice? Perhaps. One of the most underappreciated gems in the US this year, Professor Layton is what all brain-involving games should be: fun, engaging, entertaining, and stimulating. Layton and his idiotic, annoying protégé Luke may not have guns or even know how to throw a punch (although I suspect Luke can slap with the best of them), but the puzzle solving, rewards, and mystery of the island city resulted in my most memorable — and enjoyable — DS experience yet.
MLB 08: The Show (PS3)
Of every game in 2008, none stole my free time as often as MLB 08. While Eddie swears by Power Pros, to me MLB 08 remains the best baseball game ever. Playing online with Chris (as I whooped his ass), creating and playing through the careers of several different fictional MLB legends, and having intense, multi-week long series against my former roommate, each of us representing our home teams, all caused this game to remain ingrained in my mind far longer than any other sports game. NHL and FIFA 09? You could argue they were better games from a technical standpoint, but none came close to MLB in terms of staying power, addictive quality, and most importantly: fun.
Left 4 Dead (PC, 360)
Zombies, zombies, zombies. I loved it at E3. I loved playing the early pre-E3 build. I love it now. Unfortunately, work and other games keep me from fully playing the hell out of L4D, but it’s always on my mind. Dead Rising may have been the first great zombie game, but L4D is easily the best. Even without the incredible co-op, this would have been one of my favorite games of the year. Call me a zombiephile, I guess. (Quick sidenote: I’m actually reading "Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead by Dr. Bob Curran right now. It’s an anthropological look at zombie mythos and the current cultural representation of zombies in films et al.)
Persona 4 (PS2)
It took me two playthroughs to really enjoy Persona 3 and understand it; I loved Persona 4 from the moment the first incredibly long cut scene began. The story is more grounded in realism, which makes it much more entertaining. The characters are more three-dimensional and relatable, and for once a game managed to toss in an animal character that isn’t so annoying I want to shoot myself. Easily the RPG of the year, even if it did steal 80~ hours of my life from me. The fact that the PS2 is STILL putting out one of the top games of the year is a testament to the staying power of the old girl.
Honorable Mentions: Rock Band 2, Patapon, Braid, Sins of a Solar Empire, God of War: Chains of Olympus
(See page 2 for Eddie’s picks)
Eddie’s Favorites:
Braid (XBLA)
Braid…is incredible. It was, in my opinion, the best game of 2008, and one of two (maybe 3) "perfect 10s" I’ve ever played. From its ingenius time-manipulating gameplay to its emotionally powered story to its beautiful audio and visuals, I have trouble finding any way to fault this masterpiece. While most puzzle games wear out their welcome in a matter of days (or less), Braid’s puzzle/platform action is still one of my go-to titles on a rainy day (or any day, for that matter), because it is so much more than your everyday gaming experience.
Penumbra: Black Plague (PC)
Penumbra is probably not something you’d expect to find on this sort of list, as it is a relatively obscure PC title from a tiny Swedish development studio, and was released very early in the year. Nevertheless, this combat-less first-person horror adventure did so many things so well that it is impossible to ignore. The Lovecraftian atmosphere delivered a genuinely frightful experience (something rare in gaming), the physics-based puzzles were clever and engaging, and the story and characters had depth and meaning uncommon to the medium at large. Black Plague was simply excellent.
MGS4 (PS3)
Oh Kojima. Although he could be called the Jackson Pollak of videogame designers, the end result of his throw-everything-at-’em approach to storytelling is truly epic. There has never been a game that could rival MGS4′s meticulously directed cinematography, and the heavy themes found therein are also somewhat unprecedented. As a game (because it’s true that much of it plays like a semi-interactive film), MGS4 mixes it up with a variety of gameplay, and always keeps things interesting. By the time this game is over, players feel like they’ve just taken part in something monumentally historic, and in a way, they have.
Mirror’s Edge (360, PS3)
I’ll admit that I am both a bit of a neophile and a whore for climbing and acrobatics, so when a game like Mirror’s Edge comes out, it seems tailor-made for someone like me. This parkour-based first-person platformer doesn’t dial down the excitement, because even during the moments Faith isn’t being chased by squads of riot-ready guards, the free-flowing gameplay builds a sense of motion and momentum that keeps your hands glued to the controller and your eyes fixated on the action. The minimalist Orwellian plot set an intriguing stage for the action, as well, even if the main story arc wasn’t exactly the most compelling narrative. In any case, this one was tough to put down.
LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
I named it "Best of E3 2008," and LittleBigPlanet remains one of the best games of the entire year. There is limitless fun to be had with this game, be it via offline solo play, online co-op, level-building, or even simply customizing and re-customizing your Sackboy as you scour each level for new items, stickers, and decorations. The best part, though, is the fact that the game never ends, as members of the community are constantly conjuring up new content that is arguably better than the core game itself. LittleBigPlanet is the closest thing to a virtual toy that I’ve seen in the videogame world, and never fails to put a smile on my face.
Honorable mentions: Too Human, Persona 4, Fallout 3, God of War: Chains of Olympus, Left 4 Dead
Well, from the looks of these lists, it seems LittleBigPlanet would be GamerNode’s Game of the Year for 2008, wouldn’t it? If we had a trophy to give, it’d be all yours, Media Molecule…and everyone else taking part in the creative playground that is LBP.
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