Now that we’ve taken care of various genres, it’s time to honor the best from every platform and here are the nominees…
Gears of War 2
Gears of War was definitely the first killer app on the Xbox 360. With such high expectations to live up to, Epic had to deliver a game – and this is the last time I use this phrase – that was "Bigger, Better and More Badass" in every aspect. Luckily for us, they did! For starters the game felt truly "epic" in scope with humongous battles spread evenly throughout the game making players feel like they were a part of an actual war instead of another corridor shooter.
Continuously assaulting their senses were wave after wave of kick ass scripted events and ingenious enemies that were perfectly placed, never feeling forced or unnecessary. On the multiplayer front you had tons of content to keep you busy for a long time and helping matters even further was the fact that Gears of War 2 was one of the best looking Xbox 360 games of 2008.
Metal Gear Solid 4
Continuously assaulting their senses were wave after wave of kick ass scripted events and ingenious enemies that were perfectly placed, never feeling forced or unnecessary. On the multiplayer front you had tons of content to keep you busy for a long time and helping matters even further was the fact that Gears of War 2 was one of the best looking Xbox 360 games of 2008.
Metal Gear Solid 4
If there was one reason to buy a PlayStaion 3, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots would be it. MGS 4 is the best tactical action game out there, thanks to more than a decade of perfectly crafted iterations and the kind of plot that makes the storylines of other games seem banal. While the gameplay wasn't as stealth-dependant as the previous MGS games, it filled in the void with some of the most varied and unbelievably well polished gameplay you could hope for.
Even the visuals surpassed every other game on the PS3 by leaps and bounds, making it the most gorgeous looking and well designed game of the year. If you have a PS3 and don't already own a copy of MGS4, you're missing out on the console's best offering so far.
Fallout 3
Even the visuals surpassed every other game on the PS3 by leaps and bounds, making it the most gorgeous looking and well designed game of the year. If you have a PS3 and don't already own a copy of MGS4, you're missing out on the console's best offering so far.
Fallout 3
The reason you see Fallout 3 being nominated as the best PC game of 2008 even though it was released on both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 is because the PC version of Fallout 3 performed phenomenally well leaving its console brethren far behind in the dust. Not only did it look a lot better with all the settings cranked up, but it ran flawlessly rarely dipping below a rock solid 60 FPS.
Also the PC version, just like its Xbox 360 counterpart is eligible for exclusive downloadable content (sorry PS3 owners) that should release sometime next year but the biggest plus point of them all is the fact that PC gamers can actually make their own content using the G.E.C.K, a game editor that’s available free of cost at the game’s official site. And finally you have the third party mods that offer minor gameplay tweaks, visual tweaks or total conversions.
God of War: Chains of Olympus
Also the PC version, just like its Xbox 360 counterpart is eligible for exclusive downloadable content (sorry PS3 owners) that should release sometime next year but the biggest plus point of them all is the fact that PC gamers can actually make their own content using the G.E.C.K, a game editor that’s available free of cost at the game’s official site. And finally you have the third party mods that offer minor gameplay tweaks, visual tweaks or total conversions.
God of War: Chains of Olympus
The only respite we got from the God of War 2 hangover came from a portable prequel to the franchise. Developers Ready at Dawn did a brilliant job of bringing a console defining game like God of War to the PSP, that too in a package that delivered the same kickass gameplay that the series is known for.
Though the main story was definitely a bit too short for most gamers, it did manage to make every bit of it epic. Even months after finishing the game, we find ourselves discussing some brilliant moments in the game or just take the UMD for a spin every now and then to relive some legendary gaming moments. I don’t know many other handheld action games that can boast the same.
Ninja Gaiden Dual Swords
Though the main story was definitely a bit too short for most gamers, it did manage to make every bit of it epic. Even months after finishing the game, we find ourselves discussing some brilliant moments in the game or just take the UMD for a spin every now and then to relive some legendary gaming moments. I don’t know many other handheld action games that can boast the same.
Ninja Gaiden Dual Swords
Ryu Hayabusa had a lot to live up to on the Nintendo DS version of Ninja Gaiden. While PSP still manages to get ports of console games, the weak DS hardware and its unique control system demands that every game delivered to the console has to be designed ground-up for the console. Tecmo recognized that and made an iteration of Ninja Gaiden that used all of the DS’ plus points and delivered a game that lives up to the ‘Ninja Gaiden’ expectations.
The gameplay was definitely simpler than the home console versions of the game, but the lengthy story mode and intuitive controls made the game hard to put down. As an overall package, Ninja Gaiden definitely stands above all DS releases of 2008.
And 2008’s Game of the Year is…
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 had something for everyone. Explorers could explore the wastelands to their heart’s content, evil bastards could run around slaughtering the denizens of the wasteland while heroes could go around helping people out. If it’s a nice storyline you craved, Fallout 3 had that too, although the ending was pretty disappointing (like WTF Bethesda).
Still there’s no denying the fact that Fallout 3 was one of the most kick ass gaming experiences of 2008 offering a truckload of content neatly wrapped in pure unadulterated awesomeness. Every aspect of the game screamed of high production values and contrary to numerous complaints circulating the internet I only experienced two crashes in the 38 hours I spent with this game. V.A.T.S. is perhaps the most visceral combat mechanic I’ve come across in a game in recent times and I personally feel every RPG on the block should use this mechanic.
The gameplay was definitely simpler than the home console versions of the game, but the lengthy story mode and intuitive controls made the game hard to put down. As an overall package, Ninja Gaiden definitely stands above all DS releases of 2008.And 2008’s Game of the Year is…
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 had something for everyone. Explorers could explore the wastelands to their heart’s content, evil bastards could run around slaughtering the denizens of the wasteland while heroes could go around helping people out. If it’s a nice storyline you craved, Fallout 3 had that too, although the ending was pretty disappointing (like WTF Bethesda).
Still there’s no denying the fact that Fallout 3 was one of the most kick ass gaming experiences of 2008 offering a truckload of content neatly wrapped in pure unadulterated awesomeness. Every aspect of the game screamed of high production values and contrary to numerous complaints circulating the internet I only experienced two crashes in the 38 hours I spent with this game. V.A.T.S. is perhaps the most visceral combat mechanic I’ve come across in a game in recent times and I personally feel every RPG on the block should use this mechanic.Editor’s Note:
I have to completely second everything said about Fallout 3 above. Even though I wasn’t much of an RPG fan beyond the likes of Diablo and Titan Quest (I couldn’t even stand Oblivion), I thoroughly enjoyed everything that Fallout 3 had to offer, right from the time I booted the game. Since I didn’t have anything to do with the game’s review, I’m taking my own sweet time and savoring every side-quest that the game has to offer. I’ve spent over 20 hours into the game without even taking the main storyline forward. Yes, that's how expansive the Fallout 3 universe is!
It’s hard for me to imagine any gamer (noob or hardcore), who wouldn’t instantly fall on love with a game as well designed, accessible, and presented as Fallout 3, which is why it’s a shame that it was never officially released in India.
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December 29, 2008 at 12:32 PM
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