Top Three Games of '08
By cann3dheat 1 Comments
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
I'll admit, I have a bit of a bias when it comes to MGS4. The Metal Gear series is quite possibly my favorite game series of all time, for a number of different reasons. The convoluted story created so many loose ends that I, like many others, assumed the conclusion would be a near impossible feat. While the actual storyline could be found in any b-grade war movie, the presentation is fantastic (possibly the best looking game I've ever seen [Crysis, lol!]), and Kojima's blend between game and movie was a huge breath of fresh air, one that I wouldn't mind breathing over and over. Not since Ocarina of Time have I felt this feeling of utter perfection. Each act (there are five total) plays differently than the one before it, and some of the sections in the game, especially the ending, are things you've never experienced before, and most likely, never again. Playing the game in small spurts is a crime, and I couldn't seem to pull myself away, playing for hours on end. It's a fantastic conclusion to an amazing series, and hand down my favorite game of all time. - Fallout 3
I'll admit that I missed the Fallout series as a kid; then again, I didn't play a lot of good games as a kid for one reason or another. I did, however, play The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and probably enjoyed it a bit too much (120 hours too much). And while some may have used the phrase "Oblivion with guns" against Fallout, I was more than happy to embrace the new mechanics. While the beginning was frustratingly difficult (I played the good route), as time went on, I really began to enjoy Fallout 3, in a number of ways, more than Oblivion. While the V.A.T.S. system took a little while to get used to, and traveling any way other than fast travel was occasionally a confusing pain-in-the-ass, the overall sense of style and vast number of things to do made up for everything. Well, except for the ending that is; that was total garbage. - Braid
As "emo" and "artsy" as Braid may have been, I still remember the feeling of finally finishing the epilogue and sitting back, thinking about what I had just played. The time travel mechanic was brilliant, and every time you finished one of those puzzles you felt like the smartest person in the world. Braid is an old fashion challenge, very simple, yet very, very complex at the exact same time. Yet due to it's price and somewhat elitist mantra, it seemed like Braid never got the attention it rightly deserved (despite a glowing review from Soulja Boy Tell 'em). If I could recommend one game out of the three that I've mentioned to go out and play, Braid would definitely be the one. It's easy to pick up and play, and enough of a challenge to keep you coming back. While the Time Trial mode didn't really make me want to come back for more, just playing through the main game once and finishing the story is enough to warrant a purchase. Then you can let it sit, forget all the puzzles, and come back to it a few months later.
Grand Theft Auto IV - Good game, no doubt, but I didn't seem to click with experience everyone else seemed to be having. Maybe I just didn't connect with the whole mafia/vengence story. Whoduthunkit?
Dead Space - A great new IP with a lot of potential. Not exactly in the top five, but definitely top ten. I'll definitely pick up the sequel.
Left 4 Dead - Valve keeps cranking out one great multiplayer experience after another, but I just think the replay value isn't enough to keep you coming back for more than two or three times.
Gears of War 2 - Eh. It's more Gears.