I know it's a little late to be presenting this, but like your girlfriend's period, it's better late than never. And I promise that this won't be as messy.
I just want to note that these are the games that I managed to play in 2008. I have played most of these games all the way through, or at least long enough to pass judgment. Please remember that these are my opinions, as I most likely have different tastes in games than you. With that being said, I give you.........the list.
My Favorite Games of 2008
The following 5 games are games that stand out in my mind as the best time investments of the year. These are games that will remain in my collection forever. Games that I suggest you check out.
5) Fallout 3 (I played the Xbox 360 version)Shoulda worn a raincoat. To be honest, Fallout 3 could have gone either way on this list. But I am able to see through it's faults and realize that in the broad scope, it's an excellent game. The sheer size of the world and the things to do in it are very impressive. Most of the voice acting is great and again, the sheer amount of it demand's my respect. While there are a lot of aspects of the game that I wish were different, it's the little things that are done so right that keeps me from selling this game on eBay (that is a complement).
4) Braid (Xbox Live! Arcade) Even Donkey Kong is envious. Braid proves that you don't need big guns, loads of voice acting, or multiplayer to in order to have a great time with your video game console. With it's beautiful hand drawn design, it's terrific musical score, and puzzles that force you to think outside of typical platforming conventions, Braid has set the bar for independent game developers. The story is simple, but very moving in the way that it's told. If you have not yet tried Braid, I implore that you do so. And if after you have tried it, you still aren't sure if it's worth the 1200 Microsoft Points, let me assure you that it is. Don't take my word for it, though. Take everyone else's.
3) Animal Crossing: City Folk (Nintendo Wii)This guy looks like he just got his crack fix. Someone needs to clean up this city. Go ahead. Call me a little girl for loving the Animal Crossing franchise. It's okay. I know that it's not a hardcore gamer's game to end all games. I know it's got cutesy little animals. And I know that the formula hasn't really changed much since Animal Crossing on the Gamecube. But you know what? None of that matters to me. Animal Crossing: City Folk is fun. It's not so much a game as it is a relaxation tool. The addition (or return) of holidays and the new city (hence the title) have made this entry the star gem in the franchise. And the use of Wii 24 Connect is great (although it could use a bit more). The game is much better if you have friends to visit, but it's also good on it's own. If you have this game, but are ashamed to admit it (you sissy), message me with your friend code. We'll get together and place dress up.....errr.....Halo.
2) Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo Wii) Rally round the family, pocket full of turtle shells. Mario once again proves that any title staring him never gets old (Except for Mario Party.......damn you Hudson Soft). With a plethora of control options (the Wii Wheel isn't so great, sadly), pick-up-and-play ease, and the addition of global multiplayer, this is the definitive Mario Kart experience. Best of all, the game brings back some of the best tracks from the franchises history with graphic overhauls. If you have a Wii, this game is a MUST for your collection. I've logged in countless hours with my friends in front of my television. Mario Kart parties are sure to continue at my place through 2009.
1) Fable II(Xbox 360) I can't escape the snow. Even in video games. Fable II is my favorite game of 2008, hands down. The visuals are great, the story is great, the fat dirty hooters are great. In my opinion, Fable II was Lionhead's "How you like me now" entry into the video game world. The game improved just about EVERYTHING from the first installment. Sure, there were bugs (which were just patched) and there were probably things I would have done different. But overall, the game left me very satisfied and definitely had me coming back for more. Not much more to say here. If you haven't played it, please give it a shot.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some games that while I did like, I didn't feel deserved a place on the top 5. They are in no particular order.
LittleBigPlanet (Playstation 3)
God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony PSP)
Prince of Persia (Played on Xbox 360)
Professor Layton and the Curious Village (Nintendo DS)
Boom Blox (Nintendo Wii)
Stay tuned for Part 2, in which I list The Not-So-Great of 2008. Expect it later tonight or sometime tomorrow.
1) Mass Effect 2 (which was just recently announced to be shown at GDC in March): Mass Effect is probably one of my all time favorite games. Definitely my favorite game of 2007. I'm hoping for a few improvements for the sequel (customization of the Mako is on the top of my wish list).
2) Alpha Protocol: Cool concept. Screens and videos look promising. Hoping for a good blend of RPG and action elements as opposed to a shooter with RPG elements sprinkled on it.
3) Batman: Arkham Asylum: I've always been a huge Batman fan. Unfortunately, I haven't played a GOOD Batman game since Batman on the NES (Genesis version was good, too). I'm hoping that this one will be a keeper. But I have my expectations in check.
4) Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection: Sure, many of these games already appear on various other collections. And I do have many of them in cartridge form already. But to have them all in one place and scaled to fit my widescreen LCD........excellent. And it's only $30. How can you lose? Will probably pick up the PS3 version.
5) Heavy Rain: It's on my "To Buy" list in a probationary sence. Screens and videos have defintely peeked my interest enough to watch it's development progress. And I did enjoy Indigo Prophecy.
6) Mario and Luigi RPG 3 (pending title?): Mario and Luigi: Partner in Time was probably the best time I've sent with my DS. The quirky writing was very enjoyable. And the combat system kept me engrossed. Can't wait to see what they do next.
7) Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (if we see it this year): Big fan of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. While I'd rather see a console release of Kingdom Hearts III, this will due. I really need something good to play on my PSP.
8) Ghostbusters: The Video Game: If you didn't know, I'm a Ghostbusters geek. If I had my way, I'd have a Ghostbusters themed room. I plan to buy this game on the PS3/360, the DS, and the Wii. I know the track record of licensed games, but in this matter, I just don't care.
Since this is my first blog, I figured that it'd be a good idea to go ahead and introduce myself:
About Me.....
My name is Bill, as you may already know or have deduced from my handle here on Giant Bomb. A few of you may remember me from GameSpot.com. I, as some others have recently, have migrated over here from there due to some overall dissatisfaction with GS. I'm quickly approaching my 30-somethings. I've been playing video games since my father brought home a Commodore 64 in 1984. I'm a pseudo musician; I've been playing guitar for about 16 years now. But now it's just more of a hobby. I'm a big DVD/Blu Ray/HD-DVD (sniff sniff) collector. And I'm, of course, a gamer. I'm not what you'd call a "hardcore gamer" by any means. But I'm also not a casual gamer. I guess you could call me a "softcore gamer". The gaming equivilant to the adult programming found on Cinamax after midnight. I often make it a habit of putting console fanboys in their place in forums. It's somewhat theraputic.
How I'm Liking Giant Bomb So Far....
I think this site is great. I definitely see the attraction. From the funny and informative Bombcasts, to the ability to edit and create Wiki-like entries, this site is like the perfect combination of MySpace/Facebook and GameSpot (only without all of the cam-whores and site breaking glitches).
So far, I've already racked up over 100 points. It's kinda cool to know that I'm actually helping to make the site stronger through user generated content. I've mostly been updating the second generation gaming sections. Mostly because, in the "classic gaming" world, that era is often passed over for 8-bit and 16-bit consoles (both of which I also love). So expect to see a lot of Intellivision and Atari console/game edits from me in the very near future.
I wish I knew how to add hardware entries (if there is indeed a way to do so). The absense of the Intellivision IntelliVoice Module in the "Accessories" section is a crime against gaming. But I realize that the site is still young and that the mods already have enough to keep up with. Maybe there will be more adding options added as the site continues to grow.
My Future On Giant Bomb...
I'm hoping and pledging to myself to be more active here than I have ever been on GameSpot. I've already got some great ideas for blogs. I'm hoping to at least post one well written blog a week. It would, however, be nice to have some more folks to interact with. So if you've stubbled upon my profile and think that we have some things in common (or if you just want to read my ramblings on a regular basis), please add me to your network. The more the merrier, I always say (except in the case of venereal disease and Mario Party games-----which may or may not be linked somehow).
If you are already on my network and have a friend on your network that you think I should know, feel free to suggest/link them to me. Afterall, a friend of a friend is a friend. Or something.
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