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Best of 2008

by megalowho

My 20 favorite games of 2008.

Showing 1-10 of 20 items

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

1. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

P4 sheds most of the darkness of its predecessor for a Scooby Doo supernatural murder mystery tale set in small town Japan. Builds and improves upon the social sim/dungeon crawl formula and adds up to one of the most memorable experiences I've had in gaming by the end.

Fallout 3

2. Fallout 3

As an open world RPG with an overwhelming amount of scenarios and locations to uncover, Fallout 3 is a slow, satisfying burn. Many of the it's best moments are tucked away deep inside the wasteland, just waiting for you to stumble upon unexpectedly. A landmark game that's worth the investment.

Rez HD

3. Rez HD

Hypnotic and comforting. Rez is a game that works just as well in small doses as it does from start to finish. A tasteful update to the original visuals with a wealth of modes and extras to unlock.

Burnout Paradise

4. Burnout Paradise

Seminal racer from Criterion with something to do at every turn and an incredible sense of speed for how good it looks. Free DLC and a great PC release made it even better.

The World Ends with You

5. The World Ends with You

Lots of great ideas and systems at play with a story that takes place in real world Shibuya and keeps you guessing. The most original output from Square Enix in years.

Grand Theft Auto IV

6. Grand Theft Auto IV

Playing around in a reasonable facsimile of the city I grew up around and currently live in was half the fun for me. I got a rush just taking the cabs. Seeing Ricky Gervais with my cousin and shooting dudes in the face was pretty good, too.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

7. Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Once you enter the world of puzzles inside your first Layton game, you never want to put it down. Stylish, well written and brain teasingly satisfying from start to finish with some neat asides as well.

Fable II

8. Fable II

Fun combat, the dog works, and as much farting and flexing as you can handle. Ambitious but not overly so, all the parts actually come together resulting in Lionhead's best work to date.

Dead Space

9. Dead Space

Genuine thrills, chills and spills. Of blood! As I stomped on the still moving carcass of some gross alien thing in a beautifully lit, claustrophobic space station of death.

Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise

10. Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise

Manipulating your fluffy inhabitants and the ecosystems they create to maximum candiosity has never been quite as satisfying, and it can be had for super cheap.

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