2008 In Review
dankempster's Review of 2008! Understandably, people are excited about this It's the middle of February. All the fuss surrounding 2008 has well and truly died down now, as people either get stuck into the early 2009 releases like Street Fighter IV and The Lost & Damned , or are hyped for upcoming games like Killzone 2 and Resident Evil 5 . But, as is often the case, I'm not quite up to the mome...
dankempster's Review of 2008!
Understandably, people are excited about thisIt's the middle of February. All the fuss surrounding 2008 has well and
truly died down now, as people either get stuck into the early 2009
releases like Street Fighter IV and The Lost & Damned, or are hyped for upcoming games like Killzone 2 and Resident Evil 5.
But, as is often the case, I'm not quite up to the moment in terms of
gaming. So far, my 2009 has consisted of checking out some of last year's releases that I didn't have the time or money to check out in 2008 (I think I've only bought one 2009 release so far, and even that's a re-release of something from the mid-90s). At least, that was the case, until disaster struck. Moving away from that tangent, though, it seems fitting that I should leave my gaming analysis of last year so late. I've been intending to write this for quite some time, and even got round to starting it on two occasions only to absent-mindedly hit a link in the IRC and lose everything. Regardless, though, I promised to put this out there at some point, so that's what I'm doing. I really hope it's an entertaining and interesting read for you guys, if only so it was worth the wait.My 2008 was probably a little different from most of you guys in terms of the games I played. Like I said earlier, I simply didn't have the cash to check out all the new releases that I wanted to play, so I missed out on a lot of games I wanted to play last year. So, I used 2008 as a chance to catch up with some older games that I never got round to finishing, or in some cases never even played. I also got involved in games in a way I never thought I would, venturing into PC gaming and becoming part of a very strong game-oriented community. This won't be a Top 10 list, or an extensive rant on why I think Game X deserves the title of Game of the Year - I'm not into that stuff, and besides, my knowledge of 2008 games isn't good enough for that. Instead, it's more of a nostalgic reflection on the games-related moments that defined 2008 for me. A couple might be obvious choices. Some others probably won't be. So, without further ado, let's get this review underway!
Final Fantasy IV
IconicI've always been big on the Final Fantasy games. It was Final Fantasy VII that turned me into a serious gamer of sorts, showing me that games could be just as powerful as books and films in terms of storytelling. I've sinced amassed a pretty impressive collection of Final Fantasy games, owning all the main releases (excluding XI), as well as several spin-offs. There are still a few games in the series I've not finished, though - V, VIII, XII, and up until earlier this year, Final Fantasy IV too. Given the game was given a full 3D overhaul for the DS last year, you may think that I experienced it in that fashion. The answer is no - I played the faithful-to-SNES PlayStation version, complete with unimpressive 2D graphics and questionable translation (see right). And do you know what? I absolutely loved it.I played it shortly after finishing with the first three games in the series, and to see the huge leap made in terms of storytelling was mind-blowing. The NES era FFs featured fairly straightforward, clear-cut stories characterised by a clearly defined struggle between good and evil, with the characters having little or no emotional involvement with the story. Final Fantasy IV, by contrast, makes the emotions and motives of its characters the driving force of its story. Morality is a big issue in FFIV, too. Good and evil are no longer as directly opposed as black and white, and as a result it feels like a sea of grey washed over the game's plot. Friends betray each other. Men are corrupted by power. Characters sacrifice themselves for the sake of their companions. Even Cecil, the game's main character, undergoes a transformation from Dark Knight to Paladin after questioning himself. No longer are we dealing with faceless, nameless characters chosen by fate, destined to banish evil. Instead, we're dealing with characters that feel a lot more like real people. The cast of Final Fantasy IV feel love, hatred, pleasure and pain. You become attached to them, pulled into the story. Throw in one of Nobuo Uematsu's best musical scores, some great combat mechanics and truly memorable boss battles, and it's easy to see why Final Fantasy IV has a reputation for being one of the best games in the series. This year, I intend to continue playing through the series in chronological order, witnessing the way in which it evolves.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Niko's struggle is one of the best stories in the history of gamesIn May last year, I finally made the leap from the last generation of consoles to the current generation, and invested in an Xbox 360. The main factor in this decision was the April release of Rockstar's much-hyped open world action behemoth, Grand Theft Auto IV. I've been a huge fan of the series for years, to the point where I even own the original 2D top-down games. After following the hype train for the two or three months leading up to the game's release, I decided to drop £200 for a bundle including a 20GB model 360 and the game. Given that GTAIV was my first "next-gen experience", I had absolutely no idea what to expect, and maybe that fact has affected my judgement somewhat. Still, I can honestly say that it left me absolutely awestruck, and is definitely one of the best games I've ever played.GTAIV takes the formula established last generation and brings it into the current generation through a series of upgrades to that formula. At its core, the game is the same. It's just all been refined to a point of near perfection. The game is aesthetically amazing, boasting gorgeous graphics, excellent voice acting and an impressive licensed soundtrack. In terms of gameplay, the cars feel heavier and more realistic to drive. The gunplay is vastly improved, with a well-implemented cover system and an impressive array of weapons. These changes make car chases and gunfights noticeably more cinematic and intense. Thanks to the inclusion of the Euphoria engine, the reimagined Liberty City feels like a living, breathing city populated with real people. But easily the biggest leap GTAIV makes is in its character development and storytelling. While Vice City and San Andreas told interesting stories, they were never gripping on a personal level. Similarly, the characters were funny and well-realised, but were more like caricatures and seldom believable as people. Compared to these, Niko Bellic is a much more convincing character who is easier to empathise with as his story unfolds. The people he meets are believable too, and you become almost as attached to Niko's acquaintances as you do to the main man himself. The storyline isn't all about Niko working his way to the top of the criminal heap. Quite the opposite actually - it documents his struggle, moving to a new land to make a new start, and finding himself unavoidably being dragged into the underworld of Liberty City. GTAIV isn't just a game, it's an experience that you live alongside Niko. That's what makes it truly next-gen in my eyes. Nothing I've played since has come close.
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 converted me into a fan of survival horror/action. It's that goodI notice there's a bit of a "fourth-game-in-the-series" thing going on with this list. I promise this is the last game mentioned in this blog with a "4" on the end of its title. Moving on...I've never really been into the Resident Evil games. I remember playing a little of the original on PS1, and didn't think too much of it. I picked up Resident Evil 4 for my PS2 quite a while ago after spotting it on a shelf in my local game store with a very reasonable price sticker on the box. After that, I put it on my games shelf back at home and never played it. At least, not until earlier this year. With the help of some fellow Giant Bombers, I finally gave it a chance. From about half an hour in, I was totally hooked. I loved the focus on combat, the whole inventory system and weapon upgrade mechanics. Admittedly, the story wasn't brilliant, and most of the supporting cast around Leon were more annoying than interesting. The controls took some getting used to as well, especially considering we're now firmly in the golden age of the shooter with a perfected standard control scheme, but it was worth persevering. In terms of the tension, and the sheer thrill of facing off against a horde of angry Ganados, nothing touches Resident Evil 4. I also loved the game's difficulty, considering it's a lot harder and less forgiving than other games of its kind. It was nice to play something that really challenged me.
My full opinion of Resident Evil 4 can be found in this blog. Be sure to check it out if you're interested in a more detailed write-up about the game. One thing RE4 did achieve is making me really want to play Dead Space. Maybe that's something I'll get around to doing this year.
The Half-Life Franchise
The Half-Life universe has made me appreciate FPS games moreIt may be hard to believe, but before 2008 I'd never played a Half-Life game. In fact, all my exposure to Valve's flagship franchise has been in the past six months or so. I played the original Half-Life for the first time on PS2 last year, after picking it up very cheaply in 2007, and I was blown away by it. The pacing, the atmosphere and the story were all completely unlike anything I'd previously experienced in a first-person shooter. Even the greatness of Halo: Combat Evolved couldn't prepare me for the experience Half-Life provided. For full details on my opinions on Half-Life, be sure to check out my blog about it. After experiencing Half-Life, I played the sequel on Xbox before eventually picking up a second-hand copy of The Orange Box for my 360 and ploughing through the entire franchise back-to-back. The whole saga has left me with a renewed appreciation for the FPS genre.Before playing the Half-Life games, I never really considered myself a fan of the FPS genre. My experience with first-person shooters extended about as far as Halo and a couple of the Medal of Honor games. Since playing through Half-Life, though, I've branched out into other FPS games and gained a much stronger appreciation of the genre. I've even gotten hold of a number of old FPS games for the PC to see just how much the genre has evolved (more on that a little later). Yet for me, the Half-Life franchise remains the pinnacle of effective storytelling, engaging gameplay and creation of atmosphere within the genre. And to think, I'd completely overlooked the series for nearly ten years. If I had a little more money and a decent PC, or a 360 hooked up to Xbox LIVE, I'd definitely get Left 4 Dead. I'm also really stoked for HL2: Episode Three, assuming it'll see a console release. If you'd have told me this time last year that by the end of 2008 I'd be excited about an FPS, I wouldn't have believed you. That's a testament to how great the Half-Life games are.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
The War of the Lions is the best strategy RPG I've ever playedI got a PSP for Christmas 2007, so I spent a fair amount of 2008 getting to grips with it and expanding my library of games. The first game I picked up for my new handheld was Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Ever since I discovered the Final Fantasy games, FF Tactics has held my keen interest. Up until 2007, it had never seen a European release. Thankfully, Square Enix saw sense and gave us a chance to finally sample the game in the form of this PSP remake. I really enjoyed the GBA spiritual successor Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and figured that it would be more of the same. Instead, what I got was a game similar only in terms of genre and title, boasting a hell of a lot more depth, much more involving combat-focused gameplay, and a totally mind-blowing story.As with most of the games mentioned in this blog entry, the aspect of Final Fantasy Tactics that really gripped me was its storytelling. I can honestly say it's the best video game plot I've ever experienced, and that means a lot coming from a year when I also played Grand Theft Auto IV. I love the epic scale, and the fact that most of the events going on within the story do genuinely seem out of the player's control. Most Final Fantasy games tend to patronise the player in terms of their story, and even when the stakes are high, we're expected to believe that the band of playable characters remain in control. In Final Fantasy Tactics, none of this happens. Talk of empires and kingdoms, impending war, succession to the crown, political unrest... Against the backdrop of all these occurrences, Ramza's actions seem almost insignificant. Yet, thanks to the brilliant characterisation, I still felt an attachment to the game's main cast (an area in which Final Fantasy XII kinda failed to deliver). I think the only bad thing is that, considering how addicted I became to the game,and how involved I became with the story, I still haven't finished it. Currently my PSP is on the other side of my flat (I've let my friend borrow it to play God of War: Chains of Olympus), but as soon as I get it back I intend to get back into this incredible adventure.
Steam and PC Gaming
Thanks to Steam, I now officially consider my PC to be a games machineUp until last year, I'd never even entertained the thought of PC gaming. I've always had a fairly stereotypical view of it - that of total dominance of the RTS and MMO genres, with a keyboard offering less comfort and impaired instinctive control when compared to the familiar feel of a console controller. Nonetheless, I signed up to Steam back in September of last year. The primary reason for this was to download the first two Oddworld games, which I loved as a kid and really wanted to play again. Shortly after this, I downloaded Audiosurf as part of a Steam Weekend Deal, and promptly fell in love. Every preconception I had about PC gaming was overruled by this charming music rhythm game, and I endeavoured to give it a proper chance.Since then, I've amassed a fair amount of Steam games. I re-bought the original Half-Life as part of its 10th anniversary celebration, and also picked up a few other FPS games, to get to grips with the mouse-and-keyboard control scheme and to witness the evolution of the genre (told you there'd be more on that a little later). I've also been able to get hold of some other games recommended to me by other GB users - Deus Ex and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. spring to mind. While admittedly I don't spend much time gaming on PC, it's been nice to finally think of my computer as being a games machine. It's never going to overtake the time I spend with my consoles or my handhelds, but it's awesome to have it there as an option.
And last, but certainly not least...
The Giant Bomb Launch
My heart belongs to Giant Bomb! Note also the screencap courtesy of HazBazzLike most of the guys who've been here since launch, I migrated from Gamespot. Despite being a Gamespot user since April 2004, I wasn't a regular user and never really got involved with the site's community (a good thing, based on its reputation). I mostly used it for reviews, and as a means of keeping track of my rapidly expanding game collection. I was fairly late in learning about the whole Jeffgate incident, although I had noticed that a number of my preferred reviewers seemed to have vanished into thin air, and the editorial quality was slipping. Googling Jeff Gerstmann quickly brought me up to speed with events, and also brought Giant Bomb to my attention. I first checked out the Giant Bomb blog in May last year, and instantly warmed towards Jeff and Ryan's casual, entertaining approach to game coverage. I resolved to stick around until the launch of the site proper, and see what would happen.Well, on July 21st 2008, the Bomb finally blew up, and I was on hand to check it out in the opening hours. I registered my name and spent a couple of hours checking out the site, getting used to the layout and features. It's come a long way since then, with a detailed and informative Wiki section (some of which was contributed by yours truly), some of the best editorial content in gaming journalism, and the strongest, most unified community I've ever encountered on a site like this. We have a really diverse userbase here, from writers of brilliant blogs and awesome guides, to natural-born podcast hosts, to dedicated Wiki editors, to serial pranksters, and many many more. I'm truly honoured to have become a part of this community. Not only has it opened my eyes to just how close an online community can be, but it's also encouraged me to approach games in a new way. Thanks to recommendations from users, I've played games that I otherwise might have overlooked completely. So, thanks guys. All of you make this site an awesome place to be, and you're all important in terms of making Giant Bomb's launch one of my best moments of last year.
---
So that was 2008. It was a pretty interesting year in terms of gaming for me, and an enjoyable one, despite not being able to play all the 2008 high-flyers that I'd have liked to. 2009 is likely to be pretty similar, too. Right now I'm playing through Canis Canem Edit, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria and Chrono Trigger DS, with a copy of Dragon Quest: Chapters of the Chosen on the way. Looking up at my shelf, there's still plenty of old stuff I intend to play before 2010 gets here - I mean to give Herdy Gerdy a go at some point, so I can fill out the pretty empty-looking Wiki page. I've also got Okami to play and Final Fantasy V to experience. When my 360 gets fixed, I've got Fallout 3 and my second playthrough of GTAIV to finish, along with Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey to play. I'm going to be a very busy bee over the next ten and a half months.
Thanks for reading guys. See you around.
DanK
---
Currently playing - Canis Canem Edit (PS2)