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Game of the Year: Tom Edition
by Tom
10.1.09


Special Mentions:
These are games which don’t make the list for one reason or another, but deserve a mention anyway.


Dead Space
Dead Space is the best survival horror game I have played since the release of the Wii’s Resident Evil 4 port back in ‘07, and some would argue that it isn’t a survival horror game itself. Dead Space took a tried and tired genre and gave it a new life. Everything is top notch from the sound to the game play, the game also challenges some crucial concepts within the game industry at the moment, such as reinventing the headshot within the game and giving each individual enemy type there own weakness. I just sadly haven’t had the chance to play it start to finish yet, though I can say its amazing to say the least. So expect a full review in the next week or so.



Resistance 2
Another game I haven’t had the pleasure of playing start to finish, Resistance 2’s online play was one of, but not the best of the year. The online play was quick, the class system really forced people to work together, and I don’t think I found one griever online. No “OMFG KILL STEALER!” - everything was fun, kept me on my toes and really captured the atmosphere of an all out war online. It’s truly an awesome game, but sadly again, I haven’t been able to finish the game start to finish, so I can’t put it in my list, but thinking about it I probably wouldn’t anyway. Regardless though, if you even glance though Matt’s review you’ll see its one of those flagship games that the PS3 desperately needs.


Left 4 Dead
Finally Left 4 Dead. Valve is easily the best game producer out there. Why? cause they keep banging out classic after classic after classic. This is was THE online experience of the year and whilst it isn’t a traditional death match, nothing compares to fighting the infected horde, online or with friends.







Tom's Top 5 Games of the Year
The proper Game of the Year post, with my top 5 games from 2008.

#5: No More Heroes


The otaku hitman Travis Touchdown makes my list at number 5. No More Heroes wasn’t an original game with everything a comedic skit of something in modern day Pop culture. But it did do what I’ve wanted to do on the Wii for a long time. Use my Wii mote as a sword and start cutting hordes bad guys down, anime style. And the who can forget the highlight of the game the top 10 killers in Santa Destroy. Each one of the bosses in this game is comedic genius and true to the traditional boss battles, hard as nails, but have a weakness after attacking, it’s traditional and it works, well. Sadly however the Wii lacks more titles like this, perhaps if game developers could take a leaf out of Suda 51’s book and make more games like this then maybe they could bring the Wii back into the hardcore gaming market, add that and bring out a Wii that can contend with this generation of games and you have the perfect console, EVER.

#4: Gears of War 2

2006 was a good year for gaming and brought out two classic, exclusive games for both the 360 and PS3. The PS3 had Resistance, the 360 Gears. Gotta admit, I wasn’t a fan of the first Resistance. However whilst Resistance 2 was a breath of fresh air for me, I was in for a real treat with the Gears sequel. Gears takes everything good about the first game and makes it better by adding, more multiplayer maps, more weapons, more gore, and an additional multiplayer mode that could be a game in itself. Not forgetting the single player mode that delivers and delivers until the climatic ending, Gears 2 is quite frankly the 360 exclusive of the year, and vastly superior to its PS3 counterpart Resistance 2.

#3: Metal Gear Solid 4


The Legendary Solid Snakes final mission finally arrived on the PS3 in late June. And it was worth the wait. Hideo Kojima knows how to make games epic and interesting, and MGS4 is the epitome of this. The plot is epic, the game play perfect and the sound pulls at your heart and makes you feel the raw emotion of the games stellar script and voice acting, David Hayter’s final performance as Snake is worthy of an Oscar. Kojima is frankly a video game genius, and has created the PERFECT conclusion to a legendary game series; anyone who has been following the game series will see the Microwave tunnel as the most epic thing ever. A must have for any PS3 gamer.

#2: Super Smash Bros Brawl


The ultimate party game. I seriously can’t think of anything that I have had more raw fun with in 2008. The Smash series is quite simply one of those gaming masterpieces that go down in the hall of fame as being revolutionary in its genre and Brawl is the perfect game for large amounts of fun and absolute mayhem in the multiplayer party game genre. With a such a diverse range of characters, levels, and game modes it never gets boring and I could play for hours and do something different every minute, if this game was purely single player this game would be worth a Special mention easily, but with its quite frankly Stellar multiplayer it has barged its way into the number 2 spot, and it was my number 1 game of the year until I played this next game, which should seem familiar to you.

#1: Fallout 3
Were you expecting something else? It would be a crime if this didn’t make the top spot for this year. The graphics are the best I have ever seen in a game; it’s a living work of art. Playing it on my HDTV it makes me realise, 2009 should be the best year for games yet, if this is what developers are achieving now, what kind of Uber game they going to make next year. If I could pick one game of 2008 that perfects game play, graphics and story it would be Fallout 3, even if the question was of the last 10 years the answer would still be Fallout 3. The sheer size of Fallout 3 is a bit of a double edged sword at first with a massive, “What do I do now?” echoing throughout your head. But once you start wandering though the stark but beautiful wasteland, only one thing will ring though your head. Awesome.

Tom

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