Ah, 2008. It seems like so long ago; the world's moved on into 2009 without a second thought, hoping that money will get better, the weather more bearable and the games thicker and faster. But, let me cast your memory back to 2008, with my top 5 games of the year.

#5 007: Quantum of Solace

I bought this game after seeing gameplay videos and following the hype surrounding the new Bond film and game, expecting an exciting and bone-numbingly adrenaline-filled gaming experience. I wasn't disappointed. Quantum of Solace has many redeeming features - the excellent Gears-esque cover system, the fantastic shooting, the dual-camera view, and a good storyline that was loyal to the plotlines of both of Craig's Bond films. However, there were some flaws (such as the dreadful online play) which forces it to number 5.


#4 Far Cry 2

Do you love Africa? Are you an amateur arsonist? Do you like shooters? If the answer to any of these answers is yes, then Far Cry 2 is my recommendation to you. This game is brilliant in most senses of the word; the expansive, sandbox play area, fantastic fire and explosion effects and decent online mode gains Far Cry 2 the number 4 spot.

#3 Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty

This PlayStation Network exclusive is exactly what gaming is about: good, clean fun. With a fantastic and funny storyline which picks up from Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty continues the amazing action and magnificent playability which the R&C series has become synonymous with. Graphically amazing and with some truly hilarious scripting and voice acting, Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty snatches number 3.

#2 LittleBigPlanet


Media Molecule's masterpiece LittleBigPlanet falls into the top five at number 2. A true original, LBP boasts a magnificent online system tied flawlessly into the single player campaign, fantastically narrated by Stephen Fry; brilliant customisation and user-created content and wonderful, regularly-updated DLC. A true work of art.

#1 Resistance 2

But, in the end, it has to be Insomniac's sequel to their PS3 launch title which has to scrape the top spot. Resistance 2 is everything a shooter strives for; taking all the best bits from Resistance: Fall of Man and adding much more, R2 is frantic, fun and realistic in equal measure. However, the number one has to be earned by the online mode - the least laggy I've seen in a very long time, strengthened further by the fantastic online games and party system. I'll be playing this long into 2009.

Linford

Labels: Far Cry 2, Game of the Year 2008, LittleBigPlanet, Quantum of Solace, Rachet and Clank, Resistance 2

It's always the same. You wait for the game of the biggest film franchise you've ever seen, and then two come along at once on a single Blu-Ray. Just like with buses. Not that I'm complaining, of course. It's a Bond game, after all.

Quantum of Solace is based around the last two Bond movies, Casino Royale and the film of the same name, Quantum of Solace. Bond's quest to uncover Le Chiffre and his quest to hunt down the man who was responsible for the death of someone close to him make the plotline jam packed and fast-paced.

The storyline is, overall, good - but some niggling weaknesses stop Quantum from being what it should be. The game's focus is mainly on the storyline of Casino Royale; Quantum's story is rushed and leaves the player wondering why the things that happened did happen. However, the scenes taken from both stories are well ported into the game, with extra bits added into the scenes to beef it up a bit.

The gameplay is the game's real strong point. Based on the Call of Duty 4 game engine, Activision have worked hard to make sure gameplay is smooth. The cover system is excellent, and the controls are simple enough to master. Switching between the first-person and third-person view is quick and fluid, and clever little additions like being able to turn round corners whist remaining in cover mode make Quantum's gameplay something special.

Graphics are average. When running in 1080i, there's noticeable jagged edges and textures could do with some work. The quality of the graphics varies throughout the game, although they're noticably better in cover than they are in the first-person view. The P99 is also the only gun with an animation for screwing on a silencer, so not much work has gone in there.

There are some really clever features, though. The ability to play the major fistfights from both movies is a big thumbs-up - the Siena fight at the beginning of Quantum is playable, as well as the freight train fight and the Bond/guy-with-samurai-sword-who-tries-to-cut-Bond-in-half action sequence. All these set pieces are played using a series of in-time button presses, which ultimately decide Bond's fate.

Quantum's online features are poor. The game modes are unoriginal and the network features are plagued with the same tumours Call of Duty 4 suffered, for example host ended game, downloading game settings and poor connection due to a lack of dedicated servers. The gameplay online can also be glitchy and the speed of your broadband will make a huge difference on your score, as the game's speed tends to bias toward those with a better connection.

So, is Mr. Bond's latest outing going into the bargain basket or the record books. The honest answer is neither. It'll stay on the shelves, for the plain reason that it isn't amazing and it isn't terrible - Quantum is an okay effort at a Bond game. If you've got fifty quid lying about and like Bond, buy it - but if you aren't particularly keen on Bond, steer clear.

7/10

Linford

Labels: 007, Quantum of Solace, Review

After the huge amount of Bond games being thrown at us around the millennium, there hasn't been much going on in the double-0 department recently. However, that's about to change big-time, with Treyarch developing the latest game to star the famous spy - Quantum of Solace.

Quantum of Solace follows the storylines of both Casino Royale and the title movie, and release of the game is set to coincide with the release of the upcoming movie. The developers had access to the scripters and actors from the film to try and make this latest Bond experience as genuine and well-done as it can be – and so far they seem to be making a decent job of it.

The game is based on an adapted version of the Call of Duty 4 engine, and that much is obvious just by looking at it – same sort of weapons, same targeting system, same basic controls. But that isn’t to say it’s a bad thing – if anything the basis on such a brilliantly developed engine will just add to the whole experience.

The graphics look very good indeed, although they’re still lacking a certain something to give them that real ‘wow’ factor – they’re still up there with some of the best though. The locations look fantastic - all soft lighting and grand décor – and really give the exotic feel that anything Bond-related should have.

The gameplay does look excellent. The weapons look like fun to fire, and nice little touches like firing at unknowing enemies around corners will make it that much more satisfying. The hand-to-hand combat looks brilliant too – Bond can sneak up on an unsuspecting guard and promptly throw them off a building, break their neck or smack ‘em round the face, and all with wince-inducing sound effects.

The best feature by far has to be the dual-cameras. The majority of the game plays out in classic first-person view, but at key points of the game the camera will switch to third-person to really make you think ‘oh yeah, I’m Bond’. This third-person camera will be used when Bond is taking cover – you can clearly see Daniel Craig’s rugged appearance as he shelters from oncoming bullets. Fantastic.

Activision have also confirmed that there will be a multiplayer mode of some sort for up to 12 players – but to be honest, I’d be content with just the single player. Quantum of Solace looks like it’s going to leave you shaken, not stirred.

Linford

Labels: 007, Activision, Bond, Call of Duty, Hype Train, Preview, PS3, Quantum of Solace, Treyarch