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At least in blog form, this will be my only top-ten-of-the-year list. More on that later. For now, here are my choices for the best games of 2008. This was a great year for gaming (though not as great as the monumental 2007), and making this list was tougher than I expected. So without further, ado, here it is.
10. Left 4 Dead
As if a horrifying zombie shooter didn’t have enough replay value by definition, Left 4 Dead’s ‘AI Director’ ensures that every zombie blasting event is unique. The focus on teamwork is really amazing - no matter how good you are, going all Rambo-style never, ever works. Stay together, stay alive, and so on.
9. Fable II
There’s no getting around it - Fable II is extremely generic. The story’s remarkably predictable and the gameplay is really nothing new. But the moments that make Fable II unique - the great dialogue and inventive side quests - really make it a great game despite its flaws.
8. Audiosurf
Easily the most obscure of my choices, Audiosurf is an indie PC title very similar to my ‘best obscure game’ last year, Harmonix’s “Phase”. A mixture of F-Zero and Guitar Hero, Audiosurf will create a race track based on any song you load into it, on which you collect beat-based ‘notes’ for points. I’ve yet to play a bad song.
7. Super Smash Bros Brawl
It may not have pleased the hardest of hardcore players, but I loved what Brawl brought to the table. I have no problem with random, blatantly unfair items showing up to keep things interesting, and Brawl has them in spades. The multiplayer is as good as ever, and all the other modes are just the icing on the cake.
6. Burnout Paradise
I wouldn’t have guessed that getting rid of Burnout’s greatest feature - the multiplayer ‘crash mode’ - would pave the way for an even better experience. It’s like most ’sandbox’ type games, except you’re a car. Add in the high octane, high destruction world of Burnout, the experience couldn’t be sweeter.
5. Fallout 3
My only regret about Fallout 3 is that I have a feeling I’ve rated it far too low. In my admittedly brief time with the game, I’ve faced bleak but gorgeous views, met countless memorable characters and made decisions far more difficult than the average game would pose. The best games are the ones that make you feel for the world you’re placed in, and Fallout 3 does this remarkably well.
4. Grand Theft Auto IV
It’s not the best game of the year (or even the best of its kind), but there’s no denying that on an artistic level, GTA IV is an absolute masterpiece. What made me love it is the story - were it not so compelling, I would’ve put the game away pretty early on. Liberty City is vibrant and exciting, but the story of Niko Bellic is one of the best I’ve experienced in the video game medium.
3. LittleBigPlanet
This is, without a doubt, the ultimate 2D platforming game. The creativity in the game’s levels is, by design, just scratching the surface. With a whole universe of user-created levels to explore, the possibilities are limited only be the creativity of the gamers. As it turns out, the possibilities are pretty awesome - no other game will let you run through the Eliminator from American Gladiators and the first level of Gradius back to back. Enough said.
2. Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 knows that at the end of the day, games are about having fun. Their formula is very simple - take Grand Theft Auto’s huge, open worlds with all kinds of fun and freedom and don’t worry about all that ‘high art’ business. It works - better than GTA or any other game in the genre. In this formula, the random chaos doesn’t get old - if anything, it gets better. This is the most pure fun I’ve had in a game in a very, very long time. Forget GTA IV - this is the culmination of the sandbox genre.
1. Rock Band 2
Harmonix’s philosophy is to innovate and then perfect. The first two Guitar Hero games are a good example, but the jump from Rock Band to its sequel is an even better one. The songs, instruments, interfaces, menus, venues, animations and game modes are all improved. Getting into the game has never been easier, and with a song list that starts with 84 great tracks and can be expanded with more than 400 more, there’s bound to be more than enough to keep any music fan busy. This is more than the best game of the year - it’s become its own platform, one that will undoubetly continue to thrive. Don’t count on seeing a Rock Band 3 - it won’t be necessary. Rock Band 2 is here to stay.
Check back for some dubious honors and honorable mentions. Until then, enjoy the list.