XboxMASS 2008 Xbox 360 Game of the Year
As a sign-off for 2008, we’re presenting our top picks and game of the year here at XboxMASS. It’s been an awesome couple of years for gaming and we’re not looking forward to the potentially dashed expectations of 2009. Here’s hoping we get another bumper crop of games by this time next year. But for now we’re celebrating the ghost of 2008 past, and present to you our pick for 2008 Game of the Year. By the way, we’re also outing our biggest disappointments.
GAME OF THE YEAR:
Braid
Yes, Braid. And yes, we’ve considered this the best amongst ALL games on the Xbox 360, not just the downloadable arcade titles. Ryan Davis of giantbomb.com probably said it best at the end of his video review: Braid isn’t just a great game, but probably an important one. The key word here is important. I’ve never come across a game that handled maturity so deftly within its context, and did so without the typical use of blood and guts and swearing “mature”. Some may call it emo, I call it thoughtful and unique. Most of all, it blends a hardcore and casual gaming philosophy to near perfection: one could hop and skip through its beautiful levels beginning to end without impediment, but the hardcore will engage in the often tough puzzles that make use of brilliant time-reversing/warping gameplay mechanics. Moreover, the gameplay mechanics of time manipulation, if you’re really paying attention, actually have relevance to the story itself. Poetic and brilliantly constructed, Braid must simply be experienced.
Runners Up:
Fable 2
When was the last time I ever had such an equally captivating and addictive experience? Possibly with Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which Fable 2 bears more than a passing resemblance to. That said Fable 2 is pretty unique when it comes to the fantasy adventure realm. Fable 2 is an utterly delightful mix of RPG elements and action adventuring, all set in a beautiful landscape featuring a Sims-like populace that you can fully interact with. While mundane facets of daily life such as work, relationships, marriage, and owning property seem like a poor fit for a videogame, Fable 2 weaves this together with an already robust main adventure full of combat and intrigue, and a simply told but powerful tale of morality and choices. We loved it, and could talk forever about it (and this is coming from a guy that didn’t like the original). Instead, just read our review.
Gears of War 2
Hotly anticipated and facing rabid Sony and Wii fanboy hatred, Gears of War 2 actually managed to deliver and put to rest arguments that the original got by on just good looks. This beauty is not just skin deep. Redesigned armaments, solid shooter and cover mechanics, gorgeous visuals and a confident Epic that unleashed its imaginative side, Gears 2 was an epic action thriller from beginning to end. Mind you, the utterly awful Dom subplot puts a damper on the main campaign, but we’re willing to forgive them for this transgression. Heap on the addictive co-op Horde mode, the ramped-up multiplayer, and the returning campaign co-op, Gears 2 is, dollar for dollar, the most complete package on Xbox 360 this year.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS:
Ninja Gaiden II
It’s not as though Ninja Gaiden II isn’t an enjoyable game. However, when you’re talking about the sequel to what many consider an action gaming masterpiece, Ninja Gaiden II is certainly disappointing. Although the original game was as tough as nails, no one could ever justifiably call it unfair or cheap; it simply gave you everything you needed but then demanded the most of you to make it through. Bizarrely, this sequel cannot avoid the same criticism. Nearly as hard as the original, Ninja Gaiden II also featured mind-numbingly cheap, unbalanced, and unfair elements that were enough to make you scream. Add on top of this the less than impressive visuals, a sometimes monstrously slow framerate, and an unsettling old school feel about the whole affair, and you end up with a game that, while decent, couldn’t hold a candle to its predecessor.
Too Human
We saved the worst turd for last. What the fuck happened to this game?! Easily one of our most anticipated games of 2008, Too Human came out with a fizzle and a “Huh?!”. Solid combat mechanics were smothered by awful pacing, worse art direction, a story that made absolutely no sense whatsoever, and terribly cheap enemy encounters. And this was from acclaimed developer Silicon Knights, the makers of the much loved Eternal Darkness which appeared on Nintendo’s Gamecube. We don’t get it, and you certainly won’t get this game either. To make matters worse, we’ve had to listen to SK’s Denis Dyack yap incessantly about the unfair treatment Too Human received during the development process, and likened it to the painful submersion of your arm in an ice bucket in a now infamous IGN blog post. Well Denis, it’s time to stick your arm back in the ice bucket because the pain of Too Human will never end. And while you’re at it, stick your face in too so we don’t have to listen to any more of your self-righteous whining.
peachey @ December 23, 2008