Best of 2008
My 20 favorite games of 2008.
List items
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1. Fallout 3
As an open world RPG with an overwhelming amount of scenarios and locations to uncover, Fallout 3 is a slow, satisfying burn. Many of the it's best moments are tucked away deep inside the wasteland, just waiting for you to stumble upon unexpectedly. A landmark game that's worth the investment.
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2. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
P4 sheds most of the darkness of it's predecessor for a Scooby Doo supernatural murder mystery vibe that takes place in small town Japan. Builds and improves upon the social sim/dungeon crawl formula and adds up to an even more memorable experience in the end.
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3. Rez HD
Hypnotic and comforting. Rez is a game that works just as well in small doses as it does from start to finish. A tasteful update to the original visuals with a wealth of modes and extras to unlock.
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4. Burnout Paradise
Seminal racer from Criterion with something to do at every turn and an incredible sense of speed for how good it looks. Free DLC and a great PC release made it even better.
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5. The World Ends With You
Lots of great ideas and systems at play with a story that takes place in real world Shibuya and keeps you guessing. The most original output from Square Enix in years.
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6. Grand Theft Auto IV
Playing around in a reasonable facsimile of the city I grew up around and currently live in was half the fun for me. I got a rush just taking the cabs. Seeing Ricky Gervais with my cousin and shooting dudes in the face was pretty good, too.
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7. Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Once you enter the world of puzzles inside your first Layton game, you never want to put it down. Stylish, well written and brain teasingly satisfying from start to finish with some neat asides as well.
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8. Fable II
Fun combat, the dog works, and as much farting and flexing as you can handle. Ambitious but not overly so, all the parts actually come together resulting in Lionhead's best work to date.
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9. Dead Space
Genuine thrills, chills and spills. Of blood! As I stomped on the still moving carcass of some gross alien thing in a beautifully lit, claustrophobic space station of death.
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10. Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
Manipulating your fluffy inhabitants and the ecosystems they create to maximum candiosity has never been quite as satisfying, and it can be had for super cheap.
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11. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Lots of replayability to be had here with new modes, leaderboards and multiplayer. Great core gameplay that deserved to be expanded upon.
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12. Braid
Braid isn't really a game that gets any better over time, but the time I spent with it won't soon be forgotten.
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13. Left 4 Dead
There may not be a ton of content in Left 4 Dead out of the box, but what's there is so polished and satisfying that it's worth returning to over and over again.
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14. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES
While it pales a bit in comparison to the fresh new kid on the block P4, the FES release of Persona 3 is still a beautiful and innovative RPG in it's own right.
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15. Rock Band 2
Alcohol and Rock Band 2 with a group of folks is always a good time, and the steady stream of new content from Harmonix keeps things fresh.
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16. Mirror's Edge
When the game is at it's best it's like nothing else out there. Exhilarating free running mechanics with a stunning visual style.
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17. Far Cry 2
The harsh open world of Far Cry 2 makes for an intense, unforgiving experience. Not a game for everyone but if it clicks, it's got a lot to offer.
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18. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
More than a bunch of fan service (which it is), Crisis Core is also a competent RPG in it's own right with smart mechanics designed around portability.
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19. Prince of Persia
A one-off reimagining of the Prince of Persia tale that turned out to be the most refreshing take on the series since it's return.
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20. Audiosurf
Kind of a throwaway experience but one that grows on you. Found myself booting it up as a thing to do for when I wanted to listen to music, so they must be doing something right.
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