GenericActionHero

Just finished this game in co-op with my buddy and found it to be one of the most offensive games I've ever played.  It wasn't the stupid ass characters that did it though, it was all of the supposedly "serious" morality choices that caused a sour taste in my mouth.  You see the problem with Army of Two is that it's decidedly irreverent characters and story are littered with a multitude of moments in which I felt pure revulsion.    
In a game where one of the main characters jokingly talk about fucking a panda you should not have several scenes in which serious topics such as rape and child murderare main themes.  That's right, at one point in Army of Two you can make a choice that results in the rape of another human being and the murder of an innocent child! HOW FUCKED UP IS THAT?  
I fully support games in which difficult topics like this are addressed, but a game has to treat these topics with the respect that they deserve.  You have to earn the right to broach these topics, because trivializing serious shit is not "controversial" or "mature." Army of Two is a game with fist bumps and gold plated weapons, and it is fucked up that it is allowed to address serious topics in such a decidedly unserious atmosphere. This game is a great example of why some people view gamers as psychopathic fucks who are completely desensitized to violence.

On every video gaming site and in every game publication, people are putting out their 2008 Game of the Year lists.  In most cases these lists serve little to no purpose, being merely one person's opinion of what the best games of the year are.  While these lists can be fun and entertaining, they give no real insight into the progress that video games made this year. 

Bionic Commando: Rearmed is unlikely to appear on anyone's game of the year list, yet I feel that the game's release is a strong indication of a new direction for video gaming.  Capcom's new strategy of remaking old games into fun and exciting downloadable games showcases a new emphasis on smaller downloadable product, yet no game of the year lists will ever acknowledge this.  Burnout Paradise is being touted as one of the best game releases this year, and while I agree that Paradise is an excellent piece of software, simply putting the game on a list is a disservice to all the innovations that Criterion introduced with the game.  The ability to warp seamlessly between single and multi player at the push of a button is easily the best multiplayer innovation of 2008.  This multi/single player integration, coupled with Criterion's continued support of the game almost a year after its release, both stand as extremely important steps in video gaming this year, yet the progress being shown in these steps is being overlooked by the majority of game players and games media.

In order for video gaming to continue this innovative forward progress, we need to identify and give credit to all the things games have done this year that exemplify innovation and progress.  Game of the year lists should praise games that did something to move video gaming forward, even if the games themselves are not the best of the best, if they have done something to help push video gaming forward, I feel that they should be awarded for any innovation they showed.  Personally, I feel that game of the year lists would be acceptable if they focused on topics that actually told of what video gaming in 2008 was about, and not just what a certain sites favorite games were.  I'm curious to hear if anyone else feels that "favorite games" of the year lists are as worthless as I feel they are, and I'm wondering if anyone else feels that publications would be better suited doing meaningful 2008 lists as opposed to the personalized favorites lists they are now.

On every video gaming site and in every game publication, people are putting out their 2008 Game of the Year lists.  In most cases these lists serve little to no purpose, being merely one person's opinion of what the best games of the year are.  While these lists can be fun and entertaining, they give no real insight into the progress that video games made this year. 

Bionic Commando: Rearmed is unlikely to appear on anyone's game of the year list, yet I feel that the game's release is a strong indication of a new direction for video gaming.  Capcom's new strategy of remaking old games into fun and exciting downloadable games showcases a new emphasis on smaller downloadable product, yet no game of the year lists will ever acknowledge this.  Burnout Paradise is being touted as one of the best game releases this year, and while I agree that Paradise is an excellent piece of software, simply putting the game on a list is a diservice to all the innovations that Criterion introduced with the game.  The ability to warp seamlessley between single and mult player at the push of a button is easily the best multiplayer innovation of 2008.  This muli/single player integration, coupled with Criterion's continued support of the game almost a year after its release, both stand as extremley important steps in video gaming this year, yet the progress being shown in these steps is being overlooked by the majority of game players and games media.

In order for video gaming to continue this innovative forward progress, we need to identify and give credit to all the things games have done this year that exemplify innovation and progress.  Games do not have to be fun to showcase this forward progress.  Condemed 2: Bloodshot has the best first person melee combat of any game i've ever played, and yet I don't feel the game on the whole is anywhere close to being one of the best games of the year. 

With innovation in mind I deliver my question to the GiantBomb boards.  What do you feel where the most significant innovations in video gaming during 2008?  Whether it be gameplay mechanics or simply inventory management options we need to bring attention to all the things that video games did right in 2008.  So come on, lets make a game of the year list that actully says something about the state of video games this year.