Here at ThEvolution games from almost every popular platform are put to test to see if it will stand the test of time throughout the year. Every year newer game are introduced which go a bit further taking their respective genres that much closer to innovative perfection and as gamers we get the unbelievable priviledge of basking in this gaming evolution. Fortunately 2008 was no different as it ushered in some of the most incredible gaming experiences we can remember. From surviving the jaw-dropping encounters of the Colossus in Resistance 2 to ducking for cover and blind firing the hell out of the locust hordes in Gears of War 2, gaming in 2008 was one to remember.

Eventhough PS3ThEvolution is a dedicated Playstation 3 and beyond site, our TOP 10 games for 2008 and beyond will be comprised of games which we believe are worthy of our TOP 10 selection regardless of their respective platform. At PS3ThEvolution we are gamers first. We will breifly breakdown each game as we get to our 2008 GAME OF THE YEAR.  So, we hope you enjoy our selection, it’s DISGUSTING!!!

#10

PS3

If you enjoyed the original Motorstorm then Motorstorm: Pacific Rift will completely blow you away. Not only does Pacific Rift look insane but the pure racing aspect of the game is not matched by any other racer of it’s kind. These tracks are aggressive! As you are racing and taking in the ridiculous amount of detail surrounding each level you begein to realize just how awesome this racer truly is. The developer Evolution/Sony stepped it up this go around by adding up to 4 player split screen which was missing from the first installment. The online play is still exciting with more variety added. The racing climate is also a nice added feature, meaning certain areas of each track contain water showers, lava areas and so on which change the complexity of the race positively and or negatively. So there is a definite strategy to winning in this animal.  By the way did I mention how insane this game looks, sick!

#9

PC/XBOX 360

This is an intense online horror action game that pits you and 3 other buddy’s against some of the most relentless zombies of all time. These undead predators would definitely take the gold in track and field, oh my god! As an online only title this is probably one of the best online games around as it makes you utilize teamwork to escape each episode. The presentation of Left4Dead is also nice as you quickly feel as though you playing a Quentin Tarantino twisted horror flick. The only downfall would be it’s lack of replayability. Yes, there are added incentive to  go back and discover but once you’ve completed each episode you might not find yourself revisiting it very often.

#8

PS3/XBOX 360

Utilizing the same grahics engine that powered the 2007 Game of The Year Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: World at War take you back to it’s origin, World War II. Loud, gritty, nasty and bloody sums it up for this first person shooter. There were concerns that World at War would be a let down after such a stellar performance by Modern Warfare from the developers at Infinity Ward and while World at War does not surpass Modern Warfare, it does possess elements in it’s overall presentation that would have made Modern Warfare that much better. For starters World at War allows for split-screen co-op play as you and a friend can tackle the campaign mode all the way through and you can experience the campaign mode online through cooperative online play which is the meat and potatoes of the game. In addition there is a cool survivor mode where you and a buddy can fight against a legion of undead nazi soldier who just keep coming, I mean they never stop, it gets CRAZY!! This mode is relentless and it can become overwhelming very quickly.  None of these modes are available in COD4: Modern Warfare.  However what truly separates World at War from Modern Warfare are the weapons. In World at War you no longer are using the standard close quarters Hk  Mp5 submachine gun with insane accuracy, you are sometimes stuck with the Thomson submachine gun or the MP 40 submachine gun and while the gunplay in World at War is great it just doesn’t feel as good. Overall World at War is an awesome game that is underappreciated due to it’s release date and the accomplishments of COD4: Modern Warfare.

#7

PS3

Who is Media Molecule and where did they come from? Wow! Media Molecule are the creators and develpers of Little Big Planet and eventhough at first glance it might like too cute to indulge, Little Big Planet is like indulging into some unfamiliar Ben&Jerry ice cream and before you know it you’ve eating the whole container of ice cream. You can get so involved with this little cute game that you can easily lose track of time. Yes, it is that good. From customizing your sackboy or sackgirl and running through the levels with friends to spending countless hours designing your very own level or full game if you’re ambitious enough, Little Big Planet delivers. After all that you can go online an swap user created levels and play cooperatively through the games standard level or play through user developed levels. Unfortunately like Call of Duty: World at War, Little Big Planet was released at a terrible time of year when all the well known highly anticipated titles were being released which created low sales figures for this little gem fresh out the gate. Since its 2008 debut Little Big Planet has picked up steam in the  sells department and the Madd Genius’ at Media Molecule are already hard at work developing Little Big Planet 2 for the Playstation 3. I cannot begin to imagine how they can best this one.

#6

XBOX 360

Fable 2 is not to mistaken for a platformer, in fact it is anything but a platformer. The sheer scope of Fable 2 rivals even Oblivion in a lot of regards, no it isn’t quite as robust but as you journey through this game the elements added which make up the side stories and journeyman nature of the game feel much more meaningful than other games of a grand scale. Fable is true RPG and getting to any quest is as simple as finding it in the menu and confirming that you want to teleport there. Your pet is also very useful in a number of ways, the first and most obvious is that he’s good at sniffing out treasure and dig spots. This might suggest that it takes the challenge out of finding free loot, but when you’re dealing with Fable 2’s lush, overgrown woodland areas, finding the lush, moss-covered treasure chests can be quite challenging. Fable 2 is a beautifully enchanting game but over too soon. Truthfully a game should not be penalized becasue not long and that goes for Fable 2 as well. I just wish I could have kept playing, I’m very spoiled. If you like RPG’s and you own a 360. please stop reading this and get Fable 2.

#5

PS3/XBOX 360

Dead Space is without a doubt the sleeper hit of 2008. EA definitely stepped their game up in 2008 showcasing that they can generate great titles that are not just sports related. Dead Space begins as you assume the role of Issac Clark an engineer that has been sent out to the outer reaches of space with a flight crew to find a lost ship known as the Ishimura. Once on the deserted vessel you quickly find out why the Ishimura has been out of contact for so long. I cannot begin to explain how scary and intense this 3rd person horror adventure truly is. Once it start it really never let’s you go. As you enter corridors and walk slowly through the death and carnage that has taken place you can’t help but feel unnerved at every ambient sound that lurks at the end the hall. Every corner you turn you will find yourself in an aim ready position just in case a grotesque monstrosities known as the Necromorphs leaps out at you ready to plunge their sharp claw like arm into your skull. The atmosphere in this game menacing. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent playing through Dead Space. Also for the ultimate Dead Space experience be sure to purchase the animation movie Dead Space: Downfall which is now available on bluray. The game Dead Space begin right after the movie ends. Together you are in for an incredible HD edge of seat horror experience. Go get it now!

#4

XBOX 360

Game creator extraordinaire, Dave Jaffe creator of the God of War franchise was quoted saying “Gears of War 2 is visually the most incredible game of the year”. He went to say that Gears of War 2 was his personal favorite game of 2008, wow! With such praise we had to experience it for ourselves. After our battle with the horde we came away with our jaws dropped. This is a rollercoaster ride that does not stop until the credits begin to roll at the end. The online features of Gear of War 2 sort of mirror the first game with a few added features and an obvious graphical overhaul. The biggest short comings of the game would be the overall limited online features when compared to other shooter released during the same time. To address Dave Jaffe’s graphical opinion of Gears of War 2, we can confirm that in our professional opinion there was nothing released in 2008 that could compete with Gears of War 2. It felt like we were playing a blockbuster at every turn. There were many times when I caught myself just looking into the distance or looking at all the  super hi-res textures that were splattered all through out. Dave Jaffe like myself is a gamer first and regardless of which platform this game happens to be on it the truth is, Gears of War 2 is an incredible technical achievement - No doubt! 360 owner are blessed.

#3

PS3

Insomniac definitely outdid themselves with Resistance 2, and in a very large way. I cannot remember playing a game where the bosses were this Gi-normous, oh my goodness! The bosses in Resistance 2 bordered on the lines of RIDICULOUSNESS  in their sheer scope. It was crazy insane! There was a boss that stood the size of a Skyscraper who grabbed me and tried to swallow me before I shoot an rpg into his throat but as this monstrosity gets pissed he decides to literally throw me through a building some 4 miles away, the rush was crazy!  There was also a boss that while killing off the chimeran forces in this deserted Louisiana mansion the boss kept piercing his huge eye to the window trying to get a beat on my location.  Once located he would chase me around this mansion firing off this fire effect that would burn up everything in it’s path. There are many other large boss encounters that I could go into but instead of ruining the experience with spoilers I’ll refrain. Resistance 2 starts up right where the original Resistance ended with you once again assuming the role of Nathan Hale  as you fight to the death against the chimeran forces who have now infested the US with a fleet of motherships that hover from above. Nathan Hale throughout this ordeal is infected by the chimeran and as you prgress through the levels Nathan Hale begins hearing voices as the infection is becoming more and more apparent. Resistance 2 is an action-packed first  person shooter that offers an incredible experience in the single-player mode department however as you step foot into the online portion you find that Resistance 2 online is a game all it’s own. This is the most robust online shooter I’ve ever experienced, it is a real juggernaut. To be honest I was torn trying to figure out which title got the edge between Resistance 2 and Gears of War 2 but after careful deliberation the edge clearly goes to Resistance 2. Graphically Gears of War 2 is in a class by itself but as far as overall content offline and online, Gears does not match it.

#2

PS3/XBOX 360

Decisions, decisions, decisions. To be completely honest, making the decision for the runner-up of Game of The Year was really a no-brainer. After playing through GTA4 I began to understand why many gaming publications and gaming sites which review games were non-hesitant in awarding GTA4 with their coveted Game of The Year honor. GTA4 is an extremely intimidating  game that can sometimes be unforgiving as you try your best to stick to the main story pace of the game.  However if you break from the beating path there is almost too much to do. I’m talking side whack jobs, visiting the internet cafe and hoping on-line, playing arcade games within the game, taking joyrides in an apache like chopper which can be phoned in with the push of a button, becoming a serial killling machine etc. There really is no end to the possibilities in RockStars latest GTA adventure. You take on the role of Niko Bellic, a real make it happen type of guy from an eastern country unspecified. In fact, you are an ex-war veteran. You arrive stateside to Liberty city and you are welcomed by your slob of cousin Roman who actually has convinced you that coming to Liberty city is a life maintained by riches and glory. Of course you find he is lying and so the adventure begins as you hustle your to the top of the underworld food chain. The character developement is awesome in GTA4. You come across some of gamings most realistic gaming characters. As we played through GTA4 I couldn’t help but feel like I was playing through a Showtime mini-series on par with the Sopranos and The Wire mixed into one explosion of a title. When it comes to the overall size of the world in GTA4, oh my goodness! Just take chopper ride and you will quickly understand just how massive your world truly is. As the story is unfolding and you get engrossed into your interactive world it can become addicting as you will begin to feel as though you have to complete it at any cost.  If there has to be something negative to comment on then I could add that the online features could be more polished. Playing online is extremely fun but again glitching issues could have been avoided with more added attention to the details. Overall GTA4 is an over-the-top about making it to the top by any menas necessary. By the way, there will be blood and lots of it as you adventure through GTA4, and you will love it.

With such stiff competition to weed through,  the crowned wonder of 2008 definitely had to transcend it’s peers to be awarded our most coveted gaming award. There could be no doubt as to who would receive this award. So on to the decision.

2008 GAME OF THE YEAR

PS3

And the saga continues as one of gamings most influencial characters, Solid Snake embarks on one of his greatest adventures ever. Kojima Productions has truly out done themselves and yes it is obvious that Hideo Kojima is a borderline genius. I honestly don’t know where to begin so let’s just start with the big picture. Are there a lot of cut-scenes? Yes. Does it feel like you are playing through a movie? Absolutely! MGS4 definitely scratches the surface and then some when it comes to actually interacting through a blockbuster movie an not just any movie but a potential movie of the year. From the production value, incredible boss battles, unbelievable weapons, multiple angles of attack, story layout and sheer attention to detail MGS4 is the best gaming experience of 2008. The replay value is almost unfair as you can play through MGS4 multiple times and be awarded with some awesome upgrades.  My personal favorite is the camouflage suit you receive after completing the game without being detected once. Trying to tackle this game this way gives it a totally different feel from your first go around and once you possess the ultimate camouflage suit the game can be approached  completely different as there are many different incentives throughout the game. If you have played any of the previous Metal Gear titles MSG4 totally brings them all together flawlessly and even if you are new to the franchise MGS4 is so detailed newcomers are thoroughly educated on the past events as to bring them full circle on whats going on.

The Metal Gear titles are well known for their boss battles as some of the best in the business and MGS4 is no exception. As Snake blazes through this adventure he is confronted by some of the most beautiful bosses we’ve ever seen and yes I said beautiful as in pleasing to the eye. Iif you haven’t played it yet you’ll soon understand what I’m talking about. This beautiful group of hell bent soldiers are known as The Beauty and the Beast Corp.  Other enemy characters from previous Metal Gear titles are re-introduced as well.

The Overview;

Set in 2014, five years after the Big Shell Incident, MGS4 portrays a world where the PMC have effectively replaced the world’s standing armies, fighting proxy wars for business purposes. Nanotechnology has become prominent, both to enhance the capabilities and enforce the loyalty of mercenaries. The nanomachine system that PMCs use is called “Sons of the Patriots” or “SOP.” The five largest of these PMCs are owned by a single mother company named Outer Heaven, operated by Liquid Ocelot. Amassing an army whose manpower rivals that of the United States, Liquid prepares to launch an armed insurrection by taking control of SOP. A rapidly aging and disillusioned Solid Snake  is deployed into the Middle East to destroy Liquid. Guns of The Patriots takes place in five locations: the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe, Shadow Moses Island, and last titular Metal Gear in the series - Outer Haven, a gigantic nuclear sea vessel.

We recommend you play it for yourself and experience the best that 2008 has to offer. There really is no denying Metal Gear Solid 4 as the 2008 Game of The Year.