Now that 2008 is officially wrapped up, it’s only fitting that we reveal our Game of the Year. Some may recall that last year we had a fairly easy choice for this award; the sensational Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was the clear winner. This year, however, the PlayStation 3 saw an avalanche of great titles from practically every genre imaginable, which made picking a single Game of the Year incredibly difficult.
We’re going to start things off this year with our two runners-up. With such titles as LittleBigPlanet, Fallout 3, Valkyria Chronicles, NHL 09, Burnout Paradise and more to choose from, it was a very difficult decision to pick just two to walk slightly behind our winner. After a lot of discussion and debate, we settled on the following two titles.
These are our runners-up.
Grand Theft Auto IV
While many gamers quickly shout "overrated!" when someone mentions Grand Theft Auto IV, there is no denying the impact it had on the industry this year. Achieving record breaking sales combined with an extremely high review score average, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto was incredibly ambitious, and succeeded on nearly every front. It had a movie-caliber storyline, a stylistically unprecedented recreation of New York City, incredibly polished game mechanics, groundbreaking online multiplayer — the list is indeed impressive. Sure, a month or two down the road a good chunk of gamers put the title down, but the original feeling when first stepping into the revitalized Liberty City was unlike any before it.
We appreciate what the people at Rockstar achieved with their flagship title, and we look forward to the next installment in the long-running franchise.
Valkyria Chronicles
It’s not hard to justify why Valkyria Chronicles deserves incredibly high praise, but it is difficult to explain why it sold so poorly in North America. The characters were all fallible, they each had their strengths and their weaknesses, and it’s that which made the game relatable. With its water-colored presentation and perfect mix of role-playing, strategy, and third-person action, Valkyria Chronicles surprised us all with its sheer quality.
Sega outdid itself in a time where the company was publishing one mediocre Sonic title after the other. To bring the industry something so vivid and enjoyable gives us hope that the ex-console powerhouse is finally returning to its roots — delivering unforgettable titles.
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It’s finally time to announce PlayStation Universe’s Game of the Year 2008. This title had an incredible year, not only in sales, but in accolades and benchmarks. It took home our June Game of the Month as well as our Reader’s Choice Award for Game of the Year. Thus, it’s no surprise that our Game of the Year is…
Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid 4
It’s hard to put Hideo Kojima’s excellence into words. The man has directed and produced an entire saga of Metal Gear titles, each exceeding the one before it. Still, it’s safe to say that none eclipsed the stealth-action genre like Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots did. His latest masterpiece, released exclusively for the PlayStation 3, brought not only a new meaning to cinematic gameplay, but introduced a very unique and enjoyable online experience to a franchise otherwise known for its offline gameplay.
Metal Gear Solid 4 followed the story of Old Snake on his final mission. The Sony legend met up with a lot of his past friends including Meryl, Raiden, and the intellectual Otacon. Traversing through the jungle, dangerous city streets, and army encampments, Old Snake tied up quite a few loose ends for those who’ve gone on each journey alongside him in the past. It’s highly unlikely we’ll have the opportunity to play such a memorable title anytime soon. Kojima is truly a master of his craft.
We gave Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots a perfect score. We weren’t alone. We’d like to give our congratulations to Kojima and his team at Kojima Productions for creating the best game of 2008.