Anyways, 2008 has been a fantastic year in gaming. Every year, games get more and more technically advanced; so do the machines that run it. There are, however, aspects of a game that not even the best and abstract technology can replace. These points are: Storyline, Characters, Setting and Atmosphere. It takes skill, and most importantly, passion, to be able to craft a gem in the gaming industry. While I will continue to drool over the latest eye candy games can offer, what will make a game truly enjoyable will not only be graphics, but gameplay mechanics, plot, and the right atmosphere. From the early Missile Command all the way to Crysis, the hallmark of the graphics department, all successful games are not just frilly, they pack real substance too (ok, maybe a little marketing does go a long way). A girl, beautiful, yet devoid of any emotion will simply be complimented on her looks, but overall, shes a brick wall. The same applies to video games.
Ah, rant rant rant.
It has been a great year, in every aspect. But for the purpose of this blog, long live video games!
My trusty machine has endured game after game for this year, and prevailed against the increasingly high system requirements. Here's a brief rundown of the 5 greatest video games that have rocked 2008!
1) Fallout 3 (RPG-FPS hybrid)
Just about the most anticipated game, Fallout 3 earns points in the graphics department for its great representation of blasted Washington DC. The atmosphere was pretty well planned. You step out of the vault you have been living in for 19 years of your life, for the first time. Your eyes adjust to the brightness. You see rocky, barren wastelands stretching for miles onward. Pulverised building litter the landscape. Pockets of humanity live amongst these ruins, a shadow of their former selves. The presentation isn't the best, but its a perfect example of what constitutes a good game. The rpg-gamepaly is serious fun too, even if its in First person. Oblivion with guns? The game however, falls short in the technical department. Its a bugs life over here; I can barely play for more than 2 hours without the game crashing. Overall high in entertainment value, but just a wee bit unrefined.
2) Far Cry 2 (FPS)
An African setting. Tanned men wielding ak-47s. Lush jungles, unforgiving deserts. Seems pluckked right out of the movie "Blood Diamond", and "Blood Diamond" was one hell of a joyride. Speaks volumes about the game, eh? Sure, enough, Far Cry 2 is quite one-of-a-kind. The immersion is totally awesome; imagine pulling a bullet out of your arm with your teeth, or desperately climbing to the gun turret of a jeep to blow away trigger-happy rebels. All this happens while you're in first person, so it feels like you're an action hero pulling these stunts. When you're in the heat of the action in the open-ended Far Cry 2, adrenaline will be pumping through your vessels. Whether you like to blow the opposition away with your Milkor MGL, or be a stealth whore camping from afar with a SVD rifle(Which i LOVE), Far Cry 2 will not disappoint. Be prepared for long periods of travelling between points though. Map design could be improved to reduce the long distances between the periods of heart-pumping firefights.
3) Mass Effect (RPG)
Futuristic plot, memorable characters, stunning graphics, what more could a RPG fanboy want? I'm definitely not a RPG whore, but this game is pretty amazing. You'll be so sucked into the plot that I don't think crowbars can pry your fingers from the mouse. The story is uber, let me repeat: UBER. Combat and character upgrading is sweet. I would have like a greater variety to the endings, though. Apart from that, i find little to fault with Mass Effect. If you have not tried it, your loss, mate.
4) Left 4 Dead (FPS)
This game is, quite simply, a first in truly cooperative gameplay. The makers of Half Life 2 bring you Left 4 Dead, a zombie apocalypse themed shooter where 3 of your other friends can come together to survive the shambling hordes. Teamwork is an integral part of this game; going Rambo on zombie asses will net you a quick death. As Mia Hamm once said, "I am a member of a team, and i rely on the team and sacrifice for it because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion." You and your team mates will either get out together, or die alone. You will be relying on your teamies to cover your back while you unload some lead, its a mutual act. The atmosphere is positively creepy, and you'll be glad to have a friendly face fighting beside you. However, I've had a few bad experiences playing with strangers. The lack of coordination while playing with unknown others leaves something to be desired. But if you get three of your best homies and play together, its an experience that redefines "co-op" in gaming.
5) Endwar (Strategy)
Lock and load, this game from the Tom Clancy's series is a strategy experience which is different, and amazing. Why so? Because you command your soldiers using your voice. Barking orders into your headset and watching your troops dutifully and precisely roll across the battlefield really makes you feel like a real field commander. This intuitive way of effective and keeps things interesting. Hell, you could even play the entire game by voice commands! Too bad its only for consoles; I'll be all over the PC version. The single player bit feels a bit tacked on, but multiplayer on Live is awesome. No RTS experience gets better than this. While the stratergy is somewhat shallow and the single player mode could do with improvement, its seriouly reinvents the way people play RTS games.
Well, thats that. Hope you all had a great 2008, and watch out for more video game commentary!
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