Most Innovative Game: World of Goo
This year saw overwhelming support of indie games, but the most creative (and fun) of these was World of Goo. The concept seems easy: use balls of goo to build towers and bridges. But the levels get increasingly crazy, forcing you to build some silly-looking, contortionist architecture that would never work in the real world. The simple controls (you just point & click to place a ball) hide the amazing depth and creativity at work in this charming puzzle game.
Best Multiplayer Game: Gears of War 2
Co-op was all the rage in 2008, and nobody did it better than Gears 2. The action packed campaign was designed with co-op in mind, and it paid off. Saving the world with a friend was a total blast, whether it was fending off Reavers, riding a Brumak, or just grinding some grunts. Go online for a variety of creative competitive modes, like annex, submission or guardian. And finally, Gears 2 introduced the outstanding Horde mode, a co-op mode where up to 5 players try to withstand 50 waves of increasingly tougher enemies. Horde mode is tough as nails, but its an adrenaline rush you won't find anywhere else, and the most fun I've had all year.
Runner-Up: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Nintendo's multiplayer giant made its Wii debut this year, and it continued the series' success. Brawl has dozens of characters, including almost all the ones from Melee and new characters like Wario, Solid Snake & Sonic. It also features dozens of new levels and a level editor, as well as expanded game modes. New items like the Smash Ball change up the gameplay, but its the addition of online play that really makes this the runner-up.
Best Story: Grand Theft Auto IV
Story became a more central element of games this year, and GTA IV was the best of the best. The lengthy plot (about 50 hours) is a powerful crime epic that rivals any mafia movie. The protagonist is Niko Bellic, a lovable anti-hero who gets sucked into the violence despite his wish of being left alone. There are enough back-stabbers, undercover cops and whack-jobs to keep you on the edge of your seat, and with strong supporting characters like Brucie the juicer and the trigger-happy Faustin, the game never gets boring. Add in some very memorable moments, like the moral dilemmas Niko faces or the druggies that he helps, and this was an easy pick.
Runner-Up: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
The Force Unleashed may as well be called Episode 3.5, since it tells the canonical events that took place between Episodes III and IV. The game follows Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Starkiller, as he finishes his training and hunts down Jedi. But with the back-stabbing Sith involved, the game's plot takes a number of surprising twists. The story would have been strong on its own, but it also fills in blanks between the 2 trilogies.
Best Level Design: Prince of
The new Prince of Persia took a unique approach to platforming: it was an open-world game where the player chose the order in which they beat the levels. This only worked because of some stellar level design, both within levels and in how they were connected. Every level felt like a fresh platforming experience, like the remnants of a half-sunk city, a tower that crumbled beneath you as you played, or a sky world full of hot air balloons to climb. And it wasn't just the overall design that was good, the logistics for platforming were also spot on. With so many diverse and intriguing levels, the only shame was that the game was so short.
Runner-Up: World of Goo
I'm not usually a fan of puzzle games, but World of Goo was impossible to dislike. The clever design for each level's puzzles kept you thinking, and even when you figured out the solution, it was a challenge to actually implement it. Whether it was completing a bridge under a time limit, building a tower with as few resources as possible, or escaping a tube with only a few moves, the game's levels were difficult, addicting, and just plain fun.
Best Graphics: Gears of War 2
Epic built Unreal Engine 3, so it makes sense that their latest shooter would be the best-looking game on the market. Characters have an impressive amount of detail and realism, even if they are more muscled than Hulk Hogan. Explosions and particle effects are the best I've ever seen, and the lighting in the game looks photorealistic. But its the environments that really stand out, they are nearly-perfect down to the tiniest detail. Whether its rain-slicked tar, cars overgrown with weeds, or just the usual concrete bunkers, I was awestruck by the pretty levels. Load an online match and you can watch the layers get painted on one at a time.
Runner-Up: Grand Theft Auto IV
Graphics was a tough choice to make, because GTA IV looks stunning. The car models are as good as you'd expect from any racing game, and the sense of speed while driving is great. The backdrops and weather effects add to the realism, both in a vehicle and on foot. The city itself looks phenomenal, even the back alleys and hidden islands are full of eye candy. If only the character models were a little better, this could've had the gold.
Best Art Direction: Prince of
Most games try to impress their players with realistic graphics, but the new Prince took a different route. The game uses a highly artistic visual style, referred to as the water-color or painted effect. The result is simply breathtaking. The style allows for more detail than most cell-shading, so the prince can look like both a rustic wanderer and an idealized hero, both pretty and gritty. Elika is also stunning, and the visuals during their acrobatic combat make every fight scene seem dramatic. The animations of the characters and enemies are also impressive. But the environments are the real star: each level starts with a dirty corrupted appearance, but changes to a gorgeous paradise after its beaten. After you've cleansed all the areas, you won't find a better-looking world.
Runner-Up: World of Goo
This indie game takes a very different approach than Prince of Persia, opting for simplicity over complexity. But the cartoony 2D style works well for the creative title. The big-eyed goo balls are just plain cute, and the creatively weird backgrounds are a great backdrop for the challenging puzzles. The brightly-colored, clean-cut images don't distract the player from the gameplay, they only add to it. This is charming visuals at their best.
Best Sound Design: Grand Theft Auto IV
GTA takes home another prize, this one for its outstanding audio work. The sounds of Libert City are what really bring it alive, whether its civilians chatting, cars driving and honking, street vendors calling, or cops yelling after crooks. The rest of the sound effects are outstanding too, especially the crashes and explosions. The voice recording and dialogue in the game is impeccable, even if this version didn't use big-name actors. And throughout it all, you have a slew of radio stations to listen to, with a huge mix of music, commercials, and hilarious talk radio. No other game has as much music, dialogue or atmospheric sounds, and no other game has the same high quality.
Runner-Up: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Nintendo sets a high standard for the Smash Bros. series, and this entry was no different. Sound Design in the game has a noticable upgrade from Melee. The battle effects are crisp and distinct: it sounds like it really hurts when you connect with a hit. This, coupled with some intense new fighting music, gives the combat a more dramatic feel. Another welcome addition is the ablitiy to select alternate soundtracks for each level.
Best Original Music: Prince of
With the visuals in Prince of Persia as stunning as they are, the sound guys had their work cut out for them if they wanted to keep up. But they did, with a moving and emotional original score that fits the game like a glove. The sprawling adventurous themes inspire you to explore every corner, while the heart-pounding fight music keeps you on your toes. Get the collector's edition for the full soundtrack- I've already got it on my i-Pod.
Runner-Up: World of Goo
The music in World of Goo is as creative and charming as the art. There are only a few themes that get used throughout the game, but each one is a whimsical masterpiece. The frenzied action theme gets your blood rushing as you race to complete tough levels, and the more subdued selections invite you to probe deeper into the game's puzzles. Just hearing the music makes me drool with anticipation- you'll be humming these tunes for a while.
Most Immersive Game: Grand Theft Auto IV
This award for is the game that pulls you into its world, convinces you its real, and makes you forget that anything else exists, so you barely even notice that 5 hours has gone by. And in 2008, nothing did that better than GTA IV. It starts with the game having no menu screens and no load screens as you traverse the city. All the games features are incorporated into the world, much of them through the clever cell phone idea. The realistic visuals and obsessively detailed environments pull you into the world, and the stellar sound design keeps you there. Plus, the game has some of the best NPC AI ever to grace gaming, in-game buddies to hang out with, tons of side activities, and devilishly fun physics-based destruction.
Runner-Up: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
While Force Unleashed might not be as immersive as GTA IV, its still one of the most-engrossing experiences out there. It's the force powers that you'll notice first, they are powerful, entertaining, varied and have tons of combo potential, which makes you feel like a real Sith lord. The leveling-up system ensures that you'll be invested in your character, while the impressive physics and destructible environments give you a great playground for your powers. Add in the solid sound work and stirring Star Wars music, and you'll be out among the stars.
Most Addicting Game: Gears of War 2
There were a lot of games vying for our attention in 2008, but no matter how many unplayed games sat on my shelf, I couldn't help but go back to Gears 2 again. The fantastic multiplayer has pulled millions of Halo 3 fans away from their Spartan soldiers at last, giving them a new sci-fi shooter to adore. Horde mode is by far the best of the game's features. Wave after wave of enemies come at you and your friends, and the diverse enemeis and careful design keep the rounds challenging. Repelling the murderous masses with my buddies, whether online or off, was the most addicting thing this year. Just 1 more wave? Please? Oh god, MAULER!!!
Runner-Up: World of Goo
The deceptively simple controls and 2D graphics of World of Goo hide a richly deep game that will keep you going for hours. The game would have been great just by itself, but the inclusion of the OCD rating for each level is what really sucks your life away. Obsessive Completion Disorder rewards you for beating levels in a certain amount of moves, goo balls or in a time limit. The OCD ratings are set high, but I guarantee you'll go for them all anyway. But its worth the addiction to get the satisfaction of OCD'ing the Tower of Goo.
Most Under-rated Game: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
This was one of the most entertaining and impressive games of 2008, despite what many critics said. The action was superb, with a wide array of force powers that made you really feel like a Sith lord. The character development, great level design, and excellent physics rounded out the solid gameplay. The story was one of the year's best, with its twist-laden tale of Darth Vader's secret apprentice, and was approved as canon for the Star Wars series. The graphics left nothing wanting, with some particularly impressive visual design on certain levels, like the junk-planet Raxus Prime. Supporting all of this was the classic Star Wars score and good overall sound design. And some of the game's wow moments, like the appearance of Darth Maul, will stay with me for years.
Lady's Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
You may have already guessed it, since GTA IV won a number of other awards, but its my game of the year for 2008. With a complex but intriguing plot and the best cast of characters a video game has ever seen, this game could easily rival the best Hollywood has to offer. But its not just a great game to watch, its also a fantastic game to play. Missions are varied, challenging, and long, and the new gunplay mechanics make every fight worth having. Smooth driving controls make cruising the city a joy, and a whole host of new side missions and activities give you endless diversions. Add in some of the best graphics ever, phenomenal music and sound design, and a living, breathing city to get the best damn game on this generation of consoles. And throughout it all, clever cultural satire & powerful moral themes make this the most mature and artistic GTA ever.
