2008 came and went, but left us a few games – some of which will be classics, some which wont. The next two posts will have a look at the highlights and the lowlights of the previous year. This will be, in effect, the Gaming Daily top 5 bestest and worstest (most disappointing/most over hyped) notable games of 2008 that I have played. We’ll then go on to wrap up with the official “Gaming Daily Game of the Year award 2008″
Firstly though…the baddies.
5. Audiosurf – Is it just me that doesn’t get it? Yes, what it does is very clever but I by no means enjoyed doing it. I see the appeal of the high score tables and what not, but I just didn’t find it fun.
4. No More Heroes – I don’t see what all the fuss was about. Fuzzy graphics, no story, dull minigames, average combat, and the worst handling vehicle in a game ever. Yes it was good how it was so self aware but at the same time it was irritating that it ultimately fell back onto slapstick jokes about tits, porn and getting laid. Oh the hilarity.
3. Smash Bros: Brawl – Melee with shitter controls and more characters that no one has heard of. The fact that it was over a year late and seemingly no better than the previous smash brothers makes it seem more of a very belated update that a sequel.
2. Assassins Creed – How can being a mean-ass, free running, four fingered assassin be dull? Well apparently it can. I could rant about it for ages but I’ll just say this. Don’t make me load up a game to be shouted at and dragged through a plethora of shitty dialog.
And the biggest disappointment of 2008
1. Spore – so disappointing I could cry. The creature creation is great and all that but the actual game is nothing short of an exercise in mediocrity. Mixing genres has rarely worked before and this is yet another example of quantity over quality. The real blow to me was that no matter what you do to your creatures/vehicles they all just work the same. Fire the same bullets/move the same way/eat the same way/whatever. Leaves me wondering what the point is at all.
It’s not all bad though, the cream of the crop is still to come.
why did spore fail? well it was just other games with, like you say a creature creator.. tribe/Civ stage = Civilization, spcae stage = imperial galactica 2 (could name more)
I think the hype was all about the creation side, which is revolutionary! but the game sucked balls. Maybe 2009 will see the technology used for a better purpose? hopefully…
I have 1 game to add to your list however, one which you haven’t played.. all of Duty: At Worlds End.
I bought said game in a sale (collectors edition) and I am thoroughly regretting it. Its graphics are good, however there not that good to tax my system, yet they do.. they have added more textures and more smoke/fog particles that make no difference, other than to piss me off. trust me i have a great PC. so other than mass amounts of GFX where its not needed, and makes no difference, what else is there?
Oh yeah, with the exception of the flame thrower and japs in trees – ITS THE SAME BLOODY GAME AS COD 1,2 and 3!!!!!!!!
t literally the only difference is GFX and the fact that its not Americans/ Russians against the Germans – its now the Japs..
I can honestly say that every time I try to give it a chance i just feel like im playing the extended patch to COD1/2, which where both great.
Honest opinion is that the makers of the COD franchise are just dragging it out.. They should have stayed with COD 4: Modern Warfare, yes I no that there is 2 different companies coding them, but some one needs to shoot the creators of COD 5, seriously!
COD 4 is great, brings a new dimension to the series – even the mutliplayer is ace! COD 5 should have gone this way.. . WW2 games are quickly becoming irritable and “its already been done” plenty of times!
The sad fact is that the general public don’t know that every odd COD is made by Treyarch – they see the CoD franchise and splurge their cash. It’s a shame.
Infinity Ward are currently working on Modern Warfare 2 which should be out this year. Hopefully they will live up to their current reputation and produce another sterling game.
Activision really should cut Treyarch loose in my opinion. Yeah they generate cash but quality over quantity as far as I’m concerned. If they are in a position to taint the CoD franchise it’s not only bad for business but it will reflect badly on IW when they put ‘the makers of Call of Duty’ on their next franchise.
Basically: Treyarch Boo, Infinity Ward Yay.
agreed
But the Zombie level in COD5 was brilliant. WW2 games definitely need a break now, they’ve reached saturation point. The story of COD5 was ok, but i felt I was playing a game from 2002 only with more effects, it was indistinguishable from the previous adventures. COD4 was a great leap in the right direction.
I wondered where you had got to.
I’ve not played the zombie level yet, as I said earlier I keep playing the game spending 30 mins tops on it then going “fuck this, COD4 MP here I come”
I’m glad you agree, they are at the saturation point!
WM – I’d reached my saturation point, and took a break and have come back better than ever with new features and better graphics (lie)…
I felt COD5 was a grind too, and as satisfying as killing japs in bushes was, it was repetitive even with Jack Bauer’s help.
Although the last few Russian levels were good.