|  | | Kombo's Best & Worst of 2008 Awards
It's that Time of Year Again
We can hardly believe it. 2008 is over and behind us, and boy what a year it was for gaming. Going into the year, we really didn't think it could touch 2007. Indeed, 2007 was an incredible year for video games. And yet, somehow, 2008 managed to compare. It seems every platform enjoyed at least one truly remarkable release, even if things on the handheld side of things were a little slower than we like. Like 2007, 2008 was a year of sequels. Grand Theft Auto IV. Gears of War 2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Fallout 3. Just to name a few. Still, the industry enjoyed the introduction of several new IPs, such as LittleBigPlanet, Mirror's Edge, Left 4 Dead and others.
Holy crap. 2008 was awesome.
So, what better way is there to celebrate the passing of a year and the dawn of a new year than our annual Best & Worst Awards? (Hint: there isn't one.)
What follows is our Best & Worst of 2008 Awards. We've come up with 37 categories, mixing awards for the best and worst games and industry moments of 2008. Before we get into it, though, you're probably wondering, how did we select the winners and losers? (Great question, by the way.) Our editors came up with nominees for each category, and then we voted. The Kombo staff participated in a series of polls, one for each award. When it came to picking our Game of the Year, we came up with a ridiculously long list of nominees and voted. The top three games then went onto a final poll. Before the final vote, we debated (which involved an appropriate mix of yelling, crying, screaming and a few other emotions along the way) which game earned and deserves our Game of the Year award. Once the discussion was done, we voted, and the winner of the poll was named our Game of the Year 2008. It's hardly a scientific process, but in the end, our Game of the Year won by a fairly large margin. So, it's clear. Our staff have spoken.
Below, you'll find Kombo's Best & Worst of 2008 Awards -- the winners and losers of 2008. We hope you enjoy.
Oh, and congratulations to the winners (but, unfortunately, not the losers).
This feature was a collaborative effort by Phillip Levin, Matt Furtado, Ryan Olsen, Lucas De Woody, Sascha Lichtenstein, Jeff Rivera, Kim Fidler, Dan Johnson, Casey Ayers, Blake Grundman, graphics artist Justin Marimon and various other Kombo staff.
If you are a recipient of one of these awards and would like to get your hands on a high-resolution version of an award, please e-mail us.
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 | Best Wii-only Game
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Wii
Expectations were high for what promised to be the largest Smash Bros. title yet, and despite a less-than-stellar online multiplayer experience, Brawl did not disappoint. Refined, well-balanced gameplay shines brightly here, plus the variety of input options show that not all enjoyable Wii experiences involve motion controls or pointer options. From its large roster of both famous and obscure characters that drawns from just about all corners of the Nintendo universe and beyond to its fantastic library of remixed music spanning more than two decades of classic tunes and its expansive epic single-player story mode that just drips fan service, Brawl stands poised to become an evergreen experience at retail, in our homes, and in our hearts. The casual audience may have overtaken Nintendo's focus in 2008, but the core gamers went out with one heck of a starburst. Besides, Brawl is the most fun we've had with Sonic the Hedgehog in years.
Runners-up: Boom Blox, World of Goo |
| Best Xbox 360-only Game
Gears of War 2
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: Xbox 360
Gears of War 2 is a game of extremes. Every facet of the game pushes some kind of envelope, be it technology, taste or sanity. Laughing in the face of subtlety and restraint, Epic fills the screen with chaos from the word go and just keeps upping the ante with bigger enemies and worse odds as the game progresses. Epic's mastery of Unreal Engine 3 brings the chaos to life in an over-the-top hyper-reality where the sheer scope and detail of the world are sometimes lost amid what can only be described as complete sensory overload. The over-the-top, brute force assault disguises a fair degree of design intelligence however, as it's the refined cover mechanics, expert pacing and raw visceral feedback of the weapons that keeps the combat exciting and fun throughout the campaign and into the numerous multiplayer modes. Problems with net code and a hackneyed script try our patience at times but even rough around the edges as it may be, Gears of War 2 makes no apologies. That '**** you' attitude is exactly why we love it.
Runners-up: Fable 2 |
| Best PlayStation 3-only Game
LittleBigPlanet
Developer: Media Molecule
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 3
LittleBigPlanet is a game most deserving of awards this year. It's the most successfully ambitious title of the year. What separates LBP from the other games in 2009 is that it achieved everything that Media Molecule said it would. Not only are the levels creative (Meerkat pole dancers and a skeleton wedding), it puts you in the driver's seat and gives you free reign to create anything you want and share it with the rest of the LBP world. Throw in an addictive rabbit hole of exploring user-created content and rock solid support from developer Media Molecule, and LBP becomes even more lovable. It's nearly impossible not to be swept away by the combined charm and charisma of LittleBigPlanet, as well as the simple but fun gameplay that structures this cute platformer
Runners-up: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Resistance 2 |
| Best DS-only Game
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Platform: Nintendo DS
The handheld games were a bit overshadowed this year by such big releases on the console front, but there were quite a few great games released on the DS. With big surprises from new franchises such as The World Ends With You, we were a little surprised to see a familiar franchise produce our top pick, but Order of Ecclesia was just so good we couldn't deny it top honors. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia did what most sequels should by building upon the best concepts that the series is known for while introducing new gameplay twists to freshen up the overall experience. While the game proved to be a pretty stiff challenge for most DS owners, Order of Ecclesia was undeniably one of the most enjoyable and addictive titles to release in 2008 for any platform.
Runners-up: The World Ends With You, Advance Wars: Days of Ruin |
| Best PSP-only Game
God of War: Chains of Olympus
Developer: Ready At Dawn Studios
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform: Sony PSP
Despite overshadowing, handheld gamers had a lot to play and enjoy this year. Sony's PSP had a wide-range of titles and sequels from a number of top developers. However, Ready at Dawn outshined them all with one of the best action titles to grace the gaming community. God of War: Chains of Olympus took everything that God of War on the PS2 did right and made it better. Supporting amazing graphics, well tuned controls, and an amazing battle system, Chains of Olympus took the competition of 2008 and beheaded it. While there is a satisfying story to be told, God of War really shines when it comes down to the combat, graphics, and puzzles. With blood retching combat and a marvelous magic system, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better PSP action game. Kratos is back and ready to kick some ass on the go. You can't go wrong with this year's best PSP game in any fashion.
Runners-up: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII |
| Best Multiplatform Game
Grand Theft Auto IV
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
The Grand Theft Auto series has always been enjoyable, but GTA IV is Rockstar's most polished and well-crafted entry in the controversial series yet. The developer has recreated a virtual adaptation of New York City that is both simultaneously realistic and fictional. This breathtaking recreation of New York City allows you to go anywhere and do anything you want, giving you an exhilarating sense of freedom. Although the franchise has already visited the setting of New York City many times before, this time, Rockstar has outdone itself. Liberty City is meticulously crafted from the ground up, overflowing with subtle touches that really make it come to life. As grand as Liberty City is, though, it's just the setting for GTA IV. The improved gunplay controls, more realistic driving physics, mature storyline and surprisingly fun online multiplayer come together in a captivating way, making Grand Theft Auto IV the best multiplatform game of the year.
Runners-up: Fallout 3, Mirror's Edge, Left 4 Dead |
| Best Adventure Game
Fable 2
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: Xbox 360
Fable 2 more than makes up for any disappointment gamers may have had with the first game, as it not only fulfills the promises made for the first game but successfully builds on the ambitions of that title by creating a world that will legitimately move you. Molyneux and company have crafted a world that is as dark, colorful and fantastical as any fairy tale, but one that nevertheless operates according to the same principles as our own. For every action there are reactions, for every choice there are repercussions, some of which are obvious, others subtle. The consequences of your deeds are not so simply weighed by the tangible in-game benefits, nor are they obviously discernible as "good" or "bad." Fable 2 offered us just enough rope to hang ourselves with, lending us the freedom to choose and act for ourselves and then leveraging the consequences of those choices against us for maximum emotional impact. Combine that power with inventive, accessible mechanics like our canine companion and one-button combat, and you have an experience that we won't soon forget.
Runners-up: Prince of Persia |
| Best Action Game
Grand Theft Auto IV
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
In 2008, Rockstar Games proved that they are the kings of the action genre with the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. The complete randomness of the Euphoria engine coupled with heart-pounding missions like "Three Leaf Clover," GTA IV had the ability to pummel your senses with explosions and events that were both memorable and completely believable. While they did lose some of the craziness that was present in past Grand Theft Auto games, Rockstar did a phenomenal job of creating a world where the action actually seemed to mean something in a setting that you actually cared about. Add on all of the multiplayer components of running, gunning, and blowing things apart in a virtual replica of New York City and you have yourself a game that is unlimited in the amount of action sequences and situations you will remember for years to come.
Runners-up: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Mirror's Edge |
| Best Shooter
Gears of War 2
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: Xbox 360
For all its gorgeous presentation values, stylistic excesses and abundant gameplay modes, Gears of War 2 earns the nod as the best shooter of the year because it nails the fundamentals so well. Shooting the weapons and scoring kills in Gears of War 2 just feels more visceral and more intense than any other shooter this year, an important achievement in a genre where you spend 99% of the time pulling the trigger. Complementing that wonderfully primal sense of satisfaction is the intuitive cover system that allows players to fluidly slide back and forth around the battle, adding a small but important dose of intelligence to the proceedings. Out-flanking and/or tag-teaming enemies offers a completely different kind of satisfaction, perhaps more sophisticated but just as powerful. The appeal of the combat mechanics in Gears of War 2 transcends the gameplay modes. We are, after all, basically doing the same thing round-after-round in multiplayer, chapter after chapter in single-player or co-op. It remains fun because the fundamental combat is so damn good.
Runners-up: Left 4 Dead, Resistance 2 |
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November 20, 2009
