2008 Ex-EGM Awards: The Games of the Year
(Note: This is the first in a series of 2008 year-end awards as judged on by various ex-EGM editors)
Opening ceremonies + meet the judges
2008: Games of the Year
2008: Most Overshadowed Games of the Year
2008: Biggest Disappointments of the Year
2008: The Other Awards
2008: Hopes and Dreams for the New Year
2008: GAMES OF THE YEAR
Dan “Shoe” Hsu: Burnout Paradise
“It’s like playing GTA4 with cars that are actually fun to drive.”
Crispin Boyer: Grand Theft Auto IV
“It’s like playing Burnout Paradise except you can get out of your vehicle, surf online, and THE CARS ARE FUN TO DRIVE, SHOE!”
Andy Baran: Left 4 Dead
“While shallow at first glance, Left 4 Dead’s versus mode screams more strategy and technique than any other game out there — once you sink your claws into it, that is.”
John Davison: Burnout Paradise
“It’s a game I keep coming back to — and they keep adding cool stuff to it. My kids love it too, so it’s something we all play together.”
Joe Fielder: Grand Theft Auto IV
“Playing through GTAIV over the course of four days off was kind of like power-watching through all five seasons of HBO’s fucking stellar crime drama The Wire.”
Joe Funk: Madden NFL 09
“Still the best combo of sports and gaming — and both outlets, sports and gaming, keep growing.”
Kraig Kujawa: Gears of War 2
“It’s just like CliffyB said: Bigger, badder, more badass. Maybe it’s also because I played co-op mode while totally hammered.”
Demian Linn: World of WarCraft: Wrath of the Lich King
“Boring, I know, and you could argue that addictive doesn’t equal best, but I’d have to disagree.”
John Ricciardi: Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen/Tales of Vesperia
“I spent 44 hours with the former and 83 (!!) hours with the latter, and loved every minute of both. DQIV’s fantastic writing and classic turn-based play brought a nostalgic (NEStalgic?) tear to my eye, while TOV’s kinetic, over-the-top battles and insane amounts of content kept me glued to my 360 for weeks. Plus, Judith is hot.”
Kathleen Sanders: Netflix streaming on Xbox 360
“I’m going to have to go with Netflix streaming on my Xbox 360. I’ve now seen every episode of 30 Rock TWICE. That’s 60.”
Greg Sewart: Metal Gear Solid 4
“Lots of amazing games this year, but this masterpiece kept me engaged from the title screen to the final, lengthy cinematic.”
Jeanne Kim Trais: The Witcher (Enhanced Edition)
“You know, the one with the boobs.”
Jen Tsao: Fable II
“This role-playing game offered the perfect balance of challenge without frustration.”
Next up: The Most Overshadowed Games of 2008
