The Xbox 360 is a video game console. They play video games. These are my favourite ones. Yay.
5. Gears of War 2
Yeah, as obvious as it may seem for this game to be in here, it really is an amazing game. The visuals, of course, look absolutely fantastic, some of the best non-PC graphics in any game, despite some minor texture pop-in. The characters all look grizzled and tough as hell and the Locust all look like things that you really don’t want to be near. The lack of colour is returning that helps the feel of the dystopian wasteland that has been subject to a vicious war…which it has. The best part of the game really is the shooting though (makes sense right?) as it is so satisfying to fill these hideous creatures full of bullets. The cover-system is still great and the constant stream of bullets flying in your direction really fills you with the feeling of ‘holy-crap-this-is-ridiculous’ and makes you think about where to shoot before you decide to pop up your head. The game is very nearly a perfect sequel, nearly all of the minor problems in the first Gears have been rectified in this version. Throw in some brutal new weapons and enemies, challenging multiplayer and an entertaining storyline, and you have yourself a really good game.
4. Braid
Maybe a controversial choice, but whatever, I thought Braid was outstanding. It was like a hellishly confusing Mario that tested not only your mental powers, but also your patience levels, which will almost certainly be pushed to the limit. Braid’s use of time manipulation is second to none and it is used in a way that no other game has done before. The puzzles are really nothing short of ingenious and puzzles this difficult yet seemingly simple has never been done as well as Braid. The story is also equally fantastic and tells the story from the perspective of a princess-kidnapper (SPOILERS!) which portrays him as the ‘good’ guy even though if this was a normal game he would be the bad guy. The story and gameplay merge together really well and will captivate the majority of people that will play the game. And if you are complaining about the 1200 Microsoft Space Bucks price tag? It’s justified. Trust me.
3. Geometry Wars2: Retro Evolved
GW2:RE is one of the most engrossing games that I have ever played. The sic different modes all bring a very unique flavour to this highly addicting game and with online leaderboards to see how you rank, really just makes you want to keep playing and playing and playing. And you really should because the game really is amazing. Fast-paced action with vibrant colours everywhere along with songs that will be played at my wedding and my funeral really hook you and drag you smiling into the pit of awesomeness that is GW2:RE. A lot of people complained about the lack of an online co-op mode but with a game that moves at such an incredible pace, any minor lag would completely disrupt the flow of the game and leave both players frustrated and confused. The game really is addicting and fun to play and at only 800 Microsoft Space Bucks, there is absolutely no excuse to not buy this game.
2. Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
How can you not love Viva Piñata? From the surface, the vibrant colours and upbeat characters may make this game appear to exist exclusively for children, but underneath this ultra-cute layer of ‘awww’ lies and incredibly deep and complex gardening sim that can provide hours of hectic and rewarding gameplay. The pace at which the game moves almost completely prevents anybody under the age of 13 from managing the various piñatas many needs as a huge amount of work is required just to keep them happy, yet alone keep them from eating each other. The game introduces a brand new ‘challenge system’ that sees you shipping off your more valuable piñatas to parties around the globe in exchange for money and prizes, this system keeps you wanting to play more and more as you attempt to increase the amount of piñatas entering your garden. The game really is a fantastic experience for someone if that is willing and able to get their head around the sheer amount of ‘stuff’ that there is to do. Also, who doesn’t love incestuous Whilrm-love?
1. Lost Odyssey
Yeah, bet you didn’t see this one coming. I think that Lost Odyssey had such a big impact on me because I knew nothing about it. I have always been a huge sucker for JRPG games and loved the Final Fantasy series (not you X-2, you can go away) so when I was casually browsing my local GAME store my eyes fell upon the Lost Odyssey case and almost as soon as I saw the ‘with music from Nobou Uematsu’ words, I decided to buy it. With no real expectations though, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the game. Which I think is why I was so taken aback by the whole thing. I was almost immediately drawn into the deep, engrossing storyline and the graphics just acted as an underlying force of my enjoyment. With four discs and being about 50 hours (inc. side quests) long the game was an absolute joy for me to play and I found it incredibly satisfying to have an ‘old-school- fighting system incorporated into this 2008 release. The musical score is very ‘Final Fantasy’ but what else do you expect from Uematsu? Granted, the game is not perfect, in fact it is probably far from it, but the fact that I knew so little about it made me feel a bit taken aback by the sheer depth to the game. The vast storyline and character system mixed with outstanding visuals and orchestral score make this game my favourite of 2008 and solidifies itself as one of my favourite game in the ever.
Best Of The Rest:
5. Battlefield: Bad Company
4. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
3. Final Fantasy IV
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
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