It's that time of the year again (well, not exactly "again" since this is the first Christmas for Classy Gamer), so I would like to extend my most heartfelt Holydays wishes to all the classy gamers that managed to bear with me (and my Warhammer fit :P) during this first year.
It's been definately an interesting year for gamers, with two new Major MMORPGs released (Warhammer and Age of Conan, at least one of which seems to be slowly climbing the stair to success), two expansions of other major MMOs (Mines of Moria and Wrath of the Lich King) and a whole slew of new games, many of which we waited for years (metal Gear Solid 4, for one) while some others have been very pleasant semi-surprises (Valkyria Chronicles).
A very pleasant factor, during the year, at least for me, has been the return of the JRPG genre to the new generation consoles. Even if some of the first steps have been a bit shaky (the lack in coding quality of The Last Remnant was, unfortunately an example of that). Hopefully the next year will bring the genre back where it's supposed to be, delivering awesome and deep stories in a videogaming industry that lacks them more and more.
The current crysis that's affecting the real world left the gaming industry Bloodied, But Unbowed and in this day of happyness my thoughts go to the many that, in the industry, lost their job due to it.
We must not forget that, if we're having this much fun playing our beloved games it's even due to their hard work, and many of them are probably spending some quite sad holydays. Hopefully as many as possible of them will find a new home in which to express their game-designing talents soon.
Many sites have or are now compiling their "Game of the year" list, and, despite this being a small portal, I'm going to do the same right now. My authority on the matter is for sure less solid, but after all this is a blog, and what's a blog for if not to express one's own opinions?
So, without further ado, here's the list:
Best MMORPG: Warhammer Online
I doubt many of you had any doubts on this particular award, coming from me. Many accused me of being a rabid Warhammer fanboy, and while I wouldn't definately go as far as defining myself a "fanboy" I'm definately a fan. The game started with some undeniable problems, but Mythic has been so fast and responsive in adressing them, that I hardly felt them. Warhammer Online is delivering a whole ton of fun to the ones that like RvR warfare like me, and due to it's original features and it's absolutely fantastic background, it's definitely demonstrating that a fantasy MMO that's not WoW CAN be brought to success. From now onwards it can only get bigger and better, the room for expansion is unparaleled, so if you still didn't try it, now may be the time to, thanks to the "recruit a friend" program.
Best First/third Person Shooter: Farcry 2
I know many will fiercely disagree with this resolution. Farcry 2 does have some problems, expecially in the fact that the combat tends to be a tad repeatitive, causing some very punitive reviews from the "official" press. But the world such combat is set in is absolutely astonishing. While not perfect the game has set a milestone on what freedom can be given to a player even in a traditionally linear genre like FPSs are.
Best Action Game: Metal Gear Solid 4
So many things have been said about this game that I'm kind of at a loss for words. A fantastic closure to one of the best stories ever written for a videogame comes packed with an absolutely lovely gameplay, that leaves the player free to approach it in a "shooty" way, or in a completely stealthy way. Many complained about the cutscenes, but i found them an immense added value to the game. Simply outstanding.
Best Driving Game: Midnight Club Los Angeles
It's not a simulation by any means, and while I was seriously conflicted between this and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, in the end MC:LA won due to the tons of hours of unadultered adrenalynic fun it provides. Blazing trough the crowded streets of LA is an intoxicating experience, even slightly better than what provided by it's real competitor: Burnout Paradise (which is, don't get me wrong, another outstanding game), expecially due to the freedom of customizing one's car. The only (Big, at least for me) flaw is the story, that could have received much more attention, as much as the characters. Looks like Rockstar has a beef against people that aren't gangsta-blingtards talking in a weird street jargon, and it shows quite clearly in their games. With a better story MC:LA could have easily matched the competition for my very personal overall game of the year award. Too bad.
Next year, I'm sure, will be interesting, we'll see the clash of the titans as Gran Turismo 5 and Forza Motorsport 3 will hopefully reach a console (two consoles, actually) near us.
Best RPG: Valkyria Chronicles
many, for this category, will probably scream "Fallout 3!" Well, as usual, I beg to differ. While not at all hyped, and most definately understimated before it's launch, Valkyria Chronicles has been an absolutely pleasant surprise. The wise mix between RPG, Strategy and Action element made for several hours of enjoyment, and the story is a downright beautiful and poetic encounter between the thypical japanese romance, norse mythology and the gruesome reality of war. Most definately a gem that will shine for a long time in the JRPG genre, and demonstrated that the Japanese videogaming industry is far from being dead. If you didn't get it yet. Do it. If you don't have a PS3, this might be a good chance to consider buying one.
Best Fighting Game: Soul Calibur IV
As usual the soul calibur series delivers. A whole slew of greatly designed characters and hundreds of hours worth of awesome gameplay put this game a step over the competition, expecially due to the absolutely lovely character customization mode.
Best Wacky Game: Saints Row 2
This game is very wacky, but it's wacky in a good way. The freedom it provides (even in customizing one's character) simply blows Grand Theft Auto 4 away, and it simply gifts the player with total fun from start to end, expecially if played online with a friend. I often found myself bracing an heavy weapon and just aimlessly wreaking havoc in the city, just for the hell of it, and this for hours. And if you know me, you also know that it's pretty hard for a game to entice me in doing so.
Best Story: Ex Aequo: Metal Gear Solid 4 and Valkyria Chronicles
Together, this two games demonstrated that the Japanese still reign supreme in storytelling, and gave us hope for the future of that part of the Industry. Personally I can't wait for April, when the first episode of the Valkyria Chronicles anime will be aired in Japan. That will be for sure a fantastic game for me, providing that some good-willed fansubber will bring it to a torrent near me as soon as possible.
Best Gaming Platform: ???
To be honest it's really hard to tell. More or less all the gaming platforms, PC included, saw a very nice slew of great titles this year, and saw a lot of evolution even in their basic features.
The only thing i can safely say is that the worst gaming platform of the year, in my opinion, is the Wii. Yes, that wii that outsells the competition at every corner. Nintendo shown that they are absolutely uninterested in caring and catering to core gamers like us, showering the market with fake smiles and absolute crap (the E3 conference was a perfect example of that this year). My Wii is, at the moment, just a very costly blue light (since i can't be bothered turning it on even to read the useless mail Nintendo sends me) and it's been in that position for months. Truly sad, but nothing is perfect, I'm afraid.
Most Anticipated Game for 2009: White Knight Chronicle
I've had my eyes on this game since when it's been announced, and it promises to have an absolutely lovely story and a quite interesting gameplay. Moreover I have a soft spot in my heart for the mix of mecha and fantasy. Our lucky japanese friends already got their hands on it. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long ourselves.
Overall Game of the Year 2008: Ex Aequo: Warhammer Online, Valkyria Chronicles and Metal Gear Solid 4
No matter how much I try, I cannot find a way to determine an overall winner between those 3 games. Each one shines like a star over the rest of the market, so I guess in this not very professional list of mine, there's plenty room for a three-way ex Aequo.
That's it, I guess. I could go on inventing awards for the whole night. But episode 13 of Tales of the Abyss (a very nice anime based on a very nice PS2 game) is waiting for me, so, again, happy Holydays, my beloved readers. Stay tuned!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
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