Q4 2008 gaming report - PS3 & Xbox 360

Sony

The end of the year, the fourth quarter saw some of the biggest name games just in time for the holiday season. While this very well could be called the quarter of the game of the year candidates not all great games hit in Q4, just look at Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto 4. That being said there were some truly spectacular releases on October, November and December of 2008. While there are many best of 2008 articles this list will only encompass the fourth quarter starting with multi-platform titles, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Did I mention these are all great games for those gift cards burning holes in gamer’s pockets?

Multi-platform – The top 5 are cream of the crop titles but it’s the load of honorable mentions that made this a great quarter. Of the bunch Left 4 Dead was close to the top 5 (easily) while Far Cry 2 is a really good game that will get lost in the shuffle of so many great games.

1. Fallout 3 – Massive, fantastic game play and set in DC, nuff said for the DC Game Examiner.
2. Prince of Persia – The graphics style and established game play mechanics mix with a revamped storyline to review the prince yet again.
3. Mirror's Edge – Innovative take on an established genre, risk from EA that pays off with style.
4. Dead Space – EA has another new franchise with a creative team and story to carry it in so many different directions, more than just a game.
5. Call of Duty: World at War – The latest CoD goes back to World War 2 and is more realistic and gruesome than some may need in an entertainment experience. Classic, how a sequel should be done.

Honorable Mention: Left 4 Dead, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Far Cry 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, Tomb Raider: Underworld, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, Rise of the Argonauts, Saints Row 2, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

PlayStation 3 – Exclusivity has been an issue for PS3, along with sales, but these five titles give ample reason for a PS3 purchase. The Honorable Mentions are all new to PS3, formerly 360 exclusive that PS3 owners must check out.

1. LittleBigPlanet – Charming and unique, unlike any other gaming experience.
2. Resistance 2 – The best launch title for PS3 gets its deserved sequel with bigger graphics, baddies and overall scope. Things just get better, not for mankind, but for gamers.
3. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm – While not as great as The Broken Bond the move away from just a fighting game is working, slowly, but it’s getting there. The graphics are on par with the anime.
4. Valkyria Chronicles – A hidden gem, a game not to be missed in a genre lacking on the PS3. The graphics are like a storybook come to life, long cut scenes but great game play.
5. MotorStorm: Pacific Rift – Not a realistic racer but one just made for HD. Controls and psychics can frustrate at time, but overall a fun racer.

Honorable Mention: BioShock, Eternal Sonata, Rock Band 2

Xbox 360 – Something for everyone from a revamped Banjo to more Gears action. While the exclusives seem to be settling out between Sony and Microsoft the one game with high hopes, The Last Remnant, left so much to be desired, more on that below.

1. Gears of War 2 – Read the novel Aspho Fields and the appreciation for the manly men of Alpha Squad will grow. Some of the best graphics and game play on any system don’t hurt either.
2. Naruto: The Broken Bond – Ubisoft has created a blend of action and adventure that weaves into Naruto’s storyline with top notch graphics, voice acting and action, this game is the perfect package for anime fans and gamers in general.
3. Fable II – Choose a path in HD with characters and settings unlike any other. Fable quietly gets better and better.
4. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts – How old is Banjo now? Old enough that he still offers up gamer’s decent platforming action but this time with built-anything vehicle game play that offers up the chance to do something different.
5. Midnight Club: Los Angeles – Top racer on Xbox 360 by a few laps.

Dis-honorable Mention: The Last Remnant, so much hope, promise unfulfilled. Infinite Undiscovery, also from Square Enix, offers up solid game play and graphics that feel polished, it feels like a finished game, but The Last Remnant was not complete from the choppy graphics to annoying characters, fractured story and bad accents.

Overall Grades – Rock solid for both systems, thanks in large part to the multi-platform options. Multi-platform of course gets an A+ for so many options. The PS3 also gets high grades, an A, for finally putting up solid, exclusive titles, while the Xbox 360 continues to roll, scoring an A. It’s a banner day for next-gen gamers, and this is not even touching on the downloadable games. Next up Wii & DS then PS2, PSP and PC.