As sure as the seasons change and we all have to pay taxes; the Internet will be flooded with year end wrap up posts in late December. Why do we do it? There are a few reasons. People get nostalgic this time of year and want a look back. Year end wrap ups are a good palette cleanser, we take one final look at the past 365 days before we cross the threshold of a new year. Oh yeah. the games industry just shot their wad making news harder to find than teeth in Alabama.

On that note we move onward and upward; a year in review 08: the best and worst.

• Xbox Live Arcade

                    The Best: 'Braid' - While the time control element that is prevalent in 'Braid' isn't exactly an innovation (see Blix the Cat, Timeshift, etc.) it is new to the Xbox Live Arcade. 'Braid' features challenging puzzles, a unique story, and a time control mechanic that is executed really well. These things make 'Braid' worth the Microsoft points and is a must for casual and core gamers alike.

                    The Worst: 'Frogger 2' - A lame remake of a lame game. 'Frogger 2' isn't worth the time or money. When this title gets it's inevitable prise drop it still wont be worth it. It's better to skip this one and leave the memory of 'Frogger' intact. Oh, for all of you who will comment saying that 'Frogger' isn't lame and that it's a "classic"... play it again, but be warned the memory is better than the actual game.

• Writing in a Game

                    The Best: 'Left 4 Dead' - The truest example of the old saying "less is more". 'L4D' is completely devoid of any narrative. Their is no written story here. Instead the game is presented as an experience, with the game's story being the one you tell your friends who were'nt involved in last nights gaming session. The story you make in 'Left 4 Dead' is far better than anything that might be forced upon you.

                    The Worst: Grand Theft Auto IV' - The writing in 'GTA IV' is terrible. The missions you are presented with and are forced to do to advance the game run exactly contrary to the moral position of the main character. In the beginning of the game you meet Niko Belic your avatar and main character of 'GTA IV'. You learn that he is a former crook and killer and that he has come to America to start over, leaving his old life behind. Fresh off the boat you and Niko start running drugs and killing for money. It's almost as if the writers conceptualized Niko Belic, froze that idea in carbonite, made the rest of the game, and then did a little thaw and implant trick. The end of the game fares no better, feeling like an after thought shoe horned in to wrap up the story.

• Game for Non-gamers (as chosen by the completely non gaming Bryn Bauman)

                   The Best: 'Rock Band 2' - "This is fun... I think I could play this all day." - Bryn Bauman

                   The Worst: 'Gears of War 2' - "Do they have to swear so much?" - Bryn Bauman

• Quote from a Press Release

                   The Best: “This has always been a game with global underground credibility, and our responsibility is to always take its music to the next level. For FIFA Street 3 we've created a soundtrack that digs deep into hardcore electronic culture, bringing together the genre's most radical breakthrough artists from more than a dozen countries. It's more than just the world sound of the streets; it's the sound of FIFA Street.”
- Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA

                   The Worst: “Xbox LIVE is the world’s fastest-growing online social network on TV.”
- John Schappert, corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment LIVE, Software and Services Business at Microsoft

• Game of the Year

                   The Worst: 'Star Wars the Force Unleashed' - There may have been worse games released this year but not one was as big a disappointment as Lucas Arts' broken turd 'Star Wars the force Unleashed'. There was one shinny peanut in this turd: the cut scenes (for which it won best cut scenes) with their wonderful motion capture. Other than that 'the force Unleashed' is barely playable. Someone should explain to the team at Lucas Arts that if their game is going to feature light-saber vs light-saber fighting then the hit models had better be tight. How many time did you swing your laser sword at an opponent only to have it pass through then doing no damage? The combat in general is problematic in 'the Force Unleashed'. The third person camera seems to be working against you some times allowing enemies to hit you from off screen while your stuck staring at a wall, or tree. Boss fights are done with a fixed camera and a round arena style location, making controlling you character a chore. The lack luster boss battles are made more so by the quick time events that take place at the conclusion of each. There are two options at the end of a boss fight: 1) watch the rad scripted end of the fight which often involve aerial maneuvers and big force powers; but miss your cues at the bottom of the screen to progress through the quick time. or 2) watch the bottom of the screen intently to perfectly execute the quick time; missing the action. Question: if the apprentice has the ability to do these huge Jedi crushing moves, why didn't he just do them in the beginning instead of waiting for the boss' health meter to blink red? In addition to the problematic combat many of the scenes in the game that could should have been epic fall flat. Pulling the star destroyer out of the sky is a tiresome chore, your fist rancor encounter is made lame by the stupidity of the AI, and when you finally get to fight Vader you realize why no one can beat him (he's a friggin' cheap bastard). Huge undelivered promises and general failure are why 'Star Wars the Force Unleashed' is the worst game of 2008.

                   The Best: You decide...

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