All this week, Gamervision’s writers will be listing their five favorite games of 2008. These aren’t necessarily the best games of the year, they’re the ones that made the biggest impression on us, kept us coming back the longest, and most affected the way we think of, see and play games. These are the titles that will influence what we play and how we view the gaming landscape over the coming year and beyond.

Make sure to check us out next week when we announce our “Best Ever of 2008 Awards,” where we name our picks for the best in every genre in gaming, along with a few superlatives for other achievements in gaming. It all leads up to our presentation of our “Game of the Year” on January 2, so keep checking back with us for our assessment of the best of the year in gaming.

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Picking my five favorite games of 2008 was no easy task. With so many quality AAA titles hitting store shelves, particularly late in the year, choosing only five seems like an injustice. I’m just glad I don’t have to rank them. That probably would’ve put me over the edge. Anyway, here for your enjoyment/perusal/debate are five games (in no particular order) that made being a gamer in 2008 pretty damn awesome.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

It was good to see Snake back in action this year, particularly in a game so well put together. Graphically impressive, somewhat challenging to play, and chock so full of story it hurt your brain; Metal Gear Solid 4 showed everyone just what the PlayStation 3 could do. Every living character in the series at the very least makes a cameo, as Kojima made it his mission to close out the story of Solid Snake properly. The game may have had some insane load times, strange character moments, and more epilogues than the conclusion of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but in spite of the minor flaws the game had, few other games that came out this year rivaled the enjoyment I had playing through Snake’s last adventure. Metal Gear Solid 4 was the lightning in the rainstorm that was gaming in 2008, and I look forward to the day when I have some free time to play through it again.
 
Fallout 3

I honestly can’t remember the last time I spent 60+ hours on a game that didn’t have online multiplayer. I also can’t remember ever enjoying an action RPG, and no matter how much I try to deny that Fallout 3 was indeed an action RPG, playing through this game was incredibly fun. There were nights I spent just wandering the wastelands with no real goal in mind other than to see the sights- or what was left of them anyway. Whether I was shooting super mutants in the face with my combat shotgun, or attempting to steal the Magna Carta, Bethesda did an amazing job of creating a world I wanted to be a part of. With branching moral choices making the game almost completely different every time I play, you can bet it won’t be long before I go back to turn the last, best hope of humanity into the scourge of the wastes.

Left 4 Dead

This holiday season was overflowing with top-tier shooters. While gamers are busy debating which of this year’s crop was the best, I’ll be home playing Left 4 Dead. Sure, there’s virtually no single-player, but that’s the point. Despite not having graphics on par with Gears 2 or Resistance 2, and despite the game only shipping with 4 maps, playing a game of Left 4 Dead is an immersive experience that I’ve never had in a shooter. I’ve never felt fear or panic when playing king of the hill, or while trying to prevent the opponents from capturing my flag, but put me on an empty street where around every corner lurks the possibility of being overrun by a swarming mass of the infected, and my heart begins skipping beats. The game’s AI makes every playthrough different, and gives Left 4 Dead an incredible amount of replayability. And to be honest, there’s not a single better feeling in the world than taking out a survivor while playing as a zombie. There just isn’t.

Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution

Many of you are probably shocked that this game made a “Game of the Year” list, but anybody who has played Civ Revolution knows just how addictive and fun it is. The latest entry in Sid Meier’s long-running series was designed specifically for consoles, and helped reinvigorate my interest in the strategy RPG. I was so addicted to the game the game it came out that I began losing all sense of time whenever I was playing. With a great looking graphical engine, simple controls, and a decent amount of gameplay choices making each play unique, the hours flew by as I tried conquering the world with every possible leader. I wasn’t the only person smitten with this game this year. After introducing this game to several people this summer, each of them became just as hooked as I had (some to the detriment of their vacations). I won’t hold it against them. This is one habit I don’t want to kick.

Yakuza 2

To me, no story commands as much raw power as hard-boiled crime fiction. My bookshelves are lined with a “Who’s Who” of classic and contemporary noir authors. The same goes for my DVD shelves. It’s difficult for video games to capture the feel and look of the genre, and usually it’s done so poorly the game ends up in the discount bin faster than the latest Petz game. In a strange twist of fate, Yakuza 2 broke down my door, pointed a snub-nosed .38 in my face, and demanded my full attention. Forget comparing this game to other PS2 games, Yakuza 2’s presentation puts many next-gen titles to shame, but that’s not the reason the game made my list. Yakuza 2’s story is so good, the game could’ve had 8-bit graphics, and it still would have made my list. I haven’t seen a male lead as compelling as Kiryu Kazuma in ages, and I’ll be shocked if another character comes along in the next few years that is as deep and complex as he is. With twists and turns that Raymond Chandler himself couldn’t have come up with, every moment of this game had me on the edge of my seat. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: Yakuza 2 is hands-down the best game you didn’t play in 2008.

Gamervision's staff picks continue tomorrow with a glimpse into what games Sean couldn't get enough of, so stay tuned.

Related Articles:

Review: Metal Gear Solid 4 – PS3

Review: Yakuza 2 - Playstation 2

Review: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution - XBox 360