2008: the official GAME OF THE YEAR thread -- sites/publications

[RedRedSuit]

I figured I'd start this thread for an easy place to keep track of this on HDD.com. I'll keep updating the first post as I see more stuff -- feel free to post anything you see online, and I'll update this.

Rules:

- reputable sites/pubs only;
- only the categories people are likely to care about (e.g., "GOTY," "action GOTY," "best graphics," -- not "worst use of in-game ads" or "best puzzle game");
- the "best rhythm game" is assumed to be Rock Band 2 ;
- nominations and awards listed where possible -- if no winner is known yet, no nomination will be bolded yet;
- cross-platform awards only (no "best PS3 game," etc.).

Here we go.

---

FINAL TALLY

Overall GOTYs:
1. LBP, Fallout 3 -- 4.
T3. MGS4, Fable II, GTA IV -- 1.

Technical graphics awards:
T1. MGS4, GoW2 -- 2.
3. LBP -- 1 "visual engineering."

Visual design / artistic graphics awards:
1. LBP -- 3.
2. PoP -- 2.
3. Valkyria Chornicles -- 1.

Action game awards:
T1. GTA IV, MGS4 -- 2.
3. Dead Space -- 1.

Story awards:
T1. GTA IV, Fallout 3 -- 3.
3. MGS4 -- 1.

Shooter awards:
1. L4D -- 3.
T3. R2, CoD: WaW, GoW2 -- 1.

RPG awards:
Fallout 3 won *all* 6.

Fighting awards:
1. SSBB -- 3.
2. SF II HD -- 1.

Sports awards:
1. NHL 09 -- 4.
T2. Madden, Shaun White -- 1.

Driving awards:
Burnout Paradise won *all* 4.

RESULTS FOR EACH PUBLICATION

IGN

Technical Graphics: MGS4, Crysis Warhead, LBP, GoW2, GTA IV
Artistic Graphics: LBP, Mirror's Edge, Patapon, World of Goo, PoP
Story: Fallout 3, Dead Space, MGS4, GTA IV, The World Ends With You
Innovation: LBP, Braid, Mirror's Edge, Spore, World of Goo
Local Multiplayer: Rock Band 2, LBP, SSBB, SF II HD, Castle Crashers
Online Multiplayer: L4D, BF: BC, GTA IV, LBP, R2
Downloadable: World of Goo, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Braid, Castle Crashers, PixelJunk Monsters

Strategy: Sins of a Solar Empire, Spore, Valkyria Chronicles, PixelJunk Monsters, Civ Revolution
Sports: NHL 09, MLB 08, NBA 2k9, PES, Madden
Shooter: L4D, R2, GoW2, Far Cry2, CoD: WaW
RPG: Fallout 3, Persona 4, The World Ends With You, Fable II, Crisis Core: FF7
Driving: Burnout Paradise, Grid, Mario Kart Wii, Midnigt Club LA, Pure
Platformer: LBP, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Mirror's Edge, de Blob, PoP
Fighting: SSBB, SC IV, SF II HD, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, Arcana Heart
Action: GTA IV, MGS4, Dead Space, No More Heroes, Castle Crashers

OVERALL: Fallout 3, MGS4, LBP, GTA IV, L4D

GameSpot

Technical Graphics: MGS4, Burnout Paradise, Crysis Warhead, Dead Space, Far Cry 2
Artistic Graphics: Valkyria Chronicles, LBP, Patapon, PoP, Tales of Vesperia
Vs. Multiplayer: CoD: WaW, Burnout Paradise, SSBB, GoW2, Sins of a Solar Empire
Coop: L4D, Burnout Paradise, NHL 09, R2, N+
Innovative: Patapon, Braid, echochrome, Mirror's Edge, NHL 09
Story: MGS4, Crisis Core: FF7, GTA IV, Tales of Vesperia, The World Ends With You
Downloadable Game: Braid, Castle Crashers, Geom Wars 2, Mega Man 9, World of Goo
Boss Fights: MGS4, Bionic Command Rearmed, DMC4, No More Heroes, Bourne Conspiracy

Fighter: SSBB, SC IV, Bleach: Dark Souls, MK DCU, SF 2 HD
Sports: NHL 09, MLB The Show, Madden, Tiger Woods, FIFA
Action/Adventure: MGS4, GTA IV, Dead Space, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, No More Heroes
Platformer: Braid, N+, LBP, PoP, Mirror's Edge
RPG: Fallout 3, Crisis Core: FF7, Fable II, The World Ends With You, Persona 4
Driving: Burnout Paradise, Motorstorm 2, Pure, Grid, Baja
Shooter: L4D, R2, GoW2, Far Cry 2, Crysis Warhead

OVERALL: MGS4, GTA IV, Burnout Paradise, L4D, Braid, NHL 09, No More Heroes, R2, The World Ends With You, Fallout 3

GameSpy

Technical Graphics: GoW2
Artistic Graphics: PoP
Story: GTA IV
DLC: Rock Band 2 tracks, Death Magnetic for GH WT
Multiplayer: (ranked in order) L4D, GoW2, RB2, CoD: WaW, Mario Kart Wii, SC IV, R2, SSBB, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Burnout Paradise

OVERALL: (ranked in order) Fallout 3, Warhammer Online, L4D, GoW2, LBP, GTA IV, RB2, WoW: Lick King, MGS4, Prof Layton and Curious Village

Edge Magazine

Innovation: (ranked in order) LBP, New Xbox Experience, L4D
Visual Design: (ranked in order) LBP, Street Fighter IV arcade, Far Cry 2
Online: (ranked in order) L4D, LBP, GoW2
Developer: (ranked in order) Media Molecule, Criterion Games, Rockstar North

OVERALL: (ranked in order) LBP, GTA IV, Fable II

Eurogamer

OVERALL: (ranked in order) LBP, Fallout 3, GTA IV, Fable II, Braid, Geom Wars 2, Left 4 Dead, Gears of War 2, Guitar Hero WT, World of Goo

X-Play

Story/writing: GTA IV, Fable II, MGS4, No More Heroes, Witcher
Originality: Braid, Boom Blox, LBP, Mirror's Edge, No More Heroes, The World Ends With You
Innovation: LBP (level creation / sharing), L4D (AI director), R2 (objective-based multiplayer), Warhammer Online (public quests), Too Human (right stick combat), EndWar (voice command)
Animation: NBA 2k9, GTA IV, L4D, LBP, Madden, PoP, R2
Multiplayer: L4D, GoW2, Madden, R2, SF 2 HD, Too Human

RPG: Fallout 3, Fable II, Persona 4, The World Ends With You, Tales of Vesperia
Racing: Grid, Burnout Paradise, Mario Kart Wii, Motorstorm 2, Pure
Sports: Madden, FIFA, Hot Shots Golf, NBA 2k9, NHL 09
New Downloadable Game: Braid, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Geom Wars 2, R&C: Quest for Booty, SF 2 HD, World of Goo
Shooter: L4D, CoD: WaW, Far Cry 2, GoW2, R2

OVERALL: Fable II, Fallout 3, GoW2, GTA IV, L4D, MGS4, R2

GamesRadar

OVERALL: Fallout 3, GTA IV

GameTrailers

Downloadable Game: Braid, Castle Crashers, Mega Man 9, PixelJunk Eden, World of Goo
Innovative: LBP, Left 4 Dead, Mirror's Edge, Spore, The World Ends With You
Story: GTA IV, Valkyria Chronicles, Fallout 3, Lost Odyssey, Persona 4
Graphics: GoW2, MGS4, LBP, Far Cry 2, PoP

First Person Shooter: R2, CoD: WaW, Far Cry 2, Rainbow Six Vegas 2
3rd Person Shooter: GoW2, The Club, Dark Sector, Dead Space, Fracture
RPG: Fallout 3, Fable II, Persona 4, Valkyria Chronicles, World of Warcraft: Wratch of the Lich King
Sports: NHL 09, FIFA Soccer 09, Madden NFL 09, NBA 2K9, MLB 08 The Show
Action/Adventure: GTA IV, God of War: Chains of Olympus, LittleBigPlanet, MGS4, PoP
Driving: Burnout Paradise, GRID, Midnight Club: Los Angeles, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, Pure

OVERALL: GTA IV, Fallout 3, LBP, GoW2, MGS4

GamePro

DLC: (ranked in order) BioShock (challenge rooms), Stardust Solo, Rock Band 2 (Foo Fighters album)
Best Boss: (ranked in order) MGS4 (Revolver Ocelot), Dead Space (Leviathan), No More Heroes (Bad Girl)
Portable: (ranked in order) Patapon, God of War: CoO, FF IV, Guitar Hero On Tour
Downloadable: (ranked in order) Mega Man 9, SF 2 HD, Braid, PixelJunk Eden, Geom Wars 2, PixelJunk Monsters, Penny Arcade Adventures, Bionic Command Rearmed
Online: (ranked in order) L4D, CoD: WaW, World of WarCraft, SF 2 HD, LBP
Story: (ranked in order) Fallout 3, MGS4, Dead Space, GTA IV

Shooter: (ranked in order) CoD: WaW, GoW2, Dead Space
Fighter: (ranked in order) SF 2 HD, SSBB, MK DCU
Action/Adventure: (ranked in order) MGS4, No More Heroes, Mirror's Edge, God of War: CoO
RPG: (ranked in order) Fallout 3, Chrono Trigger, Persona 4, Fable II

OVERALL: (ranked in order) LBP, Fallout 3, MGS4, Dead Space, GoW2, SSBB, GTA IV

Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences

Art Direction: LBP, Dead Space, Fable II, Mirror's Edge, PoP
Visual Engineering: LBP, GoW2, MGS4, R2, Tomb Raider Underworld
Online Play: L4D, CoD: WaW, Rock Band 2, NHL 09, GoW2
Original Story: Fallout 3, GTA IV, Prof Layton, Fable II, BiA: Hell's Highway
Game Design: World of Goo, Fable II, Fallout 3, GoW2, L4D
Innovation: LBP, Braid, L4D, Spore, Wii Fit

RPG: Fallout 3, Fable II, Pokemon..., Tales of Vesperia
Adventure: Mirror's Edge, Castlevnia: OoE, God of War: CoO, Naruto: Broken Bond, PoP
Action: Dead Space, CoD: WaW, FarCry 2, GoW2, GTA4
Sports: NHL 09, FIFA 09, Madden, MLB The Show, NBA 2k9
Racing: Burnout Paradise, Grid, Mario Kart Wii, MotorStorm: PR, Pure
Fighting: SSBB, MKvDCU, SC IV, SF II HD, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009
Hand-held: God of War: CoO, Advance Wars: DoR, Castlevania: OoE, Patapon, Prof Layton

Console: LBP, Fallout 3, GoW2, GTA4, MGS4

OVERALL: LBP, Fallout 3, L4D, GTA4, MGS4

Games Developer Conference Developers' Choice

Audio: Dead Space, LBP, MGS4, L4D, GoW2
Innovation: LBP, Spore, Boom Blox, Braid, World of Goo
Visual Arts: PoP, Fallout 3, MGS4, LBP, GoW2
Technology: LBP, Spore, GTA IV, L4D, GoW2
Writing: Fallout 3, FarCry 2, Braid, GTA IV, MGS4
Game Design: LBP, FarCry 2, Braid, Fallout 3, L4D

Downloadable: World of Goo, Castle Crashers, Braid, N+, PixelJunk Eden
Handheld: God of War: COO, echochrome, Patapon, The World Ends With You, Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
Debut: LBP, Sins of a Solar Empire, World of Goo, Soul Bubbles, Braid

OVERALL: Fallout 3, LBP, Fable II, L4D, GTA IV

[jakebonz]

From what I'm reading, there's no clear cut winner this year, which really is a good thing for us gamers.

[RedRedSuit]

From what I'm reading, there's no clear cut winner this year, which really is a good thing for us gamers.

Yeah, looks pretty even among Fallout 3, MGS4, LBP, and stupid-ass GTA IV this year... but we'll see what IGN says.

Graphics seems like it'll be split between MGS4 and Gears 2.

[KTA]

I think the MGS4 hype was dampered by the clunky MGO. Just left a bad after taste in gamers mouths. I think it should be doing much better among sites but doesn't seem to be getting the credit it deserves.

Yeah I liked Fall Out 3, it's a great game but at the end of the day the single player story was shallow. It shouldn't be getting as much credit, people rip Fable 2's story but I found that more engaging than Fall Out 3's... I mean just when it got interesting it was over and I was like WTF???

Can't say on LBP. GTA 4 is a beast and deserves it IMO. Granted everyone isn't going to agree on that, it's like an RPG nerds battle. Just different takes.

I can't understand why you can't just set your phone to do not disturb outside main storyline calls. rockstar.

[jakebonz]

+1 to stupid-ass GTA IV being stupid and assy

[KTA]

Okay after reading that again WTF... World Ends with you? That game sucks, I couldn't get 2 hours into it, the gameplay is just annoying as hell.

Tales Of Vesperia at least on the radar but it's the best RPG hands down this year. Fall Out 3 at the end of the day when eating the main course meal it just feels emtpy.

[RedRedSuit]

I think the MGS4 hype was dampered by the clunky MGO. Just left a bad after taste in gamers mouths. I think it should be doing much better among sites but doesn't seem to be getting the credit it deserves.

I don't think anyone cares about MGO in any way, therefore I highly doubt it affected anyone's opinion on the game.

MGS4 pretty much swept the GameSpot awards and is likely to do extremely well in the IGN awards. It's doing just as well as the big boys, like GTA IV, in the awards so far.

[KTA]

I don't think anyone cares about MGO in any way, therefore I highly doubt it affected anyone's opinion on the game.

It pretty much swept the GameSpot awards and is likely to do extremely well in the IGN awards. It's doing just as well as the big boys, like GTA IV, in the awards so far.

I'm talking OVERALL. I mean that game managed to tie up every loose end and actually make fucking sense. To me that goes a lot further than anything Fall Out 3 offers and GTA4 felt lacking with no real estate options.

I can at least live with GTA4, Fall Out 3 does some great things but the Single player story is very meh. Plus why can't I play after the end?

[jakebonz]

But seriously, arguing over 2008's best game is like arguing over which color is better on your free, lifetime expenses paid Ferrari Enzo

[murphjp]

I think the MGS4 hype was dampered by the clunky MGO. Just left a bad after taste in gamers mouths. I think it should be doing much better among sites but doesn't seem to be getting the credit it deserves.

MGO didn't leave a bad taste in gamers mouths, even the gamers on here voted MGS4 as the best game this year. It may have done that to the reviews though since they were forced to play it.

Tales Of Vesperia at least on the radar but it's the best RPG hands down this year. Fall Out 3 at the end of the day when eating the main course meal it just feels emtpy.

It seems that most people disagree with you on that. The main story in Fallout 3 is short, but the shear amount of other stuff to do in fallout 3 makes up for it. And I think Valkyria should have gotten some more props then it did, but I do understand that SRPG's are not for evryone.

[Shoeless]

I'm talking OVERALL. I mean that game managed to tie up every loose end and actually make fucking sense. To me that goes a lot further than anything Fall Out 3 offers and GTA4 felt lacking with no real estate options.

I can at least live with GTA4, Fall Out 3 does some great things but the Single player story is very meh. Plus why can't I play after the end?

I have to step in and defend Fallout 3. I'm not shooting down any of your arguments, because I agree with all of them, I didn't like how they just closed off the ending like that and made it impossible to continue playing afterwards (something that will apparently be addressed in DLC for Xbox 360 owners, I should add) but the meat of the game really isn't the main storyline. Now that I'm playing through to collect all the trophies, I find the game incredibly enjoyable as a sandbox game where I just wander around, stumble into quests, or find areas totally unmarked on the map and just find neat little things there. I really hate the fact that the game is buggy, but as a pure experience where you're just wandering around with your follower of choice and exploring the content offered, the game is positively huge and rich.

But yeah, that ending was pretty unsatisfying.

[RedRedSuit]

Interesting points, KTA....

Here is a comparison FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN ON THE INTERNET IN MY OPINION of awards so far vs. public perception of same games.

GTA IV: Public thinks it's pretty good but disappointing, awards say it's the best game of the year. Although, I think a lot of these award deciders calmed a bit after the perfect 10s and realize the game is not really a perfect 10, which is why it's not sweeping everything the way reviews would have one believe it would.

MGS4: Public is overwhelmingly voting it GOTY (check out NeoGAF and GameSpot voting; it's not even close). Every MGS fan was thrilled with MGS4. Awards clearly recognize this but of course are more reserved about it.

LBP: Nearly everyone that played LBP loves it and keeps playing, while awards are in love with it due to how different/innovative it is. So there is agreement there.

Fallout 3: I've seen mixed reactions to this game. Nearly everyone seems impressed with the world, but people don't keep raving about this game the way the awards seem to claim it deserves. So I'd say this one is a bit overrated, just based on people's feedback.

Gears 2: I think both people and awards agree that it's a great game that's a big improvement on Gears 1, but it's not really special or expansive enough to compete for THE big awards (GotY, etc.). In fact, the public likes this game probably a bit more than the awards do.

Tales of Vesperia: People LOVE this game, but awards people seem tired of JRPGs, I guess, and are giving it very little love.

[RedRedSuit]

Added GamePro awards.

[KTA]

I really hate the fact that the game is buggy, but as a pure experience where you're just wandering around with your follower of choice and exploring the content offered, the game is positively huge and rich.

But yeah, that ending was pretty unsatisfying.

Well that's what made the game great, just adventuring. Thing is I don't even know how much else is out there (or left). I do have all the location per that skill, but to your point most my enjoyment of the game came from random occurences not related to the story at all. The Antantalon VS Robot Guy (forget the names) was hilarious, republic of Dave? Awesome.... and why I had to deliver a sexy pajama outfit to the dude trying to score with the nuca cola chick???? No clue, but it was funny (plus the fact that a mercenary group was hunting me for it).

But the fact that they didn't tie any of that in or at least make it some sort of mini game for you just leaves it out there, and having to "hunt" for an experience ain't my thing. Don't get me wrong, I liked Fall Out 3 a lot, if I had to score the game it'd be a 9.0 easy. It's just I didn't like how it all tie'd together and that for me erases any chance of RPG of the year or GOTY for that matter.

The ending was just beyond lame for me. The fact that Tales Of Vesperia isn't getting a huge shake from the media also po's me but i'm a JRPG fan.

Fan wise yeah i'd say MGS4 is getting creedance, I just wish the Media would give it more "Overalls". It got it right on a 4th installment, something DieHard couldn't achieve!

[Ergo-Proxy]

This year has been pretty good for the PS3 in terms of quality