We’re half-way through our look back at some of the most notable games of 2008. These six titles consist mainly of the overlooked gems that were snubbed in favor of crappy games with a bigger marketing budget. If you haven’t had the chance to check them out, you’re bound to find at least one that you absolutely fall in love with.
18. Boogie SuperStar (Wii)
Developed by: EA Montreal / Published by: Electronic Arts
Most Overlooked
Innovation Award
It’s hard for a game to be as fun to watch as it is to play, but this overlooked casual music game from EA is exactly that. Aimed at tween girls, players use the Wiimote to recreate choreographed dance moves to the rhythm of 40+ pop songs. It’s the kind of game that people will judge before ever even trying it, which is really too bad because it’s quite a lot of fun. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go eat raw meat, lift weights, and headshot some n00bs!
17. Guilty Gear 2 Overture (360)
Developed by: Ark Systems Works / Published by: Aksys Games
Innovation Award
Most Overlooked
Blending action gameplay inspired by a chaotic Japanese fighting game with real-time strategy elements is easy. Doing it successfully is the hard part, and Overture manages to do just that. The maniacal story mode, multiplayer-heavy Achievements, and low character count are hard to overlook, but the creative hybrid gameplay is great. Let’s hope this promising franchise follows more in Saints Row’s improved footsteps, and less in Dynasty Warriors’.
16. echochrome (PS3, PSP)
Developed by: SCE Japan Studio / Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Innovation Award
Best Puzzle
Old-School Difficulty
“Mind-bending” is a term often loosely slapped onto any and all puzzle games, but echochrome’s innovative gameplay literally requires you to twist the very way you think in order to overcome its many challenges. Like IQ before it, the presentation is extremely simple, but the ingenious composition creates an experience unlike any other. And after the stress this game put us through, hopefully not again for a very long time.
15. Pure (360, PS3)
Developed by: Black Rock Studio / Published by: Disney Interactive
Visual Excellence
Best Racing
The four-wheeled spiritual successor to EA’s largely underrated Freekstyle certainly took the gaming community be surprise. The visuals manage to be dirty and beautiful all at the same time, and the trick-heavy gameplay is remarkably tight for a first outing. Games that look great, play great, and are actually fun are exceedingly rare these days, but Pure manages to get it all (mostly) right. Just remember to bring friends.
14. Bourne Conspiracy (360, PS3)
Developed by: High Moon Studios / Published by: Sierra Entertainment
Best Movie Game
Bourne Conspiracy is the one movie game that goes against the sub-genre’s reputation by being good. Really good, in fact. From the obviously high attention-to-detail and superb production values, this rollercoaster ride through the first chapter of Jason Bourne’s adventures is an excellent step in the right direction for movie games. We just hope you like quick-time events. A lot.
13. Fallout 3 (360, PS3, PC)
Developed and Published by: Bethesda Game Studios
Game of the Year
Visual Excellence
Best RPG
Fallout + Oblivion seems like a match made in Heaven, and thanks to Bethesda’s willingness to go the extra mile in cramming as much game into a single disc, Fallout 3 lived up to all but the most diehard Black Isle loyalists’ expectations. The exhaustively large D.C. wasteland is packed with so many choices, missions, items, and varied locations to explore, players certainly get their money’s worth. We just wish Bethesda wasn’t so opposed to attractive female characters. Seriously, did the avatar designer get dumped while working on the last two games?
January 29th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Hmm the positive commentary on Overture has me wanting to check the title out
January 30th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Wow, I never thought I’d see a big site list Guilty Gear or Boogie Superstar among their top games! I’m impressed!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Fallout, yes I know we all say how we love open world games but OH MY GOD, the game is so bloody big it has put me off, I know I’m never going to complete it so why should I even bother trying??
However I have a fucking sweet Vault Boy t-shirt.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Playing Bourne Conspiracy makes me wish I was never born. Tacky quick time events and Fight Club quality fight scenes thrown into a moronic stealth game with controls as smooth as the first 50 Cent game. Viviendi pretty much just crammed three horrible games they worked on into one title. Endochrome is really fun, but it hurt my brain a lot. Pure got ignored, which was a shame really, cause it was well done.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Bourne was most definitely not without flaws, but it still had a lot going for it. I don’t mind that almost every game mechanic was a quick-time event; it allowed for a more cinematic experience. A lot of moment-to-moment action and decent set pieces.
It does begin to drag in parts and the car level is underdeveloped, but in terms of movie games it was many, many notches above the rest. In a somewhat similar way to Burn After Reading: I didn’t necessarily enjoy it from beginning to end, but I appreciate that it exists.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Bourne Conspiracy was fun for about a half hour. After that, it just gets wayyyyy to repetitive. And the driving section was horrible.
January 31st, 2009 at 7:44 am
I actually quite liked Bourne. Thought it had some really underdeveloped fighting, but at the same time it felt very visceral and real. Sort of like gunplay in FEAR, which in my opinion has the best gunplay in a FPS ever. The weapons just had great weight to them, as do the characters in Bourne. Good call on Fallout 3. Definitely my GOTY.
January 31st, 2009 at 7:38 pm
I will have to try Boogie SuperStar out, it didn’t really get that much coverage did it?
These are all great pics, but if they had been released during the holiday season, they probably would have gotten looked over by most people.
February 6th, 2009 at 11:22 am
I meant “picks”, but the pics are nice too. =P
February 9th, 2009 at 3:29 am
As long as GG Overture brings the same butt rock badassery the series is known for, I might give it a shot. I usually suck at the regular GG games (it’s hard to play one-handed while throwing the horns), but this one might be more suitable for my tastes.
Which do you like more, IQ or echochrome? Every time I see screens of the latter, my brain hurts and I have to think of chocolate puppies bouncing on rainbows to make it feel better. It seems like an interesting twist, but I get the impression I should just play Crush instead (which I haven’t gotten to yet).
Also, I like how Fallout 3 is an overlooked gem. I barely heard about that one before its release. Something about Oblivion with guns? Just messin’, Billy.