Hide and Geek

The more astute of you may have noticed that the regular Top 10 feature has been absent for the last few weeks. Upsetting as it may be, this feature will no longer be gracing the site every week, however we’ll make the odd exception every now and again, for special occasions. Like today.

Consider this as a Game of the Year shortlist, an early glimpse at Hide and Geek’s favourite games of the year. Just so we’re all clear here, the list that follows is in no particular order. This is a shortlist, and not ranked in any shape or form.

1. Grand Theft Auto IV

Seems like a lifetime ago that GTAIV hit the shelves, resulting in one of the most high profile launches in gaming history. In fact it was this year, and still remains a strong contender for the Game of the Year crown. GTAIV was everything fans hoped for and more, a game of epic size and scale. The game follows the life of Eastern-European immigrant Nico Bellic and his pursuit of the American Dream. GTAIV introduced a new gritty realism to the series, and yet still managed to retain the classic GTA formula.

2. Metal Gear Solid 4

Hideo Kojimas last Metal Gear Solid title as producer is a shining example of just how great a designer he really is. Combining fantastic narrative driven cut scenes with exhilarating stealth gameplay results in perhaps the best Metal Gear Solid in the series. Featuring new innovative gameplay mechanics such as ‘Octo Camoflauge’ which allows Snake to blend in with his surroundings at the touch of the button.

3. Dead Space

Dead Space was somewhat of a surprise hit, a dark horse that appeared out of nowhere and then scared the hell out of us with it’s jumpy gameplay. Set on board an interstellar mining ship, the game follows protagonist Issac Clarke as he attempts to navigate the ship which is now infested with hideously mutated creatures that were once the ships workforce. With atmosphere and tension by the bucket load, Dead Space is the perfect game for adrenaline junkees and fans of survival horror.

4. Fallout 3

Taking the series in a dramatically new direction, Bethesda applied their talent at creating open world RPGs to the post apocalyptic universe of Fallout. With a vast open world environment with incredible attention to detail, Fallout 3 is certainly a looker. Stepping out into the wastelands of Fallout for the first time is a jaw dropping moment. For those that enjoyed Oblivion and want something similar, this is the natural choice.

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5.Fable 2

Given the choice, would you prefer to be good or evil? Do you thrive on defending the weak and giving to the poor? Or do you get off on killing your wife and abusing your dog? Fable 2 is a game that gives you free reign over your choices, and where the consequences of these choices will affect the world itself. Perhaps the best addition to Fable 2, is the characters trusty four legged friend, which is a gameplay mechanic rewarding of the Game of the Year title all on its own.

6.Mirrors Edge

Mirrors Edge was on board the old hype train for a considerable amount of time, and much to the delight of fans,  delivered on all fronts. Fears that the free running mechanic of the game was nothing more than a gimmick were firmly laid to rest when the game eventually released earlier this month. With  a striking and minimalistic art style, solid free running gameplay and well integrated narrative, Mirrors Edge is one of the best new IPs in years.

7. Gears of War 2

Although the sequel hasn’t had the revolutionary impact of the first, it can’t be denied that Gears of War 2 is a much tighter, more refined experience, the game that Epic wanted to make the first time round. Although some may argue that it’s merely Gears 1.5, as a stand alone game, there are few better third person shooters worthy of your money. If you like big guns, big action and bags of testosterone, chances are you’ll get on fairly well with Gears 2.

8. Little Big Planet

Little Big Planet has established itself as a new breed of game, the ‘YouTube’ of mainstream gaming. Taking user generated content to the next level, Little Big Planet allows the creation of entire levels, with a scope for pretty much anything you can conjure up. These can then be uploaded to PSN, where anybody can play your level. With delightful visuals and one of the best mascots in years, Little BIg Planet’s impact on the industry is of undeniable significance.

9. Super Smash Bros Brawl

With just about every Nintendo character under the sun present, in addition to Sonic and Solid Snake, Super Smash Bros Brawl really is the all star fighting game. Nintendo really did pull out all the stops with this one, cramming as much as possible onto the disc. Featuring the classic multiplayer we all loved from the original titles alongside all new online play, SSBB is without a doubt the finest game in the series to date.

10. Braid

Assuming Santa has the magical ability to pop a boxed version of Braid (or 1200 Microsoft points if you prefer) into your stocking, you’re definitely going to want to add it to your own Christmas list. Jonathan Blow’s artsy puzzle classic breathes new life into platform puzzlers and should not be dismissed purely based on the fact it’s a download game. In fact, many would argue that Braid is their outright game of the year.

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And that about wraps it up. If your Christmas list is looking a little sparse, why not take some advice from us and add any of the games mentioned above, they’re all top notch. Expect a more in depth feature on Hide and Geek’s Game of the Year after Christmas.

/Jamin already knows what GOTY really is…

Tags: Christmas List, Top 10!

This entry was posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 11:25 pm and is filed under Top 10!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.