Five fabulous Xbox 360 games of 2008

For me, 2008 started the same as it did for every other gamer: fraggin’ newbies in Halo 3. As my rituals of repetition wore on me, I prayed this would be a good year for gaming. I was not disappointed.

While more than just the following great games have graced the Xbox 360 over these past 12 months, these are my top-five choices.

5. Dead Space (Electronic Arts; rated mature)

Since Resident Evil 2 was released in 1998, we haven’t been extremely terrified by any video game. Dead Space brings back the gripping eeriness of survival horror. As a child, I found that the themes and settings of most horror games were almost tear-inspiring. Then, as I got older, the rest of humanity and I all became numb to that horror. So what options are there now? Space. Probably the scariest place to be stranded and attacked by mutant, disfigured creatures. The game centres around a “maintenance worker” for a space station that gets caught in a stream of you-know-what. With its innovative weaponry and superb looks, Dead Space is this year’s must-own survival horror.

4. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar; rated mature)

Grand Theft Auto IV was released in April, and it was too quickly forgotten. Some judged it on its bare multiplayer modes, or its difficulty down the home stretch of the story. The beautiful thing about GTA IV is all the gaming aspects tied into one. You have missions that put you in street races (not compatible with the racing wheel, unfortunately), or in 50-man gang shootouts. It touches on nearly every genre. Let’s hope the new chapters, due in 2009, make GTA IV a higher contender in some hearts.

3. NHL 09 (Electronic Arts; rated everyone 10+)

Coming off the huge success of NHL 08 last year, EA Sports had big shoes to fill with this year’s instalment. The studio didn’t fall short. Kept was the “new” next-gen configuration from 08; added was 09’s flare. The game added a defensive skill stick (manual control of your stick) as well as the EA Sports Hockey League. The new EASHL is an on-line league made up of player-created teams; you can play alone or with up to five of your friends. The league also keeps stats and rewards you with points (used to raise your player’s stats) for all milestones in your “hockey career”. It made NHL 09 the first ever massively multiplayer on-line sports game. With your own name and chosen number on the back of your jersey, you feel more engrossed and a bigger part of what is unfolding. A must have for hockey and sports fans.

2. Fallout 3 (Bethesda; rated mature)

This role-playing game set in postnuclear Washington, D.C., has cemented itself into my list of favourite console games for one main reason: content. So many games focus on the wrong thing, and this Bethesda Softworks wonder has its sights on what’s right: the storyline. It boasts a completely free roaming world, first- and third-person gaming, a gripping story, D.C. adorned in post-apocalyptic disarray, and even custom-made weapons. Fallout 3 has one of the deepest set of skills and upgrades I’ve seen on a console RPG since Elder Scrolls (another Bethesda monster). To top off the pie, there are countless things to explore and new chapters in the works, which makes this titan of a game stretch more than just your imagination.

1. Fable II (Microsoft; rated mature)

This title was one of the more anticipated games of ’08 for me, and it didn’t disappoint. Everything Peter Molyneux, president of Lionhead Studios, promised us was not delivered, but what was included was enough to stun and amaze for some time. Your new canine companion is by far the best addition to the franchise. Purchasing property returns, jobs are available (because you don’t gain Benjamins from quests), and a very unique choice of fighting control is introduced. You can wed and slaughter, with all of your actions having an impact on your character and the world surrounding him or her. (You can play a woman in this sequel.) The lack of complexity in the story makes the short 10 hours of gameplay fly by. However, any studio can add to its games anytime after release via Xbox Live. The beauty of a game like Fable II is the force it brings to all factions of gamers, from the hardcore to the newbs. It’s the perfect game for fantasy RPG lovers, and an even better gateway to the drugs that are video games.