Time Magazine lists 'Top 10 Video Games' of 2008

by Christopher Grant on Dec 8th 2008 11:56AM

On a list of "The Top 10 Everything of 2008" – a list that includes everything from the to-be-expected "Top 10 Olympic Moments" all the way down to the grocery-checkout-glamour of the "Top 10 Fashion Faux Pas" – we find Time Magazine's list of the "Top 10 Video Games." First, a navigational tip to the folks at Time: Maybe it's just us, but we'd probably file this one under "Arts & Entertainment" (next to movies, book, plays, and TV) and not under "Business, Tech & Sports" (next to the "Top 10 Financial Crisis Collapses"). Moving on ...

We don't mean to undermine Time games guy Lev Grossman's picks by saying that the mag isn't exactly known for its writing on video games (unlike that other weekly news mag), but we get the feeling that – while Grossman has some solid (and unexpected!) picks – it won't look anything like most of your top 10 lists. Mainstream news-gatherers like Grand Theft Auto IV, Gears of War 2, and Spore make an appearance, but so do indie treats like Braid, an iPhone tower-defense game, and the Flash-based Hunted Forever.

Climb through the list and come back to discuss the placement. Grand Theft Auto IV in the top spot? Star Wars: The Force Unleashed in the Top 10? Isn't Braid just for "people who smoke and people who drink"? Discuss!

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Tags: best-of-2008, Grand-Theft-Auto-IV, GTA-IV, GTAIV, Rockstar

Reader Comments (148)

GTAIV top spot?

I remember a time when games that were fun got teh top stop.

Agreed. GTA4 is a contender for the production quality and attention to detail in the game, but I really don't think it deserves #1. Metal Gear Solid 4 over this, and I'm sure there are a few others.

@Emo
Those days are long gone

I played both GTAIV and MGSIV and I think GTA was by far better. I played about half way through MGS and was so sick of the 25 minute cut scenes I just started skipping through them- SKIPPING THROUGH CUT SCENES!

How can anyone NOT think GTA was fun?! Every time I played I had a blast!

It wasn't fun because there's nothing to do outside of the same 2 missions over and over and I guess getting a kick out of the euphoria engine.

People say "oh you had to make your own fun" and in response I said well yeah you had to cause Rockstar certainly didn't help you out in that aspect.

MGS4 isn't fun either, people seem to mistake quality with fun.

"People say "oh you had to make your own fun" and in response I said well yeah you had to cause Rockstar certainly didn't help you out in that aspect."

You never had an imaginary friend as a kid, did you?

You guys are too hard on GTA4. Rockstar made a damn good, solid, and fun game.

But you're all sour on it. Why?

You bought into all the hype and forgot what a GTA game is. So you expected something that wasn't what they made, and now you're mad about it. Lame. The sour grapes surrounding GTA4 that rolled in a few months after its release reminds me of all the e-criticism of Windows Vista. It's the cool thing to do.

Obviously, GTA4 wasn't the second coming of Christ, but I think it was a good game in the end, and with it's universal acclaim, unmatched sales, and (probably most importantly in this age of fanboyism) cross-platform success, I think it's a pretty safe bet for GOTY awards for 2008.

Rockstar are the ones who forgot what GTA is, not the fans. They took out all the fun and added more cutscenes, more story, and a bunch of stupid shit like tv and comedy clubs. They could have saved a lot of money by not paying kat williams and instead putting something fun into the game. I can't think of a sandbox game that's more empty content wise than gta 4.

"unmatched sales,"

Didn't Mario Kart and Wii Fit beat it in sales?

Honestly, GTA4 was fun until the car chases became stale. I got bored with the same frustrating chases over and over. The online elements were the real fun part to me.

"Didn't Mario Kart and Wii Fit beat it in sales?"

Jesus, that's just depressing.

Actually, that's awesome.

I didn't find GTA4 that much fun. I found it pretty tedious.

I only have a PS3, so I can only comment on those games, but I had more fun playing:
- MGS4
- WipEout HD
- LittleBigPlanet

than GTA4.

you can critique gta 4 and call it boring or whatever, but MGS4 has to be in the same boat regardless.

"How can anyone NOT think GTA was fun?!"

Some people don't like destructive gameplay. GTA3 appealed to me because it really was the first go anywhere, do anything, type game. However the novelty and fun of that "new" found freedom wore off. I don't like any of the characters in GTA4 and I'm sort of done with the "haha, look I can run over a prostitute, blow cars up and cause mayhem throughout Liberty City" gameplay. Some people aren't, and I get that, but I am and that's how I can "not" like GTA4.

I'm sick of testosterone filled killing games. In addition one could easily argue that GTA4 is little more than a grpahically enhanced, muddy and muted version of GTA3. You do the exact same thing in a world less funny. And while that may appeal to many (which it obviously does) I hardly deem it worthy of GTY. *shrug*

Time has failed over and over and over and over ..... and over again

I was going to read all these comments, but my friend across town just called me demanding we play some pool.

Metal Gear Solid 4 is really nothing special gameplay wise. None of the Metal Gear Solid games are. It's one of the very few games where the story is actually worth the price of admission.

GTA doesn't even have that going for it.

So I guess I'm the only one that thinks Fallout 3 should get the GOTY spot huh.

I have to say that my favorite GTA game is 4.I for one welcome Rockstar serious face.

MGS4 well I have to play this one and I will but what's wrong with cutscenes? I never got the point of this one, in other games we fought through the entire game to see at least one of these (Extra credit if it was a CGI cutscene) also that it supposed to be the conclusion of the series so yeah I believe a lot of cutscenes are in order to explain MGS.

So I guess I'm the only one that believes Fallout 3 will get the GOTY spot huh.

I have to say that my favorite GTA game is 4.I for one welcome Rockstar serious face.

MGS4 well I have to play this one and I will but what's wrong with cutscenes? I never got the point of this one, in other games we fought through the entire game to see at least one of these (Extra credit if it was a CGI cutscene) also that it supposed to be the conclusion of the series so yeah I believe it takes a lot of cutscenes to explain MGS.

Sorry for the double post.

Guys...its TIME Magazine. Joystiq said it themselves, "They aren't known for their video game articles."

I played GTA4...I thought it was way over hyped and sucked, and TIME magazine kind of proves that. I think they put it at number 1 because of all the hype and media behind it.

I don't know what the game of the year should be. I havn't played fallout 3. Gears 2 was good, not great. I'm having a lot of fun with Fable 2. I still want to play Mirrors Edge, Left 4 Dead, Dead Space, and Little Big Planet, not to mention the latest prince of persia.

There are way too many awesome games out for them to be making a list at this time. I would expect a list of the top games of 2008 to come out in july 2009.

Hmm, weird seeing a flash game on the top 10 list.

It's the obligatory oddball pick that makes the list seem more credible because it has a weird little indie game you probably never even heard of on it.

"an iPhone tower-defense game"

I am dissapoint in joystiq for not knowing of field runner for the iphone. that is one of the best tower defense game ever and very addictive. I played it for nearly 3 weeks straight instead of any of my console games. it really is the best portable game of the year on any platform. I beat it on every difficulty level and I pray to the heaven that a downloadable version for consoles is in the works. I would love a version with sound (iphone version had no sound) and infinite attack waves (level 50 is the last) and online ranking.

Braid is also clearly playing the "quirky little indie game" role. Good, but overrated imo. It was a very narcissistic game, from the pretentious emo storyline to the read-the-developer's-mind puzzles.

If I were to put a downloadable game in my top 10 of the year, it'd be Geometry Wars 2 or Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix (actually, probably it'd be both).

@leo - my version of Fieldrunners has sound... i just bought it and love it... maybe they updated it and you have an older version?

Jomo -

you right! I just chek my update list (I have 16 but don't update apps on the iphone because it has cause my iphone to delete all my ipod content and need restore) and there is a new update. That is great new thank you my friend. Look like the update was release on 11/23/08 and is ver 1.1.1! sweetness!

Ever since I first played DTD, all other tower defense games seem like crap. That game is so awesome, it should be goty, even though it came out last year.

GTAIV top spot for 2008? I guess they have not played the PC version of this POS... I can only hope the console versions was far far better otherwise 2008 was the worst year for gaming ever.

It's suprising - the 360 version is really excellently optimised. I guess the warning signs were there that the PC version would be a bad port when the PS3 version had lower resolution and frame rates though.

I wouldn't take this list to seriously...

Nothing to see here, move along.

Actually, I think this is a very credible list, particularly for a mainstream news outlet.

Items #2-5 are all very legitimate selections for Game Of The Year. Personally, I'm currently torn between Braid and Gears of War 2 for my GOTY.

GTAIV isn't GOTY, but it certainly belongs on anyone's top 10 list.

The only omission here is Fallout 3, which is too broken to be GOTY, but definitely has too much awesome to be left off of the top 10.

Wait what? I totally didn't click reply to Jtenma

My previous reply should be up 1, which is coincidentally the button you should be clicking on it ;D

Did they include Mega Man 9?

Goty 2008, not 1988.

Who the hell voted tmac up for his douchebang comment? Come on, own up!

I don't know, I thought it was funny.

I voted it up because it's hilarious and true.

Hilarious, and true.

Hilarious and true if you're a worthless graphics whore, anyway.

I still fail to see the big deal with Braid. It just seemed like an emo mario to me. I guess I'm missing something? It's not a bad game. I just don't see why it's so amazing.

I agree completely. It's a pretty game with some clever puzzles but I really wouldn't say it's anywhere near the top of 2008.

Maybe I'm also missing something.

I think I'm missing something too. It seemed like a platformer that just fell short of other great platformers that have come before it.

I can see what your are saying. Sure it is just another puzzle platformer, but I think most people who really liked Braid, myself included, like it for its beautiful artwork, great storytelling, and just really fun puzzles. It just all fit together nicely.

I take it you people haven't bought it? That game was amazing. The ending was totally confusing though.

I'll throw my name onto this list too. I just didn't get the fuss.

Maybe I'm missing something because I did only play the trial. But after the trial I just couldn't bring myself to spend 1500 MS points on it. I think the price killed it for a lot of people.

Yeah the price really pissed me off, but I probably would have bought it if it was amazing. Thankfully they put out trial versions to every game cause it ended up boring the hell out of me. I'd buy it for $5 though.

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Time Magazine lists 'Top 10 Video Games' of 2008

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