Best of the Rest: Justin's Picks of 2008

by Justin McElroy { Jan 5th 2009 at 6:29PM }

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (X360)

"Wait, did he just start his list with Spider-Man: Web of Shadows?" Yes, internet. Yes, I absolutely did. Besides being the best superhero game ever made, WoS also featured some genuinely funny writing, an addictive RPG-lite structure and utterly fantastic combat. It was fun from beginning to end and I want to play it again right now. Critical darling? No, it wasn't. But this is how I'm rolling this year, so deal with it.

You really should have seen my personal top five for our GOTY voting. It was flawless, just a gorgeous amalgamation of hardcore favorites with just enough love for the casual crowd. It was so good, in fact, that I'm going to completely flip out and use my best of the rest picks as indulgently as I possibly can.

The World Ends With You
It's a long, intricate JRPG with an aesthetic I couldn't find more repellent if you wrapped it in Steak-Umms and left it on asphalt for the entirety of July. On the surface, I should have no room in my heart for The World Ends With You, but that's exactly what it found. Maybe it's the incredible localization or the combat system that only gets more enjoyable as the game goes on, I don't know. But it's an incredible experience, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Risk: Black Ops

I'm not entirely sure I'm allowed to include board games on this list. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm not. But what's done is done, and there's no use crying over spilled incredibly awesome reinventions of beloved board game classics.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
After reaching level 20 in this online RPG, I traveled to the main hub world and bought myself a lovely horse. As I took a victory lap around town, I realized that there was literally nothing else I wanted to do after I bought that amber stallion. I had won! An MMO that you can solve? Brilliant!

Evidence: The Last Ritual
"A FMV adventure game from 2006," I hear you saying "isn't that a little --" A little what? A little brilliant? Yes, I'm inclined to agree. 2008 was the year my wife and I finally beat this incredible gem, so this is the year I'm showing it love. Track it down and thank me later.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Yeah, it was a lot like some of the other portable Castlevania entries. But that also means it was a lot better than a lot of the other games you played this year.

Honorable Mention
Dark Sector; The Witcher: Enhanced Edition; Prince of Persia; Music Catch; i made this. you play this. we are enemies

Biggest Disappointment Or I Forgot to Include Dolphin Olympics 2

Oh god, that was a close one. I was heartbreakingly close to forgetting to mention that everyone on Planet Earth should drop everything and play Dolphin Olympics 2. It's a disappointment, because I'm not about to go back up there an insert this in my real list. All the copying and pasting! No, thanks.

Tags: best-of-2008, best-of-the-rest-2008

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Ficken @ Jan 5th 2009 5:41PM

Incredible in every respect. A 2006 game? Pure genius. Taking notes Chris Grant? Well you should be.

Shmil @ Jan 5th 2009 6:51PM

Chris Grant doesn't take notes, he gives them.

mongoos32 @ Jan 5th 2009 5:47PM

I have no other words to say than 'this is simply amazing.'

So, this is simply amazing.

Mabuti @ Jan 5th 2009 5:52PM

You have brought me tears of joy. Thank you.

Duke @ Jan 5th 2009 6:34PM

OK, now I want to buy Risk: Black Ops!

NukeAssault @ Jan 5th 2009 6:54PM

Then your already out of luck. Black Ops was never went retail. Sucks, i know but youll have to stick with the latest edition that came out. Which is the same thing sans shapes. =P

The Dark Wayne @ Jan 5th 2009 6:40PM

I'm glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed WoS, it really was one of my favorites of the year. I know I'll get downvoted but I enjoyed it more than Fallout 3

The Dark Wayne @ Jan 5th 2009 6:41PM

also how come Spider-Man never looked like that in the game? His black suit reflections/shiny bits were always purple, but symbiotes and black cat were able to have just plain black

Deadpool @ Jan 5th 2009 7:37PM

I agree. The combat is amazing and Spidey's movements are spot on. Now I have to go play it again. :)

ice~ @ Jan 6th 2009 12:00AM

I will agree with you about the combat...i enjoyed that, it was very fun yet complex.

But the story for that game blew. Big time. It was pure crap, I could have taken a ping pong ball, my dog, and a hair from George W. Bush and glued them together with bull seamen and gotten a more cohesive, presentable story than Web of Shadows. I'm sorry im a hardcore spidey fan and that story really pissed me off. Especially the way the made MJ...i mean really? Bitch gotta shotty?

guidedbyvoip @ Jan 6th 2009 12:41AM

I thought the story was pretty good. Quips galore! Parker was spot on, complaints about his voice fall short; Peter Parker is a science/photography nerd. Spiderman is a NERD which is just full of win.

My complaint was the major stability issues I experience during hardcore combat. And that happened a lot towards the end. Hangup, stuttering, and locking were not enough to keep me from playing this addictive game.

Also, Marvel canon fanboys fear not...Wolvie does fight off the symbiotes, but not after getting the shit kicked out of him by Spidey (yours truly).

guidedbyvoip @ Jan 6th 2009 12:43AM

@ice~

You are right. MJ was bad. Even the render of MJ was too butch. She's a supermodel right? *sigh*

Jerk Face @ Jan 6th 2009 9:39AM

@ ice

I'm not sure which I like more - trying to imagine that ridiculous metaphor as spelled correctly with bull semen or the way you did with bull seamen (which would of course be a group of bulls that crew a ship.) Either way, thanks for the early morning laugh.

xFenixKnightx @ Jan 5th 2009 6:41PM

"Spider-Man: Web of Shadows"

I shall check this out now. Justin, be careful with this power you possess...

Jerk Face @ Jan 6th 2009 9:40AM

It's a trap!

Moptimus Slime @ Jan 5th 2009 6:41PM

"After reaching level 20 in this online RPG, I traveled to the main hub world and bought myself a lovely horse."

did you have to draw it first? And hop atop it whilest shouting "Theres my Steed!"?

JoeViv @ Jan 5th 2009 6:44PM

And this is why the Joystiq podcast is the only podcast I listen to from start to finish. The only dull part is from immediately after the Fed Ex guy arrives until the moment he drops off his shipment. Justin, pure genius, the best list this year in a year full of lists. I was laughing out loud, and my wife asked why, so I showed her. She didn't get it. She doesn't ever get it, which is why she is a good wife for me. Bravo.

Sora @ Jan 5th 2009 6:44PM

LOL DOLPHIN OLYMPICS 2. Everyone at my school was obsessed with it last year. If you go past Pluto, you get to some random space diner. o.O

Moptimus Slime @ Jan 5th 2009 6:46PM

Some random space diner? SOME RANDOM SPACE DINER? That along with you claiming that Ruby and Sapphire were the worst Pokeman games just sealed your fate.

You sir, are dead to me

Sora @ Jan 5th 2009 6:50PM

They ARE the worst. Emerald fixed the story flaws, but it was too late. G/S/C forevar!

Shmil @ Jan 5th 2009 6:56PM

It was the restaurant at the end of the universe.
Don't panic, its ok that you didn't know that. Just go grab a towel and a copy of the innacurately named HitchHiker's Trilogy.

Moptimus Slime @ Jan 5th 2009 6:56PM

(you get a 1 post undead buffer, which I shall use now) "story flaws?" What, you mean how Ruby and Sapphire actually TRIED to be different? Instead of the usual roster update? Yep, thats one major flaw.

Its people like you who are forcing Nintendo to release the same game every time a new handheld is released. You sir, can enjoy a large bowl of dicks on my behest

Sora @ Jan 5th 2009 7:01PM

No, it's just that from what I remember, R/S felt kind of empty, but Emerald's story filled in some of the blanks that were left in by R/S.

Wiinterfang @ Jan 5th 2009 7:39PM

G/S/C Pokemons were terrible, they either where crap beyond belief (Sunflora,delibird,Murkrow) or terrible Broken (Blissey,Wobbufet,Tyranitar), while the game itself was good the Pokemon where terrible, at least Diamond fixed some of them and give evolution to some of the crappier ones.

rTwelve @ Jan 5th 2009 7:50PM

Which is why we need G/S remakes on the D/P/Pt engine!

Snowblind @ Jan 5th 2009 8:51PM

Sorry, but Ruby and Sapphire were easily the worst.

Diamond and Pearl were better in almost every way. The way you obtain your starter was a good deal different, and actually made sense, instead of some suspiciously generous old man just handing it to you.

The region was a lot more interesting to explore and the length of the game was greatly improved. R/S/E take around 15 hours to beat the Elite Four, where as Diamond and Pearl take around 40. And R/S had the worst bunch of new critters.

The story is garbage in all of the games, but D/P at least brought back the better gym leaders. Volkner was easily one of the best characters in any of the games, I really wish they'd flesh out more of the characters in the game like that.

The only real problem with Diamond was the painful speed of the game and the fact they still haven't done away with the totally broken EV stat system.

Sora @ Jan 5th 2009 9:24PM

Yeah, or if they want to keep the EV system they should revamp it and actually EXPLAIN it in game so normal players can improve their Pokemanz without having to learn about EVs from their hardcore Pokemon fanatic friends/Google.

Erwos @ Jan 5th 2009 6:45PM

Persona 4 better hit ONE of these lists.

eNrique @ Jan 5th 2009 8:13PM

I'm afraid it won't.
Chris said that no one at Joystiq had time to play it.

Mr BoomStick XL @ Jan 5th 2009 6:53PM

Hey, hold on before you so-called fan's go lynching this guy!! This game IS AWESOME!! No, it's not GOTY but it rocks and has some of the best combat seen in a "Super Hero" game in years!! I truly feel that this control will change the way "Hero" games are played amd made!!

Shmil @ Jan 5th 2009 6:58PM

We'd never lynch a joystiq editor, least of all one of the McElroys. Now a burning effigy of them is a different manner.

Wiinterfang @ Jan 5th 2009 6:58PM

*wiinterfang became confused*

Mr Khan @ Jan 5th 2009 7:02PM

Wiinterfang is confused! It hurt itself in its confusion!

Wiinterfang @ Jan 5th 2009 7:43PM

What will Mr Khan do?.

[Attack][Pun]
[Troll] [Whut]

Nesta @ Jan 5th 2009 7:45PM

Well THAT was interesting.

Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Jan 5th 2009 7:49PM

Best Superhero game ever eh?

The Darkness says Hello.Unless you mean he is an Anti-Hero therefore it doesn't count.

MowDownJoe @ Jan 5th 2009 8:37PM

Comic-book character =/= superhero

But, yeah. The Darkness was friggin awesome.

XkawsX @ Jan 6th 2009 12:03AM

Have you guys forgotten about Ultimate Spider Man? That's the best Spider Man game and the best Super hero game period so far.

LaughingTarget @ Jan 6th 2009 4:47AM

Earthworm Jim wants a word with you.

wesley johnson @ Jan 5th 2009 8:44PM

i can't believe grand theft auto is not on this list!

;P

Shmil @ Jan 5th 2009 10:51PM

i lolled

thug_angel @ Jan 5th 2009 8:50PM

I too thoroughly enjoyed spiderman WOS,too bad it was the PC version....

Ethan @ Jan 5th 2009 10:12PM

Good journalising.

Dave @ Jan 5th 2009 10:13PM

Thank you, Justin. You've given me the courage to like crappy games.

Reddrive @ Jan 5th 2009 10:30PM

Having played and beaten WoS. I'd have to say pick it up. It is the best Spider-man game to date. Take that for what it is. If you have played any you will understand. However, the camera can be troublesome. Also the repetitive side quests and TACOs can really suck the fun out of it.

Donald @ Jan 5th 2009 10:46PM

So whose lists are we missing now?

... Chris...?

XkawsX @ Jan 6th 2009 12:01AM

Dark Sector is better than Gears 1 and 2. Weapon upgrades, character advancement, deeper gameplay, more combat options, more challenging, better finishers and better weapons. People ignored the game because the media wasn't sucking the game's dick like they were with Gears.