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![]() | 7.8 out of 491 votes |
![]() | Modern Warfare 2 Sells A Bajillion Copies Nov. 16, 2009 |
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![]() | Yesterday 9.1 avg score 1084 people voted |
![]() | Two days ago 9.0 avg score 1092 people voted |
![]() | Three days ago 8.9 avg score 1333 people voted |
![]() | Four days ago 9.4 avg score 1615 people voted |
![]() | Five days ago 8.8 avg score 1201 people voted |
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![]() | Swift Punishment 11/12/2009 17434 views |
![]() | Unreal - The Un-tease 10/26/2009 15892 views |
![]() | Destined For Greatness 11/02/2009 14756 views |
![]() | A Tough Dalish Life 10/19/2009 14296 views |
![]() | It's Epic Mickey 11/09/2009 10365 views |
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My, my, how time flies. Here we are at the very end of the year 2008 and we've witnessed a great many releases. As always, not all of them turn out as good as we hoped, but it sure as hell was a fun ride.
Looking back at the entire year, it's safe to say the industry has taken another sharp turn towards consoles and casual gaming, which is no surprise. We were still treated to plenty of fine titles both on consoles and for PC gamers.
The only thing we regret is that 2008 seems to have brought no real break-through accomplishments in any of the genres. There were some bold attempts such as Mirror's Edge and Left 4 Dead, albeit they haven't gone the distance (at least not in terms of truly innovative gameplay). However, this is a matter we'll be tackling on a different occasion.
Also, be sure to return in 2009 when we'll be looking back on some of the most disappointing releases in '08. It's gonna be tough decision, I tell ya. There were a lot of letdowns this year.
For now, let's just stick with the traditional GotY awards. So, without further ado, ladies and gamers, I give you AT's 2008 Game of the Year.
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| Miss July | Miss February | Miss April | Miss September |
That's about it for 2008. Some of you may notice that the 'Sports Game' category was left out this year. Regular readers should be well aware that AT is understaffed. Regardless, we're doing our best to keep you lot up to speed on the various goings on in the world of video games.
We love you all. Thank you for sticking with us.
So, loyal readers, friends and rest of you who came here by accident or by typing 'Action Trip' in Google, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
| Copperr | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Staff ? You mean there is anyone else left except Vader ? | ||
| Vader | [STAFF] [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Last I looked... | ||
| finaleve | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Ya know...I like Fallout 3 a lot more than Oblivion. I can see it being game of the year even with its flaws. And Fable 2...well I liked it a lot better than Fable 1. There was a lot of much needed improvements on the game, and with a few more I can see it being GotY when they release the whole "Lost Chapters" portion of the game. At least Left 4 Dead was on there as a runner-up. The game is damn addicting. |
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| mwmorph | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Did nobody play Sins of a Solar Empire? Red Alert 3 was fun but Sins was Epic. | ||
| 7aHk4et0 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| i know who miss July is | ||
| Lord.Ward | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Dear Actiontrip, I have been following your website since 2003, when I cancelled my subscription to PC Gamer (US) because I was so disgusting with the game journalism industry, where shitty writing the norm, and corruption the convention (Gamespot’s firing of Jeff Gerstmann in 2007, probably for his negative review that advertisers didn’t like is still remains poignant). This is the first comment I have ever made on your website. I felt it was necessary to commend you for your preface for the Game of the Year awards 2008, which contains an observation that may save the gaming industry. Your idea that despite many solid game releases, 2008 was a lukewarm year for gaming because of the lack of innovation is critical if the game industry wants to recover from its slump in quality. While most other game journalism websites are busy slobbering over sequels (that have been successful generally due to the millions of dollars pumped into them, not creative genius), Actiontrip correctly touches on 2008 as one of the most depressing years in gaming history, a year when the idea of college kids turning a beautiful idea into a beautiful game is now a fantasy (except in the world of modifications, a world that the claws of the industry are quickly and quietly closing in on). It was only a year or two ago that for the first time, Americans spent more money on gaming than on film. It is truly unfortunate that the quality of games and gaming journalism has not improved in conjunction with the increase of available monies for these enterprises. It was once the case the brilliant gaming ideas where overshadowed by buggy or poorly optimized games, simply because the humble cottage industries of fans who produced them did not have the money to polish them to perfection. Now I am nostalgic for those times. I see them as a period when despite smaller and more niche audiences, innovation and ideas ran free. At this point, film has many exceedingly high quality publications covering the subject. I hope that one day videogaming will be treated with the respect from the criticism industry that the artform deserves. For your balls to see the termites in eating away at the hull of the industry while others sip champagne and slap each others backs above decks, I commend you. Thank you, and a Merry fucking Christmas to you all. Lord Ward |
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| im_stardust | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| "2008 was a lukewarm year for gaming because of the lack of innovation" ; "2008 as one of the most depressing years in gaming history". I do not agree with this statements one bit and i could bring tons of arguments. Happy Holidays. |
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| im_stardust | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Ok, here are some best titles from the past 2 years. 2006 : Gears Of War, TeS IV : Oblivion , Company Of Heroes , Final Fantasy XII, Rainbow Six: Vegas. 2007 : Portal, Half Life 2 : Episode 2, Crysis, World in Conflict, God of War II, Halo 3, Call of Duty 4. 2008: Fallout 3 , Grand Theft Auto 4, Burnout Paradise, Resistance 2, Sins of a solar empire, Dead Space, Mirror's Edge, Metal Gear 4, Left 4 Dead, Gears of War 2. As you can see, every year, most best games are sequels. Personally, I'm amazed and I enjoy many of the titles that come up every year, so I couldn't call any of the recent years "bad for gaming". What they managed to do with some of the games this year is simply amazing. I haven't played any other game that creates such a realistic atmosphere of a post apocalyptic and immersive world as Fallout 3. The best coop multiplayer online game was also made this year: Left 4 Dead. If you want innovation play Mirror’s Edge, Dead Space or customize your phone ring and theme in Grand Theft Auto 4. But I get your point also. Most of the games are sequels. But there is nothing wrong in adding decoration to a tree that will always need more decorations. As for really new ideas, the whole entertainment industry is in a big crisis, music, movies, you name it. There is so much to talk about this subject, but I’m tired now. Sorry for the grammar if there are any mistakes, I’m still learning. Hundreds of people work hard and with heart at most of this games, so think twice before criticizing. As long as people will have a heart and a brain, good games will come. |
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| SpaceMonkey | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| It's not the fault of the gaming industry, it's just how the world spins. We used to have songs and music that inspire and paints a canvas as we listen, now we have noise for songs, yes fucking annoying noise! It's capitalism and sociology at work, when the music, movie and gaming industry first started out it was only available to a hand full of people. People with taste, the elites, and these products were cater for those people. As the industry grow and achieve economy of scale thus improving efficiency which results in a cheaper product; the product is then becomes viable for the mass. The industry, capitalistic in its nature, naturally mold and blends the product that will satisfy the mass. So which bring us down to sociology, human being in groups, the people. Let's face it - there are more stupid people in the world than smart people, it is also true that there are more people with poor taste than people with finer taste. There's only one queen in a hive, but many many worker bees (probably thinking "work work") Therefore in the industry's attempt to satisfy the mass, it now makes product that are cheap and less tasteful but still satisfy most people. And why not? imagine the majority of the consumer unable to distinguish the difference of a high quality stake from a big mac, and you can sell the big mac for the same price of the stake. Restaurants would certainly just sell big macs. That my friends is what the music and gaming industry is about, I see recently it's having an effect on literatures as well (twilight series). Until the gamers with finer taste proves a better market than the majority, or the majority developed finer taste over time, we will continue having uninspired games. And EA will keep pumping sequels after sequels that is the same shit with a different number at the end. You want the gaming industry to change? look in the mirror and start there - stop buying crap. |
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| dxm16 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| This year really was a sad one. I, of course was mostly left behind, me being to much of a cheap bastard to by a next-gen console and all. | ||
| Lord.Ward | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Stardust and Spacemonkey, thank you both for your thorough responses. Stardust, while I agree that many sequels are good games, a company can very successfully create a unique, polished game each time and still make a shit ton of money. I like to point to Shigeru Miyamoto (creator of FZero, DK, Mario, Zelda, Pikmin, etc.) as a shining example. Each game he has created is a completely new franchise, with unique, polished gameplay. I feel that any sort of analogous gaming genius would have a difficult time in the US, where a publisher’s eye for money so supersedes an eye for quality. That being said, It was great to see Left 4 Dead, and Mirror’s Edge, and I think for their innovation alone are GotY contenders. Valve is really stepping up, and I am inspired to see that they know how to put a bunch of gamers together and come up with unique franchises and execute them well. Valve is also fortunate enough to be able to put tons of money into support and advertising for their games. I voted with my dollars this year, and I purchased both Left 4 Dead and Mirror’s Edge, while I pirated Fallout 3 and GTA IV (also to make a point about how fucked up SecuROM is). Spacemonkey, You correctly identify the motivation for creative stagnation, money money money. I look at it this way, say you have Developer X who has two options. They can either make: A- A brand new creative franchise that would cost 5 million to make. There is a chance people would love the game and become a massive hit, earning them hundreds of millions. There is also a chance that the game is a flop, and they only earn a couple of million and lose money. B- The can make the new CatWoman game to coincide with the movie for 2 million dollars. While they know the game will never be a huge hit, market analysis shows they are guaranteed to make 10 million dollars and make money. It seems pretty obvious which option a developer is likely to choose. In conclusion, the best thing we can do is keep voting with our dollars, and keep bitching online, and maybe we can achieve a paradigm shift in American Game development. |
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| TERMINAL666 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| I play games for 20 years and my opinin as gamer really matters,and i say that one of the best games ever is The Witcher enhanced edition!Other best games are Morrowind and KOTOR.So if you are truely not corrupted gamers site where is The Witcher???Maybe noone didnt even played it becouse it is Europian game. | ||
| blitsie | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Now this is what I call awesome,Vader!!! Thanks,I totally agree with the choices,really good games you chose over there!. I really hope this great,great site stays here for a long time! |
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| Burning | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Let's take the year 2009 off from gaming and dedicate it to making the Internet English error-free. Please! | ||
| Doomsday. | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| The WItcher EE = Pure Awesomeness! and lots of game sex, wohoo! | ||
| S.Plissken | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| I dont see it much as lack of good games more lack of creativity, i havent seen any real original ideas in a long time even Fallout 3 though i loved the game and will probably play it a few times through again wasnt original. The Industry tends to fall on tried and tested blueprints to make games and just change a few of the elements. Just because a movie has great special effects doesnt make it great and just because a game has the latest in gaming tech doesnt make it a good game. |
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| thestewieman | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| 2008 was a shitty pc gaming year. nobody even tries any more, Microsoft in the console market is a bad thing for pc gaming with all the poor and crappy ports... we should really all applaud everyone who bought a crapbox for killing PC gaming (with ugly ports of even uglier (xbox360) games)... |
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| The Heart Of Darkness | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| I sense Uwe Boll is among us......or someone is heavily channeling his spirit | ||
| ChristmasInJuly | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Thanx for running this site, it's really cool. | ||
| soverign | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Holy Shit!!! Intelligent discussion!!! | ||
| Vodoo | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=boobiesso i have nothing else to say :)) |
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| agentid36 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| does anyone know the name of miss september? | ||
| finaleve | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Thestewieman, I don't think M$ is to really be blamed (though I can at least give a part of the blame to them for crap ports), but the industry themselves. One of the biggest reasons why we don't see many PC games being released these days is piracy. The more the game is pirated, chances are, the more money is lost. And from there, they lose the interest in that market. Now the Industry is given 3 choices to continue making money out of that market. 1)Release VIA Steam. Everyone know Steam by now. It is probably one of the most successful DRM's out there, and because of that, keeps PC gaming alive. 2)Release VIA SecuROM or some other underhanded DRM. I believe that is probably the worst idea the industry has pulled, and it was a shame to put it on some good games. 3)Release on a console. You know the chances of getting a pirated copy? Not high enough to worry about. Sure, there are ways to get a pirated copy, but you can't find them as easily as a PC copy of the game, and that is why people consider PC gaming a dying breed. We see games being released on consoles first possibly because that would get all the people to pick up that copy first, and hope that all the piracy people will give in and wait. Usually the PC announcement isn't until afterwards or late in the game. Of course, it doesn't change much, but it at least guarantees sales for their IP and helps contribute to funding their next IP. PC is also losing its support because of all of this. The biggest PC game that is played practically everyday is either WoW, Counterstrike, or Starcraft (I'd say Sims but that doesn't count as a game). Blizzard and Valve, the only companies that I know of that support the PC market to a greater degree (though Valve has tasted the Console waters, though hasn't drowned like most industry heads have). Of course, thats is all speculation but honestly...what other game company you know of that actually supports the place they were born at, the place that lifted them off the ground to being the super giants they are? It isn't the gamers who are at fault, but the industry that makes the games. With all their panties in a bunch over their job, its no wonder why the PC is losing grip on the market. |
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| un om bun | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| I wish yesterday's babe had won cause then I would have found out her name. I love her so much :(( |
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| Vodoo | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| @ spacemonkey (3DD - Father's Son....ive deleted it because i kept crying) that is irony my friend, sentimental sodomy i call this thing, when the beauty of art is the metaphysical pain itself. we devolve as beings of heart and soul while we evolve in matters of body and mind....that is our future, past and present. it’s those sudden fleeting moments when we become "beasts" that we should be thankful for. |
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| DarkKnight | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Jesus christ, those essays are too fucking long. | ||
| TERMINAL666 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| DarkKnight | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Downloaded GTA IV, the game runs relatively fine on my PC, I just left everything on defaults. Although, considering I'm rolling with a 8800 GT, 4 GB of RAM, 2x3GHZ on Win XP, me thinks the game could be optimised more. They won't be getting my money, because this rig, which managed to hold crysis on High with an avg of at least 30 FPS, should be able to handle far more of this game than it is, suggesting a poorly optimised game, therefore unworthy. It's a fun game so far however. I might buy it in a few years, but I'm still angry at the lack of optimisation and the R18 rating on what is now a mature game for us(I live in NZ, so as you'd know, we get the Aussie M version, while still get slapped with the R18), plus the expensive price tag(like 51 USD) |
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| SpaceMonkey | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| happy new year mates! I'm prepare to pirate my first game of 2009. hmmmm what will it be? | ||
| TERMINAL666 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| i totally agree with monkey,the first game in 2009 must me special one,for now my favorite is diabllo 3. | ||
| Pantsoffski | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Did 2lions respawned or actually was revived by a spirit healer? Also how much did he paid for repairs? Thank you! | ||
| Amok | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Only typing this one now, been putting it off for a long time. Better than never. As much as I am a fan of Fallout, I wouldn't have selected Fallout 3 as the game of the year as the majority has. It's a good game on its own, but in my humble opinion, doesn't do justice to the franchise. I guess this overall look at it may be exactly because I'm such a fan of the originals. Yet to try out the other best of 2008, save for C&C 3. This one being the "worst of the best", apparently? Well, I tend to like to save the best (of the best, in this case) for last. This much is certain - I definately aim at playing Gears of War 2, GTA V AND Fable 2 when it's finally landed on the PC. As for the babes, good picks. Not a good look at the winner there, could do with a link as with the others, but seems she's gorgeous from what's shown. I'll say this now then, welcome to 2009, AT! |
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| PanteraFan666 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| gta 4 sucked dick all gta suck fuck i hate that fucking game its fucking boring best game of the year, fuck off retards | ||
| Vader | [STAFF] [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Fuck. | ||
| im_stardust | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Unquestionably Gta 4 is the game of year and Gears of War 2 best action game. Personally, I liked Fallout 3 more then Fable II, because of the atmosphere, story, content and modding. And i liked Mass Effect then both, wich was release at the begining of this year, if i remember corectly. As for RTS, there werent so many this year, but i would have choosen the CoH expansion instead of the crap C&C was. What about Best Racing Game? Best Adventure Game? Best Sports Game? Best Multiplayer Online Game? If they were any. A pretty dark year for pc gamers, with missing titles like: Halo 3 , MGS 4, Fable II, Mirror's Edge, Saints Row 2 and others. Also a bad porting of the year's best game, also Devil May Cry and i think there were others. It seems like mostly MMO's are keeping and will keep the PC gaming alive. And also, screw Games for windows live. |
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| TERMINAL666 | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| what about staff of the year:) | ||
| The Heart Of Darkness | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Fasterova you say? is that like Onatopp? And how the hell did I miss Miss February?!! |
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| DarkKnight | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Miss February happens to have a nipple out, naughty naughty. xD I refuse to play RTS's until they incoperate the W,A,S,D keys like WiC did. |
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| S.Plissken | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Just saw the trailer for tim burtons new movie and it has a definate Deja Vu feel towards it in the direction of the Peoples Choice winner... Go have a look its on the apple trailer site called 9....hmm Mr 101? |
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| SpaceMonkey | [mail] Sep 03 2009, 12:00 am EDT | |
| Miss February was my choice for babe of the year. Sexy with a hint of elegance and a touch of sweetness, the other girls look good; their photos mostly screams "fuck me! fuck me!" and I would be happy to oblige, but they ain't some girl that I would want for a girlfriend for example. (just happy fucking) Miss february on the other hand seem like more than mere moments of pleasure. I agree with most of the other choice, I only wish fable 2 was out for the pc. |
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