ure, 2007 was a phenomenal year in video games. But to be honest, that’s so almost last year. We’ve got a long break ahead of us which means we’ll be blowing through everything for 2007. So we’re looking to 2008 to be an even bigger year in video games than this year. Don’t believe us? Take a look at what’s coming down the pipe next year. Sure there are a lot of games that haven’t been announced yet, but add a little speculation, a sprinkle of hope and you get our grand list of the Top 10 Games for 2008.
We decided to mix it up this year for our annual feature and talk directly to the developers and find out why they’re excited about their game, and why they feel gamers should be excited. Special thanks to all the developers who took the time out of their busy holiday development schedule to talk with us!
Entries are presented in alphabetical order. Without further ado, we give you our picks for the Top 10 for 2008 – Microsoft.
Civilization Revolution lets would-be conquerors explore the world through the eyes of one of 16 historical figures, letting players rule through diplomacy or brute force. Best of all, they’ll get to do it online against their opponents, with leaderboards and regular map downloads. This has been a labor of love for Meier, which is really just about all that strategy fans need to know.
Sid Meier, Firaxis Games:
“We’ve been working on Civilization Revolution for a while now, and it’s truly designed and built from the ground up for today’s consoles and handhelds. I’m leading the design and programming which means I’m hands-on coding the game every day with our fantastic team here at Firaxis. I have to say that it’s really the coolest game I’ve ever made. Civilization has a great reputation for addictive gameplay – as a matter of fact we’ve received lots of awards for it. To be able to offer a visual presentation that matches the high standards set by the gameplay is a dream come true for me and delivers a totally new Civ experience that will draw you in and having you begging for just one more turn.”
While the original Fable was a competent action RPG game when it was released, it was unfortunately mired in a surrounding sea of hype. Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux was more than happy to talk up his game when it was a work in progress, making a series of high-profile promises which never came to fruition. With Fable 2, Molyneux isn’t claiming that players will be able to plant acorns, carve their initials on the saplings and see the scars years later in the full-grown trees. This time around, his ambitions are a bit more grounded, but still impressively lofty. In Fable 2, players have an AI-controlled dog companion, which responds to feedback and the environment in a strikingly realistic manner. Players will also be able to have children in the game—with female characters having the opportunity to explore the world while pregnant. Despite its flaws and shortcomings, Fable provided hours of enjoyable gameplay. If Molyneux and Lionhead can pull off a fraction of what they’d like, we’re all in for something special.
Peter Molyneux, founder, Lionhead Studios:
“Fable 2 is going to be unique. Fable aimed to reinvent the RPG genre and we’re going to try and do this again with Fable 2. Yes, the world is going to be bigger, the enemies will be even badder, the story will be even more dramatic, but I know that every sequel says that. So we decided to focus on three big differences. The first is drama, as in the story drama and the dramatic consequences for you as player. The second is combat, which is accessible but incredibly deep. The third will be revealed at GDC. Putting all this together, I can promise you an experience which will be unlike anything you ever seen in a computer game.”
If you want to stir up a nest of angry Internet hornets, poke the Fallout hive. If Bethesda Softworks wasn’t sure of that fact before, they’re certainly well aware of it now. Despite only having two “proper” Fallout games, the series has attracted a faithful following that’s keenly aware of goings on within its beloved post-apocalyptic universe. When word got out that Bethesda was working on Fallout 3, critics assumed the worst and the “Oblivion with guns” cry was born. Having sat through a demo of the game, we can’t say who’s right here, if making such a determination is even possible. All we know is that seeing your character step out of the nuke-proof vault for the first time in his life is a breathtaking gaming moment. We’re eager to explore this terrible world all over again, through a new set of eyes. In the meantime, we’re happy to occupy ourselves by playing the originals.
Todd Howard, executive producer, Bethesda Softworks:
“I think the biggest thing that attracts people to Fallout is ultimately the uniqueness of the world you get to play in. There’s nothing like it. You want to create your own character and explore this place. And when you have that element of “revival,” in that it’s a 10-year-old franchise that people have really missed, or heard about, it has a coolness/nostalgia factor that really sucks me in. It becomes much more then the sum of its parts.”