After 2007, how can 2008 be anything but a disappointment?

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Argue all you want over which is the best game that came out this year, but you are on a one-man trip to crazytown if you think this wasn't one of the very best years in video games in a very long time.

Thing is, what does 2008 have in store to compete?

[Robotech Master]

RE: Thing is, what does 2008 have in store to compete?

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
At least one of the FFXIII projects has to kickass. Squareenix is due to release another great title.

Others would say maybe MGS4. And I'd personally say Tales of Symphonia 2. But mainly I'd say SSBB.

Besides, everyone's expecting Sony--nay, Sony HAS to make 2008 a better software year than this one if they want to make Gamers comfortable with purchasing a PS3 over an Xbos 360.

[MakeshiftHero]

Besides, everyone's expecting Sony--nay, Sony HAS to make 2008 a better software year than this one if they want to make Gamers comfortable with purchasing a PS3 over an Xbos 360.

Lets hope so, I'm still trying to decide what next gen console I want to get. And so far I'm not really sold on either one (Xbox, PS3)

[BYC]

GTA 4
Starcraft 2
MSG 4

Those are a good start, even though I'm only looking forward to GTA 4. I'm sure there's gonna be other hits too.

[1WEBHEAD]

Grand Theft Auto 4
Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3 exclusive)
Haze (PS3 exclusive)
Too Human
Splinter Cell: Conviction
Devil May Cry 4
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo exclusive)

Those are just off the top of my head that I believe come out before fall. I'm sure I missed a coulpe. . . .but yeah, 2008 will be pretty sweet but I don't think it could top a year that has BIOSHOCK, MASS EFFECT, Super Mario Galaxy, Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction, Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3. . . .

[Ramiel]

Grand Theft Auto 4
Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3 exclusive)
Haze (PS3 exclusive)
Too Human
Devil May Cry 4

Add Ninja Gaiden 2, Silent Hill 5, Resident Evil 5, Final Fantasy XIII, Infamous, No More Heroes, and Fallout 3 to the list and how can 2008 be a disappointment? If anything, it looks as if 2008 may not only be on par with 2007 but has the potential to pass it

[Nik Hasta]

Add Ninja Gaiden 2, Silent Hill 5, Resident Evil 5, Final Fantasy XIII, Infamous, No More Heroes, and Fallout 3 to the list and how can 2008 be a disappointment? If anything, it looks as if 2008 may not only be on par with 2007 but has the potential to pass it

Not forgetting Soul Calibur 4 as well.

[Wesley Dodds]

I also think that it's not that 2007 was an exceptional year, it's that it was the year the industry took a step forward in ambition & quality.

At minimum, we'd have Bioshock 2, Mass Effect 2, Portal 2, etc. But in addition to the inevitable sequels lots of great titles are due to be released. No More Heroes and Smash Bros. are both coming out in January -- not a bad start.

[Sonicjuce]

And don't forget Halo 4: Adventures of the Master Chief

[Slaughter]

Fallout 3? Wait, the HORRIBLE DIFAMATION OF THE NAME FALLOUT?!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[J Dog]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Metal Gear Solid 4, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Final Fantasy VIII are gimmies in the good part of 2008.

I think Too Human's going to be crap: It's been in development way too long. Being in Development Purgatory doesn't help your chances.

I'm looking at 2008 to be a possibility that Camelot starts developing Golden Sun 3 for the DS. I know it's still a pipe dream, but they want to do it, and I want to buy it.

[Jmacq1]

At minimum, we'd have Bioshock 2, Mass Effect 2, Portal 2, etc. But in addition to the inevitable sequels lots of great titles are due to be released. No More Heroes and Smash Bros. are both coming out in January -- not a bad start.


Uhm....I really doubt Bioshock and Mass Effect are going to get sequels next year. I'd bet on 2-3 years for either to appear. And I'd be really worried if they did appear next year, because it'd probably mean they were rushed into production and quality would likely suffer accordingly.

Seriously, I so do not want Mass Effect 2 to end up another KotOR 2. But with EA effectively at the helm now...it's almost what I'm expecting.

[Kevinroc]

Beyond many of the already mentioned games (Smash Bros Brawl, MGS 4, FF XIII), there's also Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, Sonic RPG (DS game developed by Bioware), and other stuff that hasn't been announced yet. Even if 2008 doesn't live up to 2007, I don't see how it can be a disappointing year for gaming.

[jesse_custer]

I just don't see another game within the next year being halfway as revolutionary as Super Mario Galaxy.

[Wesley Dodds]

Uhm....I really doubt Bioshock and Mass Effect are going to get sequels next year. I'd bet on 2-3 years for either to appear. And I'd be really worried if they did appear next year, because it'd probably mean they were rushed into production and quality would likely suffer accordingly.

Well, expansion packs, then.

[GozertheGozarian]

Too much emphasis on FPS and party games this year for my taste. Disgaea 2, FF 12, and the new Fire Pro Wrestling are the only higher profile games to get more than a glance from me.

[Jared_Humpherys]

Too much emphasis on FPS and party games this year for my taste. Disgaea 2, FF 12, and the new Fire Pro Wrestling are the only higher profile games to get more than a glance from me.

No love for Persona 3? That was an outstanding PS2 rpg.

Oh. Higher profile.

[Jared_Humpherys]

I don't see next year being better than this one, but I dunno if it'll be dissapointing.

[Nate Grey]

And don't forget Halo 4: Adventures of the Master Chef

...and its a cooking game. With the Arbiter as your assistant. That would be awesome.

Yeah, I know, not happening. :(

I'm looking forward to Soul Calibur 4 and Silent Hill 5 myself.

[Tadhg]

2008 could surpass 2007 if all the titles slated get released on time.

And where's the love for Brütal Legend?

[Jared_Humpherys]

2008 could surpass 2007 if all the titles slated get released on time.

And where's the love for Brütal Legend?

Looking forward to that as well. Tim Schafer can do no wrong in my book.

[Tadhg]

I think Spore has the potential to be more revolutionary than Mario Galaxy, but it also has the chance to be a flop. And an even bigger chance of not getting released in 2008.

[Thorlief]

2008 has Brawl, best game ever. /thread

[jesse_custer]

Brawl would be still be awesome if it were just an updated version of Melee. However, for it to surpass any of the greatest games, it will have to be much more. I don't believe two or three new characters and super moves will be enough. We'll see.

[Thorlief]

Brawl would be still be awesome if it were just an updated version of Melee. However, for it to surpass any of the greatest games, it will have to be much more. I don't believe two or three new characters and super moves will be enough. We'll see.

do online, orchestrated music, bidding and spectators online mode, a totally improved adventure mode and so on qualify? Because YES jesse, I say YES

[jesse_custer]

To me, online capabilities have nothing to do with the actual game. Just bells and whistles. Orchestrated music will be great, though. However, I'll be looking for gameplay differences in particular. In other words, I doubt it will make the leap that Galaxy made from Sunshine and ... everything else ever made.

[Wesley Dodds]

orchestrated music

At least they learnt from Twilight Princess? Or, as I call it, "the game that will make you want to rip open your wiimote and replace that awful tinny speaker".

[Kevinroc]

To me, online capabilities have nothing to do with the actual game. Just bells and whistles. Orchestrated music will be great, though. However, I'll be looking for gameplay differences in particular. In other words, I doubt it will make the leap that Galaxy made from Sunshine and ... everything else ever made.

The new adventure mode is certainly a huge step up. Stage builder is another big thing (that's most certainly not another bell or whistle).

Of course you also have to take into account the kinds of games that will come as a result of Brawl. We saw the Fire Emblem franchise released internationally because of Melee. We could see new games come into existence because of Brawl. The production team went through all the trouble of redesigning the Kid Icarus world, after all. :)

[jesse_custer]

Again, the new adventure mode might be great, but did "Tekken Force" make Tekken 4 a great leap forward? Not really. The stage builder will be fun as well, but I'm still not seeing how that will dramatically change the gameplay and whatnot. Again, I'm not saying the game won't be awesome. On the other hand, it may not be a revolutionary game like Galaxy.

[Kevinroc]

Again, the new adventure mode might be great, but did "Tekken Force" make Tekken 4 a great leap forward? Not really. The stage builder will be fun as well, but I'm still not seeing how that will dramatically change the gameplay and whatnot. Again, I'm not saying the game won't be awesome. On the other hand, it may not be a revolutionary game like Galaxy.

A lot of people are looking at the new Adventure mode as a big-step up from Melee's AM. It even has its own story. (Although the story most likely won't be very complex. It won't exactly be Fire Emblem.)

I don't see how you can view building your own stage as a thing that won't change the gameplay. That's really a rather huge development. The stages in Smash Bros. really do change the way you play a match and being able to create your own will leave all the responsibility in your own hands.

Will it be as revolutionary as Galaxy? Probably not. But it is one of the most anticipated games (and would routinely beat Galaxy on "anticipated games" lists) and is sure to make 2008 a great year for games.

[jesse_custer]

With the stage builder, you're still using the basic components of the game. Again, it will be fun, and I think it's a great addition, but it still sounds like an update that should have been in an earlier version of the series in the first place. The question is whether the player-created stages can do things that the default stages can't do.

Ultimately, the gaming year will not be awesome for one game alone. I reserve any final judgment, though, until I actually play Brawl. Just pointing out that the bandwagon could be incorrect on a couple of counts.

[Serik]

Spore is supposed to come out in 2008, but chances are it'll get released at the same time as Duke Nukem Forever.

[Tadhg]

Spore is supposed to come out in 2008, but chances are it'll get released at the same time as Duke Nukem Forever.

I wouldn't put it in that category. Wright seemed optimistic that it'd be done in early 2008, and said it's playable now. I think Too Human is much more likely to end up in DNF-territory than Spore is.

[Kevinroc]

With the stage builder, you're still using the basic components of the game. Again, it will be fun, and I think it's a great addition, but it still sounds like an update that should have been in an earlier version of the series in the first place. The question is whether the player-created stages can do things that the default stages can't do.

Ultimately, the gaming year will not be awesome for one game alone. I reserve any final judgment, though, until I actually play Brawl. Just pointing out that the bandwagon could be incorrect on a couple of counts.

I can certainly understand not wanting to get swept up in the hype but I think you're being a little too cautious with regards to Brawl.

[BYC]

Spore has the potential. But a game as vague and ambitious have only two results, a hit that defines the genre, or a flop full of promising ideas.

Does anybody remember Creatures? I can't remember how well the AI "learned" as the game promised. Was the Sims better in that regard?

[Serik]

Spore has the potential. But a game as vague and ambitious have only two results, a hit that defines the genre, or a flop full of promising ideas.

Does anybody remember Creatures? I can't remember how well the AI "learned" as the game promised. Was the Sims better in that regard?

Well, Spore is pretty much creating its own genre (even if the genre is a mashup on several other types of games). But given the huge success of The Sims and Wright's credentials, expectations are certainly high (perhaps unrealistically so), and that makes disappointment more likely.

[Thorlief]

improving a fighting game is nearly impossible. You basically have people who fight. Everything else is obviously bells and whistles

in a platform there are like 5478563249869283 more gameplay elements. I see where you're coming from, Jesse, and I understand that some of the stuff in Brawl doesn't look revolutionary. But then again, how would you improve a fighting game?


At least they learnt from Twilight Princess? Or, as I call it, "the game that will make you want to rip open your wiimote and replace that awful tinny speaker".


I always have it turned off. It annoys the crap outta me, and it sucks batteries like a freaking vacuum

Looks like they're really learning it. First Galaxy with its orgasmic soundtrack, then Brawl. The only orchestrated track in TP was the one in the trailer just after the main screen, and it was effing uber.

[Black Atom]

Who cares if Brawl is "revolutionary"? If it's anything like Melee, it'll be more fun than Galaxy. Really, I think the only way to possibly improve the Smash Bros formula is kickass online support. Brawl is still hampered by friend codes, but I still expect it to an awesome, awesome game and am a lot more excited about it than I was for Galaxy.

[Xevious]

I haven't read this thread at all but I know for a fact that we're getting burnout paradise and smash bros. brawl. Those by themselves make it impossible for the year to be a dissapointment.

[SpydaWeb]

I think if the games can make their projected deadlines, 2008 will have considerably more great games than this year.

[Kevinroc]

Who cares if Brawl is "revolutionary"? If it's anything like Melee, it'll be more fun than Galaxy. Really, I think the only way to possibly improve the Smash Bros formula is kickass online support. Brawl is still hampered by friend codes, but I still expect it to an awesome, awesome game and am a lot more excited about it than I was for Galaxy.

I actually don't understand how, if you like Smash Bros., you could not be looking forward to Brawl. This is the game Sakurai has wanted to make since the N64 Smash Bros. The original Smash was "low-budget" (whatever constitutes low-budget for Nintendo) game originally intended to be released only in Japan as a niche title. And this little "niche" title sold over a million copies in Japan thus leading to the worldwide release.

Melee was a forgone conclusion at that point. But unlike the original Smash, this one had an actual "budget" to it. It also had huge deadlines. The game was rushed to make it out for Christmas 2001. This is why there are so many "clone" characters.

But now Sakurai has a big budget and isn't under quite as much of a rush to get it out. Nintendo has basically given him carte blanche. While his bosses want some characters in the game (like Mario and Link), he can basically put in whoever he wants. And he's basically putting in characters that fans want. He didn't have to use Ike or Diddy Kong. Fans wanted those characters in.

Explaining why people are excited about Brawl is simple. Talented creator + popular franchise + budget + development time = highly anticipated game.

[Wesley Dodds]

I always have it turned off. It annoys the crap outta me, and it sucks batteries like a freaking vacuum

Looks like they're really learning it. First Galaxy with its orgasmic soundtrack, then Brawl. The only orchestrated track in TP was the one in the trailer just after the main screen, and it was effing uber.

Yeah, I've turned off the wiimote speaker. Of course, I'm not playing Twilight Princess at the moment; Metroid Prime 3 comes first.

Just after getting a wii I bought a component cable for it. Even on a TV without high-def it really does make a difference to the picture quality.

[Fatguy]

I dunno about the prospects of 08, but man, this was a REALLY good year for gamers.

[Thorlief]

Yeah, I've turned off the wiimote speaker. Of course, I'm not playing Twilight Princess at the moment; Metroid Prime 3 comes first.

Just after getting a wii I bought a component cable for it. Even on a TV without high-def it really does make a difference to the picture quality.

having a non HDTV is the better option when it comes to Wii, trust me

[Wesley Dodds]

having a non HDTV is the better option when it comes to Wii, trust me

Well, the widescreen would be nice for Twilight Princess.

[Tadhg]

My Wii looks best on my in-law's Samsung 30" CRT HDTV. It does 480p beautifully. I almost bought one for myself, but the 100 lbs. weight made me decide against it.

[Thorlief]

Well, the widescreen would be nice for Twilight Princess.

woops I meant non LCD lol..like Tahdg said, a CRT HDTV works wonderfully

[DaeJi]

Isn't Fable 2 coming out in 2008? Because I'm going to all over that like Deadpool on a fat chick.

[Alex]

I think Spore has the potential to be more revolutionary than Mario Galaxy, but it also has the chance to be a flop. And an even bigger chance of not getting released in 2008.

But if it comes out...
Spore, Fallout 3, Starcraft 2, WoW expansion 2.
I'm going to get more videogames in next year than this year, which means it's probably going to be a better year for me.
Sequels to my favorite game series ever, my second favorite game serious ever, and the only game that beats my addiction to cigarettes.

[Ramiel]

Isn't Fable 2 coming out in 2008? Because I'm going to all over that like Deadpool on a fat chick.

Er, it's suppose to, but with the way the original Fable was with delays and scheduling, I think it's kind of a wait and see situation

[J Dog]

I think Spore has the potential to be more revolutionary than Mario Galaxy, but it also has the chance to be a flop. And an even bigger chance of not getting released in 2008.

"Five bucks that 'Spore' never gets released!"- Homer Simpson in "The Simpsons Game"

Yeah. Spore can cut both ways. It can be the best game ever, because it allows you to raise microbes up to the level where you are the big dog of the universe and can either place monoliths on fledgling worlds or destroy them with carbon dioxide. But it can be the worst game ever, because the game modes strongly differ as you advance, leaving you with having to cope. Also, it may have been too big for Will Wright.

I'm considering that they would just cancel "Too Human". More likely than not, any game that's been in development for almost a decade should have been scrapped.

If the Wii didn't have the dumb friend codes, the Brawl would be the system's (and maybe the seventh generation's) monster game, meaning a LOT of people would buy it.

[Agent Helix]

Will Wright's never let me down before, and they all CLAIM that Spore will be released by April. We'll see what happens there. If it lives up to half of its promise, it's going to be a major achievement in gaming, and possibly the first step into the true "next-gen" of user created content gaming.

[J Dog]

Will Wright's never let me down before, and they all CLAIM that Spore will be released by April. We'll see what happens there. If it lives up to half of its promise, it's going to be a major achievement in gaming, and possibly the first step into the true "next-gen" of user created content gaming.

I'm hoping Spore comes out. I'd buy the DS version. If it does come out, it'd be a monumental achievment.

[Agent Helix]

I don't think a DS version of Spore would be worth buying, given the limitations of the hardware.

[J Dog]

I don't think a DS version of Spore would be worth buying, given the limitations of the hardware.

If it's solely devoted to Galactic mode, then I would buy it.

[Agent Helix]

Then it wouldn't really be Spore, would it? If it was just the galactic mode, all it would be would be a simple arcade game.

[J Dog]

Then it wouldn't really be Spore, would it? If it was just the galactic mode, all it would be would be a simple arcade game.

Yeah.

But let's focus on some of the other games for now, shall we?

[jesse_custer]

Just to clear something up, I didn't imply that I wasn't excited about Brawl, and I also said it would be awesome. However, I'm trying to look at this game with context. In other words, if it doesn't improve on the previous entry that much, then I would consider the previous Smash Bros. the superior game. If you simply don't care about context or originality, then just ignore what I'm saying.

improving a fighting game is nearly impossible. You basically have people who fight. Everything else is obviously bells and whistles

in a platform there are like 5478563249869283 more gameplay elements. I see where you're coming from, Jesse, and I understand that some of the stuff in Brawl doesn't look revolutionary. But then again, how would you improve a fighting game?

Change the way the game feels and plays is the simplest answer I can give. Sure, both Street Fighter II and III are 2D fighters with people beating the crap out of each other. However, the parrying system in III ended up being much more than bells and whistles. In other words, if a player could master the new system, he would be able to kill anyone using the old strategies from II. Additionally, forcing the player to choose only one super attack from a list of three offers an element of strategy that the previous Street Fighter games didn't really have.

So as you can see, I'm not asking for much. You could argue that the improvements in Street Fighter III were minor, but they actually changed the way veterans had to play Street Fighter. Basically, I detest most games that foster comfort zones (e.g., the Halo series).

Who cares if Brawl is "revolutionary"? If it's anything like Melee, it'll be more fun than Galaxy. Really, I think the only way to possibly improve the Smash Bros formula is kickass online support. Brawl is still hampered by friend codes, but I still expect it to an awesome, awesome game and am a lot more excited about it than I was for Galaxy.

Well, I can't share the same sentiment. Again, context is key here. Looking at the previous 10 years, there have been plenty of great fighters, whereas platformers have been rather disappointing. "Galaxy" changed the latter. "Brawl" probably won't improve on the former.

For Christ's sake, "Galaxy" challenges convention after convention and ends up succeeding on every level. If you can't see why that makes it better than a fighting sequel--assuming that the sequel in question doesn't improve upon its predecessor that much--then I guess we have different philosophies about quality video games in general.

[Serik]

Will Wright's never let me down before, and they all CLAIM that Spore will be released by April. We'll see what happens there. If it lives up to half of its promise, it's going to be a major achievement in gaming, and possibly the first step into the true "next-gen" of user created content gaming.

Yeah, the best part about Spore is the user-created content. Theoretically, there will be virtually unlimited content to explore in game. Spore downloads other people's entire civilizations on the fly and imports them into your universe. The best part is that entire civilizations can be modeled with only a few KB of data. Massively single player online game as Wright called it.

[Alex]

Yeah, the best part about Spore is the user-created content.


We haven't even got a demo yet, can you really say what the best part is?

[asloveislost]

To me, online capabilities have nothing to do with the actual game. Just bells and whistles. Orchestrated music will be great, though. However, I'll be looking for gameplay differences in particular. In other words, I doubt it will make the leap that Galaxy made from Sunshine and ... everything else ever made.

Sunshine was pretty horrible, not to say that Galaxy isn't a great game though (i haven't played it yet but it looks awesome)

[asloveislost]

To me, online capabilities have nothing to do with the actual game. Just bells and whistles. Orchestrated music will be great, though. However, I'll be looking for gameplay differences in particular. In other words, I doubt it will make the leap that Galaxy made from Sunshine and ... everything else ever made.

Sunshine was pretty horrible, not to say that Galaxy isn't a great game though (i haven't played it yet but it looks awesome)

[Laughing Mask]

well jericho was a dissapointment.

and timeshift.

and manhunt 2.

and assassins creed.

[Donald M.]

Sunshine was pretty horrible, not to say that Galaxy isn't a great game though (i haven't played it yet but it looks awesome)

I wouldn't say horrible. It has its moments. No denying it's quite a departure for the series though.

[Black Atom]

Well, I can't share the same sentiment. Again, context is key here. Looking at the previous 10 years, there have been plenty of great fighters, whereas platformers have been rather disappointing. "Galaxy" changed the latter. "Brawl" probably won't improve on the former.

For Christ's sake, "Galaxy" challenges convention after convention and ends up succeeding on every level. If you can't see why that makes it better than a fighting sequel--assuming that the sequel in question doesn't improve upon its predecessor that much--then I guess we have different philosophies about quality video games in general.

We've batted this particular ball back and forth before, I believe, and differing philosophies is what it pretty much boils down to. Unless something goes terribly wrong, I'll still be playing Brawl long after I've finished Galaxy, which counts for lots more than how revolutionary it is. That's not a shot against Galaxy, just a testament to the fact that you after years of playing, I can still eke out little ways to make competition just a little fiercer in Melee.

For the sake of argument, though, a lot of the stuff people are raving about in Galaxy and calling revolutionary ("crazy" gravity/physics and the like) had been done in the 3D Sonic games for the Dreamcast, which had woefully under-recognized 3D level designs.

[jesse_custer]

I played those Sonic games, and "Galaxy" definitely takes it to another level, and another, and another. You're talking to someone who has been waiting for a truly different and great platformer for a long time.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

As far as I can tell, next year we'll be getting:

Ninja Gaiden II.
Brütal Legend.
StarCraft II.
Fable 2.
Spore.
Viking: Battle For Asgard (which looks really nice).
Metal Gear Solid 4.
GTAIV.
SC: Conviction.
Devil May Cry 4.
Silent Hill V.
Resident Evil 5.
Alone In The Dark.
FFXIII (at least one of the planned games, I guess).

So, I'd say 2008's gonna be another good year in gaming.

BTW, have there been any news regarding Gears Of War 2?