The Count | Best Of 2008

Braid (XBLA)

Braid is incredible. It was, in my opinion, the best game of 2008, and one of two (maybe 3) "perfect 10s" I've ever played. From its ingenious time-manipulating gameplay to its emotionally powered story to its beautiful audio and visuals, I have trouble finding any way to fault this masterpiece. While most puzzle games wear out their welcome in a matter of days (or less), Braid's puzzle/platform action is still one of my go-to titles on a rainy day (or any day, for that matter), because it is so much more than your everyday gaming experience.

Penumbra: Black Plague (PC)

Penumbra is probably not something you'd expect to find on this sort of list, as it is a relatively obscure PC title from a tiny Swedish development studio, and was released very early in the year. Nevertheless, this combat-less first-person horror adventure did so many things so well that it is impossible to ignore. The Lovecraftian atmosphere delivered a genuinely frightful experience (something rare in gaming), the physics-based puzzles were clever and engaging, and the story and characters had depth and meaning uncommon to the medium at large. Black Plague was simply excellent.

Fallout 3 (PC)

Bethesda's done it again. If Fallout 3 was just "Oblivion with guns," that'd be enough, but it's much more than that. The game refines the mechanics of its predecessor while adding the entirely new aspects of gameplay necessary to do justice to the cherished Fallout license. It may have cut back on the lore of Oblivion, but for everything taken out, something equally as impressive was added.

Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)

Oh Kojima. Although he could be called the Jackson Pollak of videogame designers, the end result of his throw-everything-at-'em approach to storytelling is truly epic. There has never been a game that could rival MGS4's meticulously directed cinematography, and the heavy themes found therein are also somewhat unprecedented. As a game (because it's true that much of it plays like a semi-interactive film), MGS4 mixes it up with a variety of gameplay, and always keeps things interesting. By the time this game is over, players feel like they've just taken part in something monumentally historic, and in a way, they have.

Mirror's Edge (360, PS3)

I'll admit that I am both a bit of a neophile and a whore for climbing and acrobatics, so when a game like Mirror's Edge comes out, it seems tailor-made for someone like me. This parkour-based first-person platformer doesn't dial down the excitement, because even during the moments Faith isn't being chased by squads of riot-ready guards, the free-flowing gameplay builds a sense of motion and momentum that keeps your hands glued to the controller and your eyes fixated on the action. The minimalist Orwellian plot set an intriguing stage for the action, as well, even if the main story arc wasn't exactly the most compelling narrative. In any case, this one was tough to put down.

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

I named it "Best of E3 2008," and LittleBigPlanet remains one of the best games of the entire year. There is limitless fun to be had with this game, be it via offline solo play, online co-op, level-building, or even simply customizing and re-customizing your Sackboy as you scour each level for new items, stickers, and decorations. The best part, though, is the fact that the game never ends, as members of the community are constantly conjuring up new content that is arguably better than the core game itself. LittleBigPlanet is the closest thing to a virtual toy that I've seen in the videogame world, and never fails to put a smile on my face.

Honorable mentions: Too Human, Persona 4, God of War: Chains of Olympus, Left 4 Dead

Taking Risks: The Expansion Of An Artform

As the videogame industry marches eternally into the realm of increasingly sophisticated technology, creating videogames that push the envelope and take full advantage of the resources available to developers becomes ever more costly -- a fact of life that developers and publishers never hesitate to point out.

Claims that a game needs to sell at least X-hundred-thousand copies in order to simply break even are common, and complaints about unoriginal game content are often rebutted with evidence that consumers more often than not tend to play it safe and go with what they are familiar with when it comes time to cash out at the register. Whether the average game consumer is indeed the same man, woman, boy, or girl whose passion for the pursuit of gaming excellence drives them to complain about these seeing-eye sequels and copycat productions is up for debate, but in any case, the dissonance between critical and fiscal demand is quite evident. But that is for another discussion.

In 2008, we have seen a great many rehashes of old titles -- the numbers 2, 3, 4, and beyond adorned many retail packages this year -- but we have also seen games that represent great leaps of faith on the part of developers and publishers. I personally praised games like Penumbra: Black Plague, Patapon, Braid, Too Human, and Mirror's Edge for challenging traditional gaming archetypes and delivering truly innovative gameplay experiences, and sincerely hope that the positive response to these games far outweigh the negative, encouraging their creators to continue exploring ways to expand the definition of videogames. They may not please every gamer, but these games are essential to the industry's growth.

Ubisoft's Prince of Persia producer Ben Mattes seems to agree, and even cited Mirror's Edge as a big risk-taker in 2008. In a recent interview, he expressed his disappointment at the lack of recognition his studio received for the "high level risks" involved in the acrobatic platformer's development.

"In terms of us taking a shot and missing, I guess I would have to go a little higher level here and speak about risks in general.

For years we've all been reading complaints about sequels and companies churning out carbon copies of proven formulas without focusing on innovation or taking risks. Fans, developers and critics alike seemed ravenous for new ideas -- new IPs; major innovations -- advances in this art-tertainment (I'm trying to coin a new term here ;)) form we all love.

We tried to really embrace this challenge on PoP. We set out to keep a few core fundamentals but to re-imagine everything else, discarding some very well entrenched ideas not only about the brand but also about videogames in general (and we weren't alone. EA took some major risks this year with new IP and innovations - Mirror's Edge and Dead Space, for example).

What surprises me is how little these high level risks seem to be noticed and appreciated as attempts to shake up the industry and push things forward. Perhaps I'm an idealist, but I think perhaps I was expecting a few more virtual pats-on-the-back for our attempts to do something new.

Whether this means we didn't totally succeed in our risk taking or whether our industry in fact has a stronger appetite for the familiar then it wants to admit remains to be seen. Honestly I hope it is the former."

Yes, studios should be recognized for their efforts to elevate the medium to new plateaus, but what exactly constitutes a thorough attempt to achieve this sort of groundbreaking development? What determines whether a specific design decision is merely a change from the established formula, or if it is indeed a "major risk" in the creative process? How do we define the term "risk" as it relates to videogame development?

Blurring the lines between genres, infusing topics typically reserved for purely academic discourse and analysis, introducing previously unimagined and untested gameplay mechanics, presenting a product whose meaning is entirely subject to audience interpretation; these are risks -- design elements that take gamers out of their comfort zone and reach into unexplored territory.

Did Prince of Persia ever really push the envelope in such a way? Eliminating consequences for gamers' mistakes was a bold move, but it never felt like a monumental change; the game did not represent a paradigm shift, and it certainly didn't fundamentally alter the way people think of videogames. I do applaud Ubisoft for their efforts with Prince of Persia, but Elika was not revolutionary.

If anything, she took the "risk" right out of the game. :-p

The Lessons Of Braid: Time And Life

Gamers needn't read reviews for the new Xbox Live Arcade game, Braid. This masterpiece is a must-buy, and costs less than a third of the price of most games on the console. It's a no-brainer; start your downloads.

Braid is one example of exactly where videogames should be headed. Like the finest works of literature--poetry, short stories, novels--the game allows the audience to extract meaning from the collection of artwork, words, and gameplay, interpreting the content in a variety of ways. Though there were certainly very specific topics that designer Jonathan Blow aimed to address with this phenomenal game, each player may come away from it with something slightly different from everyone else--personalized lessons and meaning.

This game is one about life, love, relationships, identity, introspection, and time, and the following is but one set of lessons to be drawn from it, as experienced by but one gamer:

Time and Forgiveness

As I discussed in my column entitled Second Chances, Braid's time-manipulating gameplay mechanics grant players the ability to take back what has been done and try again--to have our mistakes forgiven. As perfect as that may sound, and as much as we may like to do so, we can't un-live the events of our lives. However, what we take away from each trial, each error, is the knowledge to do things right--lessons that serve us in the future. While there may be no second chances--no going back in time--in real life, we can still substitute the un-successes that remain in memory with new approaches to similar circumstances that arise in the present moment.

Time and Mystery

Reversing the events of the past in our own minds does little to prevent the march of time from continuously moving forward. Dwelling on these memories can cause us to miss out on present events, becoming completely oblivious to them as they play out. They fall beyond our reach because we are trapped in retrospection. As the time-immune items and enemies of Braid will tell you, turning back the clock in our mental space or finding forgiveness for our actions gone awry, some things will never be forgotten, reversed, or redone. They are written in permanent ink.

Time and Place

In Braid's fourth world, time only moves forward as Tim, too, is moving forward. Likewise, regressing causes the rest of the world to rewind. Doors can only be unlocked from one direction, as well. If we hang on to the past, revisiting the times and places in our memories, no progress can be made and no growth sustained. Only while moving forward through our lives will the world around us also evolve. Barriers/obstacles can never be surmounted by approaching them retrospectively, but taking positive steps towards them with solutions in hand will grant us passage.

Time and Decision

Our actions leave permanent impressions on the pages of existence. Even after reversing time in this portion of Braid, a shadow of what we have done remains, and repeats those actions over again--affecting the world in both its past and present states. Our actions are not forgotten, but besides serving as reminders and lessons in our own mental spheres, they also continue to produce consequences in the present, oftentimes playing parts in lengthy chain reactions--undercurrents to the rest of our daily lives.

Hesitance

In one's own mind, everything surrounding a particular event, person, place, etc. can be isolated and "protected" from the influence of reality. This prevents us from ever making progress with that particular topic. When we become entrapped by those memories, we are crippled as well--prevented from advancing through life in a healthy way. As we move away from the subject matter that we have made stagnant, we become liberated, allowed to move forward uninhibited. In order to be free, we must discard the parts of ourselves that have become paralyzed.

By no means do my words encompass the full gamut of what Braid has to offer; it will say different things to different people, and the only way to truly understand is by playing it. If you have played the game, do you agree with me? Do you have your own interpretations? Do you think there is more? Do you think there is less? If you haven't played the game, you must.