The most interesting games released in 2008
All the best and most popular games of the year, upcoming releases, and hits from the past. Use filters to narrow down search.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Action
April 29, 2008
The fourth installment in a best-selling action game franchise. The title was developed by Rockstar North Studios under the supervision of Chris Sawyer. The protagonist of Grand Theft Auto IV is Niko Bellic, an immigrant from Eastern Europe who recently came to America, where he starts a career in the criminal underground. The sandbox gameplay model gives the player much freedom in exploration of Liberty City, a virtual metropolis, where you can move around using various vehicles (cars, motorbikes, and helicopters, among others). How the story unfolds depends on the player’s choices regarding order in which the missions are completed. Apart from single player gameplay, Grand Theft Auto IV offers online or LAN multiplayer for up to 32 people.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
Action
September 5, 2008
A prequel to 2007's S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl - an action game set in a post-apocalyptic reality and created by GSC Game World - a Ukrainian developer. The plot is set a year before the events shown in the original game and focuses on a mercenary called Scar. While escorting a group of scientists, Scar witnesses a massive energy emission kill the members of his team before being knocked out by it. The protagonist wakes up at a camp belonging to an organization called Clear Sky. The player's task is to discover the secrets of the Zone and find out what causes the mysterious phenomena. The game world was both expanded and modified to an increased degree. The player completes assignments for one of six factions, gathering completely new weapons and useful artifacts. The latter can be sold or used for private purposes. The game introduces changes mainly to visuals, interface and both the PDA and inventory menus. The multiplayer mode was improved as well - up to 32 players can meet within a session.
Fallout 3
RPG
October 28, 2008
The third installment in the popular series of post-apocalyptic cRPGs. Bethesda Softworks, best known for The Elder Scrolls series, took the reins of the production. The main story arc focuses on the search for our character’s father. During the journey, the main protagonist, called the Lone Wanderer, learns of Project Purity, which could provide water for the inhabitants of the Wasteland. The developers have designed several variants of the main campaign's end, depending on the choices made by the player. They remained faithful to the extensive system of character’s attributes, S.P.E.C.I.A.L., known from the previous games in the Fallout series. The gameplay, however, is characteristic of action games, and features dynamic combat sequences. The three-dimensional visuals of Fallout 3 are generated by the Gamebryo engine.
Drakensang: The Dark Eye
RPG
August 1, 2008
A classic RPG developed by Radon Labs, based on the narrative RPG system Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye). The game takes place in a fantasy realm called Aventuria, where an epic adventure awaits – during the game the player will visit not only the center of the continent called Middenrealm, but more exotic areas as well. Before the beginning of the game, the player first creates his character that is described by various traits and parameters. These parameters later impact the ways the player can interact with the surrounding world. The protagonist’s skills are supplemented by the abilities of his allies, who can be recruited during the game – they are especially helpful on the battlefield. The battles are played in real-time and the game offers an active pause. The success is determined based on the traits, skills and weapons of party members. Drakensang: The Dark Eye puts great emphasis on conversations with NPCs and on completing quests. The title features colorful graphics that are nice to watch, and a climatic soundtrack.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
Strategy
March 4, 2008
Another stand-alone expansion for the real-time strategy Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War that was released in 2004. The Soulstorm expansion adds one new story campaign for the game. It encompasses the the entire Kaurava system that consists of four planets and three moons. A conflict between nine factions starts in that area. They all intend to examine the eponymous anomaly. The expansion adds two previously unavailable factions. The first one are the Dark Eldar, corrupt pirates and slavers. The second are the Sisters of Battle who are absolutely loyal to the Emperor. In addition to that, each side of the conflict received new units (including, for the first time in the series, aerial vehicles). Multiplayer was improved as well. Now it has new maps and a reward system based on achievements.
Far Cry 2
Action
October 21, 2008
A first-person shooter and a sequel to the groundbreaking hit released in 2004. Far Cry 2 was developed by Ubisoft Montreal, who took the mantle after Crytek Studios. The plot of the game revolves around a civil war in a small African country rich in diamonds. The player becomes a mercenary sent with a mission to eliminate Jackal, a dangerous weapon dealer whose illegal activities led to the escalation of the conflict. The task becomes much more complicated when the protagonist becomes afflicted with Malaria and finds himself in constant need of medications. The gameplay retain its sandbox style and provides the player with almost complete freedom when it comes to completing objectives and world exploration. In comparison to the first installment in the series, Far Cry 2 offers improved enemy AI and graphics that fully utilize the potential of DirectX 10 libraries.
Dracula: Origin
Adventure
May 20, 2008
Dracula: Beginning is an adventure game will keep you in a truly gothic, and therefore dark style. The studio Frogwares is responsible for its preparation, with positions with a well-known nineteenth-century detective in the leading roles (including The Mystery of the Mummy and Sherlock Holmes and the mystery of the silver earring) and games prepared on the canvas of Juliusz Verna's work (Journey to the Interior of the Earth and 80 Days).
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
Strategy
October 28, 2008
After the success achieved by the third installment in the Command & Conquer series, EA Los Angeles began to work on a sequel to the Red Alert subseries developed in parallel with the franchise's main installments. Again, the players are thrown into an alternative reality, where the leaders of the Soviet Union decided to travel back in time in order to make Russia great again. However, apart from the Allied Forces, standing in their way this time is a new superpower established in the eastern part of the globe - the Empire of the Rising Sun. Each of the three entities involved in the conflict received its own story campaign consisting of 9 missions. Importantly, the campaigns can be played both in the singleplayer and co-op modes. Depending on the faction chosen, the player takes control of different, but also unusual, combat units falling into three categories: ground, air and naval ones. Among them, the player will find floating islands, transformable tanks or armed animals, such as dolphins or bears for example. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 once again utilizes the SAGE engine, providing the players with high-quality visuals.
Stronghold: Crusader Extreme
Strategy
May 28, 2008
A refreshed version of Stronghold Crusader, a 2002 strategy game. The new edition was developed by the creators of the original game – Firefly Studios. The game starts when the story of the first Stronghold ended and player is once again moved to the times of the medieval crusades that were supposed to reclaim the holy city of Jerusalem from the hands of the infidels. The player is tasked with creating a powerful army of knights and leading it against the infidels from the East. Gameplay mechanics haven’t changed, only new tactical options were introduced, giving the player greater control over the battle. New maps and units that once were available only in special edition of the game were added as well. The new edition uses improved engine of the original title, allowing for up to ten thousand units to fight simultaneously. The game has improved compatibility with newer operating systems.
Call of Duty: World at War
Action
November 11, 2008
A spectacular first-person shooter (FPS) set during the Second World War. The game was developed by Treyarch, Activision’s subsidiary. It’s three-chapter campaign spans across the years 1942-1945, being set on Southern Pacific and the Eastern front. We observe the events from the perspectives of three soldier (two Americans and one Russian), and we get to take part in such military operations as the defense of Stalingrad or the Battle of Okinawa. As usual in the Call of Duty series, the missions are heavily scripted to make the action seem more cinematic. Gameplay boils down to shooting sequences, in which we use a variety of historical weapons. In addition to a single player campaign the game also includes online multiplayer with new game modes: co-op and Nazi Zombie.
Fable II
RPG
October 21, 2008
A full-fledged continuation of a third-person action RPG by Peter Molyneux, originally released in 2004 on Microsoft consoles. The story of Fable II is once again set in the fantasy land of Albion, but the action takes place roughly 500 years after the events of the original game, we assume the role of an ordinary inhabitant of Albion who, accompanied by his faithful dog, undertakes subsequent quests climbing up the social ladder and growing up to be one of the biggest heroes in the land. As far as gameplay mechanics are concerned, the title does not deviate significantly from the solutions of the original Fable, such as the character progression system which influences the character's appearances and alignment based on the decisions we had taken, gives us the ability to perform gestures that change NPCs’ attitude towards the protagonist, and the option to marry and have children.
Need for Speed: Undercover
Racing
November 18, 2008
After the slightly more realistic ProStreet, in which the players raced on professional racing circuits, the popular Need for Speed series returns to city streets with a traditional, arcade installment. Developed by a Canadian EA branch, Undercover puts a special emphasis on the storyline. As an undercover cop, the player has to infiltrate the ranks of a racing gang. To do so, they have to prove their worth in a series of driving challenges, including regular races, time trials, highway battles and outruns. As usual, the players receive a massive number of licensed cars which can be modified both visually, and in terms of their performance. The game's improved visuals and excitable soundtrack are complemented by cinematic cutscenes featuring mainly Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III) and Christina Milian - a singer.
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
RPG
November 18, 2008
The second official expansion pack for the role-playing game Neverwinter Nights 2, developed by Obsidian Entertainment. The armed conflict in Sword Coast was greatly exploited by many merchant companies, which have thus expanded their influence. In this time of unrest, your group of heroes can join the merchant and build a powerful trading empire. As opposed to the core game and its first expansion pack, Storm of Zehir has no linear plot and instead features a world teeming with life, which you are free to explore and influence by making various choices. Other new element include e.g. more spells, races and character classes, as well as some changes to the gameplay mechanics, such as the conversation system or the option to create your party from scratch and customize it with your preferred gameplay style in mind.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Action
October 21, 2008
Another game about adventures of Spider-Man, which as one of the few is not directly related to the plot of the movies and comics with Spider-Man. Game was created by Shaba Games studio in cooperation with Treyarch team, known mainly from Call of Duty series. The action takes place on the streets of New York, where as a result of a dangerous virus, the inhabitants were infected with a mysterious substance and a whole menagerie of dangerous mutants came into the world.
Dead Space (2008)
Action
October 14, 2008
A third-person survival horror action game developed by EA Redwood Shores. The plot of Dead Space is set in the distant future. The main protagonist, Isaac Clark, is given a task of investigating the situation on a mining ship that has just sent a distress signal. Upon arrival, he discovers that the entire crew is dead and the bodies of the dead miners are possessed by a parasitic race of necromorphs. Contrary to typical TPS games, the gameplay of Dead Space is primarily focused on building tension and the atmosphere or danger; shooting sequences that take place in zero gravity are of secondary importance. The terrifying atmosphere is empowered by the dark audiovisuals.
Crysis: Warhead
Action
September 16, 2008
A stand-alone expansion pack for the bestselling first-person perspective shooter developed by Crytek studio in 2007. The story of the game is based on the events that occurred in the original game but shows them from a different point of view, thus supplementing the story. In the game the player assumes the role of an ex-SAS soldier who is sent on a mission to reclaim what is feared to be a nuclear warhead. The North Korean forces are interested in the weapon as well. During the game the soldier faces not only enemy soldier, but merciless aliens as well. The latter are starting a terraforming process, turning the tropical island where the action takes place into an icy rock. The gameplay mechanics of the game are similar as in the original game, but the game is more focused on fights against bosses and enemy machines. The players can use two new weapons and previously unavailable vehicles. The multiplayer mode was enriched with new maps and team modes.
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath
Strategy
March 26, 2008
Official Command & Conquer 3 expansion produced in 2007 by the heirs of the original creators of the series from EA Los Angeles studio. The plot of the expansion focuses entirely on the actions of the Brotherhood of Nod and its charismatic leader Kane. Single player campaign was divided into 3 independent chapters, which action takes place over 20 years. The first one fills the gap between the first and the second part of the series, the next two appropriately complement and extend the story of the basic game.
Strike Fighters 2
Simulation
December 21, 2008
Strike Fighters 2 is the sequel to the 2002 Strike Fighters: Project 1 flight simulation. Players have the opportunity to take a seat in the cabin of one of three American fighters from the 1960s - F-100D Super Sabre, A-4 Skyhawk and F-4 Phantom II and face the pilots of such machines as MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, Su-7, Il-28, Tu-22, An-12, B-57B or O-1E. Developers from Third Wire Productions studio put great emphasis on faithful reproduction of aircraft models, as well as realism of air fights.
Trainz Simulator 2009
Simulation
November 27, 2008
Trainz Simulator 2009 is an extensive railway simulation, prepared by the development studio of Australian company Auran. The player has the opportunity to play the role of a driver and test his skills in driving multi-tone rail vehicles on a variety of routes. The creators took care of a functional editor, thanks to which you can also set your own paths.
Spore
Simulation
September 3, 2008
An unusual simulator, in which your objective is to bring to life a perfectly functioning species of organisms, starting from the lowest step on the evolution ladder. The game is developed by the legendary studio Maxis, led by Will Wright – the man responsible for such cult series as SimCity and The Sims. Mechanics combine elements of many game genres and each stage of your organism’s evolution offers a bit different quests and altered gameplay. Starting with the cell cycle and ending with a whole community, the game offers enormous scope of modification in regard to the appearance and other traits of your species. In later stages of evolution, the primitive organism gets a mouth, limbs, and other attributes that influence its ability to adapt and cope in various external conditions. With the game's progress, elements of competition with other species emerge and our, initially small, village becomes a huge metropolis with the newest technology.
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Action
August 31, 2008
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is a sequel to one of the biggest electronic-entertainment surprises of 2005. Initially, talented developers from Pandemic Studios decided to focus on only one console (PlayStation 3), but after signing a publishing agreement with Electronic Arts corporation, a version for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and PeCet was announced.
Race Driver: GRID
Racing
May 30, 2008
A racing game which is a direct continuation to the TOCA Touring Cars and TOCA Race Driver series developed by Codemasters. Contrary to the studio's other flagship franchise, DiRT, this game is focused on street and speedway races in which we sit behind the wheel of the most popular cars of the world, all of them licensed. The fun takes place in three different locations that offer us slightly different kinds of competition. With progress, we unlock new tournaments and vehicles. In the United States, we mostly race on the asphalt streets of American metropolises. In Europe, we compete primarily on speedways in such places as Donington, Silverstone, or Nurburgring. In Japan, drift is the most popular kind of races, taking place in cities and winding mountain roads. One of the title’s highlight is the realistic driving model. The game also features the DiRT series' replay system which allows us to rewind and retry a failed fragment of a race.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
Action
March 18, 2008
The sequel to the critically acclaimed tactical shooter Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas, the sixth installment in the best-selling series launched in 1998 by Red Storm Entertainment. In the game we return once again to the titular gambling city, and the storyline is quite closely connected with the story presented in the predecessor.
Devil May Cry 4
Action
February 5, 2008
A dynamic, third-person perspective action game, which is the fourth major installment in the hack and slash series by Capcom, mainly associated with SONY consoles. The plot in Devil May Cry 4 concentrates on the adventures of a completely new protagonist – Nero, a member of the Holy Knights. One day he witnesses a slaughter on his brothers carried out by Dante – the character known from the previous parts – and swears to avenge them. However, it turns out there is a second bottom to the whole thing and eventually both heroes join forces in order to face the common enemy. Mechanics-wise, the game hasn't changed significantly from the previous installments of the series and concentrates on dynamic fights with groups of opponents and difficult bosses. In combat Nero uses his sword and firearms. He also inherited an ability after his father, which for a short period of time transforms him into a demonic warrior with increased strength and endurance.
Prince of Persia
Adventure
December 2, 2008
Another installment in the bestselling Prince of Persia series, developed by Ubisoft since 2003. In terms of plot, the game is independent of the previous installments - it tells a completely new story. The protagonist has to face Ahriman - a Persian god of evil and darkness. The prince has to save the mythical Tree of Life by healing subsequent parts of the land poisoned by Ahriman and his allies. The protagonist is accompanied by Elika - daughter of the antagonist. She is a skilled magician and offers help during exploration, puzzle solving and combat. The gameplay emphasizes platformer elements - a typical aspect of the franchise. The protagonist can jump and climb almost anywhere, and he is capable of performing spectacular combos thanks to the improved combat system, useful especially when fighting more powerful enemies. The game offers an unusual art style, distinguishing it from its predecessors. This was achieved using the cel shading technique.
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
Action
September 23, 2008
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is the third development version of the well-known FPS tactical shooting series. Like the previous parts, Hell's Highway retreats players to 1944, throwing them into the vortex of the most eminent battles of World War II.
Euro Truck Simulator
Simulation
August 20, 2008
An arcade simulator of powerful trucks, developed by the experienced Czech studio SCS Software. Unlike the previous games created by this company (Hard Truck and 18 Wheels of Steel series), this title concentrates on European roads and vehicles, which were recreated with minute attention to detail. The gameplay focuses on traveling through Europe and delivering various types of cargo to selected destinations. During the missions the player visits streets of some famous European cities, including Rome, Berlin, Madrid and Prague. The cities feature their characteristic architecture and recognizable locations. The game is powered by the same engine that was used in the previous games developed by SCS, albeit greatly improved. Thanks to that, the routes are longer, the areas are larger and the vehicle models are even more detailed.
Cryostasis: Sleep of Reason
Action
December 5, 2008
Dark work of programmers from the Ukrainian Action Forms studio (creators of the Carnivores and Vivisector series, among others). This time we are dealing with a mixture of genres: the elements proper to shooters and action games are generously seasoned with the atmosphere of the best horror movies.
Left 4 Dead
Action
November 18, 2008
A co-op-oriented FPP action game and a unique combination of a Counter Strike-type shooter and survival horror. Left 4 Dead takes place in the apocalyptic United States, ravaged by a deadly virus, which got out of scientists' control and changes humans into bloodthirsty monsters. You play as one of the few survivors immune to the virus, and your task is to get out of a series of locations overrun by the mutants. However, you can either choose to stand on the other survivors' side (where 4 different characters are available) or join the mutants (where you can play as one of the four kinds of monsters with differing abilities). While the strength of the mutants lies mostly in their numbers, the survivors must cooperate closely with each other to win.
Motorm4x: Offroad Extreme
Racing
September 30, 2008
A racing game focused on the rallying of 4x4-powered cars. The main attraction of the game is the ability to choose any way to the destination marked on the map, using the GPS navigation system. The main attraction is an extensive career mode. The game starts with a small amount of cash and the player's task is to win the next competition. The funds raised are used for several different purposes.
Battlefield: Bad Company
Action
June 23, 2008
A first-person shooter game created for the users of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. It is a spin-off of the popular Battlefield series. Battlefield: Bad Company is set in 2014 and the game's plot is centered around a fictional conflict between the United States and the Russian Federation. In the story campaign, the player assumes the role of Private Preston Marlowe, who gets assigned to "B" Company of the 222nd U.S Army battalion. The squad, consisting of soldiers notorious for behavior considered inadequate for military service, gets assigned with missions nobody else is willing to take. Apart from the singleplayer mode, the game offers fully functional multiplayer component. The latter allows for online battles involving up to 24 players.
