Don’t miss our other 2008 Buyer’s Guides!
Sony PSP
Nintendo DS
Nintendo Wii
Microsoft Xbox 360
Multiplatform

Sony PlayStation 3

The PS3 might have gotten off to a slow start, but with 2008 being dubbed the “year of the PlayStation,” Sony has kicked their production into overdrive to ensure that fans have plenty of awesome exclusives to brag about and some truly innovative titles to enjoy. With Blu-Ray becoming huge and several big name titles ahead, such as God of War III, the future is looking good for Sony’s all-in-one wonderbox.

LittleBigPlanet
(Sony, 2008, Metacritic Score: 90)
Check out the TGR Review here!

Offering the biggest evolutionary step in the 2D platforming genre since Super Mario Bros, LittleBigPlanet offers a tremendous value for its paltry retail price. The core game takes established platforming conventions and adds exciting new mechanics like jetpacks, vehicles, and the ability to grab and pull objects. On top of a clever campaign overstuffed with lovingly-crafted visuals and brilliant set pieces, the game includes a full map creator that lets you build anything that your imagination can devise. As if this wasn’t enough, you can go online and download other people’s creations and even play through every map and mode with 4-player co-op. While the passion of the community will be the deciding factor in LBP’s legacy, the game itself is a wonderful achievement and can provide infinite hours of joy and entertainment.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots
(Konami, 2008, Metacritic Score: 94)
Check out the TGR Review here!

After years of tremendous hype, it seemed almost impossible for Metal Gear Solid 4 to live up to such high expectations. Somehow, Kojima Productions managed to deliver a game that did just that. Guide Old Snake through his final mission in a future where war is casually accepted and the Patriots control all. With a surprising amount of gameplay variety, finely-tuned controls, an excellent story, a full online multiplayer suite, and some of the most stunning graphics that you will ever see on a console, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a game that no PS3 owner should be without.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
(Sony, 2007, Metacritic Score: 89)

While the Ratchet and Clank series hadn’t changed much over the years, 2007’s Tools of Destruction brought all new levels of depth to the series. With fully upgradable weapons — including the Groovitron, which forces your opponents to dance themselves to death — a ton of new moves, fantastic voice acting, and jaw-dropping environments that range from Fifth Element-inspired cityscapes to pirate ships, Ratchet and Clank Future has a lot to offer for platforming fans of all ages.

Resistance 2
(Sony, 2008, Metacritic Score: 87)
Check out the TGR Review here!

Take the role of Nathan Hale as you attempt to hold off an alien invasion that has overrun most of the United States using a number of unique sci-fi weapons. Resistance 2 manages to take the solid foundation established in the original game and expand it with massive environments set in cities such as Chicago and San Francisco as well as putting you up against gargantuan, skyscraper-sized alien opponents looking to demolish a city. Offering a full single-player campaign, a separate 8-player cooperative campaign, and enormous 60-player competitive multiplayer battles, Resistance 2 offers a lot of gameplay in one tidy package.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
(Sony, 2007, Metacritic Score: 88)
Check out the TGR Review here!

Forget Lara Croft…Nathan Drake is the new king of tomb raiding. Travel through the ruins of an ancient civilization as you crawl, climb, and leap your way through a search for an ancient treasure. Uncharted offers a bevy of thrilling shootouts and stunningly detailed graphics that make each area feel alive, as well as Gears-style cover mechanics and thrilling platform/climbing gameplay that comes together to form a non-stop, 12-hour adventure that will leave you hungry for more.

Don’t miss our other 2008 Buyer’s Guides!
Sony PSP
Nintendo DS
Nintendo Wii
Microsoft Xbox 360
Multiplatform

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