100 Best Selling Games of 2008 (JPN)
Some thoughts -
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G for the PSP came in first, with 2,452,111 copies sold in 2008. Portable games (DS and PSP) dominate the top hundred, bearing witness to the astounding popularity of portable gaming here in Japan. In fact, the DS accounts for 47 entries, with the top selling being Pokemon Platina (2,187,337). It's good to be Nintendo.
The Wii also has a strong showing, with 5 games in the top 10. It continues to appeal to the casual gaming crowd, but I wonder where it can go from here. Still, its good to be Nintendo.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is the top selling game for the PS3, coming in at number 11 (686,254), which is quite impressive considering the mature theme of the game.
To say that the Xbox360 did not have an impressive year in Japan would be a massive understatement. Only one game featured in the top 100, Tales of Vesperia, coming in at number 84. This is in stark contrast to the popularity of the system in other markets.
There are a couple of DS holdovers from 2005!!! that make an impressive appearance. Topping this select group is Mario Kart DS at number 16, which despite being released in December 2005, managed to shift a further 621,890 copies in 2008.
Despite my best efforts, no Sega Saturn titles made it onto the list.
Gaming in 2008 - Little Big Planet
With the exception of the Sonic The Hedgehog series, I have never been a big platformer fan. However, Little Big Planet came highly recommended and I wanted a fun multiplayer game for over the Holidays, so I picked up a copy. Im glad I did.
This game is great fun. I have been playing two player story mode and have really enjoyed it, especially the character customization. It reminds me of the TV show, The Mighty Boosh, which I love. Although it does borrow some of its stylistic elements from other media, as a video game it is very original and refreshing.
Its also a game that you can keep playing over and over. There is always the challenge of trying to get every item on each level, and the Metal Gear Solid Gamepack adds yet more content, with other packs set to follow. The online aspects of the game are also very impressive. There are thousands of levels designed by fellow gamers, adding infinite challenges to the LBP universe.
On the downside, at times LBP can be a little frustrating. The camera can make multiplayer more difficult than it should be and there are issues with moving smoothly between the foreground and background of the levels. This is particularly bothersome on the MGS stages.
I am yet to try designing a level of my own, though once I'm finished with the story mode, I think i will give it a try. This should add further hours to a game that I have already had fun with.
Though not without it's problems, LBP was one of the best reasons in 2008 to own a PS3.
Gaming in 2008 - GTA IV
There is little I can say about this game that hasn't already been commented upon a million times already. So I'll keep it short.
Grand Theft Auto was a massive success on all fronts, further expanding the global appeal of video games and making a lot of money in the process.
In the past, I have played and enjoyed other entries in the GTA series. But, there was always one knock on these games. I would get to the point where the missions and storyline no longer held my attention, at which point I would resort to causing random havoc across the city. This is always fun at first, but it gets old quickly. Once I abandoned the narrative, I wouldn't return to it, and soon after I would abandon the game entirely. However, this never happened to me in GTAIV.
The interesting characters and strength of narrative meant that I never wandered too far from the main drive of the story. I was hooked on this game until the very end. There is so much to do and so many different ways to do it. The city looks amazing, the music is great and there are so many small things to discover. I could go on.
Some of the missions were a little repetitive and its not a game that i'm likely to play again. I think its a one time experience, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. But with these small points aside, GTAIV is a standout game and is more than deserving of all the praise that it has received.
Gaming in 2008 - Fallout 3
Fallout 3 is another game that has featured heavily in "best of 2008" discussions. A massive action RPG set in a post apocalyptic America, Fallout 3 is a very open ended adventure.
I had never intended to pick up this title. However, one day I saw a discounted copy in Akihabara, and with it's impressive reviews in mind, I decided to give it a go.
My Fallout 3 experience lasted a a little over 10 hours, at which point I gave up. This was partly out of frustration, as I had managed to wander far from where I was supposed to be going. But, more importantly, its was due to a general disinterest in the game.
I found the combat system somewhat dull. The VATS system was fun at first, allowing you to target and execute weapon attacks in slow motion, but it quickly wore off. Although I only really scratched the surface of the game, I had already become disappointed with the lack of variety of enemies.
The Fallout world is huge, and you are free to wander and converse as you please. However, the post apocalyptic setting results in a very dreary looking environment, and not one that I had any overwhelming desire to explore.
It wasn't all doom and gloom. I really liked many of the stylistic elements of the game such as the Jazz soundtrack and the 1950's presentation. The voice acting was also impressive, provided by well known actors such as Liam Neeson and Ron Perlman.
I also savoured the level of character customization and the Karma System added an interesting spin to the game.
Ultimately, I found it very difficult to get into Fallout 3 and discarded it well before I would have liked. My opinion of this game should of course be taken with a grain of salt, as 10 hours only enabled me to scratch the surface of a huge and complex game. Still, what I did see didn't particularly endear me to Fallout 3, though I saw enough promise to keep me interested in having another go in the future.
Gaming in 2008 - Dead Space
SPOILERS
Dead Space is an absolute nightmare. And I mean that in the best possible sense.
Dripping with atmosphere and containing more jump-out-of-your-seat moments than you can shake a mechanical mining saw at, Dead Space is well worth playing. But be warned, as you would expect from a game that features a dismemberment combat system, its a bloody experience.
There is a real feeling of dread when you guide the main protagonist, Isaac Clarke into a dimly lit room, never knowing what form of monstrosity is going to wander in. The audio is suitably unnerving and you will be constantly listening out for any sounds that may give away the approach of the necromorphs.
Dead Space also features a refreshing new way of displaying your characters health and attributes. You only need to glance at the display on Isaac's back to see if he needs medical attention. This avoids the need to pause the game, leaving the atmosphere undisturbed. In fact, when you do need to enter a menu, to swap weapons etc, the game does not pause, meaning you are still susceptible to attack. 
The lack of breathers keep you constantly on edge. This does wonders for the atmosphere, but also contributes to one of my few gripes. I never played this game for particularly long sessions. I would play for 30 minutes, then move onto something more relaxing. While this is indeed a credit to the games design and atmosphere, it would also suggest that the story and or gameplay was never so engrossing that I couldnt bear to put it down.
Dead Space is also a little repetitive. The levels all look remarkably similar and the mission objectives are far from awe inspiring. The ending didnt really satisfy, but each to their own.
Aside form these small points, Dead Space is an easy game to recommend, especially if you enjoy the survival horror genre. While never quite reaching the heights of Resident Evil 4, its still one of the best games of 2008.
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