2008 has proved to be another stellar year for gaming. It's incredible to think that last year's offerings have ostensibly been topped by nearly 12 months of relentless high-scoring game releases. While our final judgment on our own Game of the Year looms in next month's annual mega-blowout feature, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the highest scoring titles released from January through June of 2008. It's going to be interesting to see if any of these titles are still going to vie for the overall Game of the Year awards but stranger things have certainly happened.

Without further ado, here's some of the best games that you may have overlooked or completely forgotten about during this record manic run up to the end of the year.



June 2008

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)

Killer Quote: "Metal Gear Solid 4 is the best game on the PlayStation 3, as well as one of the finest titles we'll see this year."

Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars


Konami's Hideo Kojima finally brought the epic saga of Solid Snake to a close this year on the PlayStation 3. Love them or hate them, the Metal Gear games have earned acclaim based on their topical themes, wacky storytelling, drop-dead gorgeous visuals, and unique stealth/action gameplay elements. This is one of the rare moments where we get to see exactly what the PS3 hardware is truly capable of.

Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3/360)

Killer Quote: "This is one game that just might meet your wildest desires for both blowing things up and online competition."

Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars


DICE's console-only new take on the Battlefield franchise provided big guns, big action and a wicked sense of humor. Bad Company sports some excellent team-based online multiplayer gameplay along with a light-hearted offline campaign. Featuring bullet-ridden destructible buildings and a bunch of different vehicles, this is one for the shooter fan in you.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (NDS)

Killer Quote: "A2 is more of the stuff we loved from the last game with a bit of the bothersome stuff neatly excised."

Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars


Square Enix continues to build upon its much-loved turn-based tactical RPG with this latest installment finding the perfect home on Nintendo's handheld DS hardware. Clean, impressive (and very cute) presentation goes hand-in-hand with the deep and rewarding job system to provide an experience that fans of the genre will eat up.