The Top 5 PC Games of 2008

As the year 2008 comes to a close, it's time to look back and see that this was a great year for gamers everywhere, and for good reason. The PC game industry released a plethora of games that were marketed correctly and skyrocketed sales. Here are the Top 5 PC Games for 2008:

1. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.

You may have seen the commercials on television with celebrities such as William Shatner, Mr. T, and Verne Troyer (the mini-me from Austin Powers) promoting World of Warcraft. Well the wait is over, as Blizzard recently released it's latest expansion pack in mid-November.

On November 13, 2008, gamers were lined up at 15,000 stores nationwide for the 12 A.M. release. As the doors opened, they went to grab their pre-ordered copies and go home to play. With a whopping 2.8 Million copies sold in just its first 24 hours of release, Blizzard Entertainment's epic storm has become the most selling computer game in history, and with 11 million currently registered users, it's become an epidemic. This 2.8 million copies sold, toppled the old record (which guess what) was held by World of Warcraft's previous expansion back, The Burning Crusade. That game, released in January of 2007, had 2.4 million sales in its first 24 hours of release. Anyone see a pattern?

With new continents to explore, new dungeons, new bosses, new equipment, and even a new Death Knight Hero Class, it's no wonder the gamers love the WOW experience. There's so much to explore and so much to do. This. Game. Is. Addictive.

2. Left 4 Dead

Released on November 18, 2008, Left 4 Dead has quickly risen in ratings and rankings, receiving scores such as 4.5/5 from Gamespy, 9/10 from IGN, and overall averaging a 91% from critics. Almost unanimous praise has been showered upon this game, as it captures the horror movie feel that it set out to do.

Players can choose between 4 different characters as they fight through 4 different campaigns (see the signs?) to crush zombie head and get to safety. There are different weapons, medical packs, and even mini-bosses that are placed throughout each scenario with the help of something called the "AI Director." The Valve Corporation which developed the game stated that the AI director places the enemies and bosses in different spawn points and in varying numbers, depending on the player's current status, situation, skill, and location. This proves for an interesting mix, as the game is different each time you play it. The Director also creates mood and tension with emotional cues, visual effects, voice effects, and dynamic music. There's also a versus mode in which players can spawn as zombies or humans and fight it out.

The graphics of the game are extremely smooth, and paired with a jumpy soundtrack, these altogether provide a rich environment that permeates fear throughout the player's body as he or she tries to make it through the sea of zombies.

3. Crysis Warhead

Crysis, one of the most highly anticipated games of 2007, blew people away when it was released, receiving a rating of 9.5, and a coveted position atop Gamespot's Best Shooter of 2007 Awards.

On September 12, 2008, Electronic Arts released an "expansion pack" of sorts to Crysis, called Crysis Warhead. This game, although an expansion, doesn't require the first game to be installed, and the plot is rather similar, although it follows one of the game's other protagonists during the timeline of the first game. So in effect, the events happening during the first game are the same as in the second game, just seen through the eyes of another character. As with any good game, it includes something called Crysis Wars, in which players can play online on 21 different maps with an array of different customizable weapons.

Crysis Warhead has a unique storyline, stunning graphics, amazing gameplay, and most of all, nanosuits. Who doesn't love nanosuits?

4. Call of Duty: World at War

Altthough EA games recently released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (which was a great game in itself), this new release has taken the gaming world by storm (have any of these not?), garnering an 88% positive aggregate review. Although the previous Call of Duty games have run on a progressive timeline, this game goes back to the final battles of WWII, told from the perspectives of a Marine Raider or a Red Army Soldier.

The game's versatility shows in the fact that there is more than one way to complete the objectives, whilst sharing many of the same features in the franchise's previous games. Multiplayer mode involves teaming up with other people on the internet and duking it out in six different modes including deathmatch and capture the flag.

Call of Duty's popularity shows that once you hit on the right formula, add little improvements, but never change it around.

5. Fallout 3

Released on October 28, 2008, Fallout 3 takes place in the year 2277, 200 years after the nuclear war of Fallout 2, taking the player on campaigns in places such as Washington D.C. on a journey to find the protagonist's father.

The game utilizes something called V.A.T.S (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System), something described as a hybrid between turn-based combat and real-time combat. The real-time combat is paused, and action is played out among various camera angles. Different actions cause different points, and both player and enemy can target specific body areas for specific injuries. Since radiation is a big part of Fallout, the player will have to navigate and avoid and test radiation levels at certain areas to protect health see if weapons are okay to pick up.

As with any top PC game, the graphics are top tier, but what is impressive is the game's deep and dark storyline. It encompasses an intricate plot that has a rather twisted ending. That's all we'll say. And guess what the aggregate score for this game was? 94.

There are many other games that could have made the list, but these are hands down some of the most popular, addicting, and visually stunning games of 2008. Can 2009 match up?

SOURCES

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_3

http://pc.ign.com/objects/694/694190.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/154382/lich_king_crowned_with_new_sales_record.html

http://news.bigdownload.com/2008/11/20/wrath-of-the-lich-king-sells-2-8-million-copies-on-first-day/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crysis_Warhead

http://www.l4d.com/