Well...it's about that time. Time to announce my Game of the Year for 2008.

Let's take a look at previous winners...just because...I like to reminisce.

2007: Mass Effect

2006: Gears of War

2005: Resident Evil 4

2004: Metal Gear Solid 3

And now. Here are a few nominees and games worth mentioning as great games for this year.

Gears of War 2

Call of Duty: World at War

Fallout 3

LittleBigPlanet

Metal Gear Solid 4

Grand Theft Auto 4

Rock Band 2

Mirror's Edge

Fable 2

Only one can be Game of the Year, and that one is

Metal Gear Solid 4

It's really hard to not like Metal Gear Solid 4. Sure, if you haven't played the previous 3, then it's really hard to do it. The story is confusing, even if you are very familiar with what has happened in previous games. That being said, that story makes you compelled to see what happens next, what potential twists and turns await. This feeling can be directly attributed to the voice acting. Each character is one that a person can relate to. Players feel fear and anxiety for the heroes and wish nothing but harm for the villains. Each actor does an incredible job creating a believeable cast of characters that both add to the drama of what's going on around them, but make the player feel convinced as well. Not only that, but Metal Gear Solid 4 looks and plays amazingly. The graphics don't really shine in one particular area, but as a whole they're some of the best of this generation. The music accents all of the high points of excitement and intensity and lead to some incredible moments in the game. Metal Gear Solid 4 also succeeds in that it truly lets you play how you want. It is stealth based, but if you want to run around with an RPG wreaking havoc, go for it. All of the weapons are at your disposal to complete your mission however you see fit. With some intense boss battles, and some truly unforgettable moments, Metal Gear Solid 4 is really a game for the ages. It accomplishes what so few games try to accomplish, and it does it relatively easily, making it a shoe-in for Game of the Year

Best PC Game

World of Warcraft Wrath of the Lich King: While I haven't yet experienced what is supposed to be a bevy of great endgame content, leveling in Northrend is some of the most memorable leveling I've done. The dungeons are all fantastic, and the quests/storylines are all really well done and very detailed. Death Knights are incredibly powerful, and fun to play (along with an absolutely astonishing quest line), and several key additions like siege weaponry make World of Warcraft feel newer than before.

Best Xbox 360 Game (Exclusive)

Gears of War 2: Gears of War 2 simply takes one of the best Xbox 360 games and makes it even better with some slight and significant changes in its story, multiplayer and overall look and feel. While it has some shortcomings, it is worth mentioning as the best Xbox game this year.

Best Playstation 3 Game (Exclusive)

Metal Gear Solid 4: This is almost too easy. Metal Gear Solid 4 is the culmination of an amazing story, phenomenal presentation and production values, and just all around great and varied gameplay. While the story stands out among all of these, the acting merits some recognition as each voice actor does an absolutely incredible job at adding to the drama and intensity of this amazing game.

Best Wii Game (Exclusive)

Super Smash Bros. Brawl: With simply the large amount of characters, and a great online mode, Super Smash has never been better. While nothing much is changed as far as gameplay is concerned, it is still a very intense, competitive game to play either by yourself or with a group of friends.

Best PSP Game

God of War: Chains of Olympus: With a game as incredible as God of War recreated in almost an identical fashion on the PSP, this game is a technological achievement. The graphics are flat out phenomenal, and it looks almost just like the PS2 versions, which are still very great looking games to this day. The gameplay is just as smooth and fluid as previous games, and there's plenty of awesome powers and weapons, along with awesome bosses to fight.

Best Nintendo DS Game

Chrono Trigger: While it's a remake of a older, yet great game, Chrono Trigger's story stands out as one of the most creative and unique for its time and this time as well. The combat is just as fresh and adds more strategies to fights. The characters, bosses, and plot turns are all very memorable and well done, and while certain additions aren't as great as you may hope, the game overall is still great and will hold your attention for many hours.

Best Multiplatform Game

Grand Theft Auto IV: It's not really fair to give an entire platform to one game that's on multiple platforms. Grand Theft Auto shines in that packs a ton of great stuff into one package. A large bustling city, a dark, yet compelling storyline, characters that are interesting and humorous, unlimited amounts of freedom to do what you want. All of these things make Grand Theft Auto IV one of the best games of its kind, and sets the standard for future games.

Best Action Adventure

Grand Theft Auto IV: Grand Theft Auto is just a complete package. It has a great, memorable cast of characters, along with a great story that seriously makes the player think about their actions, and some killer, super-realistic gameplay mechanics. Who would of thought that a cell phone would have made a game all that more fun and realistic?

Best Driving

Burnout Paradise: Not only does the Burnout series return with its famous formula of high speed races and killer crashes, but it puts all of that in a completely open world with tons of quirks to find if you so chose. With the addition of a seamless online mode and some of the best free downloadable content to ever be released, Burnout Paradise is a racing fan's paradise.

Best Fighting

Soul Calibur IV: While it doesn't do anything amazing or special for the series (apart from the average online play), Soul Calibur IV is still an absolutely incredible fighting game. It's gorgeous to look at, and there's plenty of challenge for hardcore fighting fans along with a very accessable control scheme for newcomers to pick up and play. With a robust character creation system as well, Soul Calibur IV is hands down one of the best fighting games in recent time.

Best Platformer

Mirror's Edge: This is easily one of the most unique platformers of all time. Never has a game made me feel so immersed in the action and actually put me into the shoes of the character I've played as. Although the story is nothing to brag about, it is an interesting idea and also very thought-provoking. As for the gameplay, it's extremely fluid, and feels fast paced and action packed.

Best Rhythm/Music Game

Rock Band 2: From a hardware standpoint, Guitar Hero has Rock Band beat with it's realistic and fun peripherals. While most everything in Rock Band 2 is the same as the original, the amount of downloadable content and the amazing quality of music on the game disc itself is more than enough to put it above Guitar Hero. The additions of No Fail modes and Battle of the Bands make it accessable to newcomers and offer new challenges to hardcore players respectively, and it's just an overall great package. With new content always being released, Rock Band is a shoe-in for best Rhythm game.

Best Roleplaying Game

Fallout 3: While both this and Fable II boast the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want, Fallout has an absolutely amazing amount of content to explore and play. With a vast amounts of weapons and perks, the combinations for your character are almost limitless, and you could easily spend hours doing simple side quests in the game.

Best Shooter

Call of Duty World At War: I was initially not excited about this game, but once I played the first 10 minutes of the campaign, I was sold. Not only does it replicate the intensity of its predacessor, but it has a great campaign and story filled with tons of surprises, epic moments, and lots of quick thinking. With a few great weapons like a flamethower, a great game mode in Nazi Zombie mode, and the same killer Call of Duty multiplayer, Call of Duty World at War is the model of a great shooter.

Best Sports Game

MLB 08: The Show: No other game have I played that was more fun and realistic than MLB 08. The graphics and presentation are phenomenal. Along with some stellar commentary, the game feels like a real game. Along with a great Road to the Show mode, this game is flat out addictive.

Many of you haven't heard, but I lost a great and amazing friend this past week.
Here we go. The mother of all notes. I'm going to take this opportunity and literally pour out everything that I've thought in the past week.



I adored Megan Baldwin. Heck, I still do. She never seemed to turn away from a moment to make me smile or laugh in some manner. Even if what she did was completely goofy, she had that knack to bring a smile out of me no matter what the situation. It didn't matter whether or not my day was completely sucking or not, she would always go out of her way to spend time with me and make sure I felt better. Her positive outlook on life was infectious, and I frequently felt more positive just by being around her. Another infectious thing about her was her intelligence and inquisitiveness. Whenever I was around her, I felt more enlightened about everything. She could explain things so eloquently and it would still make perfect sense to me. Whether it was Psychology stuff that I could never grasp, or life lessons that to this day I'll remember, she simply made sense no matter how complicated or touchy a situation was. I could talk to her for hours and hours and not even realize it. Whenever I was in a pickle, I would just log onto AIM and there she'd be (it's almost like she was expecting me sometimes) ready for a deep and meaningful conversation. I've said this quite often, but if it weren't for Megan's advice and friendship during my parent's divorce, I don't know how I would have taken it. I was blessed to have her advice and her guidance during all of my tough times. I'm more confident, emotionally strong, and my faith in God is stronger all because of her.



But it wasn't just all deep and thoughtful things. Megan was just plain fun. Whether it was goofy dancing, playing games in Hyndman's ****s, being rebellious in general, bringing fake snow to your lunch table, arguing over the Yankees and the Red Sox, stopping by while you were working to give you a hard time, being willing to try and learn everything from Guitar Hero to drums, hand-hugs, happy-buttons, talking to complete strangers, and so much more, Megan simply lived life to the fullest, and she helped me live my life with no restraint. There's so much of her that I missed out on though, and all I really can do is regret it, but appreciate the times I had with her.

One thing Megan liked to do was ask questions. This was not limited to teachers and instructors though. I would constantly be asked "Why?" to things such as my political beliefs, traditions, and even things such as what I did with my free time. While this made me both uncomfortable and irritated with Megan at the time, looking back, I realize that her main goal with those intense questions was to make sure that I was sure in my own beliefs, and not just following the norm. I can safely say that I believe what I believe in today because of the assurance I got from her questions. It was also fun to see Mrs. Hyndman completely have no idea to answer those ridiculous US History and Psychology questions.

Seeing everyone I know react the way they have has shown me how much Megan was loved by everyone she knew. However, it never occurred to me how much we were loved by her. I personally thought that I was close to Megan, but I never would have imagined that she went to those she knew and talked to them about me, and told them the same funny stories I remember from the time we spent together. In the past week, I've met people who I feel know more about me before they even said a word to me. It kind of blows my mind to think about that. But it wasn't just a one way thing. I heard all about her friends from church and others she knew, and how I simply had to meet them. I've had the privilege of meeting a good bit of those people, and it was a great feeling, despite the circumstances under which I met them.



There's not much more to say about Megan except that she changed my life for the better. Looking back at what I've written, I prolly forgot a few things, but it's way too hard to gather all the amazing memories and thoughts I've had into just one note. But I want to tell you guys what Megan's death has done for me now, and what I intend to do in the future.

What I've learned from this whole experience:
1. Life is beautiful, life it to the fullest, and enjoy every day of it. Megan taught me this every day I spent with her, and through her passing, I believe it's one of the many things she'd want us to remember.

2. Don't be afraid to ask "stupid" or "ridiculous" questions. While it may make you feel stupid in the moment, it will eventually make you smarter and more knowledgeable in life.

3. Love your friends and stay close to them. In weeks leading up to Friday night, I didn't really talk with many people. I'd come home, do homework, hang out at my house, and that would be it. I felt like I was drifting from all my friends, including Megan, because I had dropped down from AP and Gifted Level ****s to take Honors ****s instead. Naturally, I didn't see my friends as much as I used to. Through the events of the past week, I've renewed friendships, made some new ones, and planned to keep some alive for many years to come.

I also would like to talk about what I plan to do in the future because of Megan (some of these are short-term, some are long term):
1. Never forget Megan and the girl she was. This is the last thing that I wanna do in my life. I want to live every day like she would, remember the girl she was, and let her live on through my memories and actions.

2. I now want to have a daughter, and her name is going to be Megan. For those of you who haven't heard me joke around about this, I've frequently told myself that I'd be a terrible father if I had a girl. I'd be protective, way too protective. I feel now that I honestly wouldn't do a half-bad job raising a girl, but I would definitely name her Megan just because of the impact she's made on my life.

3. I will keep in contact with my friends. There are no if's, and's, or but's about it.

4. I'm going to print out everything Megan wrote and keep it. It seems that she would always address whatever issues I had in her blogs and other writings. I want to keep them all, so that way when I'm troubled by something again, I would read them just as though she were still writing them to this day.

5. I'm going to frequently visit her family, friends, and her grave. The Baldwins have become like family to me now. David and I have so much in common, and I love both of her parents so very much. I don't want to lose touch with them, so I want to make it a point to visit them often. The church Megan's buried at is literally right across the street from my house, so I feel that it's appropriate that I visit her often as well.

And I think at that, I'm going to end this really long message. I purposely waited until the end of all of this to sort of gather my thoughts, and now I finally had my chance to do just that and share it with you guys. All that's left to be said is this: Megan, I will never forget you, I will always love you, and I can't wait until we meet again. You will surely be missed by very many people (side note: I've heard that the viewing had some 700+ people attend, and the funeral 300+, that's amazing.).

After a few weeks of deciding whether or not to get this game (thanks for the review Gamespot), I decided to go ahead and pick it up for the 360. The demo was fun, which was a clear indication that the full version should have been even better.

So far, I'm really enjoying the game. The racing and trick action is both fast paced, high octane, and really intense and fun. The trick system is relatively easy to use, and it resembles SSX in both control scheme and outrageous trick style. While some tricks will get old and repetitive, it's still a very awesome sight when you go flying off of a huge jump pulling a string of insane tricks one after another.

The ATV bike creator and customizer is very in depth and detailed, giving you control over the very minute details of your ATV. While some parts of this do feel limited (only a maximum of about 8 color choices), there are a variety of parts that you can use to either make a speed bike or a trick one, or a nice hybrid.

The biggest complaint I have about the game is how you fall off your bike at certain times, but not others. If you go slightly off-course, then you'll be automatically taken off your bike, respawn, and lose ground in a race. There are also times where I have run head-first into rocks and boulders, remain on my bike (but dramatically slown down), and others when I hit a tire and fall off immediately. This seems a bit unbalanced, but it just takes a little getting used to.

Overall, I am enjoying the game so far. I've never really been into the ATV/MX racing games, but this one certainly is very good.