• Best Downloadable Game
• Best Graphics
• Best Sound

• Most Innovative
• Most Mojo
• Best Multiplayer

Downloading has reached an all time high in 2008 with more gamers download games, and content then before. Downloadable Content is quickly becoming the new trend in gaming and either for the good, or bad, we'll be seeing a lot more of it in the years to come. Our notable winner of our "Downloadable Game" is a full add-on pack from the cats at Insomniac Games. Insomniac keeps up their high level of production in their Ratchet & Clank add-on Quest for Booty. Quest for Booty continues Ratchet's adventure after the events in Future: Tools of Destruction giving a little more closure and development in the Ratchet world while providing a new adventure to behold. More than a simple pile of maps, Quest for Booty introduces some new swashbuckling characters, new weapons, and new game play ideas into the classic Ratchet formula. Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty gives you more than enough bang for you buck and is our Downloadable game of 2008.

Kojima Productions has produced more than a graphical masterpiece in Metal Gear Solid 4, they have demanded everyone's attention with future bending graphics that are wrapped around a breath taking cinematic sequences and hardcore gaming mechanics. Either watching one of the many extended clips in Metal Gear Solid 4, or simply running around as Solid Snake you will realize Metal Gear Solid 4 is above the curve and a brilliant looking game. Better than Gears, Call of Duty, and Prince of Persia, Metal Gear Solid 4 gives us an early glance on the next wave of quality with their outstanding effort in MGS4. Congratulation Kojima, you deserve it.

Graphics and sound go hand-to-hand, however Metal Gear and Snake's grumbling can not match up with Call of Duty's stunning deliver of voice overs, and magical layering of sounds of war in World at War. From the opening bits, to the final red curtain falling over the Nazi army, World at War is top quality, crisp sounds from the leader in World War II shooters. Marching in second place is other title that was close to the mountain top in Grand Theft Auto IV. Grand Theft Auto IV deserves attention as well with its always impressive soundtrack and even more impressive character driven narrative powered by great voice actors. In that respect no game can complete with Rockstar's impressive line-up, however Nico Bellic and his rambling cousin Roman fall a little short compared to the music cacophony that is Call of Duty: World at War. At ease soldier, Treyarch wins this one.

Fable II | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Lioneadhed Studios

The world of Albion will never be the same as Lionhead Studios gives the gamer more choices than ever to create and shape the world around them. More than a detailed level editor, the changes in Fable II happen in real-time, inovlving your character as they progress through the storyline. In basics, Fable II's story isn't the innovation, it's the game mechanics that are. The interaction between other characters in game has been pushed further than before, social status, and interesting elements like marriage, love, a parenthood have also been tackled within the action based role-playing game. Not to take away anything from the Honorable Mentions, but Fable II gives us something a little more than any other developer was willing to go making Fable II our Most Innovative Game of 2008.

2008 had its share of high profile follows ups, just look at our list of Honorable Mentions to see a who's who of games that have already cleaned up at our 2008 awards. This is a big year for the follow up, however one game has been waiting for a remake for a long time, this game is Fallout 3. Disregarding a few failed spin-offs we have been waiting for a return to the wasteland since 1998. That's ten years of waiting, and ten years of expectations that have been solidly met within Fallout 3. No even our runner-up, Grand Theft Auto IV can say that. Fallout 3 was a long time coming and our best follow-up in 2008.

Last year the City of Rapture gave us the iconic character, Big Daddy and Adam sucking Little Sister(s), and 2008 comes into the fold with a more happy, go lucky character with Sackboy from Little Big Planet. Sackboy who is a speechless, playable character in Sony's platformer Little Big Planet has gone beyond an fun, and cool character in a game, he has become Sony's mascot. More familiar than even Kratos, this little bundle of thread is the new face of the Playstation 3. Sackboy's instantly loveable looks and fun playful demeanor make him our best character of 2008. I'm sure Nico and Roman will get over the loss... Better luck next time boys.