Best Of The Decade Awards

Do you remember last year anyone saying to you, "The decade doesn't start this year, it starts in 2011"? Do you remember those same people saying that they'll put together their own "Best Games Of The Last Decade List" at the beginning of 2011? Have you run into anyone that has gone through with this promise? Now you have.

This is the Best Of The Decade awards, honoring the best video games that were released in the previous decade. Five games were selected as nominees from each year of the decade, 2001-2010, and of those five one was selected as the best video game of the year. Of the ten games selected as the best video game of the year, one will be selected to be the Best Video Game Of The Decade.

So, let's get started.



2001: Nominees- Final Fantasy X, Halo: Combat Evolved, Ico, Twisted Metal: Black, Paper Mario

We at the Redertainment Corporation Of America thought this would be an easy thing to put together. Then we looked at this year. Now we know what kind of challenge we signed up for. Even the games that weren't nominated (Gran Turismo 3, Grand Theft Auto III, Black & White) are games that continue to resonate and influence the current video game landscape.

However, we have to choose one. Hell, we said we were going to, so we have to. The best video game of 2001 is:

Ico. Yes, Ico. I know there are people gnashing their teeth and saying "HALO!!!" or "FINAL FANTASY X!!!" or, "THAT ONE GAME WITH PAINT IT (BLACK) IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", but we had to make a decision, and we chose what we felt was the best. Final Fantasy X may have brought voice acting to the Final Fantasy series, Halo may have been a legendary launch title for the Xbox, Twisted Metal: Black may have been the game that revitalized (for a short time) the Twisted Metal franchise, and Paper Mario may have brought Mario games into another dimension, but Ico is what we deemed to be the best. Ico is one of those iconic games, memorable games, one of those games that you keep long after you have beaten it, and is one of those games that you play over and over and over. For the lucky few that have been able to find it, Ico provides a gaming experience that is memorable, unique, and, most importantly of all, GOOD.



2002: Nominees- The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowwind, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, The Legend Of Zelda: The Windwaker, SOCOM: US Navy Seals, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

Have you ever seen Scarface? Well, even if you haven't, I bet you're aware of this:

Yep, that is the iconic scene from Scarface. Tony Montana sticking his face into a mountain of cocaine and then facing a group of heavily armed men. Scarface is a movie that, even if you haven't seen it, you are aware of it. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is widely believed to be hazily inspired by Scarface. Hell, this game even has a final penultimate scene where you're character, Tommy Vercetti, faces off against his own group of heavily armed men, except this time you survive, instead of dying like a bitch.

The best video game of 2002 is Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.



2003: Nominees- F-Zero GX, Final Fantasy X-2, Silent Hill 3, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht

Most people bought an Xbox to play Halo. Not me. I bought an Xbox to play one game: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. I have not regretted my purchase, either of the system or the game. KotOR is the game that got me sincerely interested in Western style role playing games. Final Fantasy X-2 and Xenosaga Episode I may be really gripping RPG experiences, but Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a truly unforgettable gaming experience.

The best video game of 2003 is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic



2004: Nominees- Fable, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, Ninja Gaiden, World Of Warcraft

Of the games that were released in 2004, one stands taller in comparison to everyone else. This game revolutionized the way the general public thinks of online video games. This game continues to be played to this day. This game made Bobby Kotick the man he is today, which may ultimately be to it's detriment. Anyway, the best video game of 2004 is:

World Of Warcraft



2005: Nominees- God of War, The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath, Psychonauts, Resident Evil 4

There are games that are acclaimed by critics and gamers alike that go on to sell like gangbusters. These games go on to have sequels made of them, again and again and again and again, untill all the wonder and magic is sucked dry from them and all you have left is a rotting rusk containing the memories of a past you look through with rose coloured glasses. Psychonauts is not one of those games. Psychonauts is a age that was acclaimed by critics then was largely ignored by the gaming public. Bastards. I know the fate that I laid out in the first part of this paragraph may seem like something to be avoided at all cost, but Psychonauts deserved the that fate as opposed to the fate it currently has. Please, if you see Psychonauts on sale, ANYWHERE, pick it up and PLAY IT!!!

The best video game of the year for 2005 is:

Psychonauts



2006: Nominees- Call Of Duty 3, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Final Fantasy XII, Half-Life 2: Episode 1, The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Some would argue that this game should have come out on the Playstation 3. Some would argue that this game is one of the final great Playstation 2 titles to come out during that console's lifespan. Some might argue that this game is the last great title to come out of this series. Arguments aside, there is one thing that is not in dispute: Final Fantasy XII is a great game. Between the beautiful imagery, the unique gameplay mechanics, and the top rate story, Final Fantasy XII proved itself a successor to games like Final Fantasy VII, X, and VIII. The best video game of the year for 2006 is:

Final Fantasy XII



2007: Nominees- Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Crysis, God Of War II, Mass Effect, The Orange Box

The Half-Life franchise is one of the most acclaimed franchises in video games. For years people have been pining for more content from Valve in relation to this series, and continue to do so to this day. Team Fortress is an online game that, although better on the PC, continues to have a presence online within it's community. However, the game from The Orange Box that stands as the best in this collection is Portal. Alone this game constitutes one of the best games on the Xbox 360. Portal is unique in that, rather than being a first person shooter, this game is more of a first person puzzle game. Portal is as much a mental exercise as Professor Layton or Brain Age is. If Portal was a standalone release, it would be the game of the year. Combined with the other games in The Orange Box, this may be a serious contender for game of the decade. The best video game for 2007 is:

The Orange Box



2008: Nominees- Dead Space, Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, Mirror's Edge

Dead Space is a unique survival horror experience, the likes of which haven't been seen since the original Silent Hill. Fallout 3 is a gripping role playing experience that introduced many gamers to a much acclaimed PC franchise. Grand Theft Auto IV is a triumph of story telling and gameplay. Mirror's Edge is the kind of game that many people have not seen before or since. All of these games have superb qualities to them, however Metal Gear Solid 4 is the one with many of these qualities and more. Metal Gear Solid 4 has top notch visuals, both in the cinematics and in the gameplay sections. Metal Gear Solid has a superb story, dealing with war, genetic engineering, and even hints of romance. The Metal Gear series has long been unique in favoring a game playing style that rewards avoiding confrontation, rather than running head on into a situation. Metal Gear Solid 4 exemplifies that manta. Metal Gear Solid 4 also has the unique distinction of being, in my opinion, the first great game released on the Playstation 3. The best video game of 2008 is:

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots.



2009: Nominees- Assassin's Creed II, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Flower, Prototype, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

At the Second Annual Four Star Gaming Awards, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was chosen as the best video game of the year. So, it may come as a shock that we've decided to go another way with this year's choice. This is because, due to the glut of games released near the end of the year, our choice was a game we had failed to play in an expedient manner. Assassin's Creed was a game that received mixed reviews. People complained about the combat, the free running, the twist in the story, basically nit picked at every part of this game. Assassin's Creed II addressed all of these concerns. AC2 is the game that brought many people to this franchise. Assassin's Creed II brought a true freedom of movement that has been tried before but never accomplished to the level seen in this game. The best video game of 2009 is:

Assassin's Creed II



2010: Nominees- Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Heavy Rain, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption

The winner in this category should come as no shock to anyone who read last week The Four Star Gaming Awards. Our opinion of this game, as well as other games, has not changed in the week between this award show and the award show we did last week. While our opinion may change in the future, as was the case with Assassin's Creed II, our opinion for the best video game of last year still stands. The best video game of 2010 is:

Heavy Rain



Best Of The Decade: Nominees- Assassin's Creed II, Final Fantasy XII, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Heavy Rain, Ico, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, The Orange Box, Psychonauts, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, World Of Warcraft

Of the games listed here, one sticks out. The rest of the games in this list have one things in common: They are primarily console based games. One of the games listed above is a PC game. Always have been and, as near as we can tell, always will be. This is the game that changed the way people think of online video games. This is the game that, despite the ever changing landscape of video games, continues to be played to this day. This is World Of Warcraft. Even people who have not played this game cannot deny just how good this game is. There is a reason why this game has the loyal following it continues to have. The Best Video Game Of The Decade is:

World Of Warcraft

When reached for a comment about this award, President of The Great Empire Of Activision, Bobby Kotick, sent the following statement:

It does not surprise me that we have won this award. The might and majesty of World Of Warcraft is something that cannot be denied by any rational person. World Of Warcraft, and the many subscribers it continues to have, made The Great Empire Of Activision what is it is today, and will continue to be for time and all eternity. I thank The Redertainment Corporation Of America for recognizing our greatness, and look forward to others recognizing the greatness of The Great Empire Of Activision, in all things and in all ways. Quote the Kotick, nevermore.



Well, that's all for the Best Of The Decade Awards. We at The Redertainment Corporation Of America look forward to seeing you at our next scheduled award show: The Fourth Annual Four Star Gaming Awards, scheduled to be held on January 2nd, 2012. Goodnight everybody.

Making The Handicapped Feel Bad While Stealthly Swearing

The Red Interview- Tony Hayward

Hunter Red and Tony Hayward are sitting in chairs on a stage in front of a live audience.

Good evening and welcome to The Red Interview. I am your host Hunter Red. With me tonight is Tony Hayward. Mr. Hayward is the current CEO of BP and was the public face of his company immediately after Deep Water Horizon explosion and the subsequent oil disaster. Mr Hayward-

The audience immediately erupts in loud boos. Hunter tries to speak over the audience.

Mister Hayward, it is very nice to-

The boos from the audience gets louder. The audience even starts to throw small trash and coins onto the stage. Hunter, again, tries to speak over the audience.

Mister Hayward-

The boos get even louder. Tony Hayward gets up out of his chair, looks at the audience, and says-

Will you gutter swine shut the fuck up!

The audience is shocked into silence. For a moment. When the audience begins to boo again, the begin to throw larger pieces of trash and even more coins, nailing Mr. Hayward squarely in the head. Over the din of the audience, Hunter tries to finish the show.

Well, that's all for The Red Interview tonight. I'm getting the fuck out of here.



Splinter Cell: Conviction Review

Among the games that I have played in the current generation of video games,two of favorites are Metal Gear Solid 4 and Assassin's Creed 2. These are two games that can be categorized as among the elites in the stealth action genre.

Among my favorite things about Metal Gear Solid 4 is the fact that you really don't have to kill anyone. You can spend the entire game crawling along, slowly and methodically tackling every level, boss, and enemy without killing a single person. It's very hard to do so, but accomplishing this is a true testament of your skill.

My favorite part of Assassin's Creed 2 is the free running elements. You can climb, swing, run, stalk, jump, and perch on nearly every part of every building in that game. I found it truly liberating to be able to put Enzio on nearly part of a game level if I just put the effort into it.

The ability to not kill anyone and the ability to go anywhere is something I hoped would be recreated in Splinter Cell: Conviction. It wasn't. Not at all. Throughout most of Splinter Cell: Conviction I had to kill at least one person to progress in a level, and in some cases I had to kill everyone. It's not that I hate violence, I hate unnecessary violence. The level design was even more disappointing. Being able to take cover is nice, if only I could take cover on top of a building. Being able to see all my enemies with sonar is nice, being able to see them all with my naked eye is better.

Splinter Cell: Conviction is a good enough game, the best that I've played of the series, but I was expecting something more. I wanted a stealth game with action undertones. What I got was an action game with stealth undertones.

Splinter Cell: Conviction: C+



Dance Masters First Impressions

Robin Anderson is sitting at Hunter Red's desk in his office watching Hunter play a new video game. It's Dance Masters, a game utilizing Microsoft's Kinect that forces gamers to get up off the couch and perform dance moves to advance in the game. Hunter is playing the game, performing the prerequisite dance moves, when the level he's playing ends and he takes a rest. Robin starts applauding and says-

Robin- Very nice my good man.
Hunter- (Nearly out of breath) You think so?
Robin- Absolutely. What woman doesn't like to see her man bust a move on a totally not real dance floor?
Hunter- (Slightly less out of breath) Well, it's good to know I impress you. Plus, I've lost like thirty pounds playing this game, so there's a double benefit.
Robin- You know who'd probably like this game? My intern Eric. (Out to the general office area) Eric! Come in here and play this game with us.
After a while Eric enters Hunter's office. Eric is in a wheelchair.
Eric- What game is it?
Robin- It's Dance Masters, an upcoming dance game by Konami.
Eric- A dance game?
Robin- Yep.
Eric- Will I have to move my legs to play this game?
Robin- Probably.
Hunter- Robin, Eric is in a wheelchair.
Robin- I know that.
Hunter- How is Eric going to play a game that requires him to move his legs when he can't move his legs?
Robin is puzzled by this question, as is Hunter and Eric. The three go into a state of contemplation, trying to come up with an answer to that question.



MC Lars- Twenty-Three




The Black Robin Christmas Carol

The Black Robin Christmas Carol is coming November 1st. Did you know cigarette lighters were invented before matches?

****- The Mesmerizing And Totally Gay Snowmobile Chase

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad Of Gay Tony Review

As an America, I like to eat many things, often in large quantities. Giant pizzas, long pieces of celery, big bags of lard, anything and everything that will not cause me to fall into an immediate critical state. Falling into a critical state several years after consumption of that giant bag of lard sure, but not immediately. However there is one food product that I absolutely refuse to eat. This is not a man made food product like spam or cauliflower but one that is naturally grown in the natural ground and picked by natural people who naturally have obscenely low salaries. I speak, of course, of onions.

I hate onions. Absolutely and completely, I HATE onions. I have a legitimate reason why I hate onions, not like why I hate Alan Alda. Whenever I eat something with onions in it all I can taste is the onions. Whether it’s a big slice of onion or a tiny wedge mixed into my eggs, I will only taste the onions. I could be eating foie gras on top of a thick porterhouse steak with a glass of Merlo to drink and if there is the one speck of onion serves with that meal, all I will taste is the onions. It’s not that I hate the taste of onions it’s that the flavor of the onions overwhelms the meal for me. The way that onions ruin a meal for me is much like the helicopter controls in the new downloadable episode for Grand Theft Auto IV.

The helicopters in GTAIV handled poorly from the start. Trying to land on a specific location was a long and arduous chore, attacking specific targets was nearly impossible unless you just fired indiscriminately, and the general style of the helicopters? I’ve seen better paint jobs come out of my niece’s kindergarten class.

You think that, given how many mission utilize helicopters, Rockstar would have addressed helicopter handling like they did with the motorcycle controls for The Lost and Damned, but no. The helicopters handle just as horribly in the Ballad of Gay Tony as they do in the original Grand Theft Auto IV and the expansion suffers for it. It’s not an awful game, as my grade will reflect, but the Ballad of Gay Tony would have been greatly improved if Rockstar had done something, anything, to make the experience of flying a helicopter in any way better.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony: B-



Modern Warfare 2 Review

Remember Halo 3? How there was big hype about that game before it was released, then it was released and people loved it? Then the honeymoon ended and Halo 3 became the token reference for overhyping and underperforming? It wasn’t that Halo 3 was bad, it just wasn’t the Holy Grail. Well on November 10th, 2009 Modern Warfare 2 was released, and guess what? The honeymoon is over.

5:32:56. It took me exactly five hours, thirty-two minutes, and fifty-six seconds to beat the single player campaign of Modern Warfare 2. Come on. It took me eight hours to beat Halo 3. 5:32:56? That’s about how long you should cook a roast for, not finish a current generation video game.

And I hammered Resident Evil 5 for having a series of really good action packed levels half-assedly patched together with a horrid story. Guess what? Modern Warfare 2 has that as well! They have a level in the game with a bitching snowmobile chase topped off with a bad ass jump. Yes it was a great level but what did it have to do with anything? There was even a level where you have to make your way through an active battle where you are the enemy of both sides of the fight. This level was nice, but it was better when Metal Gear Solid 4 did it.

Halo 3 is one of those games that has a less than adequate single player experience but kicks ass in multiplayer. Since its release, Halo 3 has managed to remain among the most actively played games over Live and has grown and evolved to suit gamers’ preferences. Modern Warfare 2 has a less than adequate single player experience but appears to kick ass in multiplayer. Perhaps Modern Warfare 2 will have the same kind of enduring impact that Halo 3 did but that won’t save it from inheriting the token reference Halo 3 once held.

Modern Warfare 2: B+



Uncharted 2 First Impressions

I’m finding this Chloe woman to be very attractive. Yes she’s in 720p and would probably look better in 1080p but at least she’s not in standard definition where she might look like this.


What I especially like about Chloe is her eyes. Yes she has a nice ass and a personality to die for, but Chloe’s eyes just take my breath away. Chloe has the kind of eyes that are no mesmerizing that if you looked at them she could get you to willingly say, “Yes, I will stick my hand in a wood chipper.”

By the way, I lost my job recently. I didn’t lose my job because of the economic downturn or because of absenteeism. I just can’t currently reach the same level of productivity that I had reached previously. I just simply can’t type as quickly as before only using my left hand.

By the way, The Second Annual Four Star Gaming Awards are coming January 3rd, 2010.

****- Resident Evil 5 Review

Part 1- Sheva

One of the classes I took in college was Fundamentals Of Business. One of the assignments I did for the class was a group project. I did this project with a person named Denis. I say I did this with Denis because when I turned it in, it was credited as being by Hunter and Denis.

Let me be clear, I did the group project. I did the research, the writing, word processing, printing, visual aids, everything. All Denis did was tell jokes and hit on the library assistant. Denis in no way helped with the project, and when I informed the instructor of this, his grade reflected it, as well it should have.

Ever since then I've had a severe problem with anyone I work with who does not pull their weight. Group projects, my job, yard work, podcasting, video games, whatever. This is why I hate Sheva.



How the fuck can this woman not know the difference between an enemy and my shoulder? Why the fuck does she wander off during a level and get herself blown the fuck up? Why does she hold strongly to a weak ass handgun when she's got a fucking boomstick at her disposal? Why the fuck does she waste badly needed health items? Why? Why? Why?

There are times when I was playing this game when I owuld start muttering the lyrics to this song.



If only Sheva had a brain.


Part 2- Story



As has been well documented, one of my favorite games is Metal Gear Solid 4. One of my favorite aspects of that game is the story. The story in MGS4 is smart, compelling and expertly crafted. The story in MGS4 stands as a testament to good narrative in video games.

The different levels in MGS4 help to pull off this narrative. These levels, while being in different locations, are similar in a way that meshes greatly with the story while not being repetitive. The levels in Metal Gear Solid 4 are so great, I would like to play them individually in the future.

The cohesiveness in the levels in Resident Evil 5 are as nearly opposite to the cohesiveness in the levels in MGS4 as they can be. You go from a worn down city to a lake with primitive villages surrounding it to a labyrinthine tomb to an advanced scientific laboratory to a state of the art oil tanker to an active volcano. The absurd variance in the locations of the levels in RE5 can only be tied together by way of an illogical and highly unbelievable story, which is exactly what Capcom has delivered. As a developing writer, the story in Resident Evil 5 has taught me an important lesson: What not to do.

The bottom line is if you want an example of good story telling in video games, look at Metal Gear Solid 4. If you want an example of abysmal story telling, look at Resident Evil 5.


Part 3- Enemies



In August of 2002, I began working for the United States Postal Service. One of the things that every USPS employee receives is free psychological care. This is a perk that I have utilized.

Among the first things we discussed was my long time fear of dogs. After several deep probing discussions, my doctor diagnosed me as suffering from cynophobia, the psychological term for fear of dogs. Despite medication and aversion therapy, I still suffer from this condition.

This fear has altered the way I perceive the enemies in Resident Evil 5. There are gigantic tentacled monsters, men carrying guns the size of a truck, canvas bag wearing psychopaths wielding chainsaws, and even a Kraken. To me, the emotional reaction I had to those enemies is nothing compared to how frightened I was every time I saw a dog in RE5. The following is something I actually said while playing RE5.

"Aaaaah! You god damn mother fucking bitch! Taste my boomstick! Blam! Blam! Blam! Had enough? Blam!"

The biggest waste of ammo I experienced in this game was me burying round after round into already dead canines. I have an appointment with my psychologist to discuss this on Monday.


Part 4- Quick Time Events

I hate quick time events. Press X to continue reading this review.



Now press B to proceed.



Press R1+L1 or I'll kill you!



Now punch this picture of Denis Leary or I'll really kill you!



Too late, you lose!



Just kidding, why would I subject you to that shit? Now press Я to continue.




Part 5- Multiplayer

Oh wait, I can't review multiplayer. This is not because it's good or bad, I simply didn't play it. I didn't even do the co-op main story experience that would have saved me from the empty headedness that is Sheva.

Why can't I review the multiplayer? I played Resident Evil 5 on the PS3, and trying to play games over PSN is like trying to verbally communicate with someone who is nearly deaf. Not impossible, but there are better ways to do it.

Remember when EA had a pissing match with Microsoft over not being able to host their own servers so they pulled out of Live? Publishers should take a similar stance with Sony over PSN. Improve or we walk.


Part 6- The Final Part... Unless I Write Another

Based on everything that proceeded this, you would thing that I would be entirely negative about Resident Evil 5. That is not the case. If this game did not have anything positive about it, I would not have finished it. After all, I'm not getting paid for this shit, I play games for leisure, and I don't want to spend my leisure time doing things I hate.

There are several good things about RE5. In my time playing it, the game never crashed on me. I never got stuck in a level with no means to escape. Also, the game was challenging without being infuriatingly frustrating. It was frustrating at times, but that was until I took a deep breath, calmed down, and figured out that I was stupidly bull rushing into things.

However, this game has clear and evident problems. One of them is Sheva, who's stupidity persists from the first level to the final battle. Sheva is of minuscule help in RE5 and serves mostly as a mobile way of carrying nine extra item slots. I preferred the attache case in Resident Evil 4. Yes, I had to pause every time I switched weapons, but at least I gained a higher capacity as the game went on.

The story in RE5 is weak and poorly delivered. I know that not a lot of games have great stories, but that's not an excuse. Just because no one else is doing the job well is not an excuse to do job poorly. In fact, it serves as an opportunity to do the job excellently.

Overall, Resident Evil 5 isn't bad, it's just not that good. RE5 is about average to fractionally below average. However, this game would be greatly improved if only Sheva had a brain.

Resident Evil 5: C-

The 2008 Four Star Gaming Awards

Welcome to the 2008 Four Star Gaming Awards. This is the award show that takes the place of this week’s blog, because who want to work right now. For these awards, I wanted the input of the various people who read my blogs on 1UP, All Games, and on Redertainment.com. So I reached out to those people and asked them for their assistance. Unfortunately only one person responded, Travelinfool. However, that has not stopped me from going through with my vision. So, here now are the awards as stated by Travelinfool and myself.

Downloadable Game of the Year
Hunter Red: Portal: Sill Alive
Travelinfool: Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Winner: Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

Travelinfool said of this game, “By far the most addictive game I’ve played this year. Putting the next highest player on your friends list in the corner was ingenious” and I agree with him. Geometry Wars 2 took the game that was a runaway hit when the 360 Live Arcade launched and improved on it in ways that enthralled the gaming public. While my vote did go to Portal: Still Alive, I must agree that Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 is the 2008 Four Star Gaming Awards Downloadable Game of the Year.


Wii Game of the Year
Hunter Red: Super Mario Galaxy
Travelinfool: Mario Kart Wii
Winner: Super Mario Galaxy

Yes I know this game was released in 2007. Yes I know this game was a Wii launch title. Yes I know that Mario Kart Wii may be the best Wii game of 2008, with Travelinfool saying “a blast to play with my family.” However, I don’t care. No game released in 2008 comes close to the awesomeness that is Super Mario Galaxy. I’m not a Mario Follower or a Nintendo Lemming, but I love this game. Its kiddish graphical style and storyline hide a deep and addictive gameplay experience. Super Mario Galaxy continues to stand as the must have Wii title. That is why Super Mario Galaxy is the 2008 Four Star Gaming Awards Wii Game of the Year.


Playstation 3 Game of the Year
Hunter Red: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Travelinfool: Little Big Planet
Winner: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Before MGS4 came out, I jokingly said that the PS3 would not get a great game until 2009. I also, in all seriousness, said the Playstation 3 had no elite games. That all changed with MGS4. MGS4 is a game that I would not only suggest to anyone, if you asked, I would lend it to you. Little Big Planet is almost as good, with Travelinfool saying of it, “It is a blast to play with my kids and is helping my son learn level design.” However if I had to choose one game as the best game on the Playstation 3 thus far, it would be MGS4, with LBP a close second. As a result, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the 2008 Four Star Gaming Awards Playstation 3 Game of the Year.


Xbox 360 Game of the Year
Hunter Red and Travelinfool: Grand Theft Auto IV
Winner: Grand Theft Auto IV

There are great games that come out and change the way games are played. Grand Theft Auto IV is not one of those games. GTAIV takes the gameplay, storytelling, and general awesomeness of the previous games and makes them bigger and better. Not only that, but you can do things in this game you would hesitate to do in real life. Namely pick up hookers, get lap dances, and jump off the roofs of very tall buildings. Travelinfool called Grand Theft Auto IV, “The most immersive and well thought out open world game to date,” and I could not agree more. That is why Grand Theft Auto IV is the 2008 Four Star Gaming Awards Xbox 360 Game of the Year.

Console of the Year
Hunter Red and Travelinfool: Xbox 360
Winner: Xbox 360

For much of the year, this award was a tossup between the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360. Then Microsoft rolled out the New Xbox Experience, and while some aspects are a disappointment, overall the NXE greatly added to the Xbox gaming experience. Travelinfool and I agree, “Yet again the most games, the best online system and now Netflix.” That is why the Microsoft Xbox 360 is the Four Star Gaming Awards Console of the Year.

Worst Gaming Moment of the Year
Hunter Red: Old Snake Smoking
Travelinfool: All Games Interactive stopped broadcasting
Winner: All Games Interactive stopped broadcasting

On August 15, 2008, Scot Rubin left popular internet radio show All Games Interactive and said that there were plans to continue the show after his departure. These plans have yet to materialize, and fans of the show have been griping ever since. AGI is a unique show that is as much about the gamers who play games as the games that they play. While Dead Pixel Live and ZapAttack! have tried to fill the void, there is a large gap in Video Game Internet Radio that only All Games Interactive can fill.

Best Gaming Moment of the Year
Hunter Red: Jack Thompson Getting Disbarred
Travelinfool: Everyone playing GTAIV when it came out
Winner: Jack Thompson Getting Disbarred

I hesitate to give an award for this because it amounts to kicking a man when he’s down, but this was a long time coming. Jack Thompson has been making ass backward statements about media he finds objectionable longer than many of us have been willingly consuming media. From 2 Live Crew to Cop Killer to Doom to Manhunt to Grand Theft Auto IV, Jack Thompson has been at the forefront of douchebaggery. Finally Jack Thompson has lost his credibility as a lawyer, and hopefully his credibility in general. I just hope that people continue to spite him by playing games like Grand Theft Auto IV.

Non-Gaming Thing Most Deserving of an Award
Hunter Red and Travelinfool: Barack Obama
Winner: Barack Obama

After eight years of general incompetence under the Bush Administration, people were loudly asking for some relief. We got that relief in Barack Obama. Mr. Obama is a person worthy of the respect that comes with the office of the President. I am proud to say that I supported, contributed to, and voted for Barack Obama.

Overall Game of the Year
Hunter Red: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Travelinfool: Little Big Planet
Winner: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Of all the games released this year, Metal Gear Solid 4 was by far the best in my opinion. I’ve never played a game with this level of graphic storytelling, cutscenes, and music. Metal Gear Solid 4 led a renaissance for the Playstation 3 that, along with Little Big Planet, turned it into a game machine worth buying. Travelinfool said of Little Big Planet, “Overall we’ll get the most gameplay and also learn a thing or two about designing a game.” Overall this was a good year for games, but one has to stand tall as the best of the year, and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is that game.

That’s it, the first annual Four Star Gaming Awards is complete. I’d like to thank Travelinfool for his input into these awards. Although I am disappointed that he was the only one to provide input, I look forward to next years awards and next years insights. I’d also like to thank Google, 1UP, and All Games for providing the platforms for the Four Stars Blog, a blog that is directionless and damn proud of it. Also, thanks to Derrick Hopkins, for without him Redertainment.com would not be a reality today. Finally, thanks to you, my readers. For without readers, all this would be is a lone red head screaming pointlessly at the darkness. Please join us next year for the 2009 Four Star Gaming Awards.