2008 Game of the Year

And just to clarify (as the site's EIC) - Gamervision's staff writers are not "lock[ed] in a hotel room for 8 hours, lavished with gifts" by any developers. As a matter of fact, Rockstar is one of the most notorious companies in terms of reaching out and fostering relationships with professional game writers. GTA IV received a 10 out of 10 based on its merits as a gaming experience, not because Coop had stars in his eyes after being wooed by a company. It received GOTY because it deserved it.

If I hadn't already pre-ordered the special edition with the lockbox, art book, CD and gym bag, that video would have made me rush out to buy the game--simply because of the use of "Flashing Lights." Great video altogether, and I agree with the supporters: it really is deserving of GOTY honors.

to quote coop: agreed.

Bunch of fuckin' turd burglars.

Coop is right, I don't know how you can say that "real gamers" didn't play GTA IV when it was the third-most played game on Xbox Live this year? You think that was all reviewers sitting in their comfy hotel rooms paid for by the publisher?

No. And I can't speak for every single person in this industry, but no one at this site was paid or given a damn thing to say that GTA IV was game of the year, or to give it a perfect score. It's not fair to insinuate that just because a game you personally don't like was named GOTY. I also don't really like the fact that you're saying we're not "real gamers". Every writer at Gamervision is a lifelong gamer, we all spend much our paychecks on games, systems, and accessories, and spend the majority of our time--even when we're not at work--playing video games or talking about video games.

You're not on my "list" because I have no problem with anyone having differing opinions. At the end of the day, that's all a review is: an opinion. But honestly, the numbers have shown that GTA IV was loved by almost all gamers this year, so I just don't see a need to be mean, say that people were paid off, or say that reviewers aren't real gamers.

wait coop, VC has no issues to speak of!! ;)

Neither of you have said what your Game of the Year picks were. I bet we could easily riddle them with holes too, regardless of what they were.

Fallout 3? Unbelievably buggy.

LittleBigPlanet? Laggy online and horrible level moderation.

Super Smash Bros.? I'd love to enjoy it more, but Nintendo stunted the game's online functionality and has still not fixed it. The promises of an online SSB were not fulfilled.

Metal Gear Solid 4? Uninviting for new players and a hackney story.

Persona 4? A step backwards for the generation because the developers didn't put it on a next-gen system.

Every game has issues, and Grand Theft Auto IV wouldn't have sold millions of copies and still hold a high spot (number 3 for the year) on XBox Live's lists if it was hated by "REAL" gamers.

Chill Rock, I agree with you. And I don't think Sarah hates you... yet.

Jozzy and I are ALWAYS having debates over these (or any) game title and we agree a lot... and sometimes we don't (Like Gears of War 2). It doesn't hurt the friendship. Trust me.

Yes, this game was VERY overrated and I agree with ReR that it was a step down for the series. For Christ sake, how the hell can you give a game GOTY when the controls are clunky, and slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter? The game was over hyped, and every wigg and gangster wanna be went out and ate it up. Sure, the game has a decent story, but it looks and plays like shit. The background looks like a watercolor painting... that's sad (This is a Next-Gen title?). That's my opinion, and yes, we can sort of state it like a fact. It's just a fact to us, lol.

P.S. I'd rather have them make an old school Sky-Cam GTA for XBLA or PSN than another GTA.

Sorry for the typos, I was writing in frustration.
"you know what" = "who know what" and "locking" = "locked".

Anyway I just wanted to add that this isn't an attack on anyone's integrity that works on the site, because I have a feeling I'm on Sarahs blacklist now.

I just WISH I could be lucky enough to have been a paid reviewer this year in order to try and show the gaming public was real GOTY games look like. Fuck, maybe I really should just start my own site.

"the truth is this was the most universally beloved game of the year for people who get PAID to play video games."

This is the part that's the most fucked up. It was also the game that was the most universally hated by REAL gamers you know what constitutes a good game.

Not only that, but a few "professional" reviewers spoke of being locking in a hotel room for 8 hours, lavished with gifts, and never completing the repetitive game that is GTA4 to begin with. Yet it received 10/10.

Am I insinuating that people were paid off? Yeah I am, because it's the only explanation. Many agree with me, and you can't argue that GTA4 isn't the topic of a very heated debate that gaming journalism of '08 was a little fishy. Just saying. It's sad that in order to push sales some companies must stoop so low.

We are entitled to our opinions, and it's mine that GTA4 was a step backwards in the series.

good game but not game of the year imo.. Valkyria Chronicles GAME OF THE YEAR!!

Jesus, so much hate for the highest-rated game of the year on metacritic. I guess reviewers universally just have no idea what they're talking about. And those nearly 50 perfect scores it got (which is pretty much unheard of)? They mean nothing, this game is trash.

Don't get me wrong, I knew people were going to disagree with this, and you are all entitled to your opinions. Just don't state your dislike of a game like it's a fact, because the truth is this was the most universally beloved game of the year for people who get paid to play video games.

Okay mikey... Calm down. Best game of all time? Sorry, but is someone still hitting the egg nog? Christmas and New Years are both over buddy.

Anyway, it can't be the best game of all time cause Ocarina of Time destroys GTA by a long shot in the "Best Game of All Time" category. At least, it's a WHOLE lot higher up in the list of Best Games.

You people are nuts!!!! GTA4 was not only the best game f the year in my opinion, I would say it might be the best game of all time.

Trash? Travesty? I'm confused by the hate around the game. Then again, I suppose you can't please everyone.

Well Coop, I HAVE played it on my own time. I borrowed it from a friend shortly after. I TRIED giving it another chance. It still was trash to me.

I agree with Riphade and RenR, I think this game is way overrated. It's graphics are great, and multiplayer is cool, but beyond that I liked VC and SA much better. The missions are wayyy too long... it was no problem in the older games when you fail because you only have a little down time to try again. With this, you have to drive half way across the city and listen to someone's half-assed life story before you can actually attempt the mission. At first I thought the new cop evasion was cool, because it was more realistic, but eventually I just got sick of how it slows down and drags down the pace of the game. So yeah, graphics and multiplayer are good, but other than that they kept problems from the old games, and added new problems. VC FTW wooo!!!!

Why, oh WHY does this terrible excuse for an open world game get so much cred? 2008 was a DAMN good year for games, and it will be forever tarnished because of this travesty that is GTA4. It upsets me to no end.

Maybe you want to play it more and on your own time? It's hard to make a complete assessment, especially one as scathing as that, based on "playing it at a friends house."