Other Favorites of 2008
The new year has begun much like every year before it. I make all these wacky promises to myself on how to maintain a blog and while everything goes fine for the first month or so, all it takes is a momentary lapse in concentration to get stuck in the same ol’ rut as the year before.
Said wacky promises are in effect, only now I’ve been hit with some crazy super-cold thanks in part to some out-of-town friends of mine that stayed with us for New Years celebrations. So as I lay in bed, drugged up to David Bowie-esque proportions, I thought it’d be a nice time to take a look back at some of my (other) favorite media creations of 2008.
Favorite Game of 2008
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (XBLA/PSN)
I’ll best remember gaming in 2008 as the year where the eyes of so many of my friends were opened to what they had been missing out on for over a decade. Super Street Fighter II Turbo has always been the finest example of 2D fighting available, but it took a load of tweaks and a high-definition makeover to cement this fact once and for all. It’s been amazing to see people rediscover this game and now when I go to places like Keystone, I no longer have to fear being the only person wanting to play Super Turbo over the likes of 3rd Strike and other fighters. It’s still a few patches away from true perfection, but even without there’s still enough game here to play it for another decade. I also called this my favorite game of the year over at The Escapist and I stand firmly behind it.
Other Favorites: Street Fighter IV, Saints Row 2, Mirror’s Edge, Fallout 3, Fable II, DJ Max Clazziquai, Rock Band 2, ESPN Cameraman, Wipeout HD, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Scene It!: Box Office Smash, Dead Space, Left 4 Dead
Favorite Movie of 2008
“Zack and Miri Make a Porno”
All I’ve ever wanted was for a Kevin Smith film to make me feel emotions other than anger and shame again. The last time this happened was in 1997 with “Chasing Amy,” so it’s no surprise that he won me back over with his return to romantic-comedy (There was nothing funny about “Jersey Girl”). “Zack and Miri” is everything that’s great about the Jersey classics: hilariously offensive, surprisingly touching and outright shocking. I am no longer ashamed to call myself a fan of the Smith.
Other Favorites: “Wall-E,” “The Dark Knight,” “Speed Racer”
Favorite Album of 2008
YMCK, “Family Genesis”
At the beginning of 2008 I vowed to become more knowledgeable of the burgeoning chiptune scene and thanks to YMCK, I couldn’t have picked a better time to do so. As the first chiptune act to ever sign with a major label, “Family Genesis” is a milestone in electronic music. The album itself showcases an incredible amount of growth found within the act as their sound has a laser-like focus to it, unlike the previously manic efforts of “Family Racing” and “Family Music.” It’s an album that tells its nostalgic tale in a way that transcends its 8-bit, Japanese roots like no other chiptune record ever before.
Other Favorites: Jenny Lewis, “Acid Tongue” Vampire Weekend, “Vampire Weekend” Beck, “Modern Guilt” MGMT, “Oracular Spectacular”
January 14th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
You liked Speed Racer as well, eh? I hear too much hatred for that movie.