The Bennett Cross
"... most conspicuous gameplay, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to entertainment in the presence of the enemy"
Far Cry 2
Undoubtedly the game which would win anyone's award for "game which has most drastically divided public opinion", Far Cry 2 took a bit of getting used to but has proven to be the game which has provided me with far and away the greatest amount of entertainment of any game released this year. That might sound like damning it with faint praise, but I really have grown to enjoy the game enormously.
On the other hand it has some absolutely rabid detractors, who obviously expected another glossy, linear corridor shooter like CoD4 which would lead them by the hand from one scripted set-piece to the next, quickly and efficiently, so that they could complete the game and subsequently proclaim their godlike FPS skills on message forums around the world. It turns out that trying to force your way through FC2 is the exact wrong way to approach the game, and is guaranteed to result in frustration. Stop treating missions as having single objectives, and instead treat all the checkpoints and travel and exploration as objectives in their own right and you will be rewarded with a much more satisfying, if less high-octane experience.
It's a sad fact that many gamers, especially self-styled hardcore FPS players but increasingly MMO players too, have simply forgotten how to enjoy games and have instead come to regard them as some sort of barometer of personal worth. Which, paradoxically, is in fact an accurate indication of those particular players' worthlessness.
Far Cry 2 undoubtedly has flaws, especially the handling of respawning, but it really is unmatched by any other FPS when it comes to creating an immersive, open world. Contrary to its critics' claims, the travel and exploration and sheer scale of the world are in fact a good thing and a welcome change to the claustrophobic, barely-disguised corridors of the likes of CoD4 and Crysis/Warhead. There's a decent selection of fun weapons, and setting fires never gets old. After tweaking some Vista services it has also proven to be pretty stable, and is also known to be just about the only game on earth that runs better in DX10 mode.
While 2008 hasn't been the greatest year in PC gaming FC2 doesn't lead on the honours list by default, it leads by being an excellent game.
The Bennett Service Order
"... acts of the greatest gameplay or of the most conspicuous entertainment in circumstances of extreme danger"
Steam
I don't think I ever specified that only games can qualify for Honours, and with that in mind I really have to recognise Steam as a serious force in PC gaming in general. I have previously described it as having reached "critical mass", but in 2008 the system managed to elevate itself to yet another level. With some serious third-party publishers on board, including EA and Ubisoft, I haven't had any need to look elsewhere for a new game in a long, long time.
And add to that their exceptional weekend deals which have resulted in me buying Max Payne, Overlord, Titan Quest, Vampire: The Masquerade and Stalker and more. I might not have spent much time in all of them, but at $5-$10 they are well below my "why not?" threshold.
Other download services are available, but with the possible exception of slightly questionable pricing policies (which are most likely out of Valve's control anyway), Steam has yet to disappoint and is really leading the way into a brighter future of digital distribution.
The Bennett Medal
"... acts of gallantry and devotion to game play under fire"
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
I couldn't really justify awarding The Witcher an extra bar on its Bennett's Cross, but it still deserves another nod for its exceptional quality which is now even more polished and voluminous thanks to the Enhanced Edition. Most astonishing of all is the fact that it was given away for free to owners of the original game, so massive respect to CD Projekt for that. They seem to be working on a console version now, which hopefully won't delay any work on a sequel.
Honourable Mentions
Even though I'm not keen on playing shooters online, I must give a nod to Left 4 Dead. It comes with Valve's trademark polish, robustness and overall quality, even if it's a bit light on content and doesn't fare too well as a single-player game. It was also an audacious move to develop a game which relies on cooperative play between the feral online retards who rejoice in "pwning noobs" and simply can't comprehend the notion of cooperation, and attempt to play it competitively regardless. It's a fact that 100% of Left 4 Dead players think they're better at the game than everyone else, and think that all other players suck.
While Steam has already been honoured in its own right, it must be said that some of my greatest gaming moments of 2008 came courtesy of their special deals on older games, most notably Max Payne 1 & 2. I had managed to overlook them in the past, and it's a rare joy to happen across forgotten gems of their calibre.
Finally, big-up to Tomb Raider: Underworld, for bestowing an even more exquisitely-modelled and rendered arse on the buxom wonder, not to mention providing ample opportunities to ogle it in the underwater stages.
Dishonourable Mentions
It's a good job Jade Raymond is pretty, because Assassin's Creed, which was finally released on the PC in 2008, was a load of old toss. One of the few games I never bothered to finish because it really was that bad.
I sort of feel as if Age of Conan shouldn't be a dishonourable mention, but neither did it rise to level of those mentioned above. The game wasn't all bad, but ultimately it was a bit of a missed opportunity.
Warhammer, the other over-hyped MMO of 2008, didn't even get installed on my machine after the beta. Dumbed-down PvP in a WoW style, it felt soul-less and contrived and tedious.
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