Top 10 PlayStation exclusives of 2008

By now you’ve hopefully seen our Top 50 Games of 2008 and viewed our Top 10 video feature (if not, why not?), but what about the best games made for each individual format or platform holder? Good question. Luckily we’ve thought about the answer, and put together the Top 10 PS3 and PSP exclusives of 2008. Before you get the pitchforks out and rustle up an angry mob, this list deliberately disqualifies titles like Fallout 3 and GTA 4 (and any other games that appeared on another console). These are games that a console gamer could only buy for the PS3 or PSP.

10. PixelJunk Monsters!, Sony – PSN

What we said: In the end it all comes down to how you want to play the game. On the one hand you’ve got a fiendishly hard single-player game that taxes the mind as much as the reflexes, and on the other there’s a more considered two-player game with a slower pace and more tactical play. Either way, PixelJunk Monsters is another fine addition to the PSN line-up.

9. Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, Sony – PSN

What we said: At £10 Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty is well worth a download (or a purchase on Blu-ray in Europe). Compared to some other PSN titles it doesn’t offer the same replay value, but it more than makes up for this in production values and overall quality. If thought of as a mini-adventure rather than a full game it ranks up there with the best the series has ever offered and as such is essential to all action loving PS3 owners.

8. Resistance 2, Sony – PS3

What we said: If you own a PS3 then there’s no doubt that you should pick up Resistance 2. It’s a solid FPS, with moments of brilliance and some top notch multiplayer modes. It isn’t the system seller it could have been though. The campaign is the biggest offender, switching between mediocre and spectacular far too regularly, as does the presentation. The storyline and characters once again fall flat, with Insomniac failing to build anything to really care about into a sci-fi premise that has an awful lot of potential. There’s plenty here to work with; we just hope Insomniac finally puts all the pieces together for the inevitable third game.

7. MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, Sony – PS3

What we said: PlayStation has had some hugely impressive racing franchises over the years and Pacific Rift shows that MotorStorm is on its way to join the greats. We’re still not completely sold on what we believe is an overly harsh handling model that frequently restricts the amount of fun the average gamer can have, but it’s not an insurmountable problem. Once you’re in the groove you’ll find some incredible tracks to scream around at high speed and the online play should provide plenty of longevity. Some might see Pacific Rift as a safe follow-up, but with a brand new location, more tracks and more features, it’s more or less exactly what fans wanted.

6. LocoRoco 2, Sony – PSP

What we said: Some will think the game too short, the gameplay repetitive and the experience too similar to the original to warrant forking out another £20, but those people are heartless grouches who no doubt spend their time scaring children and trampling on daisies. For everyone else, LocoRoco 2 is the most uplifting game available, not only on the title-shy PSP, but on any platform.

5. WipEout HD, Sony – PSN

What we said: At £12 you’ve probably already made your mind up about WipEout HD, but in case you’re on the fence we whole heartedly recommend you download it as soon as it hits the PlayStation Store. This isn’t really WipEout’s PS3 debut, being a collection of things we’ve seen before, but as a teaser to what is surely to come it’s a highly polished and tremendously exciting game. If Sony keeps churning out PSN games like this they’ll put the retail industry out of business.

4. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Square-Enix – PSP

What we said: At the end of the day, as a FFVII fan it’s almost impossible to resist Crisis Core. The familiar soundtrack, environments and fleshing out of back story will delight the game’s fanatical army of followers. More importantly, however, is that Crisis Core’s overall quality makes it a must buy for all PSP owners, whether you’re into your materia or not. Us Brits have once again been forced to wait for a Square Enix RPG, but it’s been worth it. Crisis Core is not only a must buy for FF fans, but a must buy for RPG fans.

3. God of War: Chains of Olympus, Sony – PSP

What we said: God of War: Chains of Olympus is at its core a remarkably simple game, but it’s presented so well and plays so smoothly that the end result is a must-own PSP title. It’ll make you question the visuals of every other PSP game you play and have you longing for more. If you’ve been after a reason to pick up the PSP this is it. It’s only March and the handheld game of the year has probably already arrived.

2. LittleBigPlanet, Sony – PS3

What we said: LittleBigPlanet may well save the PS3 (if it indeed needs saving), it may be the most creative game of all time, it could well usher in a new era of user-generated gaming, and has a chance of bringing about a 2D platforming renaissance, but all those things are down to you. The game Media Molecule has created won’t do these things alone, but if gamers create the levels we think they’re capable of, we might be looking at one of the most important games this console generation has seen. As it stands it’s an entertaining platfomer, highly polished training tool and potential gateway to greatness. We’re hoping it will end up being much more.

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Konami – PS3

What we said: Metal Gear Solid 4 had a lot to live up to and it’s done so brilliantly. It’s a game that will go down in history as one of the most ambitious and cinematic ever made, but also, finally, and more importantly, it will go down as a MGS game with gameplay that doesn’t polarise opinion. It’s not without it problems, most notably in the change of pace in the last third and the often laborious cut scenes (if you could play even half of its best cinematic moments MGS4 would wipe the floor with the best games we’ve ever seen), but MGS fans won’t care.

Agree? Disagree? What are your picks for best PS3 and PSP games of 2008? Let us know in the comments section below.