DEEP in a titanium-lined bunker several miles below the Earth's crust, hoping beyond hope he is safe from the ravages of the nuclear winter he is convinced will yet come, Herald gaming guru Sam Smith has produced his definitive guide to the top ten games of 2008.
We who are not worthy salute him.
You, who are probably far worthier than us, can agree, disagree, or simply register below in the comments section and trash talk him back to the Stone Age.
TOP 10 GAMES OF 2008 
Ninja Gaiden 2
The sequel to 2004's action epic improved in all areas, adding new weapons, magic spells, and even more blood, gore, and ways to eviscerate your opponents. Still as rock-hard as ever, Ninja Gaiden 2 is truly a game for gamers, but those who persevere long enough to get to grips with the game will enjoy one of the best action games ever made.
Left 4 Dead
Valve, the creators of Half-Life, Counter-Strike, and many other online favourites, came back with another hit with their newest game, Left 4 Dead. Intended to be played co-operatively online, up to four people can face off against endless swarms of zombies, trying desperately to keep each other alive and reach the extraction point. Played with friends, Left 4 Dead is likely to be the best multiplayer experience you will have all year.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
With over 11 million monthly subscribers, World of Warcraft can safely be described as a phenomenon, single-handedly making Massively-Multiplayer Online games a huge market. The newest expansion adds a host of new features to keep the game fresh, such as ten more levels to increase, the game's first new class in the Death Knight, and an entire new continent of land to explore. Current WoW addicts need no better medicine than Wrath of the Lich King.
Dead Space
In an industry where established franchises sell by the bucket load, it is nice to see games publisher EA giving new titles a chance. One such title, Dead Space, is easily the best horror game of the year, and one of the best in a much longer time. Borrowing from sci-fi films such as Alien and Event Horizon, the game creates a claustrophobic atmosphere as the player is trapped alone in a seemingly abandoned spaceship. Outstanding zero-gravity sections pepper the main gameplay, which consists of having to dismember and completely cut apart the regenerating enemy aliens to kill them. Players will quickly learn that shooting something in the head is not the way forward in this game. Few games are truly frightening, but Dead Space succeeds in scaring the player witless.
Grand Theft Auto IV
GTA 4 could have been rubbish and everyone still would have bought it, but Rockstar didn't rest on their laurels and instead delivered a fantastic game worthy of the Grand Theft Auto name. With the most involving story of the series, players follow Serbian immigrant Niko Bellic as he arrives in "Liberty City", a fictional version of New York, and finds out the American dream is not all he had imagined it to be. The basics are the same as previous GTA games, but improvements have been made across the board, and the game plays far better for it. The real star of GTA 4 is the city, and just spending time walking around reveals how much like a real, breathing city the game's environment actually is. Add some new online modes and you have one of the best games of the year, and the best Grand Theft Auto game yet.
Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart has always been very popular and, with the fantastic Wii Wheel accessory, it is very well suited to Nintendo's newest console. With more depth than many casual Wii games, old-school gamers can enjoy Mario Kart as much as new players getting to grips with the wheel. Mario Kart Wii is not much different from previous games in the series, but this is no bad thing as the Mario Kart games have always delivered one of the most solid gameplay experiences around. With new online functionality, as well as plenty of new tracks and weapons, Mario Kart Wii is a game that anyone, including hardcore gamers, can enjoy.
Fallout 3
Fallout is something of a sacred name among gamers, with the first two games in the series being revered as some of the best of all time. Hopes were incredibly high for Fallout 3, and luckily the game delivered. Bethesda, the team responsible for the fantastic Oblivion, was on development duty, and indeed many describe Fallout 3 as Oblivion with guns. This is no bad thing, and indeed Fallout 3 is easily the best role-playing game of the year. Players experience a post-nuclear war America, trying to eke out an existence among the rubble and radiation. The atmosphere and gameplay are second-to-none and Fallout 3 is one of the best games you will play this year.
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 2 is a great example of a good sequel. Keeping the basics the same but improving many little aspects, Epic Games' newest title sports more weapons, more moves, and more multiplayer modes than its predecessor. A better story makes single player more involving, and the co-operative horde mode pits up to five players against ever-increasing waves of enemies. Horde mode is easily the best part of the package but, for those who prefer playing against real people, there are numerous new multiplayer variations to try. These include an ingenious take on capture the flag, where the flag is a person who is trying to kill you. Anyone with an Xbox 360 is missing out if they do not pick up Gears of War 2.
LittleBigPlanet
Often lauded by Playstation 3 fanboys as Sony's saviour, LittleBigPlanet had a lot of expectation to live up to. Thankfully it is a fantastic, unique, and most importantly, fun game. Playing as the descriptively-named Sackboy, players can run and jump along plenty of colourful levels. However, the real focus of LBP is the customization. Players can make their own levels, and the amount of detail one can use is incredibly deep. One clever user managed to recreate the first level from old-school shooter Gradius, despite LBP being (supposedly) a platform game. The possibilities really are as close to endless as you can get, and created levels can be shared online so people around the world can witness your genius. This all helps LittleBigPlanet to be one of the most unique and fun games you will play this year. Plus Steven Fry does the narration. That helps too.
Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid is a beloved franchise among many gamers, and rightly so. Metal Gear Solid 4 signals the end of the current story, and the end of hero Solid Snake along with it. MGS has always been famous for its lengthy, film-like cut-scenes, and this is as true as ever in number 4. However, the graphics are so good, and the direction so superb, that you may as well be watching a film during these parts. The story is as complex and glorious as ever, and fans will love seeing old plot strands being weaved together and the truth finally coming out as the epic draws to a close. Taking part in five acts, the gameplay of MGS4 has been updated for the new generation of consoles, and this makes controlling Snake and sneaking around as enjoyable a task as ever. The drastically varying environments means gameplay never becomes a bore, and there are always multiple solutions to one problem. In the end though, MGS4 is more of an experience than a mere game, and fans of the previous games should love their last moments with Solid Snake. Add in some of the best voice-acting in the industry and a 90-minute ending which has reduced many grown men to tears, and you have the best game of the year.
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