Yes!  Another "2008 in Review" thread!

Which gaming companies did you feel had good years?  Are there any new ones that got your attention, or old ones you came back to?  Who made what you wanted, and gave you the support you asked for?  Who kept the quality going, and who had the big releases?  Do you see it continuing in 2009?

I just bought my nephews Descent for Christmas, and I have to say this is looking to be a pretty damn awesome thing for them. It's not really my style, but they're going to get tons of miles out of this.

Mongoose. Simply because of Traveller.

I think it's been a great year for very small & self-publishers. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but it seems like we've had several games break out of the ghetto and start getting some well-deserved attention from fans who are maybe a little tired of the overproduced commercial treadmill. And just to see 4e & OSRIC released in the same year is real swell!

Quote from: jswa;273559Mongoose. Simply because of Traveller.

yep, this is the first year i've paid any attention at all to Mongoose

Quote from: jswa;273559Mongoose. Simply because of Traveller.

Yeah that.

And Cublicle 7 (Starblazer Adventures) and Paizo (Pathfinder adventure paths and campaign setting.)

I would give props to Brett (Precis) specifically for 2FT. An awesome book and nominated for an Ennie. Great work Brett!

Bill

Hmm...I've bought a lot of material this past year.  Oddly, they've all been "surprises":

* I've hated pretty much everything Mongoose put out before, because they are both over-priced and of questionable quality IMO (esp. the mess they made of Runequest), and never really got into Traveller before.  Oddly, though, once I saw the book I was impressed and bought it (have yet to use it).

* I never thought I'd buy Dark Heresy in the beginning.  I thought the scope was too limited and the price too high.  But once I saw the work of art that was the book, I was enthralled to buy it (have yet to use it, either).

* I thought 4e sounded dreadful and each preview before the release made me dislike it more.  But when I actually saw the books, I enjoyed liked the streamlined style.  I finally got some in my gaming group to try it on Friday, and they all liked it better than they were expecting, too.  Hopefully I can run a campaign with it in the future.

* I publicly trashed on Palladium for the way Kevin handled the Dead Reign release.  Imagine my surprise to find the book was actually not half-bad once I saw it in the store (and no, haven't used this one yet).

I'm not sure whether the morale of the story here is that I should stop being so influenced by pre-release talk on the Internet or whether I should keep being a cynical bastard with low expectations (so I can be happily surprised).  

I'll give props to Rodney Thompson and WotC for the Star Wars books in 2008, even though an editor would have been a good step before going to the printers.

Fantasy Flight Games.  They picked up the ball Black Industries dropped with the Warhammer line.  Plus on their board game line they continue to put out amazing product.

Catalyst Game Labs. The current Shadowrun products are top notch.

2008 has been the first year since I started gaming in which not a single new release got me excited.