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favorite vidya games
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Final Fantasy V:
Yeah, I understand the pitfalls of the game. The shitty plotline, weak characters, destroys everything FF is supposed to stand for etc etc. But goddamn, FFV was still a fun game to play, and imo, surpasses VII, and just barely VI (although I must admit VI's story was phenomenal and so were its characters). The gameplay was superbly done, with its job system, and while the story was pretty linear until a certain point, the dungeons, and castles were well done, especially in the midstages of the game, where you're in World III before the Void. The boss fights were phenomenal also (if you didn't rely on cheap parlour tricks, like fucking petrify on Carbuncle and using the Elemental attacks that dealt 9999 damage come on), especially Gilgamesh who was challenging that one time he had Endou. The ending boss fight was kind of weak for me, but the majority of the gameplay was good enough for me to spend over 100 hours on it leveling my characters and doing all the small sidequests. The soundtrack was amazing in my opinion; each bit of BGM captured the mood almost perfectly, (see: Battle On the Big Bridge) Plus, I think it was the first Final Fantasy that I played which factored a lot into my decision.
Left 4 Dead 2.
With all due respect to the Resident Evil franchise (especially 4, but not so much 5, although playing co-op with mics was fun, especially with mercenary, don't know why this game gets so much flak other than Chris' huge biceps), I feel that Left 4 Dead 2 captures the perfect balance between zombie apocalypse, competitiveness, replay value, and just general fun. It gets pretty stale if you play campaign by yourself but once you enter the world of multiplayer, it gets competitive pretty quickly. I first started out with playing Expert Campaign with a few buddies of mine which was a huge challenge, especially since friendly fire would cut down your HP pretty quickly, and the infected dealt like 5-10 damage / hit or something insane like that. Moving onto Versus, both the Infected and Survivors have been optimized for the best balance. Working in coordination with your fellow teammates is crucial; I find it's pretty normal to have at least one person rage quit unless you have pretty balanced teams in terms of skill level. Each Infected has its own unique way of attacking, and there's a lot of strategy and coordination that goes into actually attacking if you want to be successful at it, since most Special Infecteds don't have very much health (except the Tank), requiring patience and knowing what role you're playing. Survivors is pretty much sticking together, knowing how to fend off Special Infected, and in some cases, knowing when to ditch your teammates and just book it for maximum points. It becomes a huge gamble near the end of the match, especially when points count. Microphones are a must; you don't have time to type out commands when most ripe situations are gone within seconds. Gonna stop rambling, and just say that this game has consumed over 300 hours of my life over a span of a year (with school and commuting and everything). Definitely try out this game if you're into competitive FPS with a twist.
Yeah, I understand the pitfalls of the game. The shitty plotline, weak characters, destroys everything FF is supposed to stand for etc etc. But goddamn, FFV was still a fun game to play, and imo, surpasses VII, and just barely VI (although I must admit VI's story was phenomenal and so were its characters). The gameplay was superbly done, with its job system, and while the story was pretty linear until a certain point, the dungeons, and castles were well done, especially in the midstages of the game, where you're in World III before the Void. The boss fights were phenomenal also (if you didn't rely on cheap parlour tricks, like fucking petrify on Carbuncle and using the Elemental attacks that dealt 9999 damage come on), especially Gilgamesh who was challenging that one time he had Endou. The ending boss fight was kind of weak for me, but the majority of the gameplay was good enough for me to spend over 100 hours on it leveling my characters and doing all the small sidequests. The soundtrack was amazing in my opinion; each bit of BGM captured the mood almost perfectly, (see: Battle On the Big Bridge) Plus, I think it was the first Final Fantasy that I played which factored a lot into my decision.
Left 4 Dead 2.
With all due respect to the Resident Evil franchise (especially 4, but not so much 5, although playing co-op with mics was fun, especially with mercenary, don't know why this game gets so much flak other than Chris' huge biceps), I feel that Left 4 Dead 2 captures the perfect balance between zombie apocalypse, competitiveness, replay value, and just general fun. It gets pretty stale if you play campaign by yourself but once you enter the world of multiplayer, it gets competitive pretty quickly. I first started out with playing Expert Campaign with a few buddies of mine which was a huge challenge, especially since friendly fire would cut down your HP pretty quickly, and the infected dealt like 5-10 damage / hit or something insane like that. Moving onto Versus, both the Infected and Survivors have been optimized for the best balance. Working in coordination with your fellow teammates is crucial; I find it's pretty normal to have at least one person rage quit unless you have pretty balanced teams in terms of skill level. Each Infected has its own unique way of attacking, and there's a lot of strategy and coordination that goes into actually attacking if you want to be successful at it, since most Special Infecteds don't have very much health (except the Tank), requiring patience and knowing what role you're playing. Survivors is pretty much sticking together, knowing how to fend off Special Infected, and in some cases, knowing when to ditch your teammates and just book it for maximum points. It becomes a huge gamble near the end of the match, especially when points count. Microphones are a must; you don't have time to type out commands when most ripe situations are gone within seconds. Gonna stop rambling, and just say that this game has consumed over 300 hours of my life over a span of a year (with school and commuting and everything). Definitely try out this game if you're into competitive FPS with a twist.
I can we can say that by a mile Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the most favorited game so far.
Makes me feel bad that I sold it when I was 9 because I got stuck at the Fuzzies in the first chapter.
Makes me feel bad that I sold it when I was 9 because I got stuck at the Fuzzies in the first chapter.
Eraddd;
FFV was the last Final Fantasy game I played and it made me lose a lot of respect for VI. It's just a much more fun game, and really draws into question the lack of options in VI as opposed to the games it is sandwiched between. The story may be intentionally cliched but the narrative still flows better than VI, and you gotta love how much the last act makes sense. Also Gilgamesh > Ultros. V is a fantastic game and fans who haven't played it are missing out.
FFV was the last Final Fantasy game I played and it made me lose a lot of respect for VI. It's just a much more fun game, and really draws into question the lack of options in VI as opposed to the games it is sandwiched between. The story may be intentionally cliched but the narrative still flows better than VI, and you gotta love how much the last act makes sense. Also Gilgamesh > Ultros. V is a fantastic game and fans who haven't played it are missing out.
omgIdontknowhalfofthesegaemsImustbegettingold :[
Sonic & Knuckles
Did I beat this game? I don't remember. It was a close one between this and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and IMO, is one of the last great Sonic games(really not feeling Sonic on any 3D plane; the scars from Sonic Adventure 1 must still be fresh :/ ). Rush was cool, though.
Super Mario Bros. 3
The. Best. Mario. Game. Ever. Created. PERIOD! Why do you think other games like Super Mario 3D Land and New Super Mario Bros. 2 are biting off of it?
Chrono Trigger
This is one of the greatest masterpieces of an RPG that Squaresoft(now Square Enix) ever created. Nowadays, I don't think it gets the respect it deserves and it showed when they re-released it again for the DS(sales were pretty bad). However, as great as it is, it does not QUITE match up to....
Final Fantasy 6
Oh. My. God. STILL THE greatest Final Fantasy created EVER! Everything was just done so...perfectly. The scenes. The battle system. The Mode 7 graphics. And the cast of characters each had stories that were so DEEP.
4 was classic and awesome. 7 was great. 9 was awesome. 10 was even great. But none of them top this one, even the newer ones.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
This particular Zelda holds a special place in my heart. I guess you guys can start to tell what era in gaming I grew up in lol. I remember playing this and being in the 3rd and "final" dungeon as a kid thinking "Hmm....this game seems a bit short". Then, BOOM, Dark World opens up. You got 8 more dungeons to beat. NOW what? It's one of the more forgotten great 2D Zeldas alongside....
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
HORRIBLY, HORRIBLY underrated (and forgotten). I honestly didn't think any 2D plane Zelda game could top LTTP...but this one got really, really close. It was great nostalgia all over again, but in a brand new adventure. Granted it borrows elements from LTTP, but hey, LTTP was just a great game ;)
Final Fantasy Tactics
Excellent SRPG. I expected nothing less from the now Square Enix. Synre mentioned it: the only thing missing was multiplayer and/or a versus mode, which I desperately wished for many a night. Otherwise, the classic Final Fantasy formula: great characters, excellent and diverse job system and battle system, etc etc. Loved it loved it!
Mega Man X4
I don't think I beat this either. All I know is it was the first one where you could play ZERO!!1111!!!11 The first Mega Man X comes close to this though.
Pokémon HeartGold Version
Pokémon Gold Version was my absolute favorite game of all time. So, when I heard that they were re-releasing Gold & Silver in 4th gen for their 10th anniversary, I was stoked. I still play it to this day. Also, having two regions in Kanto and Johto to travel through made for a huge world.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
.....really?
WHY. DID. NO. ONE. MENTION. THIS. GAEM? Still seen as the best Castlevania game of all time by many. So great that many of the GBA and DS Castlevania games that came after SoTN borrowed it's style for themselves(ex: Aria/Dawn of Sorrow, Circle of the Moon, etc). It broke the mold of constantly playing as someone from the Belmont clan by introducing the son of Dracula, Alucard, as the main character. It also brought in RPG elements to the series which I loved. Anyone that wants to get into the Castlevania series or just wants another one to play NEEDS to play this game if they haven't yet.
End.
Sonic & Knuckles
Did I beat this game? I don't remember. It was a close one between this and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and IMO, is one of the last great Sonic games(really not feeling Sonic on any 3D plane; the scars from Sonic Adventure 1 must still be fresh :/ ). Rush was cool, though.
Super Mario Bros. 3
The. Best. Mario. Game. Ever. Created. PERIOD! Why do you think other games like Super Mario 3D Land and New Super Mario Bros. 2 are biting off of it?
Chrono Trigger
This is one of the greatest masterpieces of an RPG that Squaresoft(now Square Enix) ever created. Nowadays, I don't think it gets the respect it deserves and it showed when they re-released it again for the DS(sales were pretty bad). However, as great as it is, it does not QUITE match up to....
Final Fantasy 6
Oh. My. God. STILL THE greatest Final Fantasy created EVER! Everything was just done so...perfectly. The scenes. The battle system. The Mode 7 graphics. And the cast of characters each had stories that were so DEEP.
4 was classic and awesome. 7 was great. 9 was awesome. 10 was even great. But none of them top this one, even the newer ones.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
This particular Zelda holds a special place in my heart. I guess you guys can start to tell what era in gaming I grew up in lol. I remember playing this and being in the 3rd and "final" dungeon as a kid thinking "Hmm....this game seems a bit short". Then, BOOM, Dark World opens up. You got 8 more dungeons to beat. NOW what? It's one of the more forgotten great 2D Zeldas alongside....
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
HORRIBLY, HORRIBLY underrated (and forgotten). I honestly didn't think any 2D plane Zelda game could top LTTP...but this one got really, really close. It was great nostalgia all over again, but in a brand new adventure. Granted it borrows elements from LTTP, but hey, LTTP was just a great game ;)
Final Fantasy Tactics
Excellent SRPG. I expected nothing less from the now Square Enix. Synre mentioned it: the only thing missing was multiplayer and/or a versus mode, which I desperately wished for many a night. Otherwise, the classic Final Fantasy formula: great characters, excellent and diverse job system and battle system, etc etc. Loved it loved it!
Mega Man X4
I don't think I beat this either. All I know is it was the first one where you could play ZERO!!1111!!!11 The first Mega Man X comes close to this though.
Pokémon HeartGold Version
Pokémon Gold Version was my absolute favorite game of all time. So, when I heard that they were re-releasing Gold & Silver in 4th gen for their 10th anniversary, I was stoked. I still play it to this day. Also, having two regions in Kanto and Johto to travel through made for a huge world.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
.....really?
WHY. DID. NO. ONE. MENTION. THIS. GAEM? Still seen as the best Castlevania game of all time by many. So great that many of the GBA and DS Castlevania games that came after SoTN borrowed it's style for themselves(ex: Aria/Dawn of Sorrow, Circle of the Moon, etc). It broke the mold of constantly playing as someone from the Belmont clan by introducing the son of Dracula, Alucard, as the main character. It also brought in RPG elements to the series which I loved. Anyone that wants to get into the Castlevania series or just wants another one to play NEEDS to play this game if they haven't yet.
End.
Guys, guys, guys, come on. Not a single mention of Animal Crossing? NVM jumpluff mentioned it... I honestly tl,dr'ed most of this thread and just checked the pictures lol
Gamecube version was the best, no contest. I played that game to death when I was a kid, getting EVERY SINGLE THING multiple times. Also, it was Nintendo's first experiment with Virtual Console, as you could play NES games (although most of them were lame, you could at least get super mario bros and zelda if you had an action replay)
Gamecube version was the best, no contest. I played that game to death when I was a kid, getting EVERY SINGLE THING multiple times. Also, it was Nintendo's first experiment with Virtual Console, as you could play NES games (although most of them were lame, you could at least get super mario bros and zelda if you had an action replay)
;_; Finally someone who agrees with me. I've gotten so much flak for saying V was a favorite for mine. And yeah, Final Fantasy V was one of those rare games where I didn't have a point in time where I thought "This is pretty boring."
The level design was just amazing too, it felt like I wasn't even playing Final Fantasy with all the cool details dungeons had.
The whole game is boring to me. The entire cast of characters is just not interesting, save perhaps Faris for a while. The story was a clear step back from FF4 (who was just as cliché but had more intriguing characters and dialogues) and just doesn't come close to the masterpiece that is FF6, or subsequent titles.
That someone lost respect for the 6th game by playing the 5th baffles me. It is one of the worst Final Fantasy title, probably only next to the 3rd game.
I'm inclined to agree on some points. I think V was a good game, overall, but the plot and characters just don't hold a candle to 6(or even 4, it's predecessor for that matter), even when things got "interesting". Granted, the job system gave the characters a lot of depth as far as class customization(the biggest attraction of the game for me) and it adds a ton of replay value, but you really can't compare it to 6 since 6....didn't have a job system :/. The "classes" were already set in stone for each character, with only one hero you could actually customize.
Regardless, I still enjoyed 5 for what it was as a standalone game.
synre is a good admin. im gonna talk about my 5 favourite games, 3 of which were on his list.
CHRONO CROSS
a masterpiece. like, if i were to show the storytelling power of an rpg to anyone who didnt play games, i would use this (but they would have to play trigger first so maybe as a self-contained 'best story' it doesnt really work). visually it is one of the most astonishing things the gaming world has ever seen. the graphics haven't aged all that well, but you get some really striking moments, like
when you wake up here and this is playing and suddenly nothing else in the world fucking matters. it makes me feel things not yet lexicalized. sometimes i play the game just to get to this place. the single most salient moment in my video game career.
i have trouble separating cross from trigger in some ways though. like, cross is so much more ambitious and brilliant than trigger was, but only because it was able to build upon the clever and tragic world that trigger bequeathed unto it. cross's gameplay was unique and interesting, and didn't have too much broken shit (but the fact that weaker elements become obsolete as you progress was kind of dumb). pulling off combos felt good, and the elemental field thing was such a cool concept. it was bulging with sidequests, some of which even granted some catharsis to trigger veterans.
most of the characters were extraneous, but i don't really find that to be such a negative thing. like, you've got a handful of characters with proper development, and then a bunch that don't. you're given the option of only using important characters, so you can pretend that the game just has like 7 real characters like trigger or something. or, you can have a slightly different gameplay/dialogue experience and use retarded gimmicks like turnip. i don't see how the game would be better if the only playable characters were *SPOILERS PROBABLY OK* serge kid glenn viper karsh norris (as a porre envoy hes kind of important ok) riddel fargo lynx harle and leena. it's like games where you're allowed to use monsters in your party; if you dont like their lack of development, then use the real characters.
also, as synre said, best soundtrack of any game ever. absolutely no contest. orphanage scene with kid while the girl who stole the stars is playing? that hurt. it fucking hurt. that's what it feels like to get clocked in the jaw.
all things considered, the game is resplendent. it is overwhelming. and if you guys know me at all, you know that i'm a sucker for a game with a needlessly complex story that rewards painstaking studies of outside sources. my only real qualm is that it undeniably has pacing issues. after a whole lot of nothing you are inundated with so many plot revelations that it's almost impossible to keep up. while that annoyed me on my first couple playthroughs, i now understand the plot about as well as anyone can, so it's not something that bugs me anymore.
MONSTER RANCHER 2
monster rancher 2 has taken (not wasted, of course) more hours of my life than any other game. i'm guessing over a thousand, probably much more considering i've had it for over a decade. i remember constantly waking up 2 hours early before school so i could play it in the morning.
i really don't know where to begin in terms of describing its charm. it presents to you this beautiful world, but what i think adds to the charm is that it isn't a universe constrained by its premise like pokemon is (just because pokemon exist, it doesn't mean everything needs to be solved with a pokemon battle). not everything is monsters. when you go into town, you see people doing things that regular people do. i found that much more immersive. the scenery town area is quaint but still bustling:
the ranch, a bucolic fantasy land.
this ducken is about to embark on a wonderful journey! anyway, scenery aside, the gameplay is addictive as hell for anyone who likes micromanaging, minmaxing, and cute mons. the learning curve is fucking grueling; if you jump into it not knowing anything, you will not get very far, and you will struggle like hell to beat even the easiest opponents. over time, though, as you learn the ins and outs of stress and fatigue and start to understand life stages, you'll start getting the hang of it.
battles require quite a bit of strategy and quite a bit of luck. you basically have to distance yourself and pace your guts (stamina) consumption. all in all, they're a lot of fun. i don't think the game even has 50 screens of content (maybe a bit more if you count seasons) but the replay value is the greatest i've ever seen. there are 400 and some monster variations, and to be honest most of which can hold their own in different ways, thanks to there being so many more contributing variables to a mon's usefulness than there is in pokemon. furthermore, the game has such incredible depth that there's still so much we don't know about it. i think breeding was just fully figured out 4 or 5 years ago, but things like the lifespan hit of battling, the effects of certain items, and a number of unknown variables surrounding technique acquisition are a complete mystery. this also has one of the best soundtracks in any game. each song is a perfect match to its corresponding area/event. the seasonal ranch music is so evocative that i sometimes hum the winter tune to myself when it's snowing outside.
also worth noting is that nothing in the world satisfies me more than seeing the lightbulb when you get a new tech. ahhhhh i need to play this right now. synre, if we ever meet at a smocon, we are playing this all night.
ps yeah, the translation starts out ok, just oddly localized. as you progress further in the game you realize that they just assumed nobody would make it this far and they really just don't even bother. some scenes (like the alien one synre mentioned) really have to be seen to be believed, and even then you will probably think your disc is malfunctioning.
DIGIMON WORLD
digimon world. holy fuck, this game. i couldn't possibly say if i like it more than mr2. this game is so engrossing, so confusing, and so weird that nothing really compares. you train your mon. you feed your mon. your mon has to poop, so get him to a toilet lest he make a big fucking mistake. you manage his discipline and happiness. you battle other mons, and sometimes when you win you learn new techniques, but nobody really knows why or how. it is a mystery.
your goal is to recruit guys to join the city and restore it to its former glory. the game is in some ways an interesting allegory for babel (PROBABLY UNINTENDED), as they have lost the ability to speak their native tongue. they have drifted off into the wilderness, forgetting their former, civilized existences. sometimes you have to fight them to remind them. sometimes you have to perform confusing and recondite tasks.
this is how the city starts out:
this is what the city develops into once you start doing your fucking job:
i've heard comparisons to dark cloud, but i've never played it. anyway, this game is horribly rushed, full of glitches, and translated in a way that makes you wonder if the game is even supposed to exist in this physical plane. yet, it's endearing to no end, full of replay value, endlessly interesting (mr2's unexplored mysteries pale in comparison to this game, which is nowhere near being understood), and sates any exploratory desires you might have.
the battle system is simple, but not particularly engaging. you sort of tell them what to do, but they sort of don't listen. for some reason, though, they're a lot of fun. the environments are beautiful and eerie; most backgrounds are bizarre amalgamations of mechanical parts and nature. it's a really pretty world, and one that you will feel good about saving. the whole thing is extremely quirky and gimmicky, but if you like raising mons and exploring in a way that pokemon can't possibly offer, i would recommend this gem.
i highly recommend jumping into this game and playing it without a walkthrough. it is so overwhelming and confusing without being all that frustrating that you will find nothing but whimsy as you press forward. numemon isn't much fun so maybe try to raise a few of your stats beyond 100 and dont let him poop on the ground and manage his tiredness to avoid him. that is the only tip i will give. as i said in a past thread, it is set up in a way that while you can keep playing a single game file for months if you'd like to get everything, it is also the kind of game that you can play fervently, get bored of a week later, and replay six months later with the same enthusiasm you once had. this cycle has lasted me over ten years with no signs of breaking.
they are 'kind of' remaking this game for psp, but it's more so a new digimon game that harkens back to the mechanics and tone of this game due to overwhelmingly positive fan reception of this game. i didn't like any other digimon world games i played, but this one is just beautiful. the soundtrack is really impressive too. not as much as the prior games i've mentioned, but the file city music is the perfect reminder that you are in a simpler, kinder world. really inspires you to go out and get shit done. also meat grows on a farm. why aren't you playing it right now?
SUPER METROID
super metroid. simply astonishing. the ambience, the cyclical exploration ('maybe now i can open that door back there'), the mysteries (what the FUCK is that orange geemer doing above the haunted ship). words fail me on this title. my favourite platformer of all time. this game's soundtrack is the perfect partner to a spooky alien world. you are somewhere you should not be.
you shoot space pirates and you try to get the baby metroid back. pretty straightforward, right? turns out zebes is a fucking labyrinth housing more than one minotaur. as you improve your toolset and your reflexes adapt to the controls, you'll find you can explore most places. with super quick fingers you can get basically anywhere due to some tricks. one of my favourite pastimes is watching super metroid TASes, if only because it showcases the incredible complexity of the game engine.
there are a lot challenges that can be done in this game. beat the bosses in the reverse order (extremely difficult), acquire as many treasures as possible without fighting any bosses or mini-bosses, beat the game eschewing some important 'mandatory' upgrades. so much of this is only made possible by little quirks in the game world that are honestly too perfect to not be programmed in intentionally. an example, norfair, the fiery depths of zebes. too hot for samus's regular suit, she takes damage just being down there unless she has the varia suit, received after defeating kraid. however, if you do a bit of sequence breaking and get some energy packs, you're able to survive norfair long enough to get to this one weird, bubble-filled room that, for some reason, doesn't damage you. this is the only thing that allows for the earlier challenge runs i mentioned.
the game has a perspicacious and inspired community, and new things are being discovered every year. way ahead of its time, super metroid is basically a proto-sandbox game, and the exploratory elements put a lot of modern games to shame. i really can't do it justice. you just have to play it.
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY
star ocean 2. i wish chaos were here. this game is just... perfect. i don't know how else to describe it. it's a poorly translated jrpg with a rather interesting but awkwardly executed plot, but what it does right will make you wonder why you didn't play it 12 years ago.
star ocean 1 was never released over here due to it being one of the last super famicom games ever, and they barely had time to rush out the unfinished japanese version before the system was obsoleted. it was the spiritual sequel to tales of phantasia, having many of the same developers. you'll notice several aesthetic similarities if you've played them both.
thankfully, you don't need to have played so1 to enjoy this. it took the clever but inchoate mechanics introduced in the first game and refined them. item creation. the skill system. private actions. friendship/romance values between characters.
her name is celine what the fuck guy. anyway, haven't you ever played an rpg and thought 'man i wish my characters had more aesthetic sense'???
the crafting system is incredibly deep and you have no hope of mastering it without outside help. it's not needed to progress, though, so maybe you're better off waiting until a second or third playthrough to give it a shot. this game has multiple difficulty settings, the highest of which is actually really challenging to all but the most wizened veterans.
the character development is... interesting. as i said, it's really poorly translated. well, no, it's more like it's poorly localized. much of the dialogue is rigid and awkward. however, you have things like private actions, wherein you can enter any city by yourself, your teammates each wandering the city by themselves. you can strike up scenes with them which can positively or negatively affect your relationship with them, depending on your choices, and it can open up gameplay changes both major and minor.
you can play as a dude from future-earth or a girl from a rather undeveloped planet (play as the dude your first time, it makes the game easier to understand). after an accident on another planet, you're thrust into the world of expel, the home planet of said girl. you arrive in a forest, and this is when the soundtrack hits you. shingo forest take me awayyyyyyyy. the moment you step into arlia village, you will never want to leave.
honestly, this game just tugs at my heartstrings and my min-maxing gamer strings. it has towns and villages that i have spent years wishing i could live in, it has battle mechanics that make random battles endlessly enjoyable, and it has superbosses that are seriously fucking hard. it delivers on both ends of the spectrum, and i think that's why it's so close to my heart. there's just something about it, it's the kind of thing you have to see for yourself. if you like games with a hell of a lot of dialogue, this is for you. the first hour or two you will find that you've accomplished virtually nothing, but the world is basically yours after that.
also it's notorious for having the worst voice acting of any game ever (its only in battles so it doesnt ruin the atmosphere). some of these have to be heard to be believed. i can't even pick my favourite ones, there are just too many.
that's been my top 5 for like, 10 years. the mega man battle network series comes dangerously close but since i can't even pick my favourite game from the series, i'll probably have to do a followup post where i just talk about the games in general.
CHRONO CROSS
a masterpiece. like, if i were to show the storytelling power of an rpg to anyone who didnt play games, i would use this (but they would have to play trigger first so maybe as a self-contained 'best story' it doesnt really work). visually it is one of the most astonishing things the gaming world has ever seen. the graphics haven't aged all that well, but you get some really striking moments, like
when you wake up here and this is playing and suddenly nothing else in the world fucking matters. it makes me feel things not yet lexicalized. sometimes i play the game just to get to this place. the single most salient moment in my video game career.
i have trouble separating cross from trigger in some ways though. like, cross is so much more ambitious and brilliant than trigger was, but only because it was able to build upon the clever and tragic world that trigger bequeathed unto it. cross's gameplay was unique and interesting, and didn't have too much broken shit (but the fact that weaker elements become obsolete as you progress was kind of dumb). pulling off combos felt good, and the elemental field thing was such a cool concept. it was bulging with sidequests, some of which even granted some catharsis to trigger veterans.
most of the characters were extraneous, but i don't really find that to be such a negative thing. like, you've got a handful of characters with proper development, and then a bunch that don't. you're given the option of only using important characters, so you can pretend that the game just has like 7 real characters like trigger or something. or, you can have a slightly different gameplay/dialogue experience and use retarded gimmicks like turnip. i don't see how the game would be better if the only playable characters were *SPOILERS PROBABLY OK* serge kid glenn viper karsh norris (as a porre envoy hes kind of important ok) riddel fargo lynx harle and leena. it's like games where you're allowed to use monsters in your party; if you dont like their lack of development, then use the real characters.
also, as synre said, best soundtrack of any game ever. absolutely no contest. orphanage scene with kid while the girl who stole the stars is playing? that hurt. it fucking hurt. that's what it feels like to get clocked in the jaw.
all things considered, the game is resplendent. it is overwhelming. and if you guys know me at all, you know that i'm a sucker for a game with a needlessly complex story that rewards painstaking studies of outside sources. my only real qualm is that it undeniably has pacing issues. after a whole lot of nothing you are inundated with so many plot revelations that it's almost impossible to keep up. while that annoyed me on my first couple playthroughs, i now understand the plot about as well as anyone can, so it's not something that bugs me anymore.
MONSTER RANCHER 2
monster rancher 2 has taken (not wasted, of course) more hours of my life than any other game. i'm guessing over a thousand, probably much more considering i've had it for over a decade. i remember constantly waking up 2 hours early before school so i could play it in the morning.
i really don't know where to begin in terms of describing its charm. it presents to you this beautiful world, but what i think adds to the charm is that it isn't a universe constrained by its premise like pokemon is (just because pokemon exist, it doesn't mean everything needs to be solved with a pokemon battle). not everything is monsters. when you go into town, you see people doing things that regular people do. i found that much more immersive. the scenery town area is quaint but still bustling:
the ranch, a bucolic fantasy land.
this ducken is about to embark on a wonderful journey! anyway, scenery aside, the gameplay is addictive as hell for anyone who likes micromanaging, minmaxing, and cute mons. the learning curve is fucking grueling; if you jump into it not knowing anything, you will not get very far, and you will struggle like hell to beat even the easiest opponents. over time, though, as you learn the ins and outs of stress and fatigue and start to understand life stages, you'll start getting the hang of it.
battles require quite a bit of strategy and quite a bit of luck. you basically have to distance yourself and pace your guts (stamina) consumption. all in all, they're a lot of fun. i don't think the game even has 50 screens of content (maybe a bit more if you count seasons) but the replay value is the greatest i've ever seen. there are 400 and some monster variations, and to be honest most of which can hold their own in different ways, thanks to there being so many more contributing variables to a mon's usefulness than there is in pokemon. furthermore, the game has such incredible depth that there's still so much we don't know about it. i think breeding was just fully figured out 4 or 5 years ago, but things like the lifespan hit of battling, the effects of certain items, and a number of unknown variables surrounding technique acquisition are a complete mystery. this also has one of the best soundtracks in any game. each song is a perfect match to its corresponding area/event. the seasonal ranch music is so evocative that i sometimes hum the winter tune to myself when it's snowing outside.
also worth noting is that nothing in the world satisfies me more than seeing the lightbulb when you get a new tech. ahhhhh i need to play this right now. synre, if we ever meet at a smocon, we are playing this all night.
ps yeah, the translation starts out ok, just oddly localized. as you progress further in the game you realize that they just assumed nobody would make it this far and they really just don't even bother. some scenes (like the alien one synre mentioned) really have to be seen to be believed, and even then you will probably think your disc is malfunctioning.
DIGIMON WORLD
digimon world. holy fuck, this game. i couldn't possibly say if i like it more than mr2. this game is so engrossing, so confusing, and so weird that nothing really compares. you train your mon. you feed your mon. your mon has to poop, so get him to a toilet lest he make a big fucking mistake. you manage his discipline and happiness. you battle other mons, and sometimes when you win you learn new techniques, but nobody really knows why or how. it is a mystery.
your goal is to recruit guys to join the city and restore it to its former glory. the game is in some ways an interesting allegory for babel (PROBABLY UNINTENDED), as they have lost the ability to speak their native tongue. they have drifted off into the wilderness, forgetting their former, civilized existences. sometimes you have to fight them to remind them. sometimes you have to perform confusing and recondite tasks.
this is how the city starts out:
this is what the city develops into once you start doing your fucking job:
i've heard comparisons to dark cloud, but i've never played it. anyway, this game is horribly rushed, full of glitches, and translated in a way that makes you wonder if the game is even supposed to exist in this physical plane. yet, it's endearing to no end, full of replay value, endlessly interesting (mr2's unexplored mysteries pale in comparison to this game, which is nowhere near being understood), and sates any exploratory desires you might have.
the battle system is simple, but not particularly engaging. you sort of tell them what to do, but they sort of don't listen. for some reason, though, they're a lot of fun. the environments are beautiful and eerie; most backgrounds are bizarre amalgamations of mechanical parts and nature. it's a really pretty world, and one that you will feel good about saving. the whole thing is extremely quirky and gimmicky, but if you like raising mons and exploring in a way that pokemon can't possibly offer, i would recommend this gem.
i highly recommend jumping into this game and playing it without a walkthrough. it is so overwhelming and confusing without being all that frustrating that you will find nothing but whimsy as you press forward. numemon isn't much fun so maybe try to raise a few of your stats beyond 100 and dont let him poop on the ground and manage his tiredness to avoid him. that is the only tip i will give. as i said in a past thread, it is set up in a way that while you can keep playing a single game file for months if you'd like to get everything, it is also the kind of game that you can play fervently, get bored of a week later, and replay six months later with the same enthusiasm you once had. this cycle has lasted me over ten years with no signs of breaking.
they are 'kind of' remaking this game for psp, but it's more so a new digimon game that harkens back to the mechanics and tone of this game due to overwhelmingly positive fan reception of this game. i didn't like any other digimon world games i played, but this one is just beautiful. the soundtrack is really impressive too. not as much as the prior games i've mentioned, but the file city music is the perfect reminder that you are in a simpler, kinder world. really inspires you to go out and get shit done. also meat grows on a farm. why aren't you playing it right now?
SUPER METROID
super metroid. simply astonishing. the ambience, the cyclical exploration ('maybe now i can open that door back there'), the mysteries (what the FUCK is that orange geemer doing above the haunted ship). words fail me on this title. my favourite platformer of all time. this game's soundtrack is the perfect partner to a spooky alien world. you are somewhere you should not be.
you shoot space pirates and you try to get the baby metroid back. pretty straightforward, right? turns out zebes is a fucking labyrinth housing more than one minotaur. as you improve your toolset and your reflexes adapt to the controls, you'll find you can explore most places. with super quick fingers you can get basically anywhere due to some tricks. one of my favourite pastimes is watching super metroid TASes, if only because it showcases the incredible complexity of the game engine.
there are a lot challenges that can be done in this game. beat the bosses in the reverse order (extremely difficult), acquire as many treasures as possible without fighting any bosses or mini-bosses, beat the game eschewing some important 'mandatory' upgrades. so much of this is only made possible by little quirks in the game world that are honestly too perfect to not be programmed in intentionally. an example, norfair, the fiery depths of zebes. too hot for samus's regular suit, she takes damage just being down there unless she has the varia suit, received after defeating kraid. however, if you do a bit of sequence breaking and get some energy packs, you're able to survive norfair long enough to get to this one weird, bubble-filled room that, for some reason, doesn't damage you. this is the only thing that allows for the earlier challenge runs i mentioned.
the game has a perspicacious and inspired community, and new things are being discovered every year. way ahead of its time, super metroid is basically a proto-sandbox game, and the exploratory elements put a lot of modern games to shame. i really can't do it justice. you just have to play it.
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY
star ocean 2. i wish chaos were here. this game is just... perfect. i don't know how else to describe it. it's a poorly translated jrpg with a rather interesting but awkwardly executed plot, but what it does right will make you wonder why you didn't play it 12 years ago.
star ocean 1 was never released over here due to it being one of the last super famicom games ever, and they barely had time to rush out the unfinished japanese version before the system was obsoleted. it was the spiritual sequel to tales of phantasia, having many of the same developers. you'll notice several aesthetic similarities if you've played them both.
thankfully, you don't need to have played so1 to enjoy this. it took the clever but inchoate mechanics introduced in the first game and refined them. item creation. the skill system. private actions. friendship/romance values between characters.
her name is celine what the fuck guy. anyway, haven't you ever played an rpg and thought 'man i wish my characters had more aesthetic sense'???
the crafting system is incredibly deep and you have no hope of mastering it without outside help. it's not needed to progress, though, so maybe you're better off waiting until a second or third playthrough to give it a shot. this game has multiple difficulty settings, the highest of which is actually really challenging to all but the most wizened veterans.
the character development is... interesting. as i said, it's really poorly translated. well, no, it's more like it's poorly localized. much of the dialogue is rigid and awkward. however, you have things like private actions, wherein you can enter any city by yourself, your teammates each wandering the city by themselves. you can strike up scenes with them which can positively or negatively affect your relationship with them, depending on your choices, and it can open up gameplay changes both major and minor.
you can play as a dude from future-earth or a girl from a rather undeveloped planet (play as the dude your first time, it makes the game easier to understand). after an accident on another planet, you're thrust into the world of expel, the home planet of said girl. you arrive in a forest, and this is when the soundtrack hits you. shingo forest take me awayyyyyyyy. the moment you step into arlia village, you will never want to leave.
honestly, this game just tugs at my heartstrings and my min-maxing gamer strings. it has towns and villages that i have spent years wishing i could live in, it has battle mechanics that make random battles endlessly enjoyable, and it has superbosses that are seriously fucking hard. it delivers on both ends of the spectrum, and i think that's why it's so close to my heart. there's just something about it, it's the kind of thing you have to see for yourself. if you like games with a hell of a lot of dialogue, this is for you. the first hour or two you will find that you've accomplished virtually nothing, but the world is basically yours after that.
also it's notorious for having the worst voice acting of any game ever (its only in battles so it doesnt ruin the atmosphere). some of these have to be heard to be believed. i can't even pick my favourite ones, there are just too many.
that's been my top 5 for like, 10 years. the mega man battle network series comes dangerously close but since i can't even pick my favourite game from the series, i'll probably have to do a followup post where i just talk about the games in general.
No one has mentioned Okami yet?
Truly a masterpiece. I'm kind of shocked that it had shitty sales because this game has everything, even a PS2 version! The music is fantastic, the story is great, everything about it is pretty good. If you like Zelda, then I'm sure you would love this! It feels just like a Zelda title, except it has water color-like graphics and the whole thing is based around Japanese mythology. Here's a link if you want more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Ckami
Truly a masterpiece. I'm kind of shocked that it had shitty sales because this game has everything, even a PS2 version! The music is fantastic, the story is great, everything about it is pretty good. If you like Zelda, then I'm sure you would love this! It feels just like a Zelda title, except it has water color-like graphics and the whole thing is based around Japanese mythology. Here's a link if you want more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Ckami
The many mentions of TTYD are part of what I was getting at earlier. I haven't played that RPG. Would I like it better than the other RPGs I've played if I played it? Who knows? A lot of RPGs I've played lately have made their way up near my top RPG list, easily. The reverse is true, too. I doubt many people here have played any of the SaGa series, for example (the Game Boy titles are called "Final Fantasy Legend" here, though that's a gigantic misnomer). Would they be listing games that I've played and enjoyed here if they played them? It's great because, rather than reading through the thread, I'm compelled more to play these games, and I have the urge to encourage people to play great obscure games that I've played, too.
Also MICHAEL JACKSON'S MOONWALKER I'm serious
The contrast in opinions between FF5 and FF6 is pretty amusing. I am of the opinion that plot is gameplay and gameplay is plot (Super Metroid is a shining example) and as a result I have, as previously mentioned, equated 4, 5 and 6 as my favourites. 5 is great for character customization, and the story has its own flavour and is not really "bad". 4 is more of a one-rail thing that concentrates more on having an epic narrative. 6 is in between. I wouldn't say that it's that much more limited than 5; I mean, even if each role is pigeonholed into one character, there are 14 of those characters. (Romancing SaGa 3 goes even further with 31, but I digress.) Meanwhile, the NPC development is great; they set the scene so well, and the main villain actually devolves during the course of the plot.
Also MICHAEL JACKSON'S MOONWALKER I'm serious
The contrast in opinions between FF5 and FF6 is pretty amusing. I am of the opinion that plot is gameplay and gameplay is plot (Super Metroid is a shining example) and as a result I have, as previously mentioned, equated 4, 5 and 6 as my favourites. 5 is great for character customization, and the story has its own flavour and is not really "bad". 4 is more of a one-rail thing that concentrates more on having an epic narrative. 6 is in between. I wouldn't say that it's that much more limited than 5; I mean, even if each role is pigeonholed into one character, there are 14 of those characters. (Romancing SaGa 3 goes even further with 31, but I digress.) Meanwhile, the NPC development is great; they set the scene so well, and the main villain actually devolves during the course of the plot.
Stratos
Banned deucer.
What does everyone else think about
mostly what i hear is that it sucked dick, but I absolutely loved this game. While it's true that for the most part the combat system is a drudgery, and it can be a little tough to play without two players, and the puzzles are typically too easy, i couldn't get over the open world exploration and interaction between spyro and cynder. i must have spent 5+ hours in Aralon Valley alone, and i absolutely loved facing the elite enemies. so tough yet so worth it (unless you were a little bitch who used fury all the time). Malefor was a pain in the ass to face because the graphics were all bulgy and red and shit, but i guess it was like my Digimon World. I love it, despite its intense flawed-ness
mostly what i hear is that it sucked dick, but I absolutely loved this game. While it's true that for the most part the combat system is a drudgery, and it can be a little tough to play without two players, and the puzzles are typically too easy, i couldn't get over the open world exploration and interaction between spyro and cynder. i must have spent 5+ hours in Aralon Valley alone, and i absolutely loved facing the elite enemies. so tough yet so worth it (unless you were a little bitch who used fury all the time). Malefor was a pain in the ass to face because the graphics were all bulgy and red and shit, but i guess it was like my Digimon World. I love it, despite its intense flawed-ness
I agree with you wholeheartedly. It's one of my favourite games ever, easily top ten, though it doesn't compete with my most favourite game ever, but I think I gave it a side mention in my post? :P I adore Animal Crossing and I adored Wild World (kinda never got into City Folk as much because I'm more of a handheld gamer and find it annoying to have to go out to the living room to play on my Wii etc.), so I can't wait for the 3DS version.
Not gonna list these in any order 'cause they're all awesome to me.
Dragon Warrior Monsters 2
First Dragon Warrior game I've owned and it is one of my favorites. When I got this I had never played ANY of the Pokemon GB games, so collecting monsters and battling them was just so incredibly fun and new to me. Definitely recommend playing if you haven't and like the Dragon Warrior series.
Pokemon Gold
First Pokemon GB game I've ever played. I loved the Generation 1 Pokemon, but Gen. 2 stuck out to me the most, (for obvious reasons). I've played through this game more than any other game I can think of. My first ever playthrough I only leveled my Typhlosion up to about 80, realized that I might actually want a team, and restarted. Then I remember not being high enough level to beat the elite four, (didn't know what grinding even was) so I restarted again!
Banjo Kazooie/Banjo Tooie
LOVED these games. Not gonna lie a huge selling point to me was getting Mumbo Jumbo to transform you into other animals/things. I remember getting all the way to Click Clock Wood just so I could transform into a bee so I could fly around all day. (I was an easily entertained kid...) I never have beaten Banjo Tooie, but I just bought it for the Xbox so now I can be happy again. :)
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Screw Ocarina of Time. Majora's Mask has a much better storyline, gameplay, and MASKS. I know, I know, my opinion...but I just wasn't as impressed with Ocarina of Time, even though I did enjoy it. But seriously, this game is probably the second most played through for me. I could play through this game with my eyes closed. And the story is just so memorable to me. I remember being terrified of that freaking moon that I would make sure and NEVER get to the third day if I could help it.
Persona 3
I know this game has already been listed, but if I did list these in any order this one would prooobably be on the top. Everything about this game is awesome, the story, character development, combat (though I know there's improved combat in Persona 4). It's a long game but it is so worth it. And to be honest at first I was worried it was gonna be too heavy handed on the anime, but it's not at all. I love it so much I'm playing through Persona 2, and then hoping to buy Persona 4 soon. :)
Donkey Kong Country 1/2/3
Was just going to put 1 but had to list all of them. Another series that I have played over and over. It got frustrating sometimes, but I would feel so accomplished once I finished a difficult level. Very fun series of games, was really sad when they stopped making them this way (except for the new one, which I haven't played!)
The Lion King (SNES)
Probably the most nostalgic game for me. This was a HARD game. I remember bugging my sister to get me past the level with the freaking logs in the waterfall. And big Simba was SO COOL. He could roar and swipe stuff and just be awesome. And the fight with Scar was so epic to me, though I always beat him by luck because he was hard to throw off the cliff. T_T
And I know there's more, but I can't think of them and I'm getting antsy. D:
Dragon Warrior Monsters 2
First Dragon Warrior game I've owned and it is one of my favorites. When I got this I had never played ANY of the Pokemon GB games, so collecting monsters and battling them was just so incredibly fun and new to me. Definitely recommend playing if you haven't and like the Dragon Warrior series.
Pokemon Gold
First Pokemon GB game I've ever played. I loved the Generation 1 Pokemon, but Gen. 2 stuck out to me the most, (for obvious reasons). I've played through this game more than any other game I can think of. My first ever playthrough I only leveled my Typhlosion up to about 80, realized that I might actually want a team, and restarted. Then I remember not being high enough level to beat the elite four, (didn't know what grinding even was) so I restarted again!
Banjo Kazooie/Banjo Tooie
LOVED these games. Not gonna lie a huge selling point to me was getting Mumbo Jumbo to transform you into other animals/things. I remember getting all the way to Click Clock Wood just so I could transform into a bee so I could fly around all day. (I was an easily entertained kid...) I never have beaten Banjo Tooie, but I just bought it for the Xbox so now I can be happy again. :)
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Screw Ocarina of Time. Majora's Mask has a much better storyline, gameplay, and MASKS. I know, I know, my opinion...but I just wasn't as impressed with Ocarina of Time, even though I did enjoy it. But seriously, this game is probably the second most played through for me. I could play through this game with my eyes closed. And the story is just so memorable to me. I remember being terrified of that freaking moon that I would make sure and NEVER get to the third day if I could help it.
Persona 3
I know this game has already been listed, but if I did list these in any order this one would prooobably be on the top. Everything about this game is awesome, the story, character development, combat (though I know there's improved combat in Persona 4). It's a long game but it is so worth it. And to be honest at first I was worried it was gonna be too heavy handed on the anime, but it's not at all. I love it so much I'm playing through Persona 2, and then hoping to buy Persona 4 soon. :)
Donkey Kong Country 1/2/3
Was just going to put 1 but had to list all of them. Another series that I have played over and over. It got frustrating sometimes, but I would feel so accomplished once I finished a difficult level. Very fun series of games, was really sad when they stopped making them this way (except for the new one, which I haven't played!)
The Lion King (SNES)
Probably the most nostalgic game for me. This was a HARD game. I remember bugging my sister to get me past the level with the freaking logs in the waterfall. And big Simba was SO COOL. He could roar and swipe stuff and just be awesome. And the fight with Scar was so epic to me, though I always beat him by luck because he was hard to throw off the cliff. T_T
And I know there's more, but I can't think of them and I'm getting antsy. D:
Seconding. For the design constrains they had to work with (relative to today) they made a masterpiece that still commands respect. And the music is...
Final Fantasy 6
Oh. My. God. STILL THE greatest Final Fantasy created EVER! Everything was just done so...perfectly. The scenes. The battle system. The Mode 7 graphics. And the cast of characters each had stories that were so DEEP.
4 was classic and awesome. 7 was great. 9 was awesome. 10 was even great. But none of them top this one, even the newer ones.
End.
My favorite video game of all time is probably Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It's just... a classic. My second favorite Zelda game is probably Majora's Mask. It's the first Zelda game I got 100% completion on. I'm a huge Zelda fan, so most of the Zelda games I've played would probably end up on my list of favorites.
I also love Final Fantasy games. IX is my favorite, followed by X and VII. I also love both Portal games, all Uncharted games (although the ending for Drake's Deception was honestly kind of disappointing) and, of course, Pokemon. There are probably a lot of other games I love that I'm leaving out.
I also love Final Fantasy games. IX is my favorite, followed by X and VII. I also love both Portal games, all Uncharted games (although the ending for Drake's Deception was honestly kind of disappointing) and, of course, Pokemon. There are probably a lot of other games I love that I'm leaving out.
I've never played Okami, but I hear nothing but praise for it, so it's something I definitely wanna try out someday. I've heard some of the soundtrack and it's amazing.No one has mentioned Okami yet?
Truly a masterpiece. I'm kind of shocked that it had shitty sales because this game has everything, even a PS2 version! The music is fantastic, the story is great, everything about it is pretty good. If you like Zelda, then I'm sure you would love this! It feels just like a Zelda title, except it has water color-like graphics and the whole thing is based around Japanese mythology. Here's a link if you want more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Ckami
WWF No Mercy - November 17, 2000
How could I forget this video game? WWF No Mercy is without a doubt the most fun I ever had with any wrestling video game. The fun this video game gave to me was countless. You wanted an Iron Man match? You got it. A Ladder match? No problem. A 40 Men Hardcore Falls Count Anywhere Battle Royal? No problem. Though there are some awesome wrestling games like WCW/nWo Revenge, WWE Day of Reckoning, WWE Smackdown Here Comes the Pain, none ever matched the enjoyment for WWF No Mercy to me. A sequel was in the works for WWF No Mercy called WWF Backlash at towards the end of the Nintendo 64's existence that would feature new stuff like a Hell in a Cell match, unfortunately that video game never saw the light of day and was cancelled. :(
Oh hey there
My opinion on games hasn't changed since then, so I'll just repost what I wrote about my faves then:
Exploration:
Wind Waker I love just exploring an ambient environment. Wind Waker had it's flaws (islands that are clones of each other), but that feeling of exploring this massive sea, never knowing what might come up, is amazing. The graphics really seal the deal, making it feel like a fairy tale. Never have I felt more like I was on an epic adventure.
Metroid Prime I played all of Prime with the scanning helmet on, just reading the lore. The music, the attention to detail, everything made you really feel like someone exploring an alien planet, so very alone.
I know I should probably play morrowind and oblivion if I like exploration, just haven't done it yet
Strategy:
Advance Wars (1+2) The simple gameplay belies the much deeper underlying strategy. This is turn based tactics distilled to its most vital and rewarding core
Civilization 4 The Sid Meier formula works. You can play them for fun, creating an nation after your own choosing (want to play a slave whipping military empire or a peaceful, technology based republic? Okay on both accounts). Or you can play it as a strategy game, trying to go for different strategies or military pushes at different eras.
Alpha Centauri Another Sid Meier game. It does a couple of things better than Civilization. First, the factions are all individualized. Playing the Believers or the University of Planet or the Gaians are all radically different experiences. From this comes a much better story as well. The other leaders you fight really have personalities, both from ingame interactions and the quotes from the datalinks. Also, there is the unit workshop, where you can design any unit you want for your purposes.
Fall From Heaven A mod of Civ 4, but it is so different that it is really its own game. It trades a historical for a dark fantasy feel. The apocalypse is imminent, and depending on how far it has advanced, blights and dread creatures from hell will sweep the land. There are magic users, powerful barbarians, epic weapons, hero units and devastating world spells that can be cast once a game. Every civilization and religion plays extremely differently. A great overall experience
Europa Universalis 3 This is soooo much better than Civilization at historical feel. The mechanics are very in-depth, but once you learn them, man is this game rewarding. You can select any country from 1399 to 1850 (and I mean ANY country), and pilot them however you want, setting your own goals and personal "victory conditions". You can try to be the Iroquois and survive against European colonization, westernizing as quickly as possible. You can be the Byzantines, trying to found a new and glorious Roman Empire. You can be Ireland, trying to assassinate every Bishop in England. In my current game, I finally united Japan after 50 years of war, and have now made a proclamation that I shall rule every island in the world (Great Britain will be the hardest one...). This game has incredible replay value, further enhanced by the active modding community.
Competitive:
Starcraft Brood War This game has probably the most developed metagame of any video game out there. It is the game that made the term "Esports" perhaps not a joke. It's really not the game itself that is so good (though it does provide a good game with a balance between all the races and a balance between the strategies), but the competitive scene. I have hopes for SC2, but it has a lot of catching up to do.
Super Smash Brothers 64 Yeah, I like this better than Melee. It is slower, and so allows more thinking versus twitch reflexes (which makes me much better at it). Simplicity and fun distilled. I will grant that for casual games, Brawl is probably the best in the series, but Original is the best for competition in my mind.
Adventure:
Shadow of the Colussus This could have probably gone into exploration too. I'm sure you've heard it all before: the beautifully crafted environments, the feeling of awe and insignificance as you stare up at the beasts, the sadness as you slay something innocent and primal. There is nothing here other than what was absolutely necessary, resulting in a game of minimalist perfection.
Portal Like any good puzzle game, Portal gives you a simple tool and then builds more and more complex situations based around it. What makes Portal stand out is the uniqueness of the tool. Using the portal gun is just fun, and forces you to think in a very different way. Additionally, the story was perfect. Just like SOTC, there was nothing here that wasn't absolutely necessary.
This thread has inspired me to play a few of the ds games and Impossible Creatures, so good job people.
My opinion on games hasn't changed since then, so I'll just repost what I wrote about my faves then:
Exploration:
Wind Waker I love just exploring an ambient environment. Wind Waker had it's flaws (islands that are clones of each other), but that feeling of exploring this massive sea, never knowing what might come up, is amazing. The graphics really seal the deal, making it feel like a fairy tale. Never have I felt more like I was on an epic adventure.
Metroid Prime I played all of Prime with the scanning helmet on, just reading the lore. The music, the attention to detail, everything made you really feel like someone exploring an alien planet, so very alone.
I know I should probably play morrowind and oblivion if I like exploration, just haven't done it yet
Strategy:
Advance Wars (1+2) The simple gameplay belies the much deeper underlying strategy. This is turn based tactics distilled to its most vital and rewarding core
Civilization 4 The Sid Meier formula works. You can play them for fun, creating an nation after your own choosing (want to play a slave whipping military empire or a peaceful, technology based republic? Okay on both accounts). Or you can play it as a strategy game, trying to go for different strategies or military pushes at different eras.
Alpha Centauri Another Sid Meier game. It does a couple of things better than Civilization. First, the factions are all individualized. Playing the Believers or the University of Planet or the Gaians are all radically different experiences. From this comes a much better story as well. The other leaders you fight really have personalities, both from ingame interactions and the quotes from the datalinks. Also, there is the unit workshop, where you can design any unit you want for your purposes.
Fall From Heaven A mod of Civ 4, but it is so different that it is really its own game. It trades a historical for a dark fantasy feel. The apocalypse is imminent, and depending on how far it has advanced, blights and dread creatures from hell will sweep the land. There are magic users, powerful barbarians, epic weapons, hero units and devastating world spells that can be cast once a game. Every civilization and religion plays extremely differently. A great overall experience
Europa Universalis 3 This is soooo much better than Civilization at historical feel. The mechanics are very in-depth, but once you learn them, man is this game rewarding. You can select any country from 1399 to 1850 (and I mean ANY country), and pilot them however you want, setting your own goals and personal "victory conditions". You can try to be the Iroquois and survive against European colonization, westernizing as quickly as possible. You can be the Byzantines, trying to found a new and glorious Roman Empire. You can be Ireland, trying to assassinate every Bishop in England. In my current game, I finally united Japan after 50 years of war, and have now made a proclamation that I shall rule every island in the world (Great Britain will be the hardest one...). This game has incredible replay value, further enhanced by the active modding community.
Competitive:
Starcraft Brood War This game has probably the most developed metagame of any video game out there. It is the game that made the term "Esports" perhaps not a joke. It's really not the game itself that is so good (though it does provide a good game with a balance between all the races and a balance between the strategies), but the competitive scene. I have hopes for SC2, but it has a lot of catching up to do.
Super Smash Brothers 64 Yeah, I like this better than Melee. It is slower, and so allows more thinking versus twitch reflexes (which makes me much better at it). Simplicity and fun distilled. I will grant that for casual games, Brawl is probably the best in the series, but Original is the best for competition in my mind.
Adventure:
Shadow of the Colussus This could have probably gone into exploration too. I'm sure you've heard it all before: the beautifully crafted environments, the feeling of awe and insignificance as you stare up at the beasts, the sadness as you slay something innocent and primal. There is nothing here other than what was absolutely necessary, resulting in a game of minimalist perfection.
Portal Like any good puzzle game, Portal gives you a simple tool and then builds more and more complex situations based around it. What makes Portal stand out is the uniqueness of the tool. Using the portal gun is just fun, and forces you to think in a very different way. Additionally, the story was perfect. Just like SOTC, there was nothing here that wasn't absolutely necessary.
This thread has inspired me to play a few of the ds games and Impossible Creatures, so good job people.