Games that Rock

[Chris the Human]

Of late, I've been looking around for a game that captures my imagination (and time) like so many classics did when I was younger. In the interests of both starting discussion and finding a game that might entertain me - I thought I'd ask and see what everyone's favourite games of all time were.

Here are mine...

Escape Velocity

If you haven't played this shareware gem, go out and download it straight away. The original was easily the best, but the sequals (EV Override and Escape Velocity Nova) are entertaining as well. When I was in early high school I played this game whenever I could, taking my character (Rex Nebula) from a lowly shuttle freight pilot to the most feared man in Confed space.

Planescape Torment

The only 'true' roleplay game I've ever played. Games like Baldur's Gate and Diablo claim to be roleplay, but compared to the masterfully written Torment - neither of them is more than point and click action. Planescape Torment has one of the best written stories you'll ever encounter, one that keeps you playing long after the novelty of a talking skull, a burning man, and a born again succubi wears off.

Myth: The Fallen Lords

The hands down greatest strategy game of all time. Why? Because it's actually about strategy, and not about building a town and collecting resources. Myth placed you in control of a certain number of units, and that was all you had to achieve your goals. Coupled with an amazingly detailed storyline and graphics that were well ahead of their time - Myth is easily my favourite game of all time.

Marathon

A staple in Mac owners' game collections (even after they've made the jump to PC) - Marathon was a first person shooter with an entertaining storyline and some great eerie atmosphere. Whilst I played Marathon 2: Durandal, far more, I still recognise Marathon as a game that truly rocks.

Extreme Warfare Revenge

This free little gem puts you in control of a wrestling promotion, handling everything from hiring and firing to the booking of shows. Only really appealing if you're a wrestling fan, and addictive as hell.

The Secret of Monkey Island

...and all of its sequals. Guybrush Threepwood is one of the most kick ass protagonists of all time, and for all of the wrong reasons. Hilarious, entertaining, and wonderfully done piece of software.

System Shock/System Shock 2

A first person shooter that goes beyond stocking up on ammo and blasting away your opposition, System Shock is one of the most atmospheric games you'll ever play. Driven by a combination of combat, problem solving, and its eerie atmosphere - System Shock and System Shock 2 are must owns.

Civilisation 2

Civilisation might have started it all, and Civ 3 may have more features - but I'll always look at Civilisation 2 as a truly kick ass game.

Diablo/Diablo 2

Once you get past the fact that it's essentially a fuckload of clicking, Diablo and Diablo II are both tremendously addictive games. With their dark setting, spooky music, and the ability to infinitely replay them over and over again, these games wasted away many of my teen years.

So, there's just a sample of my list. What would you have on yours?

[Reflecto Is My Favorite Poster]

Assuming that everyone here has already played and is a fan of EWR, the following:

Gazillionaire- I played video games basically since I received a NES for my 6th birthday, but this game was the first ever game that basically consumed my soul for any length of time. Despite the fact that, at its core, it's basically an "edutainment" game (taking the form of a simulator based on trading commodities in outer space), the game differed from these by being much more fun than it had any right being. I found the game on a shareware compilation around 1994 (then later found a full copy of it at a closeout computer game store about a year later), and me and my friends at the time played the hell out of it. Even now, when I recently found the original game floating around in shareware form, it's still as good as I remembered it.

That's pretty much the only CPU game that I remember playing in any major form- I've usually been a console person.

[Chris the Human]

If you dig a good entertainment game, I'd also recommend Hollywood Mogul. It's got a rebirth due towards the end of the year, and looks like it'll kick absolute ass.

The basic premise is that you form and run a production company, making movies, hiring stars, and even designing the scripts yourself (you can also buy them, adapt books etc.)

Really good game, even if the demo is somewhat limited.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Def Jam: Fight For New York - Coming from AKI (the same guys who did the Smackdown games, if I remember rightly), it's much more than a wrestling game. There's a good, coherent story and the moves range from brutal to 'Jesus Christ he couldn't have survived that!' The control system, while good, takes a little time to get used to.

That said, there's something evilly elegant about kicking a man's face into a window. In slow-mo.

[Ash J. Williams]

Monkey Island series - It was explained in the first post, but I'll add The Secret of Monkey Island was one of the first computer games I ever played, and it never gets old.

Sid Meier's Pirates! - You play as a Pirate, who you name...I named mine Guybrush, because a Pirate game ain't the same without Guybrush Mo'fuggin' Threepwood, and search for family members who are scattered about. Also Take over towns, swordfight, field battle (like Command and Conquer) and alot more.

EWR - I think we all know what this is.

The Elderscrolls: Morrwind GOTY Edition - The game starts with you getting bailed out of Jail by the king...why? Play to find out! This game seems to be never ending, taking place on an impressively large island (two if you have the GOTY Edition), 200+ side missions, and an awesome story.

MVP Baseball 2005 - The best Baseball game ever made. When I was a kid, I loved baseball, then I just kinda didn't like it...I heard MVP 2004 was awesome, and it was, so now I love baseball again.

Doom - First Person Shooter, hell invades earth, you try to stop it.

[therockbox]

The CM (now FM) Series: Ever since I played one round my cousins, I've been hooked. Brilliant series.

Rick Dangerous: An old Amiga game, I can still set the machine up today and enjoy this game.

Original Half-Life: I got an illegal version of this from a friend, and played it for hours.

Day of Defeat: Fucking hurry up with Source you cunts.

[Face Turn!~]

Metal Gear Solid

As a kid, it was so special, the storyline confused you and you felt really betrayed by the 'Master' when it turned out to be Liquid Snake. It had the best Graphics of its time too.

Grand Theft Auto 3

Was so special when it came out. When someone first told me about the game i was nowhere near excited as i expected another run down 2D version of the game. Well i saw screenshots in a magazine and i was blown away. Nearly every PS2 owner in my school got this game for Christmas and it led to nearly the entire day of no school work and all chat about the missions, cars and other islands. It became a damn race as to who could get to the 2nd island first and was so fun comming in and telling friends about really cool missions. GTA 3 captured me more than others of the series, the storyline seemed so great back then, and although now it seems almost ridiculous as the guy you play as never speaks, it seemed so real. Still my favourite GTA of them all.

[Darloboy]

Monkey Island

Monkey Island

Monkey Island

Monkey Island

Monkey Island

Monkey Island

Monkey Island

Monkey Island

And Broken Sword, if you want more point-n'-click goodness.

[jase12881]

Soul Reaver - PlayStation

A sequel (of sorts) to Blood Omen (only really in storyline though). About a thousand years after the end of Blood Omen, Kain has built a vampire empire, with himself as the supreme ruler. Kains vampiric powers continue to evolve, only Kain evolves first and then his minions evolve after.....until Raziel

Raziel is the first vampire in Kain's empire to evolve wings. For this, He is cast into the lake of the dead (water burns vampires in Nazgoth). His body is destroyed, but at the beginning of the game, he finds he is still 'alive' as a soul reaver. Basically the entire game is about him coming back hundreds of years later, and getting his revenge.

Great action, Awesome storyline, fun puzzles, interesting characters, entertaining "boss" fights and the best voice acting you will ever hear in a video game. One of my all time favorites. (later sequels to the game weren't quite as good.)

If you ever do play it, be sure to watch the opening FMV, it's very well done.

[EddieRuckus]

Knights of the Old Republic(X-Box)

Just a kick ass game that started getting me into RPGs. The combat style was cool as it allowed me to run away from battles if I was getting my ass handed to me. That and a GREAT story definately showed me games could still recapture my imagination.

Parasite Eve(Playstation)

One of the few thriller RPGs that really scared the heck out of me. The music and the gritty graphics really hit some chords in my mind, and I enjoyed the hell out of the storyline. That and I knew what Mitochondria was(I played this after I went to a Genetics Internship.)

Zelda: Ocarina of Time(N64)

It is so rare that I will get attached to the characters of the storyline where I get lost and think that I'm the main protagonist/antagonist. This was one of those games. I could not playing anything else for months after this came out, even after I already beat it a few times. One of the true and very few games to capture my imagination.

EA's Fight Night Series(Multi-platform)

I remember Knockdown Kings and it was a pretty fun game, but when this game came out it was one of the best upgrades I've ever seen for a boxing game. I loved in FN1 that you could customize your entrance more deeply than in Round 2. The actual gameplay is really entertaining too, forcing you to be a protective boxer or an accurate power puncher if you don't want to tire out. Round 3 sounds insane(rivalries, specifically targeted training practices, no HUD(it's the second option now), showing highlight reels of game footage to hype up matches), and will no doubt lift my imagination again.

I'm sure there are others, just can't think of em right now.

Edited August 24, 2005 by Ekin Jones

[Farmer Reil]

Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

Sure, it's buggier than a Tyranid houseparty, but the bits that do work are awesome.

Knights of the Old Republic (I and II)

I never really got into Star Wars, but I love these games. They rock.

Football Manager 2005

The only PC football management sim series (including the CM series up until 5) that's ever worth playing.

Chaos League: Sudden Death

It's Chaos League, without the bugs. Huzzah!

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

I love Warhammer. I love PC RTS games. But even if I hated both, I'd probably still love Dawn of War. Now hurry up and A, release Winter Assault, and B, make version based on WHFB. Grrrrr.

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne

Reign of Chaos was great, but TFT was awesome, the whole series is brilliant. Which leads nicely onto...

World of Warcraft

Best MMORPG ever. Period. Only three more weeks until I'm back in Bristol with broadband again..sigh...

Transport Tycoon

Timeless classic.

[Toe]

Knights Of The Old Republic, but more the first one then the second. I never actually beat the second one, just never was interested enough.

Madden 06 is pretty awesome to me right now.

Super Bomberman 2, TMNT: Turtles in Time, Double Dragons, Battle Toads, Final Fight, Spiderman: Seperation Anxiety, Top Gear, Mario Kart, Super Mario World and WWF Royal Rumble are all games I look back to fondly from the SNES. Ric Flair low-blowing people left and right in the Rumble = fun.

[Chris the Human]

Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

Sure, it's buggier than a Tyranid houseparty, but the bits that do work are awesome.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Monkey Island 1 & 2 and Championship Manager shaped my childhood.

I owned the first Championship Manager, bring Gary Lineker back to England from Grampus Eight. Fantastic.

[Farmer Reil]

Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

Sure, it's buggier than a Tyranid houseparty, but the bits that do work are awesome.

I've been looking to get this. Is it worth the look despite the bugs?

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[lanky316]

Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

Sure, it's buggier than a Tyranid houseparty, but the bits that do work are awesome.

Football Manager 2005

The only PC football management sim series (including the CM series up until 5) that's ever worth playing.

Chaos League: Sudden Death

It's Chaos League, without the bugs. Huzzah!

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

I love Warhammer. I love PC RTS games. But even if I hated both, I'd probably still love Dawn of War. Now hurry up and A, release Winter Assault, and B, make version based on WHFB. Grrrrr.

Transport Tycoon

Timeless classic.

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[Guest Bas]

Let's see, I used to love Metal Gear Solid back when I was still a kid, and I've probably never had more fun with a game than with MGS. The games I find myself still playing, even though I've had them for a long time, are Neverwinter Nights and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, which are both awesome RPGs. I used to love Planescape Torment and Final Fantasy VII too, but I haven't played those games in a while. Come to think of it, I should download 'em again, especially PT..

Oh yeah, I just bought Def Jam Fight for NY, and it's pretty fucking good. I think I'll play it for quite a while, with the Create A Fighter mode and shit.

[Farmer Reil]

Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

Sure, it's buggier than a Tyranid houseparty, but the bits that do work are awesome.

Football Manager 2005

The only PC football management sim series (including the CM series up until 5) that's ever worth playing.

Chaos League: Sudden Death

It's Chaos League, without the bugs. Huzzah!

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

I love Warhammer. I love PC RTS games. But even if I hated both, I'd probably still love Dawn of War. Now hurry up and A, release Winter Assault, and B, make version based on WHFB. Grrrrr.

Transport Tycoon

Timeless classic.

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I agree with most of these (love the Tyranid reference) with the exception of the Chaos League. I found the game just not very good at all, it could be though that I loved the Blood Bowl game on the PC that they, erm, took inspiration from.

As for WHFB, apparently there is a game that is W.I.P, saw some screenies in one of the PC mags, those Skaven look interesting

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