- I have spent far too long being far too negative for the last couple of weeks. No more. Let's take a look at my favorite games on the various consoles that I've owned. I'm not including any version of the Playstation because I never invested much in those consoles.
- Intellivision: Pitfall - Once upon a time, the name Activision on a game meant that you were in for an amazing experience. And my favorite game was Pitfall. I never got that great at it. I didn't break out the graph paper and map the perfect path. But somewhere in a box at my parents' house with our Intellivision and a tally of all my high scores. The moment I learned that running left was much easier was a revelation.
- NES: Mega Man 2 - I've owned and played the first three games, but Mega Man 2 was the perfect match of platforming and puzzle solving. Sure, the puzzles were always which gun to use on which guy, but the weapons were all unique and it made you feel smart to figure the right combinations. The opening theme is still one of my favorite bits of game music to this day.
- N64: Super Mario 64 - I just noticed that my first three games are all evolutions of the platformer. Super Mario 64 is the game that took the genre into three dimensions (not stereoscopic) and set the standard for every 3D platformer after. Also, I would occasionally load up the underwater level and listen to the music loop over and over again. Sublime.
- Dreamcast: Phantasy Star Online - I was a huge fan of the original Phantasy Star on the Sega Master System (which I didn't own, so it's not on this list). So when this new game was announced, I knew that I had to buy a Dreamcast. Yes, PSO sold me this console. I'm almost embarassed to admit that I never took PSO online, even though that was the whole point of the game. But that never stopped me from playing the single player game over and over again. If only the follow up games hadn't stumbled so badly.
- Xbox: SSX 3 - There are those who believe that SSX Tricky was the pinnacle of the series, but I disagree. SSX 3's combination of race, trick, big air, and half pipe events made the mountain feel like a virtual world with a grand competition and the option to freeride and take to the back country as I saw fit. And to cap if off with a run from the top of the mountain to the bottom that took a half hour was a capstone expereince that I haven't felt in a sports game again.
- Xbox 360: Red Dead Redemption - No other game fulfills the promise of the GTA games like Red Dead Redemption. Melding an open world game with the western genre was masterful. Yes, the Mexico section dragged a bit. But there was so much to experience in the game that I did not want to leave it. And how can not mention the ending. I don't think that there has been a more masterful ending to a video game. Just writing about it make me want to start a new game tonight.
- Now it's your turn. Comment and tell me exactly how wrong I am and which games I missed.
© 2012 Marty Runyon. All rights reserved.
- Before anyone blows a gasket, this is my personal top five for the year. I didn't come close to playing enough games for this to be a definitive list. These five games are the ones that shaped the year for me.
- Champions Online - I've had an interesting relationship with Champions this year. I went from it being totally off my radar, to blasting it because of a misinterpreted developer quote, to falling madly in love with the game, to bearly playing it at all. I like CO a lot more than I ever liked City of Heroes. I like the solo content, I like how grouping works, and I like the feel of the game. But it also has a lot of rough edges that Cryptic have been furiously filing off. Even four months later, CO is a better game than when it launched. Eventually it will mature into an awesome superhero universe. But for now, it's a place I'll only be vacationing in once and a while.
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Free Realms - Much like with Champions, the excitement curve for Free Realms had a decidedly steep rise and fall. Its a game that does so much right, mostly by remembering that it's a game first and foremost. Instant travel, fun mini-games, and a great mixture of activities mean that you don't have to spend any time bored if you don't want to. Tired of fighting? Teleport to mine and prospect for ore. Or try cooking. Or card duelling. And you don't have to spend ten minutes running across the virtual world to get there. I think SOE has blazed new ground for accessibility here, even more than Blizzard has.
- Pangya: Fantasy Golf - Pangya was a good game online (as Albatross 18 when I played it) marred by an insidious cash shop. As a single player game, I think it was great. Over 150 hours on the title and counting, I more than got my money's worth out of it. I just hope it sold well enough for them to import a sequel.
- Phantasy Star Portable - I've had a life long love for the Phantasy Star series and this installment did not let me down. In fact, I think it might be the best addition since Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast. It's still the same basic game. But by focusing on the single player aspect, you don't feel punished for not subscribing to the online version. I imagine that I'll keep leveling and hunting for loot until PSP2 finally comes to the US. After playing around with the Japanese demo for the sequel, I can't wait.
- Torchlight - There has not been a better Diablo-style game since Diablo II. Instead of adding and adding systems in the hope of differenciating themselves, Runic Games has stripped it down to its basic essences. Torchlight is a pure dungeon delver, where the joy of blowing up enemies and looting their corpses is its own reward. It's nice that a developer remembers that complexity is not the only route to a gratifying experience. Sometimes, it's just better to make a game fun from the roots up.
- I am a creature of habit. I tend to go with what is comfortable instead of trying something new. This is not because I'm worried I won't like something, but that I know I'll like what I already like. That's why I keep going back to World of Warcraft. That said, I can't help but think about everything else I'm missing out on. In this case, that's the games I'm not playing. Alphabetically, those are:
- Champions Online - For a game that I have a lifetime subscription for, I don't play it often lately. Since the pressure of the monthly fee is gone, I don't feel the need to get the most out of my time. Of course, I'm not getting anything done at the moment and I have yet to reach level 40.
- Everquest 2 - I've been reading about EQ2 a lot lately. People are excited about the new expansion and it's hard not to get excited with them. I've always meant to get back to the game. The bug hasn't bit yet, but I suspect I'll be back in Norrath within a few months.
- Grand Theft Auto IV - One non-MMO that I've been thinking about lately is GTA IV. I really enjoyed the game and the story, though the two didn't always mesh perfectly. But I regret never finishing it. So someday I'd like to try again. Hopefully before GTA V comes out.
- Lord of the Rings Online - Speaking of exciting expansions, LotRO has every hobbit on the block talking again. I really wish I could figure out what's wrong with my computer because I'd really like to try out those skirmishes.
- Phantasy Star Portable - What with Phantasy Star Portable 2 already out in Japan, I can't help but think about the first game left unfinished on my PSP. I've tried out the new demo and like how it's been updated (even if it's in Japanese) so I'm really looking forward to that. But I really need do complete this one. Oh, such troubles I have, right?
- Wizard 101 - Finally, I never game a fair shake to W101. I mentioned in a comment somewhere (if it was your blog, sorry) that the different pay schemes left me paralyzed. I need to get over myself and just play. No one has asked me for money yet, so why worry, right? Someday I would like see a land that's not Wizard City. Someday.
© 2009 Marty Runyon. All rights reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Bullet Points, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
- If you read my Top Five post about console RPGs, you saw that two of the games on the list were Phantasy Star and Phantasy Star Online. Ever since my brother and I played the first game on the Sega Master System together, mapping the 3D dungeons on graph paper, flying from planet to planet to kill new and exotic creatures, I was hooked. Phantasy Star Online was the reason I bought a Dreamcast. And now Phantasy Star Portable was the reason for me to buy a PSP.
- I've resisted buying a PSP because, well, I was afraid I'd play it for a week then stuff it into a drawer somewhere and never see it again. Eventually my avarice got the better of me (that and a whole lot of Best Buy gift cards) and I got myself a PSP-3001 and a copy of PSP. Hmm, PSP on PSP. Those abbreviations don't really work all that well together. And no, I didn't wait for the PSP Go! It looks stupid and has a stupid name.
- Phantasy Star Portable will feel familiar for anyone who has played PSO or especially PSU. In fact, PSP is a portable version of Phantasy Star Universe. To get it to fit on a UMD (or maybe to speed things up, all game lobbies are menu driven. Of course, what's the point of a lobby if there are no online players to watch you run around? Also, cutscenes have been cut down to static images with text balloons. Again, not a major change. I actually prefer skipping through the text if I'm reading faster than the characters can talk. Plus, you don't have to watch a lot of weak emoting from the characters.
- The heart of the game is unchanged though. Adventures take place in room-and-corridor style mission areas. Monster spawn and you hit them until the exit unlocks and you can move to the next room. At the end of the mission, a boss creature comes out and you do more of the same, only they have more hit points. I'm describing it kind of dryly because some people will find it that way. It is a 3D Diablo clone in every way you would imagine. For some, that will get old fast. But for someone like me, leveling up, getting better gear, and improving your game can be addicting.
- Speaking of leveling and gearing up, PSPortable feels a lot easier than PSU ever did. And I don't mean the game has been dumbed down. Instead, Sonic Team has freed up the game since they're not collecting a monthly fee. Experience comes quickly (I've reached level 40 with, um, 20 hours played. Yow.) and there are plentiful gear drops. There are also achievements that reward gear and your partner machine is fully evolved when you start the game. Yes, it's a huge indictment of the subscription model, but let's skip over that for now.
- If you have been a fan of the series, I have no problem recommending Phantasy Star Portable.
© 2009 Marty Runyon. All rights reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Bullet Points, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
- Dragon Warrior - One of the first things I remember about Dragon Warrior (Dragon Quest in its native land) was not playing the game. Instead what I remember was my school friends taking about their experiences with the game. They made is sound like so much fun: adventuring across the countryside, delving into caves, fighting slimes. And while the I usually build up a supergame in my mind from such desciptions, I found that Dragon Warrior won me over with its unique charm. Even today although the series holds true to its oldest-of-old-school roots, I can still get sucked into a game, menu driven combat and all. All I need is a smiling slime ready to take me on.
- Jade Empire - Blasphemy time: before this game, I never got why people thought Bioware was so great. Sure, they made Baldur's Gate and Knights of the Old Republic, but I didn't actually like those games. In spite of that, my recently found love for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and other wuxia films led me to buy the game. And thank goodness I did. The mix of action combat with Bioware's high quality storytelling finally clicked in this game. I know a lot of people had problems with the game, but I think they just didn't get it.
- Mass Effect - If Jade Empire was a promise, Mass Effect is the fulfillment. Everything that I loved about Bioware's prior game was built upon and improved. The epic story comes to one of the most satisfying endings I've experienced in an RPG. The romantic subplot, amazingly, did not make me cringe even though I was playing my usual female protagonist. The combat was exciting and fun. And I loved the update to the morality system. Instead of wavering between stupidly good and stupidly evil, you balance your virtuous or roguish natures. Any nitpicks I have about the game is in comparison to how great everything else is. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in this proposed trilogy.
- Phantasy Star - While everyone I knew was into Final Fantasy, my brother and I were busy playing Phantasy Star. I think we got the better end of the deal. PS on the Sega Master System was a revelation to us. The intriguing mix of fantasy and science fiction completely rocked my younger self. When an early quest sent us to another planet, we were completely hooked. I even replayed this when it was released for GBA several years ago and I still had a blast.
- Phantasy Star Online - If you think I'm cheating by including a second Phantasy Star game on this list, I don't really care. PSO was a watershed moment for online console gaming and will forever be known for that. But for me, it was a blast to just fire up a character and hack, slash, and shoot my way through waves of baddies, completing quests, and taking down the larger than life bosses. When people say that they would play a single player version of their favorite MMO, this is the game they're thinking of.
- Just now I had to stop myself from typing "Phantasy Star Online" for the title of this post. If you've played both of these games, I'm sure you'd understand why. Phantasy Star Universe is essentially PSO II but with a prettier name, a prettier look, a prettier single player mode, and the exact same gameplay that they launched with way back in the heyday of the Dreamcast.
- Fun Fact: Phantasy Star Online was the game that influenced me to purchase a Dreamcast!
- I've actually owned PSU since it came out on the Xbox 360, but it was never a game that stuck with me. The single player game is fun, if a little shallow. My difficulty with the game is in the online mode. I just can't bring myself to pay $10 a month to play an online game with no depth by myself. A $10 subscription that you can't cancel without calling someone to do so. How in the world does Microsoft not have online account maintenance options? Sad.
- I see I've ranted there. Sorry. It really is a fun game in a sort of mindless way. There are many entertaining and colorful ways to cut through your enemies and earn new items and experience points. And it is all very pretty. Sometimes, that's all you really need from a game.
