Games People NEED to play [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

TheLogman

2008-04-25, 10:28 PM

I was looking for a game or two to purchase, and as I was searching Techno music for a completely other reason, I found a Kingdom Hearts 2 AMV. I've never played the game, but my PS2 needs some action, and it looks shiny, like reallllllly shiny.

So I thought to myself, why must I get a NEW game, when I could get 2 or more really good old games for the same amount?

That got me thinking, there must be some games that are so good, that everyone has to play them. I am kind of looking for suggestions, but I don't want this to be an argument or anything like that, just what are some games that define the Genre and some such? Oh, and I know its a rule, but when dealing with this sort, it's never a bad idea, PLEASE NO FLAMING.

Right then, some of the things I've thought of:

Original Legend of Zelda (NES), and original Mario (NES)
Ocarina of Time and Maybe Majora's Mask
Halo
Super Mario 64
Super Smash Brothers Brawl
Kingdom Hearts 2
Resident Evil 4
Portal
Half Life 2
Maybe some Final Fantasy games, I dunno, never played them, evidentially some of them are good
Pacman

Cainen

2008-04-25, 10:49 PM

RPG fans - Planescape: Torment. For masochists - I Wanna Be The Guy. RTSes? Total Annihilation. FPSes? Deus Ex.

Xuincherguixe

2008-04-25, 10:52 PM

If they're old enough, you could get about 10 for the same price. Also, there's the advantage of that for awhile now, games haven't been all that great, and you have a better chance with older games.

Some are a bit hard to find though.

I'm sure a lot of the usual suspects will show up here (like Planescape: Torment which is quite awesome), so I'll recommend one not terribly known about.

Auqanox. It has some Cyberpunk undertones, underwater. It's a submarine game. The dialog and story is fantastic.

JMobius

2008-04-25, 10:58 PM

Homeworld (the original)
Deus Ex
Age of Wonders
Quest for Glory series
The NWN2 Expansion
KOTORII

EvilElitest

2008-04-25, 11:01 PM

BG, BGII Jade Empire, PLace scape torment
from
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Erloas

2008-04-25, 11:04 PM

How can you say everyone needs to play Final Fantasy and have not played it yourself?

I could definately pass on half the games listed so far...

for my own:

Twisted Metal (any, I think Black is probably the best)

Fallout (one or two, preferable both)

Pre-Vegas Rainbow Six/Tom Clancy game (on the PC of course). I find them much better then other FPSs, though I know many people dislike them for the same reasons I like them. Vegas was too consolised, though the cover system was great.

Final Fantasy 7 (or some of the others, for at least a familiarization with classic JRPGs)

Have to include at least one fighting game but its hard to decide which one... Soul Calibers are good, been a long time but I liked Killer Instinct too. Mortal Combat was decent for the first ones, but I lost interest in them completely after probably the 4th one and haven't seen the last 10 they've made. I guess Street Fighter as a classic fits here too.

Privateer (one and/or two) though space sims have all but disappeared.

Command and Conquerm not sure which one, Red Alert was a good building block for the genre and not yet into the point of insane micromanagement needed to be successful in the new games which has killed the genre for me for the most part.

I'm not going to limit myself to video games either... so I'll add

Settlers of Catan

Carcassonna

Battletech

Warhammer

Magic: The Gathering... have to have at least one card game

Rutee

2008-04-25, 11:26 PM

Ugh, Homeworld. Awesome concept, horrible execution due to the massive micromanagement. This intends to be my only criticism of an entry in this thread, because this'll just devolve into endless flaming, and in this case, it's because I ahve a solution to Homeworld's problems; Pick up Homeworld 2 and the Point Defense mod. Far, far better gameplay then the main game has ever deliverred, because it enhances the game's tactical AI, and leaves you to manage things on the strategic level. I think the tagline for it is "Great Leaders never Micromanage"

I'm thinking you should give a Disgaea game a poke. Anything from that series. Disgaea 2 is probably the most brutal to be new to, but it should be fine.
On the not so serious side, you have Disgaea 1, Makai Kingdom, and most of the good parts of Disgaea 2. On the serious side, you have Phantom Brave, Soul Nomad and the World Eaters (Probably the most different game; Squad based tactical RPG. Interesting setup overall, but very frustrating), Phantom Brave, and La Pucelle: Tactics. The Not-so-serious are silly and awesome, the serious tend to have deep (At least somewhat) storylines, but are less awesome.

Suikoden V is good; II is better, but V is actually obtainable. Epic storyline, fun characterization, and good gameplay.

Majesty is fun, and is a micro-free RTS, if you can find it, with a fun sense of humor. Might be hard to find though. I'll second Soul Caliber III, and also offer Dark Cloud 2 if you like Dungeon Crawlers. Hm...

JMobius

2008-04-25, 11:30 PM

Ugh, Homeworld. Awesome concept, horrible execution due to the massive micromanagement.

As an RTS, in the light of the modern state of the genre, it was pretty meh. I mostly give it big credit because of the amazing campaign. :)

Terraoblivion

2008-04-25, 11:42 PM

Okami and Shadow of the Colossus are my picks. No other games i've ever tried show how much can be done with games as a visual medium that and at the same time both games are entirely playable. Especially Okami mixes as great gameplay with the visual style whereas Shadow of the Colossus can almost be too impressionistic in style.

Tirian

2008-04-26, 12:26 AM

I would play the original KH before the sequel. First off, you wouldn't be thrown in in the middle of the story. Second, honestly, it's better (although they're both very good).

I'd start Final Fantasy with X and 7. You won't regret playing either, if only because they're plots that are part of the collective subconscious. Then come back and talk about what you liked and didn't like about those two games and you'll know what of the rest you should hunt down.

Here's my short list of PC games that everyone should play, especially if they are not averse to D&D-style games:

- Morrowind
- Civilization
- Baldur's Gate
- The Sims
- At least one of the last-gen LucasArts graphic adventures: Curse of Monkey Island, Escape from Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle, or Grim Fandango

There's a ton of other incredible stuff out there, but that'll keep you busy for a while.

factotum

2008-04-26, 01:05 AM

Dhavaer

2008-04-26, 02:41 AM

I'm going to add votes for Civilisation (2, for preference), Deus Ex and Total Annihilation. Also add Worms, Mass Effect and maybe Diablo 2.

Terraoblivion

2008-04-26, 02:51 AM

Thief: The Dark Project (forget Splinter Cell, this is the original--and best--sneak'em'up)

I'm afraid i have to disagree here, Factotum. Metal Age was better in most respects, causing Dark Project to slip down to second place in sneaking games. Both are godly though.

Pronounceable

2008-04-26, 02:51 AM

Genre Defining: Doom, Dune 2000, Civilization, Baldur's Gate, Rogue, Street Fighter, Thief, Simcity

Legends: Tetris, Mario, Planescape Torment, Quake, Half Life, Portal, Starcraft, Warcraft, Diablo, Heroes of Might and Magic, Freespace, Grim Fandango, Deus Ex

I think there's supposed to be a few FFs in the list, but I don't endorse jRPGs.

Dallas-Dakota

2008-04-26, 03:34 AM

I´m a strategy/adventure gamer, here´s my recommended list :
Zelda : Any of the old versions really.
Age of series : Mythology, empires. Don´t like Kings so much but its good.
Age of wonders : Very, very nice, untill you have played all the races more then three times.
Diablo II LoD : Good, fun on battle.net, you might want to check the gitp group to. As for availability, I can get it in the nearest free record shop for around 10 euro.
settlers of Catan : Also reccomended by Erloas, turn-based game. This is not a fighting game.
Mario Karts : Its fun for a while, and then after a while its fun again. *repeat cycle over and over* I wouldn´t recommend any of the other old mario games unless you are going for real platform games.

Here's my short list of PC games that everyone should play, especially if they are not averse to D&D-style games:

- The Sims

My personal oppinion that it is a life-game for no-lifers to show them what they miss out there....

Quincunx

2008-04-26, 03:47 AM

There aren't any.

Rather, the ones with the broadest cultural significance are the very early arcade games, with a plot so simplistic you don't need to have played them to have been influenced by them, and beyond that point games fragmented into genres and have produced no 'classics' to touch all walks of life. The next classic will probably come from the Wii, of all places, as it influences a broader range of gamers than any system has since arcades faded.

Dragor

2008-04-26, 04:22 AM

My personal oppinion that it is a life-game for no-lifers to show them what they miss out there....

I'm inclined to disagree with you. I have a life. :smalltongue:

The Necroswanso

2008-04-26, 04:26 AM

I would have to say any of the true Genre defining games.

For RPGs: The first Dragon Warrior for NES. Playing that helps you understand just how truly weak and insignifigant you are. Thus, you must level, and grind, and level, and grind. But it's fun. An Alternate, possibley Earthbound, as clunky and wacked out as it is, the Mother series is strongly epic.

Action Adventure: Possibley Ocarina of Time. A strong involving story with weightful characters. Easily followed up by twilight Princess as it just fealt right. An Alternate is any of the Metroid Games.

FPS is something that's shaky: I want to say Clive Barker's Jericho as it's a balls to the wall shooter with only shooting in mind. However I also want to say Half-Life series. It's some of the smartest AI I've ever seen and truly defiens cover shooting.
And alternate is of course Unreal Tournament games.

TPS, or Third Person Projectile games: I would have to say here, American McGee's Alice. It was truly nothing too entirely special, favorite game though, but it took everything about the genre and made it barebones for all to see. It also fits well in platformers.
An Aletrnate, as much as I dislike the Final Fantasy 7 BS, is Dirge of Ceberus.

Platformers: It's a hard say. So many games do it right in so many ways. Straight up, Super Marios Brothers. It's there, it practically created the genre (subject to debate), and it will always be a classic. An alternate can always be Ratchet and Clank.

Puzzler games: Prince of Persia, The Sands of Time. I love that trilogy with all my heart. And noting created more puzzles and platforming than these games. Possible alternate, Subject to debate.

Sports, don't make me laugh.

Now, all these are very opinion based and subject to debate, take them at face value, or look deeper, it's all good.

Nibleswick

2008-04-26, 04:40 AM

Dark Forces 1-4

TIE Fighter: Cool story with fantastic game play.

X-Wing Alliance: It has really good multi-player stuff.

Red Baron: It a classic in so many ways.

factotum

2008-04-26, 06:50 AM

I'm afraid i have to disagree here, Factotum. Metal Age was better in most respects, causing Dark Project to slip down to second place in sneaking games.

That's OK, I don't mind you being wrong. :smallbiggrin:

Seriously, I just thought the levels worked a bit better in Thief 1, and the Hammerites seemed better when they weren't the main point of the plot...

Dumbledore lives

2008-04-26, 06:58 AM

I'll put my vote in for 007 Goldeneye on the 64 as it apparently revolutionized console FPS. Maybe Metroid Prime for a first person adventure. I'd say final fantasy tactics or Fire Emblem for turn-based. For party games Guitar Hero/Rock Band as pretty much everyone needs to know how to play them. Of course, no one really NEEDS to play these but for each genre they're pretty important.

Devin

2008-04-26, 07:13 AM

I'm going to go with Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. It's just fantastic. I also own Persona 2, Raidou Kuzunoha Vs. the Souless Army, and the two Digital Devil Saga games, but I'm picking this one as the stand-out. You should really look into the whole SMT series. They might be pretty expensive, though.

You really should play the first Kingdom Hearts first. I'd also recommend KH: Chain of Memories if you want the whole storyline. A lot of people didn't like the card system, and couldn't finish the game because of it, but I enjoyed it. If that scares you off, though, there's a manga and you can find the game scenes on YouTube. Chronologically, it comes in between the other two.

Seconding Disgaea. Disgaea is awesome. :smallbiggrin:

If you're looking into Final Fantasy, I'd say the best choice is Final Fantasy Anthology. Five and six were both great entries in the series, and I still think of them as the way it's "really" supposed to be.

Also, you should be able to find Parasite Eve(and PE2) and Devil May Cry pretty cheap.

ArtifexFelicis

2008-04-26, 07:46 AM

For Final Fantasy, it depends. I've found that 7, 8, and 10 are done in a completely different style than 1-6 and 9. For example, I much rather prefer 9 to any of the "Big 3" because they just don't feel right. Alright games, but not really worth the praise they have. Of course, I also find the sheer ignorance of most of the Big 3's fanboys to be a turnoff as well.

I will say Majora's Mask in addition to Ocarina of time. I prefer it, and getting by the 3 day rule thing I highly think of it. Note, Ocarina of Time is still more than good enough to be spelled out each time.

Now for a list! And Why. I probably missed some though.

Okami - Style!
Shadow of the Colosses - Style!
Bioshock - Style! (Narrative especially)
Disgaea - Awesome
Team Fortress 2 - Balance/Fun
Counterstrike - Historical Reasons! Also Fun
Silent Hill 2 - Story!
Resident Evils - All fun and entertaining!
Ratchet and Clank - Awesome
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - Square-enix at their finest!
Pac Man - Nostalgia
Ms Pac man - Better Nostalgia
Galaga - Awesome.

Destro_Yersul

2008-04-26, 12:59 PM

Ninja Gaiden Black. Overwhelming difficulty aside, the game was decently written and very well executed. Plenty of platforming, plenty of combat, lots of fun all around.

Not old, per say, But Sins of a Solar Empire. Very good strategy game. Takes forever to play, but it doesn't drag on. It just makes you realize that bedtime was five hours ago and you haven't eaten since lunch.

Tirian

2008-04-26, 01:06 PM

I'm going to go for some of the REALLY old stuff that hasn't been mentioned yet. You might have trouble finding these, but they're worth the effort:

TIE Fighter
Original Half-Life (I reckon the storyline is better than the sequel, at least until you hit the alien planet)
Thief: The Dark Project (forget Splinter Cell, this is the original--and best--sneak'em'up)
Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven (best in the series by far)

TIE Fighter is amazing, and you really don't have to forgive it so much for being fifteen years old. No FMV cutscenes, but the gameplay is bringing solid whup-ass to the rebel scum. I have been thinking that I need a USB joystick so that I can give it another playthough. When you finish that and need more, X-Wing is nearly as good.

It's hard to sort the M&M games, because the styles differed so drastically. VI was very good and the series never recovered, to be sure. But my favorite will always be 2, as it is the only CRPG I can recall that senses that it takes more than four heroes to save the world. I also liked World of Xeen (4 and 5).

And you can't mention M&M without also touching on Wizardry (the original is classic fun and 8 was amazing), Ultima (IV was revolutionary and VII is worth playing) and Heroes of Might and Magic (3 was particularly good)

Terraoblivion

2008-04-26, 01:47 PM

Been thinking and realized that there are some additions i need to make, all of them freeware. One is Cave Story or Doukutsu Monogatari as its original title is. A gun-focused 2D platformer it has one of the best and most touching stories i have ever experienced in any video games. In addition to that it has a very good, challenging gameplay that never relies on plain unfairness in order to challenge you. And like the other games i mentioned it just oozes style.

My other pick is also a freeware platformer. It is anything by Nifflas. His platformers all focus on exploring serene, atmospheric landscapes and finding the right way to navigate them. There are a few available and they are somewhat different in various ways. Knytt focuses solely on the serenity without the trickier jumping puzzles of some of the others. Knytt stories has the controls of Knytt, but much trickier jumping puzzles for you to get a fair challenge. And Within a Deep Forest focuses has you controlling a bouncing ball and has you manages the unique proporties of how it bounces to get through the challenges. It is definitely worth it to take an hour out of your life to play Knytt at least. The serenity of Nifflas' work is just magnificent.

Cave Story, the translation patch and a walkthrough can be found here (http://www.miraigamer.net/cavestory/), while all of Nifflas' works can be found here (http://nifflas.ni2.se/). Both are definitely among what people should try.

And i think you missed Heroes of Might and Magic III, Artifex. If not it should definitely be added, it managed to make turnbased strategy easy and approachable while still keeping all the fun.

Lюk

2008-04-26, 02:00 PM

Absolutely compulsary to play EU2. As Ragusa!

And for classics, Pong, Brick and Qubert.

And for Spectrum classics: Skool Daze and Back to Skool, Dizzy (he rocked!!!) Seymour, Rainbow island

Atari (and PC): maniac mansion, Loom, Zak Mcraken and Monkey island. Populous. Dizzy and Seymour in superior graphics are available on the Atari too...or were.
PC: all the above, esp. Starcraft, Age of Wonders and PsT etc.

Saithis Bladewing

2008-04-26, 02:59 PM

I'm shocked and appalled that the words 'Chrono Trigger' haven't been uttered yet.

TheBoneSplitter

2008-04-26, 09:49 PM

I Wanna Be The Guy. :smallbiggrin:

FPS: Doom
Computer RPG: Might and Magic 4-5 and NWN 1
Console RPG: Disgaea (yes, it's that addictive) ...and FF9
Puzzle: Lemmings
Hack'n'Slash: Diablo series
RTS: Warcraft III
Arcade: Anything that even resembles Asteroids, Breakout or TEMPEST
Maze: That one Marble Maze game for the Genesis, name escapes me
Fighting: Mortal Kombat II
Platform: Bionic Commando
Top-Down Shooting: Major Stryker (beat that game a thousand times over) and Raptor... cannot forget Raiden
Adventure: King's Quest V

Okay, not gonna stretch any more genres out.

ArtifexFelicis

2008-04-26, 10:02 PM

I missed A Hero of Might and Magic. I think it might have been II. I rather liked a lot of the series.

Also, Ratchet and Clank series. Nothing quite like a silly, shameless, explosive parody that is an EXCELLENT series in its own right.

TehJhu

2008-04-26, 10:24 PM

Play Xenogears.

Castaras

2008-04-27, 06:37 AM

Spellforce 1: Order of Dawn

Got it for £10 along with 2 other games.

Might and Magic 7, 8 and 9. Especially 8. So so awesome.

Forthork

2008-04-27, 10:36 AM

Original Legend of Zelda (NES), and original Mario (NES) - I would replace with LttP and Super Mario World or SMB3, I mean the originals are great, but those games are the pinnacle of the 2d games.
Ocarina of Time and Maybe Majora's Mask - Yes
Halo - No, not at all
Super Mario 64 - Galaxy may be better, but I would still stick with 64 as a must-play
Super Smash Brothers Brawl - Yeah
Kingdom Hearts 2 - I dislike RPGs, so no comment
Resident Evil 4 - Yeah
Portal - Definitely. I would through the whole Orange Box here, because Half-Life 2 is a must-play, and TF2 is amazing
Half Life 2 - See above
Maybe some Final Fantasy games, I dunno, never played them, evidentially some of them are good - Same as Kingdom Hearts
Pacman - Wakka wakka

Some old-school computer games should be up here too, although the choices are too many. I would say at least Oregon Trail, Doom and Grim Fandango.

Zocelot

2008-04-27, 10:46 AM

All of Blizzard's games are top notch.

Warcraft 2 is the best in that series, but I never cared for Warcraft that much.

Starcraft is definately worth the $20 for the battle chest, and it's great prep for the upcoming sequel.

I consider Diablo 2 to be the best RPG on the market.

LBO

2008-04-27, 10:57 AM

Ratchet & Clank 1 (before all the "LEVEL UP UR GUN" nonsense came to dominate it) and 3. Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency. Dawn of War: Dark Crusade. IL-2 Sturmovik. Civilisation II. Gears of War.

These games are among the finest in their genre, IMO.

Mando Knight

2008-04-27, 01:50 PM

I think we need to reacquaint our dear Playgrounders with the adventures of... COMMANDER KEEN! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen) Get it on Steam. Now.

Fire Emblem is almost a necessity for turn-based gamers...

LEGO Star Wars. Best Star Wars game since the KotOR series. (Not arguing here over which one's better.)

Legend of Zelda. Pick any 14. The CD-i does not exist.

Super Mario Bros., the real Super Mario Bros. 2 (AKA Lost Levels), Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Together. At the same time. (Isn't the lock-on cartridge great?) Hyper Sonic for the win.

Star Fox and Star Fox 64. DO A BARREL ROLL!

What's that? You can play almost all of them on the Wii? No way! Isn't that system just for kiddie or gimmicky games?:smallbiggrin:

SmartAlec

2008-04-27, 02:15 PM

The space simulators seem a little under-represented here, so I'll throw in Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger, Frontier: First Encounters and I-War as three titles that, to me, define the genre.

nooblade

2008-04-27, 02:35 PM

I take your freeware games, and raise you open source games. :smallamused:

No kidding, take some time to look at how much code is written in even the most simple games, it gives you more appreciation for the things. It also gives me the impression that all but a handful of developers are lazy bastards, for skimping on features and focusing on the graphics. I know it still takes work, but, some of us prefer fleshy games to shallow pictures! :smallmad:

That's all I think people "need" to do--look at the workings of whatever they play with.

Reinboom

2008-04-27, 02:54 PM

Genre Defining: Doom
...
...
Wolfenstein 3D
:smalltongue:

Any game a true need though, hm. Not sure.
Games I would highly recommend just to hit a mass of genres, from old..

Eye of the Beholder series (#1 and #2, for either the PC or Amiga. Though, 1 was also for the SNES, I don't recommend it. Also, NEVER touch the thing they called eye of the beholder on the gameboy advance...)
This will get your first person party straight dungeoncrawl. Not the oldest, but I would consider it one of the best.
Alternatively, Lands of Lore.

Netstorm, Islands at War (http://www.netstormhq.com/news.php) (declared freeware by activision)
This is a very unique take on strategy games, in my opinion.

factotum

2008-04-27, 03:28 PM

The space simulators seem a little under-represented here, so I'll throw in Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger, Frontier: First Encounters and I-War as three titles that, to me, define the genre.

I think TIE Fighter beats all of them as a combat game, and more modern games like X3: Reunion have far surpassed Frontier: First Encounters in terms of a space economy simulator...

Cairoi

2008-04-27, 03:41 PM

Isn't this thread supposed to be games that people HAVE to play?

Well, in the world of gaming, these games are the ones that are most important:

*Final Fantasy 7 (Love it or hate it, you're expected to know about this game.)

*Halo 1 or 2 (Once again, you can love it or hate it, but have an opinion on it.)

*Sonic the Hedgehog/SMB2/Pac Man (Classics that've defined a lot of gaming)

*Chrono Trigger (I prefer Cross, but Trigger is a real rite of passage)

*Street Fighter 2 (I HATE the Street Fighter series, but it is culturally significant)

*Diablo (Whether or not you played this game proves whether or not you are gamer material)

*Starcraft/Warcraft (Get your acts together, people.)

*Sim City

Seriously, you people. You're just naming games that you like, not games that are NEEDED to be played.

SmartAlec

2008-04-27, 04:13 PM

Seriously, you people. You're just naming games that you like, not games that are NEEDED to be played.

Well, I dunno. I suppose one could form a list of Games People Should Play, as opposed to Need To Play. A list of games that one should play through to really get a good sample of the whole gaming spectrum.

VariaVespasa

2008-04-27, 05:29 PM

In very, very rough chronological order-

Red Storm Rising
Pools of Radiance
Doom 1 and 2
Populous (original)
Star Control 1
Tie Fighter
Might and Magic 6
Baldurs Gate 1, 2 and 2.5
Fallout 1 and 2
Mechwarrior 2
Wing Commander 3
Warcraft 1 and 2
Gunmetal
Total Annihilation
Starcraft
Civilisation 3
Medieval: Total War.
Homeworld 1
Halo, although some of the later levels get a bit repetitive.
KotOR
Jedi Academy
Thief
Half Life

Top picks off the list would be Fallout, Star Control, Total Annihilation, Doom and Tie Fighter.

Note, I never got to play Planescape- Torment so I may well be missing a major entry there.

Terraoblivion

2008-04-27, 05:59 PM

That is because no games are really needed to be played, Cairoi. Any game with enough market penetration that you are expected to know about them will also be talked so much about that you know about them anyway. I knew all the salient parts about Final Fantasy VII long before i tried playing it for example, it is actually hard not to do that. Not only that the question is on what basis games with enough market penetration should be chosen. A good question is where for example, it is not the same games that are popular in Germany and Japan and Korea is completely different as well. Another good question is how well-known and whether casual games count. Really there is no sense in making a list of games significant enough that you have to play them, all we can do is list games we think matters or that we like.

Jayngfet

2008-04-27, 06:21 PM

Folklore-trust me on this, you won't forget it.

Final Fantasy-play the original, then you'll see what the big deal is.

Kingdom Hearts-has to be played to be believed

Katamiri Damashi-see above

Crash Bandicoot And Spiro: the first three of both, no more no less

Megaman Legends-Only gets a bum rap for being different from the original

Jak-The whole series was groundbreaking

Ratchet and clank-Jaks rival of sorts, similar, but with sci fi and explosives

Mario series-again, play and see what the big deal is

Zelda-see above

Metroid-see above

Devin

2008-04-27, 06:51 PM

Cairoi, you NEED to play the Shin Megami Tensei games. They have nowhere near the popularity and recognition they deserve, and everyone should know what they've been missing out on. :smallbiggrin:

Jade Falcon

2008-04-27, 10:32 PM

My recommendations for the pc:

Thief Dark Project & Thief II Metal Age
Deus Ex
Undying
Vampire Bloodlines
StarCraft
Age of Mythologie
Gothic II & Addon
Arx Fatalis
Half Life & Opposing Force
Dark Age of Camelot (at its prime the best mmorpg ever, I had two awesome years with it)

and the oldschool:
Descent, which I liked far more than Doom
The whole Wing Commander series, including Privateer
Star Control 2
Master of Magic/Master of Orion
Battle Isle 2
Sid Meiers Colonization
UFO Enemy unknown & XCOM Terror from the deep
X-Wing
The Elder Scrolls Arena & The Elder Scrolls Daggerfall

holy crap, I forgot Grim Fandango .. I hate adventure games normally, but this one is a masterpiece

factotum

2008-04-28, 12:22 AM

Seriously, you people. You're just naming games that you like, not games that are NEEDED to be played.

Why is anybody going to recommend a game they don't like as something that MUST be played? That makes no sense whatsoever.

endoperez

2008-04-28, 02:09 AM

I've tried:

Planescape: Torment - awesome plot, not-so-good fights. If you read fantasy books, you'll love this, but good luck finding it anywhere.

Total Annihilation. I don't like RTS's, and this didn't catch me either.

Homeworld (original): I never got far in it. I found the gameplay utterly boring. You can't move your Mothership, which is basically your base, and the resources are somewhere else, so the tactics you can use in any given mission are usually pretty limited. It's also very slow.

Twisted Metal - I played 2, I think; it's only good in MP.

Morrowind - I've played Daggerfall, and it was boring. I tried Morrowind (with mods), but the skill system wasn't interesting and the "freedom" basically meant walking around and killing stuff. It wasn't boring, but it wasn't fun either.

Baldur's Gate - the gameplay isn't that good. The plot isn't that good either. I've heard BG2 improves this a lot, but I never found BG1 that interesting. I stopped it sometime pretty early on, going after crazy-guy Minsc's protectee.

Descent: Freespace 1 and 2. I bought a Joystick to play these. I don't like the gameplay that much, but the plot is AWESOME! I'm very early in the first game, but it really feels like you're part of a huge war machine in a massive war when big things happen.

Fallout 1 - very nice athmosphere.

LucasArts adventure games: YES, absolutely. I've only played two Monkey Island games, but they are one of the funniest games I've ever played.

Heroes of Might and Magic, Civilization, Age of Wonders - I like some turn-based games, but not these. Many others do, though, so I suggest trying them out. I've heard both HoMM2 and 3 being praised as the best of the series, so I suggest trying those. Not sure about Civ or AoW series. Was Shadow Magic expansion for the first or second game? I've heard good things about that.

Cave Story is awesome. You get more out of it if you complete it more than once. Oh, and the first time around, feel free to switch weapons out.

NetStorm - nah, it was rather boring. You have to play it to get access to better units/buildings before you really get to play.

Star Control 2 - Very nice story, nice battles. Completing it pretty much requires spoilers or at least hints, but it's still very good.

Master of Magic/Master of Orion - very good strategy games, easy to pick up and play, but depending on what you aim for the game may be very easy or very hard.

UFO Enemy unknown & XCOM Terror from the deep - these are fun to play if you get them to work. I haven't finished them, but I certainly get what the fuss is even after almost fifteen years. Awesome games.

poleboy

2008-04-28, 02:37 AM

You don't NEED to play any games. It's not like it's food or sleep or... that third one. However, if you want to express yourself with some authority when talking about games and not be made fun of by geeks (oh no! :p), you should probably spend a little time with at least one of the following:

Zelda series
Mario series
Metroid series
Doom series
Half-life series
GTA series
Final fantasy series and/or Dragon Quest series
Some sort of driving game series, possibly GT? Not really my area of expertise.
Medal of Honor or CoD series
Old school adventure games (point & click). Lucasarts probably.
PONG! (Or any tennis game)
Pacman
Donkey Kong series
Warcraft series
C&C and/or Starcraft
Diablo series
One or two MMO's
Resident Evil series
Mario Kart series
Jak & Daxter and/or Ratchet and Clank series
Sim Series
Halo series
Any one EA sports game. Seriously, one is enough. You don't want people to think you actually enjoy sports. It's merely for contrast and in the spirit of debating :p

Extra geek points for playing:

Civ Series
Fallout series
Baldur's Gate series (and Torment)
Heroes of M&M series
Wing commander series (special award for enjoying Hamill's acting)
Neverwinter Nights series
AOE or some other historical tactical kinda game
Elder Scrolls series

If you've played at least one of each of these, you're assumed to know a little something about games. Grats! Now go play games instead of posting silly things on the internet.

Cainen

2008-04-28, 05:37 AM

Homeworld (original): I never got far in it. I found the gameplay utterly boring. You can't move your Mothership, which is basically your base, and the resources are somewhere else, so the tactics you can use in any given mission are usually pretty limited. It's also very slow.

You can move it - it's just inhumanly slow. So is the game's pacing, which makes it almost unplayable. Play Homeworld 2 with mods, please. HW1 just... didn't age well. Bad interface, bad controls, bad pacing, good ideas.

Baldur's Gate - the gameplay isn't that good. The plot isn't that good either. I've heard BG2 improves this a lot, but I never found BG1 that interesting. I stopped it sometime pretty early on, going after crazy-guy Minsc's protectee.

Rule of thumb for D&D games - if they aren't levelling you fast and you're starting at 1, stick it out until around level 4. BG1 picks up speed right after dealing with the worst part of the game - those DAMN KOBOLD MINES. The other mine was fun. The problem - Kobolds give crap XP, and they're deadly, no doubt due to the flaming arrows. BG2 is so superior to BG1 at this point that it's not funny, though - one aged well, the other didn't.

LucasArts adventure games: YES, absolutely. I've only played two Monkey Island games, but they are one of the funniest games I've ever played.

YES. You cannot go without playing these games - Tim Schaefer is a genius. In fact, go pick up Psychonauts while you're at it - it's free on Gametap, for people with good computers.

Cave Story is awesome. You get more out of it if you complete it more than once. Oh, and the first time around, feel free to switch weapons out.

Cave Story's charming and good for a few playthroughs. Definitely grab it.

Master of Magic/Master of Orion - very good strategy games, easy to pick up and play, but depending on what you aim for the game may be very easy or very hard.

Quoted for the truth. I'm curious, though - why did you like MoM and not the Age of Wonders series? They're similar, and I can definitely understand thinking that Master of Magic is superior by a large margin, but I really can't see a fan of the former not liking the latter.

Though, I'll add on a little tag - Master of Orion 1 and 2 are brilliant. 3? Don't ever touch it and expect something similar. It's nothing like the others.

MeTheGameGuy

2008-04-28, 06:02 AM

If you think you should get Portal, and happen to think the Source engine is the best thing since a wheat product known as "bread" being available in individual slices, it's insanely great value to get the whole Orange Box. Three awesome HL2 episodes of fun, Team Fortress 2's awesome multiplayer, and, of course, Portal. Lying cakes never tasted so hilarious.... You also get the Source SDK, meaning you can play all the HL2 mods, including the fantastic Garry's Mod, which can do anything from co-operative HL2 to LARPing, so long as it's fun! Although the Box is far more valuable if you don't have HL2 and EP1 already...

Irenaeus

2008-04-29, 07:49 AM

Absolutely compulsary to play EU2. As Ragusa!I vote for this guy.

Tirian

2008-04-29, 12:06 PM

Seriously, you people. You're just naming games that you like, not games that are NEEDED to be played.

I'm hardly going to recommend that people play a game that they're not going to enjoy.

To give one example for your list, I will never play Sim City again. Yes, mad props to Sid Meier for creating the concept of zoning an environment and having "microbeings" thrive according to the quality of your planning. But other people picked up that ball and ran further: Majesty, Black and White, Zeus/Poseidon, Startopia, Tropico, and a dozen more. The Sim City carcass was picked clean.

On the other hand, when I recommend a game like Ultima IV, it's because it did someone that no one has done before or since: creating a CRPG that is as interested in the morality of the player as in the player's power. Yes, you need to max your HP and get the Lost Weapon and complete the Final Dungeon, but all the while you need to do so in a humble and honest and honorable manner. The graphics are primitive and the interface is clumsy, but you are rewarded for completing the game in a different way than beating the most recent Doom clone.

I also think it's worthwhile to highlight old games with great storylines and playable interfaces that were designed to last longer than the seemingly current standard of 15-20 hours. I would point here to the Might and Magic Millennium Edition which bundles M&M 4-7, each one of which probably has forty hours of gameplay. Outstanding values as long as you can look past the lack of photorealism.

Archpaladin Zousha

2008-04-29, 01:17 PM

Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer (Best D&D PC game ever for those who can't get their paws on PS:T!)

Jade Empire (The closest a game will ever get to a wuxia movie!)

KOTOR I and II (So good it's like another Star Wars movie!)

BioShock (Simply amazing in every way!)

The Age of Empires series and Age of Mythology (Easy to learn, hard to master and the graphics get more and more awesome!)

Zeus: Master of Olympus & Poseidon: Master of Atlantis (City building at its finest in Greece and Atlantis (and the jokes are funny too!))

Pokemon (It's a good RPG for beginners, and my brother can't seem to put it down!)

Cristo Meyers

2008-04-29, 04:03 PM

Let's see, starting with the classics:

Dragon Warrior 3 (at least, here in the US it's 3)-In my opinion it's the best of the early NES Dragon Warriors.

The Legend of Zelda- duh

X-Com: UFO Defense- I just can't recommend Terror From the Deep, not for me I guess.

The sorta classics:

Chrono Trigger-I would consider this to be the RPG for the SNES. Final Fantasy 6 was great, but I kept coming back to Chrono Trigger.

Super Mario RPG-This was just plain fun. It's how you cross genres successfully.

and the rest:

Civilization- I would chose 3, but that's because it's the only one I've played.

Sins of a Solar Empire- As said above, it will steal hours of your life and you won't care.

F.E.A.R.- I know it hasn't aged well, but I found the AI in this one to be excellent.

KoTOR 1 & 2- These are what Star Wars games should aspire to, it's sad that so many fall so short.

Jade Empire- Anything that can keep my wife in front of the computer for an entire afternoon screaming "Damn Lost Ones!" is a game that needs to be played :smallsmile:

Ben Miff

2008-04-29, 08:31 PM

Freeware seems under-represented, so I'll start there...

N - Ninja who can live for 90 seconds but gets another 2 seconds per piece of gold collected. Sounds like a normal platformer, with walljumping and all sorts, but since you can't hurt anything and a lot of things can hurt you, it's much more about the shiny physics and trying not to land on that mine / drone / extremely large plummet / rocket / etc.

RoX - A bit like Boulder Dash, but more developed. For one, the arachnid and gnat enemies work well, as do turrets, boulder generators, and so on. Quite a good puzzler, espescially in later levels. If you do get it, I suggest finding the user-brewer patch that fixes level 57 : Omega, since it's impossible without it.

Fraxy - Lots of boss battles in a top-down any-direction shooter. The main appeal here (at least for me) is the editor, where you bolt all kinds of stuff together to make your own bosses. The enemies get espescially deadly at higher ranks, there's plenty of user created bosses out there to be killed by and the various weapons mean that you're generally dodging plenty of different stuff.

Cave Story - Shooty platformy type game, but with awesome plot and brilliant gameplay. Unfortunately, to get the "full" ending you'll probably need to look at an online guide since it's a bit obscure.

Shooty Games next...

Serious Sam First and Second Encounter - Rather "old school" type approach to fps's, given that both of them give you silly amounts of weapon (uranium filled cannonballs and a portable cannon?) and sillier numbers of enemies. The game can easily get up to 100 enemies at once, which fortunately has somewhat thick AI; it definitely tries to kill you with numbers. It's also got a decent sense of humour to it.

Doom 1, 2, Final Encounters - Classics, basically. The only problem is that using the keyboard rather than mouse takes getting used to.

Half-life - Classic, again.

RPGs then...

Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines - Great fun, espescially playing as a Malkavian given what you get up to when you're insane. (I won't spoiler any of it, since it is great when you first encounter it.)

Oblivion / Morrowind : Good for the large scale worlds to play with.

Fallout and Fallout 2 : Some of the blackest humour I've seen in games, which I personally enjoy. The turn system and hexes take a little getting used to, but beyond that it's good.

Knights of the Old Republic 2 : Decent plot, and good fun being dark side. (Also, HK-47.)

Diablo II : I find I get bored once I've done one run from start to Baal (with Lord of Destruction expansion pack) but usually find myself coming back after 3 or 4 months to go through again.

Finally, one I'm not sure where to put, which is Beyond Good And Evil. More people needed to play it, what with the bits-to-do-for-everyone, the way all bits were fun, and the wonderful plot. Oh, and running around taking photos of everything, which isn't as dull as it sounds once you realise the game is actually really quite pretty and provides lots of good photo spots you'll actually want to photograph to begin with.

Right. I *think* that's all of them...

MeklorIlavator

2008-04-29, 09:01 PM

I would agree with Beyond Good and Evil. If only I didn't suck at the minigame for the pearl(the one with the shark guy). Really, I wish games would have some way to skip the games, like a count of times you played the game before the NPC's took pity on you, or allowed you to buy it at obsensely high prices, because I suck at these minigames, so i get stuck and can't continue, thus I can't finish the game.

Proven_Paradox

2008-04-29, 10:30 PM

I'm just going to list off some of the games I have thoroughly enjoyed in the past.

Any of the old side-scroller Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle games are good for a nice nostalgia kick, and they're pretty fun too. A bit dated, but that's okay.

I've seen a few mentions of it here already, but if you're into the JRPG style of game or interested in trying it out, you should start with Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, or Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2. They are both examples of the JRPG at its best. I also enjoyed Final Fantasy VII, XI, X, XII, and Tactics; the series is perhaps overrated, but it's still quite good. Persona 3 had some problems, but it was worth a playthrough.

For more classic JRPG experiences, you've got a lot of stellar choices. Final Fantasy IV and VI were both great, and Chrono Trigger is still an epic quest to this day. Uncharted Waters II was pretty fun, and was quite different too (though you should skip UW I). Super Mario RPG was a lot of fun. Breath of Fire 2 had some good idea, though it was bogged down by a few problems with character balance (that monkey dude was utterly useless, and when I got to that one spot where you HAD to use him I thought I was going to have to start over because he was so under leveled). Earthbound deserves a spot here as well; trippy, stylish and fun. That we've not yet seen Mother 1 or 3 over here yet is a damned tragedy ( I almost suspect Japan is holding them back out of spite). I don't recall seeing it mentioned, but Lufia 2 would be well worth your time. Secret of Evermore, Seiken Densetsu II (Secret of Mana) and Seiken Densetsu III are all great action RPGs. Lastly, Terranigma was a lot of fun too. Most of these you'll have to emulate, though; they're impossible and expensive as carts.

For action games, if it has "Ratchet and Clank" in the title, it's golden, and the PS2 ones should be easy to find and quite reasonably priced. I preferred that series to Jak and Daxter, but the latter is still worth a play as well. Crash Bandicoot Warped had some good times too.

I cannot recommend Metroid games enough. Metriod, Metroid II, Super Metroid, Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime II, Metroid Prime III, Metroid Zero Mission, Metroid DX (I think that's what it was called--the GBA one that wasn't Zero Mission). I probably sound like a rabid fanboy here, but all the same, these games are absolutely glorious. The only one you might skip is the original, only because it is prohibitively difficult--you start at 20 energy regardless of your state when you last walked away, and in later areas enemies do 20 energy damage to you per hit. It's rather brutal.

Zelda's another one I'm not ashamed to fanboy, though not as hard as I do Metroid. The original is still fun, then there's Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Oracle of Seasons/Ages, Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass... I never could get into Majora's Mask myself, but I might try again over the summer.

The Metal Gear Solid series has a lot of fun. I've actually yet to play through the first in any of its incarnations entirely, but I intend to eventually. Acid-trip plot aside, MGS2 was a lot of fun, and I frankly don't mind the stranger plot elements. MGS3 had the annoying first aid system but was stellar other than that. Just don't go in expecting a realistic plot; it's anything but.

For turn based strategy, Nippon Icchi is your best bet. Disgaia, Disgaia 2, and Phantom Brave are the only ones I've played, but that's just because I can't find Makai Kingdom anywhere.

Several people have mentioned Diablo II for online games, and I'll throw in with them; that was an excellent game and I'm considering getting back into it over the summer.

I could go on, but I've procrastinated long enough, and those are the top outs off the top of my head.

SilentNight

2008-04-29, 10:51 PM

Some of my personal favorites
KoTOR I II is okay.
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2
Morrowind
Jet Grind Radio if you have the means to play it.
Shadow of the Colossus for sheer epicness.
One of the first five Pokemon games if you are still relatively young.
Just a few.

Mando Knight

2008-04-29, 10:57 PM

Metroid DX (I think that's what it was called--the GBA one that wasn't Zero Mission)

It be called Metroid Fusion. Anyone else find Nightmare annoyingly impossible until they switch back to their Missiles (I use the newest weapon at almost all times... switching from Plasma Beam to Ice Missile is counter-intuitive...)?

You also forgot Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Different style than the other LoZ games, but still a viable choice for a VC download.

endoperez

2008-04-30, 03:03 AM

You can move it - it's just inhumanly slow. So is the game's pacing, which makes it almost unplayable. Play Homeworld 2 with mods, please. HW1 just... didn't age well. Bad interface, bad controls, bad pacing, good ideas.

Rule of thumb for D&D games - if they aren't levelling you fast and you're starting at 1, stick it out until around level 4. BG1 picks up speed right after dealing with the worst part of the game - those DAMN KOBOLD MINES. The other mine was fun. The problem - Kobolds give crap XP, and they're deadly, no doubt due to the flaming arrows. BG2 is so superior to BG1 at this point that it's not funny, though - one aged well, the other didn't.

Quoted for the truth. I'm curious, though - why did you like MoM and not the Age of Wonders series? They're similar, and I can definitely understand thinking that Master of Magic is superior by a large margin, but I really can't see a fan of the former not liking the latter.

I bought Homeworld 1, not 2. Also, I dislike games I have to mod before I can play properly. Morrowind tought me that mods that make a game better might still not be enough to make it good.

I got through the Kobold Mines. Or at least, I remember I played far in the mines, and I remember I went somewhere else afterwards, and I'm usually very thorough with sticking quests through. I might have stopped shortly after that, though.

I haven't played Age of Wonder that much, but it's just basically too small and has too little variability. I've played Dominions series for something like 6 years now, and it just has more of everything. It's hard to get interested in elves and dwarves and such when you're used to fighting the Fomorians as Tir na N'og [sic], or pushing back the glamoured raiding groups of Helheim (vikings, valkyries and dwarf-smiths called svartalfar) as frost giants of Niefelheim.

endoperez

2008-04-30, 04:44 AM

Double post.

First it didn't want to update the page for the longest time, then when I give and and submit again it works instantly and without any lag whatsoever. :(

warty goblin

2008-04-30, 09:32 AM

I haven't played Age of Wonder that much, but it's just basically too small and has too little variability. I've played Dominions series for something like 6 years now, and it just has more of everything. It's hard to get interested in elves and dwarves and such when you're used to fighting the Fomorians as Tir na N'og [sic], or pushing back the glamoured raiding groups of Helheim (vikings, valkyries and dwarf-smiths called svartalfar) as frost giants of Niefelheim.

I've always loved Age of Wonders. Damn I played a lot of that back in the day, I think I beat the good campaign and got about 3/4 of the way through the evil one. Mostly it was just how hilarously violent the game is, particularly the way that blood spatter is tied to how much damage you do. I had a level 28 or so hero by the end of the campaign, who was melee speced, and he could cause people to literally explode into a shower of blood about six feet tall.

Also, goblin suicide bombers. That game is probably where I developed my irrational love of goblinoids come to think of it, any time my strategy can be summed up by "OK, the pikemen will take their first wave, and after that we blow everybody up" I know I'm dealing with a great game.

I'm not even going to mention (OK, that's a lie) the horrible things you can do with Dark Elf Ladies of Pain and lizardmen. Anytime my strategy is "OK, the swordmen hold of their first wave, then the group of S&M elves goes out and starts getting frisky with the humanoid reptiles" I know I've got a real case on my hands all right.

Vavaara

2008-05-03, 08:22 PM

Dunno if anyone has mentioned them, but i'd like to nominate Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and both of the Advance Wars. Considering they came out back in the early days of the GBA, they are still suprisingly addicting and fun.

Quxelopqr

2008-05-04, 08:45 PM

Here's some of my all time favorites, nes games due to their awesomeness.

Sports (there are some sports games that people should play guys): Punch Out (anyone who beats tyson/mr. dream gets my praise); Tecmo Bowl/Super Tecmo Bowl (the only sports game I'll ever be great at, plus it's amazingly easy to figure out and the Browns aren't horrible!); Ice Hockey (all fat guy team!).
RPG: Dragon Warrior 1 (great game but sometimes you get very unlucky: Warlock casts sleep! Nick falls asleep! Warlock attacks! Nick takes 5 hp damage! Nick is still asleep (fast forward 3 minutes) Thou art dead.) I finally beat it at level 23 (30 is the max level and the last boss absolutely rapes you if you're under level 21) and I was very proud of myself-I don't get that kind of feeling from most rpg's today; The sequel's very good as well, even if it does slow down when you get the boat. Crystalis is an awesome action/rpg, I enjoyed the opening scene where I thought my guy was some kind of robot and he's a purple dude and the charging weapons.

Here's the best ones: Contra, Jackal, the second or third ninja turtles games, Cabal, Megaman 2, Double Dragon 2, Smash TV, Battletoads (even if I can only get to level 4). These are some of the best games ever in my opinion, but if you don't have a friend/sibling to help you you're toast. These games promoted teamwork since if you play alone the games are infuriatingly difficult and even with a friend they're still hard enough to make you want to smash your nes.