Let's DISCUSS.

I thought it might be neat to see what games people are playing these days. But here's the deal, you must talk about both a great game and a terrible game that you've played recently, and explain why. Because it's fun.

BEST:
Max Payne. I recently completed this game, and although the graphics aren't as sophisticated as the upcoming shooters, the story is very compelling and I think that video games are a great medium for pulp crime stories. It's a classic set-up: Tough cop's family is killed by mobsters and junkies, he goes on a one-man war against the people responsible (or at least, who he thinks are responsible), and uncovers a great big conspiracy. Keen! Also, bullet time hi-jinks. It's a lot of fun and plays like a graphic novel.

WORST:
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Although I appreciate that there are characters and plot thingies from the book that aren't mentioned in the films, and the visuals are actually pretty decent, this game is very poor overall. This is some form of RPG with realtime combat, but you start out with Frodo, who, in a very hobbit-like manner, is TOTALLY WEAK. He has a stick and some rocks to help him fight Black Riders, giant frigging spiders, and various other ghoulies, and usually gets his ass kicked. That is of course, if you don't do something completely cheap by throwing about 3,892,987 rocks at the enemy from a safe distance. Don't worry, the horrible AI will never work it out. However, not surprisingly, doing this over and over did not hold my interest for very long. After Frodo, you get to play as Aragorn and Gandalf, but shortly after reaching the part where you get to be Aragorn, THE GAME CRASHED. On a CONSOLE. No other console game has done that to me. I seriously doubt that I'll actually continue playing at some point.

Anyway, heh. Let's hear some more.

Dis-cussss? OK.

I haven't been playing many games recently due to laziness. However:

BEST: Wing Commander - Unknown Enemy

It's Wing Commander, and therefore it can't go wrong. It's also (gasp!) a fan game, but this differs from LucasArts fan games in two important respects:

It's not just good, it's better than at least one official Wing Commander game
It has completely failed to get smacked-in in a legal sense

Being a fan game, it has its ropy moments, but it's Wing Commander, man! And it's fiendishly hard, but since it's a bit more creative than lobbing wave after wave of alien nasties at your face, it keeps you coming back for more.

WORST: Erm...

I have a confession to make. I don't generally play bad games because I know what I like, and I play demos before I get full games anyway. Having said that, I'll nominate FARSCAPE - THE GAME.

Before I tried it, I assumed quite rightly that I'd hate it with a special passion reserved only for RPGs, of which Farscape - The Game is an example. I was hoping it would have enough Farscape to be fun. Oh, man! How wrong was I? Clue: very. I really don't like RPGs.

BEST:
Splinter Cell. Well the most recent game I've managed to complete happens to be Tom Clancy's 'Splinter Cell'.

It also happens to be one of the best games I've played in a long time. Splinter Cell is a tale of epionage and secrecy, stelth is your greatest ally and the shadows your most trusted weapon.

You play Sam Fisher, a secret agent working for the NSA in an attempt to combat the possible outbreak of world war 3. Set in the near furure you get loads of cool gagets to play around with like your OPSAT, a peronal console that acts as your link back to mission conrol thoughout your missions in various parts of the world. Night vision, thermal vision, lock picks and silenced weapons all come as standard and make for some interesting ways to bump off enemies.

Keeping in the shadows lets you be almost unseen to your enemies (and civilians alike!) and helps a great deal in completing your missions, the likes of which include asassination, infiltration, hostage rescue and various others.

Not since Thief have I played such a great stelth game, the levels design is top notch, although some areas such as the CIA level can be repetative but i guess its the nature of the location. Graphics are great and lighting is superb.

Do yourself a favour, buy this! or steal it...whatever it takes. :)


WORST:
Red Faction. I completed this game ages ago and I have to say it was one of the biggest disappointments of the yaer at the time. At the time, PC Gamer UK would write about it in almost every issue saying how great is was going to be, they even featured it on the cover one time with the headline: 'Move Over Half-Life...' bah!

Poor level design and unimaginative weapons were the death of it.

The thing everyone was talking about with Red Faction was the new 'Geo Mod Technology' Basically the ability to blow up scenery and destroy the level (to an extent)...I think I needed to blow up the scenery in order to progress about twice in the whole game. The thing is, there was so much potential with the geo mod levels but it just wasnt used at all. Sure you could blow up anything you wanted in terms of walls, but everytin else was rigid. It simply wasnt tied in enough with the missions you had to complete.

Another con was the use of vehicles in the game. It was claimed I would be able to coast around in four vehicles (helicoper type ting, jeep, 'Mole' (for diggin in mines) and a submarine.) Yeah i got to play with all of em...for about 5 mins each. and once you leave em behind, and you have to, they're gone for good. They each appear once for like 5 mins each, not good.

so yeah whats it about? :) well its a fps set in the future. you are transported to mars where new mining colonies have been set up. Only you dont realise that you're signing up to be a slave for the corperation basically. You lead an uprising agaist your opressors and fight your way to the surface to escape.

Every level looks the same, every gun looks the same, every guard and miner looks the same. The graphics arn't bad but thats about all thats good.

RF had a lot of potential and could have been something really special, alas it wasn't to be.

RF2 isnt far off now, and PC Gamer UK reports that it dosnt look too promising. *sigh*:(

BEST: Jagged Alliance 2
A great turn-based RPG from way back. Awful graphics, but addictive gameplay and a good story.

WORST: Drakan
I didn't buy it, came bundled with my graphics card. Nothing but a big-titted heroine running around killing orcs and other creatures. No real story, nothing addictive. Simply crap.

BEST: Zelda, The Wind Waker
This game ruled. You grab a sword and a shield, learn how to slash in a way that produces different musical tones, maestro the wind anyway you want, and kickass in several asskicking dungeons (only one of whic is annoying!).

It's a little easier than past incarnations, and it doesn't stick out as much in terms of innovation and all that crap, but it definitely sticks a lot more fun into the series, and to hell with anyone who doesn't like the cel shading. To hell with them, I say.

The music is pleasent as always, the storyline a nifty extension, and although it has it's flaws, it's definitely one for the shelf.

WORST: Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza
This is the last crappy game I played, although it was just the demo. The guns are like toys, Mr McClane moves like some kind of dead and zombified cousin, equipped with rollerskates and possibly an outfit from Elvis's closet. The bad guys are stupid, it's really not fun doing anything, and the controls are just the clunkiest ever.

This is one of the games that people play because they have absolutely nothing better to do, which is stupid when there are all kinds of drugs just waiting for you in the dirty parts of your neighbourhood. Unless you reside in Liverpool, in which case you can find them absolutely anywhere.

amen to the scouse reference brother :)

Originally posted by Metallus

Max Payne. I recently completed this game, and although the graphics aren't as sophisticated as the upcoming shooters, the story is very compelling and I think that video games are a great medium for pulp crime stories. It's a classic set-up: Tough cop's family is killed by mobsters and junkies, he goes on a one-man war against the people responsible (or at least, who he thinks are responsible), and uncovers a great big conspiracy. Keen! Also, bullet time hi-jinks. It's a lot of fun and plays like a graphic novel.

If you like Max Payne, Met, this (http://kungfu.maxpayneheadquarters.com/) will blow your mind. If you don't feel like downloading it I'll email it to you.

Best

Max Payne

I must have played this game through over a dozen times. A few of months ago I got the latest version of the Kung-Fu mod (http://kungfu.maxpayneheadquarters.com/) and played it through a dozen more. The story is like a drug for me, dragging me back time and time again. Max Payne is not only the best game I've played recently, it's my second favourite game of all time after Half-Life.


I'm pretty selective about the games I buy, so I've never picked out a real stinker, but due to the fact that I was asked to write a review and out of a good deal of morbid curiosity I picked up a copy of...

Worst

Daikatana

I don't think anyone who's played this game really needs me to explain why it makes you want to bash your head against the keyboard and cry. If you haven't yet had the "pleasure", this (http://www.pcgr.com/reviews/action/product_846.asp?RVNum=-1) should give you some idea, and a good chuckle to boot. The second worst game I remember playing is WarGames, which a friend gave to me. Shocking execution of a pretty cool idea.

Top 10 games
1)Half-Life
2)Max Payne
3)Mafia
4)Grand Theft Auto 3
5)Deus Ex
6)Soldier of Fortune
7)Soldier of Fortune 2
8)The Sims
9)Theif
10)Microsoft Golf (shut up)

Decathalon of shame (in order of suckiness)
1)Daikatana
2)WarGames
3)Carnivores
4)Police Quest series
5)Tek War
6)Prince of Persia 3d
7)Sum Of All Fears
8)Escape from Monkey Island
9)Kingpin
10)Tomb Raider 2

8)Escape from Monkey Island
9)Kingpin
10)Tomb Raider 2

:(

quite liked all of them...

Hi. You might not know me, but my personal opinions are not the final word on anything, ever. Besides, the only reason those are on the list at all is because I had to come up with something when I overreached with 2 lists of 10. More of a "like-the-least" thing rather than a "hate" thing. Hell, I can't have played many more the 20 games in my entire life. (Not counting Arcade games, that is)

Best
Grim Fandango I am in year 4 now!:D
this game has great dialogue,
like tons of dialogue and a wicked
sense of humour. plus its easy to
manipulate Manny, I usually play mouse
games so when I started playing GF
I thought:confused: but once you start
it comes naturally after that.

Another great game is
American McGee's Alice
it's a FPS combined
with linear story game.
Alice is like so much hotter
than Laura Croft is. :D

Worst
I borrowed some games off a friend.
Dune 2000 was eeeh. once you play
Starcraft or Age of Empires, other
strategy games graphics and such
just dont cut it. I also tried to play
Dune its by Dreamweaver. never had luck
playing their games. also played
Blade Runner was kind of neat but
would not let me shoot people indiscriminatly.
also any game too fast for my computer
to play is bad.;)

Hey Gendo, did you notice you got two departments in your sig?

Best:
The games I haven't been able to get away from are two, actually. Zelda: The Wind Waker is one. Lush graphics, great gameplay, side-quests, need I say more? And Ghost Master for the PC. It's new out and it's pretty darn fun unlocking ghosts and scaring the pants off innocent mortals!

Worst:
Bloody Roar: Primal Fury. All that anticipation of the great Bloody Roar series for merely the same as Bloody Roar 3 with penguins. Try harder next time, BR.

Originally posted by Branik
Hey Gendo, did you notice you got two departments in your sig? Dat's da johhhh-ke...

http://www.dohh.com/otherimages/smmcbain.gif)

Of cause I love GF.

Best:
Maifa! I just love playing it through first time. I love the storyline. It's like you are a member of the family and the corruption among the families.

Worst:
Black & White.I've never understand the meaning in this game.

Top10
Grim Fandango
Mafia
Giants: Citizen Kabutu
Max Payne
The Longest Journey
WarCraft3
The Sims
HL: CounterStrike
Doom
Doom2

black and white was ok i thought but it can get a bit frustrating when tonnes of stuff starts happening arounf you and you can solve each dilema faster than the next is occuring

black and white 2 is lookin good so far, with more emphasis being put on combat, and yout villagers kickin ass...:D

Hey don't dis Black and White! It rocks! Especially Creature Isle!

TOP TEN:
1.) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
2.) Ghost Master
3.) The Sims (PS2 and PC)
4.) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
5.) Black and White: Creature Isle
6.) Worms World Party
7.) Super Smash Bros. Melee
8.) Dungeon Keeper 2
9.) Attack of the Evil Mutant Camels
10.) Grand Theft Auto 3

BOTTOM TEN:
1.) Santa Claus Saves the Earth (ARGH!!! KILL IT!!! KILL IT!!!)
2.) Discworld: Noir
3.) RuneScape
4.) Llamatron
5.) The Seventh Guest
6.) The Riddle of Master Lu
7.) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
8.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
9.) Lego Chess
10.) The Sims: Superstar

Guys, start a new thread for top ten lists. This is for recent games that you've played, and it'd be nice if you explain why something rocks/sucks.

My collection of games is TINY (and I don't do shooters) so:
Best:
Grim Fandango

Do you want to know how many times I've played our favourite? No, you don't.

2nd Favourite:
The Sims

I've played this more than Grim, but it's only a matter of time...

Worst:
Escape from Monkey Island

Not necessarily a BAD game, but rather... weak.

Must Get this Game:
The Longest Journey

Played the demo, looks damn good...

The Game I'll Never Finish:
Myst. ^_^;

~~Sal

Best: Battlefield 1942: It's great you can drive everything in it and It's very reaslistic.

Worst: Kjolens Forum games

best: morrowind, as it kept me going for ages, without boring me(too much), and the visuals were superb.

worst:...one of those xbox things, a game that shames the baldur's gate name, dark alliance. diablo came out a loooooooooong time ago folks. get on the trolly.

I'm currently really into Planetside. Although many were disappointed at release, all Massively-Multiplayer Online games are bad at first - they improve.

What makes this game good is how the world is online and never-ending. Battles for a facility can last for hours (and some can last for minutes), with literally hundreds of people participating. The sheer scale of the game is unbelievable, and the fact that you can thunder through it with huge assault tanks, aircraft and such adds to the excitement.

The world is huge too. It consists of 10 continents, each something like 40x40km large. This is massive ingame :D

The downside is that the game requires a monthly fee of Ј8 to play, so many people are instantly driven away by this.

My worst game has to be Escape from Monkey Island. Yes, it's old - but I don't buy many games and so I tend to come across less bad ones.

Monkey Island has always been a winning series for me. I enjoyed every single one of them - then EMI came out and it turned out to be a complete failure. The 3D graphics don't suit the game at all. Yes, they were brilliant in Grim Fandango. However, in EMI they just don't suit the graphical style of the game.

Things look plastic, unbelievable (not in the good way) and tacky. The game also has lost that impressive artistic feel to it. In CMI you could take any one scene from the game and it'd look beautiful - all of the art was outstanding. In EMI this is not true. It does have many nice scenes, but many are lacking in detail or feel.

The plot was just ridiculous too. They went too far with it, resulting in a "Wtf?" reaction to the ending. Not as bad as MI2, but at least we now know that MI1 and MI2 had a hidden meaning (the whole kid thing).

Heh, I went overboard with this post.

I allways liked those loopy clouds in CMI

The 3D graphics don't suit the game at all. Yes, they were brilliant in Grim Fandango. However, in EMI they just don't suit the graphical style of the game.
Yeah, I thought the same thing too. In fact, one of the reasons I picked up EMI was because I heard it used the same engine as Grim. Oh well, it was only $15.00, and the school for rehabilitating pirates was funny, I must admit.
~~Sal