shpankey
not an idiot
PC:
Battlefield 1942 - [Most original new multi-player game this generation and the gameplay is sublime, having 60+ people fight in a full out war with land, sea & air all mixed together simultaneously and you have yourself a masterpiece! This game would even make most peoples "all-time" lists.]
Nascar Racing 2003 Season - [With the ability to play with 43 people online, racing fender to bumper and have absolutely no lag, add to that a 4th generation GPL physics engine that is still the best of any simulation in the world even today and you got yourself on my list here.]
Diablo II - [Incredible depth and attention to detail, as many of you know, for many of us, this game is the closest thing to crack in a video game form ever created. Simply put, I can lose 9 hours in this game in a blink of an eye.]
Honorable Mention:
Unreal Tournament 2004 - [The game mode "Onslaught" is one of the best new modes created in quite awhile, that and bringing back the Assault mode, combined with the incredible graphics that amazingly run really well on even a low end sytem and you got a really great game.]
GameCube:
Luigi's Mansion - [One of the most underrated games on the system. It took a lot of flak because back then Nintendo fans were very sensitive to anything that portrayed their favorite system (unjustly I might add) as "kiddie". Very cute game that has a ton of atmosphere and kick back and relax gameplay. I really loved it.]
Rogue Leader - [A really great game with a nicely used Star Wars license.]
Resident Evil (remake) - [Wow, just incredible graphics! Indeed, the best graphics out there this generation probably, and I was amazed that I had pretty much forgotten all of this game, which made it like playing a new game entirely. The "tank" controls kind of suck but in a way it's a part of the appeal for me.]
PS2:
Ico - [It's one of those love it / hate it games. Most gamers, rightly, love it. As you can see in my list of games here, I am always picking a game with "atmosphere" and let me tell you, this is the pinnacle game out there for atmosphere. Top it off with a side of "puzzling" which is an all-time favorite for me, since the old classic masterpiece puzzler: Out of this World, and you have yourself an amazing experience! This game almost usurps my favorite game of all-time: Myth: TFL, by Bungie, but not quite as the multi-player in Myth is very deep and gives and gives. But the single player in Ico trounces *.* bar none]
Devil May Cry - [Wow, what style! When you say "style" in a game this game comes to the forefront. It also has that "atmosphere" I always speak so fondly of. Really great game, to bad the creators of this game left the series in the hands of buffoons.]
Gran Turismo 3 (will probably change to 4 soon) - [The top of the heap for racing simulations on a console. As a sim racer on the PC, I enjoy many great sims on that platform, but for the longest time sims on a console was not even a reality. GT3 changed that, or at least started to show that a console is a viable platform for the racing sim category. Every sim developer out there strives to match the in-game racing physics of this game (minus of course Papyrus who own everyone). The devs for GT3 are perfectionists, which for us gamers is a double edged sword... because they are perfectionists, we get the incredible polish and attention to detail, but also because they are the dev's won't do things in the game that are needed to make it the greatest sim out there (ie: proper crash physics, any damage modeling and the necessary cockpit view) because they simply won't do anything that they can't "perfect". Again, double edged sword - on a semi related note, sim racers should play the new GTR demo on the PC, it is incredible!]
Xbox:
Crimson Skies - [This is one of my favorite games on any system this generation. The quality of the control and the amazing sense of atmosphere is astounding.]
Halo - [Duh! This game (finally!) brought "quality" to FPS's on consoles. Today, every other FPS on a console out there strives to reach the level of quality this game demonstrated. Despite being rushed, Bungie (who also makes my greatest game of all-time Myth: TFL) shows its quality to the world and is no longer the inside secret of the few of us in the know. Some Bungie fans like me simply buy an Xbox because we are such fans of Bungie's work and will go where they go. PS: Jason Jones is a god (little "g") of game design and programming capability! IMO he's the best out there bar none.]
Fable - [This game takes a ton of heat because of "big mouth's" claim of greatest RPG ever, but if you can put the hype aside and just play it for what it is you will have a really great time. Yes it is a little short for most people, but to be honest, I don't want a game much longer than this because I think that's when games start adding filler material that is just fluff and this stuff usually sucks and then the game just gets boring.]
Honorable Mention:
NBA Inside Drive 2004 - [Simply put the greatest basketball game I have ever played, and one of the greatest sports game I've ever played (if not THE). This game gets no respect partly because of the poor graphics and partly just for being on the Xbox, but those who have gotten into it, know very well what I am saying here. This game is a masterpiece of gameplay that has still yet to be matched. The inclusion of individual player sliders was genius.]
Multi-Platform:
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - [Atmosphere to the hilt! I also loved the platforming and puzzles (tho they weren't too hard and I wish it had more of them). Definately one of my favorite games this generation, right under Ico and right above Crimson Skies. I hope part 2 doesn't get ruined by the action and fighting which seems to be taking a front seat.]
NCAA College Football 200x - [The best football game going. This year was a down year for the series, but even that, it's still by far the best. I love it and my Sooners trounce ALL comers! Mwhahaha.]
Sega's NHL 2kx - [This series has actually gotten me back into hockey games, which had before really fallen off the charts of quality. Sega shows with this series they still have talent left, but then they make the uber shitty NBA 2kx game which makes me lose confidence in them. Ugh.]
Honorable Mention:
Splinter Cell - [Really nice game that IMO made playing MGS games a freaking chore. I love the "over the shoulder" viewpoint using Halo like controls. The control in Splinter Cell is incredible and simply wipes its ass with the MGS control style. Also, the graphics are a marvel to behold and using all of the gadgets was really fun and interesting. If now the devs could only match MGS in all the other areas it would really have something, but alas, I don't see that happening. If I could have MGS with Splinter Cell graphics, controls, viewpoint and gadgets, I'd have the game of the century. Instead both have flaws that really take away from the game, which is why this game falls to Honorable Mention.]
Battlefield 1942 - [Most original new multi-player game this generation and the gameplay is sublime, having 60+ people fight in a full out war with land, sea & air all mixed together simultaneously and you have yourself a masterpiece! This game would even make most peoples "all-time" lists.]
Nascar Racing 2003 Season - [With the ability to play with 43 people online, racing fender to bumper and have absolutely no lag, add to that a 4th generation GPL physics engine that is still the best of any simulation in the world even today and you got yourself on my list here.]
Diablo II - [Incredible depth and attention to detail, as many of you know, for many of us, this game is the closest thing to crack in a video game form ever created. Simply put, I can lose 9 hours in this game in a blink of an eye.]
Honorable Mention:
Unreal Tournament 2004 - [The game mode "Onslaught" is one of the best new modes created in quite awhile, that and bringing back the Assault mode, combined with the incredible graphics that amazingly run really well on even a low end sytem and you got a really great game.]
GameCube:
Luigi's Mansion - [One of the most underrated games on the system. It took a lot of flak because back then Nintendo fans were very sensitive to anything that portrayed their favorite system (unjustly I might add) as "kiddie". Very cute game that has a ton of atmosphere and kick back and relax gameplay. I really loved it.]
Rogue Leader - [A really great game with a nicely used Star Wars license.]
Resident Evil (remake) - [Wow, just incredible graphics! Indeed, the best graphics out there this generation probably, and I was amazed that I had pretty much forgotten all of this game, which made it like playing a new game entirely. The "tank" controls kind of suck but in a way it's a part of the appeal for me.]
PS2:
Ico - [It's one of those love it / hate it games. Most gamers, rightly, love it. As you can see in my list of games here, I am always picking a game with "atmosphere" and let me tell you, this is the pinnacle game out there for atmosphere. Top it off with a side of "puzzling" which is an all-time favorite for me, since the old classic masterpiece puzzler: Out of this World, and you have yourself an amazing experience! This game almost usurps my favorite game of all-time: Myth: TFL, by Bungie, but not quite as the multi-player in Myth is very deep and gives and gives. But the single player in Ico trounces *.* bar none]
Devil May Cry - [Wow, what style! When you say "style" in a game this game comes to the forefront. It also has that "atmosphere" I always speak so fondly of. Really great game, to bad the creators of this game left the series in the hands of buffoons.]
Gran Turismo 3 (will probably change to 4 soon) - [The top of the heap for racing simulations on a console. As a sim racer on the PC, I enjoy many great sims on that platform, but for the longest time sims on a console was not even a reality. GT3 changed that, or at least started to show that a console is a viable platform for the racing sim category. Every sim developer out there strives to match the in-game racing physics of this game (minus of course Papyrus who own everyone). The devs for GT3 are perfectionists, which for us gamers is a double edged sword... because they are perfectionists, we get the incredible polish and attention to detail, but also because they are the dev's won't do things in the game that are needed to make it the greatest sim out there (ie: proper crash physics, any damage modeling and the necessary cockpit view) because they simply won't do anything that they can't "perfect". Again, double edged sword - on a semi related note, sim racers should play the new GTR demo on the PC, it is incredible!]
Xbox:
Crimson Skies - [This is one of my favorite games on any system this generation. The quality of the control and the amazing sense of atmosphere is astounding.]
Halo - [Duh! This game (finally!) brought "quality" to FPS's on consoles. Today, every other FPS on a console out there strives to reach the level of quality this game demonstrated. Despite being rushed, Bungie (who also makes my greatest game of all-time Myth: TFL) shows its quality to the world and is no longer the inside secret of the few of us in the know. Some Bungie fans like me simply buy an Xbox because we are such fans of Bungie's work and will go where they go. PS: Jason Jones is a god (little "g") of game design and programming capability! IMO he's the best out there bar none.]
Fable - [This game takes a ton of heat because of "big mouth's" claim of greatest RPG ever, but if you can put the hype aside and just play it for what it is you will have a really great time. Yes it is a little short for most people, but to be honest, I don't want a game much longer than this because I think that's when games start adding filler material that is just fluff and this stuff usually sucks and then the game just gets boring.]
Honorable Mention:
NBA Inside Drive 2004 - [Simply put the greatest basketball game I have ever played, and one of the greatest sports game I've ever played (if not THE). This game gets no respect partly because of the poor graphics and partly just for being on the Xbox, but those who have gotten into it, know very well what I am saying here. This game is a masterpiece of gameplay that has still yet to be matched. The inclusion of individual player sliders was genius.]
Multi-Platform:
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - [Atmosphere to the hilt! I also loved the platforming and puzzles (tho they weren't too hard and I wish it had more of them). Definately one of my favorite games this generation, right under Ico and right above Crimson Skies. I hope part 2 doesn't get ruined by the action and fighting which seems to be taking a front seat.]
NCAA College Football 200x - [The best football game going. This year was a down year for the series, but even that, it's still by far the best. I love it and my Sooners trounce ALL comers! Mwhahaha.]
Sega's NHL 2kx - [This series has actually gotten me back into hockey games, which had before really fallen off the charts of quality. Sega shows with this series they still have talent left, but then they make the uber shitty NBA 2kx game which makes me lose confidence in them. Ugh.]
Honorable Mention:
Splinter Cell - [Really nice game that IMO made playing MGS games a freaking chore. I love the "over the shoulder" viewpoint using Halo like controls. The control in Splinter Cell is incredible and simply wipes its ass with the MGS control style. Also, the graphics are a marvel to behold and using all of the gadgets was really fun and interesting. If now the devs could only match MGS in all the other areas it would really have something, but alas, I don't see that happening. If I could have MGS with Splinter Cell graphics, controls, viewpoint and gadgets, I'd have the game of the century. Instead both have flaws that really take away from the game, which is why this game falls to Honorable Mention.]
