Doctor Jaeger
10-04-2010, 11:46 PM
I am pleased to be here at Otaku-Streamers. To give an example of my personal style, here is a special list. Ten video games to play before you die.
#1: Shadow of the Colossus
System: PS2 (Possibly PS3 in the future)
Synopsis: From the people who brought you Ico, this team of video game writers are my favorite example of reverse Star Wars syndrome. An example of entertainment or media that does poor comercially despite being very well done. Star Wars of course being incredibly successful despite the fact that George Lucas has been trying to destroy it with characters like Jar Jar.
Anyway, Shadow of the Colossus features one of few examples of minimalist story telling doen right. Some guy brings a dead lady, a horse, a bow, and a magic sword to a forbidden land to resurrect the dead lady. This game has graphics that to this day still put modern video games to shame, and the bet hybrid of giant monster fighting and puzzle solving since Occarina of Time. And the soundtrack? Epic.
#2: Fallout 3
Systems: PS3, 360, PC, Mac
Synopsis: The single best first person shooter/survival horror/RPG hybrid bar none, Fallout 3 takes place in the ruins of D.C and the surrounding areas after a conflict with China ends in nuclear annihilation.
Now this does have some downsidses. If possible, you should get the Game of the Year edition. Fallout 3 is a massive game, and not surprisingly a game that loads that much ground and animates that many enemies at once is going to have some glitches, though the auto-save system keeps you from losing too much ground. The Game of the Year edition also comes with all of the DLC add ons, which adds even more to the fun with new equipment, monsters, and quests.
Believe me, if a game can create a wasteland and a situation of hopelessness so well it actually makes you appreciate music from The Inkspots, you know it's a win. And the endless strategies of blow it up, shoot it up, beat it up, hack it up, nuke it, flame it, toy with it's mind or leave a live grenade in it's pants adds to the replayability.
#3: Killer 7
Systems: GameCube, PS2
Synopsis: A Carlinist through asd through, a good mindfuck coupled with graphic violence, black humor, conspiracies that shoot the American dream in the head, and enemies that kill indiscriminately are just what this doctor ordered. Killer 7 is unique to say the least, and the rail system in the gameplay does take some getting used to, it doesn't subtract from the fun. Now this game has a highly complex plot which does require some analytical abilities and a high degree of nerdiness, so it is not a game for beginners. Grown-up Konata Izumi level geeks only.
A good graduation present. "Hey, you've mdae it through high school! Here, this game is for you! It recieved fake controversy from the American news media and has decent voice acting!"
#4: Fire Emblem
System: GBA
Synopsis: While Final Fantasy made everything for people with IQs in the 80s and produced characters who were too busy cutting themselves to make it easy to tell male from female, Fire Emblem was there boldy breaking convention and making it impossible to resurrect lost characters!
Fire Emblem is the American title for Fire Emblem #7, Japanese title Rekka no Ken. Though not necessarly the most difficult game out there, the variety of character classes, possible strategies, and the healthy dose of pixelated jailbait makes it one of my favorites, and a must for tactical RPG fans. Final Fantasy VII fans may have problems with it htough since few of the characters are on the verge of slicing their own wrists with unecessarly huge swords.
#5: Grand Theft Auto IV
Systems: 360, PS3, PC
Synopsis: Wanting to live the American dream and escape from a dangerous gangster, Niko Bellic travels to Liberty City, but finds that things aren't quite as amazing as his cousin claims.
Now i'm not a fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, but this is by far the best in the trilogy. A well designed character, enough action, and one of the most intuitive and well designed over-the-shoulder shooting systems make it a game worth picking up. And despite being from the Grand Theft Auto series, the graphics are amazing and there are relatively few glitches. My only complaint? The DLC sucks.
#6: Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Systems: DS
Synopsis: Who said it all has to be swords, guns, violence, and fanservice? Trauma Center is allegedly a surgical simulator (Allegedly) and despite the bizarre plot, this is another example of why i love the DS, the gameplay is good enough to make up for the terrible story!
And i do mean terrible. Anyone care to tell them that a virus isn't actually a living organism? And maybe we could also inform them that tumors are not that easy to remove.
#7: The World Ends with You
System: DS
Synopsis: Yes, Square Enix did make a game that wasn't just some half-assed Final Fantasy spin-off and it was actually GOOD. Don't panic, it's not a sign of the upcoming apocalypse. For that, you'd need a Tenchu game that is good.
That bit of flaming aside, The World Ends with You has you controlling the severely antisocial amnesiac Neku, a hooker-- sorry fashion enthusiast named Shiki, the most perfect example of someone you would like to kick in the balls named Josh, and a complete retard named Daisuke. I'd tell you his nickname but it is too ridiculous. Now like any other DS game, the major claim to fame here is the gameplay. You only have enemy encounters when you want to or when the plot demands it, and the fights? Controlling two characters is frantic but fun, and the adjustable difficulty levels and heavy customization system, a plot that remains conscious of just how ridiculous it is, and the fact that it is hard to not connect with at least one of the characters makes it probably the best handheld game ever. Of all time. I just am biased towards Fire Emblem and that's why i listed it first.
#8: Mass Effect
System: 360
Synopsis: Oh? You were expecting Halo? Sorry, but until the Sangheili are restored to their proper glory as the most intimidating FPS characters, i will not mention a Halo game here.
Mass Effect is a sci-fi game with popularity that makes sense. While not quite as effective of a hybrid between RPG and shooter as Fallout 3, this game is still loads of fun with a variety of partners, squad based combat that harkens back to Brothers in Arms or Ghost Recon, this is a Star Ocean/Halo hybrid that is actually GOOD. With the galaxy at your helm, a highly interractive and satisfying custom character and fake science that is to some extent realistic, Mass Effect is fun for all!
My only gripe is the elevators.
#9: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
System: DS
Synopsis: Are you sick of side-scrolling games that are just too easy? Are you sick of blood-suckers that sparkle and claim to be vampires? Are you sick of bad voice acting?
Konami has your solution! One of my favorites from the Castlevania series, Order of Ecclesia offers a unique gameplay system via Shanoa's glyphs, and is actually exciting. Boss fights almost Shadow of the Colossus level in epicness, voicing that doesn't make you want to slit your wrists, and sweet infant Jesus is Dracula a great boss fight!
#10: God of War II
System: PS2, PS3
Synopsis: Should i now mention that i don't have a PS3 and won't add games that i've never played to the list? Meh. God of War II is fun and difficult in terms of gameplay. It has the action Devil May Cry couldn't summon, the story Final Fantasy couldn't write, and a badass that could easily make Solid Snake weep. Sometimes you just need a game that rewards the murder of innocent bystanders and that has quick-time events that come at an appropriate time instead of you randomly getting killed in Resident Evil 4 cutscenes when you want to just pause it and get a soda. A good game for your library for those days when you just need to take something and literally kill it by ripping off it's own arm and shoving it through it's skull.
#1: Shadow of the Colossus
System: PS2 (Possibly PS3 in the future)
Synopsis: From the people who brought you Ico, this team of video game writers are my favorite example of reverse Star Wars syndrome. An example of entertainment or media that does poor comercially despite being very well done. Star Wars of course being incredibly successful despite the fact that George Lucas has been trying to destroy it with characters like Jar Jar.
Anyway, Shadow of the Colossus features one of few examples of minimalist story telling doen right. Some guy brings a dead lady, a horse, a bow, and a magic sword to a forbidden land to resurrect the dead lady. This game has graphics that to this day still put modern video games to shame, and the bet hybrid of giant monster fighting and puzzle solving since Occarina of Time. And the soundtrack? Epic.
#2: Fallout 3
Systems: PS3, 360, PC, Mac
Synopsis: The single best first person shooter/survival horror/RPG hybrid bar none, Fallout 3 takes place in the ruins of D.C and the surrounding areas after a conflict with China ends in nuclear annihilation.
Now this does have some downsidses. If possible, you should get the Game of the Year edition. Fallout 3 is a massive game, and not surprisingly a game that loads that much ground and animates that many enemies at once is going to have some glitches, though the auto-save system keeps you from losing too much ground. The Game of the Year edition also comes with all of the DLC add ons, which adds even more to the fun with new equipment, monsters, and quests.
Believe me, if a game can create a wasteland and a situation of hopelessness so well it actually makes you appreciate music from The Inkspots, you know it's a win. And the endless strategies of blow it up, shoot it up, beat it up, hack it up, nuke it, flame it, toy with it's mind or leave a live grenade in it's pants adds to the replayability.
#3: Killer 7
Systems: GameCube, PS2
Synopsis: A Carlinist through asd through, a good mindfuck coupled with graphic violence, black humor, conspiracies that shoot the American dream in the head, and enemies that kill indiscriminately are just what this doctor ordered. Killer 7 is unique to say the least, and the rail system in the gameplay does take some getting used to, it doesn't subtract from the fun. Now this game has a highly complex plot which does require some analytical abilities and a high degree of nerdiness, so it is not a game for beginners. Grown-up Konata Izumi level geeks only.
A good graduation present. "Hey, you've mdae it through high school! Here, this game is for you! It recieved fake controversy from the American news media and has decent voice acting!"
#4: Fire Emblem
System: GBA
Synopsis: While Final Fantasy made everything for people with IQs in the 80s and produced characters who were too busy cutting themselves to make it easy to tell male from female, Fire Emblem was there boldy breaking convention and making it impossible to resurrect lost characters!
Fire Emblem is the American title for Fire Emblem #7, Japanese title Rekka no Ken. Though not necessarly the most difficult game out there, the variety of character classes, possible strategies, and the healthy dose of pixelated jailbait makes it one of my favorites, and a must for tactical RPG fans. Final Fantasy VII fans may have problems with it htough since few of the characters are on the verge of slicing their own wrists with unecessarly huge swords.
#5: Grand Theft Auto IV
Systems: 360, PS3, PC
Synopsis: Wanting to live the American dream and escape from a dangerous gangster, Niko Bellic travels to Liberty City, but finds that things aren't quite as amazing as his cousin claims.
Now i'm not a fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, but this is by far the best in the trilogy. A well designed character, enough action, and one of the most intuitive and well designed over-the-shoulder shooting systems make it a game worth picking up. And despite being from the Grand Theft Auto series, the graphics are amazing and there are relatively few glitches. My only complaint? The DLC sucks.
#6: Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Systems: DS
Synopsis: Who said it all has to be swords, guns, violence, and fanservice? Trauma Center is allegedly a surgical simulator (Allegedly) and despite the bizarre plot, this is another example of why i love the DS, the gameplay is good enough to make up for the terrible story!
And i do mean terrible. Anyone care to tell them that a virus isn't actually a living organism? And maybe we could also inform them that tumors are not that easy to remove.
#7: The World Ends with You
System: DS
Synopsis: Yes, Square Enix did make a game that wasn't just some half-assed Final Fantasy spin-off and it was actually GOOD. Don't panic, it's not a sign of the upcoming apocalypse. For that, you'd need a Tenchu game that is good.
That bit of flaming aside, The World Ends with You has you controlling the severely antisocial amnesiac Neku, a hooker-- sorry fashion enthusiast named Shiki, the most perfect example of someone you would like to kick in the balls named Josh, and a complete retard named Daisuke. I'd tell you his nickname but it is too ridiculous. Now like any other DS game, the major claim to fame here is the gameplay. You only have enemy encounters when you want to or when the plot demands it, and the fights? Controlling two characters is frantic but fun, and the adjustable difficulty levels and heavy customization system, a plot that remains conscious of just how ridiculous it is, and the fact that it is hard to not connect with at least one of the characters makes it probably the best handheld game ever. Of all time. I just am biased towards Fire Emblem and that's why i listed it first.
#8: Mass Effect
System: 360
Synopsis: Oh? You were expecting Halo? Sorry, but until the Sangheili are restored to their proper glory as the most intimidating FPS characters, i will not mention a Halo game here.
Mass Effect is a sci-fi game with popularity that makes sense. While not quite as effective of a hybrid between RPG and shooter as Fallout 3, this game is still loads of fun with a variety of partners, squad based combat that harkens back to Brothers in Arms or Ghost Recon, this is a Star Ocean/Halo hybrid that is actually GOOD. With the galaxy at your helm, a highly interractive and satisfying custom character and fake science that is to some extent realistic, Mass Effect is fun for all!
My only gripe is the elevators.
#9: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
System: DS
Synopsis: Are you sick of side-scrolling games that are just too easy? Are you sick of blood-suckers that sparkle and claim to be vampires? Are you sick of bad voice acting?
Konami has your solution! One of my favorites from the Castlevania series, Order of Ecclesia offers a unique gameplay system via Shanoa's glyphs, and is actually exciting. Boss fights almost Shadow of the Colossus level in epicness, voicing that doesn't make you want to slit your wrists, and sweet infant Jesus is Dracula a great boss fight!
#10: God of War II
System: PS2, PS3
Synopsis: Should i now mention that i don't have a PS3 and won't add games that i've never played to the list? Meh. God of War II is fun and difficult in terms of gameplay. It has the action Devil May Cry couldn't summon, the story Final Fantasy couldn't write, and a badass that could easily make Solid Snake weep. Sometimes you just need a game that rewards the murder of innocent bystanders and that has quick-time events that come at an appropriate time instead of you randomly getting killed in Resident Evil 4 cutscenes when you want to just pause it and get a soda. A good game for your library for those days when you just need to take something and literally kill it by ripping off it's own arm and shoving it through it's skull.