Posted: Jan 29, 2013 8:28 pm
Limiting myself to one game per franchise here, to avoid repetition, and not putting them in any specific order.
1. Grand Theft Auto - San Andreas (PC)
The best instalment in arguably the most consistently excellent series of games. Setting, story and scope set this apart from the marginally inferior Vice City.
2. Half-Life 2 (PC)
Takes a copper-bottomed classic and improves on it substantially, which is some achievement. Manages to be a linear shooter without ever feeling like it. And how many shoot-em-ups have characters you care about this much? Oh and we do go to Ravenholm, we do, and we loves it.
3. Grim Fandango (PC)
Hands down the greatest adventure game of all-time. It simply isn't up for discussion. In terms of plot and art direction this is as inventive and memorable and affecting as any movie you care to mention. If you play this game I promise you you will not regret it.
4. Deus Ex (PC)
It's Deus Ex for fuck's sake.
5. Thief: The Dark Project (Gold Edition) (PC)
This classic steampunk sneak-em-up is probably the most atmospheric game I've ever played. Forget Metal Gear, this is stealth gaming at its absolute zenith. Just shades its equally superb sequel Thief II: The Metal Age, but it's like choosing which of your children you love more. The people responsible for this game went on to make things like Deus Ex, Skyrim, Bioshock and Dishonored. This was what they produced at their creative peak.
6. Anachronox (PC)
Never heard of it? Not a surprise. The studio (Ion "Deus Ex" Storm) spent millions producing it and buttons marketing it before rushing it out the door. Anachronox is a Japanese-style roleplaying game set in space. Words cannot do justice as to what a joyous experience this is. Epic, wildly inventive, hilariously funny and adorably quirky. Oh, and make sure you get the semi-official patch to iron out the bugs.
7. Duke Nukem 3D (PC)
Oh what fun this was. I think you really had to be a teenager, in actuality or spirit, to have appreciated this one to the fullest. It's somewhat dated now, but rightly regarded as a classic FPS.
8. Championship Manager 01/02 (PC)
The Championship/Football Manager series has been a best-seller for 20 years now, and that doesn't happen without good reason. The good reason is that this is the finest sports management sim ever created, and this one was the best of the lot. You can download it legally and for free here, and the community is still providing regular updates to the player database. And do remember to get some sleep.
9. Operation Flashpoint: Cold war Crisis (PC)
There are too many military shooters out there, but even lacklustre graphics and a saturated marketplace cannot stop this one from being as tense and realistic a combat simulation as has ever been released. I can still recall how I felt, alone in the forest with enemy troops closing in, a giddy combination of fear and excitement.
10. Sim City (ZX Spectrum)
I loved this game because it was as involving and immersive an experience as you could find on an 8-bit machine. And they managed to fit it all into 28K of memory, which is a minor miracle. And I got it free with a subscription to Your Sinclair magazine. This series is still around even today, but none have seemed as new or exciting as this did at the time.
1. Grand Theft Auto - San Andreas (PC)
The best instalment in arguably the most consistently excellent series of games. Setting, story and scope set this apart from the marginally inferior Vice City.
2. Half-Life 2 (PC)
Takes a copper-bottomed classic and improves on it substantially, which is some achievement. Manages to be a linear shooter without ever feeling like it. And how many shoot-em-ups have characters you care about this much? Oh and we do go to Ravenholm, we do, and we loves it.
3. Grim Fandango (PC)
Hands down the greatest adventure game of all-time. It simply isn't up for discussion. In terms of plot and art direction this is as inventive and memorable and affecting as any movie you care to mention. If you play this game I promise you you will not regret it.
4. Deus Ex (PC)
It's Deus Ex for fuck's sake.
5. Thief: The Dark Project (Gold Edition) (PC)
This classic steampunk sneak-em-up is probably the most atmospheric game I've ever played. Forget Metal Gear, this is stealth gaming at its absolute zenith. Just shades its equally superb sequel Thief II: The Metal Age, but it's like choosing which of your children you love more. The people responsible for this game went on to make things like Deus Ex, Skyrim, Bioshock and Dishonored. This was what they produced at their creative peak.
6. Anachronox (PC)
Never heard of it? Not a surprise. The studio (Ion "Deus Ex" Storm) spent millions producing it and buttons marketing it before rushing it out the door. Anachronox is a Japanese-style roleplaying game set in space. Words cannot do justice as to what a joyous experience this is. Epic, wildly inventive, hilariously funny and adorably quirky. Oh, and make sure you get the semi-official patch to iron out the bugs.
7. Duke Nukem 3D (PC)
Oh what fun this was. I think you really had to be a teenager, in actuality or spirit, to have appreciated this one to the fullest. It's somewhat dated now, but rightly regarded as a classic FPS.
8. Championship Manager 01/02 (PC)
The Championship/Football Manager series has been a best-seller for 20 years now, and that doesn't happen without good reason. The good reason is that this is the finest sports management sim ever created, and this one was the best of the lot. You can download it legally and for free here, and the community is still providing regular updates to the player database. And do remember to get some sleep.
9. Operation Flashpoint: Cold war Crisis (PC)
There are too many military shooters out there, but even lacklustre graphics and a saturated marketplace cannot stop this one from being as tense and realistic a combat simulation as has ever been released. I can still recall how I felt, alone in the forest with enemy troops closing in, a giddy combination of fear and excitement.
10. Sim City (ZX Spectrum)
I loved this game because it was as involving and immersive an experience as you could find on an 8-bit machine. And they managed to fit it all into 28K of memory, which is a minor miracle. And I got it free with a subscription to Your Sinclair magazine. This series is still around even today, but none have seemed as new or exciting as this did at the time.