Announcement

**Biggie** · 07-05-2009, 12:25 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

history and present

First console: Technically the NES. But I didn't play it much. To me, my first console was the Sega Genesis.

Game that got you into gaming: Sonic 2. I still need to beat that game after all these years. I made it to Robotnik at the end in the robot on a few occasions as a kid, but I could never figure out how to beat him.

Favorite game as a young lad/lass: Ha, Sonic 2.

What games are you playing currently: Fight Night Round 4, Monster Hunter FU, Persona 4.

Three games you are most looking forward too: Mario Galaxy 2, Bayonetta, and God of War III.

favorites
Favorite ending: Shadow of the Colossus

Favorite intro: Bioshock, the first ten minutes where they introduce rapture is pretty amazing. Too bad the ending wasn't anywhere near as good.

Saddest moment in a game: Any moment where a loved one of Otacon dies. Goddamn.

Best moment in a game: Probably in MGS4 when you return to Shadow Moses.

Favorite downloadable title: Castle Crashers

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well: Starfox 64, Majora's Mask.

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well: Ocarina of Time, Final Fantasy VII. I still love these games, but I'm not sure if there as good anymore unless you have nostalgia glasses on.

Two favorite consoles: N64 and Xbox 360.

Two favorite genres: Adventure and platforming.

Three favorite Multiplayer titles: Call of Duty, Dead or Alive, PSO.

Three favorite soundtracks: Jet Set Radio, Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon Quest VIII.

Three favorite handheld games: War of the Lions, Hotel Dusk, Pokemon.

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:

5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
I know I said it doesn't hold up very well today, but that doesn't wipe my amazing time with this game as a kid away. It was so much fun just exploring everywhere, and finding new places and secrets. If I got stuck at a dungeon, I wouldn't quit playing, I'd just go somewhere else and find new items, fish, whatever. It's pretty much one of the only games to really pull that off, looking back, I never even cared to beat the game really, but just get lost in it.

4. Shadow of the Colossus
I think this is one of the best excecutions of an idea in gaming ever. Every single battle is so epic, and your connection with Aggro, his AI, along with the bosses, are so well done, that sometimes I forgot I was playing a game. If I were to make a list of top ten boss fights, eight of them would immideately go to this game. Many moments you have with this game will sit with you for a long time, and most of them aren't even scripted. There is no real one way to explain this game.

3. Dragon Quest VIII
If there was ever an award for most polished game in it's own genre, it'd go to this one. Never does this game feel like a mash the x button fest. Every single ability serves a purpose, and there is enough character customization that it doesn't feel constrictive like most jrpg's. Not to mention that it has one of the greatest cast of characters. It's also gorgeous, the universe feels so real and complete. If your in a village early in the game, and you see an island or cliff way out in the distance, you can probably go there. With a game so visually striking, and amazing sound in both voice acting and musical score, it can get pretty goddamn immersive.

2. LittleBigPlanet
I love this game, alot. I love what it brings to the creative aspect in interactive entertainment. Plus it has a very funky appeal that I can identify with pretty easily. It's just really amazing to see what poeple can come up with, and what you yourself can do.

1. Resident Evil 4
Every single aspect of this game kicks ass. Every single boss fight is good enough to be a final boss in any game, and enemy AI was pretty amazing for it's time. I couldn't believe how that if I ran into a building, they'd start busting in ladders through the window, breaking in doors, all just wanting to desperately murder you. That's why I still call it a survival horror. It does away with so much nonsensicle crap that didn't just plague the series, but many games in general. Like climbing down a ladder slowly, or old wooden locked doors you can't shoot open, back tracking, etc. To me it almost really is the perfect game, because it succeeds in doing what most games should try to do. Entertain overwhelmingly.

miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory: Shenmue, Jak, and Gun.

Most polished turd: Prince of Persia

Biggest disapointment: Skate 2 most recently

Favorite game made with RPG Maker: Farm Life

Online titles aside, biggest time sink: I had over 100 hours into one file of FFVII, around 70 on FFTwotl, close to 90 on DQVIII.

**Toaster** · 07-05-2009, 01:49 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Geek Questionnaire '09

history and present

First console: Sega Master System

Game that got you into gaming: Super Mario Bros. But I would say the game that put the nail on the coffin was Shining Force II.

Favorite game as a young lad/lass: Little Nemo Dream Master

What games are you playing currently: Toki Tori, Suikoden II, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

Three games you are most looking forward too: Dark Cloud 3 (it will get made someday), Final Fantasy XIII, The Last Guardian

favorites

Favorite ending: Silent Hill 2, Leave

Favorite intro:

Saddest moment in a game: The final hour of MGS3.

Best moment in a game: Watching the end credits of God Hand finally roll. That game was balls to the wall hard, and amazingly awesome at the same time.

Favorite downloadable title: Either MegaMan 9 or Braid. World of Goo gets an honorable mention.

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well: Castlevania III, Mole Mania

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well: Final Fantasy VII, Wild Arms

Two favorite consoles: Sega Genesis, PlayStation One

Two favorite genres: RPG, Action

Three favorite Multiplayer titles: Gears of War, Contra: Shattered Soldier, Street Fighter IV

Three favorite soundtracks: Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy VIII, Legend of Mana

Three favorite handheld games: Lumines, Mother 3, The World Ends With You

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:

5. Alundra
Alundra is Zelda for grown-ups. This game features a dark, and mature storyline where your own actions cause the townspeople who you are trying to save to suffer even more, leading to a storyline where its hero is ostracized for trying to save the day rather than welcomed with open arms and celebratory parades. It's got some very challenging puzzles that will oftentimes make you scream in a fit of rage that the game is broken, brilliant pacing, expertly crafted dungeons, and a great soundtrack to boot. This game is not for the faint of heart.

4. Braid
Brilliant use of the game's seemingly limited mechanics and utilizes the pieces in ways I've only seen in past titles such as Donkey Kong '94 or Mole Mania. I'm sure that once I actually beat the game, I'll be singing its praises even louder.

3. Shadow of the Colossus
I wrote an essay a few years back pertaining to the intricacies of this game's level design and narrative, how it seamlessly blended the craft of the storyline into the context of the player's actions, and how I felt it was an evolution of the Zelda formula and the videogame medium as a whole. So I think it deserves a top five spot.

2. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
A game where the lines of social/NPC interactions are blurred to intertwine and effect the actual game mechanics, not to mention it's charming as hell, very well made, and features just about everything I look for in an RPG. Who would've thought a social sim and a randomly generated dungeon hack would combine to make something so thoroughly entertaining?

1. Rocket Knight Adventures
Painstaking attention to level design, brilliant use of the game mechanics, and some really interesting set-pieces makes this my all-time favorite platformer, and a game that I oftentime will play-through multiple times a year. An instant classic, and it doesn't receive nearly enough praise as it deserves.

miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory: Wild Arms

Most polished turd: Metal Gear Solid 4

Biggest disappointment: Metal Gear Solid 4

Favorite game made with RPG Maker: [radiant darkness]

Online titles aside, biggest time sink: That would either be Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, Star Ocean 2, or Disgaea. I've easily spent more than 200 hours on each of these games.

**salamander** · 07-05-2009, 02:29 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

history and present

First console:Nintendo. I got one at a garage sale and was the happiest kid in the world.

Game that got you into gaming:
Final Fantasy VIII. My friend got it for me on my 14th birthday. At first, I thought it was weird and not fun, but I eventually got obsessed with it.

Favorite game as a young lad/lass:
Grandia 2. I remember it was my first real RPG that I played through completely and loved every bit of it.

What games are you playing currently:
Both 64 Zelda games

Three games you are most looking forward too:
Final Fantasy XIII, 'Project Trico', Final Fantasy versus XIII

favorites

Favorite ending:
Final Fantasy VIII. The whole last hour of the game was so epic my mouth was open the whole time.

Favorite intro:
Ico.

Saddest moment in a game:
Tie: The ending to Shadow of the Colossus/ What happens to Edge and Faize in Star Ocean 4 towards the end of the game.

Best moment in a game:
Getting to go to Golden Saucer in Final Fantasy VII

Favorite downloadable title:
Triggerheart Excelcia

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well:
Ocarina of Time/ Super Mario Brothers

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well:
Old Megaman games

Two favorite consoles:
PS2 and Xbox360

Two favorite genres:
RPG and Adventure

Three favorite Multiplayer titles:
Naruto Ultimate Ninja series, Halo 3, and Final Fantasy XI

Three favorite soundtracks:
Ico, Odin Sphere, Shadow of the Colossus

Three favorite handheld games:
I've never messed with handhelds...

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:
5.Star Ocean 3. There's so much to do in this game, it isn't even funny. Not to mention a super high max level, and postgame dungeons aplenty. I love each and every character in SO3. Everything in this game is just FUN.

4.Ico. If you're looking for some serious atmosphere in a game, then pick up a copy of Ico. The mystical world draws you in, and, depending on what kind of person you are, you feel as if you're Ico or Yorda when you're playing the game.

3.The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. From playing it as a kid, to replaying it currently, everything holds up to be just as good, or even better than I remembered. The storyboard artist was genius. There's never really a dull moment in the game. The music is so engrossing and the sound effects are so unique and memorable. There's some kind of magic in Ocarina of Time that Twilight Princess just didn't have for me...

2.Shadow of the Colossus. This game shows the maximum capabilities of the PS2 in full glory. Every bossfight feels so epic, that you'll forget you're playing a game, and your heart will start racing. Also, no other game has managed to put such a giant amount of wanderlust inside me. I've been to every corner of the forbidden lands at least three times, and for no reason really, other than to just wander around with Wander and enjoy the scenery. SotC isn't a game, it's an experience.

1.Final Fantasy IX. From beginning to end, this game stays interesting. Lighthearted at times, and serious when it needs to be, the storyline is well paced. I never found myself bored with any of the characters or locations in the game.

miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory:
Jak, Doom

Most polished turd:
The new Prince of Persia

Biggest disappointment:
The Last Remnant

Favorite game made with RPG Maker:
None, mwahhaha.

Online titles aside, biggest time sink:
Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball

**Alex** · 07-05-2009, 02:33 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

history and present

First console: NES

Game that got you into gaming: Super Mario Bros.

Favorite game as a young lad/lass: Super Mario World

What games are you playing currently: Super Mario Sunshine, Pikmin, Soul Calibur II (ngc)

Three games you are most looking forward too: No clue

favorites

Favorite ending: Super Mario World

Favorite intro: Donkey Kong 64

Saddest moment in a game: end of Shadow of the Colossus

Best moment in a game: glitches

Favorite downloadable title: Beat Trip Beat (wii)

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well: if they were good games then, they probably still are

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well:see above

Two favorite consoles: NES, PS2

Two favorite genres: music, adventure

Three favorite Multiplayer titles: soul calibur II, mario party, warioware wii

Three favorite soundtracks: Katamari, Jet Set Radio, Chrono Cross

Three favorite handheld games: Link's Awakening, tetris, Pokemon red/blue

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:
1. SMW
Nostalgia, style, challenge, depth, simplicity, music.

2. Frequency
Visuals, sounds, challenge, simplicity.

3. monkey Island 2
Humor, art, writing, characters, story.

4. Mario 64
Groundbreaking graphics, giant levels and world.

5. Gta series/4
Freedom, style, humor, challenge.

miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory: 2d gaming

Most polished turd: children games/movie games

Biggest disapointment: Pokemon Snap, too short

Favorite game made with RPG Maker: Remote Control

Online titles aside, biggest time sink: Grand Theft Auto series.

**Duel** · 07-05-2009, 03:23 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Geek Questionnaire '09

history and present

First console: Super Nintendo

Game that got you into gaming: Mario Bro

Favorite game as a young lad/lass: Duck Hunt!

What games are you playing currently: None...

Three games you are most looking forward too: Wolfenstein, Doom 4, and Duke Nukem Forever, hehehe.

favorites

Favorite ending: Pac-Man's ending.

Favorite intro: Donkey Kong 64

Saddest moment in a game: None, sorry.

Best moment in a game: When you see an epic ending to an epic game.

Favorite downloadable title: WarHawk!

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well: Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Super Punch Out!

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well: Wolfenstein 3D, King's Quest.

Two favorite consoles: Wii and PS3

Two favorite genres: Platformer, FPS.

Three favorite Multiplayer titles: WarHawk, R&C: Up Your Arsenal, UFC09

Three favorite soundtracks: DKC1, DKC2, DKC3

Three favorite handheld games: Resident Evil Gaiden, Shining Force Resurrection of the Dragon something, Maro Golf.

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:

Donkey Kong Country 3
Wolfenstein 3D
R&C: Future
Super Mario World
Elder Scrolls: Morrowind

miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory:

2d platforming.

Most polished turd:

PoP

Biggest disapointment:

Duke Nukem Forever

Favorite game made with RPG Maker:

Door: The Game

Online titles aside, biggest time sink:

Elder Scrolls

**Perversion** · 07-05-2009, 03:27 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Geek Questionnaire '09

history and present

First console:The first console I ever played was this Pong/light gun (you shot at a large square bouncing off the sides of the TV screen) thing my grandpa had. The first console I ever owned was an Atari 2600 that my aunt bought for my grandma (on the other side of the family), who subsequently gave it to my brother and myself.

Game that got you into gaming:Ermmm...I guess technically Pong, but first arcade game played was probably either Asteroids or Space Invaders; first console game I owned was Defender for the Atari 2600. My brother had the Superman game, which I actually liked more.

Favorite game as a young lad/lass:Hard to decide...I'd say tie between the Raiders of the Lost Ark game, Pitfall, and E.T., all for the Atari 2600.

What games are you playing currently:Meh. Dumb question for me, as it changes all the time. The games I play most regularly now would be Sacred 2, Etrian Odyssey, and Flower on and off.

Three games you are most looking forward too:Scribblenauts, Heavy Rain and sadly enough, Fat Princess.

favorites

Favorite ending:I don't finish games. I'll get back to you on this.

Favorite intro:Don't really remember intros or pay attention, but I'm gonna say Valkyria Chronicles or maybe Skies of Arcadia.

Saddest moment in a game:It has not happened yet, but if I play a multiplayer game online against John Mora and lose, that would probably qualify.

Best moment in a game:Flower spoilers
*** SPOILERS ***
Bringing the city back to life in the 6th level.
*** END SPOILERS ***
I know it's not a moment, per se, but it was probably the most exhilerating and smile-worthy sequence I've ever felt in gaming.

Favorite downloadable title:Errrmmm....Flower, but as I've mentioned this too many times already, I'll also give nods to Everyday Shooter and PixelJunk Monsters.

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well:Ogre Battle 64 and Worms. Also Starcraft.

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well:PSO (it was gorgeous back then; now it's fairly drab and excruciatingly slow and clunky) and FFVII (I didn't get that far into it when I first played it years later, but the UGLY gameplay graphics, along with the humdrum, cliche'd characters turned me off from playing further).

Two favorite consoles:PS3, and original Xbox and Dreamcast (the latter two are tied)...special mention to the SNES.

Two favorite genres:SRPG and the broad genre of RPG (action RPG, dungeon crawl, traditional turn-based, etc)

Three favorite Multiplayer titles:PSO, Worms, and Rock Band

Three favorite soundtracks:Rez, Everyday Shooter, and Lumines. Yeah, none of those really count in the "traditional" sense, but at least I didn't count Rock Band.

Three favorite handheld games:Etrian Odyssey, FFTA, and probably WarioWare.

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:This is gonna be rough...I'm gonna do 'em in descending order.

5)Etrian Odyssey-Part of why these are my top five favorite games takes into account the time in my life when I first played them. For example, if Etrian Odyssey had come out when I was 14 or something, it probably would not be on this list. At this point in my life, this is a perfect game for me to get in some old school turn-based RPG gameplay on the bus going to work. I don't have to worry about a storyline to remember, don't need to remember what quest I was undertaking if I set the game down for a while...this is pretty much enjoyable level grinding and character-building distilled to its purest form. At this point in my life, I'll pick up other games, play for a bit, set them down, and probably not touch them again. Etrian Odyssey, I keep coming back to. I bought its sequel first, and even though it's technically BETTER, I actually prefer the first game.

4)Ogre Battle 64-The first Ogre Battle on the SNES really opened my eyes as to what was possible in a video game...not graphics-wise, but in terms of the unbelievable amount of depth. I'd never played a game like this in my life, and ever since, my jones for SRPGs (don't know if that genre name even existed back then) has continued more or less unabated. So technically, the original Ogre Battle was more influential in my own development as a gamer, but I'm choosing Ogre Battle 64 for this list. Graphically, it's a step up. Gameplay is for the most part identical, but the real reason I'm choosing it instead of its predecessor is because of its story. The first game HAD a story, but it almost seemed like an afterthought to the gameplay and character building. Ogre Battle 64's story was almost as involved and deep as its gameplay. With the character development and political intrigue, I didn't feel the need to buy a PS1 to play FFT.

3)FFTA-Speaking of which, as I missed out on FFT on the first go-round, FFTA was, in my eyes, a worthy, if not superior (yeah, castigate me...I'm ready) substitute. It was a perfect fit for a handheld, and opened the floodgates for a tsunami of SRPGs on the GBA/DS, some good, some not so much. The thing I liked about FFTA moreso than FFT is that in the latter, you are severely limited in how many characters you can have in your army. Coming from Ogre Battle, with a limit of 100 characters, it seemed like a huge step back. I'm huge into experimenting with different character builds, and with the limitations FFT imposed, I lost interest very quickly.

Granted, I did play FFTA first, and aside from the "kiddie" storyline (which is a bit more involved than some people seem to think), this game had everything I was looking for in an SRPG. It moved away from the real time field map/turn-based battle format that I loved in Ogre Battle, and went for the now-standard (I'd never played the original FFT or Tactics Ogre) isometric grid-based battles. The system employed for character-building (equipping weapons to learn skills; learning multiple skill sets to advance to other jobs) was immensely satisfying, and the one-off "random" battles I engaged in for the purpose of grinding were fast-paced and enjoyable. I dropped over 130 hours in this the first time before it was stolen, and I was probably only 2/3 of the way through the "storyline." I was just having too much fun building my characters to want to finish it. Any game that can suck away that amount of hours and still not introduce burnout belongs on my list.

2)Flower-As I mentioned in the first game on this list, if this had come out when I was 14, it might not be in my top five, let alone top 20. But the planets aligned where the game was exactly what I needed to play when I first played it. Some people might think it's boring, dull, and sorta pointless, due to lack of challenge or any real forward momentum or motivation. I think that although those might be legitimate gripes, if those are your reasons for disliking the game, you are nowhere close to understanding it and what it is attempting to do.

Even though there is absolutely no dialogue and very few written words in the game, I think the storyline is one of the deepest and most meaningful and profound I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing in a video game. Yeah, yeah, post your stupid American Beauty bag Youtube link, but I got more emotionally connected with this game than any other game I've ever played. The sheer joy of exploring the lush, gorgeous first level, combined with one of, if not the most intuitive control schemes I'd ever partaken of, left me with a huge smile. After that initial high point, the game progresses in much the same way, until late in the game in a level that is the most debated part of the game. It's suddenly NOT fun anymore. It's challenging (relative to the rest of the game), frustrating, and a bit jarring and creepy. But from my perspective (and many other who understand the game), this was a necessary part to formulate one of the many points the game attempts to make.
*** SPOILERS ***
Not only is the point the obvious, "Nature and technology in harmony," but also the not-so-obvious stance that it forces you to look at what you as a player find enjoyable about gaming, and demolishes it by making the most overtly "gamelike" level the least enjoyable. And during the last level, and in the return to the "menu" screen, the game becomes one of the most subversive I've ever played. Looked back upon after completion, the game stands as probably the most anti-industry (as in, gaming industry), and anti-gaming in general, game that's ever been released. For a game to force you to contemplate stepping away from your TV and console, go outdoors and reconnect with your neighbors and friends in face-to-face form instead of online, just might be the most subtly subversive message a game has ever employed.
*** END SPOILERS ***

As many games as I've played over the years, this is the only one I can attribute the adjective of "brilliant," and call a masterpiece, and not come close to overstating its impact.

And it just dawned on me how great it is that a game without any dialogue or ostensible storyline REQUIRES major spoiler warnings.

1)Skies of Arcadia-This was the game that reintroduced me to traditional RPGs after not having played any since the original FF and Dragon Warrior (nee Dragon Quest) on the NES. I got sidetracked in the two succeeding generations with straight-on strategy games (on the SNES) and more traditional genres like racing, platforming, action/adventure, etc (on the N64). For the time, this was a really good-looking game, with tons of charm, wit, and substance to spare. The three main characters were not dark and tortured, harboring earth-shattering secrets. They were sunny and optimistic, and the antagonists (and later party members) were slowly introduced as the ones with the conflicts. This kept the proceedings light for the most part. Yeah, the "evil empire" story was cliched, but it was so well-done in this game that it didn't even matter.

As for gameplay, it combined traditional turn-based battles (which involved light strategy with the introduction of the meters for the special powers) with the fun airship battles. I really don't want to do a rote wikipedia description of the game, but it's hard to put my finger on exactly what made this game so much fun. It barely veers from traditional RPG territory (aside from the airship battles), but somehow as a whole, it is WAY more than the sum of its parts. As in my FFTA description above, if I can drop over 130 hours into a linear game like this on my second playthrough and not feel close to getting burned out, it deserves to be on my list. It just so happens that when weighing it against the rest of my top five, Skies of Arcadia comes out on top.

Honorable mention goes to both PSO and Morrowind. Between the DC and Xbox versions of PSO, I've easily dropped between 1000 and 1200 hours into it. But I can't in good conscience include it in my top five, precisely because I also included it in my "games that did not age well" category above. As for Morrowind, I did have a lot of fun playing it at the time, to the tune of probably over 500 hours between 3 characters, but in retrospect, I'd again not feel right including it in my top five due to all the little annoying bugs and quirks that diminished my desire to ever play it again. All the games in my top five I could easily pick up and play at any given time and enjoy myself. These two, even though I loved them at the time, not so much.

miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory:I've not played a series of games over an extended period of time that has dipped horribly in quality, so aside from the obvious Sonic the Hedgehog answer (which would not be MY answer...I never really played any of those games, but I would like to see Sega's mascot resurrected to his former glory instead of inching closer and closer to shovelware), I'm gonna answer a different question here. The game I'd most like to see a sequel to is Gladius. It's one of the most underrated games I've played, and it really needs a current gen installment.

Most polished turd:I'd have to say Lair in terms of polished turds I've actually played.

Biggest disapointment:For me, it'd be MGS4. Not being a follower of the series, I got caught up in the hype, and came to find out that I just did not enjoy playing it. I'm sure it's a good game, but it left me cold.

Favorite game made with RPG Maker:Can I be a conceited asshole and name one of my own? No...I've really not played a whole bunch, but I'd have to say I really enjoyed Spheer.

Online titles aside, biggest time sink:As mentioned above, FFTA, Skies of Arcadia, Morrowind, and nominally PSO (I never played online with the Xbox version).

**Caciss** · 07-05-2009, 03:29 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

History and Present

First console: Technically the NES, really the SNES.

Game that got you into gaming: Donkey Kong Country blew my mind! But it was probably Sonic.

Favorite game as a young lad/lass: Sonic the Hedgehog

What games are you playing currently: n/a

Three games you are most looking forward too: Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, the next GTA.

Favorites
Favorite ending: Mafia is a underrated game with an ending I actually remember.

Favorite intro: The opening moments of Bioshock.

Saddest moment in a game: Sadly, FFX's ending probably got me more choked up than any video game ever has (and likely ever will). :O

Best moment in a game: Escaping with Epona from Lon Lon Ranch. Man, that was like... unlike anything I ever experienced in a game.

Favorite downloadable title: World of Goo

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well: Starfox 64, Starcraft

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well: Link to the Past, Mario Kart

Two favorite consoles: N64 and PS2

Two favorite genres: Real Time Strategy, Platformer

Three favorite Multiplayer titles: Starcraft, Diablo II, Left 4 Dead

Three favorite soundtracks: Donkey Kong Country 2, Guitaroo Man, Ocarina of Time

Three favorite handheld games: Poke...mon?

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:

5. Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando
Not a common top five pick, but god damn did I love this beginning to end. And beginning to end again. And again.

4. Super Mario World
The best Mario game hands doooown.

3. Ocarina of Time
Nostalgia glasses on, but I'll probably never get to feel the same way I felt playing this game. A little sad, in retrospective.

2. Starfox 64
I can't really stand on rails space shooting games, so I guess that's a testament to how great this game is.

1. Starcraft
I can't explain exactly what I love about this game so much. Just I've poured countless hours playing, watching, and reading about it. All for a game I'm not very good at :O

Miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory: Silent Bomber Silent Bomber Silent Bomber

Most polished turd: probably Starcraft 2 haha

Biggest disapointment: Shadow of the Colossus

Favorite game made with RPG Maker: Remote Control (kind'a by default)

Online titles aside, biggest time sink: Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando

**Perversion** · 07-05-2009, 03:31 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Double post to recommend adding the question, "Game most deserving of a sequel on a current gen console" to your list, Bigfoot.

It was gonna be a double post when I went to post it. Caciss got in first.

**Biggie** · 07-05-2009, 03:58 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Too similar to "Series you'd like to see brought back to full glory:"

I put Gun in there, even though there was only one console installment.

**Perversion** · 07-05-2009, 04:04 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Then I guess it's okay that I answered that question under your heading of "Series you'd like to see be brought back to full glory."

I was thinking more along the lines of a single game (not part of a series) that has never had a sequel. But meh. Yeah, it is similar.

**salamander** · 07-05-2009, 05:30 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Originally posted by Gloom

Salamander, I demand you explain why the old Mega Man games are bad. :I

Well I don't think they're bad games, the question is games that don't hold up well nowadays.
Old Megaman games are ridiculously hard compared to today's games. Kids nowadays don't have the patience at all to try and beat old Megaman games,(I know because I tried to get my 8 year old brother to play Megaman 3, and he just whined at the first boss and went back to playing Kingdom Hearts...)

**Perversion** · 07-05-2009, 05:39 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Yeah, but just because a game is hard does not mean it did not age well. If you were referring to that one Smurfs game where every thing you do in the entire game has to be 100% precision, or you die, and you apparently die a lot....meaning, it's hard because of outdated and artificial barriers to player success that have very little bearing on actual player skill...then yeah, it did not age well because of it.

But with games that are fair and require player skill in order to progress, it's not fair to say that they did not age well.

Also,

Originally posted by salamander

Online titles aside, biggest time sink: Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball

**Caciss** · 07-05-2009, 05:40 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

That's not exactly what the question was asking...

**Kefka Jr.** · 07-05-2009, 05:46 PM

Re: C'mon Nerds

Geek Questionnaire '09

history and present

First console:
NES and the Sega Master System, more or less simultaneously.

Game that got you into gaming:
Super Mario Bros.

Favorite game as a young lad/lass:
Super Mario Bros. 3

What games are you playing currently:
Pokemon Platinum, Persona 4 and Final Fantasy XII. I'm probably gonna restart Zone of the Enders 2, so I don't get RPG'ed to death.

Three games you are most looking forward too:
The Wii game with the ghosts, and that Metroid game with the ninjas... and mostly, I don't really look forward to game anymore. That way, when a good one comes out, I'm like, "Hey! What a surprsise."

favorites

Favorite ending:
In terms of closing FMVs, Final Fantasy VIII. In terms of final playable moments, then Resident Evil 2.

Favorite intro:
I wanna say Namco X Capcom, but Onimusha 2 deserves more respect. It perfectly captures both the sheer drama and silliness of the game.

Saddest moment in a game:
Pretty much the whole final act of Mother 3.

Best moment in a game:
When the gate closes behind Ashley towards the beginning of Vagrant Story.

Favorite downloadable title:
Braid.

Two games over a decade old that you think hold up well:
Rocket Knight Adventures and Chrono Trigger.

Two games over a decade old that don't hold up well:
Vectorman. Can't think of another in particular.

Two favorite consoles:
Super Nintendo and Playstation;

Two favorite genres:
RPGs and story-driven action-adventures.

Three favorite Multiplayer titles:
Brawl, Double Dash and Left 4 Dead

Three favorite soundtracks:
Chrono Trigger, SaGa Frontier 2 and Grim Fandango.

Three favorite handheld games:
The World Ends With You, Astro Boy: Omega Factor and Tetris DS.

Top Five Favorite Games in order with description:
I can barely come up with my favorite games, let alone an order for them.

Earthbound
Most RPGs make a habit of cramming as many different locales into the game as possible. In many adventure games, exploring the world is a side effect of trying to save it.

In Earthbound, your mission is to save the world by becoming the most heroic tourist of all time. I don't think there are many games that have perfectly paced the way its world unfolds the way Earthbound has. Each new destination is bigger, stranger and more important. Your journey becomes trans-national, trans-continental, trans-dimensional.

A lot of RPGs are a big, messy stew of sights and sounds that tend to have nothing to do with anything. As such a stew, Earthbound somehow manages to make every flavor compliment each other.

Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner
To me, ZOE2 is like that adventure movie that you're always in the mood to watch, either by yourself or with your friends.

It's too loud and silly to be art, but it can be artful in its loudness and silliness.

It's a perfect examination of what coolness is and isn't. A protagonist named after two kinds of animals? Not cool. Effortlessly summoning a volley of homing missiles to destroy of fleet of enemy aircrafts like it's no big deal? So cool.

It ISN'T cool to point at something and pretend like it's supposed to be impressive. It IS cool to make a dramatic stylistic decision and let it speak for itself.

Silent Hill 2
If ZOE2 is a movie, Silent Hill 2 is a novel. Until ICO came out, it must've been the game that most embodied subtle design for me. It wouldn't even let video-gamey things like sluggish controls or being able to carry a limitless amount of supplies interfere with it's unrelenting atmosphere.

It NEVER loses focus. You always know the seriousness of your situation. That is how you know a well-directed game. And that is what makes the sudden and intentional shift of objectives at the climax so powerful.

Braid
For the record, I don't give a **** about the Manhattan Project. That's not what this is about. Well, maybe it is, but that's why I love this game. It can be so many things precisely because of its simplicity.

Braid does for me what I assume this video is supposed to do for most people. Braid presents its own function as a video game - a really good collection of puzzles that are overcome through scientific means as opposed to guessing what the **** the developers were thinking - as a message about carrying on despite everything.

I was going to say that Braid's story is like a circle, but, really, Braid's story is like a braid. A braid is like helix, and a helix is like a spiral, and a spiral is endless, but always changing just a little.

Persona 4
I beat Persona 4. And then I started a new file.

I haven't started replaying a RPG so quickly after finishing it since Chrono Trigger.

I'd put Chrono Trigger on my list, but that's kind of a given.

miscellaneous

Series you'd like brought back in full glory:
Secret of Mana. I just wanna beat up monsters with my friends without so many strings attached.

Most polished turd:
Man, I dunno. Any recent Square game? Crisis Core is a glowing example.

Biggest disapointment:
Ninja Gaiden 2 came out after God Hand and Devil May Cry 3. I figured it would've brought it's own innovations to the pantheon of fantastic action games, but it... really didn't.

Favorite game made with RPG Maker:
Shut Up, *****!

Online titles aside, biggest time sink:
Damn! I dunno. It's either
Chrono Trigger,
Disgaea,
The World Ends With You,
or Melee.

Announcement

C'mon Nerds

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