Hidden Gaming Gems

You know the ones. The games that we stumble across by accident that actually turn out to be some of the best experiences we have in gaming. A hidden gaming gem that we will play completely to the end several times (maybe on different platforms) just for the fun of it. Or maybe perhaps we find the multiplayer aspect of a game too good to put down? Whether it be from years ago or maybe more recently, there are games out there that grab us and don't let us go. Some that come to mind are:

- Burnout Revenge: The multiplayer in this game as truly immense and it was the first ever game I went online to play multiplayer. It's a real shame this game is nearly impossible to play now due to how log ago it was released. Bring it back! Burnout Paradise was nothing in comparison to this arcade racer.

- Broken Sword: A childhood memory for me and one that will likely stay with me for the rest of my life. I've re-played this game on the DS, the IPhone, Ipad and PC (originally on the PS). A truly all time classic point and click adventure.

- Call of Duty: I agree with some that this franchise is becoming nothing more than a money grabbing  tyrant where they justify a full retail price for the next reincarnation which may not be so different to the latter. This said, they certainly do get the last laugh as the multiplayer is compellingly addictive and buying the next in the series feels a lot like getting the next Apple product.

- Discworld: I'm not sure how popular this game was, but along similar lines as Broken Sword, this point and click adventure is just as addictive. The difference? This game lends more humour but also in a much more fictitious environment and plot. Worth a download!

This is just a small selection of the games that come to mind first but there are many more. I remember the days of playing 'Zelda: The Ocarina Of Time', 'Super Mario All Stars' and to perhaps a lesser extend 'GTA: San Andreas'. What are yours?

My Top 10 Games..

Ten games is quite hard to come up with. Games that come immediately to mind are:

1. Burnout Revenge (multiplayer was the best I've seen in a game to date, its just too bad it's not a popular game anymore.
2. Broken Sword.
3. Discworld
4. Super Mario: All Stars
5. Tomb Raider (although very much dated now.)
6. Half Life (series)
7. Rift
8. Simcity 4 (yet to play the new one)
9. Far Cry 3
10. Guild Wars 2 (subject to change)

From this, I feel I hold a lot of nostalgia for games gone by. What are yours?

Broken Sword vs Broken Sword 2

Firstly, I'm taking Broken Sword 3 out of the equation as it doesn't fit with the other two and personally, the move to 3D was a regrettable move with this game.

When Broken Sword was released, it was an instant classic as it was full of witty dialogue, well delivered lines and a believable, yet involved and dramatic plot line that made you want to get past the latest puzzle to find out what happens next. With its variety of different locations and unique artistic style, it was an exception for its time and a game I have played many times since.

Broken Sword 2 is a lot similar but focuses on an altogether different plot line from the first. Although this was also a great game and had all the positives of the first. I found something missing. Maybe the nostalgic quality wasn't there, maybe it was a sense of dejavu, who knows.

Ultimately, the first was the best in this instance and this is usually the case with many things. My only hope is that one day George Stobbart and Nico return for another 2D adventure sometime in the future. The genre is extremely fitting now more than ever, as the gameplay mechanic used in this game is highly adaptable to that of touch screen devices, could this be the most prominent time for a comeback? Yes, but sadly I doubt this will happen.

Completing Games..

Ten years ago I would get a game with the full plan to see it through to the very completion. This would be because the game was relatively simple, it would have a single player campaign with no multiplayer option and the campaign would be in depth and interesting throughout.

These days, the majority of games I buy are never fully completed. This could be down to a few factors:

- Games have too much going on (both a good and bad thing). For example, a game may have an apt single player campaign but be primarily based around the multiplayer element. Due to this, you glance at the campaign but primarily focus on the multiplayer (I am guilty of this in some of the COD games).

- Too much choice. Years ago, there would be a few select games that you would want and buy and play them to death before moving onto another game. These days, the vast amount of choice we have is overwhelming and it makes it very easy to get bored of one game and then easily move onto something new when your only half way through a game.

- Sequels/Quality control. Too many sequels means that the same formula is mixed up again and again, sometimes with only subtle changes and improvements. This can make you bored rather quickly.

- Introduction of app games. These games fight for our attention too and keep us from becoming invested in one endeavour. The easy and casual aspect of these games make them an easy distraction.

I remember the days of the early Tomb Raider, Broken Sword, Exhumed, Disruptor, Doom, amongst many others. There is far too much choice now.. which like I say, is nothing to complain about but is a 'bitter sweet' kind of situation.

Have You Ever Bought A Game Twice?

Maybe its just me, but once in a while, you come across a game that you have played before, but perhaps not played in quite a few years. This impulse then causes you to buy the game (now with a much cheaper price ofcourse) to play again. Personally, I can think of many games that come under this category, such as:

Broken Sword

A game I have played so many times, I could probably tell you the story from start to end. The reason this game has been bought more than once, is mainly because I've lost it somewhere over the last few years, and then it was released onto a different format many years after. I originally played Broken Sword on the Playstation One, then on the PC, and then on the perfectly suited Nintendo DS.

SimCity 4

SimCity 4 is a game that fits itself very well into no bracket whatsoever, it is not too complicated to be cumbersome to a casual gamer. Yet not too casual to put off die hard micro management/city building fans. Simcity is a game which is intriguing. Even if you've already played it, the gameplay functionality is different across varying platforms. For instance, this game can now be played (with little differences in each) on the PC, Nintendo DS and Ipad respectively.

 

 

 

 

Too much money than sense? Well the games we tend to buy again are usually extremely cheap as its many years later when we find them again, and its good to re-visit an old past time and relive it all again; in some cases, with graphical improvements too.