The best game you ever played

[Zteven]

What is the best game you ever played? Please give argumentation, especially if you want to mention an older game (because it is presumably improved upon by later games). What were the criteria you find most important?

My entry: Rise of Nations. The game is very polished and good or great on all fronts. The game really bends over backwards to make the experience as fun as possible. This is clear from the design decisions that were made such as simplified resource management, the auto-transport and auto-explore and the peasants that put themselves to work. Great care has also been taken in the interface to stay logical and capable of easily performing all tasks. For example, I wanted to make a unit explore a certain part of the map and tried to send it there by clicking the map, holding shift and clicking auto-explore. You expect it to work and it does. The AI is also pretty good, and a nice variety of mission types is provided. Generally everything about this game is really good and that makes it such a satisfying package.

A close contender was Mafia, because it succeeded so well in immersing me in a virtual world.

I expect that everybody here has played a ton of games, so it should be interesting to hear what other "best ever"s are.

Bye,
Steven

[DennyA]

Obligatory "mature game among consenting adults" reference here.

(Just made the reference to get it over with so I don't have to read it from any of you guys. :-) )

From pure "hooked me and kept me playing" standpoint, I'd have to say the original Civ, or Aces of the Pacific.

[Charles]

Ooooooh... I love these topics because they are so unique and original!


...



With that in mind, Ultima 7: The Black Gate. I have yet to play a deeper game with a more complete world. You'd think that after nearly a decade and a half, someone would top it, but nope. Also a lot of good story, characters, and plot. I have never had as complete a gaming experience as that, in all the time since.

[Silverlight]

What is the best game you ever played? Please give argumentation, especially if you want to mention an older game (because it is presumably improved upon by later games). What were the criteria you find most important?

At the risk of cliche, Planescape Torment of course. It may be an older game, but I've never played anything else that drew me into the world so substantially and believably. Ultima 7 would potentially match it, if I'd ever been able to sit with it for more than two minutes.

In the "games that nobody else is likely to mention" category, split decision between Homeworld and HW: Cataclysm. I'd like to pick but each of them has really useful strengths. If Relic had chosen to combine them anime-style into a MegaGame, blending their strengths and mitigating their weaknesses, it would have been the Ultimate Space RTS. Instead we got, uh, HW2.

But...uh, yeah, Zteven, why'd you start this topic anyway?

[ExecutionerFive]

Alpha Centauri/Alien Crossfire.

Been playing both since the day they came out. NOTHING can suck me into one of those "OMG it's 4AM already" gaming sessions like these games can.

[malphigian]

A problem with threads like this one, aside from the fact that they are done to death, and that people don't really elaborate much, is that it's often colored by nostalgia.

It's like when you ask an adult of any age what they think of Saturday Night Live, and they say "it sucks now". And you ask them when it was good, and it's always the age they themselves were 15 or so, regardless of what season the show was in at that point.

Apologies for the strained analogy, but I think the same effect goes on with gaming. We all had some deep connection with certain games early on. For example, I was obsessed with Ultima 4. In my memory, it's a far better game than any of the other Ultima's. It probably wasn't, but I doubt I could even make a fair judgement now replaying it.

Obviously this doesn't apply to people's picks of more recent games (unless they are young'uns), but it's something that definitely seems to pop up in this kind of thread.

[extarbags]

Apologies for the strained analogy, but I think the same effect goes on with gaming. We all had some deep connection with certain games early on. For example, I was obsessed with Ultima 4. In my memory, it's a far better game than any of the other Ultima's. It probably wasn't, but I doubt I could even make a fair judgement now replaying it.


No, it was.

[Miramon]

Bah, stop complaining how lame the thread is, either reply directly or blow it off....

Let's divide it up by decade, first.


80s: Sundog from FTL games. Ultimas, Bard's Tale, Wizardries, etc. don't even come close IMO.

90s: Arg, too many choices. Maybe MOO2. Maybe one of the early HoMMs. Maybe one of the actual Might & Magic games. Maybe Fallout 2. Probably I forgot something that deserves to be considered with those.

00s: Eh. BG2? Was SMAC or Planescape: Torment late 90s or 2000? Can't think of many other contenders. Doesn't matter, no 00 game is gonna win the grand prize. 90s have them beat by far en masse.....


And the winner is.... Sundog!

Yeah, yeah, nostalgia, blah blah blah. I know if I played it again now, it would seem simplistic and low-tech, but for the period and technology, it's the best computer game I remember, and I had a lot of fun playing it. However, many of the 90s games I listed would be close contenders.

[Thomas Wilde]

I had a lot of fun with Jet Grind Radio.

[Mike Hussey]

I can no more think of the best game I've played any more than I can think of the best book I've read or the best meal I've eaten. The three games I've spent the most time with would be HoMM 3, Civ 2, and Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord. If we were to merge all games in a series into one I'd say Civ wins. Of course that's not to say I haven't enjoyed games I've spent less time with, as I rarely replay things like CRPGs or FPSes, so Deus Ex, Fallout 1&2 and Baldurs Gate 2 should at least get a mention.

Too many to choose from to nominate one game.

[BaconTastesGood]

There's "time spent" and there's "most enjoyable". Everquest was a viewpoint altering experience for me, it was the first game that really felt like a world for me.

Early, formative games for me that I don't think hold up by today's standards (I KNOW they don't hold up) include Zork and Ultima 2. But at the time I thought they were the cow's teats.

My all time favorite is still probably Starflight.

Two of the only games from the 80s that I think STILL play well today are M.U.L.E. and Robotron. Most other 80s nostalgia type games don't hold up, at all, but the fundamentals of these two are so strong (and technology independent) that they retain a timeless quality.

Honorable mention: Ultima Underworld and QuakeWorld.

[John Reynolds]

Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri

[Timemaster Tim]

For me, it's clearly Civ 2. What can you say about a game that survived across three computers and a couple of O/S upgrades?

[Drunkagain]

Heroes of Might & Magic III. I just never seem to get tired of this game.

[Tyjenks]

Majesty

Originality, strategery, replayability, nutty (while not annoying over time) character voices and sounds...and on and on.

I think the most important thing was that it inserted a little RPG goodness into an RTS frame, but much less clickety-click-clicking. Unit limits and costs along with, of course, the units making their own decisions helped to stop "rushes". Probably the single biggest plus is the fact that I could occasionally sit, take a breath, and watch my units for moe than 2 seconds.

There should be more games like Majesty. There are not because not enough gamers bought it as they are plainly idiots and should like what I like or quit playing games.

The HoMM series, maybe X-com and Populous on my SNES are all games I spent untold hours on. Right now, Fire Emblem is edging its way in as a game I have spent way more time on than is healthy. I never play back through games like this...oooh, except Final Fantasy Tactics. That deserves a mention, too.

This topic is impossible. I'm sticking with Majesty though because every time I think about all of its features I feel yummy inside and all tingly "down there".

[Kalle]

Torment. I have the tattoo, nuff said.

[McBain]

Cue Rousing Musical Score.
A-Wing Gold 3 has been destroyed.
Play Alarm Ditty.
New craft alert, 3 B-Wings at 4km!
Alpha 2, Order Confirmed: Attacking Your Target.
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
Redirecting power from cannons to shields.
Alpha 2: Mission Critical Craft Under Attack!
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
A-Wing Gold 2 has been destroyed.
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
Redirecting power from cannons to shields.
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
Cue Ominous Music.
Tie Fighter Alpha 1 has been destroyed.
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
Cue Triumphant Score
A-Wing Gold 1 has been destroyed.
Secondary Mission Objectives Complete! The Emperor will be pleased.
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
Resume Rousing Score.
Alpha 2: Mission Critical Craft, Shields Down!
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
B-Wing Red 3 has been destroyed.
Alpha 2: Mission Critical Craft, Hull Condition Critical!
Missile Warning! Key to Target?
Cue Unpleasant Music.
Alpha 2: Mission Critical Craft, destroyed!
Abort mission. Mission a failure.
Press SPACE BAR to exit the mission.
Cue Depressing Music.

[SolomonGrundy]

I'm with you McBain, X-wing brought it from an amusing pastime to a full time hobby.

Best?
FPS:Quake I CTF 4.0
RTS:Total Annihilation
RPG:Hrm...Old Gold BoxTSR games, bad graphics, great combat.New:BG II.
Flight:Flight Unlimited II
4X:Civ II
Other:Thief TDP

[Ben]

Oh, by genre is a good idea:

FPS: Counter-Strike. The last half of 2000 CS was my primary leisure time activity.

RPG: Fallout 2. A very tough one. Fallout 1, PS:T, Final Fantasy 6, and Uncharted Waters 2 were all superb...

Strategy: This is the hardest one. Jagged Alliance 2 is probably my favorite game of all time, though, so it beats out Civilization 2, MOO2, Liberty or Death, and HOMM2(which was better than HOMM3.)

Sports: NBA2K1 on the Dreamcast. Man, I played the hell out of that. Honorable mention to every NCAA Football and Madden game.

Simulation: European Air War. Privateer 1 being a close second, and Broderbund's "Wolfpack" being third. That game was sweet.

RTS: Red Alert 1.

Massively Multiplayer: Air Warrior on AOL. I was the best tailgunner in my squadron, which I believe was called -{Air Demons}-. I remember "justy" was our fearless leader.

Action: Grand Theft Auto 3.


Koei made so many fantastic SNES games I'm saddened by the fact they stopped making non-franchise games.

[Poops McGee]

The best game I've ever played I haven't played yet.

OOO, I just got all zen on your ass!

OK, Nintendo's "Super Dodgeball". Or Beachhead 2 on the C-64.
"You can't hurt me!"

Nostalgia is rockin' a +10 modifier on these picks.

[Brian Rubin]

There are a few games for me:

Starflight (The whole series)
Jumpgate
Freespace 2
Tie Fighter

Those few games have given me more enjoyment and have taken more of my gaming time than any other game I've played.

[Peter Olafson]

I don't know about "best," but the games I think of with the most affection are two of the first I played on my Atari 800 in 1983.

Questron: the first RPG by the fellows who went onto to create Legacy of the Ancients and The Legend of Blacksilver. (They designed, but did not code, Questron II, and it shows.)

An RPG that didn't spook me as the early Ultimas did. Sure, it had the usual monster-killing and weapon-upgrading stuff, but the mood was totally different from Temple of Apshai/Telengard- style games and the early Wizardrys.

It was downright friendly.

And when it was over, I really felt like a hero. I've yet to see an ending as good as this one.

Shame they're no longer doing games. So many of these great, early designers (even folks who got their start in the late '80s) now seem to be inactive.

Omnitrend's Universe: Not exactly friendly. But, though vast and deep as space itself, was so constructed that I never felt exactly lost. The game that taught me to be methodical in games and to take one step at a time.

I guess Omnitrend had a parting of the ways with Sierra around the time of Breach 3 (which I think someone else implemented) and I believe they are doing high-end communications stuff now.

A shame, again, because they were flirting with a new Universe game (the fourth technically, but effectively the third) at the time. :(

Peter

[Lee Johnson]

In no particular order:
System Shock Star Control II Master of Orion Alpha Centauri Half-Life

[BaconTastesGood]

I've yet to see an ending as good as this one.

Skies of Arcadia. The end almost had me near tears.

Greatest console RPG ever. There, I said it.

[Jazar]

Arg... McBain you REALLY got me in the mood to play.

If only I had a joystick.

Ok my pick... Hmm... I guess I would have to go for the Complete Ultima 7. (Can I do that?) Like Charles said: Why hasn't anyone even tried to emulate such awsome awsomeness? LIVING BREATHING WORLD that games like GTA can only dream about. Hang out at the Fellowship center at midnight and see the secret rendevuz with a certain high official; spin the wool to make thread, cut the thread to make bandages; sail around the world and visit all the mysterious islands with pirates and treasure; or spend the night with a lady (or lord) of the night at Buccs Den. Serpent Isle was more linear but had a lot of its own advantages like a interesting storyline (chaos, order & balance), and great dungeons.

If there is ever a Gaming Hall of Fame there needs to be an entire room dedicated to Origin Systems for all the great games that they have helped become reality:

Ultimas
Wing Commanders
Savage Empire
Martian Dreams
Strike Commander
Privateer
Bioforge
Ultima Underworld 1 & 2.
System Shock
Wings of Glory
Autoduel
Crusader: No Remorse & Regret
Shadowcaster
Cybermage
Ultima Online

Excellent games all of them. (allright I took out Pacific Strike) ;)

[Tom McNamara]

Fallout 2. Edges out Fallout 1 because you can trade all items back and forth with your party members, and order them to hang back. Honorable mentions go to Quake II multiplayer, Need for Speed SE on the PS1, and Knights of the Old Republic on the PC. There's others I could mention, but I'll resist the temptation to make a long list.

[Alan Au]

http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1535

- Alan

[VegasRobb]

Omnitrend's Universe: Not exactly friendly. But, though vast and deep as space itself, was so constructed that I never felt exactly lost. The game that taught me to be methodical in games and to take one step at a time.

I guess Omnitrend had a parting of the ways with Sierra around the time of Breach 3 (which I think someone else implemented) and I believe they are doing high-end communications stuff now.

A shame, again, because they were flirting with a new Universe game (the fourth technically, but effectively the third) at the time. :(

Peter

Good call on Universe, Peter! That was one of the first games that came to mind for me as well.

[Creole Ned]

I guess for me, I could equate "best" with "compulsively played until the game was finished/played to death". Starting back in the olden days of 1982 to present:

Star Raiders (Atari 400): A great little space sim/action game that made good use of the membrane keyboard of my Atari 400 (hey, it seemed revolutionary after the Atari 2600 and its single button joystick). The combat was pseudo-3D and nerve-wracking, but in that good sort of way.

Archon (C64): Crossing chess with a fantasy-themed action game seems clichéd now but back then it struck me as an incredibly fun and fresh twist on a strategy game. The music during the opening credits hooked me so much I recorded it to my snazzy-at-the-time tape deck. I can still hum it now.

Dungeon Master (Atari ST, later Amiga): I was amazed that they crammed so many "3D" dungeon levels onto a single floppy. The game was dripping with atmosphere, had great simulated stereo sound ("Why do I hear a door sliding open far behind me?"), funky puzzles and neat little touches, like being able to kill screamers and using the resultant screamer slices to either feed your party or to throw at other screamers (and hurting them).

Populous (Amiga): An RTS game before the term was coined, Populous was like eating peanuts. At the completion of each level, you had to play just one more. I did so until the game became impossibly hard for me. The real fun was in accumulating mana to use your god powers to wreak havoc on your opponent. Forget Zerg rushes and mindlessly churning out hordes of identical units. Here you could make a volcano erupt in the middle of the enemy's village or sink the land under his leader in an attempt to drown him. What a shame that Populous: The Beginning essentially killed the series.

Midwinter: An oddball game that combined different genres, this title cast you as a member of a rebel group trying to defeat the Soviet-style overlords that ruled the chain of frozen islands that formed your world. Juggling the various personalities of the island residents so they would work together required strategic planning, while manning the many vehicles to navigate the fractal-generated 3D landscape gave it a bit of a sim-feel. The weapons made it a shooter. The need to keep yourself healthy made it an RPG. And despite all this, the whole thing hung together brilliantly.

Doom II: I played and enjoyed the Doom shareware but Doom II was better and I plowed through the 32 levels quickly and have replayed it a number of times since. While adding only a single new weapon, the double-barreled shotgun, Doom II exceeded the original with larger and more inventive levels as well as an impressive collection of new monsters, highlighted by the clanking, clattering arachnotrons and the fiendish, monster-reviving Archvile. A great combination of creepy atmosphere and relentless action.

Betrayal at Krondor: The only RPG I have played through to completion several times. While the graphics were not particularly good even back in 1994, the story engaged me, the large world was mostly open to exploration in each chapter, the turn-based combat is something I've always enjoyed (and missed in other RPG's -- realtime with pause doesn't play the same). The interface was seamless and really pulled you into the game, instead of having to fight it.

Conquest of the New World: Being a graphics whore, the unusually sophisticated graphics of this 4X game attracted me in a way that Civ II didn't. The game was not particularly deep, but I found it incredibly addictive. Having combat play on a chess-style board was a neat twist.

Half-Life: Yes, Xen was too long. Working your way through and out of the besieged Black Mesa facility was still a hell of a ride. There are probably more set pieces I remember from HL than any other shooter I've played.

Tribes: I got a cable modem in October 1998 and picked up Tribes a few weeks after it shipped, in January of 1999. I have never played one game so compulsively, to the exclusion of all others. In February I picked up SimCity 3000 and gave it a few token tries before going back to Tribes. After six months and with the game radically changing because of skiing, I finally burnt out but what a ride. The freedom afforded by the huge outdoor environments completely changed the way I look at shooters. The jetpack and skiing made the game fun to just move around in.

Diablo II: Polishing up and improving on the original in virtually every respect, this game, for me, really shone in co-op. I've played through it several times with friends and its simple yet addictive gameplay never fails to hook me. Sure there are deeper games, but Diablo isn't meant to be deep. Kill monsters, get loot, kill more monsters, get better loot. Repeat until Diablo is dead. Works for me.

And the winner is...

Dungeon Master. This was the first game I got that I simply had to play until it was finished. For what it was, it was nearly the perfect game.

Apologies for the Kitsune-like length of this. :)

[TriggerHappy]

Moo edges out Archon, but just barely.

[Chris]

Total Annihilation, still ahead of the RTS curve in my mind.

Runners up are Star Control II, Wing Commander II, Freespace 2, Ultima Underworld and System Shock.

The common element they all have is they kept me coming back for more even years later.

Thanks for the reminder on SCII Rimbo

[Rimbo]

It is *squishy* to *smell* you.

[Kevin J Baird]

M.U.L.E. was really good and still is. Especially as a multiplayer game. Although I'm going to have to say Questron on the Commodore 64. It had a simplified overland combat interface, 3D dungeons (Vector), and a great story with a fantastic ending. To this day it still stands out as one of the best endings in a video game. Maybe THE BEST but I haven't played every video game so I can't make that comparison.

K

[nutsak]

Best game ever? ever? Jesus that's tough.

Interstate 76 (who is the irc chan would've guessed this was my favourite game?)

It had the best Cars , awsome physics, story, characters (hey Stampeed , how bout a poem? ) .. It was just. Funky.

Too bad they fucked it all up with I82.

[Zteven]

What is the best game you ever played? Please give argumentation


But...uh, yeah, Zteven, why'd you start this topic anyway?

I guess I should give some more explanation. I was asked this question ("what is the best game") recently when I was filling out a questionaire a company sent me after I applied for a job as AI programmer. It is interesting to think why they would think the answer important, but the question is also interesting in its own right.

Something most people ignored when replying was to give argumentation. Yeah, of course you played a lot of Civ when you were 18 and now it is your favorite game ever. That was not the question. To give a good answer, you have to define what qualities make a game good and try to find the game that has does the best job in them. To compare games you need to imagine they all came out today. Note that I'm just talking about gameplay, so outdated graphics should be forgiven.

Most people name some very old game. I find it hard to believe since then no progress has been made. For example, why would anyone mention Half-life? Yes, I was a pretty good game when it came out. Great even. But it has been topped in every way by other games since. Similarly, why mention Total Annihilation or Starcraft? Are they really better than modern RTS games? I think not. I suspect it can be different for RPG games, because it is a rather quirky genre.

Judging a game requires you to think about game design. What exactly makes a game good? A lot of people mention the time they played. Does that make Everquest the best game? Immersion is important, naturally. How about the balance in game difficulty? A good game should ramp it up gradually, so the player always has a satisfying challange. Does that mean Ninja Gaiden is bad (too hard at first, easier later on) and Max Payne is good (difficulty is adjusted to match player skills)? How about the dispensing mechanism of 'cool stuff'? A good game should gradually give the player new cool abilities or things to do. Is Jedi Outcast a good game because you continually get new force powers? Is Full Spectrum Warrior bad because there is nothing new to learn after the tutorial?

These are the things I'm interested in. I invite anyone to give more argumentation for his/her choice, especially when it is an older game. If you need an example, read the post of Tyjenks. It was exactly what I was hoping for.

Some more replies to some of the people who DID give argumentation:

At the risk of cliche, Planescape Torment of course. It may be an older game, but I've never played anything else that drew me into the world so substantially and believably. Ultima 7 would potentially match it, if I'd ever been able to sit with it for more than two minutes.

I haven't played much RPGs, so I can't comment. Like I said, RPGs are difficult because the virtual world it presents is the main attraction and there is an endless amount of ways to do that. You may well find only one game that gave you precisely the world you like best.

A problem with threads like this one, aside from the fact that they are done to death, and that people don't really elaborate much, is that it's often colored by nostalgia.

You're quite right. Unfortunately. It is curious to see how people immediately equate best with "played the most/longest" or "amazing when it came out". Well, maybe not curious but the reason why I find the topic interesting is because defining what makes a game good is so hard.

Two of the only games from the 80s that I think STILL play well today are M.U.L.E. and Robotron. Most other 80s nostalgia type games don't hold up, at all, but the fundamentals of these two are so strong (and technology independent) that they retain a timeless quality.

Which fundamentals are that? There was a column by Scott Miller some time ago about why Pac Man is so great. He talked about the interplay between the speed of the ghosts and pacman and how they would be slighter faster if you were eating orbs. It was nice because I always considered it a simple game but he showed there is actually a significant amount of strategy involved.

I don't know about "best," but the games I think of with the most affection are two of the first I played on my Atari 800 in 1983.

How old are you, if you don't mind me asking? I have been gaming since 1990; I was 16 at the time. I had a Commodore and typed in my own adventure in Basic. The games you mention are well before that.

Bye,
Steven

[mutt]

X-Com. Except for a few interface issues having to do with outfitting your squads, it was/is a perfect game. The mix of strategy and tactics was just right. The AI was just right. The graphics were just right (stylistically; I would have preferred something better than 300x240 resolution). The sound was just right. Etc etc etc. That's about the only argument I can give. There's just nothing wrong with the game and I had a blast playing it. (I was 32 when it came out and I stayed up nights playing it like a 16-year-old. It was the first game I can remember that I played straight through from beginning to end with breaks only for sleeping and working.)

[Jafisob]

Seven Cities of Gold(the original)

[Dave Long]

Best game ever? ever? Jesus that's tough.

Interstate 76 (who is the irc chan would've guessed this was my favourite game?)

It had the best Cars , awsome physics, story, characters (hey Stampeed , how bout a poem? ) .. It was just. Funky.

Too bad they fucked it all up with I82.

I helped test that game!

I'76 is one of the best. But my favorite game of all time would probably be Gunstar Heroes. It just nails pure action/platform like nothing else.

--Dave

[Peter Olafson]

Most people name some very old game. I find it hard to believe since then no progress has been made. For example, why would anyone mention Half-life? Yes, I was a pretty good game when it came out. Great even. But it has been topped in every way by other games since. Similarly, why mention Total Annihilation or Starcraft? Are they really better than modern RTS games? I think not. I suspect it can be different for RPG games, because it is a rather quirky genre.

The age of a game isn't really relevant. Gameplay and immersion is what great games are about and while great graphics and sound can help in those areas, they're by no means essential. Older games were simpler, yes, but also purer. The designers had fewer resources, so they had to stick with what worked. That's why people play games like M.U.L.E., Modem Wars, Star Raiders, Boulderdash, Miner 2049er and Rescue on Fractalus to this day.

I don't know about "best," but the games I think of with the most affection are two of the first I played on my Atari 800 in 1983.

How old are you, if you don't mind me asking? I have been gaming since 1990; I was 16 at the time. I had a Commodore and typed in my own adventure in Basic. The games you mention are well before that.

I'm 48. :)

Peter

[Silverlight]

I haven't played much RPGs, so I can't comment. Like I said, RPGs are difficult because the virtual world it presents is the main attraction and there is an endless amount of ways to do that. You may well find only one game that gave you precisely the world you like best.

It's not a matter of the world I like best, or the characters I like best, or even the story I like best. Torment is good because of NONE of these things. I'm not specifically fond of their vision of Sigil, and amnesia stories are as old as the hills.

But the story was well-told and well-fleshed-out, with an interesting narrative structure - you're essentially being told the story of your past, in reverse, at the same time as you're making the story of your future, forwards. Both threads start at the Mortuary slab, proceed in opposite directions, and finally each of them is resolved in a satisfying way once you reach the Fortress of Regrets. The characters show the same level of interesting complexity - there aren't any cardboard cutouts here, and all the main characters show personality and depth.

It's probably especially constructive to contrast Torment's exploration of its characters with Baldur's Gate 2, specifically the romances. BG2's romances were cheap and silly because the game would constantly give you two different choices, one of which was the obvious "end-the-romance" choice and the other was the obvious "keep-it-going" choice. If there was EVER a place to give the characters real depth and show more than a caricature, the romances would have been it, but it wasn't done. Meanwhile Torment has these giant dialog trees where every conversation point has three to five actual, genuine choices, all of which influence the conversation, many of which have serious side effects.

My love for PS:T has almost nothing to do with nostalgia. It's all about superior execution of a design focused on story and characters.

[TheWombat]

Probably a tie between System Shock and the original Jagged Alliance. Both managed to create gameworlds that drew me in and kept me enthralled. Both staked out territory in a particular niche and nailed that niche dead on.

[Chris]

These are the things I'm interested in. I invite anyone to give more argumentation for his/her choice, especially when it is an older game.

My choices are all older games, mainly for the reasons Peter mentioned. They had less technical flair than games of today and compensated for it in other ways, whether it be story, presentation, background, atmosphere or maybe the simple fact that the players imagination was more involved. It seems it was easier to put yourself in the game back then.

Total Annihilation - I don't feel this game has been surpassed by any RTS since its release. Granted I have not played them all but one reason for that is due to TA's greatness. It has a ton of fantastic features: the interface, units, physics, tactical opportunties and gameplay. Even little things like the fact aircraft can do actual rolls instead of the goofy 'draw the unit from a different angle" method used by C&C and Starcraft.

Star Controll II - A simply terrific game, the storyline was engrossing, the alien races were interesting and the gameplay was a masterful blend of exploration, diplomacy and combat. Plus it had some of the best music of the era.

Wing Commander II - First off I love all the WC games, II is my favorite due to the storyline. It was full of twists and turns and had some very moving moments for anyone who was a fan of the WC universe. It immersed me into it's world and made me feel like I was a vital part of the story.

FreeSpace 2 - Ok, this is mainly for two reasons, the graphics and the freaking awesome battles whenever a captial ship was around. Hearing the captial ship beam weapons spin up and fire is quite a thrill. Again the details added up to a game that felt complete, the story, the world, the gameplay, all combined to make one of my favorite games ever.

I could go on but it's all a variation on the same theme. I by no means dislike any of today's games, they just don't stay in my head or heart as long. Very few of them seem to have the depth of older games. Some do, like Vietcong, but most seem to be flashy graphics wrapped around the same old thing.
Today's games are fun of course, just for different reasons, ones that don't have the same impact. I'm sure there will be some game that will join my list and I'm not predicting doom and gloom at all. I admit I may very well be burned out on games, I know I don't have the same enthusiasm for them as much. That could be me or that could be that the industry is stuck in a rut that doesn't appeal to me as much.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

Best Game Ever, if measured by hours I spent on it, would be Harpoon or one of the Civs. If measured by a more serious game design metric (combined with "fun"), I'd have to go with Pirates!.

The design of Pirates! as an adventure/role-playing/strategy game needs no elaboration from me. It had mini-game elements, a sense of style that captured the pirate movie feel, and had a little something for everyone. The idea of not killing the protagonist, but merely stealing years of his life, was a brilliant little touch that kept the player going on the character's life without really encouraging reloading an earlier save.

Needless to say, the upcoming remake is one of my must haves. I may even pre-order it, and I never do that.

Troy

[Ergo]

Questron--still the best ending of any RPG ever.

Legacy of the Ancients--amzing interface and fun as all hell.

Dungeon Master --I put off writing a critical term paper in order to stay up all night playing this.

Wizardry: Bane of the Cosmic Forge--great puzzles and very adult storyline.

Tie Fighter--improved on X-Wing almost every way.

[Rod Humble]

Air Warrior

[senator cthulhu]

i'll throw my hat to elite.

[Shadari]

Questron--still the best ending of any RPG ever.
It was good, but the Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal ending was the best ending ever IMHO.