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WyLD iNk
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The Honorable Mentions: A companion thread
« Thread Started on Jun 28, 2005, 5:16am »

Yes, My triumphant return to OTR!

It's the start of the long delayed Top 101 Games I Enjoyed list Honorable Mentions! These are the games that I found really really really fun, but that were just edged out by the ones that made the original list.

Strap yourselves in, and just remember that this list is NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER.

Sinistar

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Old school arcade game...kinda the evolution of Asteroids. Hearing the Sinistar grumble out "Beware, I live!" was a truly frightnening moment.

Centipede

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The first game designed by a woman is one of the most timelessly classic ever made.

Grim Fandango

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Style thy name is Grim Fandango. And let's not forget the fact that there's a ton of substance here, too. The best PC style point and click adventure game ever made, and I seriously doubt it could be topped. Well....maybe a Grim Fandango 2 or new Neverhood game...

Super C

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Not quite as amazing as Contra, this sequel still dazzles with that same tight control and twisted stage design as it's forebearer.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

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The sequel to my 101 list making Blood Omen, Soul Reaver changes almost everything about the original game and still manages to come out as a rewarding game. With an extremely clever world shifting mechanic, great puzzles (if a little on the block puzzle side), and with the fact that Raziel is uber player friendly (he can't die!), it was difficult for me not to get wrapped up in it, despite being an entirely different game than it's predecessor.

Raystorm

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A quaint vertical scrolling shooter ported from the arcade. There's better shooters out there, but I was hypnotized by Raystorm's style and timing.

Final Fantasy 6

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It lacks a lot of the focus that helped make Final Fantasy 4 so memorable, but the story is darker, and it made actual advances in gameplay that subsequent Final Fantasies failed to learn from. It also boasts the best villian the series has had.

Gish

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It's like a 2D side scroller of yore, but you play as a blob of tar with an amazingly accurate physics model. The level of ingenuity in the design aspect is as amazing as watching your blob move is giggle inducing.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

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Grand Theft Auto finally gets most of it right. The last 2 in the series were hit and miss in many key areas, but San Andreas nails the realism nail closer on the head than either before it with an awe inspiring wide open, fully functioning city in which you can live out your vile criminal fantasies, complete with consequences.

Dr. Mario

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A somewhat derivative puzzle game that came in the wake of the immortal Tetris, Dr. Mario somehow still remains an entertaining and addicting game in it's own right.

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WyLD iNk
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Re: The Honorable Mentions: A companion thread
« Reply #1 on Jun 29, 2005, 11:48pm »

Fallout 2

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A unique RPG that dropped a lot of stale genre conventions. Well crafted, with a great story and tons of pop culture movie references.

Starcraft

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This game is so good, it's been the national pasttime of Korea for roughly 7 years now. No wonder, actually. It's wonderfully balanced, timelessly solid, and the fun lasts even in the face of more technologically advanced entries in the genre.

Asteroids

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Simplicity rules the day again, with a deep and satisfying game.

Suikoden

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Yeah, I generally don't like console RPGs. One reason being that most are driven by horribly cliche stories coupled with stereotypical characters (Final Fantasy is uber guilty of this). Suikoden changed a lot of this. The story isn't some epic world-in-peril garbage. It's simply about a boy coming of age and doing what he believes to be right, even in the face of disappointing his own father. And while it's true that you can gather 108 characters to join your rebellion, a lot either don't do any actual fighting or are edged out by more developed characters. The good news is that the large portion of developed characters are very well written and the player grows to care about them. The world needs more Suikoden and much less Final Fantasy.

Dino Crisis

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It's Resident Evil with dinosaurs! That should be all that anyone needs, but the game does stand on it's own as a terrific panic horror experience. If this game had come out when I was 8, it would have undoubtedly been my favorite game of all time.

Rampage

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One of the most original titles, you can live out your wildest monster fantasies and stomp whole cities to the ground, all while eating the pesky humans that try to stop you.

SimAnt

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During my time with this, it occurred to me that while it was a "sim" game, it was more akin to a classic RTS like Command and Conquer, but with ants instead of soldiers. Still, it's really neat to control an ant colony, from every aspect of their life, including breeding priorities and food gathering, all the way to expansion of the colony (across a yard and into the adjacent house) and combat with rival ant colonies. The game also does a nice job of educating you on the real life of ants.

Contra: Hard Corps

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Hardcore (ha!). Damn, this game is difficult, but fun all the same. Whoever said the Genesis couldn't hold a candle to the SNES never played Konami's brilliant contributions. If Gunstar Heroes had never been made, this would be Genesis shooter supreme.

Guilty Gear

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In a time when 3D fighters are supposed to be the kings, Guilty Gear gets quietly eased out the door by two guys with a love for good old fashioned 2D fighting games. Their love of hardcore metal music and flashy animation shows, as GG oozes a seriously sweet style wrapped around it's perfectly tuned gameplay. The sequels are all awesome, but I still marvel at the feat of making a game this advanced on the PlayStation.

Super Mario Bros. 3

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Bigger, better, and all around more creatively designed than it's forbearers, SMB3 has the ability to make a Mario fan out of anyone, even if it's only for this game in his infinite series...

More tomorrow.

« Last Edit: Jun 29, 2005, 11:50pm by WyLD iNk »

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Re: The Honorable Mentions: A companion thread
« Reply #2 on Jun 30, 2005, 11:10pm »

Tempest

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Psychadelic shooting with hypnotic vector graphics. So unique, there's only been a handful of clones, none of which were as good.

Civilization 3

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Nowhere as balanced as Civ 2, but with new and interesting rules, units, and ways to dominate the competition, this is one you mustn't overlook.

Quake 2

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Still one of the most solid FPS games ever made. It's engine was so well built that the state of the FPS market today owes it's existence to Quake 2.

Ogre Battle 64

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A sorta remake of the classic Ogre Battle that graces my 101 list. But with slightly better storytelling device and less of the tedium. Somehow, it ended up being a fantastic addition to the N64's weak library.

Samurai Shodown

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Some say SamSho 2 is better, but I was just blown away by the original weapons based fighting game. Fantastic art and characters.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

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Easily one of the best Star Wars games ever made, it's a complex, but satisfying trek through a time that up 'til now was only explored by the comics and novels. The game has used this prime real-estate as grounds to deliver a rich background perfectly suited to an experience based on the morality within The Force. And it's an RPG I liked! How cool is that?

You Don't Know Jack

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You cannot play this game and fail to laugh. Unless you have no soul. You do have a soul, right? It's the perfect place to put all that useless pop culture knowledge from days long gone to a good use. If only the money won was real...

Battle Chess

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Someone got the idea that the immortal Sport of Kings wouldn't be so dry if every time that Black Knight took the White Bishop, he decapitated the pious little puke. They were right.

Archon

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Speaking of Chess... Instead of predetermined victory based on the move itself, the pieces (all appropriately cool mythological critters like Djinni and Manticores) duke it out in real time in a littered arena; the victor claiming the spot.

Battle Arena Toshinden 2

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The series has a reputation for being all show and little substance. Unfortunately, it's true. This doesn't stop BAT2 from somehow being oddly addicting and fun, with interesting characters and amazing music. The first Toshinden deserves the hate - this one doesn't.

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WyLD iNk
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Re: The Honorable Mentions: A companion thread
« Reply #3 on Jul 2, 2005, 6:39am »

Donkey Kong Jr.

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Hopping barrels proved fun for a bit in Donkey Kong, but it was the expanded platforming idea and unique foes that made Papa proud of his little man...er, monkey.

Dig Dug

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One of the old school greats. Defeating the enemies by using the tunnels you dig to your advantage was deliciously deep.

The Neverhood

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Tailing just behind Grim Fandango as the second best point and click PC adventure game. It's the prequel to the PSX classic Skullmonkeys, and follows a different vein of gameplay, but the humor remains the same.

Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance / Mortal Kombat Deception

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Since the days of MK2, players have begged for the series to deviate from it's roots and become the awesome, indepth fighter we all know it was capable of being. With the arcade restraint gone, Midway was able to make the first true evolution in the series, and it was a doozy. Both are fantastic games, though Deception offers more varied content and the ability to play online (if you're into that sort of thing).

Pieces

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Now this is a puzzle game in the truest sense. Compete in putting together a jigsaw puzzle complete with power ups that help you or hinder your opponent. Wildly fun, but uber difficult to actually locate a copy. If you see this, buy it and cherish it!

Super Castlevania 4

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To many, this is the best Castlevania. Storywise, it's just a remake of the original, but as a launch showcase for the SNES, it utilized the graphic capabilities to deliver some for-the-time jaw dropping visual effects, as well as it's still superior soundtrack. Still not convinced? Howbout this? It was made by Treasure..the same folks that made list making Guardian Heroes and Gunstar Heroes.

MDK / MDK2

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Rather than list both separately, I will go the highly controversial route and say that MDK is just as good as the cult favorite, MDK2. Both are odd beasts, with gothicky visuals that belie the games' great humor. MDK is pure shooter, but MDK2 expands on that by adding the M and the D to the original's K (fans know what I mean).

Warhawk

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Alright...where the hell is the sequel to this game? One of the most unique launch titles for the good ol' PlayStation 1. The Warhawk is a kind of helicopter/VTOL ship, and the control was dastardly, but a good time was to be had, even if it meant from laughing at the positively terrible live action FMV that tied the story together.

Record of Lodoss War

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When the pen and paper RPG Dungeons and Dragons was making itself widely known in the 80's, a group of Japanese kids were left out in the cold, as materials for the game were scarce overseas. So they did the next best thing: Make up their own role playing universe. They recorded these adventures, and later sold the stories to become the classic anime and manga Record of Lodoss War. This game is based on that anime, and it's a very well made Diablo-esque ride. Highly recommended..if you can actually find a copy.

Hammurabi

Actually a free text based RPG/resource management simulation from ages past, Hammurabi not only subtly preaches the morality of Hammurabi's code unto you and your subjects, but also teaches a great deal about food and land allocation in order to keep a fully functioning country from turning into a barren wasteland.

And yes, there is no screenshot available...this is an extremely old text game. Trust me, it'd be a dull shot anyhow.

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WyLD iNk
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Re: The Honorable Mentions: A companion thread
« Reply #4 on Jul 3, 2005, 5:41am »

Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest

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Probably laying the template for Castlevania SotN, this deviantly unique side scrolling game is still Castlevania, through and through.

MediEvil

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The game equivalent of a Tim Burton film. The platforming wasn't really all that special, but the game had a style and quirk that complimented the basic gameplay nicely, and ended up creating a wholly unique audio/visual experience.

Strider 2

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I won't beat around the bush. This game turns off most people, and rightfully so. It's really really short and really really easy. But I liked the style this game has, and as the sequel to one of my top 101, it's still fun. The real bonus is that Capcom packed the original arcade Strider in with it, so you definitely got your 20 dollars worth.

Mr. Bones

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It's an action/music game with a twist: Each of it's 20 levels is completely different from the last, and the soundtrack was done by guitarist Ronnie Montrose. Very unique and sadly overlooked.

The Guardian Legend

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At the time, this was a unique scrolling shooter/overhead action game hybrid. It's been done (in a different way) today, but the game still has a style all it's own. The soundtrack is amazing.

Virtual On: Oratario Tangram

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Think of it kinda like a fighting game, but with giant robots, and full 3D movement which is helped by the likes of jumpjets on each combatant. It's almost one of those fun giant robot animes. Very cool. The Saturn version was sweet, but Oratario Tangram is chocolate covered sweet with sprinkles on top.

BurgerTime

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It's similar in gameplay to Donkey Kong Jr, but instead of climbing to an apex, you must stack a burger's components while being chased by angry condiments. Dude...angry condiments - does it get cooler than that?

Oregon Trail

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Haven't you ever wanted to die of dysentery? You can in this game. At least you can take a few of those pesky wildlife varmints with you and swap their purty skins for some goods at a trading post a few miles from where you broke your leg into a million itty bitty pieces. You moron.

Minesweeper

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Oh come on...it's a game, and a damn fun one. If you don't know about this one, you must be reading this list from the paper someone used to wipe their butt with. And no, you won't see Solitaire anywhere on this list.

Combat

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Dude, just shoot the other tanks. That's all you need to have a good time. It was for me.

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WyLD iNk
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Re: The Honorable Mentions: A companion thread
« Reply #5 on Jul 4, 2005, 5:31am »

X-Men Vs. Street Fighter / Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter

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Not as all encompassing as Marvel vs. Capcom 2, but both are still amazingly tight with a surprising amount of depth (for non-Street Fighter titles). Capcom can apparently do no wrong with a Vs. game.

Alpha Centauri

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It's Civilization on another planet! Need I say more? Well...actually, it's kinda more. There's a better storyline and it requires a little different mechanics to play, but the foundation is unmistakably Civ.

Secret of Mana

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A beautiful action/RPG set in a world abundant in nature. The story is a little weaker than most Square RPGs, but the well implemented ring system and the gorgeous audio-visual experience are too good to miss.

Katamari Damacy

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You roll things into a ball. Not just any old things, but everything! Innovative, original, and oddly addicting. Easily one of the best games to come out of this sad current generation.

Sid Meier's Gettysburg!

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If you have even a passing interest in the American Civil War, this will scratch a curiousity itch. It is amazingly simple to play, but there is a strange depth to it. Take control of the grey or the blue, and fight your way to victory while trashing most of the American south with cannon fire and whizzing bullets. Seriously, it's a blast I would never have imagined.

8 Eyes

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8 Eyes is really not much more than a Castlevania clone, but it added the capacity for a second player through the use of Cutrus, the falcon companion of the main character, Orin. Additionally, in the event a second player was unavailable, Cutrus could be manipulated by the lone single player. This allowed for some interesting and innovative twists on the already solid Castlevania style gameplay format.

And with that, my honorable mentions are overwith. Yay me!

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