1) Starcraft.
I used to think this game would forevermore monopolize the top spot, some kind of serendipitous masterwork of balance and gameplay. What a game.
2) Star Control II (... these days, The Ur-Quan Masters)
Thanks again, Bolty. What a game - hilarious, inventive, balanced (except for that fershlugginer Androsynth ship...), and best of all - exploratory. A real universe out there to discover, filled with two dozen of the funniest races you'll ever encounter in any game, and what are, for my money, the best villains of all time.
3) A Mind Forever Voyaging
Steve Meretzky's magnum opus. The first game that really tried to go beyond being a "game," and into interactive fiction. Dated, and with a couple clunky "ye olde texte parser" bits to it, but amazing in scope. If I were ever given a design team and tens of millions of dollars, *this* is the game I would remake. The best ruined world I've ever seen, with the possible exception of...
4) Bioshock.
Oh, Bioshock. Ruined, riveting, Rapture. The richness of this game is amazing. Oh, sure, the shooter component gets a little worn by the end, and the first sequel was only pretty good, but those first few levels at the bottom of the ocean were magic. Andrew Ryan asks you a question....
5) Final Fantasy VI.
The greatest of Squaresoft's games, the most entertaining of RPGs, and the quintessential game of my childhood. The first heroic adventure where things actually get ugly. Still the best characters. Walking through the great overworld of life, I still find myself whistling Terra's theme. Plus, Kefka!
(Strangely, all of these involve some kind of apocalypse or ruin of mankind. I think I maybe need help.)
Not on list: World of Warcraft - A way of life. Not usefully comparable to other games.
Honourable mentions: The Last Express, Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant, Day of the Tentacle, Baldur's Gate II, Goldeneye 007, Infiltration, Portal, Civilization IV, and all the beautifully flawed games that make it onto the "almost perfect, but not even great" list.
-Jester
Afterthought: Okay, okay, Diablo. The original. For the Tristram theme.
I used to think this game would forevermore monopolize the top spot, some kind of serendipitous masterwork of balance and gameplay. What a game.
2) Star Control II (... these days, The Ur-Quan Masters)
Thanks again, Bolty. What a game - hilarious, inventive, balanced (except for that fershlugginer Androsynth ship...), and best of all - exploratory. A real universe out there to discover, filled with two dozen of the funniest races you'll ever encounter in any game, and what are, for my money, the best villains of all time.
3) A Mind Forever Voyaging
Steve Meretzky's magnum opus. The first game that really tried to go beyond being a "game," and into interactive fiction. Dated, and with a couple clunky "ye olde texte parser" bits to it, but amazing in scope. If I were ever given a design team and tens of millions of dollars, *this* is the game I would remake. The best ruined world I've ever seen, with the possible exception of...
4) Bioshock.
Oh, Bioshock. Ruined, riveting, Rapture. The richness of this game is amazing. Oh, sure, the shooter component gets a little worn by the end, and the first sequel was only pretty good, but those first few levels at the bottom of the ocean were magic. Andrew Ryan asks you a question....
5) Final Fantasy VI.
The greatest of Squaresoft's games, the most entertaining of RPGs, and the quintessential game of my childhood. The first heroic adventure where things actually get ugly. Still the best characters. Walking through the great overworld of life, I still find myself whistling Terra's theme. Plus, Kefka!
(Strangely, all of these involve some kind of apocalypse or ruin of mankind. I think I maybe need help.)
Not on list: World of Warcraft - A way of life. Not usefully comparable to other games.
Honourable mentions: The Last Express, Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant, Day of the Tentacle, Baldur's Gate II, Goldeneye 007, Infiltration, Portal, Civilization IV, and all the beautifully flawed games that make it onto the "almost perfect, but not even great" list.
-Jester
Afterthought: Okay, okay, Diablo. The original. For the Tristram theme.