Ok, so I finally bit the bullet and quit Football Manager. Being more or less the only game I still played, I realised that I would have to quit before uni started again. FM was so easy to just pick up on a rainy day - of which we've had quite a few. I was gifted the "part of the furniture" achievement on the day I quit, how ironic. Deleting it was the last step of a long adventure (what a geek). Before I step back into the world of uni I thought I'd list my fave games that I've played. No decision taken lightly...
1) Half-Life 2 (2004) / Half-Life 2: Episode Two (2007)
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| "Rise and shine...Mr Freeman..." |
I could have just said The Orange Box for this, but that would be cheating. So instead I'll cheat only slightly, and say HL2 and Episode Two. Half-Life 1 was the first game I played on PC (apart from Rayman...of course) and scared the shit out of me. Valve are just amazing developers, and the sequels are even better. So many memorable levels in this (the boat levels, ravenholm, etc), and a sense of atmosphere that is rare in FPS games. Flawless. Now where is Episode Three...
2) Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos (2002)
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| Humans, Orcs, Night Elves. What more do you need? |
In my eyes, still the greatest RTS game. I only got this because I had to exchange C&C Generals, which wouldn't work on my PC at the time. From the epic movie-like cutscenes to the magnificent storyline, faultless voice-acting and soundtrack, this is a beast of a game. The expansion, The Frozen Throne also deserves a mention for being almost a game in itself. I waited for Warcraft 4, but instead we got WoW.
3) Freelancer (2003)
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| A Liberty fighter. |
A cult favourite. A free-roaming space adventure, the story revolved around a conspiracy and was very well written. It is largely left to you if you want to pursue the storyline, explore, fight, or trade. Amazingly fun to play, Freelancer generated a huge community revolving around various mods, several of which change the game completely. Almost a decade since its release and with Microsoft having long dropped support for it, Freelancer is kept alive by the players. Back in the day, this was the first game I played online, and had a lot of fun on the Freeworlds and Crossfire mods, which still survive.
4)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
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| "Stop right there criminal scum!" |
The most ambitious game I've ever played. Massive. One of those experiences that eats away at your life, you can spend hours just wandering the world and exploring. Several storylines and guilds gave direction, the most notable being the sinister Dark Brotherhood. Some of the quests were hilarious, others grim. But with no companions and the poor voice acting, it quickly gets lonely. The name on everyone's lips right now is the sequel, Skyrim, which includes dragons. And hopefully better voice acting.
5) Unreal Tournament (1999)
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| "DOMINATING!!" |
They say you either played Quake or UT. I played the latter, and there have been many reincarnations since. One of the original deathmatch games, which expanded to become the successful series. UT2004 and UT3 being the highlights, but the original is still the most fast-paced and easiest to jump into. Legendary.
Honourable Mentions
Battlefield 1942 (2002): the nostalgia of playing this with mates 'til the early hours.
Bioshock (2007): flawed but cinematic beauty.
Deus Ex (2000): highly regarded, but I haven't finished it yet.
FM 2010 (2009): if you can get addicted, a game has done its job.
Mass Effect (2007): as Deus Ex, reserving judgment until completed.
Medieval 2: Total War (2006): my favourite of the series.
Portal (2007): can't forget this and it's phenomenal sequel.
The Longest Journey (1999): one of the best stories in gaming.
World of Warcraft (2004): never got into it like others do, but still great.
