Wolfenstein 3d for the PC: WHen I was growing up, the only computer I had access to was an older Macintosh. Thus, many of the game I played were for the mac [the GOOD Bungie games, before Microsoft took over] One of these was the Mac port of Wolf 3d. It was very fun, with slightly different levels, better graphics, the ability to carry more ammo, and two new weapons [flamethrower and rocket launcher] I recently played wolf 3d on my windows PC [a trip down nostalgia lane] and found out how much different it was from what I remembered. Perhaps this is purely due to nostalgia, but I was kinda let down by how much worse it seemed.
Halo Combat Evolved: As I only had a PC while growing up, the selection of games I could play was very limited. One series that was available was the Marathon series from Bungie. It was a competent shooter, but the thing I liked most was the AI computer terminals. There was something about the later levels of the original Marathon where you couldn't trust the AI [computer 'commander' who tells the player where to go], and that it was hard to get a straight answer of where to go and what to do, usually involving running about pointlessly for a while before finally discovering where I was supposed to go. THe fact that I had to actively find the missions was also different. Essentially, I was dropped into the thick of things without even a clue of where to go and what to do. Thus, to get mission objectives, I had to wade through enemies and explore for a bit until I found a suitable computer terminal. Halo took a series which I was find of, and took all the parts that I liked out of the game. You no longer have to hunt down the terminal for the sometimes helpful AI, you carry it around in your skull. There are no more computer terminals with random backstory or other text, and you know exactly what to do and where to go at all times. Linearity is nice an all, but I like to do a little exploring now and then.
Call of Duty 2: Took the original CoD and took the difficulty out of it. I can play CoD2, and the derivative works, at any difficulty level without having to think. Just hide when I get hurt a little and wait for health to reappear. I like games which cause me to think through every situation, deciding when to charge in and when to use stealth. This is why I like an actual health bar, a it make me feel as if I have to take every opportunity of cover, as the character will die very quickly if I do not. Coincidentally, I also do not like the deus-ex-machina-o-matic machines of BioShock, although I generally like the game.
Quake 3: Until recently, I have only had access to a 56kbaud modem, which made multiplayer games generally out of reach for me. Since I have acquired a broadband connection, I have generally stayed away from multiplayer games, as I do not enjoy the company of some of those who play multiplayer games. Quake 3 was a letdown because it generally played as a multiplayer-only game. The AI was downright dumb, yet sometimes possessed inhuman accuracy, the graphics were poor, comparing to games from the same time, and it was just not very fun. UT, on the other hand, felt very playable and fun for me, without the benefit of other players.
