Games you need to play before you die!

[Fire Daemon]

It seems like I can find many threads revolving around clasic movies/books/magazines that people should watch/read before they die. Odly enough I have not found a thread like this for games.

So what are some of the games you need to play before you die?

I'll get the obvious out of the way: Portal

A wonderful Puzzle game with great story line and characters. A true example of how creative game developers can be. A good way to spend two hours on a game that you wont regret.

 

[ratix2]

deus ex and the system shock games come to mind first, they may be old and have VERY outdate graphics, but everything about them is just so well done its hard not to get sucked into them. deus ex espically, first played it in summer of last year (2007) when i got it over steam. ive never been sucked into a game that much before, so much so that i found it painful to tear myself away from it for any reason, even to save. best game ever made, hands down.

fallout 1 and 2. if you think i need to give a reason your crazier than anyone could have guessed.

id assume that everyone here would have already played it, but just in case, half-life.

chrono trigger, the golden sun games, super metroid and metroid prime, zelda: ocrina of time (alough, again, if you havent played it then what rock have you been living under for the past decade).

a hell of a lot more but thats all i can think of off the top of my head.

 

[stompy]

It may be bias talking here, but I reckon you need to play a Halo (at least the first one), just because it paved the way for console FPSs. That, or COD4 becuase, as in Yahtzee's words, "It's a shining example of the genre that, well, sucked me like a triple-cunted hooker". Also, GTA 3 onwards, simply to experience one of the better sandbox style games out there. And Half-Life, or failing that (as you most likely will), Half-Life 2 (which you can get in the Orange Box (which incidentally comes with another game mentioned one this thread)).

- A procrastinator

 

[x434343]

Garry's Mod.
Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
Rock Band.
BioShock.

 

[Mstrswrd]

The original Megaman and Megaman 2. Classic gaming that invented and then nearly perfected the "Rock-Paper-Scissors" gameplay. You'd be surpried how many people haven't played those games. Really, any game that has a long standing series (Mario, Metroid, Zelda, the original Ninja Gaiden, Sonic the Hedeghog so we can all remember what it was like for Sonic not to suck, etc) neads to have the originals played.

 

[ratix2]

It may be bias talking here, but I reckon you need to play a Halo (at least the first one), just because it paved the way for console FPSs.

just a quick question, but why is it that halo makes everyone and their mothers forget about 2 little games that go by the names of goldeneye and perfect dark? sorry, but halo did s*** for console fps's. ill agree that it needs to be played, its a damn good game (the first one, 2 and 3 are meh in my opinion, but the first is very good though), but it didnt do anything. goldeney and perfect dark were the games that paved the way for console fps's, and in all honesty they are better than most fps's period, let alone halo.

 

[stompy]

just a quick question, but why is it that halo makes everyone and their mothers forget about 2 little games that go by the names of goldeneye and perfect dark? sorry, but halo did s*** for console fps's. ill agree that it needs to be played, its a damn good game (the first one, 2 and 3 are meh in my opinion, but the first is very good though), but it didnt do anything. goldeney and perfect dark were the games that paved the way for console fps's, and in all honesty they are better than most fps's period, let alone halo.

Maybe I reworded it improperly. Sorry, I'll rephrase:
Halo allowed for the console FPS to be born. Yes, GoldenEye and Perfect Dark were some of the first, and best, console FPSs out there. I know. But, it was after Halo, that developers found out the console FPSs work, and they make money. Thus, more devs made console FPSs, and console FPS market is ready to fall over its own shittyness.

But, actually, you've just added 2 more games to the thread's list: GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. Congrats (no sarcasm involved).

- A procrastinator

 

[ratix2]

just a quick question, but why is it that halo makes everyone and their mothers forget about 2 little games that go by the names of goldeneye and perfect dark? sorry, but halo did s*** for console fps's. ill agree that it needs to be played, its a damn good game (the first one, 2 and 3 are meh in my opinion, but the first is very good though), but it didnt do anything. goldeney and perfect dark were the games that paved the way for console fps's, and in all honesty they are better than most fps's period, let alone halo.

Maybe I reworded it improperly. Sorry, I'll rephrase:
Halo allowed for the console FPS to be born. Yes, GoldenEye and Perfect Dark were some of the first, and best, console FPSs out there. I know. But, it was after Halo, that developers found out the console FPSs work, and they make money. Thus, more devs made console FPSs, and console FPS market is ready to fall over its own shittyness.

But, actually, you've just added 2 more games to the thread's list: GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. Congrats (no sarcasm involved).

- A procrastinator

again, between the release of goldeneye in 1997 and halo in 2001 were a large number of console based fps's, all of which proved the same thing that your giving halo credit for (the turok games, red faction and even the ps2 version of half-life just to name a few). like i said, its not that halo is bad, because it isnt, and it definitly deserves a place on this list, but it did nothing for console fps's that hadent been done before, console fps's were already quite popular and it had been proven so many times that fps's on a console could work very well. halo was popular though, thats it, but so many games before it did what so many give halo credit for.

 

[Zeddicus Zhul Zorander]

people give it credit for things it didn't necessarily do, because for the most part it was the first one that brought it all together in a big fest of win and awesome (at least the first one). Plus it had a pistol that kicked fucking ass after raping it.

 

[Selka]

Ocarina of Time
Final Fantasy 7
Super Mario Bros 3
Starcraft

These are my 4 favorite games of all time (in order). Each one was a commercial success, has proven its staying power, and often appears on "Greatest games of all time" lists. They all helped to solidify and define a genre (except perhaps Mario 3, whose genre was already pretty well defined) all the while offering something new and interesting. They are examples of how a good mix of sticking with old formulas that have proven themselves successful and new risks can lead to absolutely amazing results. Super Mario 3 is an amazing example of how to make a game which is just plain FUN! FF7 shows how deep, involved and emotionally moving a game's story can truly be. Starcraft is still the most-played strategy game to date, because of the superb balance and depth which can be offered in a (relatively) simple format. And OoT proves that humans are capable of god-like perfection. That may be a bit of an overstatement... actually no it isn't. That game is amazing.

 

[Zeddicus Zhul Zorander]

Ocarina of Time
Final Fantasy 7
Super Mario Bros 3
Starcraft

These are my 4 favorite games of all time (in order). Each one was a commercial success, has proven its staying power, and often appears on "Greatest games of all time" lists. They all helped to solidify and define a genre (except perhaps Mario 3, whose genre was already pretty well defined) all the while offering something new and interesting. They are examples of how a good mix of sticking with old formulas that have proven themselves successful and new risks can lead to absolutely amazing results. Super Mario 3 is an amazing example of how to make a game which is just plain FUN! FF7 shows how deep, involved and emotionally moving a game's story can truly be. Starcraft is still the most-played strategy game to date, because of the superb balance and depth which can be offered in a (relatively) simple format. And OoT proves that humans are capable of god-like perfection. That may be a bit of an overstatement... actually no it isn't. That game is amazing.

Yeah, Ocarina of Time was the game that made me a gamer. I loved it. Actually, Yahtzee should spread Branston pickle on that and see what would happen. I've always been waiting for a GOOD sequel to that game, but Nintendo just seems to rehash the same stuff.

 

[jim_doki]

The Monkey Island series, in fact any adventure game by Lucas Arts. all of them in fact

 

[Joos]

My list (which would also be a list of games a actually played all the way through without losing interest in the middle) would be:

Eye of the Beholder 2
Never managed to finish the first one and the third one was a bit of a turd, but EOB2's got a permanent place in my heart.

Master of Orion 2
Best balance of game complexity and streamlined play I have come across so far.
If anyone can recommend a true MoO2 successor worth playing (nor galactic civilisations 2, its too complex), I would appreciate a note further down.

Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark
The first campaign and the first expansion were just plain dull, but this expansion actually made for a single player game worth playing.

Baldurs Gate series
I am still playing it from time to time.

UFO: Enemy unknown
Tactics and strategy at its best.

Max Payne
What a game! What a story! Bullet-time!

Diablo 1 & 2
Great plot and story for the SP and a simple but sometimes challenging game that provided heaps of fun! Remember when I heard RAAAR, fresh meat!!!! from the Butcher the first time. Scary!

Starcraft
Best RTS I've played so far.

Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2
Awesome game at the time. First Star Wars game where you could choose between good and evil and have separate endings.

Knights of the Old Republic
Compelling story, both dark and light side. Graphics are decent enough to warrant a play through even today.

Halo
Don't know if it really applies, but as an Xbox game, it makes it to my PC-game list. I had good fun playing this game coop all the way through. In my mind, there are not enough coop play games out on the PC, that does it good.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
Fantastic RPG with heaps of re-playability and depth. Worthy download on STEAM.

MDK2
One of the most clever FPS's I've played. Silly but dark humour, interesting level design and varied gameplay with funny boss fights! This one is solid gold!

Call of Duty 4
Breathtakingly involving story and solid action all the way through.

Legend of Zelda 3
It's like Zelda 1, only better in every way possible.

Syndicate
I actually never managed all the way through the last stage (middle Atlantic station), but considering the impossibility of doing that without cheating, I don't think that matters.

All of these games should be playable on a PC (considering DosBox, emulators and what not), except Halo, which is obviously only available on Xbox.

 

[EnzoHonda]

Deus Ex. Really, it's almost impossible to find fault with the game.
-Incredible voice acting and multiple dialogue options.
-Multiple ways to play the game that are actually fun and actually work. You can go through the game silently knocking-out enemies, or guns-drawn and blazing. And unlike most games that claim this, both are actually fun and equally effective.
-A deeeeep and thrilling sci-fi story based in reality (Star Wars is neat, but not exactly relevant to our modern globalized/techno world).
-Awesome art-direction in both visuals and music. You go to the slums of New York. You go to the streets of Hong Kong.
-Even with it's age, this Unreal-engined game still works with a cranked-up resolution and maxxed-out details.

Ok, now I'll stop sucking DX dick. Just go get the game if you haven't already.

 

[stevesan]

Wow..games I need to play before I die?

I don't mean to be a party pooper, but there are so many other things I'd rather do before I die than play any game. And I'm not just knocking games - there aren't any movies or songs that I need to hear either. Nor any books I need to read. I'd rather, for example, experience zero-G. Or do LSD. Or swim with dolphins. Or have the crazy fantasy orgy realized in Amsterdam. Or all 4 at the same time. Well, no, that'd be too intense.

But OK, let's say that I only had a day to live, and I couldn't move, and all I had was a computer with Steam and GameTap and what not. I would probably have to recommend (to myself..assuming I hadn't played it before)...

Shadow of the Colossus.

Portal is a close second.

Both games offer some crazily visceral experiences that only a game can provide. Shadow offers a unique spatial experience, making you feel very, very small, and then letting you exploit that disadvantage to the fullest. Similarly with Portal. And for both, you can't really experience it in real life.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

What's that one game that Yahtzee says is the best game in the world...completely forgot the name right when I saw this thread. >_> something dizzy world....

 

[Joos]

What's that one game that Yahtzee says is the best game in the world...completely forgot the name right when I saw this thread. >_> something dizzy world....

Looks like you are going to have to watch through all the ZP's in one go so you can tell us! :-D