Not your average recommendation thread.

[OniaPL]

Hmh. The innovation is nowadays indeed sparse, for the investors, big bosses and such rather go for the surefire- option by making something they know will sell, instead of taking the gamble and try something new.

I'd like to give a honorable mention to Minecraft, for reminding us about the most important thing in games: Gameplay.
Like it or not, Minecraft is nothing but gameplay. There is no story, no cinematics. I am not saying that the story or narrative are unimportant, but too many games struggle with the aspect of gameplay nowadays. The game wrangles the control from the player too often with long cinematics and quicktime events. Gameplay itself is stagnating, cover-based shooting has evolved into an singularity which sucks all shooters in it.

Eh, I'm starting to ramble and lose sight of the point I want to get across, but gameplay should be the foundation that a game builds on. Too many people seem to forget this.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

From all statements i'd say your friend is a tasteless asshole, but that's just me >_>

Only from the PS2 alone there's also Ratchet & Clank (just pick a number), Sly Raccoon 1-3, and i really wish that was a joke about Shadow of the Colossus, Timesplitters 2, Resident Evil 4.

The list just goes on and on.

 

[Joccaren]

Quite simply, your friend has a problem with understanding 'amazing' from an objective standpoint. Ignoring the fact that there is no such thing as objectively amazing, from what you have stated you won't use some games as he doesn't like that type of game. Simply because he does not like it does not make it less 'objectively' amazing. As such, if this is a problem, then his bias is completely controlling his responses, and no matter how much evidence is stacked to the contrary, he will hide behind his opinion as 'its good but not amazing'. Honestly, I could say the same for every SNES game, and I will. I propose a challenge to him to find me a game on the SNES or any other console of that generation that I will find 'amazing'. He will not be able to. His choice of dismissing all hyped games also puts him in a position of seeming to believe 'anything people think is good is bad'. Kind of a contradictory statement, but its what the opinion that hyped games are inherently bad is. As for believing he knows everything about a game from its hype; he is an idiot in that regard.

That said, have him define this 'amazing', as it differs quite drastically from person to person. Some will find TES games amazing for the size and scale they present, others will find them lackluster due to the number of glitches, the poor dialogue in some places, the lack of any body emotion when characters talk, ect.

Once we know what 'amazing' is, it will be far easier to find a game.

 

[Richardplex]

but he won't take my games into account because the only games I can name that I think are amazing are either Ps3 or DS exclusive.

I stopped caring about your friends opinion when I read that line. Sorry, but that line of reasoning is so BS I honestly don't know how he can function in society.

 

[Sandernista]

snippity snip snip

Can you define 'amazing' or have your friend define it?

For me, an amazing game is one that takes me out of my life and brings me to another world. One that is an escape, I'm very into escapist entertainment.

Skyrim is the most recent example of this, it is the ultimate RPG, in that I can actually roleplay. New Vegas was similar in that it really brought me to the Mojave Wasteland and I was completely immersed in the struggles of Fallout's southwest.

Other notable games this generation are Saints Row 2, Halo 3, Oblivion, hmm... I'll come back later with more.

 

[tippy2k2]

Quite simply, your friend has a problem with understanding 'amazing' from an objective standpoint. Ignoring the fact that there is no such thing as objectively amazing, from what you have stated you won't use some games as he doesn't like that type of game. Simply because he does not like it does not make it less 'objectively' amazing. As such, if this is a problem, then his bias is completely controlling his responses, and no matter how much evidence is stacked to the contrary, he will hide behind his opinion as 'its good but not amazing'. Honestly, I could say the same for every SNES game, and I will. I propose a challenge to him to find me a game on the SNES or any other console of that generation that I will find 'amazing'. He will not be able to. His choice of dismissing all hyped games also puts him in a position of seeming to believe 'anything people think is good is bad'. Kind of a contradictory statement, but its what the opinion that hyped games are inherently bad is. As for believing he knows everything about a game from its hype; he is an idiot in that regard.

That said, have him define this 'amazing', as it differs quite drastically from person to person. Some will find TES games amazing for the size and scale they present, others will find them lackluster due to the number of glitches, the poor dialogue in some places, the lack of any body emotion when characters talk, ect.

Once we know what 'amazing' is, it will be far easier to find a game.

Ex-friggin-actly! We can sit here all day and name games that are amazing critically (Bastion), financially (CoD series), or personally (FIFA!). If he just wants to close his eyes and ears and yell "LA LA LA THOSE SUCK!" then he's either real-life trolling you or he doesn't understand how to objectively look at games. I personally hated BRAID but I can appreciate why some people think it's an amazing game.

 

[Loonyyy]

You could just, ignore him? If he can't see that there are good games, then his loss.

 

[redisforever]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
I'm tired of people saying it's a buggy mess. Yes, it certainly was, but after patching, no. Hell, it even works on Vista now. It's an amazing, immersive, terrifying game.

And...
Well, Medieval II: Total War is quite good...
Oh, and Serious Sam first and second encounters.

 

[Marcus Kehoe]

PAtaopn(psp)
Valkyrie Chronicles 2(psp)
Meatal solid hd collection(360)
Metal gear peace walker(psp)

 

[ZombieMonkey7]

Your not going to change your friend's mind on this. Of corse he's wrong, but no matter how many good games you tell him are out he'll probably just stick to his own ideology. Also why only xbox and psp if your talking about the last 2 console generations? Your kinda limiting yourself. I think your friend might enjoy some arcade games on 360 like Scott pilgrim, castle crashers, ect because they are alot like SNES games. I'm not saying they are mind blowing, but there a hell of a lot of fun
my personal list: Bioshock, TF2(came out on xbox too), mass effect 2, portal 1 and 2, half life 2, fallout 3, Red Dead Redemption and Deadly Premonition, Oblivion, skyrim (Deal with it)

 

[Auron225]

I think your friends' nostalgia has overhyped itself (I cant think of a smarter way to say that). He probably found them "amazing" and all of the last 2 gen's games good at best because he was younger and enjoyed games more in general back then. Thats just my guess though. In the end its his opinion but I cant see his reasoning to say no game made in the last 2 gens of consoles was "amazing" cus thats a friggin lot of games!!

 

[JasonKaotic]

First thing that comes to mind: Lost Odyssey!
Easily the best story out of all the new generation games, I think.
(And yeah, it's only been released on Xbox 360)

EDIT: Oh, damn. Didn't read the list. GAH. Then I'll go with what the other guy said, Silent Hill 2. It's quite different to the other Silent Hill games in some respects, mainly that it's just much better, so if he doesn't really like the others, so recommend it to him anyway.
I challenge you to find a game with more powerful atmosphere than Silent Hill 2. I challenge you.

 

[getoffmycloud]

Viva Pinata that game is pure gold and there is no way it cant be liked

 

[Valanthe]

I've dealt with people like your friend. When selling games was my employment, I dealt with his specific type of person on a daily basis.

My suggestion, tell him flatly if he's simply going to dismiss your arguments without providing sound reasoning to why he thinks or feels the way he does, then you can't help him find a game that he'd find amazing, and either he's going to have to start using his head for something other than a hat rack, or go back to the SNES.

P.S. also mention that the statement "It's good but not amazing," on its own with nothing to back it up is -not- sound reasoning

 

[odanhammer]

Clearly this guy has no taste in video games.
Either being a troll , playing these games behind your back anyways , and just cussing them out because he can , i suggest he join 4chan.

OR

He really doesn't like modern gaming , which is fine.

Either WAY

Why have a fight with this guy about gaming , who cares what you like or what he likes . So long as you both enjoy your gaming habits responibility.

However Games that have defined this gen for me

Halo
Batman
L.A Noire
Heavy Rain
Bastion
Fallout 3 / New Vegas



However if you really want to egg this guy on , just say Call of Duty Modern Warfare is the greatest game to ever come out.

Litereally tho , this series of games has become the largest revolution in currently /next gen gaming.

Activision has said that it believes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 day-one shipments were the largest for any game ever. "The record number of pre-orders from Modern Warfare 3 drove the largest day-one shipments in our history, and in the industry's history," said Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg during an earnings call on November 8, 2011. Hirshberg said more than 1.5 million people queued at 13,000 shops at midnight on Monday to buy Modern Warfare 3, "making it the largest retail release in Activision's history and in the industry's history".[68]

Activision reported sales figures for Modern Warfare 3 in the US and UK being more than 6.5 million copies sold on launch day and grossed $400 million in the US and UK alone in its first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time.[69] It is the third year in a row that the Call Of Duty series has broken the same record. 2010's Black Ops grossed $360 million on day one; in 2009, Modern Warfare 2 brought in $310 million.[70] Activision Blizzard president and CEO Robert Kotick stated that "the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we [Activision] achieved this record with sales from only two territories."[10]

The title grossed more than $775 million globally in its first five days of availability, exceeding the $650 million record set by 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops and the $550 million one achieved by 2009's Modern Warfare 2.[71] To be exact, it has beaten theatrical box office, book, and video game sales records for five-day worldwide sell-through in dollars.[72]

Modern Warfare 3 topped the UK video game sales chart in its first week.[73] By November 21, 2011, the game remained the bestselling title in the United Kingdom, despite sales dropping by 87%.[74] Modern Warfare 3 held the top spot on the UK charts for a third week and fourth week running.[75][76] The PS3 version of Modern Warfare 3 also topped the Japanese chart in its first week on sale. The PS3 version shifted 180,372 copies, while the Xbox 360 version sold around 30,000.[77]
Reception

from wikipedia

 

[BrotherRool]

So what SNES games are we talking about here? Although it's a bad idea to try and find modern games exactly like them, at least we can pin down taste a little more

 

[shrekfan246]

Right, me and my friend have been having long discussions about the current state of gaming. My friend believes that there isn't even one game in the last two console generations that can be called great or amazing. I disagree but he won't take my games into account because the only games I can name that I think are amazing are either Ps3 or DS exclusive.

What I'm asking is I want to know as many amazing and technically interesting or mindblowing story games as possible. My rules are they have to be first released on either the Xbox 360 or the PsP. Any genre is fine, please don't mention Catherine because that's not been released where I am yet.

So help me please?

EDIT: I'm tired of proving him wrong about last gen and him just saying, yeah those games are good but they don't beat any SNES game ever.

We've decided to both try and find a special 360 or PsP game and aside from Deadly Premonition he's brushed it all aside saying meh.

EDIT AGAIN:

Right so I've gotten a bit of feedback

Skyrim: Fuck no!
Lost Odyssey: Not really
Loco Roco: A little bit
Portal: Yes
Portal 2: No
Bioshock: A bit
Crackdown: No
Halo: Yes for narrative in shooters.

"Don't get me wrong, the only bad game there is CrapDown, they're all good and decent, but "amazing?" hardly. Fun? Possibly very depending on your stance but not amazing."

It's a pretty subjective question. How does he define "amazing"? Does it need to be older than 6 years? 'Cause, with that (rather stupid) requirement, no game released this generation will count. Everyone has a different definition of "amazing" and it sounds like your friend has an extremely tough time being objective about things.

How about Crysis, or Crysis 2 I suppose since for the 360 they were both built on the CryEngine 3 anyway? Unless he'll actually take PC games into account . . .
Batman: Arkham Asylum?
Metal Gear Solid 1/2/3/4/Peace Walker? Er. . . well, 2/3/Peace Walker have been released for the 360 now with the HD Collection. And Peace Walker was a PSP exclusive.
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core?
God of War: Ghost of Sparta? Not really an "amazing" game itself, but amazing when you consider it was built on a handheld.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep? A bit of the same as the above. I don't know how easily everyone else beat it, but I put 40 hours into my first play-through and I think that's pretty significant for a PSP game.

Not sure what else to say that won't be repeating everyone else in the thread, but I'm honestly leaning toward what these two fine poster's said:

but he won't take my games into account because the only games I can name that I think are amazing are either Ps3 or DS exclusive.

I stopped caring about your friends opinion when I read that line. Sorry, but that line of reasoning is so BS I honestly don't know how he can function in society.

He sounds pretty hipster

 

[Issurru]

Your friend is an odd one. Thinking that nothing beats a SNES game, since there were some pretty shitty SNES games. But I digress. I personally recommend the Suikoden series (at least 1-3, as I didnt think the others were as good as the first three albeit technically only Suikoden 3 fits your timeline)

I would also recommend Morrowind more so than either Oblivion or Skyrim (not sure if he would care about the plethora of mods for it)

I doubt he would like the .Hack or .Hack GU games but i'll throw them out there anyways since I found them to be amazing after playing all 7 of them back to back.

Arc the Lad, Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance. Also motherfucking Dark Cloud 1 & 2. Grandia 2 and the Disgaea series (Yeah he'll probably hate Disgaea but he seems like an elitist/troll so oh well )

 

[freaper]

hates Portal with a passion for being popular but lacking depth and not being funny (his words)

Why are we supposed to recommend games to someone who's been living in a cave for 15 years? If he likes his SNES games, why bother with modern games? Tell him to go play in an arcade museum or something..

 

[teebeeohh]

this generation is a little lacking(despite having portal and bioshock)
but the last generation included stuff like deus ex, SoTC, Ico and the original halo
also supreme commander, but i am not sure where a PC-only game fits into the while console generation cycle.