The Gaming Not-So-Orthodox Church

[Eyclonus]

I like odd and unusual games. Things that like to take a unique, like really unique approach to their game mechanics.
Given that I completely miss every "Epic" release and every internet Meme, I thought maybe there are more of the unusual original designed games.
I'll give you guys a few examples:

-No More Heroes: for its homaging of the 8-bit era and just wacky environment, gameplay, cast and that awesome videoclip by GenkiRockets.

-Ground Control 1 & 2: this series I felt came up with one of the most innovative approaches to RTS despite some of the poor tech usage and piss poor dialogue..I admit I love everything the Virons say.

-Killer 7: just like NMH, the designers (yes I know its the same guy) broke all restraints of Genre.

-Second Sight: A game which took the "Lets have it make sense and not suck" approach to making a linear game with a non-linear narrative.

-SpellForce 2 (My bundled pack didn't have a CD-Key for Spellforce 1): An RTS with a hint of RPG to it, making ProfitCraft 3 look like... well I can't really think of an appropriate analodgy to compare the two games approaches to Hero units.

 

[Exterminatus]

Halo 3

 

[Eyclonus]

I normally avoid replying so early to my own threads but.... How the F*** is HALO 3 innovative, I played it and it felt like HALO, only I could now actually use my massive strength I've had for two previous adventures and rip guns off Warthogs.

 

[Exterminatus]

I see your sarcasm detector is broken.

 

[laikenf]

WarioWare: Smooth Moves; that game can cause brief moments of schitzofrenia to any sane human being.

 

[Eyclonus]

I meant this to be serious.
If I was being sarcastic I would be praising EA, The catholic Church, The Republican Party, people who subscribe to Ayn Rand's philosophies, and teenagers or people who like peace wearing Che t-shirts

 

[GothmogII]

Okay then..hmm...ah! Sacrifice, best third person RTS I've ever played, genuinely weird and interesting units and spells, and a pretty good resource system based on mana fonts and soul collection. Shame we'll never see the like again...

 

[Eyclonus]

What exactly is this Sacrifice?

 

[GothmogII]

What exactly is this Sacrifice?

Violla, http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/08/31/the-making-of-sacrifice/

 

[afrophysics]

Oh my I didn't realise anybody else had even heard of Second Sight! I really enjoyed that. I thought the camera and invention mechanic from Dark Chronicle/ Dark Cloud 2 was a really good one, and it struck a good balance between common sense and creativeness.

 

[-Seraph-]

Shadow of Collosus. Some may find it REALY boring, but if you need some action packed fight ever 3 minute, you need some lessons in patience and need to think outside the box.

 

[dukeh016]

Ground Control 1&2 - Seconded. So much fun.

Populous IV- Fireballs, huge armies, volcanoes, and 4 pixels of hot female shaman. Absolutely fantastic game.

 

[One Jump From Eden]

Halo 3

You best be trollin', boy.

I'm surprised that no one mentioned Portal.

 

[blank0000]

theirs a lot of Half0life 2 mods that are pretty unique

zombie panic: human team, and a zombie team, you die you go over to the zombies, you'll end up barricading, killing off the strangler, its always a fun time.

Eternal silence: it's some mix between first person shooting and space ships........hard to explain, just look it up

the hidden: 1 invisible guy against a team of armed fellas, with friendly fire on

Also I thought Audiosurf was pretty innovative

 

[blank0000]

Halo 3

I'm surprised that no one mentioned Portal.

I'm guessing because it's fairly well known

 

[Eyclonus]

I think I'll add the UFO trilogy, as they have a significant difference compared to X-Com over the turnbased Vs Real-Time-Stop-Pause system

 

[Leonhardt93]

1.
Gothic 1-2. I know it's fairly standard rpg-type thing with dragons and orcs, but while it is old as hell, it's still the only game i have ever tried with a really dynamic world. People going about their business, going to work, going to sleep, eating, stuff like that. Another cool thing was that it was unforgivingly difficult, where every bandit in the world would dance on your mangled body if you didn't run fast enough.

I don't know maybe it's just me but those games (particularly Gothic 2) really just gives me a role-playing stiffy, i must say.

Am currently playing gothic 3, but i'm not very impressed.

2.
Blood Bowl, think football, with extra violence!

 

[ImperialPyromancer]

HL2 mods eh...

The only problem with Zombie Panic is that the players are bastards and know where all the the good weapons and ammo are and hoard.

Pirates, Vikings and Knights on the other hand is good fun with a pretty good melee mechanic to boot.

Synergy is good fun co-op with some well designed maps. Playing with friends instead of strangers is brilliant.

Sourceforts would be good if there were less grieifing pricks. As it is I gave up with it.

Empires is an interesting rts/fps hybrid, and you can build your own tanks! Good fun, but a bit rough around the edges.

Insurgency is a "realistic" modern combat sim. Good fun but can be frustrating not knowing who killed you or if you killed someone or merely wounded them.

The fact that they're all free is very welcome.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Probably one of the most original games I've ever seen is Steambot Chronicles from Atlus, an odd little game that's roughly about Giant Robots but is well presented with many unique and non-linear ways of making money, from farming to transport, treasure hunting to playing piano in a lounge, trading to busking, arena fighting to bounty hunting. The entire game has an amusing sense of freedom about it, allowing you to explore and play in its large sandbox as you see fit.

It also has MASSIVE bosses, customizable mechs and a decent story with a suprisingly dark finale.

 

[LewsTherin]

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.

That game screws with your head like you wouldn't believe...