The Official Games To Play Before You Die List

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:38 pm

A special thread dedicated to creating a list absolute Must-play games. they may be old, they may be new... it doesn't matter as long as they're (really) good. if things go well maybe this can be turned into a sticky, but that's not for me to decide.

Rules:
- post the NAME, genre, consoles.
- a release date (if available, if there are multiple releases pick the earliest one) and the developers of the game.
- if possible a short summary.
- Don't spoil the story.

I'd say avoid the hyped games unless they're actually good.
well that's all for now.

here are my recommendations for now:

- Heart of Darkness
Genre: Action, Adventure, 2D platformer and a little bit of puzzling.
Console: PC, PS1
Release: july, 1998
Developers: Amazing Studio
Summary: Andy, a young boy escapes from school after nearly being shut in a small dark room by his teacher. jumping out of the school he finds his dog Whisky waiting for him. they go to the park where an eclipse happens begin. Andy suddenly finds that his dog gets kidnapped by the mysterious shadow beings that seemed to had appeared during the climax of the eclipse. Andy rushes home quickly, jumps into his fort (treehouse) and launches a spaceship made out of toys.
flying through the skies he hits a dark creature and then crashlands on some cliffs in the Darklands....
The game is very hard, but kind of short. Amazing use of environment and other parts. and some very sly programming.

Pictures:

Spoiler!

- Psychonauts
Genre: 3D Platformer, Adventure, Action, a little bit of puzzling, RPG
Console: PC, Xbox (apparantly works on 360 as well), PS2
Release: february 2006
Developers: Double Fine productions
Summary: Raz(puten) is a young psychic boy who has run away from the circuss and his psychics hating father. He finds himself in a Summercamp for psychic childeren, where they are trained to become psychonauts, special agents that work for the government. The game is very fun with many unique characters for Raz to communicate with. The game was designed by tim Schafer who is also known for Making grim fandango and a few other games.

Pictures:

Spoiler!

coming up:
- Grim Fandango
- Rayman 3

Thomas42 · Post by **Thomas42** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:00 pm

I think I wanna be the guy has a place here

-It's freeware, for PC
-All about it here
-Widely known as one of the hardest games out

Kirkaldi · Post by **Kirkaldi** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:02 pm

Modern Warfare 2
Genre: First-person shooter
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC
Release: November 10th, 2009
Developer: Infinity Ward
Summary: Not out yet, i dont know.

EDIT: we all know its gonna be good.

Melez · Post by **Melez** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:13 pm

Name: Fallout 2
Genre: RPG (literally Role Playing) in a post-apocalyptic time
Release date: 1998
Developers: Black Isle Studios
A short summary:

Wikipedia wrote:During 2241, Arroyo suffered the worst drought on record. Faced with the calamity, the village elders asked the direct descendant of the Vault Dweller, referred to as the Chosen One, to perform the quest of retrieving a Garden of Eden Creation Kit (G.E:C.K.) for Arroyo. The GECK is a device that can create thriving communities out of the post-apocalyptic wasteland.[4]
The player, assuming the role of the Chosen One, is given nothing more than the Vault Dweller's jumpsuit, a RobCo PIPBoy 2000 handheld device, a Vault 13 water flask, and some cash to start on his mission.

It's the first game I've ever seen possibilities of so many.... choices of pretty much anything you want. Which was pretty much recycled in FO3 (which is also a good game), so I haven't been as struck as when I was playing FO2. Running through deserted wastelands, a great (although a bit unoriginal) plot and choices of doing things make this game repeatable for another hundred times. Although everyone says it's easy, it wasn't easy for one moment for me.
Oh, and Fallout Tactics suck.

Pictures:

Spoiler!

Well I explained it in a very subjective way, just explaining how that game struck me. :oops:

Next:
Diablo 2 (f'sho)
Star Wars Jedi Academy
Red Alert 2
Silent Hill 4

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:19 pm

Do I really need to add "post the Name of the game" in the rules?

Melez · Post by **Melez** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:23 pm

poehalcho wrote:Do I really need to add "post the Name of the game" in the rules?

Sorry, I forgot about that >_>

Wu · Post by Wu » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:25 pm

Chrono Trigger

Genre: RPG
Console: Originally on the SNES, then a remake on the PS1 with cutscenes, and recently a DS version came out with improved graphics.
Release: 1995
Company: Square
Summary: The game's story follows a group of adventurers who travel through time to prevent a global catastrophe.

Spoiler!

The Story is of epic proportions, the characters are memorable and you travel through time; showing the world in all different times for you to explore and discover the changes, and every impact you have in the past will change the future.

Average official review score: 9.5
Average player review score: 9.7

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chrono Cross, a (not direct) sequel to Chrono Trigger

Genre: RPG
Console: PS1
Release: 1999/2000
Company: Square
Summary: The story of Chrono Cross focuses on a teenage boy named Serge and a theme of parallel worlds. Faced with an alternate reality in which he died as a child, Serge endeavors to discover the truth of the two worlds' divergence. The flashy thief Kid and many other characters assist him in his travels around the tropical archipelago El Nido. Struggling to uncover his past and find the mysterious Frozen Flame, Serge is chiefly challenged by Lynx, a shadowy antagonist working to apprehend him.

Code: Select all

Intro and gameplay sample.

Spoiler!

Average official review score: 9.2
Average player review score: 9.3
Gamespot editor's choice score: 10

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next:
Metal Gear Solid (obligatory, even though hyped I'll add it.)
And maybe some more.

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:26 pm

Melez wrote:
poehalcho wrote:Do I really need to add "post the Name of the game" in the rules?

Sorry, I forgot about that >_>

ok, I forgot to add an emoticon so it sounded too serious, my bad D:

Mirosuke · Post by **Mirosuke** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:37 pm

Heart in Darkness???

Isn't suppoused to be Alone in the Darkness?

I'm confused.

Mirosuke · Post by **Mirosuke** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:40 pm

Valkyrie Profile 2
Genre: J-RPG
Platforms: PS2
Release: June 22, 2006 (Japan)
Developer: Tri-Ace
Summary: A good game that should be played!

Code: Select all

DAAYUMM, Sorry for double post. :oops:

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:43 pm

Mirosuke wrote:Heart in Darkness???

Isn't suppoused to be Alone in the Darkness? I'm confused.

totaly different games @__@

Mirosuke · Post by **Mirosuke** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:45 pm

poehalcho wrote:
Mirosuke wrote:Heart in Darkness???

Isn't suppoused to be Alone in the Darkness? I'm confused.

totaly different games @__@

I lol i swear i saw that pic with the name ALone i nthe darkness lol

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:49 pm

Mirosuke wrote:
poehalcho wrote:
Mirosuke wrote:Heart in Darkness???

Isn't suppoused to be Alone in the Darkness? I'm confused.

totaly different games @__@

I lol i swear i saw that pic with the name ALone i nthe darkness lol

I tihnk it might have gotten released under a different name in america...

Kirkaldi · Post by **Kirkaldi** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:53 pm

Mirosuke wrote:
poehalcho wrote:
Mirosuke wrote:Heart in Darkness???

Isn't suppoused to be Alone in the Darkness? I'm confused.

totaly different games @__@

I lol i swear i saw that pic with the name ALone i nthe darkness lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_D ... %28game%29

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 10:47 am

- Silver
Genre: RPG
Consoles: PC, Dreamcast
release: 1999
developers: Spiral House, Infogrames
summary: Silver has kidnapped all the women of haven. When his next plunderparty reaches young warrior David's home they take his wife as well. David sets out to find the 8 magical orbs, destroy Silver and free all the women.
the game is notable for it's unique battle system. it being realtime instead of turnbased is unique from that time to begin with. but that's not all. You can fight just by clicking an opponent, BUT a much more fun way is by ctrl+click hold and moving the mouse in certain ways. for instance: moving the mouse in a long wide lide along the screen will result in a powerfull thrust (I suppose you could consider it a prototype of the wii controller

). also notable is the use of three characters at the same time. one is the leader, you control that one yourself, the other two may fight alongside controlled by an AI, though your control over those is not limited either and you may always wtich between the leader anyway.
I'd also like to point out that the game has incredible music.

Media:

Spoiler!

Melez · Post by **Melez** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:06 pm

Name: Diablo 2
Developers: Blizzard
Release date: 2000 (the expansion released in 2001)
A short summary:

Wikipedia wrote:The story of Diablo II takes place after the end of the previous game, Diablo, in the lands of Sanctuary where Diablo, the Lord of Terror, was defeated by an unnamed warrior. The hero who slew Diablo drove the demon's soulstone into his forehead in an attempt to contain him, but this is what Diablo wanted and just made him stronger, and the adventurer is in turn corrupted. The player is an adventurer who appears in the wake of the destruction caused by Diablo and attempts to find out the cause of the destruction, starting with the corrupted warrior (from the first game). As the player continues through each of the four acts, he faces off against the Prime Evils, superpowers of Hell, and the two lesser evils who once overthrew the three prime evils, and learns of the truth behind the corruption. Diablo released Mephisto (Lord of Hatred) and Baal (Lord of Destruction) from their soulstones, as they were taught long ago how to corrupt them by the fallen angel Izual. In the end, the player eventually reaches and slays Mephisto and Diablo. The story continues in the expansion to the game, where the player chases the last of the Prime Evils; Baal (Lord of Destruction) who is going after the mythical Worldstone in an attempt to corrupt it.

Not much to say about this game, it's by far the most epic hack & slash RPG I've played. The story ^ doesn't take a big place throughout the game so it's summed up to 'do the 6 quests then kill the boss'. It sure is repetitive but it's repetitiveness isn't as boring as in Hellgate: London (after playing it about 20 hours that is). Difficulty is pretty average at first, but beating the game on Nightmare and Hell difficulties is incredibly hard. Either way the choices of classes and builds is interesting as every class has 3 skill trees which you can combine.
And also, with the Median XL modifier I found recently it's even more fun, all the skills are changed, everything much more extreme; it practically got me back into the game after seeing a few videos on youtube.
tl;dr - Pure badass killing action
Pictures:

Spoiler!

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:07 pm

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Action Adventure 3D platformer
Ubisoft entertainment
March 14, 2003

Rayman 3 is one of the most fun games you will find to play. It's quite addictive and the game has a high replay value. there isn't really much to the story of Rayman, but the way it's presented it's still many times more entertaining than what you'd find in most other games.
The story starts as André goes about scaring the red lums, turning them into black ones. after about 15 seconds of CG he's gather about a 100 or so he decides to make himself a nice outfit and get a gun. he notices Murphy who witnissed the whole happening and chases him into the woods. murphy then bumps into sleeping Rayman and Globox. they try to get rayman out of there, but instead detach his hands. in a final attempt to flee murphy takes rayman for a flight. once landed they search for globox who still has Ray's hands. just as they do, the hoodlums appear again. André has decided to go split up the heart of the World. Rayman and globox go hunt him down, but globox ends up accidently swallowing him. thus they have to find him a doctor...
Rayman 3 has an incredible environment, every world will have something to make you drop your jaw. the atmosphere is just so well-done, it's still prettier than many newer games that have been made now, not to mention how well the music adds up to that. there's also a great entertainment factor in the humor. there are lots of jokes: both about the game itself and about other things and the cartoonish style just adds up to that.
Gameplay-wise it's quite entertaining as well. with lots of well thought out platforming and a great combat system it works out quite well. A nice touch is the use of temporary combat enhancers (read: cans with a coloured doodle).
and in case you somehow end up getting bored of the game there's always the many minigames and extra clips that you can unlock if you manage to get a good score

i'll even give it some grades this time , since I got into writing it so much

story: 8/10 simple but highly entertaining.
gameplay 9/10 lots of combat, and exellent platforming
atmosphere: 10/10 the atmospere aroud the game is just perfect,I can't think of a single con.
Graphics: 8,5/10 they fit very well, but they are quite simple
TOTAL: 35.5/40 => 9- => 8.9

Media:

Spoiler!

one of the most awesome things about the game is imo the box, at least in europe back when the game was new it had a REALLY AWESOME BOX, it was double layered with an incredible 3D effect. I really wish i'd have managed to get my hands on one of them

Melez · Post by **Melez** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 6:35 am

^I'm more of a Rayman 1 fan, prolly cause I never played the others. But the first one was so cute lol

poehalcho · Post by **poehalcho** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:44 pm

I'd mention, but i've never really gotten to finish it. my cd doesn't work on my newer computer so I never got to finished. I just remember that it was insanely hard sometimes. I was in the art world, but I never could kill the f*ckin space mama D:

well I do sometimes listen to the music online

http://hosting.raymanpc.com/raytunes/site.html

perhaps if you'd be so nice to write a good review/summary

inky · Post by **inky** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:38 pm

Wu wrote:Chrono Trigger

Genre: RPG
Console: Originally on the SNES, then a remake on the PS1 with cutscenes, and recently a DS version came out with improved graphics.
Release: 1995
Company: Square
Summary: The game's story follows a group of adventurers who travel through time to prevent a global catastrophe.

Spoiler!

Code: Select all

The game intro.

chrono-trigger_l.jpg

Ingame screenshot.

563538_20060419_790screen003.jpg

World screen.

The Story is of epic proportions, the characters are memorable and you travel through time; showing the world in all different times for you to explore and discover the changes, and every impact you have in the past will change the future.

Average official review score: 9.5
Average player review score: 9.7

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chrono Cross, a (not direct) sequel to Chrono Trigger

Genre: RPG
Console: PS1
Release: 1999/2000
Company: Square
Summary: The story of Chrono Cross focuses on a teenage boy named Serge and a theme of parallel worlds. Faced with an alternate reality in which he died as a child, Serge endeavors to discover the truth of the two worlds' divergence. The flashy thief Kid and many other characters assist him in his travels around the tropical archipelago El Nido. Struggling to uncover his past and find the mysterious Frozen Flame, Serge is chiefly challenged by Lynx, a shadowy antagonist working to apprehend him.

Code: Select all

Intro and gameplay sample.

Spoiler!

chronocross_b3_790screen023.jpg

Ingame screenshot.

Average official review score: 9.2
Average player review score: 9.3
Gamespot editor's choice score: 10

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next:
Metal Gear Solid (obligatory, even though hyped I'll add it.)
And maybe some more.

Talk about a fucking nostalgia shock.

And yes.. METAL GEAR SERIES IS A MUST.

also:

Castlevania: SOTN, Brave Fencer Musashi, Suikoden I & II.

Melez · Post by **Melez** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 6:24 pm

inky wrote:And yes.. METAL GEAR SERIES IS A MUST.

Indeed, MGS 1 :oops:

poehalcho wrote:perhaps if you'd be so nice to write a good review/summary

If you meant for me to do a review of Rayman 1, I'm sorry to say I can't, I haven't played it for over 10 years. Hell, even more!
If you're meaning any game review, well that's fine.

Name: Silent Hill 4
Genre: Horror-survival game
Release date: 2004
Developers: Konami
A short summary:

Wikipedia wrote:The game begins with the player taking control of protagonist Henry Townshend, who has been locked in his apartment in South Ashfield, room 302, for five days with no means of communication and having recurring nightmares.[21] Shortly afterwards a large hole inexplicably forms in the wall of his bathroom, and he enters. From there he enters a network of holes leading him through a series of Silent Hill-style worlds.

Well I didn't want to review SH2 since it's been reviewed a million times and anything I say would be a rip-off from other reviewers.
SH4 isn't a golden game, but it's a must imo. Out of the SH series, it's mostly praised for it's great story which has much more then it seems (that's the thing I really liked in SH:H, was amazed by the plot twist). It's the core of horor-survival, just as much as RE2 or SH2 is. The elements are there; lack of ammo/healing aids (although with coming back into the room you heal until a certain point of the game so they killed it a bit, but it's still alright), the really sluggish controls and really, really annoying enemies (such as the ghosts or Sullivan later >_________>), awesome story, the psychological fear (see SH2 reviews), etc etc......
What's not to like? Already mentioned the awful controls and annoying enemies (although I understand why the ghosts are there, without them the game would be too easy.... a lot of people whine about them, and as annoying as the ghosts are, they're a big part of the game) and some of the puzzles are tooo complicated. Hmh I'm getting too boring, let's say that's all that is there to say about the game ok? You get the idea, play it now!
Pictures:

Spoiler!

Reise · Post by **Reise** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:35 pm

I'm not gonna give a massive paragraph and description for these, each title will link to its wiki page. All the stuff you need to know about "why should I play these" is in there and the video that follows.

Doom

Spoiler!