The Greatest Games of This Generation (so far), categorized

[GalvatronType_R]

Happy Halloween, my flock, your shepherd has returned. I read Glockstar's post regarding the best games of this generation but I decided to take it one step further and categorize my best list. So, here they are:

Best Graphics:
Halo
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
Resident Evil
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Dead or Alive Extreme Beach Volleyball

Best Sound:
Halo
Resident Evil
Medal of Honor: Frontline
Silent Hill 3
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Best Music:
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Halo
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Kingdom Hearts
Final Fantasy X

Best Art Direction:
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Ico
Kingdom Hearts
Super Mario Sunshine
Resident Evil

Best Story:
Halo
Final Fantasy X
Kingdom Hearts
Xenosaga
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Best Games That You Cold Bastards Didn't Buy:
Ico
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Splashdown
Aggressive Inline
Frequency/Amplitude

Best New Franchises:
Halo
Devil May Cry
SSX
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Ratchet and Clank

Best Surprises:
The success of Xbox Live
The Flood introduction in Halo
Metroid Prime turning out so well
Square and Nintendo making peace
Hiroshi Yamauchi's retirement from Nintendo

Best Ideas:
Online play
Console hard drive
The Wavebird
In-game 5.1 sound
High-definition graphics (720p or 1080i, not 480p, Trebor)

Worst Ideas:
BMX XXX
The GCN controller's d-pad and button layout
Capcom agreeing to make Resident Evil a GCN exclusive
Memory cards
Microsoft's first-party fighting games (Tao Feng, anyone?)

Best Games:
Halo
Metroid Prime
Devil May Cry
Grand Theft Auto III/Vice City
Soul Calibur II

[trebor]

This stupid forum won't let me post without "10 characters" long reply, so here it is. Are you happy now VGR forums?

Happy Halloween, my flock, your shepherd has returned. I read Glockstar's post regarding the best games of this generation but I decided to take it one step further and categorize my best list. So, here they are:

:o


Best Surprises:
The success of Xbox Live
The Flood introduction in Halo
Metroid Prime turning out so well
Square and Nintendo making peace
Hiroshi Yamauchi's retirement from Nintendo

Best Ideas:
Online play
Console hard drive
The Wavebird

:)


In-game 5.1 sound
High-definition graphics (720p or 1080i, not 480p, Trebor)

:rolleyes:


Worst Ideas:
BMX XXX
The GCN controller's d-pad and button layout
Capcom agreeing to make Resident Evil a GCN exclusive
Memory cards
Microsoft's first-party fighting games (Tao Feng, anyone?)

:mad:


Best Games:
Halo
Metroid Prime
Devil May Cry
Grand Theft Auto III/Vice City
Soul Calibur II

:D

[Cuddly Knife]

I'll play. Judging by your selections, you seem to want to keep categories to five choices. Sounds good.

<b>Best Graphics</b>
LotR:Two Towers
Resident Evil
Silent Hill II(IMO, better looking than III)
Ikaruga
Tekken IV

<b>Best Sound</b>
Ico
Metroid Prime
Gitaroo Man
Silent Hill II
Contra:Shattered Soldier

<b>Best Music</b>
Eternal Darkness
Silent Hill II
Gitaroo Man
Final Fantasy X
Ikaruga

<b>Best Art Direction</b>
Rez
Ico
Zelda Wind Waker
Twisted Metal:Black
Disaster Report

<b>Best Story</b>
Eternal Darkness
Silent Hill II
Ico
Final Fantasy X

<b>Best Games No One Bought</b>
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven
Gitaroo Man
Rez
Contra: Shattered Soldier
Ikaruga

<b>Best New Franchises</b>
NBA Street
Ratchet and Clank
Devil May Cry
Soul Caliber
Onimusha

<b>Funnest Games</b>
Viewtiful Joe
Tekken Tag
Frequency/Amplitude
Devil May Cry
NBA STreet II

<b>Games that Made You Go WOW for Some Reason or Another</b>
Ikaruga-the ending right after you dodge the last bullet
Viewtiful Joe-It's so damn viewtiful!
Rez
Resident Evil-I said wow because before I played the remake, I played the original on the PS1. Wow.

[sw33tjimmy]

<div class=\"smallfont\">[QUOTE=Peanut Juice]I'll play. Judging by your selections, you seem to want to keep categories to five choices. Sounds good.

QUOTE]</div>

at least galvatron was pretending to be unbiased. there wasn't a single exclusive xbox game on your list was there? I can see how you might be mad when someone says Halo had the best story, but honestly, KotOR doesn't show up anywhere on your list... neither does crimson skies... neither does splintercell... neither does halo...

lord of the rings: t2t?.. I played the xbox version of this game and it looks like absolute garbage in comparison to the majority of xbox games. Yeah it was pretty fun, but best graphics? Let's get real folks.

[TwiztidFreakMike]

Biggest Suprise:
Mario game that sux (excluding ones like mario's ABC's and small stuff like that...)

[Cuddly Knife]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><div class=\"smallfont\">

<b>at least galvatron was pretending to be unbiased.</b> there wasn't a single exclusive xbox game on your list was there? I can see how you might be mad when someone says Halo had the best story, but honestly, KotOR doesn't show up anywhere on your list... neither does crimson skies... neither does splintercell... neither does halo...
</div>
I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I said it was a good thing, didn't I? And it wasn't because I'm biased that I put nothing but PS2 and GCN games on <b>my</b> list. It's because I haven't played very much XBOX games, and the ones I have played, I haven't played them long enough to warrant my putting them on <b>my</b> list. I don't want to say this game or that game is one of the best when I've only seen a few levels or others playing. That's for fanboys and the uninformed. When I get my XBOX, then I will obviously add my faves of that system on lists, but until then, STFU about <b>my</b> selections unless you are aware of why I put what I did. Thank you, drive through.

[The Prince of Darkness]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Biggest Suprise:
Mario game that sux (excluding ones like mario's ABC's and small stuff like that...)</div>

yup and the second biggest surprise...an overrated Zelda game.

[dafunkdoc]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><div class=\"smallfont\"></div>

yup and the second biggest surprise...an overrated Zelda game.</div>


Why is that a surprise?

[The Prince of Darkness]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><div class=\"smallfont\"></div>


Why is that a surprise?</div>


I really thought that every Zelda game except for Windwaker were as good as advertised.

[Whaxx]

<div class=\"smallfont\">I'll play. Judging by your selections, you seem to want to keep categories to five choices. Sounds good.

<b>Best Graphics</b>
LotR:Two Towers
Resident Evil
Silent Hill II(IMO, better looking than III)
Ikaruga
Tekken IV

<b>Best Sound</b>
Ico
Metroid Prime
Gitaroo Man
Silent Hill II
Contra:Shattered Soldier

<b>Best Music</b>
Eternal Darkness
Silent Hill II
Gitaroo Man
Final Fantasy X
Ikaruga

<b>Best Art Direction</b>
Rez
Ico
Zelda Wind Waker
Twisted Metal:Black
Disaster Report

<b>Best Story</b>
Eternal Darkness
Silent Hill II
Ico
Final Fantasy X

<b>Best Games No One Bought</b>
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven
Gitaroo Man
Rez
Contra: Shattered Soldier
Ikaruga

<b>Best New Franchises</b>
NBA Street
Ratchet and Clank
Devil May Cry
Soul Caliber
Onimusha

<b>Funnest Games</b>
Viewtiful Joe
Tekken Tag
Frequency/Amplitude
Devil May Cry
NBA STreet II

<b>Games that Made You Go WOW for Some Reason or Another</b>
Ikaruga-the ending right after you dodge the last bullet
Viewtiful Joe-It's so damn viewtiful!
Rez
Resident Evil-I said wow because before I played the remake, I played the original on the PS1. Wow.</div>

I'm in.

<b>Best Graphics</b>
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo

<b>Best Sound</b>
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo

<b>Best Art Direction</b>
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo

<b>Best Story</b>
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo

<b>Best Games No One Bought</b>
?
?
?
?
?

<b>Best New Franchises</b>
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo

<b>Funnest Games</b>
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo

<b>Games that Made You Go WOW for Some Reason or Another</b>
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo
Halo

well, peanut, your plan just backfired, you and me both know that a mulitplatform game can NEVER have the best anything, especially graphics, sorry. :D

[Tappy_Tibbons]

Greatest games and moments...

Worst atrocity- Sega KILLS Dreamcast (you could do more with dreamcast than even XBox).

most overrated fluff - MGS2

worst genres - platforming and RPGs

[Cuddly Knife]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><div class=\"smallfont\"></div>

well, peanut, your plan just backfired, you and me both know that a mulitplatform game can NEVER have the best anything, especially graphics, sorry. :D</div>
Yeah, and opinions are like A$$holes. Everyone has one, but most are just full of $h!t.

Oh yeah, I forgot. Isn't Halo multi-plat?

[Whaxx]

In my mind, Halo isn't multiplat. The PC version is so bad, Gearbox did a hell of a job screwing up the port. Halo is known as an Xbox exclusive, and even if it is multiplat, its only on Xbox and PC, not GC and PS2 as well, like LOTR:TT is, and in most cases PC doesn't count as a platform for one reason or another.

[Cuddly Knife]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><b>In my mind</b>, Halo isn't multiplat. The PC version is so bad, Gearbox did a hell of a job screwing up the port. Halo is known as an Xbox exclusive, and even if it is multiplat, its only on Xbox and PC, not GC and PS2 as well, like LOTR:TT is, and in most cases PC doesn't count as a platform for one reason or another.</div>
Exactly! http://forums.videogamereview.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Whaxx]

I wouldn't be surprised....... :D

[Gadfly2317]

<div class=\"smallfont\">In my mind, Halo isn't multiplat. The PC version is so bad, Gearbox did a hell of a job screwing up the port. Halo is known as an Xbox exclusive, and even if it is multiplat, its only on Xbox and PC, not GC and PS2 as well, like LOTR:TT is, and in most cases PC doesn't count as a platform for one reason or another.</div>


Pc doesn't count as a platform for one reason or another? How do you figure? "Platform" doesn't mean a box you hook to your TV, it is just something on which to run game software. GBA is a game platform. PC is a game platform. "Multi" means "more than one." Halo is on more than one platform, therefore it IS multi-platform. It started out originally being developed for PC. I don't believe you've even played the PC version. It plays well, looks better. It is online with more multi-player maps. It got over a 90% rating in its PC incarnation.

And it is STILL an overrated game. Best sound and graphics of this generation? Best level design? Halo may have the replay and multi-player value, but just comparing the core single player story mode, Metroid Prime kicks Halo all over the place. Judging the graphics is more than just tech specs and polygons, its the artistry and coherence that goes into it, and the world of Metroid Prime blows Halo away; the level design is light years ahead of Halo. God, those never ending repetitive tube-like hallways in Halo were some of the most boring, uninspired levels ever. EVERY location in Metroid was a distinct, unique, gorgeously detailed work of art. The atmosphere was unmatched, and the music and sound. . . I mean the first time you get to the snow drifts of Phendrana, and look up at the sky, with that spacey music and the snow flakes landing and melting on your visor. . . .I never felt so realistically transported into another universe in Halo the way I did in Metroid. And finally--and this is just a matter of personal preference--the mixture of great puzzles, sparse but deadly enemies, and intense boss battles made for a much richer game experience than the spastic guns blazing stereotypical FPS play of Halo. Halo was so much like every FPS before it; Metroid is a blazing light of originality in this generation of games.

And by the way, you NEVER get pulled out of the game-universe of Metroid due to load times between areas like you do in Halo Xbox. That's one more thing that is better about the PC version of Halo is that it got rid of of most of the loads.

[Tappy_Tibbons]

too bad Metroid Prime is single player and doesn't let you aim your gun on your own. I could care less how the mainstream video game media accepts Metroid Prime as revolutionary or not, I played it, it's an ok game but from AI to areas to vehicles to personality to tightness of controls, MP doesn't hold a candle to Halo.

[yacobschlomo]

<div class=\"smallfont\">&lt;div class=\&quot;smallfont\&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;


And it is STILL an overrated game. Best sound and graphics of this generation? Best level design? Halo may have the replay and multi-player value, but just comparing the core single player story mode, Metroid Prime kicks Halo all over the place. Judging the graphics is more than just tech specs and polygons, its the artistry and coherence that goes into it, and the world of Metroid Prime blows Halo away; the level design is light years ahead of Halo. God, those never ending repetitive tube-like hallways in Halo were some of the most boring, uninspired levels ever. EVERY location in Metroid was a distinct, unique, gorgeously detailed work of art. The atmosphere was unmatched, and the music and sound. . . I mean the first time you get to the snow drifts of Phendrana, and look up at the sky, with that spacey music and the snow flakes landing and melting on your visor. . . .I never felt so realistically transported into another universe in Halo the way I did in Metroid. And finally--and this is just a matter of personal preference--the mixture of great puzzles, sparse but deadly enemies, and intense boss battles made for a much richer game experience than the spastic guns blazing stereotypical FPS play of Halo. Halo was so much like every FPS before it; Metroid is a blazing light of originality in this generation of games.

And by the way, you NEVER get pulled out of the game-universe of Metroid due to load times between areas like you do in Halo Xbox. That's one more thing that is better about the PC version of Halo is that it got rid of of most of the loads.</div>

I'm not going to argue whether Halo or MP is better because its just a matter of opinion. I just want to counter some of your arguments. First, the backtracking that needs to be done in MP kind of offsets the repetitive levels in Halo. Also in Halo, you get new enemies and situations thrown at you, whereas in MP you often run into respawning enemies who will pop up from the exact same spot and do the exact same th

[yacobschlomo]

<div class=\"smallfont\">&lt;div class=\&quot;smallfont\&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;


And it is STILL an overrated game. Best sound and graphics of this generation? Best level design? Halo may have the replay and multi-player value, but just comparing the core single player story mode, Metroid Prime kicks Halo all over the place. Judging the graphics is more than just tech specs and polygons, its the artistry and coherence that goes into it, and the world of Metroid Prime blows Halo away; the level design is light years ahead of Halo. God, those never ending repetitive tube-like hallways in Halo were some of the most boring, uninspired levels ever. EVERY location in Metroid was a distinct, unique, gorgeously detailed work of art. The atmosphere was unmatched, and the music and sound. . . I mean the first time you get to the snow drifts of Phendrana, and look up at the sky, with that spacey music and the snow flakes landing and melting on your visor. . . .I never felt so realistically transported into another universe in Halo the way I did in Metroid. And finally--and this is just a matter of personal preference--the mixture of great puzzles, sparse but deadly enemies, and intense boss battles made for a much richer game experience than the spastic guns blazing stereotypical FPS play of Halo. Halo was so much like every FPS before it; Metroid is a blazing light of originality in this generation of games.

And by the way, you NEVER get pulled out of the game-universe of Metroid due to load times between areas like you do in Halo Xbox. That's one more thing that is better about the PC version of Halo is that it got rid of of most of the loads.</div>

I'm not going to argue whether Halo or MP is better because its just a matter of opinion. I just want to counter some of your arguments. First, the backtracking that needs to be done in MP kind of offsets the repetitive levels in Halo. Also in Halo, you get new enemies and situations thrown at you when going back through those levels, whereas in MP you often run into respawning enemies who will pop up from the exact same spot and do the exact same thing. I actually felt Halo was more realistic while the colors and textures in MP were bland and uninspired (comparatively speeking, cause MP is one of the most beautiful games I have seen.) I also think that Halo is very different from all the FPS's I have played before it, because I have never really liked an FPS before Halo. The gameplay just felt different due to a variety of factors.

Secondly, MP had almost the same amount of load times as Halo did. Remember those elevators? The game is loading while you go up and down on those things. So every time you went to a new area, the game is actually loading. It just doesn't tell you that it is loading. In Halo, the load times were between levels so it doesn't really pull you out of the game.