I recently spent a pleasurable few weeks reading David Kushner's love letter to the Doom generation and its two mastermind's Kleenex-like level of influence on the video game world. The nonfiction work was littered with anachronisms like modems, Usenet groups and "freeware," but perhaps the most glaring and oft-repeated outdated reference to this reader was the use of the word "levels" to refer to chunks of gameplay. Today's gamers simply don't think in terms of levels as they used to in the days of coin-op and the gameplay design that put Johns Carmack and Romero on the map in the mid-1990s.
The prevailing theory would be that the prevalence of narrative-based gaming, console hard drives and solid-state memory devices (remember those 8MB memory cards for your PS2?) has blended the experience of playing a triple-A title to the point where we think little of gameplay chunks when we jump into an immersive game world. In other words, our experiences are defined by the time between when we, the gamer, push the "on" and "off" buttons on our gaming devices, not pre-determined periods of time decided by a developer.
While this has turned the notion of playing a video game on its head immeasurably since the late 1990s (personally, I'll blame the advent of anytime saving in Half-Life and checkpoint saving first available - to my knowledge - in Halo: Combat Evolved on the original Xbox), there's something to be said for relishing the work video game developers put into crafting a perfect mini-experience into a more cohesive whole.
In no game does that passion for mission design continue so unabated as in the games of the revolutionaries of free-form mission design, the folks at Rockstar Games. It's defining franchise, Grand Theft Auto, features three console generations (and soon to be a fourth) of unforgettable experiences through its timeless missions. Below are a list of my ten absolute favorite, as I prepare to double-dip with the gorgeous-looking PS4 update to Grand Theft Auto V. Enjoy.
10. "The Exchange"
Game: Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
Mission Given By: Catalina
Rewards: A cool $1 million, a Rhino tank available at Phil's gun shop, and you get to shut Maria up
The capstone of Rockstar's "mafioso masterpiece," as it was proclaimed on the in-game poster shipped with my Playstation 2 copy of Grand Theft Auto 3, "The Exchange" saw Claude Speed rushing to enact revenge against Catalina, who was flying away from the Shoreside Vale dam with a kidnapped Maria awaiting her rescue. You had to fight your way through Catalina's goons armed with an extensive array of automatic weaponry in enough time to fire a few well-timed blasts with your rocket launcher at the fleeing heli, all with that damn clock running. As the credits then rolled, you were treated to Claude shutting up a nattering Maria with a shotgun blast. Bliss.
9. "Rub Out"
Game: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
Mission Given By: Lance Vance
Rewards: $50K, Ricardo Diaz's mansion becomes your own personal playground
In retrospect, Ricardo Diaz (voiced by Luis Guzman) would have been a much cooler sidekick than Lance Vance (Philip Michael Thomas), who is in fact a backstabbing, murderous traitor who you will later have to off along with Sonny Forelli (Tom Sizemore). Oops. Spoilers. Rub Out is a much more satisfying (and in fact carbon copy) of Vice City's final mission. You have to fight your way through Diaz's goons, eventually popping a cap in the fat man himself, all the while making sure Lance doesn't turn into Swiss cheese. Bonus points for that final view from Diaz down the barrel of your guns. "Good NIGHT, Mr. Diaz!"
8. "The Green Sabre"
Game: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
Mission Given By: Sweet
Rewards: That dick Tenpenny takes your weapons, imprisons your brother and leaves you in the middle-of-nowhere
Sure, you could make a case San Andreas' final "Training Day"-inspired mission, End of the Line, was one of the most involved and cinematic in the GTA series up until that point. But "The Green Sabre" gave us a common enemy, beside those bustas the Ballers, and turned the narrative of San Andreas on its head. Fighting alongside a mortally wounded Sweet for Grove Street could have served as a nice crescendo for the final act of a Los Santos GTA adventure. As it was, we were just getting started.
Rockstar found the source material so compelling it repeated the theme in GTAV's "Hood Safari."
7. I Scream, You Scream
Game: Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
Mission Given By: El Burro
Rewards: $6,000, mafia goons flambéed
Rumor has it, this mission was so controversial it got overhauled in the 9/11 edit of GTA3 that delayed its release for several months. Originally, Darkel was supposed to call Claude and have him take out random passersby with explosives secreted in an ice cream truck. Instead, El Burro wants you to target mafia members who are cutting in on his business, which if his banter is to be believed involves selling burritos and fiendishly difficult to collect pornographic videotapes. Jingle jangle, KABOOM! Proving that GTA hadn't left its sophomoric streak of violence and humor in the 2D generation, I Scream, You Scream reminded us why it was good to be bad. And it wasn't the first time violence and junkfood mixed in the series, as we'll see later...
6. Boomshine Saigon
Game: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
Mission Given By: Phil Cassidy
Rewards: $4,000; ability to buy weapons from Phil; seeing Gary Busey in his natural element in video game form
Vice City gamers would remember Phil Cassidy as that mysterious one-armed man who hawked weapons in north Staunton Island. For its prequel, it would take that character, add a mullet, Gary Busey and some illegal liquor, and convince us Phil was actually a nutjob out to dismantle the U.S. government. It does a great deal of that exposition in Boomshine Saigon, which explains the disappearance of Cassidy's arm in the 2001-set Grand Theft Auto 3. As Tommy Vercetti (Ray Liotta), you have to drive Phil to the hospital before he bleeds out. Of course, you've sniffed some of the intoxicating fumes of...whatever the hell Phil was cooking, sending you careening into other cars as the timer ticks down. This mission would be higher if it didn't introduce that hazy screen and wonky controls that would make another appearance in San Andreas' Are You Going to San Fierro? and to much more annoying effect in GTAIV and V after a night of drinking.
5. Hot Dog Homicide
Game: Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
Mission Given By: Russians
Rewards: $40,000, respect, and a copy of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle
The brilliance of GTA's mission design is not confined to the 3D era. Hot Dog Homicide is another of the inexplicable reasons GTA2 received a "Teen" rating, as you play Claude Speed once again. This time, you're picking up fresh meat for a diner by stopping for passengers at various bus stops. That's not a mistype. You then herd the unsuspecting masses into a meat grinder and drive a hot dog van to the dropoff. Mission complete. But yeah, you probably shouldn't let your middle-schooler read Catcher in the Rye.
4. Vertical Bird
Game: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
Mission Given By: Mike Toreno
Rewards: $50K, respect, a Hydra at your hideout and James Woods' undying love
Mike Toreno (James Wood) has Carl Johnson (Young Maylay) do some ridiculous things in San Andreas. Perhaps the most ridiculous is infiltrate a government warship to steal a high-powered, futuristic jet fighter. "Vertical Bird" had everything that made San Andreas bigger, better and more involved than the gameplay of its predecessors. There was even the opportunity for a bit of stealth as you stalked the Hydra on the off-limits real estate of the San Fierro military base. Some will say they prefer the assault on Area 69, Black Project, is their favorite San Andreas mission because it yields the game-changing jetpack. But Vertical Bird combines all the elements that make the game so fun.
3. Three Leaf Clover
Game: Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
Mission Given By: Packie McReary
Rewards: $250K, achievement, your roommate feeding you Verbal Kint references
Three Leaf Clover provided the groundwork for GTAV's heist missions, and it was the first (and arguably only) glimpse of what the next generation of hardware could do to amp up the intensity of the GTA mission structure. Packie McReary provided a nice, light-hearted (but still deadly) counterpoint to brooding Niko Bellic, and it was nice to see Rockstar open up its mission structure to provide for some spirited gunplay and a truly impressive bank heist that has its routes as early as Vice City.
2. Caida Libre (or "Freefall")
Game: Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Mission Given By: Martin Madrazo
Rewards: Achievement, the stunning brilliance of GTAV on full display
As the most recent iteration in the GTA franchise, V suffers from what I'll call "mission envelopment." The story arcs in GTA have become more grandiose through the years, with the game's narrative often supplanting the simple tasks at hand in recent versions of the game. In V, you're always working toward a bigger score, or a heist, or a hit, so that when you do finally achieve your ultimate goal, it feels more of a process than one long, extended chunk of gameplay.
Not so in "Caida Libre," which is a self-contained masterpiece showcasing the best of what GTAV had to offer - character switching, larger-than-life stakes and a trip through the sprawling dustlands of north Los Santos. Shooting aircraft out of the sky has been a feature of GTA since the aforementioned "The Exchange" in GTA3. But whereas all other versions were falling with style, "Caida Libre" showed just how far the series had come.
1. Bomb da Base
Game: Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
Mission Given By: 8-Ball
Rewards: $150K, Staunton Island, and 13 subsequent years of GTA gaming
"Alright, let's do this thing." 8-Ball was ready, and so were you, Claude Speed, for the mission that would define the next decade of GTA gaming. Armed with a sniper rifle, you were tasked with protecting 8-Ball as the AI-controlled character moved his way through a heavily guarded tanker to place a bomb. His hands were still pretty messed up, so you had to drive and take that adrenaline pill to slow time down long enough to stop the goons' automatic weapons from riddling your bomb-making friend.
When Rockstar began working on the sequels to GTA3, this was the mission they used as their guide. For good reason. Bomb da Base served as a bombastic (no pun intended) end to the Portland saga, and would have been a fitting end to the GTA3 story. But you had much crime ahead of you, none of which captured those sweaty palms of trying to pull off a headshot before 8-Ball bit the dust.
Showing posts with label list. Show all posts
Showing posts with label list. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Virtual Dork-Top Video Games of the 00s
Here's a list I compiled for Facebook a few years back that I'm unearthing for the Shallow End. I've included a few games from the past couple of years to make the post a bit more current. These titles will likely show up somewhere on the inevitable 2010s list that will follow sometime in my late 20s and early 30s, which would put my nerd-dom level between "hopelessly desperate" and Val Kilmer in "Real Genius." You've been warned.
If there's one thing I love more than movies, it's sitting in a darkened room by myself on Saturday nights screaming obscenities at ten year olds on Xbox Live. At least, in the past ten years, the medium has become a bit more socially acceptable, stereotypes furthered in Grandma's Boy notwithstanding. While no game will ever dethrone Galaga's place in my heart, here are the titles from the 2000s that attempted that feat.
Honorable Mention: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), Manhunt (2004), Guitar Hero (2005), Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005), Gears of War (2006)
20. Black (PS2, 2006)
Predating the Xbox 360/PS3 generation by only a couple of months, this drop-dead gorgeous FPS for the PS2 and original 'Box was gun porn, eye candy, and frustratingly sparse narrative action all rolled into one. The game only lasted a few hours even on the hardest difficulty setting, and the story (I use the term loosely) wasn't anything to write home about, but damn if it didn't look simply stunning, and continues to inspire awe visually today. The lack of a sequel due to what I have to believe were sour sales (I didn't buy the thing, even the draw of fighting with gold-plated weapons couldn't convince me to shell out fifty bucks for a few hours of entertainment) is a crime against humanity.
19. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, 2006)
Another late classic for the PS2, Shadow of the Colossus was the spiritual successor to the excellent Ico. Where Ico bucked the traditional action/adventure/platformer trend, Colossus went all tabula rasa and rewrote the rules of design-specifically, that you needed an environment filled with enemies. Instead, in this game you only fight a handful of foes-all of which occupy an area about 3,000 times that of your character. The developers did an astounding job of making you care about the characters and introducing moral quandaries to gameplay years before Bioshock did it most famously.
18. Borderlands (360, 2009)
I put this game on the list despite the fact that I've only played it for about three hours now, that's how damn good it is. Gearbox has managed to take a formula that has paid dividends in the past few years-mixing RPG elements with FPS action-and introduced a looting system in a beautiful, post-apocalyptic cel-shaded environment that arrests your attention both while playing and otherwise. There are definitely some minor kinks in hit detection, and the complete lack of narrative is a bit troubling, but these are quibbles for an open-world, loot-heavy RPG shooter that promises hours of fun during several thrilling playthroughs.
Note: I completed the game about two weeks after posting this list originally, and it's payoff more than made up for the potential on display in its first several hours. This game is so hopelessly deep and addictive that I was afraid the cable repair van down the street had bugged my room.
17. Timesplitters: Future Perfect (PS2, 2005)
As I, using the character model shaped most recognizably like the Hamburger Helper mitt, swung a baseball bat into a crowd of zombie monkeys in a beat-crazy disco while chased by several other human-controlled characters online for the seventh time in an hour, I realized just how incredible this particular iteration of Timesplitters was. To be sure, the Timesplitters franchise has hit the mark every single time with a shooter experience that is both responsive, fun, and downright hilarious. Future Perfect added online multiplayer to the mix, and it was pure heaven. Here's hoping Crytek gets down to making a worthy successor to Future Perfect very soon.
16. Psychonauts (PS2, 2005)
Tim Schafer's look into the minds of several troubled individuals at a summer camp for children with psychic abilities was disturbing, hilarious, and perfect platforming action all rolled into one. Though the gaming public at large overlooked this gem, I look back with fond memories on this title. I wasted most of my own summer trying to clear censors from the minds of the troubled inhabitants of Camp Whispering Rock.
15. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (PS2, 2003)
I'm not a huge of film noir, or pinot noir for that matter. However, the insane gunplay of the Max Payne series drew me into the first game. In the second, the formula is perfected as the gamer plunges deeper into the perturbed mind of Max Payne with flurries of bullets, action reloads involving flowing leather jackets, and deeply reflective (to the point of nausea) inner monologues. I knew Max would end up with Mona, but I can't wait to see what's happened to him in the meantime when Max Payne 3 releases this year.
14. The Warriors (PS2, 2005)
Rockstar brought back the visceral thril of beat 'em ups like River City Ransom with this adaptation of the cult classic film. The look and feel of the game is identical to that of the iconic movie as Rockstar showcases its ability to set a mood through storytelling for seemingly the 90th time of the decade. I loved the flashback sequences that allowed you to garner some real emotional attachment to each of the members of the titular gang, and then replay the escape sequence from the film in the second half of the title. The fact that the backwards compatibility of the 360 has not extended to include the original Xbox version of this game is a crime against humanity.
13. Freedom Fighters (PS2, 2003)
From the guys who would eventually bring us the underwhelming Kane and Lynch: Dead Men came what amounted to an imagining of the plot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 six years earlier. The Soviets, who dropped an atomic bomb on Berlin before the Americans could do so in the Pacific, eventually invade the Americas in the early 20th Century. You play an unlikely hero, Chris Stone, a plumber (aren't all video game heroes?) who starts out trying to save his brother from the invading Ruskies but ends up liberating most of New England from the Commie threat. The squad-based shooting mechanics were fantastic for a PS2-era game, and the story had some real weight to it. An unacknowledged gem.
12. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, 2009)
Take a classic 2D platforming formula, thrown in simultaneous four-player support and some motion controls, and you've got yourself a fantastic throwback title. NSMBWii will make you hate all of your roommates for bumping you off a platform while trying to grab some coins, even though you both are seemingly attempting to save the princess, who's been kidnapped again. Who cares that we've seen it all before? The fresh coat of paint both graphically and gameplay-wise make this an incredible, can't miss nostalgic title.
11. Bully (PS2, 2006)
Take Grand Theft Auto, throw in equal parts schoolyard charm and adolescent mischief, and you've got yourself a very impressive and focused open-world title. Jimmy Hopkins is both a sympathetic and fiendish protagonist, emotions Rockstar is used to fostering with its main characters. The highlight for me, of course, was the Halloween night pranking, but the whole game-which spans one school year at a strict New England boarding school, is entertaining from start to finish. Think interactive "Wonder Years."
10. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, 2004)
Quite possibly my most anticipated game of the decade, I still remember driving to the store after cross country practice to pick this game up. Gamestop was having a cookout and giving away tons of free shit, but I went in, grabbed, the game, and got the hell out of Dodge, because I knew what was waiting for me. Over 100 hours of pure, unbridled open-world crime goodness. I played the hell out of this thing well into 2005 (I had to get all of the graffiti tags in Los Santos, right?) and the only complaint I have to this day is that the focus of the narrative was lost in the sheer vastness of the world in which the game took place. But can that really be considered a complaint?
9. Bioshock (360, 2007)
There are so many images from this game that will never, EVER leave my head. One involving a putter comes to mind immediately. The team behind the incredible System Shock 2 (which missed topping this list by about 4 months) brought that gameplay into the 21st Century with a gut-wrenching morality play you participated in. The atmosphere, the gunplay, the RPG elements...it all blended beautifully to create a truly breathtaking experience.
8. Batman: Arkham Asylum (360, 2009)
You know the Joker is going to break out. That's about the only thing you can expect in this incredible game adaptation of the Batman universe. There's a focused story here, incredible stealth elements, and a truly maniacal Joker voiced by Mark "I Almost Had Sex with My Ficitional Sister" Hamill. Oh, did I mention the game looks absolutely beautiful? The combat mechanics are inspired and the inclusion of hidden messages from all of Batman's most sought-after villains makes this a nerd's (like myself) paradise.
7. Assassin's Creed 2 (360, 2009)
Ubisoft took everything that was wrong with the first game, scrapped it, and left the incredibly intriguing conspiracy story intact to create a historical panorama that the gamer can't help but be sucked into. Combat is still very satisfying and the villas of the Italian Renaissance are truly breathtaking. Bravo to the developers for making a sequel that surpasses the original in almost every single way.
6. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (360, 2007)
The game that may have given me stomach ulcers. I still know my way around Wetwork blindfolded and I hear shouts of "Tango Down!" in my sleep. Though this year's iteration continued to incite ravenous multiplayer hunger in my mind, it did little to build upon the inspired setup of the first game, which clearly had superior single-player set-pieces and built the foundation for the FPS juggernaut that everyone will have to try to dethrone in the next decade.
5. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, 2007)
Whereas Mario 64 had everyone's favorite plumber moving to the 3D plane for the first time, this title gave us the first glimpse of the potential of motion controls in a platformer while creating mind-bending gravity puzzles and gameplay that challenge gamers of all persuasions. That must be the reason Galaxy is the first game getting a true sequel since Super Mario World on the SNES. I can't friggin' wait.
4. Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox, 2001)
I didn't own an Xbox, but thanks to the popularity of LAN parties that didn't stop me from logging probably over 100 hours on this game. I remember hours of CTF games on Chill Out with shotguns the night before high school cross country meets, and the thrills of sticking newbs with grenades and pistol whipping them in the back of the face. Halo also sported the most satisfying weapon-the scoped pistol-in all of gaming. Who didn't love spawning with that thing, watching your opponent's shield disappear with two shots, and then finishing them off, sending their body falling limply to the ground? Did I mention my violent streak began around 2001?
3. Fallout 3 (360, 2008)
The Fallout series was great in its own right in its isometric RPG PC days, but Bethesda took the formula, instituted its Morrowind first person touch, and created an instant genre-bursting classic. What begins as a search for your father becomes a struggle for survival in the irradiated Wasteland created by, what else?, nuclear Armageddon. The final chapter of the game, with a giant Commie-hating robot laying waste to guys you would have no chance of killing in the beginning of the game with your puny 1st-level rank, is up there in terms of all-time satisfying video game moments. Can't wait for the sequel (PLEASE make it an online MMORPG).
2. Half-Life 2: The Orange Box (360, 2007)
Half-Life 2 on its own is an incredible achievement in the first person genre, mixing puzzle, driving, and shooting elements together with a story and characters that have real emotional weight, but you throw in Team Fortress 2, Portal, and the episodic content that continues the Half-Life 2 story and you've got an incredible title that really gets you bang for your buck. Gordon Freeman, world's greatest physicist, awakes from stasis to find that creepy guy with the suitcase needing more help in the near future. As you save mankind, you realize just how fucked up all those Combine bastards really are. The tease at the end of Episode 2 really isn't fair, especially when you consider it's been two years and we still haven't heard anything about Episode 3's release date. Let's finish this fight, please!
1. Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2, 2001)
I remember popping this game in the PS2 disc tray, the first time I'd played the system, and being completely overwhelmed by the world that surrounded me. I wasted days playing GTA2 on my original Playstation in my late-90s gaming frenzy, but nothing compared to the fully 3D world filled with seemingly endless possibilities that lay before me. Consequently, I wasted months driving around Liberty City as Claude Speed, the mute psychopath who probably killed over 100,000 inhabitants of the city during my reign of terror. There was so much to do...I remember wasting days just trying to get the game's clipped-wing plane to fly around the city, seeing which buildings were solid, which were transparent, and warping myself to different places in the city during my pursuits. When the glitches in a game become sources of entertainment, you know you have a contender for best game of the decade.
The Best of the '10s (so far):
Red Dead Redemption (360, 2010)
As you can probably tell from the list compiled above, I'm a bit of a Rockstar Games fanboy. I divulge this information with no shame whatsoever, when the studio consistently produces titles of stellar quality. RDR was no different, taking gamers through a Wild West adventure that nailed the shooting mechanics in a third-person action game to an unprecedented degree and toyed with notions of storytelling in an industry-revolutionizing way. Seriously, the final two or three hours you spend during the campaign will make you appreciate everything that has come before, and presents a protagonist that pulls at the heartstrings in a way Rockstar just couldn't do with its other big-budget, open world title of this generation (you may have heard of Grand Theft Auto IV). Redemption (in a way its predecessor, Red Dead Revolver, couldn't dream of doing) made the Western a viable platform for an action-packed adventure in the medium, and further proved the stellar pedigree of its publisher.
Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii, 2010)
As a child of the Donkey Kong Country generation, I watched the first few gameplay videos for DKCR and swooned in anticipation. A stunningly beautiful game that, as a kid who grew up playing the SNES titles can attest to, just feels right as a platformer, DKCR takes the model provided by New Super Mario Bros. and adds pizzazz, speed, and the right amount of nostalgia to create not only one of the greatest re-imaginings in the history of the medium, but perhaps the greatest platform game to date on any system. The drop-in drop-out co-op ensured that my memories of rollicking through the jungle with my dad and brother as a grade-schooler could be relived in the living room of my college home. And that's to say nothing of the ridiculous soundtrack, which manages to both retain the sound of the original while bringing the score up to date for a new generation. Bravo, Retro Studios, bravo.
If there's one thing I love more than movies, it's sitting in a darkened room by myself on Saturday nights screaming obscenities at ten year olds on Xbox Live. At least, in the past ten years, the medium has become a bit more socially acceptable, stereotypes furthered in Grandma's Boy notwithstanding. While no game will ever dethrone Galaga's place in my heart, here are the titles from the 2000s that attempted that feat.
Honorable Mention: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), Manhunt (2004), Guitar Hero (2005), Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005), Gears of War (2006)
20. Black (PS2, 2006)
Predating the Xbox 360/PS3 generation by only a couple of months, this drop-dead gorgeous FPS for the PS2 and original 'Box was gun porn, eye candy, and frustratingly sparse narrative action all rolled into one. The game only lasted a few hours even on the hardest difficulty setting, and the story (I use the term loosely) wasn't anything to write home about, but damn if it didn't look simply stunning, and continues to inspire awe visually today. The lack of a sequel due to what I have to believe were sour sales (I didn't buy the thing, even the draw of fighting with gold-plated weapons couldn't convince me to shell out fifty bucks for a few hours of entertainment) is a crime against humanity.
19. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, 2006)
Another late classic for the PS2, Shadow of the Colossus was the spiritual successor to the excellent Ico. Where Ico bucked the traditional action/adventure/platformer trend, Colossus went all tabula rasa and rewrote the rules of design-specifically, that you needed an environment filled with enemies. Instead, in this game you only fight a handful of foes-all of which occupy an area about 3,000 times that of your character. The developers did an astounding job of making you care about the characters and introducing moral quandaries to gameplay years before Bioshock did it most famously.
18. Borderlands (360, 2009)
I put this game on the list despite the fact that I've only played it for about three hours now, that's how damn good it is. Gearbox has managed to take a formula that has paid dividends in the past few years-mixing RPG elements with FPS action-and introduced a looting system in a beautiful, post-apocalyptic cel-shaded environment that arrests your attention both while playing and otherwise. There are definitely some minor kinks in hit detection, and the complete lack of narrative is a bit troubling, but these are quibbles for an open-world, loot-heavy RPG shooter that promises hours of fun during several thrilling playthroughs.
Note: I completed the game about two weeks after posting this list originally, and it's payoff more than made up for the potential on display in its first several hours. This game is so hopelessly deep and addictive that I was afraid the cable repair van down the street had bugged my room.
17. Timesplitters: Future Perfect (PS2, 2005)
As I, using the character model shaped most recognizably like the Hamburger Helper mitt, swung a baseball bat into a crowd of zombie monkeys in a beat-crazy disco while chased by several other human-controlled characters online for the seventh time in an hour, I realized just how incredible this particular iteration of Timesplitters was. To be sure, the Timesplitters franchise has hit the mark every single time with a shooter experience that is both responsive, fun, and downright hilarious. Future Perfect added online multiplayer to the mix, and it was pure heaven. Here's hoping Crytek gets down to making a worthy successor to Future Perfect very soon.
16. Psychonauts (PS2, 2005)
Tim Schafer's look into the minds of several troubled individuals at a summer camp for children with psychic abilities was disturbing, hilarious, and perfect platforming action all rolled into one. Though the gaming public at large overlooked this gem, I look back with fond memories on this title. I wasted most of my own summer trying to clear censors from the minds of the troubled inhabitants of Camp Whispering Rock.
15. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (PS2, 2003)
I'm not a huge of film noir, or pinot noir for that matter. However, the insane gunplay of the Max Payne series drew me into the first game. In the second, the formula is perfected as the gamer plunges deeper into the perturbed mind of Max Payne with flurries of bullets, action reloads involving flowing leather jackets, and deeply reflective (to the point of nausea) inner monologues. I knew Max would end up with Mona, but I can't wait to see what's happened to him in the meantime when Max Payne 3 releases this year.
14. The Warriors (PS2, 2005)
Rockstar brought back the visceral thril of beat 'em ups like River City Ransom with this adaptation of the cult classic film. The look and feel of the game is identical to that of the iconic movie as Rockstar showcases its ability to set a mood through storytelling for seemingly the 90th time of the decade. I loved the flashback sequences that allowed you to garner some real emotional attachment to each of the members of the titular gang, and then replay the escape sequence from the film in the second half of the title. The fact that the backwards compatibility of the 360 has not extended to include the original Xbox version of this game is a crime against humanity.
13. Freedom Fighters (PS2, 2003)
From the guys who would eventually bring us the underwhelming Kane and Lynch: Dead Men came what amounted to an imagining of the plot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 six years earlier. The Soviets, who dropped an atomic bomb on Berlin before the Americans could do so in the Pacific, eventually invade the Americas in the early 20th Century. You play an unlikely hero, Chris Stone, a plumber (aren't all video game heroes?) who starts out trying to save his brother from the invading Ruskies but ends up liberating most of New England from the Commie threat. The squad-based shooting mechanics were fantastic for a PS2-era game, and the story had some real weight to it. An unacknowledged gem.
12. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, 2009)
Take a classic 2D platforming formula, thrown in simultaneous four-player support and some motion controls, and you've got yourself a fantastic throwback title. NSMBWii will make you hate all of your roommates for bumping you off a platform while trying to grab some coins, even though you both are seemingly attempting to save the princess, who's been kidnapped again. Who cares that we've seen it all before? The fresh coat of paint both graphically and gameplay-wise make this an incredible, can't miss nostalgic title.
11. Bully (PS2, 2006)
Take Grand Theft Auto, throw in equal parts schoolyard charm and adolescent mischief, and you've got yourself a very impressive and focused open-world title. Jimmy Hopkins is both a sympathetic and fiendish protagonist, emotions Rockstar is used to fostering with its main characters. The highlight for me, of course, was the Halloween night pranking, but the whole game-which spans one school year at a strict New England boarding school, is entertaining from start to finish. Think interactive "Wonder Years."
10. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, 2004)
Quite possibly my most anticipated game of the decade, I still remember driving to the store after cross country practice to pick this game up. Gamestop was having a cookout and giving away tons of free shit, but I went in, grabbed, the game, and got the hell out of Dodge, because I knew what was waiting for me. Over 100 hours of pure, unbridled open-world crime goodness. I played the hell out of this thing well into 2005 (I had to get all of the graffiti tags in Los Santos, right?) and the only complaint I have to this day is that the focus of the narrative was lost in the sheer vastness of the world in which the game took place. But can that really be considered a complaint?
9. Bioshock (360, 2007)
There are so many images from this game that will never, EVER leave my head. One involving a putter comes to mind immediately. The team behind the incredible System Shock 2 (which missed topping this list by about 4 months) brought that gameplay into the 21st Century with a gut-wrenching morality play you participated in. The atmosphere, the gunplay, the RPG elements...it all blended beautifully to create a truly breathtaking experience.
8. Batman: Arkham Asylum (360, 2009)
You know the Joker is going to break out. That's about the only thing you can expect in this incredible game adaptation of the Batman universe. There's a focused story here, incredible stealth elements, and a truly maniacal Joker voiced by Mark "I Almost Had Sex with My Ficitional Sister" Hamill. Oh, did I mention the game looks absolutely beautiful? The combat mechanics are inspired and the inclusion of hidden messages from all of Batman's most sought-after villains makes this a nerd's (like myself) paradise.
7. Assassin's Creed 2 (360, 2009)
Ubisoft took everything that was wrong with the first game, scrapped it, and left the incredibly intriguing conspiracy story intact to create a historical panorama that the gamer can't help but be sucked into. Combat is still very satisfying and the villas of the Italian Renaissance are truly breathtaking. Bravo to the developers for making a sequel that surpasses the original in almost every single way.
6. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (360, 2007)
The game that may have given me stomach ulcers. I still know my way around Wetwork blindfolded and I hear shouts of "Tango Down!" in my sleep. Though this year's iteration continued to incite ravenous multiplayer hunger in my mind, it did little to build upon the inspired setup of the first game, which clearly had superior single-player set-pieces and built the foundation for the FPS juggernaut that everyone will have to try to dethrone in the next decade.
5. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, 2007)
Whereas Mario 64 had everyone's favorite plumber moving to the 3D plane for the first time, this title gave us the first glimpse of the potential of motion controls in a platformer while creating mind-bending gravity puzzles and gameplay that challenge gamers of all persuasions. That must be the reason Galaxy is the first game getting a true sequel since Super Mario World on the SNES. I can't friggin' wait.
4. Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox, 2001)
I didn't own an Xbox, but thanks to the popularity of LAN parties that didn't stop me from logging probably over 100 hours on this game. I remember hours of CTF games on Chill Out with shotguns the night before high school cross country meets, and the thrills of sticking newbs with grenades and pistol whipping them in the back of the face. Halo also sported the most satisfying weapon-the scoped pistol-in all of gaming. Who didn't love spawning with that thing, watching your opponent's shield disappear with two shots, and then finishing them off, sending their body falling limply to the ground? Did I mention my violent streak began around 2001?
3. Fallout 3 (360, 2008)
The Fallout series was great in its own right in its isometric RPG PC days, but Bethesda took the formula, instituted its Morrowind first person touch, and created an instant genre-bursting classic. What begins as a search for your father becomes a struggle for survival in the irradiated Wasteland created by, what else?, nuclear Armageddon. The final chapter of the game, with a giant Commie-hating robot laying waste to guys you would have no chance of killing in the beginning of the game with your puny 1st-level rank, is up there in terms of all-time satisfying video game moments. Can't wait for the sequel (PLEASE make it an online MMORPG).
2. Half-Life 2: The Orange Box (360, 2007)
Half-Life 2 on its own is an incredible achievement in the first person genre, mixing puzzle, driving, and shooting elements together with a story and characters that have real emotional weight, but you throw in Team Fortress 2, Portal, and the episodic content that continues the Half-Life 2 story and you've got an incredible title that really gets you bang for your buck. Gordon Freeman, world's greatest physicist, awakes from stasis to find that creepy guy with the suitcase needing more help in the near future. As you save mankind, you realize just how fucked up all those Combine bastards really are. The tease at the end of Episode 2 really isn't fair, especially when you consider it's been two years and we still haven't heard anything about Episode 3's release date. Let's finish this fight, please!
1. Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2, 2001)
I remember popping this game in the PS2 disc tray, the first time I'd played the system, and being completely overwhelmed by the world that surrounded me. I wasted days playing GTA2 on my original Playstation in my late-90s gaming frenzy, but nothing compared to the fully 3D world filled with seemingly endless possibilities that lay before me. Consequently, I wasted months driving around Liberty City as Claude Speed, the mute psychopath who probably killed over 100,000 inhabitants of the city during my reign of terror. There was so much to do...I remember wasting days just trying to get the game's clipped-wing plane to fly around the city, seeing which buildings were solid, which were transparent, and warping myself to different places in the city during my pursuits. When the glitches in a game become sources of entertainment, you know you have a contender for best game of the decade.
The Best of the '10s (so far):
Red Dead Redemption (360, 2010)
As you can probably tell from the list compiled above, I'm a bit of a Rockstar Games fanboy. I divulge this information with no shame whatsoever, when the studio consistently produces titles of stellar quality. RDR was no different, taking gamers through a Wild West adventure that nailed the shooting mechanics in a third-person action game to an unprecedented degree and toyed with notions of storytelling in an industry-revolutionizing way. Seriously, the final two or three hours you spend during the campaign will make you appreciate everything that has come before, and presents a protagonist that pulls at the heartstrings in a way Rockstar just couldn't do with its other big-budget, open world title of this generation (you may have heard of Grand Theft Auto IV). Redemption (in a way its predecessor, Red Dead Revolver, couldn't dream of doing) made the Western a viable platform for an action-packed adventure in the medium, and further proved the stellar pedigree of its publisher.
Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii, 2010)
As a child of the Donkey Kong Country generation, I watched the first few gameplay videos for DKCR and swooned in anticipation. A stunningly beautiful game that, as a kid who grew up playing the SNES titles can attest to, just feels right as a platformer, DKCR takes the model provided by New Super Mario Bros. and adds pizzazz, speed, and the right amount of nostalgia to create not only one of the greatest re-imaginings in the history of the medium, but perhaps the greatest platform game to date on any system. The drop-in drop-out co-op ensured that my memories of rollicking through the jungle with my dad and brother as a grade-schooler could be relived in the living room of my college home. And that's to say nothing of the ridiculous soundtrack, which manages to both retain the sound of the original while bringing the score up to date for a new generation. Bravo, Retro Studios, bravo.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Change in the Sofa: An Ode to the Sitcom
In the brilliant Scrubs episode "My Life in Four Cameras," J.D.'s sappy final monologue includes this touching tribute to the sitcom: "Unfortunately around here, things don't always end as neat and tidy as they do on sitcoms. Relationships aren't always magically fixed in thirty minutes, you have to work on them. Problems don't always have easy solutions. And around here, nice people don't always get better. At times like that, it's comforting to know that there's always one thing that can pick your spirits up." As a television junkie, I couldn't agree more with the sentiment.
Recently finishing a whirlwind viewing of the first six seasons of the currently-popular "How I Met Your Mother," I've been thinking a lot about what sitcoms have picked my spirits up over the last several years. Here's a list of my favorites.
(A note: There are myriad definitions for what constitute a sitcom. For the purposes of this post, I'm not limiting my selections to the traditional sound-stage set, live audience, laugh track sitcom, though I know for purists out there this constitutes sacrilege. All complaints can be sent in writing to my non-existent secretary.)
10. How I Met Your Mother (2005-present)
Favorite Episode: "Slapsgiving"
Using an ingenious constant flashback device, How I Met Your Mother features both humorous nods to long-time viewers (the Slap Bet, the Goat, "Haaaaaaave ya met Ted?") interested in the overall plot of the show and great one-off episodes that explore the very nature of story-telling and embellishing. A smart comedy in an era where they appear few and far between.
9. The Office (2005-present)
Favorite Episode: "The Return"
Another series that has recently come under fire for declining quality (illustrating the woefully short lifespan for great sitcoms), the American "Office" program hit its stride with the introduction of Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) and other secondary characters in its third season, as the central relationship between Jim and Pam began to attain more significance and drama. Featuring some of this generation's finest comedic character actors, "The Office" proves that a great sitcom is sometimes merely the sum of its parts.
8. Friends (1994-2004)
Favorite Episode: "The One With All the Thanksgivings"
Sure, it was rather Anglo-centric, and in retrospect is probably viewed with a greater amount of nostalgia by today's audiences than for its actual quality, but "Friends" was huge for several key components that are necessary in any successful and classic sitcom: on-screen chemistry, excellent writing, and compelling characters that both make you laugh and invite you to share in the ups and downs of their daily lives.
7. The Wonder Years (1988-93)
Favorite Episode: "Good-bye"
Twenty years before "Superbad," Carol Black and Neal Marlens brought us the closest approximation of being a teenager allowable on network television through the popular sitcom convention of the flashback, currently used by the aforementioned "How I Met Your Mother." This selection, of course, stresses the definition of what a sitcom can be, with The Wonder Years tackling serious issues like Vietnam, death (in the very first episode, no less!), and the painful process of growing up on an almost weekly basis. But tucked away are brilliant comedic moments narrated to perfection by the incomparable Daniel Stern. And, like most sitcoms, the show killed the career of every actor involved (Paul's rumored turn as Marilyn Manson notwithstanding).
6. The Cosby Show (1984-92)
Favorite Episode: "Pilot"
Even ignoring the social significance of The Cosby Show, bringing the middle-class African-American family to the forefront of American mainstream culture in a way shows like "The Jeffersons" and "Sanford and Son" could never do (and paving the way for the tremendous "Family Matters" which only barely missed out on this list), The Cosby Show rallied around its tremendously popular eponymous star and created one of the finest examples of American family comedy to date. Continuously emulated but never equaled, "Cosby" continues its position of privilege in the annals of American television history to this day, and still holds up well over twenty years later in syndication on several major networks.
5. Scrubs (2001-10 [supposedly, though we all know it ended in 2009])
Favorite Episode: "My Screw Up"
"Spin City" was an excellent first creative project for Bill Lawrence, but he hit something special with "Scrubs" that defied genre expectations and gave the hospital setting a swift, irreverent kick in the pants. Solid principal characters, surrounded by a constantly-growing and developed ensemble cast, allowed Scrubs to hit a high mark in its third season in terms of both dramatic story-telling and comedy.
4. M*A*S*H* (1972-83)
Favorite Episode: "Abyssinia, Henry"
Arguably, M*A*S*H became a better show once it cast off the traditional sitcom elements that characterized the show during its first several seasons: canned laughter in the operating room, the departure of Larry Lanville's Frank Burns as the stiff CO, and the incorporation of more actual Korean War surgeon stories into the plotline of the show, granting the series additional weight. However, the constant levity brought by the larger-than-life Hawkeye and the strong ensemble cast keep M*A*S*H in the discussion for not only greatest sitcom, but greatest television program ever to this day.
3. Cheers (1982-93)
Favorite Episode: "The Last Angry Mailman"
Like M*A*S*H, Cheers' mainstream popularity afforded the program an unusually long run for a sitcom and a number of spin-off projects (including the wildly hilarious in its own right "Frasier"). Cheers remains a mainstay in syndication to this day thanks to the social issues it confronted boldly in the 1980s, and the popularity of its strong ensemble cast rounded out by Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin-guys you'd want to have a drink with in real life. Its close-knit charm in a big city provides the escapism needed in any endearing sitcom.
2. Arrested Development (2003-6)
Favorite Episode: "The Immaculate Election"
It is inexplicable that FOX has given so many horrible shows a chance over the years, but barely showed any support to the finest program to yet air on their network (yeah, you heard that right "Simpsons"). Arrested Development, like many other shows on this list, takes the conventions of sitcoms and irreverently turns them around, poking fun at the genre, audience, and show itself all to the delight of the audience. Special props for getting sitcom legend Ron Howard to provide the skeptical narration that ties the show together, and for perhaps one of the funniest group of secondary characters to appear on the same screen. It's great to see Archer on FX carry on the dysfunctional family tradition from "Arrested Development," and to see all of the actors move on (more or less) to continued work on some inspired comedic projects. But now, let's get them all back together for that promised movie, damnit!
1. Seinfeld (1989-98)
Favorite Episode: "The Caddy"
Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld's genius decision to craft a sitcom that ignored the touchy-feely for the everyday hilarious created a mainstream comedy hit that NBC continues to search for today. The series is so rife with quotable lines, pop cultural creations, and memorable secondary characters that it would require a volume to chart its social significance. Though the series killed the careers of several of its stars (with the notable exception of David, whose "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was too off-the-wall to include in this list), its legacy remains untouchable to this day, and its prominent position in syndication during primetime on several networks attests to its staying power.
Did I forget your favorite? Let me know!
Recently finishing a whirlwind viewing of the first six seasons of the currently-popular "How I Met Your Mother," I've been thinking a lot about what sitcoms have picked my spirits up over the last several years. Here's a list of my favorites.
(A note: There are myriad definitions for what constitute a sitcom. For the purposes of this post, I'm not limiting my selections to the traditional sound-stage set, live audience, laugh track sitcom, though I know for purists out there this constitutes sacrilege. All complaints can be sent in writing to my non-existent secretary.)
10. How I Met Your Mother (2005-present)
Favorite Episode: "Slapsgiving"
Using an ingenious constant flashback device, How I Met Your Mother features both humorous nods to long-time viewers (the Slap Bet, the Goat, "Haaaaaaave ya met Ted?") interested in the overall plot of the show and great one-off episodes that explore the very nature of story-telling and embellishing. A smart comedy in an era where they appear few and far between.
9. The Office (2005-present)
Favorite Episode: "The Return"
Another series that has recently come under fire for declining quality (illustrating the woefully short lifespan for great sitcoms), the American "Office" program hit its stride with the introduction of Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) and other secondary characters in its third season, as the central relationship between Jim and Pam began to attain more significance and drama. Featuring some of this generation's finest comedic character actors, "The Office" proves that a great sitcom is sometimes merely the sum of its parts.
8. Friends (1994-2004)
Favorite Episode: "The One With All the Thanksgivings"
Sure, it was rather Anglo-centric, and in retrospect is probably viewed with a greater amount of nostalgia by today's audiences than for its actual quality, but "Friends" was huge for several key components that are necessary in any successful and classic sitcom: on-screen chemistry, excellent writing, and compelling characters that both make you laugh and invite you to share in the ups and downs of their daily lives.
7. The Wonder Years (1988-93)
Favorite Episode: "Good-bye"
Twenty years before "Superbad," Carol Black and Neal Marlens brought us the closest approximation of being a teenager allowable on network television through the popular sitcom convention of the flashback, currently used by the aforementioned "How I Met Your Mother." This selection, of course, stresses the definition of what a sitcom can be, with The Wonder Years tackling serious issues like Vietnam, death (in the very first episode, no less!), and the painful process of growing up on an almost weekly basis. But tucked away are brilliant comedic moments narrated to perfection by the incomparable Daniel Stern. And, like most sitcoms, the show killed the career of every actor involved (Paul's rumored turn as Marilyn Manson notwithstanding).
6. The Cosby Show (1984-92)
Favorite Episode: "Pilot"
Even ignoring the social significance of The Cosby Show, bringing the middle-class African-American family to the forefront of American mainstream culture in a way shows like "The Jeffersons" and "Sanford and Son" could never do (and paving the way for the tremendous "Family Matters" which only barely missed out on this list), The Cosby Show rallied around its tremendously popular eponymous star and created one of the finest examples of American family comedy to date. Continuously emulated but never equaled, "Cosby" continues its position of privilege in the annals of American television history to this day, and still holds up well over twenty years later in syndication on several major networks.
5. Scrubs (2001-10 [supposedly, though we all know it ended in 2009])
Favorite Episode: "My Screw Up"
"Spin City" was an excellent first creative project for Bill Lawrence, but he hit something special with "Scrubs" that defied genre expectations and gave the hospital setting a swift, irreverent kick in the pants. Solid principal characters, surrounded by a constantly-growing and developed ensemble cast, allowed Scrubs to hit a high mark in its third season in terms of both dramatic story-telling and comedy.
4. M*A*S*H* (1972-83)
Favorite Episode: "Abyssinia, Henry"
Arguably, M*A*S*H became a better show once it cast off the traditional sitcom elements that characterized the show during its first several seasons: canned laughter in the operating room, the departure of Larry Lanville's Frank Burns as the stiff CO, and the incorporation of more actual Korean War surgeon stories into the plotline of the show, granting the series additional weight. However, the constant levity brought by the larger-than-life Hawkeye and the strong ensemble cast keep M*A*S*H in the discussion for not only greatest sitcom, but greatest television program ever to this day.
3. Cheers (1982-93)
Favorite Episode: "The Last Angry Mailman"
Like M*A*S*H, Cheers' mainstream popularity afforded the program an unusually long run for a sitcom and a number of spin-off projects (including the wildly hilarious in its own right "Frasier"). Cheers remains a mainstay in syndication to this day thanks to the social issues it confronted boldly in the 1980s, and the popularity of its strong ensemble cast rounded out by Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin-guys you'd want to have a drink with in real life. Its close-knit charm in a big city provides the escapism needed in any endearing sitcom.
2. Arrested Development (2003-6)
Favorite Episode: "The Immaculate Election"
It is inexplicable that FOX has given so many horrible shows a chance over the years, but barely showed any support to the finest program to yet air on their network (yeah, you heard that right "Simpsons"). Arrested Development, like many other shows on this list, takes the conventions of sitcoms and irreverently turns them around, poking fun at the genre, audience, and show itself all to the delight of the audience. Special props for getting sitcom legend Ron Howard to provide the skeptical narration that ties the show together, and for perhaps one of the funniest group of secondary characters to appear on the same screen. It's great to see Archer on FX carry on the dysfunctional family tradition from "Arrested Development," and to see all of the actors move on (more or less) to continued work on some inspired comedic projects. But now, let's get them all back together for that promised movie, damnit!
1. Seinfeld (1989-98)
Favorite Episode: "The Caddy"
Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld's genius decision to craft a sitcom that ignored the touchy-feely for the everyday hilarious created a mainstream comedy hit that NBC continues to search for today. The series is so rife with quotable lines, pop cultural creations, and memorable secondary characters that it would require a volume to chart its social significance. Though the series killed the careers of several of its stars (with the notable exception of David, whose "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was too off-the-wall to include in this list), its legacy remains untouchable to this day, and its prominent position in syndication during primetime on several networks attests to its staying power.
Did I forget your favorite? Let me know!
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