Favorite games people may not have tried

[Ohio Joe]

OK, I really need a break from the politics of the day, so I thought I would come down here and write about something that relaxes me. Please feel free to add your own favorites people may not have tried.

I've mentioned some of my favorite games in previous post and thought I would skip any of those and talk about some other great games (ok, I've been drinking, we'll see how many I get before I can't type anymore).

Nectaris - I originally played this way back when on my TG16, it was my introduction to turn based strategy games. Certainly kind of primitive by todays standards, its console roots are really evident in the simplistic controls. The game is played one map at a time with around twenty or so maps. They start out small with only a few units (units/bases/ect do not carry from map to map, you always start new) but the maps get pretty big before long and there are a good amount of units. The later battles are super intense, generally you start with a lot less units and bases then the computer controlled opponent (two player option was allowed in later releases and sides balanced) and even when you figure out the correct strategy for each map, its close. Not close enough to frustrate you but close enough to make you feel like "Fuck yeah!" when you beat the map. Then there is a wicked cool bonus feature when you finish all of the maps, you get to play them again but this time you play as the other side and the computer takes control of the side you just won as. Doing the maps again is a breeze since the computer still plays the same way even though it is now vastly overpowered. It goes quick, I don't recall ever losing a reverse game, even the first time played. They are real nice to have access to though for those times you just feel like CRUSHING and army :headbang:

Later, I bought it again for the first Playstation. It contained Nectaris as well as the sequal... uhhh, forget the name, does not matter. The original was the same but had balanced two player added and the sequel was more of the same, around 20 new maps, but the rest was the same. Same units, same AI, same good play, just more maps. ... Looking at that it makes the sequel seem lame but it was sweet to have more maps after so long with the same ones. I saw something not long ago, that it was being released for download on the PS3... soon... I think in the next month or so. Sorry, can't find it now cause I forget where I saw it :) But, I think if you can find a used PS1 copy it might still be compatible on a PS3 (PS2 definitely, I played my PS1 disk of it on my PS2).


OK, next game

Dungeon Keeper - Let me say up front, I know there were sequels but I never played them even though I loved this game. If anyone played any of the sequels, please add your thoughts.

This is a real time strategy I played many moons ago on the PC... So long ago, I don't remember the requirements... or maybe the alcohol is kicking into high gear. Regardless, I expect it is playable on what your running if you are able to see this post. I would also not be surprised if it was available as abandon ware... hm mm, I'll have to look for it and if it is available for legal download I'll post a link.

On to the game itself. This is not a typical real time strategy game, not like starcraft or C&C, its more like a sandbox real time strategy. You play the evil overlord (kind of like being a republican) and get to build your dungeon and more... so much more. Check out the wiki page for the awesome details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_Keeper

What the wiki article does not talk about at all, is just how comic this game is to play... everything, all the animations, the rooms, all the stuff you can do, comes across as really just laugh out loud funny. The more you play though, the more you find that as comic and humorous as this game is, it has pretty good depth and is a really good challenge.

OK, last one... for now :D

Romance of the Three Kingdoms - Another turn based strategy game (sorry if you hate this shit and I've just wasted a bunch of you time :rofl: ). There are a bunch of these games and (for the most part) the higher the sequel number the more complex the game. Made by Koei, I first played these game on my old SNES. Sequels can be played through emulators for the various consoles they were released for (Nintendo and Sony systems... I think some of the later sequels were also for PC, theres a crap load of sequals... 10.. 12 not sure).

I love these games but... they are not for everyone. There are a bunch of different way to play, I've only ever done starting from the earliest period with a single city and no player created characters (generals you can start with or can appear in the game). Most of my playing buddies through the years have described it as "grueling". You are the ruler and each turn you assign each of your generals a task (some tasks take many months and each general can only do one thing at a time) as well as yourself. Slowly... some say much to slowly... you build your city in every manner you can think of, defense, drafting (for military service), training, crops, all kinds of crap. Then you attack and take over more cities, with up to 18 opponents (as many player controlled as you want... or can find people willing to do it, hahahahahaha and the rest controlled by the computer).

I find a deep inner peace when playing turn based strategy games. I love the stats and the numbers and the more the better and these games deliver. Tons of stats on all manner of crap to build and perfect, it drives a lot of people away but... I just eat this stuff up.

Epilogue - I have always been under the impression that strategy games are not played near as much as they should be, so if you have not really tried them, give it a go. If you have and like them, I hope you see something new here and get some good playing time in. Strategies are not my only passion though, so please add and introduce me/us to any hidden gems we might have missed regardless of the genre. When I get ambitious again I'll add to this and cover my favorite RPGs you may not have played. and... I might even be sober for that update :D

[HappyCynic]

1. A few of my favourite obscure games

I also thought Dungeon Keeper was a great game. The second one was good too. It wasn't that much different from the first one but by the same token, it didn't kill the fun of the first.

Some games I've really enjoyed that are more obscure are:

Shadow Hearts Covenant (PS2)
It's an rpg set in the early 20th century. Its story is really good (a few good twists) and the characters are very strange. In what other game would your party consist of a half-Russian, half-Japanese guy who can turn into monsters, a wolf who's probably more intelligent than most of the party, a puppeteer, a vampire wrestler (WWF style wrestling, not Olympic style), and a few more. The vampire has all sorts of strange weapons (including a folding table and a giant 7' frozen tuna).

Disgaea (PS2)
This is another RPG but it's particularly strange and very addictive. It's taken things to an absurd level and paired it with a really wacky story. It's quite easy to finish without levelling up too high but if you want, you can level up to an insane degree.

Master of Magic (PC)
This was a really early RTS that was, in my opinion, a lot more fun than Master of Orion.

[Ohio Joe]

2. Excellent

"Shadow Hearts Covenant (PS2)"

I will definitely keep an eye out for this game, I love weird RPGs.

"Disgaea (PS2)"

I am not sure why I've never played this, it got good reviews from sources I always (well... mostly) agreed with but never got around to it.

"Master of Magic (PC)"

Yes! Good game!

[HappyCynic]

3. stats and numbers

For the stats and numbers, you might get a kick out of one aspect of Disgaea - the Item World. In most games, you can buy/find/create weapons and armour like Sword +1, flaming spear, plate mail of strength, etc. With Disgaea, you have the Item World. Each item will have a number of points available for enhancements. That might not sound too strange at first but here's where it gets strange. Each point can be filled by a "specialist", which gives bonuses to the weapon/armour/item. Each item is its own self-contained dungeon that you can enter (of course, you can't take that particular item with you when you enter). You fight your way through the dungeon and at some point, you may come across a specialist. If you can defeat it before the monsters on that level defeat it, you gain control over it. When you leave the Item World, you can move any specialists you control to another item. So, you can power up items at will, just by moving around specialists. You can also combine specialists (of the same type). So, instead of having 5 specialists with a +1 damage effect, you can combine them into a single specialist with a +5 effect. Just like you can level up to insane levels (it's either level 9,999 or 99,999), you can create some insanely powerful items. And you're not stuck with them either, as you can move the specialists around.

If you like strange RPGs, you might also consider checking out Odin Sphere. It's another one that's hard to explain (one really weird aspect is that you can plant items to grow items that can be used for restoring health or mixing potions - and you can grow sheep too). It's pretty much a single story split up into separate parts. But instead of subsequent parts, it's more accurate to say it has several characters whose paths cross during the story and each segment follows a single person's story.

[moggie]

4. The item world was INSANE!

When every item of note contains its own multi-level world, into which you can descend and fight battles, you can spend an almost infinite amount of time on the game.

I enjoyed Disgaea a lot, partly due to the wacky interplay between the characters. How can you not like a game where the main character enrages one of the bad guys by repeatedly referring to him as "mid-boss"?

I've just noticed that there's a Disgaea 3, for the PS3. Great, there goes my weekend...

[moggie]

5. Don't forget the voice acting in Dungeon Keeper!

All those cues like "your workshop isn't big enough", delivered in a voice dripping with evil (Tim Curry?). The grumbling sounds your minions make when they're unhappy, the fart noises...

The spiritual successor to Dungeon Keeper is, I suppose, Overlord. Fun, but I didn't get much beyond the first boss fight before my attention wandered elsewhere.

[YOY]

6. THE MAAASTER!!!

Overlord...The story drove that one...it was fun. You just had to get into the story.

[Occulus]

11. There was a Dungeon Keeper sequel. "Dungeon Keeper 2".

My favorite line was....

"It is PAYDAY!"

Delivered in a disgusted, "just take your money and fucking GO" voice.

Slapping the chickens made them explode.

Good times....

[HappyCynic]

13. Possessing

Don't forget possessing the chickens... The only thing you could possess but have no control over. Just watch the view bob up and down, up and down...

[YOY]

7. Jagged Alliance 1 & 2.

Great games with tons of personality. Sadly a bit dated but full of banter and very memorable characters.

Master of Magic 2 where art thou...

[TheMightyFavog]

8. The Japanese Cowboy cracked me up.

And of course, Fidel and Ivan Dolvich.

[YOY]

10. Tex Colburn

"Cow Pie!"

[Mojambo]

15. They should totally make another Jagged Alliance game.

Great series

[YOY]

16. After SirTech went under it sadly got scattered to the four winds.

Several Russian developers have done a piss poor job on it and released a few crappy games that did not live up to the standard. Sad as they seem to have a HUGE fan base of the game. The license belongs to Strategy First but the last devs they had on it didn't live up to their expectations I guess.

Hired Guns: New JAgged Union was the result when they took the license away...got really bad ratings.

[YOY]

25. I actually tried New JAgged Union

It takes forever to load and is a fucking TERRIBLE POS game.

[Evoman]

9. A couple of games:

1) X-Com: I hope most hardcore gamers have played this. Squad-based tactical turn based game.....best description I can think of, but doesn't encompass the richness of the game. You can research, you can do autopsies on aliens, you can take alien technology and make it your own. Awesome.

2)Star Control 2: Another one that's hard to describe. Why there hasn't been another game like it ever, I have no idea. Basically, you start of with a ship and you have to explore the galaxy. So many star systems and planets to explore...so many alien creatures to meet. I wish I could forget what happened it in, so I can play it fresh all over again...but alas, I have played it way too many times.

3)Toe Jam and Earl: There has never been a better co-op game for the genesis (with the exception of maybe gunstar heroes).

4)Galactic Civilizations 2: If you like turn-based strategy games, you gotta play it.

5)Alpha Centauri: another great turn-based strategy game, and the spiritual succesor to Civilizations.

6)The rest: Freedom Force, Sly Cooper Series, Ratchet and Clank series, Onimusha series, Chrono Trigger, Deus Ex (only first one), Thief Series.

[HappyCynic]

12. X-Com

X-Com 1 and X-Com: Apocalypse were good. The second one (Terror from the Deep if I recall correctly) wasn't very good - just a harder version of the first (pointlessly harder, at that).

Definitely agree that Star Control 2 was a great game.

For those who like Adventure games, there were a few translated ones that were really fantastic: The Longest Journey (I haven't played the sequel Dreamfall so I can't comment on it) and Syberia (I & II, which wasn't really a sequel but the second half of the story).

[Ignis]

14. Agreed on Alpha Centauri, X-Com, and StarCon 2!

All great games for their times. I'd sure love to see an update to Alpha Centauri.

Oh, and Freedom Force! Why oh why aren't more games so well designed?

[romana]

17. My picks

Alpha Centauri definitely. I loved that game, and placed it almost as endlessly as I played the early versions of Civilization.

Syberia. I loved every aspect of this game the first time I played it. The characters, the graphics, the puzzles, the story. To me, it was the perfect game experience (much like KotOR was). Syberia II, not so much, sadly, mostly because I didnt like I how it ended.

However, I just saw in Wiki that Syberia III is coming, which will hopefully resolve Kate's story finally (that was my beef with the second game-Kate is less a character and more a tool for another character's story, which I didn't find as satisfying).

[BlooInBloo]

18. EVE Online.

[YOY]

19. I tried it.

Not my cup of tea.

[Forkboy]

20. M.A.X.

One of the best wargames I've ever played (and I've played a lot). You can play turn based or simultaneous turn based, so it covers both camps (I play turn based). Great review here..
http://hotud.org/Strategy/MAX.html



All of the Koei "China" games were cool, from RotTK to Ghengis Khan and Nobunaga's Ambition. All basically the same game, and all fun once you take the time to get into them.

[Ohio Joe]

21. That looks pretty awesome

I've never even heard of it before, I'll have to check it out. Thanks!

[Forkboy]

22. It can be had pretty cheap.

I think I ordered a copy for 5 or 6 bucks. Getting it to run is a bit dodgy though. You have to mess with the sound setup on newer pc's to get it to run, and even then the sound was spotty. But it's a minor point, as the game is so cool I don't need sound.

I haven't tried it in DOSbox yet though. Hmmmmm, that might address the sound problem. I might have to reload the sucker and test it! I never even thought of trying it that way before. :think:

[Forkboy]

23. I tried it in DOSbox and it runs flawlessly.

Sound works right even. If you get a copy, that seems the best way to play it.

[Ohio Joe]

24. Cool

I ran DOSbox on my last PC for a few older games I still liked to play and it pretty much always worked fine except for the occasional sound issue.