doctorfrog on 20/5/2009 at 04:27

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My gaming is a bit behind the times, but in my experience, the following all improve on their various formulae. I'm trying to avoid repeating games mentioned by others:

TES 3: Morrowind: managed to blow the doors off of TES 2 in beauty while retaining a sense of free movement in an open world. Oblivion, in turn, is arguably more gorgeous, but my limited play of it makes it seem a bit more generic, guess there's a tradeoff.

GTA: Vice City: a massive improvement over GTA 3 in sheer fun, buyable buildings, ridiculous challenges, etc. Though I mainly just jump in it now and then to play the vigilante mode. Haven't played the other sequels, but I hear that San Andreas is better.

Sid Meier's Pirates! (3D version): I mention this because I got re-hooked on this game recently. I should be over it in about a week. Arguably well-updated for modern PCs and modern game players. A gorgeous game, if a bit hollow.

Yoot Tower: Everything SimTower was supposed to be, and more. I'd hate to think that the reason why a new, more polished version of YootTower hasn't been made yet is because everything has to be rendered in 3D, and this game is best rendered in good old flat pixelly sprites. Then again, a thorough lack of interest is more likely for this franchise's demise, and why Yoot Tower was never an easy game to get hold of in the first place. Also, it's not a good idea to name anything Yoot, no offense to the main developer.

Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance: Yeah, it wasn't the Tie Fighter remake I'd prefer to have, but the empty, but pretty X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter needed something more, and this was it.

MDK 2: If you're interested in a needlessly difficult sequel to MDK, rendered in comicky 3D, looking for all the world like the Planet Krapton portion of Anachronox, look no further.

Knytt Stories: Knytt Stories is to Knytt what Fallout 2 was to Fallout. Knytt, like Fallout, is almost like a very long, very polished proof-of-concept. Knytt Stories is the finished realization of that concept, more detail, more abilities, and the addition of numerous community-generated levels.

Super Mario Brothers Series: It's needless to say more, except that up until Super Mario 64, each Mario Brothers game has managed to trump those preceeding it in features, graphics, and fun. It's a toss up as to what's the pinnacle, Mario 64 or Super Mario World, or maybe Super Mario Bros. 3, but there's a good reason why N has milked this cash cow near to death.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening: Now, this one is entirely personal preference, but this tight little green adventure on the Game Boy came shortly after the SNES smash A Link to the Past, and in my opinion, surpassed all before it, and remains my favorite Zelda adventure to this day. I'll admit it's mainly nostalgia talking here, though.

A few others:
- Galactic Civilizations II: excellent AI, probably the best ever devised for a 4X. Blows the doors off of its prior, and spits in the face of 4X games that 'cheat' or 'peek' at the game player to adjust their play. I'm looking at you, entire Civ series.
- Metroid II
- Chessmaster 10
- Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri: the best in the Civ series, and not even developed by Sid.

PigLick on 20/5/2009 at 05:15

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possibly the only time me and Eva will agree on something

also drfrog, if you liked Vice City, you have to get San Andreas, I'm still playing that game

Sulphur on 20/5/2009 at 06:35

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Oh, and how did I ever forget? Ultima VII: The Black Gate. Best game ever, never mind sequel.



True, but I found the game as a whole a lot more fun to play because of some of the more open and interesting level design. I am of course looking back with rose-tinted glasses (aren't we all? :D), and I never did like the original Doom all that much (gasp).

EvaUnit02 on 20/5/2009 at 07:43

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Fuck Thief 1. Seriously, zombies, acid belching mini T-Rexs, lobstermen? Lord Bafford's mansion was terrific, but then it totally jumps the shark with the second level.

Thief 2 is how Thief 1 should've been, sans the copypasta surveillance cameras and security drones from System Shock 2.

Oh and Commander Keen 4-6 were massive improvements over the Keen 1-3 "Vorticon trilogy", it's like night and day. Keen Dreams was just bizarre though.

PigLick on 20/5/2009 at 07:59

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ok, the 2nd time then