My Top 15 Games of All Time: #10

We are here in the top 10 of my favorite games of all time and it was not easy to make this list. I am sure I will make some huge glaring omissions, but I will say it's been fun to go back through my back catalogue reminiscing on some of my favorites.

We are in the middle of Marvel Movie Mania and I for one have been loving every second of it. I'm going to take this time to mention that Guardians of the Galaxy is my favorite Marvel movie yet. It was amazing and hilarious. If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you do. My sister, who had no clue what she was going to see, loved it too.

But before the Guardians and the Avengers made it to the big screen, the best way to see your favorite heroes team up to take down the bad guys was on my 10th favorite game of all time.

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#10 - Marvel Ultimate Alliance - First released October 24th, 2006 (Xbox 360, Xbox, PS3, PS2, PC, PSP, Game Boy Advance, Wii)

Ultimate Alliance was the next step after the successful (and quite fun) X-Men Legends games. It's an action-RPG set in the Marvel Universe where you can control an entire army of characters ranging from the regulars like Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, to the lesser used characters like Daredevil, Moon Knight, and Ghost Rider. Any Marvel fan has to love the ability to control so many characters to beat the hell out of some of the biggest and baddest names in the Marvel Universe, such as M.O.D.O.K. and Doctor Doom himself.

Putting 4 heroes of the same team together gave you an extra boost, so putting the Fantastic Four together gave you a stat bonus, same with the Avengers, the X-Men, the Defenders, and so on. While it certainly helped, it was never NECESSARY to do so, leaving the player free to choose their favorite heroes and go nuts. 

The story opens with Doctor Doom and The Masters Of Evil attacking the Helicarrier, leading Nick Fury to put out a call to all super heroes to stop this threat, the first 4 to respond are Cap, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Thor. Game start! From that point on, the game says "Hey, you like Marvel, right? Here you go!". From then on out it is so much fan service, with the first few bosses being Scorpion, Bullseye, Winter Soldier, the list goes on and on.

The game also takes you to several well known Marvel locations, like Atlantis with Namor, Stark Tower, Asgard, and so on. Beyond the main storyline, you find collectibles along the way that open up hero-specific side stories which, upon completion, unlock a new costume you can level up. There are around 3 to 4 different costumes which have their own stats, and they are all costumes taken right out of the comics. Want to be Symbiote Spidey? Brown and Yellow Wolverine? Yellow Daredevil? Go right ahead.

I would say my favorite heroes to play as were Daredevil, Deadpool, Blade, and Ghost Rider. I always love seeing Daredevil in a game, FYI. It was also great to see lesser used characters get their due. DLC came out later adding even more heroes and playable villains, including Cyclops, Hawkeye, The Hulk, Nightcrawler, Magneto, Sabretooth, Venom, and the ability to play as Doctor Doom.

Another big standout from Marvel: Ultimate Alliance were the cinematics, take a look for yourself.

The game looked incredible, played great, was a fun and rewarding Action-RPG, and was a love letter to all Marvel fans. Sure, MUA 2 was also a great game that focused on the Civil War aspect, giving us 2 different storylines, but that first game was absolutely incredible and what every Marvel fan wanted. Hopefully they look into a MUA 3 on these new systems, but until then, we have this instant classic and my 10th favorite game of all time.

Excelsior! 

My Top 15 Games of All Time: #11

First-person shooters are everywhere in the industry now, there are way too many to count and it's a genre where you really have to do something massive to stand out. Several years ago, there were a metric shit-ton of World War II shooters, with one of the more popular ones being Call of Duty. For a long time there, with games like Battlefield 1942, Medal of Honor, Day of Defeat, and Call of Duty, it seemed like time was running out on the historical shooter and someone needed to make the jump forward.

Of course these games were successful and I'm sure it's terrifying to try anything new with a community like ours full of nit-pickers and complainers. However, Infinity Ward decided to take the Call of Duty franchise in a new direction and bring it to more modern times. The end result would be the best Call of Duty game and would kick off what we now know as "Call of Duty Mania". You want to know why everyone squeals like a girl when they see anything about a new Call of Duty game? It all started here.
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#11 - Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - First released November 5th, 2007 (Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, PC, Mac)

This is not to say the previous games in the series were bad, they were fine, but I feel with those being more historical and with Modern Warfare hitting a little more close to home for people, this had a bigger response and a deeper appreciation. Plus, to me, having played all the games in the series, Modern Warfare was the first to really up the "shit's-hitting-the-fan" ante. Which is evident in the very first mission on the ship when, all of a sudden, the ship starts taking on water and you have to run for your life and jump into a hovering helicopter. In a case of sheer perfect pacing, the game brings it down action-wise and puts you in a vehicle being taken somewhere while you watch a war-torn city pass by, full of executions and trauma. Once you figure out who you are and what the point of all this is, you yourself are lined up for an execution, get a gun pointed at your face, and are assassinated point blank.

All this sets the scene for the amount of shit you're going to see throughout the campaign. In fact, I can claim that this game was the first game EVER to make me actually say "OH SHIT" out loud, and I did it two or three times. This kind of campaign wasn't seen before and the trick to all this was this: you could imagine this actually happening in our world. That helped make the story gripping. Also, the fact that this was the best action you didn't need to buy a ticket for. The game looked great, played fast, and was an absolute blast.

Of course what is Call of Duty nowadays without its multiplayer? This was the beginnings of what we think about when it comes to CoD multiplayer. All the different modes, the leveling up, the unlocks, the challenges, the perks. This was still all relatively new in the grand scheme of things, putting an RPG element into a shooter like this, so that definitely added the whole "carrot on a stick" aspect that keeps people coming back.

This was, unfortunately, the birth of the Call of Duty players who like using voice chat to make sure you know how much you suck and calling you all sorts of derogatory things. I have been against using public voice chat since my days of Halo 2, and while I do dabble in it while playing Dota 2 (I make sure to play with friends), it's worth mentioning that I have always found CoD to be among the most annoying when it comes to people on voice chat, but I digress.

Though that's a reason I'm not going to put a video on this post, since most of it is just walkthroughs or "Check out how many dudes I kill while telling them how fat and ugly their mom is".

Also worth noting is that this game really brought to life the fact that a constant 60 frames per second does wonders. It helps deliver that fast, frantic gameplay the series is known for. Granted, 30 frames per second works for some franchises, but Call of Duty's main draw is that in-your-face action, and it would not be able to achieve that unless it was at 60.

Call of Duty is still one of the most popular franchises on the planet, and the new one (Advanced Warfare) looks like the next big jump in the franchise. Will it be as groundbreaking as 4 was? We will find out in a few months, but until then, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare stands out as the best in the franchise and the game that helped kick off an era of shooters that we had never thought possible.

My Top 15 Games of All Time: #12

Star Wars is in a weird spot at the moment: the idea that we are going to get Episodes VII, VIII and IX is causing quite a split. Many people are excited for a new story in the universe, and some of us remember how Episodes I, II, and III went and are (putting it mildly) skeptical. I guess I can say I am a bit of both.

One thing we all can agree on, however, is that the franchise has given us plenty of video games. Some of them are quite good and some give you the same feeling you had when you first saw Jar Jar Binks (ugh).

Nevertheless, one of the best games to carry the Star Wars name happens to find its way onto my favorites of all time.

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#12 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - First released July 15th, 2003 (Xbox, PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone)

KOTOR (as it is affectionately known) was developed by BioWare, who would go on to make the Mass Effect series as well as the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. While they did make great RPGs before in Baldur's Gate and the Neverwinter Nights series, KOTOR was a huge undertaking given the massive fan base surrounding it. Sure, you had the Dungeons & Dragons fans who liked the previous BioWare games (since it used the D&D ruleset), but now on top of that you enter the realm of the Übernerd with Star Wars. On top of that, they wanted a deep RPG game where you can also choose whether you lean towards the light or dark side while making both fun to play, create a gripping and epic story AND appease said Übernerds or be labeled as the company that "fucked up Star Wars". Also worth noting, while Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights ran on the Infinity engine and Aurora engine respectively, KOTOR was the first to use BioWare's Odyssey engine, meaning that this would be the first of its kind.

Luckily the planets aligned (pun? maybe?) and KOTOR not only hit all the beats that RPG gamers wanted, but it made Star Wars fans happy, and I can tell you, being one, that's no easy thing to pull off.

The combat reminded me of Chrono Trigger in that it wasn't quite turn-based, nor was it real-time. You chose the next action you and your party members made, and the timer would tick down until you performed the action. You could also pause the game whenever to get a better tactical look at the situation, a feature that was predominantly used in later BioWare games like Dragon Age. Before KOTOR, all we wanted to do was walk up to a guy, swing our lightsabers and be done with it. Here, we actually had to decide what type of swing we wanted, who to hit with it, and which lightsaber we wanted to use.

Oh yeah, different lightsabers had different stats on them, this was a loot game, and while you will see many swords starting out your adventure, that moment you get your first lightsaber is kinda like Indiana Jones finding the Ark of the Covenant, sheer awe and probably the notion that someone's face is going to melt off.

The big thing here that ended up becoming BioWare's calling card was the dialogue tree. If you have played Mass Effect, Dragon Age, or The Old Republic, you know what I am talking about. The answers you gave actually had meaning, which was incredible to me. Your answers dictated what side of the force you were leaning towards, which changed how you looked, the powers available to you, and how other people reacted to you, paving the way for a game such as Fable.

That was a big thing too, making both sides of the force fun to play. Sure, we all wanted to be the badass dark side and choke people and basically be Darth Vader, but the light side had its fair share of cool powers too. To me it's the nice balance that a game like World of Warcraft has, where both sides has its highlight and either way you play, you can feel like a badass.

KOTOR took you through the galaxy and on many planets, including Dantooine, Tatooine, and Kashyyyk. Also, the idea of controlling your companions, trying to keep them on your good side, and making sure they don't die in battle, added an extra layer on top of an already deep RPG. You level up, you select your skills, you improve your attributes, and you felt like a more and more powerful Jedi, which is really what any Star Wars fan wants.

Video time! Here is some KOTOR gameplay:

Knights of the Old Republic was an ambitious and successful attempt at an epic space RPG. Of course now we know this would pay off for BioWare with the Mass Effect series. People were excited for The Old Republic MMO because they wanted an even bigger version of this game, and for good reason. Say what you will about the MMO, the original KOTOR is a classic that I can always go back to.

My Top 15 Games of All Time: #13

I have mentioned this game before in a Flashback Friday post, so this might be a brief one, and it seems like great timing with the blockbuster movie out soon, so let's talk about one of my favorite arcade games of all time dealing with the biggest thing from my childhood, that I ended up spending a lot of time with via my NES.
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# 13 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game - First released 1989 (Arcade, NES)

First and foremost, I am a HUGE TMNT fan, to the point where whenever I am even close to anything dealing with them, I turn back into an 8-year-old boy and basically start only making sounds like "wah", "gee", "yee", and hop up and down (I was a weird child). I had the bedroom set, the action figures, the Turtle Van, the playsets, the plastic weapons, the plastic shell, and somehow I still turned out OK.

This was still in my early ages of being a video gamer, but even by 1990, I had played the first TMNT game for the NES and it was a HUGE bummer. Even for me, that game has very few redeeming qualities. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long to get not only a great TMNT game, but one of the best games I have ever played. Again, I may be a little biased based on the source material here, but it's my list, so deal with it. :)

Again, I've covered this game before so just know that I spent A LOT of time with this game, jump kicking my way through all the levels, beating the game so many times. To this day, I can go back and know which enemies are in which level and what scripted events happen and when they happen.

Since I like adding videos to this countdown, let's look at a speedrun:

Amazing game, better with friends, the best TMNT game out there, and one of my favorites of all time.

If you want to read my previous post, HERE is the link.

Also, kind of already stoked for this weekend so I can see my boys on the big screen again.... "yee"....

My Top 15 Games of All Time: #14

Well before my days of Halo LAN parties, and long before the internet came into consoles and effectively made "same couch multiplayer" obsolete, I remember many a night going over to my friends house and playing some N64. While there is a really good chance I will mention one of those games later on in the countdown, let's talk about this one first.

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#14 - Perfect Dark - First released May 22nd, 2000 (N64)

Also, look at the box there, it says "Expansion Pak REQUIRED". Granted, yes, this was near the end of the N64's life cycle as the GameCube would be announced the same year, so many gamers already had the Expansion Pak, it's just odd how Nintendo would require something to play their games, I'm sure they won't do that in the future (Looks at all the Wii nunchucks and the Wii Fitness Board I somehow own) ....well shit.

Moving on.

Perfect Dark was the next game from Rare after the widely successful Goldeneye game. A lot of the same mechanics stayed from that game, but, obviously, the setting and characters and story are unique. I can recall this being one of the first few instances in gaming (at least in my experience) where your protagonist is a kick-ass femme fatale (the other big game, naturally, being Tomb Raider). 

The setting and the characters kinda reminded me a bit of Blade Runner and anything that can get me thinking of that is great in my books. By and large, however, this game owes a lot of its success to Goldeneye since it acted as the next drug for us. That's not to say this game didn't stand out on its own merits since it totally did. The graphics were improved from Goldeneye, there was a lot of dialogue, and plenty of Easter Eggs, including Robin Williams' face being used as Daniel Carrington. Seriously, go look at it, you'll all say "Really?". (Yes it is actually Robin Williams).

The campaign was a great future-espionage story which still had the hooks of unlocking characters and modes by completing the missions fast and efficiently, so replayability was extremely high here. Also, the local multiplayer was still in effect and it was still a lot of fun to talk trash to your friends while gunning them down.

The big draw for me here was being able to play 8-player matches against bots. This was still a relatively new thing, especially for me since I didn't have a great gaming PC for most of my life and games like Battlefield 1942 were still on the way. If I couldn't hang out with my friends, I could still play multiplayer Perfect Dark against enemies and still have a fun, chaotic, challenging experience. I attribute PD for starting my love of games that have bots since this allows games to continue to have multiplayer while not solely rely on actual people constantly playing the game. This also allows me to actually have a good time since people who play a multiplayer game often and a lot are usually great at it and bots can be as dumb as you want them to be.

Another big thing was the staggering amount of stat tracking this game had. You could see how many games you played, how many you won/lost, how long you've been playing (which I always feel is a little depressing no matter what the actual time is), kills, deaths, accuracy %, headshots, and on and on. It was incredible and really paved the way for future shooters like Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Halo.

Let's take a look at some combat from Perfect Dark in one of the most iconic maps in video games: Facility from Goldeneye 007.

If you don't still have your N64, and shame on you, you can now play the HD version on Xbox Live Arcade, multiplayer and all. Though there is something so surreal about holding an N64 controller while trying to use the Farsight.

HOLY SHIT THE FARSIGHT!

One of the best/most annoying weapons in video games, the Farsight XR-20 allowed you to kill anyone with one shot from anywhere in the map. Watch it in action:

It's the best when you have it, and the worst when you turn a corner, see nothing, and just die at the hands of your buddy who is across the map.

I remember losing so many nights to Perfect Dark and a lot of bot killing. While N64 games in general are hard to go back to and may not stand the test of time, Perfect Dark still will bring hours of fun and I have no problems playing this today.

Though, man, wouldn't it be cool if they made a new Perfect Dark?....no I mean one that's actually good. 

My Top 15 Games of All Time: #15

Thus begins the countdown of my top 15 games of ALL TIME. Now my criteria for this is simple:

- Any game is in play except for mobile games

- I have to have played it

- This does not mean all other games suck, these just stand out.

Get it? Got it? Good! Here we go!
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#15 - Sid Meier's Civilization V - First released September 21st, 2010 (PC, Mac, Linux)

I had never considered myself a big strategy game aficionado. Sure, there was Red Alert, StarCraft, WarCraft, other RTS titles before, but Civilization is more of a turn-based micromanaging style game, and the early entries seemed impenetrable to me, so younger me never bothered with those. Then Civ V came around and everyone who talked about it had nothing but amazing things to say about it, so I knew I had to give it a chance.

Oh man, that was a pretty great decision.

I remember the first time I booted up the game on release day and thought to myself, "I'm going to rule the world". That is what this game is all about, world domination. The big thing here is that they have made it much more accessible to someone like me (who has never played a game in the series) to jump in and get an idea of what's going on. That's not to say the game is simple (it's not), but Civ V does a great job at guiding you though the mechanics, then letting you have your free will, while always being a click away to advise you on what to do next, going so far as to put little gem icons next to things you should build to lean more towards that type of victory (Space Race, cultural, diplomatic, world domination).

That's also a really cool thing to me. Sure it's been in the previous games, but being able to win in different ways keeps your options open at all times in any given game, you could be trying to get the science edge on your opponents, see that they may be a step ahead, switch to a military focused approach, then wipe them out.

The original game launched with 18 playable civilizations, with 7 more as DLC. With the later expansions (Gods & Kings, Brave New World) adding up to total of 43, which is a lot of content for sure. Add to that, the fact that the game supports Steam Workshop, and the possibilities are endless. I downloaded a mod off there that added the Hyrule civilization with their leader being Princess Zelda, anything is possible.

Going back to the main civilizations though, there is something so appealing about playing as the biggest names in history. Washington, Augustus Caesar, Napoleon, Gandhi, Alexander the Great, etc, and taking them through time trying to be the superior civilization. Also, having the ability to play as someone like George Washington and taking him through the World War eras and firing tanks and bombers at my enemies is strangely satisfying.

There is so much going on in any given game, but the game does a great job of letting you decide how much of that you want to get deep into. There is city building/improving, citizen happiness, resource collecting, a tech tree, religion, lawmaking, etc. The amazing thing is that you can play the game on the surface, or get deep into all the mechanics, and have a great time either way.

Also, these games can go on for a long time and never get old. You can play the same game for days straight and it still grips you and never lets go. Being able to play online adds the human element and adds to the massive scale with so many players vying for the superior civilization.

Also, since I am a sucker for great music, here is the theme from the Gods & Kings expansion:

Then there was this theme from the Brave New World expansion:

Gorgeous stuff here and really adds to the overall feel of what you are out to do in this game.

I have never felt the feeling of "One more click, one more turn, one more click, one more turn" before, but Sid Meier's Civilization V got its hooks in me and left me always wanting to see what's next. Alliances will be formed and broken, cities will be founded and fought over, and it is one of the most addicting experiences you can legally have. I have to play some of this tonight.

....and this is just number 15 on my list.

The "Because It's My Birthday" favorite games of all time: Honorable Mention

It is officially August 1st, which means that THE Jeff of All Games is getting another year older (the "wiser" part is still up for debate, I'd like to think so, though). In the spirit of the birthing, I thought I would count down my top 15 games of ALL TIME (so far, I mean this holiday season may produce some new entries).

Why would I do this? It's my blog, so that's why. I will try to highlight one game a day from tomorrow on, but before I do, I want to mention a few here that JUST missed out on my top 15. Keep in mind, these are my favorites of ALL TIME, so there are going to be fantastic games that won't make the list. I have played A LOT of games, so trying to whittle that down to just 15 was a pretty hard endeavor.

So here we go, let's bring up the 15 honorable mentions on games that barely missed by top 15 (in no particular order):

- Team Fortress 2 - First released October 9th, 2007 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Mac, Linux)

I have played many shooters in my years but TF2 is the one I very easily spent the most time with. Between the original launch in 2007 and now, the game has changed in so many ways (including, of course, going free-to-play). Constant updates and support from Valve helped make this game huge and helped it maintain a substantial fan-base. There is always something new with TF2, whether it's a crafting system, new items to acquire, or the pure fact that it's a shooter with damn loot drops, TF2 will always be a game I come back to.

- Star Wars: TIE Fighter - First released July, 1994 (PC, Mac)

Many (including me) consider this to be the best space flight sim on the market. With X-Wing being released a year earlier (and also a success), TIE Fighter took that and made it even better with improved graphics and the fact that you are playing as the freaking dark side!

- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron - First released December 3rd, 1998 (N64, PC)

Keeping the Star Wars flying game theme going, Rogue Squadron was a game that I'm sure overheated my N64. I hadn't taken the full plunge into flying games (besides TIE Fighter, of course) and I was still young and appreciating the original Star Wars trilogy, so anything that could put me in the cockpit of a star fighter while jamming out to the Star Wars theme had my interest. It certainly helped that the first Rogue Squadron was a fantastic game.

- Gears of War Series - First released November 7th, 2006 (Xbox 360, PC)

Gears was the game that got people excited for the new Xbox 360. Shooters were going to go in a new direction and the bar was going to be raised on how action games looked and played. Everyone's first reaction to seeing the chainsaw bayonet was "HOLY SHIT!". Luckily, the Gears series fulfilled the hype and turned into a huge franchise, even being used in the same breath as Halo and Call of Duty. You know your game is a real deal when every other 3rd-person-cover shooter is called "Gears of War-like". I would have to say that Gears 2 is my favorite in the series.

- The Last of Us - First released June 14th, 2013 (PS3, PS4)

Naughty Dog has really hit its stride. The Uncharted series is award-winning and an important franchise in gaming, but The Last of Us is a masterpiece. The story telling here was second-to-none and they do a fantastic job of keeping the player hooked into these characters the entire time. While the combat can get a little repetitive and frustrating near the end, that is a small blemish on a game that will undoubtedly be talked about for years to come. Hell, the opening cinematic made me cry a little and I NEVER DO THAT!

- L.A. Noire - First released May 17th, 2011 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Rockstar makes great games, period. I have always had an infatuation with the mobster era, The Untouchables, Al Capone, prohibition, etc. So giving me a crime drama set in that era is like Christmas. And, yeah, that whole "our characters look real and their face moves perfectly to what they are saying" worked beautifully. It's amazing looking. You really feel like an old-time movie mob cop and I'd gladly play this again and again. I might even use the black and white filter for added effect.

- Twisted Metal series - First released November 5th, 1995 (PS1, PS2, PSP, PS3)

Car combat became a real thing once Twisted Metal was released unto the world. The whole concept of a destruction derby with outlandish characters and weapons made 10 year old me very happy. Plus the fact that it played well and looked great. This trend carried on through the generations of consoles, with Twisted Metal: Black being the standout here. Though I do really enjoy the new one on PS3. Though this game did inspire WWE Crush Hour, so you know...take that for what it's worth.

- Super Mario World - First released November 20th, 1990 (SNES)

The best Mario game ever, period. Deal with it!

- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - First released November 11th, 2011 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

While Oblivion was a ambitious and awesome game, and with Fallout 3 being an instant classic, Skyrim took the open world game and took it far beyond what people could imagine. This is the epic fantasy game everyone wanted and with mods and Steam Workshop, this game will stay fresh for a long time.

- Ratchet & Clank series - First released November 4th, 2002 (PS2, PS3, PSP, PS Vita, PS4)

Crazy guns, great humor, likable characters, and tight gameplay all add up to a fantastic franchise. I absolutely love the "Future" series on the PS3, and I am very excited for the PS4 reimagining of the original game that will coincide with the release of the MOVIE! I'm in!

- Command & Conquer: Red Alert - First released October 31st, 1996 (PC, PS1)

My entry into the RTS genre (before StarCraft got its hands on me) and a staple of my childhood. I can't tell you how many games of this I played with friends, while of course jamming out to "Hell March". The supremely cheesy cut-scenes helped put this game (and it's sequels) into a special place in my heart.

- God of War series- First released March 22nd, 2005 (PS2, PSP, PS3, Vita)

It's hard to believe that the series will be 10 years old next year. The angriest man in all of Greece has brought us so many memories and brutal executions. These games have always been epic in scale and somehow always satisfying. Damn, it feels good to be a badass. I can not wait to see Kratos on my PS4.

- Sonic the Hedgehog - First released June 23rd, 1991 (Genesis, so many other consoles)

The reason I was excited to have a Sega Genesis. The Blue Blur blew us away with colorful graphics, kick-ass music, awesome sense of speed, and a likeable character. This was made doubly so with Sonic 2, which was my favorite, even though I do always have a soft spot for Knuckles the Echidna. That's it for the series right? They didn't make any other Sonic games after Sega stopped making consoles right?.....right?....:( (Hint: those later games were really bad).

- Saint's Row series - First released August 29th, 2006 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

What started off as more of a GTA clone with Saint's Row 1 and 2, (with a little more craziness thrown in), the series really took off and became its own thing with Saint's Row: The Third (my favorite in the series). The insanity really ramped up and continued to go overboard with 4. I will always have fun with this series and it's a ridiculous good time. 

- Diablo III - First released May 15th, 2012 (PC, Mac, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

While Diablo and Diablo II were the beginnings of the genre, Diablo III stands out as the very best. Blizzard's cinematics are the best in the industry, and the bottom line is that D3 is so much fun to play. I threw myself into the game and I am still itching to click and loot and see what new things drop. One of the most addictive games I have ever played.

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There you go! The 15 games that didn't quite make my top 15 list of ALL TIME. There are some real outstanding games here, and I am in no way saying these are bad. In fact, quite the opposite. The best is yet to come though, so soon I will start the countdown of my 15 favorite games of ALL TIME!

It's my sister's birthday! So let's talk about Barney!

Today is July 30th, 2014. This means that my lovely sister, Abbie (who can be an absolute brat when she wants to be, but Lord knows I love her) is turning 24! I feel I am pretty qualified to talk about something she loved dearly. Before she went and achieved an Accounting degree at Drake University, and probably around the same time she first discovered her love of dance, there was a giant purple dinosaur that freaking loved everybody.

As far as my sister was concerned, in her childhood there were 3 things: dance, Pokèmon, and BARNEY!

(By the way, you may not want to do a Google Image search for Barney the Dinosaur, it may ruin your childhood).

Barney & Friends first aired in 1992, putting me at age 7 and, since I had already found Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and was about to discover Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in 1993, my addiction quota was already met, but Abbie (being age 2 in 1992) ate this up and immediately gravitated towards it. Even going so far as to recording episodes on *gasp* VHS. (and yes I would watch and get that freaking song stuck in my head, dammit!).

Anywho, the main thing I wanted to talk about with this (as it pertains to video games) is a game I remember (for better or for WORSE) playing a lot of with my sister: Barney's Hide & Seek Game for the Sega Genesis.

The game was released on June 1st, 1993. Believe me, my motor skills and video game playing were starting to become the stuff of legends and I was trying my best to take my sister under my wing. (In hindsight, maybe I should have picked a GOOD game, oh well).

After you hit start, you see the "Tips for Grown-ups", which probably should have just read "1. Don't buy this game and 2. Maybe those Pop-Rocks were a bad idea". Instead, they tell you that Barney is looking for 5 friends and 5 presents per level and then tell you how to control him to jump and play in basically the worst way ever (You move him left and right and use the buttons, now shut up and play).

Then we see a mini-Barney on a park bench when kids and Baby Bop (Inverse Barney? Nega-Barney? Anti-Barney? Based, of course, on color scheme) gather round, when Barney pulls a move right out of Power Rangers and magically grows to presumably terrorize the city, or you know, play Hide & Seek.

Then, Barney covers his eyes and starts counting as everyone runs away and shit explodes. Apparently Michael Bay had a hand in this. (Bazing! Man, I can't wait for the new Turtles movie).

Barney got back apparently!

If you're able to find all 5 kids and all 5 presents, you get a "special surprise", and, in the interest of keeping it clean, it's just balloons that explode. Seriously, it's a damn kids game, cmon!

If you didn't find them all, no worries, you couldn't lose in this game. You didn't have to even find the damn kids, who I presume are still hiding wondering where their friend-who-everyone-swears-is-"imaginary" could be. Imagine if Barney got hit by an equivalent of a Koopa Troopa and just died on screen, kids would still be having nightmares today.

When you do find one of the kids who are half-hidden and half-yelling "HEY, I'M RIGHT HERE YOU FREAKING IDIOT!" Barney picks them up and gives them a huge hug (again, keeping it clean...he HUGS them....but believe me, the jokes want to flow).

Ok, dude. You've been singing that song for a week straight now. PUT ME DOWN!

Barney couldn't even fall to his death, since he would hold up a convenient "Crossing-Guard-Style" Stop Sign when he couldn't do anything. Also there were traffic lights on clouds saying when you could or could not jump to the next platform. I imagine they were put in because some asshole Italian plumber decided to be a rebel and jump whenever he damn well pleased.

They did end up getting the actual voice actor, Bob West (no relation to Billy West for you voice actor aficionados ), to voice several phrases unique to this game, like naming every single thing you walk by. Barney was their generations Dora. (See? No original ideas anymore).

Just for fun, here is what a Barney's Hide & Seek Game speedrun looks like:

Look, the game is not very good. Though, it's easy for us to look back at this now and see how a game made for toddlers should be stupid and simple. That's not the point of this, however. I will always remember Barney's Hide & Seek Game as a game that my sister and I played and had fun with (mostly cause we made fun of it) and even though she is becoming a 24-year-old woman, she will always be my little sis. Plus, with her being so fond of Barney as a child, she will at least get a kick out of looking back at this.

Love you sis, Happy Birthday! Now let's get drunk and sing the Barney song!

What's coming up in August?

The best month of the year is upon us. It starts off with a bang (with yours truly turning another year older) and the releases of big name games. Granted, the blockbusters start coming hot and heavy in September/October before the huge holiday push, but that doesn't mean summer is ending with duds. Here is what to look forward to in the month of August:

August 5th:

Sacred 3 - (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

I really enjoyed Sacred 2 and I'm glad a new one is coming out. Fun dungeon crawler that will feature 4-player co-op offline and online.

August 12th:

Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited - (Vita)

The US Vita release of Disgaea 4 which was released on PS3 in 2011 

Hohokum - (PS3, PS4 Vita)

A relaxing game in the same genre as Flower and flOw.

August 19th:

Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition - (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

Remember Diablo III? It's pretty good, right? Well now you can play the main game AND the expansion Reaper of Souls on your current and last-gen consoles. So you really have no excuse now if you haven't played it.

Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare - (PS3, PS4)

This has to be it right? There are no other planned platforms for this? Look, I keep saying this game is surprisingly good and now Sony supporters can get their hands on it. So you really have no excuse now if....hey...

August 26th:

Infamous: First Light - (PS4)

The stand-alone expansion/prequel to Second Son will have players in the role of Fetch. It will also looks damn gorgeous.

Madden NFL 15 - (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

Another year, another Madden. Which means it's almost time to BEAR DOWN!

August 29th:

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - (3DS)

YES! Just absolute YES! America FINALLY gets this mash-up of the puzzle stylings of Layton and the crime solving deductive adventure style of Phoenix Wright. Objection? Overruled! 

TBD:

Wasteland 2 - (PC, Mac, Linux)

The sequel to the granddaddy of isometric RPG's and what would eventually lead into the Fallout series has been in Steam Early Access for a while now and should see a release this month. Currently tops on my Steam Wish List.

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These are scheduled to change (like always) and probably will and other games may come in and make a mark on the month, but definitely keep your eyes (and $$) out for these titles. It's shaping up to be a big end for summer releases, and to thing, the best is yet to come.

My Most Memorable Multiplayer Moment

Isn't alliteration fun, kids?

With the video game industry shifting its focus from a "Split-screen/local/buddies on a couch" style to more of the online style, it creates more opportunities for ridiculous moments (followed by the obligatory cursing, screaming, stupid internet meme, and "yo momma" jokes).

Gamers today buy games specifically for multiplayer, call it the Call of Duty Effect or whatever, but big, amazing moments happen in multiplayer and I would like to share the one event that stands out above the rest for me personally.

It involves some skill, a LOT of luck, and bringing a gun to a knife fight in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood for Xbox 360.

Stabby, stabby, stab!

Brotherhood was the first in the series to incorporate a multiplayer mode, hell, people didn't even know there was a single player campaign until right before the game was released in November of 2010. People eagerly jumped online to see what AC can bring to the table as far as competitive multiplayer was concerned. Of course we now know the system worked since it's been in every game since, getting a bigger and bigger fan base.

I picked up my copy of Brotherhood at midnight and brought it home where my friend and I booted it up and went straight into multiplayer, which I am sure many people did when they got their copies. I ended up winning my first match in a close, hard-fought battle. While I felt very satisfied with myself (and after pondering retirement from competitive AC: Brotherhood play with a perfect record), I decided to press on and a few days later had the moment I will remember forever as my best moment in online multiplayer.

In AC you can level up and gain perks (like in Call of Duty) and I leveled up enough to equip the hidden gun, which allows me an instant, albeit low-scoring, kill. This would prove to be the smartest thing I have ever done.

Shooty, shooty, shoot!

I was having a great game, but I was in 2nd place, barely, as in by around a 50 point margin. Luckily, (or unluckily depending on how you wanna look at it) my target was the 1st place player, so any kill on him would boost me into first place for sure.

The problem was: time was running out on the match, this was going to be the last contract I was going to get for this game and I had to make good on it if I wanted to win. Once the compass told me I was close, I noticed it was directing me straight up the tall building in front of me. As I climbed up as fast as I could while holding that Right Trigger for all it was worth, my foe jumped to a different rooftop just next to where I was going to end up.

No way I was going to get to him in time, there were literally seconds left in the match.

My target crept towards the edge, preparing to perform an end of match celebratory (and taunt-worthy) swan dive into the haystack below. Seeing no other alternative, I pull my "last ditch effort" card and push the gun button.

It was one of those "time stood still" moments.

I got him mid dive, in the air, instant kill with the hidden gun for 100pts and the "buzzer beater". I had won the match and (I am assuming) his rage for the rest of the evening at least.

While I have had many a good (and too many a bad) moment online with multiplayer games, the "Shot him out of the air to win the match at the last second" moment stands above and beyond the rest. I still can't believe I pulled that off.

I'm guessing he couldn't believe it either, though since I have given up hope on online voice chat, I will never know.

What I Think of: Destiny Beta

One of this year's biggest blockbuster releases will be Bungie's Destiny. The studio that created Halo is off and running with a new IP as well as making it available on both Sony's and Microsoft's platforms since Microsoft no longer owns them. You can tell Bunge is trying to play nice with Sony folk since it not only is releasing a sexy white PS4 bundle, but also making the beta available first on the Sony platforms.

That's where I come in. I got the chance to play a few hours yesterday of the beta on my (OG Black) PS4, and I definitely want to talk about it. While I am aware things will change between now and September 9th, here are my thoughts on how the game is shaping up.

The game opens in spectacular cutscene fashion, setting up the space epic Bungie is well-known for. They talk of The Traveler (which on the first picture of this post, is the white ball) and The Darkness that's been hunting The Traveler for eons, eventually ending life as we know it. The Traveler is able to create Ghosts (that little seeing-eye cube that you see in the trailers) to scour the Earth looking for Guardians (you) to fight off the Darkness.

The game opens with your Ghost (voiced by Peter Dinklage by the way) waking you up and leading you to safety before The Fallen start attacking. It took me a second to get to the safety structure because GOD DAMN THIS GAME LOOKS PHENOMENAL. Many times we will look at a static image of a game and think "That's great and all, but how will it really look when I play it?". Destiny looks as good as the images make it seem.

You find your first rifle and start pulling triggers while numbers fly off enemies, yep, it's an Action RPG alright, and there is something very satisfying about seeing how much damage you do to an enemy. The most satisfying thing, however, is when you punch an enemy. The sound and the feel and the enemy animation all adds up to give you a rush every time you land a punch.

After the intro/tutorial level, you are taken to the main player hub, The Tower, the last safe city on Earth. This is where the MMORPG aspects start coming in to play. You have a Postmaster (for any mail Bungie or other players may send to you), a Gun Vendor, an Armor Vendor, a Vault (bank to store items), a vendor who will identify items you pick up in the world as well as create ones for you, and a NPC who will create bounties for you, basically challenges that, upon completion, reward you with Glimmer (the game's main currency) Vanguard Points (PvE points for special items) or Crucible Points (PvP points for special items). There is even a Shipmaster, where you can acquire different ships, which you see while you are in orbit planning your next move.

The level structure strays from the traditional shooter, opting for one open world with multiple missions to choose from. With it being an MMO, you get to watch and interact with other players as they go on whatever mission they may be doing (BTW, there totally is a dance emote, so you know it's good). You can choose to do the story missions, which will include an instanced boss fight at the end, where if you die, you go back to the beginning of the instance and try again. You can choose to go the "Explore" route, where the game just drops you on Earth (Old Russia) and lets you free roam, activating various missions at beacons left all over the world. These missions can involve exploring, completing a simple objective, or (more likely than not) kill X amount of things. You can also choose the "Strike" mission, which is a 3-man dungeon run. I did one Strike Mission and it took a fair amount of time and was very satisfying when the 3 of us took down the main boss.

Also in the world at various times, there will be a public event where you can spontaneously join and help other Guardians complete a task, like fight off a few waves of enemies, or take down a big tank while also fighting a bunch of enemies. These can be quite hectic and it does feel like a great battle.

While the main focus of the game is co-op (you can create a "Fireteam" with your friends to tackle missions together) you can go to The Crucible to get your competitive multiplayer on. I played a "Domination" style match where we had to capture points and kill enemies to score points. You take all your gear and level abilities from the single player game in to multiplayer. We ended up winning by the skin of our teeth and it was pretty frantic. You do earn XP from multiplayer matches as well and it's all shared in the same XP pool.

Leveling, ah yes, it is an RPG after all. All the RPG elements are there: Gaining XP from kills, leveling up, upgrading your abilities, finding loot like new guns and armor, etc. I always like when games give me an XP bar onscreen so I know how close I am, and how sleep is going to be put off for a little while longer while I fill up this green bar cause I HAVE TO KNOW.

Allow me to hit on a few quick points before I wrap this up:

- Bungie is also known for having a fantastic musical score, and Destiny's music is just as epic and powerful as any out there.

- I felt real tension in some parts of the world, where the lights were out, the sound was creepy, and I didn't know what I was running into, really cool how they were able to achieve that.

- Peter Dinklage is great as "Ghost" and if I had to pick anybody to narrate my space epic in my virtual head, I am glad it's him.

- While I always thought the light on the back of the PS4 controller was a cute little gimmick, it's actually utilized here. The light will get brighter when your flashlight turns on in dark areas, it will also glow yellow when your "Supercharge" ability is ready so you know it's time to unleash. A pretty cool use of the controller and hope to see even more in the full retail release.

To sum things up, after just a few hours of playing this beta, Destiny is shaping up to be a very special game. It evokes the epic magnitude of the space epic like Halo while making its own mark on the genre. I will definitely be playing the hell out of the beta and September 9th can't come soon enough, even if I am playing it on a black PS4.