Best video games of all time

Mike Bantick
Sunday, 08 February 2009 06:09

Opinion and Analysis

Best Game of All Time:  Half-Life 2  (PC and consoles)
Valve 2004

Sure the original had the opening train ride, the expert enemy AI, the G man, the weird ending and spawned phenomena such as Counter Strike, but the sequel expanded on the Half-Life fiction that immersed the player in a believable world hard to match at the time.

From the opening scene introducing us to the controlled City 17, through the expert design of pulse pounding chase scenes, NPC interaction, stark graphical design and of course the brilliance of the Gravity Gun and physics engine, HL 2 ekes quality, atmosphere and compelling game-play.

Exquisite level design, pacing and story delivery, through cut-scenes where the player never lost control of Gordon Freeman, yet Alex Vance and other non-playing characters kept the player engaged in the joyful fiction of Half-Life.

Little wonder that valve fans are already awaiting the arrival of third in episodic sequel content.  Will the free man ever find piece?  Let’s hope not.

I’m sure others will have differing experiences; these are the titles that sprang first to mind with little research other than asking the question and testing memory for initially responses.

Lots of good memories there, lots of evidence that, for some people, a great game need not be on the technological cutting edge.  There are many good titles released daily, but how many will be remembered ten to twenty years from now?  A handful I imagine.