Last month, I presented the first part of my "Top Ten PC Games" list. Hopefully, you've all read that article before reading this one. If not, you can go here and check it out before continuing on. If you have read the previous part, then here is the second part for your amusement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Sim City 2000 (Sim) - This game was one of the first I played early on in my gaming career. Sim City 2000 is a sandbox game in which you can design, create, develop, and guide your very own city. In effect, you play mayor and God at the same time, leading the development and growth of your city from a tiny town into a mega metropolis.
What's great about it
Sim City 2000 caters to the perfectionist and creative sides of players. Players are given the opportunity to create something to unique to their tastes and standards rather than follow a standard template. Though you have to follow some guidelines of what to build and when to build, everything is left up to you, from location of buildings to levels of pollution. Think you could build a better city than what exists in the real world? Well, Sim City 2000 gave you that chance to prove it. The game is still challenging and realistic even by today's modern standards with problems such as natural disasters, transportation, crime, healthcare...the list goes on and on. Anyone can build and manage a city, but it takes a real master to build and manage a city well and better than the rest.
What to expect in the future
There have been many newer versions of Sim City developed since 2000. Recently, I bought Sim City 4 to see how much things have changed. The graphics are much better than they were for starters. City planning was much more guided with streets automatically being put in when zoning. Schools and emergency buildings gave you a range of how far they could go rather than you having to check a map of your city to determine what zones were not covered. All in all, everything that needed improvement got it, and even some new things were added to the game as treats on top of an already good pie. Sim City games are likely to last well into the future as an alternative to the dominate FPS and RTS genres.
4. Call of Duty 2 (FPS) - Unlike other first person shooters and even other games in the CoD franchise, Call of Duty 2 ranks high on my list of games. Though the weapons were basic and limited to choose from and a ranking/perk system didn't even exist yet, CoD 2 represented the best of an FPS for its time and for a long while after.
What's great about it
Before FPS games had perk systems, tons of weapons to choose from plus attachments, and multiplayer ranking and match systems, there were games like CoD 2. Limited to only WWII weaponry, basic maps, a lively multiplayer, and the aim of having fun rather than keeping track of your k/d ratio, the game was an FPS in its simplest and purest form. I used to spend endless hours in rifle only matches and zombie mods for the better part of a year. Even when CoD MW and WaW has come out, CoD 2 still captivated me and provided me with immense enjoyment. Though the graphics were simple and the map glitches all too obvious, the game was an otherwise perfect FPS by my estimation and even remains so now (though I will point out that CoD 4 is a close second in terms of its originality and improvements to its predecessors). The singleplayer campaign was great and the multiplayer even better. All around, it was an FPS that anyone could enjoy, not just the most experienced and die hard.
What to expect in the future
As most readers know, the CoD franchise has been revamped and rebooted countless times since the first games back in the 90s, gaining even more ire with each new and expensive release. With more equipment, online multiplayer and matchmaking improvements, ranking systems, perks, and the wide assortment of other changes, the series has come far from the primitive weaponry and clunky mechanics of the first games. I've personally chosen to stick to the older games like CoD 2 and 4, but with Black Ops 2 rolling out this year, there is no doubt that as long as CoD retains a loyal following, there will always be another Call of Duty game coming down the pipe.
3. Total Annihilation (RTS) - This is an oldie, but a goodie. Even with its low bit graphics and speed, I still play it every so often. TA for all intents and purposes is the predecessor to Supreme Commander, a popular large scale mech RTS. In fact, the same guy who came up with TA was the lead designer and programmer for the Supreme Commander series. TA is a great example of a game that was good before it's time...so good, that it continued in development into an even better game.
What's great about it
This was probably the earliest RTS I ever played besides maybe Warcraft and Warcraft II. Total Annihilation was such an early RTS that it didn't even have hotkeys...a nightmare for any RTS gamer. Even so, it was an excellent game. The graphics were quite decent for the time and the game play very fun. The storyline, though cheesy at times, is still better in comparison to plots of modern games. Multiplayer was never quite that popular and was quite early for its time, but even just to play the campaign and skirmish against bots was enough for me. And there is just something about machines fighting machines that is much more comical than humans fighting humans. Overall, it was an excellent RTS for the time and still enjoyable to play from time to time.
What to expect in the future
As I mentioned before, Supreme Commander picked up where Total Annihilation left off. Only a few SC games have come out, but the content is vastly improved and modernized. The gameplay is just as good as the original and the storyline is good as well. I'm personally looking forward to future games from the SC franchise and the originality it brings to the RTS genre.
2. Portal (Puzzle) - One of the things I most regret in my gaming experience is not playing this game sooner. The main reason I bought the Orange Box for was Half Life 2, not for Team Fortress 2 or Portal. After discovering both these other games, I came to the ultimate conclusion that the Orange Box represented the best gaming package of all time. I'm being serious; you can't possibly show me a better gaming package in existence today. So without saying more, I'll just get right into it.
What's great about it
The thing that intrigued me the most about Portal was its focus on thought intensive puzzle solving. Combined with a mysterious, yet ingenious storyline, the game captivated my mind from the very first minute I hit the first puzzle (ok maybe not the first puzzle since it was so easy, but I think you catch my drift). Portal showed that it doesn't take guns, explosions, or a multiplayer to make an awesome game (though those things certainly help). All it takes are a few puzzles, some good dialogue, story, and a fitting end to grab a gamer's attention and leave them wanting for more. The only downside to the game is replay value. Replay value is hard to get down in games and it's understandable. This, of course, was dealt with in Portal 2. Regardless, it's an excellent game for its originality and what it was able to accomplish that other games couldn't.
What to expect in the future
Portal 2 is out and continues to impress and captivate me. Just like Portal, Portal 2 carries on the story and challenging puzzle solving action. Players can now also create maps through the Steam workshop for rating and release. It's unclear whether there will be a Portal 3, but if so, it should prove to be just as good as the previous games. For now, Portal and Portal 2 are more than enough to please gamers until then.
1. Half Life 2 (FPS) - A fixture on almost every top gaming list (especially for PC gaming), Half Life 2 is in many respects the pinnacle of FPS combined with excellent story telling. Now, I'm not jumping on the bandwagon. I have played the game myself and found it to be the best game I have ever played. So, let's cut to the chase.
What's great about it
Half Life 2's best feature is the plot. The story is very well put together and laid out. Where most games put a little time into story and focus mainly on gameplay and graphics, Valve spent the most time on creating the story...and it paid off well. The story keeps the player interested and involved in the game. While it's the story that makes the game, the graphics and gameplay are excellent. With lots of weapons to choose from and puzzles intermixed with escape and battle sequences, this game will keep your attention until the very end.
What to expect in the future
Valve has had Half Life 3 in development for about as long Duke Nukem Forever. At this point, it's unclear whether or not it will be released in the near future or even at all. However, if it is released, you can expect Valve to have taken as long as they did to get it right just like Half Life 2. For now, gamers will just have to continue waiting.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, there you have it. My first "Top Games" list...albeit a PC gaming related one. There have been many games that have come out over the years, but only the best of the best can make it onto a top games list. With time, though, there will be more games to choose from and new lists made. For now, this will suffice. Let me know what you think. Also, consider checking out these games and playing them before passing judgment. You might find they are better than I can possibly describe in words. Maybe an image would do it better...
This was originally posted as an Informer Gaming article.
