Games
Fahrenheit
Known as Indigo Prophecy in the States, this ambitious title was Quantic Dream's magnum opus until the release of Heavy Rain. Mere days before their newest title was about to be released, Steven O'Dell and I embarked on the mission of playing the game through together. What was revealed over time was an in-depth analysis of Fahrenheit's timeless artistic style, characterisation and design principles. The following article contains lots of spoilers.
Typing of the Dead
The premise of this game is is simple; a Dreamcast keyboard replaces House of the Dead 2's lightgun. This combination of whacky yet effective gameplay cements a picture of the sort of development Sega encouraged during the Dreamcast era, and the results of this are laughably brilliant.
Nights Into Dreams
The Saturn has a number of collectable games to it's name, none more so than Nights Into Dreams. This imaginative platformer was a showcase of what the Saturn could do technically, and a high point for the creative energy of Sonic Team. If you have to choose one game to own a Saturn for make it this one.
Rez
Anyone can write about how pretty Rez looks and sounds - and that's certainly very easy to do given the presentation of the game, but I'd like to give the story a serious examination, to try and imagine what Rez's story could potentially mean, let's delve even deeper into the story of hacker meets AI.
Discworld
The decision to create a series of video games based on Terry Pratchett's best-selling series of books was undoubtedly a popular one. The adventure games that emerged were a hilarious mix of the book's humour, wit and satire, with perhaps the most imaginative yet perplexing setting ever. Now that Discworld is playable using ScummVM it's time to return to Ankh-Morpork.
Phantasy Star Online
Whatever your opinion of roleplaying games, Phantasy Star Online was a landmark console experience, combining the dual merits of a real time battle system and futuristic setting - upon which thousands of gamers from across the world gathered together to investigate and understand the mysterious planet Ragol.
Kurushi
This intriguing puzzle game made a splash on many different official Playstation demo discs around the world near it's release in 1997, and this has led to Kurushi's simple to play, hard to master puzzle gameplay to be much sort after more than ten years since.
Tombi
As is often the case with under-appreciated games; Tombi has become a hit largely retrospectively. This title reaches prices of over double the original asking price online, and it's right that it commands this much respect in the gaming community, as it's a ingenious puzzle-platform mix, colourful style and unique gameplay decisions are an extremely rare combination for a Playstation title.
Portal
Portal continues Valve's legacy for creating rich, involving video games; the in-game commentary shows the work that went into presenting the narrative's clear sense of minimalism. What is stated in-game and what is interpreted by the player is a carefully choreographed margin, with this in mind these are some of my thoughts regarding the science of Aperture.
Another World
Eric Chahi spent over two years working on his visionary Amiga game, re-released for the PC audience in 2006 with crisp high-resolution visuals and remastered sound. Another World is an atmospheric adventure game which focuses on evading the various dangers of a hostile alien world.
Jet Set Radio Future
It's hard to imagine gaming without Jet Set Radio Future. There's a lot of love for this quirky game online. As a game premise it seems outwardly bizarre, yet indescribably fun. The game's bravado and musical style are frequently lauded - but it could be a special game for other, braver reasons.
Vib Ribbon
Back in 2000, a unique rhythm game was quietly released for Japanese and European audiences, featuring minimalistic black and white visuals by NanOn-Sha and a catchy J-Pop soundtrack. Never has the antics of vector based rabbits been so much fun.
Eternal Darkness
A Lovecraft-inspired tale of the mundane rising up against the magnificent - against a backdrop of horror and intrigue. With a cast of twelve playable characters from throughout time, it pits the complexity the human mind against against those of Gods and demons.
Panzer Dragoon Orta
The dragon in the Panzer Dragoon series is elevated to the status of a god-like being - but one that benefits from the guidance of a rider. The series is an exploration of partnership and dependancy within the backdrop of a war-stricken world. Orta's adventure is no different, but as compelling as the three dragoons before her.
Earth Defence Force 2017
Imagine a back to basics arcade style game where everything on the horizon is destructible - and you're not penalized for playing the game in the way you want. Point and shoot, this the only rule of Earth Defence Force 2017.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
Video games are one of the youngest forms of media. It is a shame then that developers feel unable to use games as a wider discussion platform for more mature subjects. Games are still seen as entertainment for kids - but this macabre world is definitely not for children.
Crystal Warriors
A simple tactical roleplaying game for the SEGA Game Gear that is a perfect introduction to the genre. A brightly animated and cheery game from the early 90s that you've probably never heard of but is worth digging out.
