My Top Games Of All Time

Well, I’ve just moved hosts, and lost my database backup, but silly I know. So this is the first post of my “new” tech blog!

Having just completed the latest edition of Uncharted, I thought it would be a perfect time to remenise on the games that have really stood out for me.

Call Of Duty 4: Modern Wafare
Its rare that I ever get so engrossed in a game that I can’t put it down, COD4 was probably the first that really did it for me. Ok this may be because of the games relatively short story, it only took me around 8 hours to complete on east, but that was the best 8 hours of gaming I have ever under taken. Fantastic visuals, that didn’t need a supercomputer to generate, loads of action, and some fun extras. But for me, this game really hit a new level when I opened up the multiplayer option. Great weapons and some great maps make COD4′s multiplayer the best I have tried. Infact, thats to a couple of computer crashes I have actually completed the multiplayer and single player missions at least three times each! Another first for me!  I’m sure I am not alone on this one either, as the multiplayer servers are still packed players.

Of course COD5 has been released more recently, but it just hasn’t captured the imagination like Modern Warfare, and now I am eagerly anticipating Modern Warfare 2!

Rollercoaser Tycoon (all versions)
I first played “RCT” when I got my first computer back in 2000. It came free with my Compaq. Being a lover of theme parks, its the one game that really stood out of the pack. It did take some time to get my head round it though, but after I got going on the Dynamite Dunes map, I was hooked. Watching the peeps reaction to the rides, the insane rollerocasters you can build with very basic and easy to understand controls made this such an enjoyable game to play. The second edition added some great extras although struggled once Atari took over Infogrames and took development away from the games founder Chris Sawyer (this esentially started the games demise) and passed over to Frontier to expand on the game. They didn’t. But what did come out of the deal was one of the most creative and immersive games of all time, RCT 3 (or 3D as it was known to some). Getting to ride the insane rollercoaster creations just added to an already great game. Two addons were released adding just about everything you could imagine in a theme park.

I honestly believe more of my life has been spent in the RCT fantasy world that the real one. Sadly, due to the court case with the game creator, the expansion packs look to be the last release the franchise will see again. Even the games forums are becoming decsolate. Its a sad way for a trully great game to go. Heres hoping Atari do something to revive it!

Flight Simulator
Ok, theres gonna be loads of people hating this being in a top games list. It’s a simulator, its not designed to be a game, but as it’s in the Games section in PC World, it counts for me!

I’ve always been intrigued by the aviation business, I love flying places and have alway dreampt of being a pilot, sadly, due to medical conditions, this could never be a reality for me. So the closest I could get would have to be a simulator. Step up Microsoft Flight Simulator. I’ve not given a specific version, I don’t really see each new release as a new “game” or anything just enhancements on the previous version. The currently version is FSX (or 10), which is the one I’ll talk about now!

So why does this get into my top games of all time list? Well other than because of my desire to be a pilot of course! Its because you really have to understand the scope of this thing. You can fly to nearly any airport on the planet, no loading screens, its the entire globe modelled and ready for you to fly over. Add to that the sheer thousand of community made addons, from aircraft, to airports, more detailed cities enhanced clouds. Theres addons for everyhing. You can get basic aircraft with options to pretty much fly themselves, to aircraft modelled precisely on their real world counterparts. With fully detailed checklists and everything. You can learn alot about the flight which having alot of fun. I do think its something you have to personally be interested in first and want to make an investment in. I’ve spoken to friends that have bought FSX and never played it as it was too hard or didn’t make sense. Which brings me back to my original point, its not a game, theres no ending, theres not really challenge.

Having said that FSX did introduce mission based challenges, eg to land a helicopter on a burning oil platform. These are really just preset flights but are alot of fun to play and just aid in the learning of flying aircraft.

Well worth every penny I’ve spent, on both the game, addons and the PC upgrades to get it running!