miffy495 Posted December 14, 2009 Yeah, I play Half Life 2 first thing every time I get a new computer, or at least a new graphics card. Through free hand-me-downs, this has meant I've played HL2 all the way through about once every 18 months since its release. Even given this though, I don't know if I'd call it my game of the decade. I don't know if I could make that call. After all, this decade saw every big Valve game except the first Half Life, every 3D Grand Theft Auto, the entire Freedom Force series, the resurgence of amazing classic adventure games, Psychonauts, etc, etc, etc. I may be able to fill out a top 10 of the decade (not one per year, but overall) but picking just one game seems ridiculously limiting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmuerte Posted December 14, 2009 and it was the decade of the most infamous game since E.T. for the atari Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonCole Posted December 14, 2009 I think that when the guys over at FlickChart get to work on their game-based ranking site, there will surely be a lot of interesting data that will come out of the woodworks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garple Posted December 15, 2009 and it was the decade of the most infamous game since E.T. for the atari What game? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lu Posted December 15, 2009 Duke Nukem Forever maybe? Although that was announced in the previous decade. It's a multi-decade spanning development cycle as DKF is obviously still being worked on. BELIEVE . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmuerte Posted December 15, 2009 Limbo of the Lost of course Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted December 15, 2009 That's true, it did include content from several games which people may consider contenders for game of the decade. Using science, we can see that a game which includes all of this content must be better. SCIENCE! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kolzig Posted December 15, 2009 I would probably agree. There aren't many games from this decade I've played through more than once. I think maybe Half-Life 2 and Commandos 2. If I'd have to chooce a game of the decade just based on how many times I've played through them, then my choice would pretty much be Max Payne or Max Payne 2. Played both about 5 times through. Both are superb games by the way, and not just because these are from Finland. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toblix Posted December 15, 2009 If I'd have to chooce a game of the decade just based on how many times I've played through them, then my choice would pretty much be Max Payne or Max Payne 2. Played both about 5 times through. Both are superb games by the way, and not just because these are from Finland. You're just saying that because they are from Finland. Also, did Max Payne really come out this decade? I remember that as more of a 1998 game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nappi Posted December 15, 2009 There are like 5 games I have played this year and I'm yet to test some that I'm interested in, so I think it's too early for me to name my goty 2009. Looking at my collection, my game of the decade (based only on the amount of fond memories I have playing it) would probably have to be Mafia. It was by no means perfect (from a technical standpoint at least) but it was lovely nonetheless. My other favourite games this decade, based on the same criteria, are No One Lives Forever (1 and 2), Desperados, Rome: Total War (although I think I played Medieval even more) and Company of Heroes. Half-Life 2 was kinda neat as well, I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kolzig Posted December 15, 2009 You're just saying that because they are from Finland. Also, did Max Payne really come out this decade? I remember that as more of a 1998 game. Well... ten years is a long time... and I did have to check this: Max Payne release date: PC - July 25, 2001 Max Payne 2 release date: PC - October 15, 2003 I remember the day I bought Max Payne. It was the release date and I had just finished my high school and I didn't even have a good enough computer yet to play the game. I actually played it in autumn 2002 when I got a new computer and I could've got the game a lot cheaper then if I had just waited, but I decided to support the developers. Looking at my collection, my game of the decade (based only on the amount of fond memories I have playing it) would probably have to be Mafia. It was by no means perfect (from a technical standpoint at least) but it was lovely nonetheless. Ohh crap. I've had a plan to replay Mafia for years and years now. I only once completed it around the time it came out. Now when free time is very limited these days I kind of doubt I will have the chance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thyroid Posted December 15, 2009 Half-Life had such terrible pacing, though, and don't get me started on the part with the ant lions. Why are so many of you picking it as game of the decade? If I had to pick one, it'd probably be Ico, though I haven't played that many games in the last ten or so years. Emotional reaction should be part of your criteria: cute mechanics just don't cut it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garple Posted December 15, 2009 Emotional reaction should be part of your criteria: cute mechanics just don't cut it. What if you're looking at "games as games" instead of "games as art?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonCole Posted December 15, 2009 I really think that like movies, the "replayability" greatly contributes to quality. When I watch Brick (one of my favorite movies), I almost always find something new that I haven't noticed before or a particular interpretation of a scene that I hadn't considered. Similarly, every time I pick up Half-Life 2 I still feel fascination for the world. I feel like the environment is so delicately constructed that each time I play, I feel like my tactics always vary. Honestly, despite Ico's cinematic quality, I just have absolutely no desire to pick it back up. It didn't really affect me as much as other people, so I have no desire to reinterpret the emotional beats of the game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garple Posted December 16, 2009 I really like it when games don't have emotional beats. To each his own, though, certainly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonCole Posted December 16, 2009 I really like it when games don't have emotional beats. To each his own, though, certainly. I imagine you play a lot of Tetris. Maybe Bejeweled if you're feeling fancy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Patters Posted December 16, 2009 Half-Life had such terrible pacing, though, and don't get me started on the part with the ant lions. Why are so many of you picking it as game of the decade? I would have to disagree there HL2 (and it's episodes) is probably the best paced shooter out there, with only the Halo games springing to mind as similarly well paced. HL2 is my chosen Gotd as it is not only an absolutley amazing experience, but it also led to absolutely brillinat creations, such as: Portal, TF2, L4D, among the countless mods. It looks fantastic still, and was the first use of the Source engine for me and many others, I am sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderPeel2001 Posted December 16, 2009 Half-Life had such terrible pacing, though, and don't get me started on the part with the ant lions. Why are so many of you picking it as game of the decade? Because they're crazy people. Probably. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Murdoc Posted December 16, 2009 Because they're crazy people. Probably. yeah I'ma huge HL fan and I wouldn't know where to begin to pick a game of the decade, but I know Hl2 wouldn't be it; I loved it a lot, but something about it bugged me (the one free-man would be starters) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SoulChicken Posted December 16, 2009 For me gotd.cx is Half Life 2. No diggidy. All of you haters is krazy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gdf Posted December 16, 2009 I want to say something really cool and emergent like Far Cry 2 or Noby Noby Boy, or something that is more traditional but awesome like GTA IV or Metal Gear Solid 3 or Shadow of the Colossus. What I'm really going to pick though is Oblivion. Sorry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonCole Posted December 16, 2009 I want to say something really cool and emergent like Far Cry 2 or Noby Noby Boy, or something that is more traditional but awesome like GTA IV or Metal Gear Solid 3 or Shadow of the Colossus. What I'm really going to pick though is Oblivion.Sorry. I've honestly played Oblivion about 200 hours... it's probably up there on my list too. Nothing to be ashamed of! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garple Posted December 16, 2009 I imagine you play a lot of Tetris. Maybe Bejeweled if you're feeling fancy. Neither. I'm thinking more along the lines of stuff like Trials HD, Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter II. Nice quip, though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thyroid Posted December 16, 2009 What if you're looking at "games as games" instead of "games as art?" Well, "games as games" (I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean) can bring out a good emotional reaction. I don't mean that you should be tearing-up as the credits roll. But it seems that far too many people - off and on Idle Thumbs - are going with games that seem to be designed around certain game mechanics, and not the other way around. Part of the reason I love Ico so much is that they cut out anything they thought was unnecessary. It's a fun game - and the keyword here is "game," as Ico would not have worked as well had it been a movie, since so much of it is catered to the medium, like the the beating controller, etc - but it's also an engrossing emotional experience. Half-Life 2 was fun, sure, but large parts of it were frustrating and choppy. I remember a lot of people complimenting its story, though I find it sparse and without direction - if it weren't for Wikipedia I would have had no idea what was going on. Again: I love the game (I don't think there's much out there that rivals the Nova Prospekt attack), but I think it's far too bloated for its own good. I'm usually much happier playing the episodes, which are a lot more focused. I can pin-point the exact moment Half-Life 2 stopped being interesting and just devolved into being "fun": during the sand/ant lion levels. There's all these houses around that are off the beaten path. If you decide to pop in, all you get is an empty place with no signs of life; there is no reward for experimenting. I know that Newell is big on linear, but there's a line. The whole thing felt like a puppet show afterwards. That's true, it did include content from several games which people may consider contenders for game of the decade. Using science, we can see that a game which includes all of this content must be better.SCIENCE! YEAHHHHHHH. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonCole Posted December 16, 2009 I can pin-point the exact moment Half-Life 2 stopped being interesting and just devolved into being "fun": during the sand/ant lion levels. There's all these houses around that are off the beaten path. If you decide to pop in, all you get is an empty place with no signs of life; there is no reward for experimenting. I know that Newell is big on linear, but there's a line. The whole thing felt like a puppet show afterwards. You mean you can pinpoint the exact moment where it stopped being interesting for you. For many people, while those areas may have been slow, traversing those environments and making use out of the objects to make bridges through the sand were award enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites