So which is
the best video game of all time? Well according to
gamerankings
it's
The
Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time but it's all about personal preference. Since
the release of
Goldeneye on the N64 back in
1997, I've been big fan of
'First
Person Shooters'. The arrival of
Halo as a launch title on the Xbox in 2002
redefined the 'First Person Shooter' genre and in this case gave it a great sci-fi
angle. It was the reason that I committed to buying an Xbox at launch, and I
wasn't disappointed. Subsequently
Halo 2 failed to live up to the hype,
however the online play was truly ground breaking. The variety of
maps and games along with the extensive range of weaponry made this the best 'pick up and
play' game of the moment. This was (of course) bettered by
Halo 3 which brought the Halo series to the Xbox 360 and into
the High Definition gaming era. As an online 'First Person Shooter'
nothing comes close for variety of weapons, vehicles, maps and game
play.
However, in my opinion Halo 3 is not the best
'First Person Shooter', that honour goes to
Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the most realistic,
exciting and
downright fantastic modern warfare shooter I've player. The graphics
are superb but with a full Dolby Digital setup you appreciate how
much effort went into creating the sound, which is truly amazing.
The campaign is very good, but as with Halo 3 it is the online play
that makes this game really stand out. The ranking system keeps you
coming back again and again just to gain that extra experience and
rank up to the next level which unlocks a different weapon or an
add-on. Perks are also unlocked as you rank up enabling you to do
such things as increase bullet damage or your own health or sprint
for longer distances, or my favourite 'martyrdom', where you drop a
live grenade every time you are killed! Just to give you an idea of
how good this game is in recent months it has taken over from Halo 3
as our online game of choice.
Over the years
I have also been impressed by the 'Action Adventure' genre of which
The Chronicles of
Riddick on the Xbox, and
God of War on the PS2 standout. However the Xbox only
release of Ninja Gaiden has to be one of the best
'Fantasy Action Adventure' games
ever made, with amazing graphics, gripping gameplay and intuitive controls.
Ninja Gaiden is the kind of game that, even if you're just watching, will
completely absorb you with it's constant fast paced action. Ninja
Gaiden has been followed by
Ninja Gaiden Sigma on the PS3 and then the full sequel
Ninja Gaiden II, which this time round was a multi-platform
release.

So is Ninja Gaiden the best 'Action Adventure'
game ever; not quite! In March 2005 Capcom released
Resident Evil 4, which
not only redefined the Resident Evil series but redefined the sub-genre of
'Horror Action Adventure'. Amazingly this is a Gamecube game which is not only an
excellent advert for this console but a extremely good reason to go buy one. It
has also subsequently been released on the Wii and the intuitive
control scheme using the movement sensitive Wii controllers has made
it even better (if that was at all possible). The deliberate slow
pace of the game, resulting in claustrophobic encounters with dozens
of zombies is great, particularly when you're running low on ammo.
The graphics are Gamecube/Wii but the gameplay is top notch and at
the end of the day High Definiton graphics do not make or break a
game, although they certainly help.
Does Resident Evil 4 get my vote as top game?
As a stand alone game then most definitely yes but for an online
game my vote has to go with Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. So
that's the best stand alone game and the best online game covered
but what about when all your friends come over and you just want to
have some fun. Well if you've got a loud amp and big telly then
there is nothing quite as much fun and picking up two guitars and
playing 'The Killers - When We Were Young' in co-op mode on
Guitar Hero III. Yep, the Guitar Hero series really is that
good, and that addictive! The introduction of a new wireless Les
Paul guitar means you can jump around pressing those coloured fret
keys, strumming the bar and banging your head to 'Bloc Party's -
Helicopter' to your hearts content, without get your wires in a
tangle! When my mates came round for poker
weekend recently we had to prize some of them (Andy!) off Guitar
Hero III to play poker, now that really is product endorsement! So
if you've got a friend and even a passing interest in music then go
get Guitar Hero III, you won't be disappointed. I've even dedicated
a page on this web site to all those friends who I've introduced
to
the game and who have either gone out and bought it themselves or
now frequently turn up at my house to just to play on a really loud
amp. Check them out on my Guitar Hero
page. |