Games you should have played once in your life!

I played this also

 

A few of my first Games were The Ancient Art of War, Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego and Karateka. I did thoroughly enjoy all the "Quest" Series and lost many hours battling the Kilrathi in the various Wing Commanders

I've played most of what everyone has listed and it's been great to be reminded of these titles!

 

Final Fantasy 7
A Link to the Past
Chrono Trigger
Sim City

 

SWG, pre-holocrons

 

Yeah, I also were thinking in Carmen Sandiego. Until I learn that it was really educational I liked it when I was a little llama.

 

Ah, Amber, you beat me to BOTH!

 

well... the first DnD game made by SSI anyway

 

omg yes i forgot about this one, one of my favs. At Sea too!

 

Oh the wing commander games as well for me....

 

Most influential computer games for me:

Scott Adam's text adventure games - started my love of programming to replicate them...
Ultima (1) - started me wanting to add graphics (maps) to my text games...
Wizardry (1) Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord - got me to add simple 3d perspective dungeons...

Doom, Dark Forces, Duke Nukem... all got me interested in building levels for existing games...

Neverwinter Nights 1 ... cut down my game buying for over six years while I built and ran a huge semi-persistent world for friends. No game to date has come close to the playtime (and build time) I spent on this one (in my own world). I still load it up and play it with friends from time to time when nothing else is out.

Skyrim - reinforced my love of a stealthy archer (without having to resort to magic.. hint hint SotA)... and great mods. Still play it but have never bother to try finishing it... just love to wonder around.

 

hmmm well there is a difference between favorite and influential. I think I'm going to do a little bit of both.

Pretty much every 'Quest' game from Sierra..
Ultima.. but 7 and 7.5 are easily the top of my list. Naturally this includes Underworld and Worlds but 7 is the game that inspired me to want to be more than just a gamer.
Civilization
SimCity

These round out my favorite developers/designers. Richard Garriot, Sid Meier, Will Wright and Roberta Williams.

Other games either have other fond memories or influenced my thinking or got me interested in certain concepts. Or otherwise have just sucked uncounted hours out of my life.

Skyrim - STILL playing.. again.. and again..
Oblivion - See above
Galactic Empirium II - Not a great game but it inspired ideas regarding complex random events.. which it could have done SO much better.
Majesty - Also not a great game but introduced me to the concept of influencing situations rather than controlling them.
NWN - DMing on Urath\Twilight Legacy for quite awhile truly pushed me over the edge and neck deep into RP, running events, admin, world building, story and modding.
The Sims - Just off the top of my head I'm not really sure. I must've gotten something out of it though.. at least while Will Wright was still involved. Incidentally, if anyone had Ultima skins for Sims 1, chances are I made them. Rebuilding Ultima inspired homes/neighborhoods is what keep me going.
Wing Commander - Great games but the one that sticks out to me the most is I. I loved earning ribbons and medals on missions and it's a concept I carried over into my Guild in UO and hopefully again here.
Minecraft - Have to give it a nod on influence and inspired ideas.
Many Star Wars titles like KoTOR just for the immersion factor alone. At least for me.
MechCommander 2 - unforgettable funny memory of bad guy talking smack only to be taken out during the very 1st shot when he comes on to the map.. BOOM! 'Take tha'!" Head shot critical.. lol Priceless. Free assault mech anyone?

 

okay off the top of my head, im sure im missing some...

RPGs:

Ultima 5,6,7 - I agree with Lum here about Ultima 5 and 7; and especially Ultima 5, which I feel is underrated. To me, its the most "complete" Ultima game -- it has a great story, but one that you engage in in a non-linear fashion, a sense of a large world open to adventure, exploration, and finding hidden secrets, and combat than is more than just double-clicking. Ultima 7 was great, but it sacrificed a lot of gameplay elements that were not story-driven. I included Ultima 6 here also just because it deserves some credit. U6 was a bridge between Ultima 5 and Ultima 6 and included a lot of new and exciting things. Savage Empire and Martian Dreams were also great for their atmosphere.

Ultima Underworld I,II- Fun in a lot of the same ways as the linear Ultimas, although with a more narrow focus.

Darklands - A game set in a fantasy version of real Medieval Germany with generated quests and a hybrid between real time and turn based combat, where you can pause the game to give orders. It was a really innovative game in a lot of ways, and is still fun to play, although the kinds of quests are kind of limited in number so it can get old too.

UnReal World - This is a modern RPG developed by an independent studio, heavily focused on survival elements, set in Iron Age Finland. Its a rogue-like game, meaning the world is randomly generated. You have to eat, sleep, and keep warm, you can die from illness, and a bear can kill you in a single strike, which -- unless you copy your save directory -- leads to perma-death. You have to hunt down animals by following their tracks, and your food spoils. The game is being improved all the time -- its a long term hobby project by the developer. Its also kind of a hobby game for players, in that its something they play over long periods of time, for role-playing, people trade "legacy characters," and there's an active community that helps contribute to the game. Its kind of a game you can get unending enjoyment from if you're not looking for an "action game", because of the rogue-like elements, and the complex survival-based, rather than grindy, game-play elements.

Skyrim - I agree with Lum here too that this was the first TES game that felt like everything really came together to a polished product.

Witcher 3 - I haven't played this through either, and the game has its flaws, but there are a lot of touches that make the game enjoyable, including all of the small details that make everything in the world feel alive -- villagers working on things, moving aside as you run towards them, geese walking around, etc. -- and the combat system.

Wizard's Crown - I like the level of detail in the tactical combat, which later influenced the "gold box" games like Pool of Radiance, as mentioned above.

Bard's Tale / Might & Magic - Though I don't think they were that exciting games from a pure RPG perspective, they were though fun for their time in providing a world with a lot of treasures to find, a lot of monsters to discover, and a lot of secrets to find. The sense of level progression was also great, as well as the cost of great magic. For example, in Might & Magic, powerful spells could consume gems and be expensive, and in Bard's Tale spell-casting had long lasting costs.

Diablo - Though more of an action game. The first one is the best; although its known for being hack-and-slash, the generated dungeons were fun and the monsters behaved in intelligent ways.

Pokemon / Zelda - Although limited from an "adult" RPG perspective, there are a lot of nice things to enjoy in these games including worlds with a lot of dynamic features to it.

Non-RPGs:

Civilization series - Still one of the best turn-based strategy games ever made.
Imperialism 1,2 - Great but overlooked turn-based strategy games that are based around controlling resources.
Castles, Castles II - Great castle-building games which also had branching plot elements to them.
Lemmings - One of the most fun and addictive puzzle-based games.
Populous, Populous II - Classic god game, a lot of fun solving the levels and progressing.
Monkey Island 1,2,3 - The best adventure game series, especially for its humor.
Loom - Also a great adventure game.
The Sims / Sim City - Great simulation games; better than the others in the Sim series.
Rome: Pathway to Power / The Adventures of Robin Hood - While not the greatest games overall, a lot of innovative features.
Deadlock 1,2 - A cross between Civilization and Sim City, you conquered territories and built sort of mini-cities.
Caesar series / Pharaoh / etc. - Great, engaging city building games.
Terraria - Fun game for spelunking and getting lost gathering resources miles beneath the surface.
Prince of Persia I,II - Nice swordfighting platformer.
Solstice - Great puzzle game.

 

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
Bard's Tale series
Ultima IV & V
Wing Commander series
Starlancer
Freelancer
Starflight 1 & 2
Pool of Radiance
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights 2
Grand Prix Legends
NASCAR Racing Season 2003
rFactor
rFactor2

 

Forgot one that should be on my list...

Defender of the Crown. I've always wanted a more modern game that had a lot of the features in this game, especially jousting.

 

The Battle of Olympus of NES! That kind of game that was never famous, bur was amzing for a kid!

 

Ok from an avid game player, I have play so many. Some games I mention are for my reasons alone. I believe I get 'something' from 'most' games I play in one way or the other. I think I am over cautious in my wording since everything I say today can be taken a zillion ways *look around nervously*

So starting from early to latest and what I got:

1)Phantasmagoria,2) Ripper, 3)Shivers, and 4)Countdown by Access games (really early first rendition of cut scenes/cinimatics in play) - Early Scary genre

Dark Saveant, Gothic 2, Thief 1 and 2, - for adventure games

UO - most amazing experience for social online growth, fun, and helped me through some tough times talking to others and distraction from worries and so much more yada yada yada lol

WOW - of course I mention WOW. I had 4 years of fun there. Some criticize it like crazy, but to never have played WOW is amazing to me, even just to have played it. to give opinions of it There was so much to it for me: First flying in a game, first pvp (as wow had pvp type that is), learning to work in a group like I had never worked in a group in my whole life against extreme circumstances and boss fights that you could not fall asleep in, your part in the group was absolutely a key part of the success of the fight, everyone counted on you in bringing down the boss, you had a role to play. Anyway too much to mention that inpacted me on that game as with UO

Lord of the Rings - 2 years and really an amazing game, somethings in that game progressed a bit slow for me, but I still loved the ambiance and the discoveries of things in the game (missed out on the music there though)
Vanguard Saga of Heroes - a very buggy game, but such a huge world and magnificent in it's own way due to the very poor development story of this huge endeavor of a game being released before ready. I really loved the game and am sad it didn't make it for nostalgic reasons, crafting was really interesting and hard in that game and fishing was really, really tough to do, but you never fell asleep fishing, well or crafting no way

AION - was also a wonderful experience until level 25 or around that level that is and then pvp could kill you in groups. I was sorry to go in many ways. It is a beautiful game.

TERA- and yes another some could say hmmm why, but for me another beautiful game, refreshing take on combat, questing nope very grindy and boring as is the game in general) I loved my Beserker and the characters were absolutely gorgeous even tho they had no clothes on or not much that is. I did have glasses on her though, loved that.

FFXIV (Final Fantasy 14) - Also another beautiful game - I appreciated a lot they were trying to do there, crafting was very interesting there, as was fishing, and the development of characters was not totally my favorite since class skill raises required you to be forced into groups with other players not my favorite to be forced on that part.

SWTOR (Star Wars The Old Repulic) - Really this game is out of my Genre scope. I usally played mideival games, but I like to putter with it here and there, love the cut scenes and that you get cinimatics on every npc conversation you see and hear your character intereacting with them and it's free too.

ACHEAGE- how can I leave out this game? I waited for it for 4 years, then I played it for like 3 or 4 months total. From reading and hearing about this game I thought it had 'everything', I mean 'everything' I could ever want in a game, but for me it fell short. The focus WAS and IS PVP, trying to work around that part of the game is futile and disappointing, and not for me. I had to see it and play it though, I'm not sorry I did.

I am not disappointed to have played any games as all games I've played from 'each game' what I got is more of an ability to know what is out there, what is fun for me and what is not, and then I can hopefully bring some of that or try to bring those things to the table here for ideas. Never having played a game, I feel leaves out so much experience on this. If it hasn't been played don't talk about it like you know, oooh one of my pet peeves.

sorry for the wall of text guys. Believe me I could go on forever. Lucky for you I pulled myself away. Great thread by the way, loved reading it.

Oh yes and I played Skyrim, Assasins Creed, Sins of Divinity which I loved, and Pillars of Eternity was a bit harder for me to get into. Really anxiously waiting for Sins of Divinity 2, can't wait. I had to mention these lol I will try to leave it at that. **steps away with much effort**

 

Not as extensive a list as some of the others, but here goes:

Arcade:

• Centipede (ideally on an old cabinet version with the trackball)
• Gauntlet
• Xenophobe
• Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara

CRPG/Console:

• Ultima series (duh!) (specifically 4 through 7 pt 2, IMO)
• Zork series
• Might & Magic I
• Bard's Tale I (the old original)
• Bard's Tale (console version)
• D&D Goldbox: Pools of Radiance
• Wasteland
• Fallout series
• Star Wars: The Old Republic
• Castle Wolfenstein (original)
• Baldur's Gate series
• Freedom Force series

That's it, really. Don't mention many new games since I haven't had the opportunity to play them.

 

I have played and enjoyed many games, but those that had stick in my mind the most (for good reasons) are (in no particular order):

Half Life series
Elder Scrolls series (but not ESO)
Fallout series
Penumbra series
S.T.A.L.K.E.R series
Metro 2033 and Last Light
Bioshock Series
Far Cry series
Dishonored

I have not played any of the Ultima games, and this is my first (sort of) MMO.

 

I agree with many games that have already been stated.

My addition to this list is the game "Circuits Edge". A very underrated and unique game, in my opinion. Moody, gritty and mysterious. It had it's issues but they were compensated by the mood and uniqueness of this game.

Circuits Edge is a game that I think has everything going for it for a remake into an awesome open world game. If a company made a AAA game based on this concept my head would explode with excitement!!!

Circuits Edge is based on an excellent novel by George Alec Effinger called "When Gravity Fails". I highly recommend this book to those who like cyberpunk with a unique twist.

 

I as well agree with most of these, and would like to add.

Asheron's Call
Wizard&Warriors --Nintendo
Subspace the original(now remade on steam)
Horizons Empire of Istaria
Phantasy Star Online dreamcast
Dayz original mod first few months when RP was the best thing ever in that mod.
Path of exile
I have some others that like alot of you for my own reasons are jewels.
first two in this list are my all time fav games,still play roughly 28hrs a week in ac still..