What makes them your favorite games?

[The_Liquid_Laser]

SvennoJ said:

My top 3 hasn't changed in 20 years, all 3 have an emotional attachment

1. Everquest. I played it from the end of '99 to 2005. I started the game when I was at my lowest as a get away from the world. While playing I fell in love with a girl 6,000km away. It lead to me immigrating to Canada in 2002 and get married. Happily ever after. Besides from completely changing my life for the better, it was/is an amazing game as well, extremely hard and unforgiving, but so rewarding with a well oiled group of people.

2. Civilization (1991). I was into board games at the time, getting bullied at school, not a fun time. Then a friend from school brought a copy of civilization over and we played it all night into the morning. It was a new genre to me, so many possibilities, open ended, so many ways to play. I played it it for years, altered the game by hex editing the exe file, then bought all the follow up versions. I did finally get enough it, but so many memories and different friends I've played it with.

3. ICO (2001). Apart from being a great game, I started playing it together with the girl I met on Everquest when she came over to visit. She had to go back of course and we left the game halfway. After I emigrated I bought the game again (NTSC version) and we finished it together (while also now playing Everquest side by side)

I doubt anything can ever penetrate my top 3.

Runner's up: Valkyria Chronicles and Dark Souls. Both great games, yet at the time our youngest had severe acid reflux and could not sleep in his own bed. He could only sleep while on my on my wife's lap, holding his head up. Thus we had shifts at night and he would be sleeping on my lap while I was playing those games. I hope I dind't screw him up with Dark Souls lol. Even though it was a bad situation, it was also the most peaceful experience with my son sleeping on my lap. Best recipe for gamer rage! It's probably why I don't have the patience anymore for Souls games, he grew up (healthy :))

Gotta say, I highly approve of all 5 games you mentioned.  Some of them actually are in my top 50 games of all time, and the others would probably at least make my top 200.

1. Everquest - Mostly, I just played MMOs for several years during the late 20th/early 21st century.  I spent several months with Everquest, but Final Fantasy 11 is what hooked me for about 2-3 years.  Obviously, Everquest is the game that changed your life.  Congrats on finding the right girl.

2. Civilization - Even though my favorite to play is Civ. Revolution, I probably have more fond memories of the first Civ game.  There is that epic moment when I think I'm doing great, I already conquered another civilization, and I'm exploring with my Catapult, when tanks suddenly appear out of the darkness.  "Oh shit!" 

Civ 1 was the game that got me into PC gaming.  I remember my friend playing it and some other friends were watching him and one said, "You just researched Gunpowder, but you don't know Horseback Riding yet."  That statement alone intrigued me, but I didn't have my own PC yet.  A couple years later I went to college and got my own PC.  Civ 1 still seemed like the most popular game, because I was playing it and several other guys I knew were too.  They told me that the AI players would not use nukes on me unless I used them first, but I found that was not true the hard way.  I think I broke so many peace treaties that the AI just decided to nuke me anyway, lol.  

3. ICO - Definitely a great game and a great couples game.  My wife and I played it together.  That whole handholding mechanic makes it feel like it's just two people against the whole world.

4. Valkyria Chronicles - I think both 1 and 4 are great, but I prefer 1 for the story and characters.  The first one also just felt awesome in that I really thought the developers were trying something bold and new with making this game.

5. Dark Souls - For the past decade or so my most anticipated releases have been the Dark Souls games.  The first one is my favorite though.

You have great taste in games, and it sounds like you made a lot of great memories along the way.

Last edited by The_Liquid_Laser - on 10 February 2021