I am a forgetful person (and they chose me as Best Man?!) and I discovered today, while browsing Amazon, that I made a List of so-called “favourite computer games”. It’s interesting to see what my opinions were in 2003, lol, and to wonder how they’ve changed. So here is the list, and a few annotations…
1. Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “The greatest stealth-em-up since the original MGS on Playstation – a must buy!!”
Old Rambo says: “Cheesy comment or what? Not sure this is better than the original, and number 3 is hard! Still my favourite series though.”
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “The chance to mark your turf, strutt your stuff and unleash hell in one of the largest cyber-citys ever created? Who needs more!!”
Old Rambo says: “Again, what was I thinking?? Still, it is a good game, in some ways better than GTA3 but i’ve yet to play San Andreas”
3. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear (PC)
Young Rambo said: ” “Tango down!” Terrorists everywhere beware!”
Old Rambo says: “Still agree with this one – my all-time favourite (PC) 1st person shooter
4. Swat 3 Elite Edition (PC)
Young Rambo said: “Quality multiplayer and squad-based shooter at a bargain price – you won’t regret buying this one!”
Old Rambo says: “Comes in a close second to Rogue Spear, not as tactical though”
5. The Sims: Unleashed (expansion pack) (PC)
Young Rambo said: “Along with ‘On Holiday’, this is my favourite outing of the series and one that will, atleast, keep me busy until ‘The Sims: Online’ comes out over here!”
Old Rambo says: “Eh? When was I interested in The Sims Online? Sure, I like the Sims, but I don’t remember pining for the online iteration – still, good series that’s lasted well”.
6. Tomb Raider (PSX)
Young Rambo said: “The old ones are still the best..having only got as far as half-way through number 3 (The rest of the series waiting patiently on my shelves) my first adventure with Lara will always be my fondest..”
Old Rambo says: “Ah, this is still up there with the best of them – i’ll never forget that T-Rex – I liked the more modern Angel of Darkness, but the original is still the best – Metal Gear Solid and Tombraider jostle for first place!”
7. Delta Force 2 (PC)
Young Rambo said: “Not the hottest graphics around (It is getting on a bit nowadays) but DF2 is still one amazing game – surpassed only by DF – Black Hawk Down!”
Old Rambo says: “Black Hawk Down – there’s a game I never got round to buying, more polished than DF2 – still, DF2 does what it says on the tin, and I got this in a double pack with Rogue Spear so can’t argue.”
8. Z.O.E.: Zone of the Enders (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “Any fan of the mechwarrior series won’t be disappointed with Z.O.E – after seeing a preview of the sequel I thought i’d try the original and I was not disappointed!!”
Old Rambo says: “What this has got to do with Mechwarrior I don’t know! This is more like Evangelion and I love it (even if it is a bit repetitive). Made by Konami so there’s the usual full-flavour FMV and backstory (like in Metal Gear Solid).
9. Burnout 2: Point of Impact (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “Brake-neck racing through congested streets..nerve-jangling stuff this one!!”
Old Rambo says: “Still good for a quick thrill, but best when played with friends.”
10. Colin McRae Rally 3 (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “Having only played Gran Turismo 1 & 2 and V-Rally 2 before..this was a refreshing change – realistic damage, weather and terrain make this a real eye-opener!”
Old Rambo says: “As with most of my driving games, never got very far with this one, but the visuals are impressive – especially when you wrap your car around a tree. Only downside is Rally has only one car on a track at a time.”
11. Starcraft/Broodwar Expansion Pack (PC)
Young Rambo said: “I’m still a noob at this but the multiplayer is SO addictive – its an oldie but still keeps up with the likes of Command & Conquer!”
Old Rambo says: “Still, and probably always will be, a noob at Starcraft, but I finally completed the Terran single player campaign, with Zerg & Protoss to go. Online is good – except when people “rush” and use cheats. Siege Tanks are excellent, but not sure if this beats C&C: Red Alert 2 though.
12. Devil May Cry (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “Apparently the sequel is a bit of a let-down, but I can only hope the developers have kept the same cool moves and ambience offered by the original – Dante rocks!”
Old Rambo says: “Never did get around to the sequel, although the third game is highly rated, and I’d like to see how the story works out. Dante is still cool – the way he struts towards a horde of enemies with you knowing you have the moves to take them – and that first boss is unforgettable.”
13. Rayman 1 and 2 Collection (PSX)
Young Rambo said: “Rayman – a trip down memory lane into a time when 2D was still king! Outstanding graphics from this cutesy platformer! (I’ve only played the first one mind)”
Old Rambo says: “Still haven’t played Rayman 2 or the modern versions for that matter. It’s still a gorgeous looking platformer with all the classic tricks in there.”
14. Wipeout Fusion (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “Having only briefly played a demo of Wip3out (Wipeout 3) and loved it – But sadly couldn’t find it anywhere to buy it – was more than happy to get the updated PS2 version”
Old Rambo says: “It’s good, but i’ve hardly played it, in favour of the likes of Burnout 2, and there’s been so many Wipeout clones – Star Wars Racer is essentially Wipeout with a Lucas Arts makeover (not that that’s a bad thing, but the PC version is better than the PS2 one).”
15. Lemmings (PC)
Young Rambo said: “A veritable feast of Lemmings! Oustanding value (I got it for £4.99 in a high street store, but it’ll be cheaper on Amazon of course!) You may want to try Lemmings 3D though”
Old Rambo says: “Lemmings will never age – it’s one of those games for everyone. Incidentally I came across a website version of Lemmings yesterday – check it out.”
16. Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles (PSX)
Young Rambo said: “Great 2-Player action (If a little difficult very early on). Sadly not many people like the Star Wars series of games as much as I do!”
Old Rambo says: “I like this game – two-players surrounded by BattleDroids is great – just found the level design a bit harsh (the jump that kills you when it’s only a foot high) and the fact that a second player can’t hop-in at any time, you have to complete levels together from the beginning. Lego Star Wars is so much more accessible.”
17. Homeworld (PC)
Young Rambo said: “The graphics are a bit rough nowadays but the gameplay is unbeatable – space strategy at its finest!”
Old Rambo says: “Never did get very far with this one, but I think there should be more space strategy games. Arranging your fleet in pretty formations before it all gets messy in battle is cool and story is great. Homeworld 2 is probably better (not yet tried) and I’ve also got Project: Earth gathering dust on the shelf – a Homeworld clone.”
18. Dead or Alive III (Xbox)
Young Rambo said: “Is it on PS2 yet? I’ve only played it on my friend’s X-Box but its an instant classic – and Amazon sell it for a bargain price!”
Old Rambo says: “I don’t really remember being jealous of any games on X-Box (after a long time I now consider myself Platform-independent, so if your listening Sam Fisher, I’m coming for you…). One game I played on my (brother-in-law’s Xbox) was Kung Fu Fighter’s or something, it was brilliant and should definately replace DOA here.”
19. Mafia (PC)
Young Rambo said
: “The 1930s..style, sophistication..and cheesy music! Free-roaming like GTA or 1-player mission-based..this is sheer quality!”
Old Rambo says: “A little bit tricky because of the control system on PC – I find cars easier to handle with a joypad – but there’s no doubt this is as good as GTA. Probably not as free-roaming mind, but very stylish.”
20. Gran Turismo (PSX)
Young Rambo said: “I haven’t played the latest next-gen console incarnations (A-Spec and Concept) but the original has to be my favourite – I found the sequel a bit slow in comparison – again a bargain-bin purchase!”
Old Rambo says: “I still haven’t played the (new) versions – it’s amazing how less-important media seems after a few years. I loved the original, probably because the whole family got involved – this was one of my first PSX games. Dad’s friend actually had to convince me to try V-Rally 2 (which my sister and I ended up loving).”
21. Driver 2 (PSX)
Young Rambo said: “Eagerly awaiting Driver 3 (Due out in Feb next year) the Driver series has gone from strength to strength, with the sequel introducing a new out-of-the-car experience. A totally different game to GTA!”
Old Rambo says: “Never did play Driver 3 which was a flop – I might give it a spin one day. The first Driver was great (no subtitles though!) but I think the “out of the car gameplay” in driver two was a let down, and easily surpassed by GTA – i think I was a bit defensive of it in 2003! It’s hard to see where this series can go as GTA has surely completely blanketed the whole Driver premise?”
22. The Getaway (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “I’ve only played the demo but i’m very impressed – great moves, voiceovers, vehicles, licenses (right down to warehouse supplies) and an ultra-realistic city to navigate!”
Old Rambo says: “I got the full game and it’s brilliant – my own virtual map of London – not much replay value once complete though – the story is great, but there’s no extras and nothing to do except drive about and shoot stuff once all the missions are complete. Never did play the sequel which was interesting as you take the role of a policeman I believe, and it introduces squad-based tactics (I think).”
23. Medal of Honor: Frontline (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “Played the start of this in my brother’s flat – absolutely awesome! The most realistic war simulation yet, the D-Day landings will leave you shell-shocked!”
Old Rambo: “My brother actually gave this to me when he got rid of his PS2. It’s a bit short and not as good after the impressive first level. I used to like MOH alot when me and my brother played the originals – showing your fake papers to German sentries was always nerve-racking, and there was lots of gags in the credits. I think i’d replace Frontline with Call of Duty: Big Red One as the story is more involved – you genuinely feel sad when you lose your comrades. MOH Airborne sounds exciting though – is it even out yet?…”
24. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (PS2)
Young Rambo said: “EA always makes quality games and this one is no exception – amazing Orc-bashing action!”
Old Rambo says: “Don’t know about “always makes quality games – experience is a useful thing – but there’s nothing better than taking down Orcs with Legolas’ bow. A bit linear mind.”
25. FIFA 2000 (PSX)
Young Rambo said: “My all-time favourite of the Fifa series – having played ’99 and ’01 aswell – I love chipping the ball over the unsuspecting keeper – pure class!”
Old Rambo says: “Class, but also too easy, i’m a Pro-Evo convert, and while I’ve recently bought PES6 and found it tough – it’s more satisfying when the goals are produced. It’s great for keeping up international relations with our foreign student boarders anyway..”
That’s it! I don’t know what possessed me to copy n’ paste and edit all that crap. The lst needs a rework – where is Red Alert 2, Sudden Strike, Call of Duty: Big Red One, Pro Evo or Shadow of The Colossus? I don’t think you can ever have THE list, but I’ve pretty much made up my mind about most -
Favourite Book: Ursula Le Guin’s A Wizard of EarthSea
Favourite Album: Ocean Colour Scene’s Moseley Shoals
Favourite Song: Get Away by Ocean Colour Scene
Favourite Film: Tombstone
Favourite Game: Metal Gear Solid/Tombraider
See -got caught out by that last one, i’m sure in another three years time the list will have changed. Anyway, are you feeling sleepy? I am, dozing off to the tunes of The Stones Roses here (possibly a joint-place with Ocean Colour Scene there), so I bid you goodnight, I promise a more informative discussion next time..maybe.
July 25th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Lol, its funny to see what your opinions were back then, it just makes you think how much people change in just a few years. I can remember coming across stuff I wrote back whenever and cringing, thinking “oh my god, did I really write that?”. For me, my opinions changed a lot when I was at Uni – I think that’s a good thing because I feel more enlightened, if that makes sense? I’ve got no doubt that we’ll look back in a year or two again and realise how far we’ve come.
For your information, I could argue with you about the first favourite – your favourite book! Yep, the Wizard of Earthsea is great but as someone who has read more books in 22 years than most people read in 40 years, I’ll always argue that it’s impossible to have one favourite book =P I’ve got “categories” for different books with one or two favourites in each of them, lol. Mostly, I think I stick to authors or writers in each category that I love reading – like Le Guin, Kelley Armstrong, Jane Austen, Atwood, Trudi Canavan etc.
Also I’ve been thinking – everyone thinks Jane Austen writes “chick lit”. I’m quick to say that she’s one of the best writers of the 20th century, a revolutionary. Just cos she’s a woman, doesn’t mean she writes “chick lit”. Her books are witty, satirical and social commentary minded, rather than just “romance” like films and biopics make her books out to be. They miss the important points out of her books, her character sketches and her wittiness. Anyway, just wanted to clear that up =P I’m going off on a tangent again!
The same goes for films, I’ve got too many favourites to suit different moods. Obviously you know how much I dig StarWars, but I don’t know if it’s my favourite series of films ever
My favourite romance/tragedy is Moulin Rouge or Romeo and Juliet (Luhermann) and my fav happy ending romance is probably A Life Less Ordinary (I don’t think I really like romances in the genre of Love Actually or 4 Weds and a Funeral, they’re too soppy!!).