Games

Top 9 games:

1. Ultima Underworld I and II - free ranging D&D type games in FP. In many respects these were the best of these sorts of games as the magic system is still unsurpassed, and more aspects of the environment could be interacted with intuititively than in more modern games. The plot wasn't too intrusive, but you couldn't easily fall off it, unlike Daggerfall. In gameplay terms it has only recently been equalled by Morrowind and Oblivion, despite being nearly twenty years old.
2. Close Combat III, IV and V - company level WWII tactical wargame in top down, slightly isometric view. This is how wargames should be, tactically challenging, especially with a human opponent. The game models are sufficiently realistic to allow you to read descriptions in various accounts of WWII, pull out the tactics which worked in the actual conflict, replicate them in the game, and they work in exactly the same way. The game could easily be adapted to more or less any period post American Civil war, although the company which makes it have chosen to remain in the 1939-1946 period. For Close Combat VI they should forget about making the graphics better and concentrate on better AI and larger maps, and a more sophisticated strategic section. Will appeal to those who are interested in military history.
3. Thief I, II and III - FP sneakers. If you made these free ranging, and open ended with multiple plots and character development you would have the greatest FP games ever. As it is in their less entertaining mission orientated, restricted character development form they are still pretty amazing. The sneak-em-up is far more suited to computer games than the combat bits in Ultima Underworlds. Thief III is said to be Terry Pratchett's favorite game, particularly the Cradle level, which is a bit of a classic.
4. Red Baron I - FP WWI combat flight simulator. Although mission orientated you don't have to complete objectives in mission to carry onto the next mission, you simply don't do as well. There is character progression in the rank system, and in which aircraft are available to you. It has elements of being free ranging as you can request transfers to other airfields. The best thing about this game are the flight models which accord with the written accounts of the aircraft depicted in it. The pace of the simulation is not fast, which is exactly as it should be. In fact as ariel combat simulations go it is far more challenging to have ponderous machinery as tactics and judgment become more important than reactions. The people doing space games and other aireal combat games could learn a lot from this now quite ancient game.
5. Morrowind - Part of the Elder Scrolls series of games, this is a first person free ranging D&D type game. Successor to Daggerfall, Morrowind is set in a little corner of the enormous Daggerfall world, which makes it sound small, but it is large enough. It is difficult to give a short review of this game because it is so big, and so brilliantly conceived and executed. It is a given that any FP game produced after Quake will have excellent graphics, however,the detail in Morrowing is stunning. Even `corner of eye' effects are incorporated, that is your avatar can see distant objects obliquely, but not straight on. Another noticeable effect is weather, bright sunny mornings actually make you feel cheery, rain does make you feel miserable, despite the fact you don't get wet or cold. Even the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, and yes, you can tell what time of the game day it is by looking at shadows.
6. Oblivion - in an earlier version of this page I wrote "All Morrowinds creators, Bethesda, have to do to extract money out of me is to produce more add-on adventures for this game", that is essentially what they did with Oblivion, which is a new game, but very much an extension of Morrowind. There are vast improvements in the combat system, the graphics are spectacular, and game play wise is more than decent. The world is smaller than that of Morrowind, and could do with being a bit larger, but not overly so. Otherwise it is a truly great game for those who love their orcs, trolls and elves.
7. Mount & Blade - is a combat based Medieval type world game produced by a small Turkish company. The graphics engine is oldish, but there really is something about the combat which is very arresting. It has a sort of feudal based world in which you can make your way. This gives the game playability after the combat elements have been mastered, and I wish the developers would take this aspect a little further.
8. Red Dead Redemption - a game based in the early part of the 20th Century in some area of the South-West United States of America. A close friend and collegue who is an avid games player told me about it, but I thought cowboys didn't seem quite my thing. I was quite set to wanting my good guys to have pointed ears and large axes, and the bad guys to be orcs and goblins, but my friend insisted, and prevailed. It is a brilliant game. I'm really enjoying it. You get to gallop about the Wild West with your six shooter and Remmington dispensing justice, or injustice, as you see fit. The questing structure is really well balanced, and, with a very few exceptions, it has none of the annoying PS3 style repeat the quest until you get it right bits. The only slightly disconcerting element is the over the shoulder point of view, which is typical of console games, but even that doesn't get in the way too much.
9. Skyrim - above I wrote "All Morrowinds creators, Bethesda, have to do to extract money out of me is to produce more add-on adventures for this game", that is essentially what they did with Oblivion, and they have done it again with Skyrim. Well done Bethesa, a company which listens to it's customers and gives them exactly what they want. This is Oblivion, but even better. It is difficult to fault. So far (03/12/11) I have spend 50 hours on Skyrim and haven't even dented the surface. The Skyrim world is huge, rich and diverse. All the reviews are about as good as reviews can get, and Skyrim does deserve all the attention. If you like your open world games to be properly open world, and have elves (sad lack of dwarves), then Skyrim is for you. There are a couple of bits where Skyrim doesn't shine as brightly as it might. Combat system, although better, is still not quite there. Bethesda could learn a thing or two from the Mount & Blade creators, the magic system could do with overhauling (Ultima Underworld would be a good direction), and it is a little buggy. If you are tempted by Skyrim don't let any of the little niggles put you off buying it, its probably the best game out there at the moment, and with no irritating third person over the shoulder view (unless you want that).