Slashdot Mirror
Best Original Games of 2003?
PapaZit writes "It seems like most of the games that I purchase these days are sequels: GTA3 and Vice City , Zelda: Wind Waker, even Knights of the Old Republic and Galaxies built on the Star Wars franchise. What are the best original (not a sequel or franchise) games that you've played this year?"
The best new game I've played in a long while is Xenosaga... It's supposed to be a prequal to Xenogears, but I never played that so I don't count it, plus it wasn't even based on the same engine or anything (or the same characters, apparently). I think they are just vaguely related.
Viewtiful Joe and Beyond Good and Evil are both excellent.
Later,
Patrick
I haven't played a game more original (or bizarre) in a very long time.
STOP ROCK VIDEO
Seriously. My GF loves it.
And while it might be part of the DOA franchise, really it's hard to call it a sequel.
I know the poster goes on to say that he excludes franchises as well as sequels but GTA3 was a ground-breaking and original game - it seems a bit harsh to exclude it on the basis that it shares its name with a top-down 2d crime game....
;-)
But don't even get me started on Vice City
Happy New Year,
Stem
I wish there was a way for me, as a Christian, as a human being, to sit down with some of you and have a pleasant, civil discussion without bitterness or sarcasm.
You can, just tell us what original games in 2003 you thought were good. If you want to talk about religion instead then find a site where that's what people talk about.
saw some videos and seen it being played: Vietiful Joe Game itself is full of "special effects" and all the reviews are boasting how great the controls are. Damn i wish i had gamecube.
yush
eom
Eye Toy: Play - it got my parents, my inlaws, and even my wife's aunt and uncle up out of their seats to "Wash some windows"
Awesome fun for the whole family.
is Neverwinter Nights. Not sure if it was *made* this year though. I think you could make an argument for it being a sequel to Baldur's Gate, but in my eyes it's a totally new game :-) Oh yeah, and fantastic to boot :-))))
Simon
Physicists get Hadrons!
It's one hell of a good shmup. Too bad it's only out for the Dreamcast; a whole bunch of shmup fans have probably missed out on it because it's not on a more "mainstream" console.
Enemy territory kept my days busy...
I gave up with the idea of an useful sig...
By far the most original game I've played this year was Viewtiful Joe. 2d gameplay, best 3d cell shaded graphics since JSRF, slow down/speed up/zoom in effects, amazing puzzles, amazing bosses battles. Overall great mix of old school gameplay and cutting edge gameplay/graphical innovations. Totally original, totally great. My personal favorite game of the year.
Seems like a pretty silly game, but I ran my demo time out and am seriously considering buying the full version. Orbz 2 demo and screenshots can be found here. Seriously, don't knock until you try it out.
Without doubt, the best game I have played all year is Call of Duty. Great game on so many levels.
I am not sure there *is* an original game : there are strategy games, like Civ, Warcraft, there are Doom like (once again obviously unoriginal), there are multiplayer games...
Well, the last time I saw a NEW game and said "WOW" was when I saw people playing Dance Dance revolution...
Trolling using another account since 2005.
Minesweeper
Owner of a Mensa membership card.
By far the best and most original game I purchased this year is Super Mario Sunshine. I'm really amazed that Nintendo hasn't followed up this genius Mario theme with at least 10 games by now.
Yeah Baby!
"Would it kill you to put down the toilet seat?" -- Maya Angelou
Duke Nukem Forever. It's the first game to have been in development for 5 years with no apparent progress. It's like these guys invented slacking. Actually they stole the tactic from Ion Storm and John Romero, but 3D Realms has taken it to a whole new level.
How much more original can you get? I owe all of my failing grades to these gods of slothfulness.
This generic DNF-bashing comment has been made possible by too much free time during winter break.
True story.
Quake *1*, that is. Multiplayer only, of course, using one of the many excellent quakeworld clients out there on the net (try vanilla quakeworld if you're in Linux/BSD or on a Mac, otherwise try e.g. FuhQuake for windows)
Cross-platform gaming fun for you and your family. There are even a couple of ipv6-only servers floating around...
Great game, killer AI, and massive support from the publishers. Never had this much fun with turn-based strategy games since Alpha Centauri.
Vincent J. Murphy
Spandex Justice
It's just like The Sims, except with adorable animals, and interior decorating is rewarded! The thing that sucks is I finally bought my own copy recently and now my mom keeps me up until 3:00 am playing it with her character in my town...
I'm on a road shaped like a figure eight; I'm going nowhere but I'm guaranteed to be late.
Quite a good game which i play on PS2. Action, strategy, adventure... it's got it all!
I'm good at coding, game design, etc.
I'm looking to join a crew who's making an action paced MMOG.
There's a monopoly bigger than Everquest waiting in the action MMOG.
God spoke to me
It's not brand new, but it's the most original game I've ever seen -- you move in a 3D world bouncing off platforms chasing a "spinner".
:)
What's really appealing is that the game is definitely a great stress reliever, very relaxed, with outstanding music (AI generated, which means it rarely repeats itself) based on your moves, and a highly, highly trigonometrical figures assembled on some of the most interesting mathematical curves you can think of...
Reminds me of the 3D Simpsons epizode, where Homer falls into a black hole into the real world
See it at tqworld.com.
NB: I'm not affiliated with the developers in any way, I don't make money off the game and in fact I've never purchased an account on their servers (though I did offer help with their Linux port at one point, but never did anything about it)...
Actually my favorite game of 2003 was Tenebrae Quake ( http://tenebrae.sourceforge.net )
Tenebrae is a modification of the quake source that adds stencil shadows and per pixel lights, which makes the good old quake look a little bit like Doom3. This adds about 500% atmosphere and makes the game a whole new experience to play.
Most of my games are franchise games
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (gamecube)
Metroid Prime
for Origiality the best game this year is
Viewtiful Joe
For years past (but I still play)
Pikmin
It's a sequel srivien market -- I like the 3d-ifications of all my retro games (When done well) Prince of persia is highly reccomended.
WTPOUAWYHTTOTWPA
What's the point of using acronyms when you have to type out the whole phrase anyways?
There are no original games any more, any originality of powerful 3D engines has been used up a few years back already...
The next opportunity at originality might come in the real time online world department, but I think all attempts at that in the year 2003 fell flat...?
PC online games just have too much cheating, and consoles just aren't powerful enough yet (even XBox has way too little memory), and there aren't enough people with fast enough access who want to play them to bring out their true potential anyway...
One thing that I'd like to know is why does nobody create any 2D games anymore? 2D is a great format for many types of games - scrolling shooters, platform games, shoot 'em-ups. Why does nobody make these any more?
3D is fine for many types of games, but personally I'm a bit bored of 1000 variations of the DOOM format, and long for some 2D games. It's a good format for the screen, and it's a good format for games - afterall, most of the classic games of all time (Go, Chess, playing cards) are essentially 2D games in a 3D environment, which suggests to me that there is something intrinsically right about 2D for game formats.
With the capabilities of modern consoles some fantastic 2D games should be possible, but I've looked everywhere for good 2D games for the Playstation 2 and can't find any. Very frustrating.
Unfortunately I'm not sure it counts since it's a straight port of Ikaruga for the Dreamcast some years ago :)
Just squeaking in under the wire, the recent Star Chamber, a 4X/board/card game for the PC, is one of the more unique releases this year. Furthermore, it's a free, and has free online play with ladder rankings. (The card booster packs are what costs you).
So go to their web site and check it out. There is no excuse not to. Or at least read this glowing review from Gamespot.
[PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
I'd have to say it was Xenosaga.
Previous to that would be Devil May Cry or Halo, although those aren't 2003 games.
"You've got an invalid haircut" -Warren Zevon - Life'll Kill Ya
Can't resist a little plug - Does a 'mod' count as a non-franchise game? If so I would highly recommend "SAS Into the Lions Den" just released on 19th December. It has been several years in the making originally for UT but completely recoded and remodelled for UT2k3.
It's the usual terrorist vs counterterrorist thing , in the vien of Counterstrike and Strikeforce but all I would say is that its very well done and written from the ground up for online multi-play. We have had some great artists, modellers and coders on the team and its a first rate job. Check it out.
My only other game tip is Simpsons Hit and Run which I just got for Xmas. Looks like GTA with Simpsons characters so I'm expecting a lot of fun - installing it right now.
Don't hate him because he's Viewtiful.
I, personally, would really like to know if there were any notable 2D games. Too bad most publishers think that nice 3D graphics sells the game (and I'm afraid that it's true...)
One that hath name thou can not otter
There wasn't a single game in 2003 that I enjoyed playing, and I'm one of the most die hard video game players out there.
God spoke to me
Puzzle Pirates, the world's first MMOArrrrPG. You play as a cute little isometric pirate who plays popcap type puzzles to sail your pirate ship, attack other ships, and accumulate booty. It looks flatly retarded, but I assure you it's the most enjoyable/addictive little game ever made.
on the original game, but part of the simpsons franchise : The Simpson Hit&Run is by far the best simpson game ever and is a GTA kind of game with more cartoon fun (cant kill, cant realy steal car, no gun) so far i've played this new game with a big smile on my face... on the FPS genre, Call Of Duty strikes in my opinion, everybody with think that BF1942 is the best sim of the WWII, but they never played COD on single player mode... best FREE game... yes... SplashDamage have releave the follow up multiplayer mod of RTCW and give it for FREE ... Enemy Territory is not original, and its part of the Wolfenstein franchise... but... ITS FREE DAWMMIT! and its a great fun game...
Other games to seek out for :
Ratchet and Clank
Mario Kart : Double Dash
Zelda:Windwaker...
and more... my prediction for 2004 : a lot of society games with minigames (kind of Mario Party or Warioware) ... its already beginning, but i think it'll it the PC Market in 2004
Most interesting new game I've played in a while. PC version had problems with the FMVs crashing the game, but still enjoyed it. I was hoping "The Longest Journey 2" (odd name huh?) would be out in 2003, but of course that's a sequel.
I've been playing Final Fantasy for years... oddly enough FFX2 they just released is the first real 'sequel' they've put out.
-- If god wanted me to have a sig, he'd have given me a sense of humor.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-07 -07&res=l
There you have it: Another vote for Viewtiful Joe.
~To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation. -Yann Martel
eve online (MMORPG) is my choice, I've played it for about a month now. It still has a few bugs that annoy me but the size of the world and gameplay depth (takes a looong time to fully learn it) makes it the best I've tried for a long time (and COD is still great, but singleplayer is much to short)
No it's not a sequal.
I had great fun with the Bridge construction set indy game. Well, the demo, I'm too cheap to buy a $20 game. Of course, I'm also the guy who watches "When buildings collapse".
It's really, really sad how void the discussions are on this. So far I've only seen a couple of games mentioned.
Was there anything released this year that wasn't a franchise game? Seems this article is dead.
"Sufferin' succotash."
Some friends and I had a decent couple rounds of Apples to Apples. Or did we first do that last year? Oh wait, you mean VIDEO games....
Now that I come to think of it, not many I've played have been original (and good). The only good original game would have to be Anachronox. I bit old (based on the Q2 engine) but still an excellent RPG.
):
Yohoho Puzzle Pirates. I got me a lot of Gamecube and Gameboy games. And I like 'em all a lot. But I find myself playing Puzzle Pirates more than anything else. Even if you don't want to play, at least do the free trial, its worth it. And unlike other MMOs where progress is based on performing repetetive button clicking, in Puzzle Pirates progress is based on skill alone. And all ages and genders can have fun and appreciate it :)
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
Either I play it down, or I look like an egotistical overlord trumping my experiences of coding.
Someone's gotta know of a team thats working on a MMOG thats action paced like halo.
A FPS set in a large world setting, etc etc.
Light vehicles for getting to location, heavy if you earn them, and want to bunker down a place, and main bases to group out from. Slap in some "leveling" goodness, maybe a cartooneque storyline, and you have a hit that'll last 5-10 years.
God spoke to me
Not sure about you but I'm an avid game player and I've never played ANYTHING similar to grand theft auto 3, and although yeah it may be a sequel, this game is far different than its predecessors. I hope for a MMORPG version with structural damage :-)
By far this was the most fun game I've played at all this year. It's damn well worth the money, and I think there is a demo. Only problem is it is too short, but the sequel I think is out early next year. This game rocks!
This year I'd say the best original games were;
... these are the ones I liked the most!
-Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, brought a whole new idea into the Console RPG genre by making the two characters in the party controlled on seperate buttons.
-XIII, WOW.
-Ultimate Baseball Online, first MMOSports game.
-Wario Ware, the best way to waste hours on end.
-Battlefield 1942, took FPS's to a new level by adding planes, tanks and automobiles.
-Wolfenstein Enemy Territory, is kinda a sequel but goes to show how popular and great a free game can truly be!
-GBA eCard Reader, the games were mostly rehashed NES titles, but the idea is unique, plus the add-on levels for SMB3 and the deck of cards that forms Mario Party GBA were really unique idea.
And finally,
-Temple of Elemental Evil, yes it could be argued that since this absolutely wonderful game has its roots in an old D&D module it's not as original as above. But this game fixed all the problems I had with Neverwinter Nights! NWN takes a turn based game (D&D) and tries to make it realtime. Temple decided to make a true D&D game and then use that engine to recreate one of the kewlest, deadliest, and interesting "Dungeon-Hack" adventures ever printed for D&D. Anyone who likes D&D will love Temple. And anyone who's never played D&D but who likes NWN will probably bitch because they won't understand how much better the translation in Temple is.
These are just my opinions obviously, but if you're looking for original
Kleedrac
Sure we wang, can.
This game is one of a rare series of SaGa games that came out earlier this year. Although it received alot of bad reviews once you start playing and learn the mechanics of the game its actually quite rewarding. Unlike the other Final Fantasy games this one doesnt have 30 minute pauses in gameplay after every boss to watch a movie. You actually play the game about 98% of the time. Leveling is not like other Final Fantasys either, you have a grid panel one which you place panels after you finish missions. The panels are random so you might get Lockpicking, Kicking, Punching, and Artiste one time and another time you might get all weapon panels. Characters gain hitpoints by how much damage they take during a mission. If you hardly use a character throughout a few missions they wont gain that much. The game has 7 different characters that have stories that intersect in a universe telling a different account of what happened through their point of view. Each character takes from 13-40 hours depending on how much you want to build your characters.
...that is why they feel it is easier to build on the success of a previous game and already have name recognition, etc.
Take examples such as Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, Ico, Ikaruga, System Shock, No One Lives Forever, The Suikoden Series, Rez, Fatal Frame, etc.
These were very good games, and some even had sequels. But they never achieved the public recognition that they deserved. Even when gaming magazines and websites give rave reviews of these games, the mainstream public just simply ignores them. In order to have a very successful game, it needs to spread by word-of-mouth. TV and magazine advertisements help, too. Quite often, the developers simply don't have enough money to create the buzz in the media that a great game should have.
This is why creating sequels is so easy. The Final Fantasy series is probably the most obvious example. If Square were to release a new FF game, it would need no advertising. The name recognition is strong enough to sell copies. This is also the reason why games that the Average Joe buys (i.e, sports games) have such popularity too. Average Joe doesn't bother to read game reviews, so he'll buy any game with a fancy box and catchy premise. He won't take his chances on a game like Xenosaga or Ico (Low price tags == old/bad game?). He'll go with "ATV Offroad crap" or "WWF game clone #23". So making crappy but appealing-to-the-mainstream games like this really doesn't seem like a bad idea.
I've been completely and totaly addicted to BattleMaster It takes me back to the good old days of BBS door games. Long live Nostalgia!
Words are only yours until someone else uses them...
Believe it or not, one of the most original/unique games I've played this year is on the Apple Mac platform!
It's called "Enigmo", and it's sort of a "real-time puzzle game", in the tradition of something like Lemmings. You have falling drops of water, oil and lava which must be captured in the proper containers at the bottom of the screen. You're given a set of objects you can place anyplace on the screen to attempt to achieve this goal. (Of course, there are lots of interesting little catches. If a stream of drops of lava intersect a stream of water drops, the water drops evaporate, for example.) As you complete levels, you get more interesting challenges and new tools in your arsenal of objects to direct the flow of the droplets.
It's a very well done little game, and can be quite addictive.
Anyone else notice how hard it is to find games that fit in the original poster's requirements strictly?
Let me clarify: how many games are sold on the value of the game itself, vs how many games are sold on the value of the franchise and/or publisher? That is, a truly original game that you'd hear from through word of mouth, and not advertisment from it's rich publishing company...
(It's apparently also a trend in other forms of entertainment: they call it something pre-aware)
--
Warning: it doesn't pay to be original anymore
Although I don't game much anymore, and if I do it's normally RPGs on older console systems, I did play some Project Entropia this year. I'm not sure if it went beta->public in late 2002 or early 2003, but close enough I guess. It's a MMORPG run by a Swedish company that is free to download and play. The catch is that you need ingame money, which can be deposited or withdrawn using various methods, to buy items like guns, ammo, bombs, ore detectors, clothing, or even a place to live in "Calypso," the PE world. You can earn money ingame by hunting, mining, crafting items, trading items for profit, begging (annnnoyyyyying), etc. Although I'm sure most people don't make money off the game, as the company running the game needs to make a profit. In my time playing, I managed to make about $30US ingame (~300PED, Project Entropia Dollars), while starting with nothing, so it is certainly possible. I've not played since the latest update, but I've heard it is a vast improvement, and that lag and disconnects are virtually eliminated. Overall, if you're bored and/or broke, or interested by the whole idea, it's certainly worth checking out.
"where words meet intent, lies rhetoric's lament"
Ok, I cancelled my subscription recently, but I played it for quite a while. You could say, by stretching it, that it's a new genre (massively multiplayer FPS). IMHO, it's not getting the attention or success that it deserves.
Funniest game that was never released in 2003. A shockingly original concept where the game would be in not actually releasing a game. And the franchise can continue on in that mode, literally forever. Brilliant concept and execution all around.
Half life still rocks me I play it a lot still
A very original FPS, it has cell shaded graphics and low poly counts, so it's very easy on the computer. It has an interesting story line and has many novel things that give it "comic book charm" such as instead of hearing footsteps around a corner you see "TAP! TAP!" through the wall. That and if you headshot someone with a sniper rifle a 3-panel strip fires across the screen in real-time showing you the results. The story line is interesting and the game plays very well. Highly recommended.
Viva La Revolucion! Buy a Mac!
Oh wait....
It wasn't new for 2003, but I discovered it in 2003. Go to their website to find out more, and to play the demo. It's loads of fun! By the way, if you remember your latin, "pontifex" literally means "maker of bridges," iirc. In this game you're tasked with designing a 3D bridge spanning various bodies of water, capable of withstanding varying loads. It's deceptively simple, but, as far as I can tell, original and fun!
Here's a review of an older version: Firing Squad Review.
Michael C. Hollinger
...as potentially the worst of a bad lot.
These multi-player online games epitomize the worst of gaming; they tend to bring out people who enjoy tedius, mind-number repetitive actions....they would otherwise be doing counted cross stitch. Which would be at least accomplishing something. SWG is jerking off for $15 a month.
Absolutely horrible
That game is just a glorified (mostly)single player mario party (currently mario party has 5 versions out)
so this is definatly not a new concept, just a wonderful variation on an N64 game.
that said, it is not original, just very good.
And it has a linux version :-)
I may be trolling but for me that's an important information
Mostly mine.
I'd have to agree Origanlity dosn't seem to be something the Video Game industry looks for any more.. especally with PC gaming. Ever since the Demise of Sierra Online PC gaming has really taken a plunge.. unless you actually consider the endless (Repetitive) fist person and, third person shooters innovative.
.Hack they would rate High.
For console games I've played Xenosaga and
For PC games? umm you mean they actaully come out with somthing that was a really good seller that wasnt a spin-off of some licence or frachise?
I forgot to mention Bridge Construction Set, the sequel to Pontifex. Same idea, better implementation. Oh, by the way, there's a Linux version. Go to http://www.chroniclogic.com/pontifex2.htm for a demo.
Michael C. Hollinger
great stuff!
I got the Xbox version of Goblin Commander recently. There are a few minor gameplay irritations (there's no 1-player skirmish mode but the 2-player mode almost makes up for it) - and it rocks playing a decent strategy game on a console. Definitely one of the more original games I've played this year.
There are some reviews links on Gametab.
Or was that last year.... either way, it filled an afternoon or two round these parts.
I wish there was a way for me, as a Christian, as a human being, to sit down with some of you and have a pleasant, civil discussion without bitterness or sarcasm. I don't force people to believe what I believe. I don't mock others with different beliefs. I hope I can find the words to explain myself, as my life goes on. I hope I can help people to see.
Count one vote for Karaoke Revolution! I know that karaoke is nothing new, but this game could drag it out of the bars and into the mainstream living room.
I was never going to buy a karaoke machine, but I picked this up the day it came out based on previews. I've been singing/screaming my guts out with my kids ever since! The game is easy to pick up and play. The computer avatars are pretty cool and the special effects are decent, which makes it a fun game even solo. The song selection is pretty good with the promise of expansion discs in the future. So if you want some fun even with your nongamer friends, this is the ultimate party game. If it came with a handheld usb mike rather than the headset, it'd be perfect!
To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started
...but it's the same game which I most adored one year, two and three years ago -- ADoM :)
Just wondering -- I dislike Nethack. Is it because I played ADoM before trying NH? What are your experiences?
WarioWare Inc. Mega Microgames and Duke Nukem Forever!
You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
They are mislead to believe that only new 3d rendered pieces of shit are worth their while, meanwhile zelda bonus disks containing mid 1980s zelda games that spank anything modern on gameplay are flying off the shelf. if you want badass 2d gaming you have to buy a gameboy advance because the hardware is not advanced enough to forget gameplay yet... damn you NGage.
Planetside is an ok game, but it lacks.
At the very start, you have access to all the weaponry... A game that you'd want to strive and build should give you reward over time.
The resources you fight for give a direct boost to your personal firepower/armor.
Or you could gain resources to build up your base.
The plots would run cartoony like Transformers, where everyone vies for resource plots, and builds up clan bases.
The key is planetside doesn't allow for clan building, which is one of the key things that make quake games fun... trying to build the ultimate killing team. In planetside, you're forced into teams, and can't shoot dorks that are getting in the way but are on your team.
Planetside had a great idea, but it gets boring really fast because you're not building anything up. Everquest allows you to build up, but its boring because no action is taking place. You make a game where your long term goals are to build up your character/team and base, while still having FPS action elements, then you have a bad ass game.
God spoke to me
Another game I've played is Bejeweled by Popcap Games. Definately the most addicitve puzzle game I've ever played. Between those two I've wasted enough time to limit my capability to produce the cure for cancer this year.
"It's here, but no one wants it." - The Sugar Speaker
Kung Fu Chaos - hands down the best original game this year. It has not only pick-up-and-play party value but advanced moves for more skilled players, hilarious commentary and visually stunning (some times just plain beautiful) levels, even with the cartoon-like style the characters are based on. The replay value is great (I spent a good part of summer getting five stars on all the levels and mini games) and the multiplayer is fantastic with a surprisingly well programmed AI for the 3rd person camera, a track-like change of setting throughout the levels (this is no wimpy Super Smash Bros. Melee) and most everything can be picked up and thrown as a weapon. Just Add Monsters worked in countless little details as well, all to fit the "bad 70's kung-fu movie" theme: simulated scratched, faded and dusty film; comical stereotypes; droves and droves of ninja henchmen; you can even see the wires when characters jump over large gaps! Top drawer.
'nuff said.
I love how people like to bash the cube "There's nothing new, it's just rehashes."
Yet you look at what people mention again and again here for original and they're Gamecube or GBA games.
Animal Crossing, WarioWare, Viewtiful Joe, sorry what exactly did PS2 or Xbox have that was original?
Best non-sequel game: Final Fantasy.
so was the dreamcast, and now every console is a 3d rendering CD/dvd based personal computer with internet connectivity. Soon 3d video cards will be a handheld must -- I blame Ngage. New tech often flops, does not mean it does not change anything... look at the i-mac, now look at the slew of all-in-ones offered today.
Primal for the PS2.
Primal was obviously influenced by Soul Reaver on the PS1, but it takes that style of gameplay in a different direction and has a *huge* game-world for this genre. The level design is also incredibly nice-looking.
Everything else I played that came out this year was either a sequel, or set in the same world as another game or film.
"...always new atoms but always doing the same dance, remembering what the dance was yesterday." -Richard Feynman
I picked up XIII for the PS2 for Christmas. While it's based on a French comic, it technically isn't a sequel, so it would qualify. Definitely one FPS worth owning. Not only can you have all kinds of fun, the game is actually HARD! I haven't played a game that is hard since god knows when. You actually have to put some effort in to beat it.
There was that Viewtiful Joe game.
And that Megaman Network Transmission game.
And that Guilty Gear XX game.
And that Half-Life 2D game.
And Galactic Civilizations.
And Mobile Light Force 1 and 2 (aka Gunbird 1 and Shikigama no Shiro 2, finally ported to North America!).
And Ikaruga.
And Risk.
And Dance Dance Revolution.
Or Disgaea, that game was isometric top-down.
Or even Contra: Shattered Soldier!
Well, gee, it sure seems like the 3D consoles and PC still get a lot of 2D games! This is ignoring the huge amount of 2D games that come out on the GBA, naturally.
--
Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.
PlanetSide is ok as a large scale FPS is concerned, but it doesn't have:
1) Any character development
2) Any clan building
3) No base development
4) You can get the best equipment early on(no character development)
5) No storylines
6) And really since the game doesn't give rewards for anything, theres no goal in the game
A game that would have long term goals, in addition to massive warring would rule. Planetside didn't have any long term goals... In fact after you watch bases switch hands so many times, you contemplate the futility of it all.
A mad max style game where everyone's fighting for resources, trying to have their character ascend, while helping their team out. That game would do well, and even have social intrigue... On any situation, how much will you gather power for yourself, or share with your team. Divvying up the pirates treasure style. etc etc
God spoke to me
How come no one mentions Enemy Territory? As a free (beer) game, someone should have thought of it. And okay, maybe it came out last year, and maybe it's not too original, but it really makes you waste lots of hours of otherwise productive time.
I got a few XBOX games for Christams and a couple I can think of right away from this bunch are Prince of Persia and Sphinx and the CUrsed Mummy. Both are available for all the console platforms and Prince of Persia is available for the PC as well though I don't know which OS and I don't really care because I use Windows XP which all modern games support and I quit playing games on my PC for the most part (Dungeon Siege and Neverwinter Nights were not available for the XBOX).
What's to like about these games? They're both really great puzzle games mixed with a small amount of fighting though Prince of Persia can get a little aggrevating with its battles. Sphinx is a bit like Zelda except it has a very cool Egyptian mythology theme providing the backstory, characters, and environments.
Both have beautifully rendered graphics and Prince of Persia is really over the top with its use of lighting. There are breathtaking vistas throughout with sunlight streaming through latticed windows. The environmetns are just as beautiful and well thought out given the type of puzzled you have to solve.
If you have a console and a video/game rental place nearby, definitely check these two out.
Viewtiful Joe for the Nintendo Gamecube. it may be the best game I've played since something like Super Mario World. It's just a perfect gamer's game, with so much attention to detail, and it's now the new benchmark that I judge games against.
CB
free ipod and free gmail!
Call of Duty is
GTA 3 is such a huge departure from GTA 2, I happen to think it's much more original than most non-franchise games. Yes, its the same gangland/pedestrian-killing/jacking game, but vastly further developed.
Compare to Call of Duty which is just more WWII-themed-FPS. Very fun, not original.
At a certain point, who cares about originality? I'd rather go see Return of the King than some other lame movie.
But my timetable for release is a bit longer than most gaming companies.
My main concern is how to go about forming or joining a team.
If no one has help in this regard, maybe I should sit down and figure out what the best way to assemble a team is.
I guess its alot like open source teams, and I hear lots of problems are involved.
God spoke to me
First Person Shooter meets Real Time Strategy.
To top this off, the two sides (Aliens and Marines) play completely differently; the Marines require a commander (who plays from an overhead view) to build structures and acquire weapons, each Alien chooses their own role: builder or fighter. The depth of this game is simply stunning, the maps are amazing (and this is on a 5 year old game engine) and there are lots of servers to play on.
Lastly, if you own Half-Life (and who doesn't these days) you can get it for free.
http://www.natural-selection.org
_f
There were so many great games this year, but the more and more I thought about them, I realized most of the games I thought about were in fact based on a franchise.
The first one that came to mind was Prince of Persia which basically re-invented itself from the classic PC platformer, so it wouldn't qualify, even though I consider it to be an original game...
But to answer with what you're looking for, I guess Top Spin would be the only game I can think of that is not based on a franchise. Even that one though you can argue is based on Sega's Tennis 2K series.
Viewtiful Joe comes to mind, though it has been mentioned before it deserves every accolade it has gotten and then some.
Boktai also stands out as an interesting game. While ones first impression may scream "gimmick!" with regards to the sun sensor, it actually adds to the game and gives it a unique twist.
hmmm thinking of a third non-sequel non-franchise game is tough, can we pretend that KOTOR is ok to list? It wasn't based in any of the Lucas or extended universe Starwars storylines, and yet managed to be every bit as much "starwarsy" as any of the films. It had its flaws, but overall was one of the most enjoyable RPGs I have played in years.
On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
hack.// infection is one of the best origanel games of the year.
old stuff made new and fresh indeed.
besides that I would hold up Ikaruga.
LOCK-ON is imo the best game of 2003. It's just awesome..
Whiplash for PS2 (I think also for XBox?) just came out, and is an excellent game. The characters and story are hilariously written, with enough odd references to amuse kids and adults alike. The gameplay is fast paced and exciting, and the worlds are rich and huge to explore. Good mix of platformy/puzzley/combat.
Seth Able, creator of the BBS game Legend of the Red Dragon, continues to produce wonderfully quirky games. For instance, Funeral Quest is online game that has players via for the wallets of grieving families. Capitalism at its finest. DungeonScroll is word game/RPG. It's like boogle but with spells and hit points.
Keep up the great work, Seth. :-)
I'm not sure what it's called but the mosquito game on the Siemens SX1 is fantastic. It uses the MPEG4 motion estimation vectors to overlay still mosquitos on the live preview from the camera.
The object of the game is to zap the bugs on people's faces. Very addictive and finally, a good use for a camera phone.
Call it an Elite ripoff but it really was a very nicely done game by Mr. Gates. I hope future editions don't use the scripted missions as much and get back to the open ended play I was used to in Elite.
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
Easily the most original game I've seen this year (or for quite a while for that matter) has been the MMORPG A Tale in the Desert. Cooperative play, no combat, a player-created society... this game departs from the norm in so many ways that it's crazy - no wonder they independantly released the thing, no publisher would ever support such a complete departure from what MMORPGs really are.
Best new game? True Crime: Streets of LA. That game is just so cool, like GTA except you're the cop, not the Bad Guy this. Best game, even though it's a sequel: Medal of Honor Rising Sun. It's a nice change to have a WW 2 shooter not having Nazi's to blast away... Best 2D puzzle game: Bookworm Deluxe from PopCap software. I got the demo in a gaming CD this summer, and have been playing it since. Although my wife has beaten my high score several times, it's a fun and addictive puzzle game.
------ Will of Iron, Knees of Jello.
Think first-person billiards.
Koules is an original game I played this year. It's from 1995, but still fun and unique.
here
...but 2D looks old. Whenever I see it, I think "80s" and since most games try to be new and innovative (enough for me to cash out for them at least...) it sends the wrong signal.
That's for us that lived through the 2D era. For someone that's used to 3D free rotation games, I imagine it looks real "limited". Maybe the game doesn't *need* 3D, but you don't really realize that until you've played it.
First they were 2D (think Civilization 1), then they were 3D isometric (Diablo etc.), then 3D free movement (UFO: Aftermath etc., just the first I remember) Does it really add to the gameplay? No. But does it add to the overall impression? Yes. Even if the rest is really basicly the same.
Kjella
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
Looks a lot like ToySight, a collection of games for the Apple iSight (or any other FireWire connected camera under Mac OS X).
The only game i've been playing for more than two years now is world war 2 online (www.wwiionline.com). The game is constanly updated and has really come into its own this year. It is a massively multiplayer online war simulation, with thousands of players fighting it out on a single, continuous map spanning hundreds of miles. It has everything - tanks, planes, infantry, naval vessels, you name it; and all in a world with the most detailed physics model yet attempted. If you're tired of the gaminess of BF42, MOH:AA etc and you want a war game done properly, check out wwiiol. The game is AWESOME.
Wario Ware is a fast paced collection of super simple games for the GBA (and soon GC). It's not only original, it can be played for a few minutes at a time, great for a portable system like the GBA. It should also be noted that it contains the wonderful new Pyoro games as unlockables. These are some of the best homages to classic arcade games I've seen recently.
Wario World is a less than steller platform game for the GC. It's the one made by Treasure but that doesn't mean that it's good; it's actually quite mediocre. I love Treasure for games like "Mischief Makers", "Radiant Silvergun", and "Gaurdian Heroes" but this was a letdown.
Check out Adventure Solitaire for the Palm OS, from Jim Dubois, the designer of Majesty.
Good idea, but fscked implementation.
Game is about politics in post-russian republic. There are many good ideas in game, but after few hours you realized that whole 3D engine is worthless - you can use 3D mode just for fun, because all things important to game are in 2D map.
Game is very original (much closer to real politics than Tropico for example), but playability is low.
Best game I found this year. Original in that it's paper.... unoriginal in that it pokes fun at the DOOM type games.
It's free.
http://www.ghoulash.com/welcome.cfm
I found the new Prince of Persia to be amazing. It isn't the same as any game before. It's the first true advance in its genre since Tomb Raider. I vote for it for game of the year.
Another game I've been impressed with this year is Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. It takes the normal RPG system and removes some of the drudgery and in the process creates a game you can play nearly forever, without some final boss. It also fits the GBA perfectly, because since it isn't a twitch game you can play when mildly distracted (not driving) and pause it at any time.
Also on the Game Boy is Advance Wars 2. A return to the turn-based strategy game. And a good one a lot of fun. This game deviates least from it's predecessors in its franchise, but it is still a great game.
Finally, Project Gotham Racing 2 for the Xbox. This is the single finest arcade racer I have ever played. Many problems from the first are corrected and the physics are fantastic. The selection of cars is great. It does have a few minor flaws still (including the lack of a reverse lockout in manual shifting mode) but all in all it is fantastic.
It's a bit sad that all these games are sequels of a sort. But most of them add significantly enough to the games they are built on to be considered in their own right.
Gee, you can choose an alignment (i.e., "Light" or "Dark" force). I can't tell you how many games I've played with an alignment attribute since the 80s.
That's not a new thing in an RPG. A new thing in an RPG would be abolishing ridiculous "experience levels" and finding new ways to simulate skill improvements that don't require textbooks of rules and numbers to understand.
"Sufferin' succotash."
Call of Duty will push your system to its limits. The graphics are whiz bang fx spectular, while the AI is throwing all sorts of things at you. Stalingrad shows what 2004 games will be aiming for. The basic game mechanics are fps, but with cool new twists, like driving the tank...you swing the turrent with your mouse, but have to hit the space bar to change the tanks direction to the turrents...simple but brilliant!
Do you need a website upgrade?
I thought Savage was one of the best, blending both RTS/FPS together. While you might say that it copied Natural Selection, development for Savage started way before NS. Not only was it a good game, it came with a Linux port right on the CD.
Well, it might not be completely original (there was "Stunts" from Broderbund in 1990), but when was the last time you saw a 3D racing game that featured an editor, a puzzle mode and was as addictive as Trackmania? At least I don't know a racing game that made me play the same track over and over again for an hour just to get a gold medal on it and which comes with 96 tracks in 3 scenarios (each with it's own car model) to begin with.
(And which, coincidentally, can only be bought in France, the UK and, uh, Denmark(?). Talk about bad distribution... :( )
np: Stewart Walker - Strength From Within (Live Extracts)
"I'm not anti-anything, I'm anti-everything, it fits better." - Sole
There is very, very, very little that is ever truly orignal, as in no ties to anything done before. Basically all orignal work is something that builds on existing work in a new and creative way. Like the Matrix. I'd certianly call it orignal, I've never seen a movie like it before. But it did not evolve in a vacuum. The underlying story is heavily religously based, and the general motif has a huge basis in Willam Gibson's work. Those are just two major things of the many I can point out.
So trying to demand that something be completely new and different from everything is something you are just about never going to see. I can't think up a single example of something, be it a game, movie, book, story, etc that didn't have at least SOME foundation in something existing.
I say accept good games, regardless of their history. I mean GTA 3 is a good, fun game. Doesn't matter that it is #3 in the series. It's fun to play, and really that is what is important.
Best think is they are Mac and PC compatible.
Skunk Studios
Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
Why did you post this? Is this some secret code to meet up and have gay orgies.
CHRISTIAN! CHRISTIAN! CHRISTIAN!
Okay. Now where are the dicks?
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X
8====D
I think games that provide new, original interfaces will continue to widen the market (eyetoy, karaoke, DDR, etc.) to people who aren't normally gamers. Not everyone can be as skilled with a gamepad as us geeks.
I think Silent Storm can be considered original, even if there's an X-Com easter egg in one of the levels. Hopefully there will be more turnbased tactics games following the fair bit of success this game has had.
I spent hours playing this, got over a million points once, before the free trial was up. If they'd had a Linux or OS X port I'd have bought it, but I didn't want to register online because I never connect to the internet while using Windows anymore, only boot into Windows to play games. I don't know if I could actually register it while booted into Linux and have it work in Windows.
EvE online was probably the most original game I played. Of the Rehashed games, NeverWinter Nights, Homeworld 2, Rise of Nations and Galactic Civilizations were the best of the lot.
...you know a game is good when your roommates come into your room just to sit and watch you play it. It's got a great cinematic feel to it.
Not only does your .sig advocate turning off .sigs, its also broken. It generates an "Error 404" for me.
"Viewtiful Joe and Beyond Good and Evil are both excellent"
finaly they made a nietzsche game!
now i can philosophize in my own home!
I wouldn't really consider GTA3 a sequel as it was so revolutionary when it came out, and a hugely different game over GTA2. Meanwhile many other 2d games got me-too 3d sequels that were uninspired crap.
I would really like to see Nintendo doing more original games. This is where I've come to love sega more than nintendo, despite both companies' awesome software teams. Sega makes amazing new games like Jet Grind Radio and Crazy Taxi, while Nintendo sits there churning out Super Mario, Mario 64, Mario Cube, Zelda Cube, Metroid Cube, etc.
(i know those arent the names but same difference)
Yeah, Pikmin rocks. Initial release was AFAIK not this year, but I bought it this year. :)
Since GTA was also mentioned, I'd say Metroid Prime (released this year in Europe).
I haven't played Viewtiful Joe, but it looks very stylish. And the 2004 style award will propably go to killer7.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet (at least that I've seen). This game is gorgeously laid out, with a nice length (10-15 hours) and an awesome storyline and premise. It is the latest brainchild of the creator of Rayman. Incredibly artful, five-stars. All you should need to get you laid in deep is 5 minutes; wait and experience how the game opens, I think you will have trouble putting it down from there.
This little gem, published in the US by Atlus. Technically it's in the same series as Rhapsody (and by the same people) but it plays more like Final Fantasy Tactics on crack. How much on crack -- the level cap is 9999 and you can beat the game at level 50 or so. Everything past that is for extra stuff past the ending. Stuff like being able to go into randomly generated dungeons that "live" inside your items to power them up, and other neato things like that.
:)
If you liked FFT, FFTA, or Tactics Ogre, you'll like Disgaea.
I wish there was a way for me, as an atheist, to never have to put up with the mindless chatter of these christian assholes again! All they ever want to do is to try and convert me into their own narrowminded way of thinking. Religion in general and christianity in particular shall never cloud my freethinking mind.
Ikaruga was great also, possibly the best technical shooter I've ever played, and also produced by Treasure. ( Who I remember more for Bangai-O ).
To be frank, pretty much everything they touch turns to gold. I'd love to see some releases from them in 2004.
YLFIP.S. This thing about 'non sequel games' is total bunk. Most original games are only 'original' in the sense that they're the first step in a franchise, not that they innovate in any way shape or form. My two favourite games at the moment ( Crimson Skies and MarioKart Doubledash ) both have ancedents on other systems, but they're still fantastic games.
One god, one market, one truth, one consumer.
Definitely Space Invaders!
Or am I twenty years too late?
What about Lemmings then?
While not original and we on the Mac platform finally get it since Microsoft stole it from us years ago. It shows that a game that is designed right can offer good gameplay and high frame rates with excellent control. I wish other games could be as well designed. I guess Bungie did not suffer much under the meaty thumbs of the stooges from redmond.
R E Z
That was classic intercourse!
Beyond Good And evil, best game I have played this year..
http://beyondgoodevil.com/us/index.php
This year (or maybe it was last? I had only heard of it until the end of 2003, at least) Infogrames and Humongous put out a game called Moonbase Commander. It's since won several awards, most of them being "Best game nobody ever played."
:D). If your root hub is destroyed, it's game over for you.
In short, it's a combination of Starcraft, Worms, and trees -- not the green kind, computer science trees. You start with a root hub, and from that hub, you can launch other units, including more hubs. By spreading your hubs around the map you expand your base. Here's the kicker: All units are connected to the hub that created them by something called the cord. If you destroy a hub that is farther up the tree, everything created from it blows up (in a very spectacular way
The game seems simple, but it's incredibly well balanced and addictive, especially in multiplayer. And the best part is that it's about $10 on ebay and amazon. My brother and I got it for $5 in a bargain bin.
If possible, find a copy while you can!
I think that the most original game that came out this year was definitely Madden 2004.
The Braying and Neighing of Barnyard Animals Follows.
If you want originality, this is the place to look, not in mainstream release. The Ship Game, by Ken Manta,(which I have had the opportunity to do beta testing for), is nearly limitless in how it can be played, more intrinsicly versatile than you can imagine. www.polyart.net has some info and a classic 2d version for download.
The Battle For Wesnoth, although not yet complete, is quite addictive. It's a turn-based 2d strategy game with some crpg elements. And it's Free Software!
Become a FSF associate member before the low #s are used
Why can't games share characters and still be "original?" They already share gameplay concepts.
If the rules are "not a sequel or franchise", then I quite enjoyed Bloodrayne, but I guess it might be one of last year's games. I just bought P.N. 03 two days ago and haven't turned it on yet, so I can't say how it is. Other than that I can't find another modern "not a sequel or franchise" game in my collection.
from Moonpod. Best $24.95 I ever spent.
It's Windows only, so no joy for the penguin lovers.
That game is amazing! Totally original, totally fun.
New peripheral, new game, great fun. If you're interested in interface concepts it's fascinating in a theoretical sense, too. Groove is an excellent Eye Toy game too, though I don't think it's seen a US release yet.
Most original games are only 'original' in the sense that they're the first step in a franchise
And because this is the definition of "original" set by Congress and the courts in copyright law and trademark law, that's all that counts.
So is her stomach...
Disgaea is a gamer's game, by gamers for gamers. If you thought that Final Fantasy Tactics could have been a bit more long and complicated, you will love Disgaea. Any game where you're the son of the Overlord of the Netherworld is starting out on the right foot.
The story and characters are good, and the dialogue is great in both the funny and serious spots. Best of all, there is a language option to use the English dub or the original Japanese voices. Oh, Squaresoft, why do you not have this option?
Combat is like Tactics, but with some EXCELLENT differences. You can pick up allies and enemies and throw them (different character types are better at throwing). With allies, you can continue this until you have a stack of your whole team, and throw across the whole board. In a turn, you can move and act, and do either first. If you accidentally move to the wrong spot before you act, you can cancel the move and do it again. Players next to an attacking player have a chance of joining in in a "team attack" with often amusing results.
And hey! It has _penguins_! Sadly, the penguins (Prinnies) explode when thrown, but they are very cute fighters ("Take this, dood!").
The Item World is excellent. Level up your items and defeat special monsters inside them to move them around and soup up one item with a ton of stats.
Like the "jobs" from Tactics, there are many humanoid (you're all demons, actually) classes, and each one has 7 levels. Characters "transmigrate" with all sorts of complicated rules.
There's also a Dark Assembly (congress), complete with bribery. And if your proposal fails, you can "persuade by force". Proposals can open up new worlds, gain you triple experience for the next enemy killed, make the enemies stronger or weaker, or change the shops' inventories.
All in all, a great game. As the parent (and an NPC in the game) mentioned, you can "beat the game" while barely scratching the surface, but there's so much to do, and not just mindless leveling. The Dark Assembly is actually completely optional (at least, proposals that require voting).
If you buy one RPG this year, make it this one. FFX2? BAH.
WMBC freeform/independent online radio.
Believe it or not, but I think it's the best game in 2003. Simply for one reason: It's so damned well written!
This will probably munch my karma, since no-one cares about my opinion, but well, I like it, and I have plenty to spare.
I've seen Viewtiful Joe, but the gameplay seems to break down to the traditional platformer with an extra timing element that I hate. I guess it's kind of cute in a Japanese B-movie sort of way, but I've seen plenty of real B-movies in college.
/. of traditional gaming.
I don't know if it's me, but I just don't see anything in the action game "genre" as remotely interesting. Maybe I never did, but without graphics these games seem unengaging and repetitive.
Maybe I'm talking crazy here, but what ever happened to board games?
I can say I've had more fun playing Settlers of Catan this year than any video game. That's saying a lot considering how many video games my roommate pirates. Not to mention other GREAT board games like El Grande, Puerto Rico, and Lord of the Rings (by Kizna). There's also great games like Modern Art, Tigris and Euphrates, and Carcassonne. Maybe some of these more overrated in the board game world, but I guarantee these are the tried and true of the board game world and will give you if not the best game then a very good one.
Check out www.boardgamegeek.com for a fairly good listing of many games. It's sort of the
My roommated came in when I was playing Beyond Good and Evil one day, and his first remark was "This game is a ripoff of Pokemon Snap." *shudders* Oh well, to each his own I guess. I thought it was a little short, but it's the most artistic game I've played since Ico. Everything about the game exudes quality, and the plot is light-years more mature than average.
My favorite "original" (non-sequel) game of 2003 was Orbz, published by Garage Games. The concept is sort of an abstract 3D frizbee golf. I've played through all the levels (about 35) multiple times and probably got about 15 hours of play total so far for my $20. Also -- very important to this crowd -- It runs on MacOS X, Linux, and Windows. You can download a free demo on their site to play through the first levels.
You can have side-view gameplay with real-time polygon graphics. Try Viewtiful Joe for GameCube and be amazed.
Because with 2D it's hard for the developers to constantly frustrate the players with "dancing"
Dance Dance Revolution is 2D, and it frustrates the player with dancing. Try taking 32 accurately timed steps in 3.2 seconds (parts of "Max 300" heavy steps) and see what I mean.
I'd have to place a vote for the PS2 game Primal.
The story was fun, and gameplay was tops..
It seemed like a story with game wrapped around it.
Musically, it was great to listen to, atmospheric, and just a joy to play.
You know, on second thought maybe Pacman isn't so original. Munching pills and thinking you see ghosts is probably pretty common to anyone doing acid.
Try this quote on for size...
"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music."
- Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc, 1989
Now go to a rave and look around.
Deltron 3030 - Virus (music video)
The penisbird lives!
I beat it without dying once. That qualifies the game as rediculously easy in my book. Maybe I should take up that arcade game I saw down the street at my trailer park. What was it called...The Last Starfighter?
Go to the arcade and try Dance Dance Revolution Extreme. Play it every day and get better until you can pass some level 10 songs with a AA grade. Then try Oni mode, where four mis-steps will end your game (INSERT COIN), and some songs have 32 steps in 3.2 seconds. Once you have beaten the "Legend Road" Oni course, you will know what "dying once" is.
Gamespot voted it Best Strategy Game of 2003, and I heartily agree. Some call it derivative of AoE, Empire Earth and their ilk, but it is really only superficially similar. Brian Reynolds' take on epic RTS is epic RTS done right.
_/\ - Sturgeon's Law: 90% of everything is crud.
This explanation is for the Hollywood generation?
Yes it's karaoke, but whoever has played this games knows it's an incredibly good party game. The fact that it essentially marks your singing ability (or, in my case, lack thereof) makes it original. It's never been done on a console before, and it's executed admirably.
If you haven't heard of it, check it out at Konami's website, you'll need a PS2 and a USB mic (the one from SOCOM works admirably).
But Maaa! Everyone else has a
Super Mario Bros. 3 was a groundbreaking platformer with incredible gameplay, but it was still a sequel to Super Mario Bros. 2.
Clever signature text goes here.
Baltimore Gas & Electric, or as its known to the locals... Bangledesh Gas & Electric
Thank god there isnt.
What about those prostitutes?
Metal Arms:Glitch in the System is an excellent, original game. http://www.metalarms.com/ Sleeper.
The fact that Live for Speed is a driving sim means that most, if not all of the features of the game have been done before. Having said that, very nearly everything is done well, especially the actual physics engine and the online play. The most innovative thing about this game though, is the distribution model. You download the demo, which is a fairly hefty 140MB file. This starts to look smaller and smaller as you realise that first of all, the demo gives you 4 variations on the track that's included and 3 cars. You can also play it online. Then, once you're hooked and you decide to shell out the GBP12.00 you get another 5 cars and three tracks, each tracks having multiple variations like the demo track. Patches and bug fixes are regular, the developers are active in the forums, which is good, considering the huge community that's built up around the game. The money that I and many others paid for the first installment (S1) is funding the development of the second installment which I will purchase the moment it becomes available. This incremental release effectively means that the game's communtity gets a say in what gets included in the game. This is only my personal opinion, and you could question my lack of bias (I have no vested interest in the game other than as an enthusiastic player and member of the community, but I unashamedly love the game) but the quality of the game, the efficiency and novelty of the distribution method and the fact that that distribution method was dictated by the fact that the developers (all three of them) didn't want their concept diluted in any way by a publishing house, makes this game something that I would imagine more than a few Slashdotters being interested in.
I used to play FPS games but now find all of my time eaten away by gunbound.
www.gunbound.net
Most enjoyable game I've played this year.
I've heard a few people talking about this game and I guess it has something to do with the games called myst and riven. I've played neither of those but I went to their website and downloaded the demo. I was blown away by the graphics and sound and my wife and I played it for a couple of hours before we figured it out. I've just ordered the game from amazon so I hope the rest of it is as much fun as the demo.
I should mention that it seems more like a game where you just figure stuff out and not a shoot em up. Apparently there will be an online version of this as well which should make it interesting. One thing to note is you definitely want to have a fast computer with a good graphics card to play this. I don't play games that often so I don't know how this one stacks up to others this year but it certainly impressed me!
-Pat
Gunbound.net
I really enjoy playing gunbound. It's free, online only, and is a bit like worms, except with liitle vehicles, each with different types of weapons.
The most interesting part of it, is you are rewarded for playing with gold, and guild points, and you can use the gold or cash which you actually purchase with money, to buy armor, shades, parasols, flags, hats and such that augment certain stats. Check it out, it is definately worth it.
Your quote is misattributed. It was delivered as a joke by Marcus Brigstock, as noted here.
-Dave
It just sneaks in as a 2003 release (simcity 4 information) and it's the best release in that long standing serie. Add Rush Hour and you got a very advanced simulation environment, with seemingly endless gameplay vaule.
This wasn't by any prophet Nintendo employee: http://www.marcusbrigstocke.com/pacman.asp
pikmin
This fantastic little game decided not only to install itself on the root level of my hard drive(applications go in the Applications folder, nowhere else unless you ask!), but also installed itself into my Dock- and I haven't been able to remove it(yes, I'm an experienced OS X user, I know how to add/remove things- this one seems 'stuck', like it somehow convinced the Dock that it's running all the time).
They're about 5 minutes from getting one very nasty email.
Please help metamoderate.
Amazing cell-shaded graphics - cool FPS
Rise of Nations is a great real time strategy game.
Seriously? That was a fun game. Unlike that GODFORSAKEN Simpsons Hit & Run....
Ugh I fekkin HATE that game!
This
Maybe someone mentioned this but I certainly didn't see A Tale in the Desert mentioned anywhere. Go to atitd.com and download the trial. Brilliant game.
try www.infidels.org mosesjesusfreak.
For those who know the Space Empires line, StarFury is a unique game from a small company (Malfador-something or another from Santa Rosa). Although compared to alot of mainstream games, the graphics may not be as wonderous nor is the gui but the fun lies in the gameplay and the replayability.
As for graphics, Max Payne 2's engine is well....awesome and then some...though it didn't have enough gore for me.
Definitly this game rulez: Soldat :)
:)
It's a 2d platform alike multiplayer game that clearly had some inspiration from worms - but is is oh so cool and fun to play in lan with 4 persons, the gameplay is just fantastic
Truck dismount already had a prequal otherwise it would be my choice
The other games I saw really were sequals or non-original things, so I guess there won't be any other...
Go grab the Morrowind GOTY pack for $30 and get Morrowind with the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions for the price of just Morrowind, and you'll see someone (bethsoft) trying to move the genre a little here and there in the details. It also comes with a great modding tool TES for adding new areas, items, players, etc. Also there are dozens of mods out there already. It's more than the best looking RPG I've seen, since it has the deepest gameplay I've experienced as well. You can craft a lot of you items in game for example, and make money taking raw materials and processing them into unique potions for example.
For you leveling request:
You don't level per se - you get better at skills by doing that skill in the game and then get a skill bonus at a treshhold. For example if you want to run fast - just run around everywhere you go and your athletics skill will improve over time. Once you improve 10 skill levels in your focused area of skills you can then choose which attributes to increase. From the example If you run around a lot you'll get a multipler for your 'speed' attribute ( speed governs the skills of athletics, but I won't discss the equ and physics engine ) should you choose to spend one of three tokens on that attribute.
Guilty Gear XX has by far, some of the best music, the best character designs and some of the most original gameplay I have ever seen.
Beyond Good and Evil , despite the strange name, has got to be one of the most amazing games I have played in a long time. It's what's keeping me from finishing Final Fantasy X-2. The game world and the rich story are fascinating and original. This is the game that Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee wished it were.
There's an innumerable number of games that do that very same thing. Of the well known graphical ones I'll mention Ultima Online. On second thought, I won't mention that because someone else will just mention an even older, especially obscure game that somehow "did it better."
Something really innovative in an RPG would be to get past the dialog barrier. Dialog systems range from NPC signposts (same message every time) to keyword systems more commonly found in MUDs or EverCrack to branching dialog like in Baldur's Gate or graphical adventure games.
As a storytelling medium the video game is a little tough to work with. Many game developers dream of a day when you can use natural language to talk with in-game characters seamlessly. We're a long ways off but a new attempt at this was entered in this year's Independent Games Festival
http://www.quvu.net/interactivestory.net/
It's not available for download yet so I've yet to test out whether they've pulled it off.
Personally, time and time again the less technical but better written video game holds a special place on my shelf. Grim Fandango, Xenogears, Sam & Max, Planescape: Torment, Final Fantasy VI. So some of those are pretty technical and some aren't Shakespeare, but compare to your typical RPG drivel and you'll see a world of difference.
Being able to work within the technical limitations is the difficulty your typical intern programmer cum writer fails to overcome. As Aristotle said, it is as if one could not count few so made them many. Instead of doing well what could be done we have increasingly more convoluted systems that have time and time again proven to be inconsequential to good gameplay.
It's a first person game so technically been done a thousand times. But it's original in many ways. Yes, it's hella good.
"There is nothing new under the sun.
" - Ecclesiastes Why the dislike of franchises, if they're fun? Some of the best games this year have been based on some kind of franchise: Knights of the Old Republic, Crimson Skies, Tron 2.0, Prince of Persia, Windwaker. Sure, not all franchise games did well., as a long string of crappy Batman games continues. Nevertheless, it seems to me this is no different than non-franchise/sequel games: some good, some bad, some ugly.
So what is a franchise or a sequel anyway? Aside from the attachment of a legal copyright, it's a game that's based in an established and defined world, right? But isn't Viewtiful Joe working within a world as established as that which frames Prince of Persia: Sands of Time? Instead of the confines of a defined environment and style established by two prior games, Viewtiful Joe is still working within the language and world of a comic book or action movie. That is to say that as strange as it would be in, for example, SW:KOTOR to suddenly meet up with a machine gun toting helicopter that operates on only two dimensions, it's just as unlikey in VJ for a three dimensional seriously driven Dark Jedi level boss. KOTOR is following the rules of the Star Wars "world," but VJ is just as adherent to the rules and confines of a comic book or action movie. Moreover, what of the franchise established by the first Prince of Persia isn't borrowed anyway from the old Sinbad movies or the steretypical Persian archetype? Take out the characteristic crumbling legdes in Sands of Time and it could have been called, say, Prince *in* Persia or merely Sands of Time and just as easily not been a franchise. So why discount good games merely because there's a copyright symbol attached to the title?
I submit that originality does not necessitate the exclusion of the existence of a copyright, and that on many fundamental levels, all games are "franchises" because there is no true, pure originality. I understand that this may be walking the fine line of an unnecessary frivolous discussion on semantics, but discounting games merely because they're a franchise or a sequel is just silly. Doing so, particularly this year, means you're missing out on a lot of very, very, very well designed and great games. The prequisite should be, "Is this fun?" not "Is this 'new'"?
I just - like 5 min ago - finished the Hordes of the Underdark expansion (on Linux, thank you very much)
This is, by far, the best one yet. The quality of NWN doubles with every expansion pack. It's so far ahead of the original NWN single player campaign that it might as well be a new game.
Very, very highly recommended. And did I mention works on Linux?
DG
Want to learn about race cars? Read my Book
i personally like postal 2 and i also like the PC version of Halo. i wish true crimes could be made for PC. plus Need for Speed 2 is great
It is really just a variation of Grand Theft Auto, but the Simpsons Hit and Run is a fun and hilarious game. It really captures the feel of the TV show and has lots of little asides for those familiar with the show.
I'd like to also recommend Dark Fall, an adventure game basically made by one guy. It's one seriously spooky game.
All the World War II games. As much as I still enjoy and play them, Im getting mightily sick of the ww2 theme.
http://www.mtg-bg.com/
An addictive blended of action and strategy. Think a real-time video game version of Magic the card game. Rocks playing people head to head on Xbox Live or on the PC.
Chew: You Nexus, huh? I design your eyes.
Roy: Chew, if only you could see what I've seen with your eyes.
Notrium is a very good freeware game that is (to me) quite original.
You have crash landed on an alien world, and must survive. You have to monitor your food, as you can starve. You also must watch your body temp...the nights are freezing, so move to keep warm or stand near a fire. The days get very hot, so seek the shade of a tree. Also various weather problems will have you looking for trees to hide under (acid rain).
If that werent enough, you aren't alone. Hostile aliens and robots roam different parts of the planet, and all you have is a tazer to stun them while you run away. You'll probably want to get something better to fight them off, which comes from the other really cool part of the game.
Parts from your craft are spread all over because of the crash. You can collect them and put them together to build new items and weapons. Having trouble finding food? Build a food replicator. How about a defensive turret to guard your "camp" while you rest? Build weapons to kill aliens (then grill thier bodies on a fire for portable food!). The eventual goal is to build an object that will either allow you to leave the planet, or allow you to live there for the rest of your life. Part of the fun is finding out how to do any of them.
Anyway, a terrific game. Well worth the download.
OLD pc game, same concept.
Bah, the lack of love I see for it hurts me. It's by far my favorite system ever to be released.
While not a totally new idea in the handheld industry, it IS the first large and successful step towards the "correct" way to handle handheld gaming. Backlight, rechargable battery, flip screen since Nintendo's creation of the Gameboy Light. It has even cause quite a revolution for future handheld systems of other brands (PSP, Zodiac, N-Gage).
Oh and we musn't forget Wario Ware, I do believe someone did mention it earlier and I am quite glad about it. I think it was the only game to be released this year that actually could NOT be fit in any genre. I think "puzzle" may be the closest you can find, it had far to great a mix of other genres to be one.
Also, I don't think many remember Four Swords that came with Zelda: Link to the Past (Not a new game, but Four Swords was quite new) was quite an interesting creation of fun cooperative, yet competitive multiplayer in 2D system.
There are a whole slew of other titles on the GBA, that I'd rather not explain and just let others venture through them themselves, such as Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Mario and Luigi, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and Golden Sun: The Lost Age (A "continuation" of the first Golden Sun, while not necessairly innovative it stills shows that the 2D system is NOT dead and can still impress).
Call this a fanboy rant if you please, but I must say that I am not that. I just favor the system. I do agree with many other suggestions from the various other consoles that are noteworthy, but I would just like the system of my choice to not go unmentioned. It was quite the right step towards the way portable gaming should be, and makes me all the more hopeful for the industry. Wireless multiplayer is next on the horizon, consoles are getting smaller... there maybe a time when they're just portable system able to plug into TVs.
Get a goddamn life outside of kiddy games.
Shut the fuck up and die.
Trogdor!
beautiful 2d graphics and a fresh viewpoint to knights vs dragons
Totally new story/world for a tactical/RPG game.
Maybe not the best game of the year, but definitely the best game that was different than anything else.
Well, poster, all the stuff you listed is major publishing mainstream content. It is widely known that usually, and even more so in times of low sales, slow economy, etc., mainstream publishers will shun any and all risk and put out nothing but surefire titles, i.e. either sequels or stuff with a movie license.
...) without adding anything new.
So if you look for originality, you're simply looking in the wrong place.
Some of the original games I've bought and/or played (some are free) this year:
(note: I'm Linux-only, so these games are as well, you might find even more in the windos or console world)
Marble Blast
3D roll-marble-around and complete puzzles game.
Originality factor: Combining marble games with FPS and turning it into a fast-paced, thrilling action game.
Bridge Construction Set (only played the demo on this one)
Build a bridge game. Simple, fun, addictive. It is a sequel to an older game of the same kind, by the same guy.
Originality factor: I don't know any other games of this kind, the idea is brilliant.
Orbz
Shoot-yourself-around-the-track game. Somewhat tricky to describe what exactly it is about.
Originality factor: No other game of this kind exists, AFAIK.
Scorched 3D
3D Clone of Scorched Earth.
Originality factor: While the idea is old, this is one of the few games really benefiting from the 3rd dimension, and it was done greatly. It is one of the few "clone" games that are actually more original than most of the "original" games you find which just rehash a basic idea (FPS, RTS,
Savage
A blend between RTS and FPS.
Originality factor: Combining two genres in a unique blend. No, it wasn't done this way before. It's not an RTS with first-person perspective for the commander, it actually is a full-blown FPS for all the non-commander players.
BattleMaster
Ok, shameless plug, this is my own game. I do, however, honestly think that it's quite original.
(it's a turn-based, multiplayer strategy game)
You will note all of these games come from small or independent developers.
Games are really like music in that regard: If you are looking for originality, look to the small and unknown. If you are looking for polished, perfectly produced, know-what-you-get stuff, shop in the mainstream.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
Secretly it's just a big joke, I don't think they reallu plan to ever release it.
I had more fun with "truck dismount" than with any other game i've played in years.
does this make me a bad person?
http://jet.ro/dismount/
I hold very few opinions. I hold information based on observation and fact. If you wish to disagree, please use facts.
eternal darkness? pikmin?
I am very sucseptible to "let's have another drink"
Well worth a look, IMO.
Live for Speed S1 must be the game of the year for me. A highly realistic racing simulator, with road cars. http://lfs.racesimcentral.com
Even though it was published by Microsoft, it was easily the best space game, if not the game of the year. Honestly.
The mini-games are actually quite good. You have everything from Bingo to a first-person shooter (well slingshot and paintball.) I like it because it's something we BOTH like to play. Besides, chicks dig muppets.
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
Guys, guys, guys...
If you consider all the arcade games, military simulators, etc, there's nothing new since Doom, and Warcraft. Games are either first person shooters, simulators (flying, driving, etc), which are really a variation of FPS, or third person games like Warcraft, Age of Empires, or The Sims. These are really nothing more than interactive chess. Anyone remember Battle Chess?
I haven't seen it mentioned yet... Silhouette Mirage is a great and very unique game made by Treasure. Not from this year, but it's the best I've played this year. Skygunner is another great game I've had the pleasure of playing. Either game is well worth playing through several times.
The topic of this thread is best non-sequel game this year. Now, I seem to remember playing GTA3 some two years ago, or so. I'm not disputing the originality of the game, only the question of why people are bringing it up. I don't like GTA3, but it's certainly a quality game in many aspects, and I can appreciate that without actually liking the game myself. However, GTA3 shouldn't be included in a discussion of best non-sequel games this year.
Simply amazing. Not sure when it was released but I just recently picked it up!!! Rock on.
And Europe finally got the mighty Psyvariar. Which, for my money, is better than Shiki, and right up there with Ikaruga - in fact, in some ways better, because with the buzz system a couple of minor mistakes mid-level don't write off the whole run, unlike the chaining system in Ikaruga.
"I Know You Are But What Am I?"
natural selection is a copy of Gloom for quake2
neither one is the original; so fucking waht.
EVE Online although it's technically based on Elite.
Sindri Traustason.
Heck, Crimson Skies started out as a boardgame.
I read the internet for the articles.
I just got BF 1942 Deluxe after seeing my cousin playing it online over the holidays.
I hear folks rave about GTA3 and even more so with the addons.
Seems like there is an expansion pack of the month for The Sims. I'm sure several got released on '03.
I'm sorta having a difficult time thinking of some "good==cool" original games for this year. Of course, I don't have a console system so all my references are PC games at this point.
Personally, I'm a bit pissed at the game industry for forcing me to play with the CD even after I installed the darn game (what the hell was the 1.2 GB required harddrive space for if I still need the CD!). I don't like "hacking" the game just to enforce my fair use.
SPAM solution made easy: 1 spammer, 5 cords of rope, 5 hourses, and fireworks. Be creative.
Karma: Really Nasty Bad
SPAM solution made easy: 1 spammer, 5 cords of rope, 5 hourses, and fireworks. Be creative.
Yeah, everyone complains about the included campaign when bitching about NWN. This, of course, entirely misses the point of NWN, which is the depth of the toolset, and the ability to have a live DM, which brings CRPGs closer to tabletop D&D than ever before. And no other game supports mods to this extent.
But Bioware has acknowledged the weakness of its included campaign with the release of HotU, an awesome single-player campaign that also includes a ton of add-on content for the mod community. This will be the model for Bioware games in the future. I'm sure you'll find something else to bitch about then, though.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
Your comment was uncreative. You sequal panderer.
I've made a UT2003 mod called Riftwar, which one 1st place in phase one of Epic's contest for Best Gametype.
The latest version, which was entered into phase two of the contest, does something different from most FPS mods. The game itself is tracking the state of a war between three armies (Humans, Undead and Aliens) over the course of the maps/games that are played. You can see the state of the war, which consists of trying to win the capitol maps of three worlds, at a web site, for instance:
http://inkless.com/edfcentral/
Sadly, with a waning UT2003 online crowd it's hard to find more than a couple of people on the server and the mod is really designed for teams to be beating the server, trying to win back worlds from each other. Still, if you want something a bit different:
http://inkless.com/riftwar/
Curveball
What about Half-Life 2?
It was the most customizable of any game!
Jonahweb.com has stuff.
The 'New' Prince of Persia game, though technically a sequel is such a great and unique game, I see no reason it shouldn't be counted here.
I just picked up the GBA title _Activision Anthology_ which has a collection of over 55 titles originally designed for the Atari 2600. I have to say that some of the prototypes/unreleased games are pretty unique/original. Kabobber was unique and I'm happy having Video Euchre on a handheld platform. Original games in my book!
indeed..
It's too late to be modded up for this, but take a look at Spiderweb Software. They make some of the greatest RPGs out there, and the still use 2d graphics in a 3d isometric tile-based world. Incredibly fun. They just came out with Avernum 3, along with Geneforge 2. Excellent RPGS, some of the best I've ever played. It goes to show that you don't need great graphics to have a fun (and long and involving) game. Of course, these games are only on PC and Mac.
YUO r TEH funneh sir!!1
> Here's a little bit of advice from a developer. If a console game has the ability to save anywhere at any time, the game is going to be just a matter of quicksave/quickload until you're through the entire game.
Firstly, why would everybody play like this? Most people will develop some skill at the game because it's gratifying to do it. Second, if someone wants to QS/QL their way through the game because they like to do it, what right do you have to tell them it's wrong? That's his very point. If you restrict load/saves just so that someone won't be able to do it, you're interfering with the enjoyment of the game for those who like to do it that way. Why do you think you have the right to tell someone how they enjoy playing? By allowing QS/QL, you allow everyone to play the way they like to play, not just the way you like to play.
> If you don't like it, that's just too god damn bad.
Am I alone in thinking that's a piss-poor way to sell games? Maybe you should get over yourself and try developing for a wider audience.
Virg
Battlefield is the only game that has kept my attention and I've been playing it for two years almost. Call of Duty is canned and boring. I just got Halo for the pc and it's like every other Doom/Quake/Unreal game. Plain old crap in a new wrapper. Give me the Desert Combat Mod any day!
Project Salus It's just in a beta now, but it looks pretty sweet.
does anybody know if the original metroid map was actually finite? it sure was big...
What? Me? Worry?
Both of these games are "sequels" based on "licencses" however they are both very innovative and very fun to play. THU and SH&R are both very similar to GTA in that they allow the player to interact with the environment and perform missions. However both are less violent and more entertaining. SH&R is probably the better of the two.
I loved this game. I don't know whether or not it's a sequel to anything but it was a blast to play. I made the mistake of picking it up near the end of the semester and found myself up very, very late after finishing up at the library.