Favorite games

[Justiciar]

In no particular order..

Morrowind
For pretty much the same reasons you yourself listed, ElectricEel. Though I liked Oblivion, it didn't quite have the same feel to it that Morrowind did. The scope of it was fantastic, but like the aforementioned squel it's a shame that the ending couldn't be more open. Still.. mods aplenty provide ample answer to that little quibble.

Neverwinter Nights
Three things: The DM Client. The Toolkit. The Multiplayer. Some of my best online and roleplaying experiences were with this game.

Total Annihilation
The first strategy game I ever played, and I loved every bleedin' minute of it. Methinks this may have been the first game I ever spent more than ten hours of straight, uninterupted play on.

Dungeon Keeper
Far superior to it's sequel. Nothing more satisfying than converting that dastardly Avatar to your cause and conquering the underworld.

Legend of Zelda; Ocarina of Time
I finished the game in a couple of days, but continued playing for months. Why? The scenery.

Stonekeep
The first RPG I ever encountered. I never acctually played it, rather I saw a cousin playing it when I was about six, and found m'self entranced by it. I daren't download it for fear that it'll turn out to be a pile of arse.

Ultima Online
The first MMO I ever played.

[Midnight]

In no particular order:

SMAC - the best TBS I've played, with a wonderfully oppressive and hostile world, as well as well thought out ideologically-based factions and a very cohesive feel to the game.

Ultima VII - the scope of the world was amazing.

Dungeon Keeper - carve out your own dungeon!

Arcanum - creative setting, an interesting plot, and some actual role-playing made it awesome.

Planescape: Torment - amazing atmosphere, fantastic writing and unusual characters.

Vampire: Bloodlines - another one dripping with atmosphere.

Maybe soon to be added to this list - Dwarf Fortress. I'm still getting into this one, but the sheer depth and attention to detail in it is absolutely astounding. Shame the interface is so clunky.

[Bijo]

Dungeon Keeper was good indeed. Ahh, what a pleasure it was to perform the creation of a dungeon with all the narrow paths and corners harboring one's minions that maneuvered themselves to one's will.

The game was more or less repetitive in nature, but for some reason it maintained its fun factor. Especially fun it was when the foe entered your dungeon to commence his offence.

Was there no DK2 and wasn't there a game to be released soon that resembled DK?

[drone]

[b]Was there no DK2 and wasn't there a game to be released soon that resembled DK?

There was a DK2 released waaaay back. A new game, Overlord, was released recently that was in a similar vein.

[Bijo]

There was a DK2 released waaaay back. A new game, Overlord, was released recently that was in a similar vein.

Ahh, yes: Overlord. I must have a thorough look into this game when suitable.

*Metal Gear Solid
[...]An incredibly daring game for its time with some of the best boss fights ever.

I am ashamed to have forgotten to mention this masterpiece.

And you are correct that it is a daring game and that it has very good boss fights. These battles are so original and satisfactory, I would have to think they'd transcend those of most games in existence. Well, perhaps I am exaggerating (?)

In any case, it is one of those games so refreshing and so well created with some factors I MUST emphasize separately: the voiceacting, the gameplay, the story, the characters, the boss battles, the music, the presentation. It is brilliant, if not genius. *sniff* It is beautiful... *wipes away a tear*

[TevashSzat]

Starcraft Who can argue with this, a brilliant campaign that I actually played through for once, incredible balance which allowed it to be successful online even now, and relatively easy map editor tools that made some of the best custom maps like Sunken Defence, Dawn of the Dead, and EVOLVES

Diablo II If I would look at this game without any previous experience, I would never have guessed how addicting it is. I have tried to quit DII far more times than I can count, but I always end up going back to it for a month or two at least. Every time, I still get the same feeling as I first did when it was first released.

Neverwinter Knights Incredible campaign, even better online experience. Nothing more need to be said

Knights of the Old Republic Very well polished even for someone not that interested in the Star Wars universe. Made me really feel that I'm in a galaxy far far away. And oh...that thing with Bastila was very well thought out on behalf of the writers

[Taurus]

Aah this topic brings back some great memories, here's my list in no particular order, I'm also bound to forget some too.

Command & Conquer
I had this on the old playstation and I loved it from day one, from then on I've been hooked on the series although none of the sequels lived up to the original.

Grand Theft Auto
The original top down free roamer was one of the best games I ever played.

Resident Evil
Once again on the old playstation the first RE is an absoloute classic, I must have completed this game over ten times I enjoyed it that much.

Metroid
My mate had an old Nintendo thing back in the day and this was just the dogs ********.

Z-Steel Soldiers
Hardly an amazing game but for some reason I was addicted to this so it must have done something right, I really played this game to death.

Virtua Cop
Had this game on the Sega Saturn and it was out of this world, even better with the gun controller.

Road Rash
Another Sega Saturn classic, what more do I need to say.

Doom & Wolfenstein 3D
The first FPS's I played and how brilliant they were (at the time anyway lol.)

Magic Boy
Quite probably the best game ever made, don't know if anyone remembers it, it was an old DOS game where you were some lad and had to jump on snakes and stuff, you also had to use a Joystick and not the keyboard for some reason and it was amazing.

Theres loads more but I can't remember em...

[ElectricEel]

Morrowind
For pretty much the same reasons you yourself listed, ElectricEel. Though I liked Oblivion, it didn't quite have the same feel to it that Morrowind did. The scope of it was fantastic, but like the aforementioned squel it's a shame that the ending couldn't be more open. Still.. mods aplenty provide ample answer to that little quibble.

I found Oblivion a bit of a disappointment, as I felt Bethesda turned the Elder Scrolls setting into Generic Fantasy World #114, and there were some really bad design decisions (chiefly, level scaling). It *was* an improvement in many areas, though. I've got to try how it feels with extensive modding at some point...

SMAC - the best TBS I've played, with a wonderfully oppressive and hostile world, as well as well thought out ideologically-based factions and a very cohesive feel to the game.

I just bought it recently, and have to concur. I didn't include it on my list, as I haven't played it long enough to feel I can truly evaluate it accurately.

Maybe soon to be added to this list - Dwarf Fortress. I'm still getting into this one, but the sheer depth and attention to detail in it is absolutely astounding. Shame the interface is so clunky.

With further development, that game may well end up on my list, as well. The soon-to-be-released new version will - quite literally - bring new dimensions to the game, and beyond that, there is still much more to come...

[doc_bean]

*Worms
I played this game with friends for over a decade. It was funny, it required skill, it was often unfair, it was the best 'hotseat' multiplayer game ever.

*Doom
Pretty much the reason I got 'back' into gaming as a kid/early teen (I had stopped playing games for a while before i discovered Doom). I still prefer the 'kill lots of enemies' design to that of most modern shooters that focus on putting you against a small number of difficult to kill foes.

*Final Fantasy 7
The game that made me discover the jRPG. Not the greatest Final Fantasy, but the right game at the right time.

*Metal Gear Solid
It's not a game, it's an adventure ! An incredibly daring game for its time with some of the best boss fights ever.

*Warcraft 2
Played this for several years, the most fun RTS game for a long time (perhaps unsurpassed even now in terms of sheer fun factor).

*Vampire Bloodlines
Probably the only game I ever finished twice in a row.

*Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Is it a game or more or less an interactive book ? Who cares ? It was fun and surprisingly refreshing !

[Xiahou]

*Vampire Bloodlines
Probably the only game I ever finished twice in a row.

Ditto for me, with one addition. Bloodlines and Eternal Darkness are the only 2 games I can think of that I happily picked up and started playing again immediately after completing them the 1st time.

NWN, Diablo2, StarCraft, and Tales of Symphonia all come to mind as well. I know there's many others, but it's hard to just sit down and crank out a list when I've played so many games.

Total Annihilation
The first strategy game I ever played, and I loved every bleedin' minute of it. Methinks this may have been the first game I ever spent more than ten hours of straight, uninterupted play on.

I thought this game was just awesome- so innovative. Unfortunately, I didn't get turned on to it until it's popularity was starting to decline. It couldn't have been more than a few months after I bought the Commander's pack that Kingdoms came out and ruined Cavedog.

Have you seen Spring yet? It's basically, a highly-moddable, graphically updated, open-source TA clone. Brings back alot of old memories when I play it.

[Kekvit Irae]

Ultima Online
The first MMO I ever played.

Corp Por
Corp Por
In Vas Mani
Kal Ort Por

Your spell has been disrupted due to lack of concentration.

You are dead.

[naut]

Diablo II
Simply good solid fun. I loved playing this with my brother, and we'd both be Paladins. And this was the only Blizzard game I could really get into, the others just didn't appeal to me.

C&C: Red Alert
Prefered this to C&C because it was more realistic, I never really understood the whole Tiberium thing anyway. And it was the first game I ever got, my Dad used to play with/against me too.

Age of Empires II: Age of Kings and The Conquerors
The only game I've played that I've had a battle go for more than 10 hours straight, (which I won). This game just captivated me entirely. And if you really understood the power that the triggers could give you in the Editor it really added a lot to it also. My only gripe was that the Aztecs/Mayans got normal looking soldiers which IMHO was silly because they didn't have iron/steel.

Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2
These are some of the finest FPS I have ever played, and CoD2 with a realism mod is amazing. I really enjoyed the FG42 in the original, such an amazing gun.

Battlefield 1942
The original and IMHO still the best of the series. It has its flaws and glitches but I always find my self coming back to it when I'm looking for something to do. I loved the game-play and the originality of it, and the great balance of realism and game-play.

FIFA Manager 06
I know most of you don't play sport games, but this is my favourite. I never get bored of this, because it has (pretty much) every team in the world and you don't have to tediously play the matches, you coach. Plus the editor tool means you can change everything, meaning I can update it to the most current season. But maybe I'm just a Football nut.

Shogun: Total War
Nothing really to say other than one of the finest games I have ever played.

Medieval: Total War and Viking Invasion
The best value for money I have ever got. For the combined price of $20 I have had hours of fun with the original and the many mods available. Plus I am able to mod it myself. Definitely my favourite of all time.

[Xiahou]

I only mentioned it in passing, and no one else has mentioned it at all- so I feel the need to single out Eternal Darkness again. I think this was easily one of the best games made for the Gamecube. An M-Rated game made by Silicon Knights, with a great Lovecraftian setting- including the best insanity effects I have ever seen in a game.

If anyone has a GC or even a Wii and hasn't played it, give it a look.

Here's the in-game intro: (careful of the related links on Youtube- spoilers a-plenty)
"You too, shall come to understand fear as I have."

[Meneldil]

I only mentioned it in passing, and no one else has mentioned it at all- so I feel the need to single out Eternal Darkness again. I think this was easily one of the best games made for the Gamecube. An M-Rated game made by Silicon Knights, with a great Lovecraftian setting- including the best insanity effects I have ever seen in a game.

If anyone has a GC or even a Wii and hasn't played it, give it a look.

Here's the in-game intro: (careful of the related links on Youtube- spoilers a-plenty)
"You too, shall come to understand fear as I have."

That

[Martok]

Medieval Total War / Viking Invasion: When it comes to the sheer number of hours I've wasted enjoyed playing any particular game, this is almost certainly #1 on my list. The replay value is immense, and is only further enhanced by the many fine mods available.

Star Trek TNG Birth of the Federation: A close second to MTW/VI in terms of how much time I've spent playing it. As a big fan of both Star Trek and strategy games, I was hooked to this one from the start. The atmosphere feels very "Trek-esque" -- in large part due to the fact that each major race (Cardassians, Federation, Ferengi, Klingons, & Romulans) has their own art and UI, as well as their own music. Unfortunately, the game is far from perfect: There are numerous bugs and imbalances in the game, and the AI is pretty poor. Still, it's good enough that I've spent many a game happily taking over the galaxy.

Shogun Total War: It wasn't the first strategy game to combine a turn-based campaign with real-time battles, but it was certainly the first to do so in such an elegant and pleasing fashion. Setting it in feudal Japan was brilliant as well, giving it a somewhat exotic flavor that captured my imagination in a way that no other game has.

Galactic Civilizations 2: Anyone who likes turn-based space strategy titles should pick this one up pronto. It's a deep game, but still accessible enough for new players to pick up as well. The ship design feature will eat up hours of your life, and the AI is some of the best to be found anywhere. I also love the humor that's prevalent throughout the game, particularly in the technology descriptions and many of the diplomatic exchanges with other races.

Lords of the Realm 2: It was the first turn-based strategy game I ever played, and 10 years later it still has a special place in my heart. In contrast to Medieval and Shogun's epic scale, I love LotR 2 for its more personal take on running a kingdom. Managing your agriculture, population, and basic resources (mainly iron, stone, and wood) is made easy via simple sliders; and the battles are simple yet fun. In addition, the game is chock-full of humor -- my favorite bits are the troop's comments in combat and the diplomatic messages from rival nobles.

Command & Conquer Red Alert (1 & 2): Despite my general preference for turn-based strategy games, every now and then I feel the need to just build up a base and go smash my enemies; and these two RTS titles have never failed to satisfy me when I have such urges. With simple, easy-to-understand gameplay and wonderfully campy cutscenes, the Red Alert games are always make for some good old-fashioned twitch-fest tank mashing.

[Veho Nex]

STW

Diablo 2

Civ 3(Just one more turn)

Gangsters 2: Vendetta

Cutthroats

Exile 3

[Decker]

I'm a BIG 64 fan and most of these are from the system(had over 60 games lol and finished about half of 'em):

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Probably one of the most entertaining games that I will ever play. From sneaking into the palace past the guards, to stealing Fiona(or whatever the horse was called) to the insane final battle was one great adventure. Sadly, it took me such a long time to beat(kept going back to places to "mop" them up) that I was never able to play Majora's Mask.

Perfect Dark: One of the most enjoyable fps' that's MP was top notch and a lot of fun for everyone who played, not to mention the great AI.

James Bond: Goldeneye: Do I really need to describe this game?

Mario Kart 64: Where to start? Fantastic levels with crazy races, fast karts, faster bombs, and all those Nintendo characters that you love.

Wave Racer: The first game I ever played that came with the 64 ,and Mario Kart I believe, and a rather difficult one at that (bloody darned waves) with territorial AI.

Starcraft 64: Played this for hours and got about halfway through the "Starcraft" part and just ended up playing skirmish mode which was extremely fun. Now I suck when I play the pc version tho lol. (Never got to see that extra level they added after Brood War )

Fifa 64: Indoor was where it's at. Or was that Fifa '97? One had indoor and it was awesome.

Mario Party: Two words, Mini-Games.

Doom 2(PC): First fps I ever played, and maaan was that a first.

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire: Great gameplay, good story line, and one of my favorite adventure games on the 64, tho I'm not sure how many remember that game.

O yea almost forgot Rouge Squadron: "We need to take out those AT-ATs Wedge!"

There's a lot more to mention but these stood out the most.
There was another that had you shooting ants but I forgot it's name, lots of fun, and it had a dog with a lazer on its' back.

For most hated level, I'd have to say the Super Mario World (SNES) star map 2? I think it was... The one where you have to keep eating the balloons to float through the entire level. HATE. Pure, raw, unabating, hatred.

From his post on "Favorite Level", totally just reminded me of Super Mario 64:(how'd I leave that one out?) Fun and very entertaining levels, with lively characters, and some fun side quest for those rainbow stars, the semi roaming ability in between levels and great showdown with Bowser at the end.

[Stig]

Knights and Merchants, certainly not the best game ever made, but it was fun tho
Anno 1602, great fun game
Anno 1701, same but the graphics make it even better
Super Smash Brother Melee, if you played it you know it's good
Excite Truck, great fun Wii game

[frogbeastegg]

Fiona(or whatever the horse was called)

Epona

There was another that had you shooting ants but I forgot it's name, lots of fun, and it had a dog with a lazer on its' back.

Jet Force Gemini by Rare. I loved that game until I beat the ferociously hard boss at the end of Lupus' path and found that I now had to backtrack to every level I'd already complete and save all the teaddy bear things. Gah! You had to get all of them in one swoop through the level or you had to go back and do it all again. I gave up after the second level, bored to death and frustrated with the difficutly of collecting them all.



A few titles off my own list, in no order at all:
Shogun: TW. This game is the reason I started to read about Japanese history.

X Wing and TIE Fighter. I hate to think of how many hours I sunk into this pair. Hundred.

Ocarina of Time. I was spell bound from the moment I saw the demo running in a shop.

Mysteries of the Sith. Jedi Knight's add-on pack, and IMO the best FPS/lightsabre Star Wars game ever. It had incredible level design. The final one, set inside a massive Sith temple, was amazing.

Dragon Quest VIII. Probably my favourite JRPG

Planescape: Torment. The best Western style RPG I've played. Such a wonderful plot and set of characters! Alas, never completed it. I've tried it on several different PCs now and it always drops to a sub 1FPS crawl when I get to UnderSigil, meaning it is unplayable. The most telling thing is that I've tried it on several PCs. Generally I don't replay games.

Thief 1 and 2. Proving that graphics don't equal atmosphere.

Privateer 2: The Darkening. Space trading game with an actual plot, and a good one too. I played this one as relentlessly as TIE Fighter and X-wing back in the day.

System Shock 2. Horror isn't my thing, nor are scary (or 'scary' :looks at Resident Evil series:) games. SS2 was. Oh, how it was.

KOTOR. The first game, not the incomplete, bug ridden second game. I completed this one three times. It captured the Star Wars feel better than the prequel films.

Curse of Monkey Island. The first in the series I played, and as such it always has a special place in my heart. The visual style and music were gorgeous.

Luigi's Mansion. One of the first games I got for my Gamecube. It was, simply, fun.