I’ve been on a run of tech posts recently so I want to do something totally different. I’m currently pulling together loads of old films, books, and games for the new site and wanted to make a Top 10 list but realised I don’t actually care about ratings. I’ve sunk more time in a mid-tier game than many best-of winners. So I want to make just a random list of games that are “sticky”, ones that have held my focus and/or my memories. They’re more ordered by when I first played them but then again, maybe not.
Heart of Darkness
One of the first games I remember playing. It taught me persistence even if I can’t remember much else.
Die Hard Trilogy
For someone who hadn’t even seen all three films at this point, this was amazing. My favourite lightgun game ever.
Syphon Filter 2
This was probably the first game I remember playing with a “story”. It was hard, frustrating, but great when you finally un-softblocked yourself.
Joint Ops: Typhoon Rising
Probably the first game I remember “meeting” people on. Lots of stories, chats, teenage bravado gung-ho crap.
Half Life/Counter-Strike
The only game I’ve ever tried making levels for. It just has a charm you don’t see elsewhere.
AvP 2000/2
I have sunk so many hours into these games. The first was just a great example of having completely different playstyles and the second was such good fun in multiplayer. RIP PlanetAVP.
Unreal Tournament 2004
I did an intership at a company and everyone played this on Friday afternoons. Such a blast.
Halo
The first game I truly “got gud at”. King of the hill on Hang ‘Em High, me and a pistol vs the world. Lugging xboxes on snowy bikes to hook them all together. The best of days.
Splinter Cell
The first franchise I truly connected with. Even to this day I love playing them. Nervous for the reboot.
007: Nightfire
It wasn’t amazing. It’s not even the best (I just missed the N64 hype), but there’s something weirdly fun and enthralling about playing this game.
Far Cry 1
I wanted to beat this game. I played the demo for months, finally managed to cobble together enough parts to update the family PC and just never got beyond the later trigens. But it taught me an awful lot about optimising a computer’s hardware and software.
The Chronicles of Riddick
Best movie tie-in ever. I can still navigate the dark maze without thinking.
Rainbow Six: Lockdown
A squad game I played with a core group of friends. Hours lost planning, plotting, and executing. Again, not the best in its line, but the one we all played.
XIII
I just loved this quirky weird little shooter. A fracking amazing story, awesome voice acting, and lots of different locations. Shame the reboot was such a shambles otherwise I would have snatched it up.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Choice. Such a weird thing to have in a game. Again I just missed out on OG one here, but this was just such a great exploration.
Mirror’s Edge
Something in this game just felt… fun. The motion, the music. Still drop-in and replay the campaign (5ish hours) every now and again.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
The funniest game I’ve ever played. I want more Bad Company and less Battlefield.
Dishonored
Stealth, but with powers. Everything I’d wanted in a newer Thief game, combined with a great story.
Titanfall 2
I miss the frenetic fun, the glorious guns, and the twisting time puzzles. But most of all, I miss you BT.
