In this lot of 50 I finally feel like we have been able to catch up on a lot of the years, genres and platforms that had been left behind previously. Our statistics now take on a more long-term view of what we play in the 50. I know that this sounds a little bit pathetic but I am a bit fan of spreadsheets and formulae so the chance to use this with our gaming list… well it helps to tick a few boxes.
Best Game I Had Not Previously Played
It is really hard to think of just one game that stood out in the last 50 to mark as the best one. The Secret of Monkey Island was a bizarre and fun point-and-click adventure which we managed to finish in one sitting. So too was Loom which was interesting and highly original (it’s just a pity that they never ended up making the sequel that they wanted to). Yoshi’s Island was remarkably cute and frustrating in all the right places.
However, the title for my best game I had not previously played as to go to Earthbound. Kingdom Hearts comes a close second but Earthbound combines the right amount of story, strange characters and sheer mindfuckery that I can appreciate in a JRPG. Yes, there were times when grinding became an issue but there really are not many games out there with such a strange view on the world.
Worst Game
Where the best game took a little bit of thought there is only one contender from this batch that springs to mind: MLB 09: The Show. It makes sense that this was taken out of the 1001 games list since in many ways it was hard for newcomers to access unless they spent an inordinate time on the training sections. I mean, unless you have a great interest in the sport of baseball (which few people outside of the USA have) this is a pretty niche game that failed to grab either of us.
Most Surprising Game
There were a number of pleasant surprises this time around. I won’t dwell too long on either You, Me & The Cubes or The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai since both of these games were removed from the list. Whilst I understand about the latter game it is sad that something as unusual as You, Me & The Cubes got removed… yet we still have nearly every Metal Gear Solid game on the list.
If we are to go just by games that have remained on the list then there is PixelJunk Monsters and Prince of Persia. For a tower defence game I was surprised just how well made the co-operative part of the experience was. Then there is Prince of Persia which still stands up today as an engaging platformer… something that came as a surprise since my only previous experience was the 2008 remake.
Biggest Disappointment
For me the disappointment comes from a level that, arguably, should never have been produced in the first place. The infamous airport level from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2… I think I will be leaving this there.
Best Blast From The Past
Unlike the 50s where we had the barmy notion to only play new games this batch had a nice selection from my past. I got to swing around New York in Spider-Man 2, toy with the lives of fake people in The Sims 2 and design my own rollercoaster in Theme Park. There is one game, however, it was a real treat to see again: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I still hold out hope that we will one day see an HD remake of Vice City.
Games We Kept Playing
Earthbound and Kingdom Hearts were the main ones that I kept playing with personally. I still have the Kingdom Hearts game on the go but Ni No Kuni has loomed large after a years absence and has claimed my gaming time once again.