The Games I Play the Most
When I think about truly amazing video game experiences, the first two games that come to mind are God of War and Red Dead Redemption II. These games feature wonderful complex characters, tight gameplay, amazing graphics, and it all creates for a very memorable experience. In my mind, these are two of the greatest games ever created and are Oscar worthy stories, and I look at the games as such. They are both masterful creations that can stir emotions while looking incredible while doing so. With that being said, I don’t know if I would go as far as to say they are the most fun game experiences.
I’ve begun looking at video games the same way I look at movies. There are movies that simply stunning such as Fight Club, Requiem for a Dream, or American Beauty, and then there are movies that are just fun like Airheads, Bio-Dome, or anything Adam Sandler is in. Sure, all of these movies were created for entertainment purposes, and I really like all of these movies, but if I was stuck on a desert island, I would grab a copy of Airheads over American Beauty any day. It just never gets bored to me, and I enjoy the fun mindless entertainment.
So, while I love Red Dead Redemption II and the God of War series, and I’ve logged hundreds of hours in both, they aren’t the games I think about the most when I sit down and want to relax. They aren’t the games I would take with me on a deserted island (okay, maybe Red Dead because there is just SO MUCH to do). And I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about the games that never get old to me, and the games I replay all the time for years now, and for some even decades.
Batman Arkham Series
It’s impossible for me to pick just one game, although my preference is still with the first two entries: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. The Arkham Series finally made the player feel like Batman, thanks in part to a fun fighting system, intriguing stories, and great voice acting by fan favorites Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy. The game embraces the chaos that is Batman but does so in its own world. This wasn’t the Batman from the Burton movies, nor the Dark Knight trilogy, but this was its own Batman and that allowed the game to not be shackled down by previous stories and design choices.
Mad Max
I bought Mad Max years ago, and I remember booting it up and playing the first five minutes and then just turning it off. I really didn’t think the game was for me. I didn’t love Fury Road when I first saw it, and it took a few years and a repeat viewing for me to finally realize what an amazing film it is. I guess, that’s something it has in common with the game, because once I decided to boot up Mad Max for a second time, several years later, I played through it enough to realize the car controls terribly at first, because you need to continue improving it. The more you put into the game, the more you get out, and the folks at Avalanche have created an amazing Fury Road inspired world. It feels isolating at times, and dangerous, and the game’s grind does a wonderful job at rewarding you for the work you put in.
Sadly, I came to the game way after its peak, so it is impossible to 100% the games Achievements/Trophies, and some of the help you could get with grinding is no longer available, but that just meant I had more of a reason to explore and pick up scrap for myself.
Robocop: Rogue City
The newest game on this list, Robocop came out from a small developer, Treyon, who had previously worked on Terminator Resistance. I enjoyed Resistance, as the developers really seemed to love and understand the Terminator franchise. They made the Terminators terrifying, and that gave me hope that they could take a walking tank like Robocop and craft a solid story around him with good gameplay. My faith was rewarded, because they did exactly that.
The game is beautiful in a dark, dingy way, but also dated. It feels like a modern Xbox 360 game, in the best kind of way. It has that 80s action movie mentality and where it feels rough around the edges comes off as charming.
I was a fan of the first movie, and I had a blast during my first playthrough and am enjoying my second playthrough now. It is one of the few games I’ve 100%, and I’m excited to do it once again on a different console.
Tony Hawk Series
I’m not sure why the Tony Hawk games never get old. I mean, they have fun gameplay, and great soundtracks, so maybe that’s enough to keep me coming back. I’ve logged so many hours just skating around, to killing time doing tricks. I think what has made these games so wonderful for me is, I really suck at them. I’m always amazed when I see these people getting one-million-point combos, as I’m struggle to collect SKATE on the later levels.
Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs deserved better. This game began as a sequel to the True Crime series, the first real 3D competitor to Grand Theft Auto, but was cancelled by Activision after several delays. Thankfully, Square Enix stepped in and renamed the game and distanced itself from the True Crime franchise. The game takes place in Hong Kong and features a unique martial arts combat system. The voice acting is top-notch, starring Will Yun Lee, Robin Shou, and Emma Stone. The story is extremely solid as you are an undercover cop who must infiltrate the Triads, while balancing a personal quest for vengeance.
The great story takes place in this open world where you are bouncing between good and bad, while fighting like Jet Li. It’s a wonderful and unique experience, and once that I happily play often.
Skyrim
I bought Skyrim when it first came out. I’d never really played an RPG before, and despite not being a fan of the fantasy genre, I just got caught up in the hype. I played it for an hour or two, and decided it wasn’t for me. I sold the game a few days later to a co-worker and went about my life.
A few weeks later, I got divorced and all sorts of chaos began. I was trying to reconnect with family members and struggling to find a place to stay even temporarily. It was a miserable time in my life, and I don’t remember why or how, but I ended up with a copy of Skyrim maybe two months after I’d sold it. I think my co-worker may have given me the game back after he finished it since I’d given him a steep discount to take it off my hands.
I found myself depressed, lonely, and struggling, and once I had place to set up my Xbox 360, I decided to try and lose myself in Skyrim, and I did. Over the next several months, I learned how to play an RPG, and as my character leveled up, so did I. I credit that game with saving me from a bad time, and thankfully, I don’t really associate it with that. Once I completed Skyrim, I started a new game, and over the years I’ve purchased it on several different consoles, and I just explore and play a few weeks at a time. I love the towns, the characters, and especially the music. That music is so perfect and is something I listen to regularly.
I’m not sure if you would consider any of these games AAA titles (maybe Batman and Skyrim), but maybe they are better compared to B movies. They aren’t of the highest caliber, but they are a ton of fun and that’s what keeps me coming back year after year.