Hmmm...by "bast" I mean "best".
It's odd, but whatever my current favorite game is...I'm just sure it is the best game ever. Seems irrational. For example in the past few months I've been convinced that each of the following were the best game ever:
Graviteam...something in Angola (I have no idea what I liked about this game now)
RoF ( I'm thinking it really was a great game and so I'm looking forward to Battle of Stalingrad)
ARMAIII (okay, the early days of the alpha on the little island were very cool)
CLOD (I guess I still think this is the best WWII fighter simulator of all time or at least until battle of stalingrad comes out)
Skyrim (totally awesome until you have seen most of the scenery a few times)
And now I'm sure DCS world is the best game of all time. At least I know this assessment is irrational. On the other hand, a few of my recent unsuccessful bomb runs in the Su-25T were definitely some great gaming experiences.
For me, at this time, it is Flashpoint Campaign: Red Storm. Remarkable game. Before that it was all Skyrim.
Everyone knows the best PC game ever is Bioshock: Infinite. And its made by Irrational Games, noted in your OP :)
It's possible to think that the games you love are all freakin' amazing and awesome without having to slap the "Best Game Ever" label on them, no? Best X Ever for anything is a meaningless category. At most it's just a way of saying, "I really, really, really love this game, and you should too."
If I HAD to pick one, it'd be either Skyrim or the Combat Mission series with a very close second to Medieval Total War 2. The one I most enjoyed I think would be a tie between the 2 Baldur's Gates and Planescape Torment. I know, that's 3 actually. The one enemy I was most afraid of in any PC game would easily be the Huns in Barbarian Invasion.
Thus far my current favorite is Skyrim, and I only say that because it's the only Elder Scrolls game that I've been interested in finishing. All the others, I'd get maybe 1/3 of the way through it and get bored and forget it.
I just rediscovered some old favorites in Dosbox, including Covert Action and Life & Death. Like Sandman, I can't say X game is the best EVAR because I like different things - I like hex-based strategy games, more freeform stuff like Wargame: EE, I enjoy Need for Speed on occasion, and Civ V at times. It all depends on my mood at the moment.
I've been searching for that perfect wargame since I was 13yrs old. You know the game; THE ONE that will be the ONLY game you ever play again because it is so awesome and it is THE BEST GAME OF ALL TIME. Sort of like when you meet the woman of your dreams and you never, ever, ever want to be with another woman again. It works just like that, right?
Somewhere along the line I read a quote attributed to Picasso. Someone asked him which of his paintings was his favorite. His reply: the next one.
In many ways that is how I feel about games. I may be a sucker but the next game that comes along, even if it's mostly a rehash of the last one, is still something I relish.
There are perhaps a few games that deserve consideration of "best game ever" but I'm not sure we've reached a point where we can honestly say that - especially with regard to digital gaming.
Before "multi-media" games were available there were some classics. Steel Panthers still resides on many hard drives and it's 20 years old. In 20 years will we still be playing Skyrim?
Longevity, of course, isn't the only measurement of greatness. But it is an indicator. There have been, are, and will be games that break new ground in ways that are significant. Thief introduced us to the miracle of stereoscopic sound. For its time it may have been one of the greatest ever. Great today? Yes. Greatest evah? Probably not.
So I don't wish to demean this discussion, but rather point out that, for the most part, we're referencing games from the immediate past. That suggests to me that the greatest game ever may yet be to come. What happens when, instead of a projector on the wall, instead we can broadcast a 3D holographic battlefield (nevermind that minis games effectively provide that environment today)?
All this gets back to Ming's original point. He's finding that he's enjoying a lot of great games but can't place his finger on why.
Perhaps it's because he's qualified his great games with "ever." That suggest a timelessness that may prove elusive to, say, Bioshock or Skyrim in a way that Steel Panthers or Close Combat haven't experienced.
Quote from: GJK on December 05, 2013, 02:24:19 PM
Sort of like when you meet the woman of your dreams and you never, ever, ever want to be with another woman again. It works just like that, right?
Why, I'm detecting sarcasm, sir! ;D
Thing is about games like Skyrim and Bioshock, once you play through it, there's no surprises left. You might play through it again of course to see if you missed any secrets, sort of like licking your bowl to get the last beautiful tastes of ice cream, but once that's done, you've pretty much wrenched it dry. If it was a good game, you'll come back to it, wanting to relive those moments of glory again (such as in the first KOTOR, for example), but a game that offers twists and turns and gives you the joy of discovery, not to mention that feeling of having NO idea what's coming next and having a great time doing it, that's the magic fix most of us crave.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 05, 2013, 02:25:42 PM
Quote from: GJK on December 05, 2013, 02:24:19 PM
Sort of like when you meet the woman of your dreams and you never, ever, ever want to be with another woman again. It works just like that, right?
Why, I'm detecting sarcasm, sir! ;D
? Twice divorced me that recently had his long time girlfriend leave him...you mean me???? Nah.
I've always gone through phases. My "favorite" game changes often and often repeats.
Though probably Transport Tycoon/Locomotion are the types of games I've returned to the most often. Sandbox builders.
How dare you say that Thief is not the greatest game ever when I clearly proved above that Bioshock: Infinite is!
What?
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 02:35:04 PM
How dare you say that Thief is not the greatest game ever when I clearly proved above that Bioshock: Infinite is!
What?
Ok. Now I feel things are right in the universe again.
Quote from: GJK on December 05, 2013, 02:29:29 PM
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 05, 2013, 02:25:42 PM
Quote from: GJK on December 05, 2013, 02:24:19 PM
Sort of like when you meet the woman of your dreams and you never, ever, ever want to be with another woman again. It works just like that, right?
Why, I'm detecting sarcasm, sir! ;D
? Twice divorced me that recently had his long time girlfriend leave him...you mean me???? Nah.
Sorry, GJK. That sucks, man.
I always told myself that if my wife and I break up for whatever reason (wife 1), there would never be a wife 2. Sound familiar, perhaps? Guess I might have gone down that same path too. Who knows what the future holds now.
~fin~
The above is just me trying to show that these discussions are pure opinion, as you mentioned.
It's like trying to compare crimes against humanity, but in better taste.
Im still chasing the dragon of Homeworld.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on December 05, 2013, 03:02:10 PM
Im still chasing the dragon of Homeworld.
Is this another masturbation euphamism?
Quote from: sandman2575 on December 05, 2013, 01:14:12 PM
It's possible to think that the games you love are all freakin' amazing and awesome without having to slap the "Best Game Ever" label on them, no? Best X Ever for anything is a meaningless category. At most it's just a way of saying, "I really, really, really love this game, and you should too."
Exactly. The absurdity of this irrational cry has a certain puzzling interest (maybe). Sometimes the leaps from one game to another are revealing. for example, I pretty much went from Skyrim ( a fantastic game -- but it reminded me once more why I had not played an RPG in decades) to DCS World because I wanted something of an non-Skyrim nature. By pure luck, DCS world turned out to be very cool and more like my usual run of games. I was so relieved that the "best game ever" feeling actually felt like a return to my usual mode of thought and vague assessment rather than my confused response to Skyrim (which was tinged by a "and this is why I quit playing games like this" thing.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 05, 2013, 03:07:51 PM
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on December 05, 2013, 03:02:10 PM
Im still chasing the dragon of Homeworld.
Is this another masturbation euphamism?
not at all. I have yet to find a convergence of all the things I love about gaming in any other game.
and I dont masturbate. I have Mirth do it for me.
Mirthturbate?
If Grogheads ever got a "headquarters," it makes me think it'll be just like the home base for some of those debauched freak super-hero groups from the comic series, The Boys.
If you read comics and you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out. If you don't read comics, you should start with this, since you're a bunch of sick bastards anyway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boys_(comics)
QuoteThe series is set between 2006–2008 in a world where superheroes exist. However, most of the superheroes in the series' universe are corrupted by their celebrity status and often engage in reckless behavior, compromising the safety of the world. For this reason, a superpowered CIA squad, known informally as "The Boys", is charged with monitoring the superhero community.
Ennis has said that the series would "out-Preacher Preacher", presumably referring to the extreme violence and sexuality that were that series' hallmark, and that the series would end with its seventy-second issue.
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 01:01:32 PM
Everyone knows the best PC game ever is Bioshock: Infinite. And its made by Irrational Games, noted in your OP :)
No. No. No. Not even in the top 100 games of the last 5 years.
If we're picking super heroes Gus has got "dwarf who lives in the basement and gets no sex man" nailed right down
First two parts are true but The Wife's resistance to my charms has collapsed in the last week.
And Bison, how dare you. HOW DARE YOU SIR! Bioshock: Infinite is fantastic.
No it isn't. It's a semi-pile of mediocre crappola.
No way.
But this illustrates the point...arguing about such relative awesomeosity vs. crapitude is in vain.
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 05:40:26 PM
First two parts are true but The Wife's resistance to my charms has collapsed in the last week.
It's ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 05:52:06 PM
No way.
But this illustrates the point...arguing about such relative awesomeosity vs. crapitude is in vain.
Thief > Bioshit.
No one likes Thief more than me.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.quickmeme.com%2Fimg%2F51%2F51c6639de2720f794ba2a65beff447a894f89e2824e71bbc7a8bf27ca776e001.jpg&hash=156afeac8cd4c2b626788d09e3a8f71ed0ee3bca)
^Did you just spoil a major plot line for me?
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftroll.me%2Fimages%2Fangry-samuel-l-jackson%2Fwtf-you-just-say-.jpg&hash=ace1c41320fca87e95fe196a2b8b7990cc110494)
I'll admit that while there's a number of games I've enjoyed this year, I'm not sure any of them qualify as "great".
Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes is probably my favorite release of 2013 thus far (with
Rome 2 and
Distant Worlds: Shadows rounding out my top three), but even that one probably doesn't rate a spot in my personal "Best Games of All Time" list.
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 05:40:26 PM
First two parts are true but The Wife's resistance to my charms has collapsed in the last week.
Huzzah! At least one of us is getting laid again. 8)
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 01:01:32 PM
Everyone knows the best PC game ever is Bioshock: Infinite. And its made by Irrational Games, noted in your OP :)
Not sure if sarcasm. I bought it during a steam sale for $9, but didn't get past the third
corridor level. I just can't bring myself to play something that requires no thinking but takes itself that serious.
My current BEST game would be Unity of Command. Sharp looking game, great concepts for combat and logistics and a well done AI. Plus, I hate defending.
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 06:35:34 PM
^Did you just spoil a major plot line for me?
Of course not. Do you think those boobs came from your character's DNA? Pfft.
I haven't even played it. I've done Bio I and II, but not Infinite.
Everyone knows that Medieval 2 Total War is the best game ever. Next to War in the Pacific, that is, which is also the best game ever.
Oh, and Falcon 4.0 is also the best game ever.
Hmmm...Falcon 4.0 is a contender. But that's only if you're a flight sim nut, and there's plenty of you guys around here to fill that niche. I enjoyed it but I didn't really get much into flight sims. From the screens some of you post, though, maybe with the next rig I pick something like that up...
Quote from: LongBlade on December 05, 2013, 05:52:12 PM
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 05:40:26 PM
First two parts are true but The Wife's resistance to my charms has collapsed in the last week.
It's ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!
only because the wife is throwing barrels down the stairs at him while he tries to leave his man cage in the basement.
*Snort*
Jeez guys my entire set of responses to this thread has been sarcastic, even though I am enjoying Bioshock: Infinite. There's no accounting for taste. Or Star's collection of female underwear and professional fluffer's tools.
I thought he was a professional nipple tweaker.
Or tweakee
jeeez
one go with a Japanese vending machine and now people think I have a panty collection.
Quote from: Gusington on December 05, 2013, 05:40:26 PM
First two parts are true but The Wife's resistance to my charms has collapsed in the last week.
And Bison, how dare you. HOW DARE YOU SIR! Bioshock: Infinite is fantastic.
I dug it, too.
Errr, Bioshock : Infinite...not your newly forced celibacy.
well 20 years ago i would have said Starfox on SNES
Then moving along -... Mechwarrior 2, Quake, M1 Tank Platoon2, then Goldeneye,,Total Annihilation,, then Operation Flashpoint... then Rise of Nations, then BF1942........a pause .... World in Conflict - but after this then well dosbox and the joy of wargames --- too many and impossible to have one encapsulate it all.
though no doubts its probably one i missed in my growing up such as Alpha Centauri which i am playing now and enjoying - a very detailed rich game
Flashpoint was a great one. lots of terrain and an excellent scenerio editor. great sandbox fun.
Quote from: Toonces on December 05, 2013, 07:53:00 PM
Everyone knows that Medieval 2 Total War is the best game ever. Next to War in the Pacific, that is, which is also the best game ever.
Oh, and Falcon 4.0 is also the best game ever.
Good points. I pretty much had to make myself stop playing MTW2 mods and and version of War in the Pacific or I never would have done anything else. Same with Red Orchestra and RoF and Il-2. They were great, but I gotta do some new stuff! Even if they are a bit cranky.
On the other hand -- I don't get my interest in flight sims. Over the years it has become abundantly clear that (for the most part -- except for some glory days in Richtofens War and Target Tobruk) I'm a pretty bad pilot. I think I just like the scenery and blowing things up.
The Steel Panthers series has to go the list.
You may think something is the "best evah!" but it's just your flavor of the month.
Mine typically jumps from genre to genre. One time it's space pirate/merchant games, in a couple weeks it's traditional digital wargames. A little later it turns to Napoleonics and then over to modern combat jet flight simming. Then on to Star Wars/Warhammer/Fill-In-The-IP-Here. The timing is almost predictable, although the next subject of attention is not.
That's how my playing habits evolve. You tend to think each type is your favorite of them all, when you're enthralled. It's easy to realize you're just going through phases like a teenage boy who's balls (and voice) are dropping (as my father used to put it). :P