The Legendary Completed Pile

[The Veteran]

Greetings all! After many mentions of the infamous completed pile, I have finally decided today that the time has come to justify these lofty adjectives! The best way I can think of doing this is to share the contents of the pile with all the good people here, and I'm going to get started today with a classic title!

 

I'm only planning to add 1 new title a day so please drop in and comment if you remember the titles I'm mentioning. I'm going to be telling you lot what I thought of these games and I'd like to hear the same from you too!

 

Now, I've just done a quick stock take of the games currently populating the pile and I can tell you we'll probably be well into next summer by the time I'm able to list them all so please be patient and check back every day if you're not seeing your favourites up there. If you'd like to hear about a title from a particular era or genre just say which one and I'll chose the next one accordingly, the more interactive the better!

 

Anyway, to give you a clue as to how many titles are here to work through, there are currently 38 games in my 'in-tray' which I'm yet to complete. Some of these are incomplete because they're relatively new, others don't meet specs (mostly because they're too old!) and yet others I've owned for years and just can't beat! Anyway, it's safe to say I have more than several times that many games in the completed pile, not including games I no longer own and a few more boxsets which I forgot to count (don't expect HoMM on the list for a while)

 

So yes. There are quite a few...

 

Chances are I'll have added a good few extra titles to the pile before I get to the end of my current list anyway (who knows I may never finish depending on how much I play and how often I post!) but we'll just have to wait and see about that.

 

Anyway! Enough of the intro and onto my first choice to kick off the list. I decided I'd go with a chronological choice here and it just so happens that I still own one of the very first games I ever bought. In fact it was so long ago I'm hard pressed to remember whether I got this one before or after UFO : Enemy Unknown. All I do remember is that these two very deep titles were my first ever forays into (PC) gaming as a child and they set me up for life!

 

A quick wiki search actually reveals that this game preceeded UFO onto the market by a whole year so let's see if anyone else here had a flirt with one of my all-time faves.

 

Not for the weak hearted, it's,

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/UltimateDomain01.jpg

 

I loved this game and although it brings together a lot of different features it's actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. The ultimate goal of the game is to recover the seven jewels of Genesia to lift a curse which has fallen on the world but it can can also be played as a very satisfying sandbox game.

 

The world map is essentially Populous but the game mechanics go far, far deeper. As the prince (one of several searching for the jewels) you are in charge of everything that your people do. What they build and where they build it, tax rates, research and managing an army. The best part of this game is that everything works together in true Settlers fashion and you'll need multiple technologies and materials to build the more complex technologies available to you such as cannons and hot air balloons.

 

There's a lot of diversity in Ultimate Domain and the game has a lot of depth. Villagers are a very finite resource and arguably, keeping them alive is the most important part of the game! Simple though that may sound, there were a lot of bugs going around in the 17th century and it'll be a long time until you're able to research them all (especially if you're trying to prepare for war as well!) The elderly tend to struggle in winter so you'll need to be stocked up on wood and food before production is halted by snow but that does give the woodcutters a whole season to 'call the stork' back home!

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/UltimateDomain02.jpg

 

Managing the settlers you have is important here too as obviously the aforementioned woodcutters will only cut wood and there are a host of other professions to keep an eye on too. You need architects for building, blacksmiths for manufacturing and inventors for, well inventing... And unlike similar titles of the age, this game won't auto-allocate your peons for you so you'd better hope you notice the fields are quiet when your farmer is struck with fever or you'll quickly find your storehouse empty!

 

Obviously Ultimate Domain is no spring chicken, released in 1993 it's actually celebrating reaching adulthood this year! It still remains a thoroughly enjoyable game if you can manage to find a copy and get it working though! Dosbox seems to be a popular solution to this issue and the game itself is almost certainly freeware by now, personally I'll be holding onto my original big-box copy until the end of my days though!

 

Let me know if you remember this game, or tell me what sort of thing you'd like to see tomorrow. I have a very diverse selection to choose from so it's real pot luck if noone makes a request Thanks for stopping by, see you again tomorrow!

[The Veteran]

Having spent yesterday helping a friend move house and today recovering from the former, I return now with the second highlight reel from the ever-growing completed pile! Today's choice was made for me by my partner and I have to say it's a pretty good one. This is a 1996 release (so don't expect state of the art graphics!) by a company called Cyberflix. Sadly they went the way of the dodo in '98 so it's one of very few titles but it's a very involved game that I enjoyed a great deal and in fact have replayed several times. This is something I very rarely do!

 

So without further ado, may I introduce to you all;

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/TitanicAOOT01.jpg

 

There are a few titles out there from various generations that take advantage of the tragic tale surrounding Titanic's demise but I've never played another one quite like this. It pairs an intriguing and intuitive story with a fantastically accurate depiction of the doomed vessel which can be navigated in the classic point and click manner.

 

The story here begins in World War 2 with a British secret agent reminiscing about his failed mission onboard titanic all those years ago. He wishes he could go back, make things right and change history. Right on cue he's knocked out in an air-raid and gets Life on Mars'd back to the very day he boarded Titanic!

 

Over the course of the story, the PC must recover The Rub

[Thorondor]

Well, colour me guilty of reading the above entries, Veteran. I can think of no better way to make good use of such a Completed Pile than to share your experiences had with the games as you're doing here.

 

It's a very nice idea and it brings to light games which may otherwise go unnoticed or stay forgotten to us when they are as potentially worthy of our time now as when they were released.

 

I've never come across Ultimate Domain, and I may have only heard of Titanic: Adventure Out of Time in passing. They both seem quite interesting in their respective genres, and originating from a period when people who made games were apparently wholly unconcerned with having some complexity be a part of the package and no problem asserting replay value as something worth pursuing.

 

Nowadays I'm not so sure the medium's so-called maturity has done it any favours as most developers seem to either think less of their audience or their own ability to design to such lengths as was previoulsy attempted on a regular basis.

 

::

 

So, that's one strategy, one adventure - how about a CRPG? Do you have any hanging about the place? (think Wizardry or some such)

[The Veteran]

Thanks for stopping by Thor, I'm glad to hear I'm not talking to myself here As far as a CRPG goes... Well frankly I have no idea if there's a notable difference between that and an RPG (and google isn't helping!) so I think I'll let you enlighten me somewhat before I honour your requests. Today I gave the choice to the other half again and she gave me another good choice so on with the show!

 

I imagine today's game fits most comfortably in the Simulation genre but it's a bit of a bizarre one so I'll let you decide where it fits for yourself! It's certainly better known than the previous titles covered but with a release date of 1997 it isn't that much newer!

 

This game came to us courtesy of Bullfrog and EA and was a great success, I'm sure there are people reading this who own copies of;

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/ThemeHospital01.jpg

 

This, for those who don't know it, is a hilarious Hospital building simulator in which absolutely nothing is taken seriously but everything is made to be fun. The player begins the game, and their career, with a small and empty building which they must transform into a safe, efficient and profitable hospital. Sounds simple right? Not necessarily...

 

You'll soon come to realise that this is no ordinary hospital, with illnesses ranging from the uncommon cold and bloaty head to Alien DNA and Jellyitis. On top of that there are random outbreaks of certain epidemics which must be promptly dealt with (before the ministry of health arrive!) and emergency cases where large quantities of patients suffering identical injuries are rushed on-site for treatment.

 

The journey all of these unfortunate souls take through your hospital is fairly standard but how it ends is up to you. Everyone will need to check in at reception before being diagnosed and treated but if you don't keep on top of your workload it may not be long before you spot the Grim Reaper walking the halls!

 

Patients don't just want to be healed either, they'll also want to be comfy during their stay (this isn't the NHS after all and they're paying a lot for this treatment!) For this purpose you'll need to ensure there is adequate seating in your hospital, especially in reception and by the various clinics. Patients will want food and drink which can be obtained from strategically placed vending machines and then they'll need certain facilities for use after the third cup of coffee too...

 

The patients aren't the only ones with needs though, your staff can be a bothersome bunch at times as well! They'll want to be comfortable just like the patients and everyone in your hospital will want to be warm but the radiators don't run for free you know! Can you believe your doctors and nurses will even want 'breaks' from work?! For this you can build staff rooms where they can unwind but be sure there's someone to take over their position while they're out of action or you may have trouble dealing with the backlog later.

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/ThemeHospital02.jpg

 

Of course the ultimate aim of Theme Hospital is to make money, I mean save lives... Humorously, losing a patient will cause you far less trouble than receiving a fine so money really does make this world go round. All patients in your hospital will make it very clear to you when they're on their last legs though so it's a simple enough task to kick them out when you know they can't be helped! Accomplishing your annual goals with minimal fuss will also earn you bonuses and awards which is another reason to keep an eye on the wobbly ones at the back of the queue.

 

On top of the day to day running of your hospital you'll be completely on your own when it comes to developing cures for new diseases that enter the hospital and this will be done through research. For this you'll need to assign doctors to the task (their other areas of expertise lie in psychiatry and surgery) and let them know what you'd like a solution to. If you find yourself with patients that can't be cured you can either hope to research a solution before said sicko expires or simply eject them from the premises! After all, dead patients pay no bills!

 

Now caring for the sick and injured is all well and good, but even the best doctor cannot operate without the correct tools. Thankfully, creating the hospital of your dreams is made very simple in Theme Hospital with only a few dozen different room types right up to the end of the game. Building a new clinic is a simple case of selecting the room from the available options and then laying out a blueprint. Add windows, equipment and doors to complete and then all you'll be needing is a member of staff to run the show!

 

There are a great deal of aspects to Theme Hospital but ultimately, this is a game that's now 15 years old so if you've played a simulator you'll most likely be familiar with how everything works. That said, the 90's gave us a lot of great games that certainly deserve to be remembered beyond any given numeral we can attribute to the passage of time. Indeed, the first three games posted in this thread have already clocked up a phenomenal 49 years!

 

Theme Hospital is, was and forever will be an incredibly entertaining simulator and comes highly recommended to anyone who moves in those circles. The graphics are perfectly suited to the atmosphere of the game and the banter you'll share with the hospital advisor is priceless. On offer are a wide array of utterly absurd medical conditions which can be treated with similarly over the top methods and the whole concept just goes from there.

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/ThemeHospital03.jpg

 

What more can I say? Well, a great deal frankly but I won't! Theme Hospital can be purchased from a whole host of different locations, a quick google will turn up literally dozens of them... If you want to know more about this game I'd strongly suggest you try to get your hands on a copy, they come fully compatible with XP and even Vista if you can grab the right copy!

 

That's it for today, let me know what a CRPG is and maybe I'll chalk one of those up for the next post! I just wish all hospitals were this entertaining, I'm expecting a stay in the maternity ward very soon and I bet it won't be half as much fun as a few hours of Theme Hospital!

[NKF]

RPGs can refer to the paper and pen RPGs where someone acts as a master of ceremonies (aka the Dungeon Master), drafts up a scenario and a group of players take on roles and fight evil monsters and add or subtract numbers with paper, pen, dice, rulers, calculators, action figures, sandwiches, crates of fizzy drink, long nights, etc, etc, etc.

 

CRPG is exactly the same, but adds 'Computer' on the front. The PC basically replaces the MC and does all the boring calculations for you so you can enjoy the story and/or regale in the joys of watching your stats rise.

 

- NKF

[Space Voyager]

I don't think I understand. Is there an example of how this works?

[silencer_pl]

Theme Hospital - brilliant game, same as Theme Park.

[The Veteran]

SV, sounds simple. I think an RPG can mean any kind of Role Playing Game, from elder scrolls on a computer to dungeons and dragons in someone's basement. I'm guessing adding the c - for computer - was intended to remove pen and paper RPGs from the equation but if you ask me it just makes it more complicated Certainly in this instance I won't be writing about non-computer games anyway so no fear there

 

Anyway, I have a bunch of RPG titles but to make things a little more interesting they aren't all purely of that one genre, many of them including simulation elements elements for example. I do happen to have a game I played a year or so back which I think fits the bill rather well though and it probably isn't too well known so I feel like now would be a good time to share that one!

 

It's been a while since I played it so don't expect a particularly in-depth write-up but here's my take on game no.4;

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/EscapeFromParadiseCity01.jpg

 

Now, Escape From Paradise City has actually received some fairly mediocre reviews but as is always the case there are people who disagree with these critics and this time I'm one of them! I found this to be a rather enjoyable game and the atmosphere, despite the slight repetition in parts, was just right for this title.

 

The story here sees us in control of one of three 'hero' characters, each with their own particular niche. The choices at the start are basically long range (rifles and SMGs) melee (knives and swords) or support (dual pistols and the largest army of goons available in the game) The mission for whichever not-so-bad bad guy you choose is to do the dirty work of the National Security Agency and clear out some of the big players from Paradise City's underworld. It's been compared to the movie 'Escape from New York' but as I've never seen nor heard of it I can't comment!

 

Essentially, gameplay here involves moving your hero around the streets of Paradise city and busting up bad guys in whatever way you choose. My memory regarding stat allocation and levelling up is rather lacking I'm afraid but I do recall that it was a neat way to get some pretty good attacks and abilities. Levelling up was also the only way to add henchmen to your party (which subsequently levelled up with your character)

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/EscapeFromParadiseCity02.jpg

 

An interesting fact that I just turned up about this game is that it's actually considered to be a sequel to another title called 'Gangland', a very good game that is yet to make it onto the pile! The differences are massive though and quite frankly I wouldn't even place them in the same league. Gangland is a very challenging strategy simulator where bosses, henchmen and businesses are all vital in order to succeed over cunning and ruthless enemy families. Escape from Paradise City is a pretty linear and shallow campaign game in which the player will be repeating similar tasks in many levels.

 

Escape From Paradise City has been slammed by various critics for a number of things, including story, gameplay and even box-art but personally I think it's a little unfair to treat this title so badly. I enjoyed the story and the twists that came along with it, even though getting from one end of the game to another was by no means a great challenge!

 

All in all I had a pretty fun experience with this game and it's one of the few that I may pick up again some day, though most likely not for an entire playthrough... I'd put this in a 'fun but easy' category as much of the game simply involved going through the motions but I never got bored with it and never even came close to the bind rage that some games seem to get me into so it's a winner with me!

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/EscapeFromParadiseCity03.jpg

 

Ultimately, the type of experience you have with Escape from Paradise City will come down to what sort of player you are and how much of a challenge you want. If you never buy a game that you know you'll beat quickly then this is certainly not a game for you. It would quickly become very tedious and the lack of challenge would be unbearable for players that crave it.

 

If on the other hand you can appreciate a stress-free experience every so often then this may be a nice title to slip into your repertoire between some of the more hardcore games around. I know that I fit in the latter group myself and that's probably why I wasn't really bothered by the shortfallings that this game may have. In honesty I don't think I even noticed them until I read some reviews on it just now!

 

So that's the scoop on this one, fun for a quick distraction but don't expect it to keep you busy for too long.

 

Let me know if there are any preferred genres for the next update and I'll see what I can do! And also I know this has been a fairly softcore RPG title but bear with me as there are more to be had on the list! Keep asking and I'll put up another one shortly

[Azrael Strife]

Amazing games those of Bullfrog, I loved Theme Hospital and Dungeon Keeper

[silencer_pl]

Looks nice - too bad I didn't have the opportunity to play it.

[The Veteran]

Bullfrog have made some awesome games over the years. Sadly Dungeon Keeper and ThemePark aren't on the pile as (although I've completed them) I don't own copies!

 

Silencer, there's always time to make an opportunity in the future for things you've missed out on in the past. Otherwise quite frankly what's the point?!

[silencer_pl]

1. I have sooo many games on the list and simply I don't have time.

2. I don't know where to get those games - even "ekhm" pirat bays don't support that thing.

[The Veteran]

All you need to do is look and you can find anything mate. Especially if you look in places like that...

[The Veteran]

Ok I wasn't expecting to leave 5 day gaps between posts when I started this thread so I think another entry is way overdue! I figure we've had adventure, strategy, Sim and RPG so far so we're still missing a few genres completely. The next game will be the first entry in one of those as yet unvisited niches.

 

From the world of First Person Shooters, here's title number 5;

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/StarshipTroopers01.jpg

 

I came across this game many years ago and it's actually been a good few years since it ventured onto the pile, that means I'll only be able to provide an outline so nothing too deep! For anyone unfamiliar with the franchise, this is a game based on a film based on a book, it's actually almost 60 years old now (the book that is, not the game...) Contrarily, for anyone particularly familiar with the franchise, this is the video game released in 2005 titled simply Starship Troopers, as opposed to the 2000 title named Starship Troopers : Terran Ascendancy.

 

History lessons aside, this is a fairly standard FPS with everything you'd expect from both the genre and the franchise in question. Gameplay is self-explanatory and controls are easy to quickly master and although the graphics aren't great for a game that's only 5 years old they're still good enough for some entertaining bug-splatting.

 

Now as with the films, there are a few things this game had to do in order to work and certainly to impress fans of the franchise. While I don't remember any use of Federation news and adverts in the game (something that gave the first and third films a lot of character) the more important requirement was certainly dealt with sufficiently as the player will be fighting literally thousands of bugs throughout the course of this game!

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/StarshipTroopers02.jpg

 

The image above shows a 'duckshoot' portion of the game when we're lucky enough to be awarded some semblence of cover and some heavy automatic weapons to stem the flow of bugs, there are of course many less friendly scenarios which involve long winding tunnels, wide open plains and even underground hives. The entire game is set on one planet and the campaign is pretty long so it can get a little repetitive at points but persoanlly I was all in for the job of blasting up swarms of bugs so I didn't find it a problem.

 

The actual story behind this game is a very simple one and there won't be any twists of fate and such. Put simply you're put in the role of a Marauder (a sort of power suit) and given orders to save your comrades, destroy alien strongpoints and ultimately whoop some bug-ass. It works well in that I have an inherent problem with games that make the player just an ordinary grunt who seems to be the only person in the team capable of killing things. In this case, the reason we're the only one who's any good is because we have special armour and better guns!

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/StarshipTroopers03.jpg

 

There's really not a great deal more to say about Starship Troopers. I enjoyed it but it's by no means a deep game (even though it IS a pretty long one) and by todays standards it really doesn't look that great either. There are some great moments involving the inescapable 'boss-fights' which are pretty amazing in this game (providing you're a fan of the movies) Along with the normal warrior bugs and flying hoppers, there are appearances by Tanker bugs, plasma bugs and even brain bugs, along with a whole bunch of other enemy units not seen in the films.

 

It's worth noting that this game was slated by a lot of reviewers stating many different reasons for the low scores. Personally I remember enjoying the time I spent playing it and it felt really good to be inside the film. It's true that a lot of what made the film great was missing but the most important thing is killing bugs by the hundred and that was there!

 

Will be a few days till I add another title so be sure to pick a genre for me. If not I'll go with another of the ones not visited yet. Peace!

[NKF]

I might have missed it, but what's on your growing to-play pile? Would help to know which game to recommend next.

 

- NKF

[silencer_pl]

I've playe Straship Troopers - didn't finish it though - got bored right in the middle somewhere. I rarely take satisfaction in FPS - there only few which I actualy did enjoy

[Thorondor]

Read the book, saw the old movie, didn't play the game.

 

Starship Troopers, may be somewhat 'simplistic' but it has this perennial quality at its heart: the nature of fight for survival.

 

The relentless insect-like creatures are quite simply a great choice for an enemy. As humans we require personal courage, a driving cause to face death, while what threatens us is unwavering and unthinking of self-preservation, hardwired since birth for a single purpose.

 

Incapability of introspection and its daunting strength on one side against the fierce struggle born of awareness on the other.

 

Could get really profound with the theme if they wanted I guess.

 

::

 

Then there's the always recommended plain ol' joy of killing bugs, which I see you fully acknowledge as the game's sole saving grace...

[The Veteran]

I might have missed it, but what's on your growing to-play pile? Would help to know which game to recommend next.

 

- NKF

 

Good call, the less mentioned 'incomplete pile' probably also deserves a mention. What's more it's currently sat right beside me to try and encourage some action on my part. That makes it very easy to document so I'll share the titles there now. Behold;

 

STALKER : Call of Pripyat

Metro 2033

Dragon Age Origins

Starlancer

Oblivion

The Settlers 7 : Paths to a Kingdom

Grand Theft Auto 2

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 : Soaked

Fallout Tactics

Fallout 2

The Lord of the Rings : Return of the King

Diablo 2

Black & White

Gangland

Black & White Creature Isle

Overboard

Seadogs

Tortuga Pirates of the New World

Corsairs Gold

Carmageddon 2

Carmageddon TDR 2000

Will Rock

FarCry

Red Ocean

American McGee's Alice

Command & Conquer Renegade

Doom - Collectors Edition

Doom 3

Genesis

Homeworld Cataclysm

Command & Conquer : Red Alert 2

Maelstrom

Starcraft

Hooligans

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds

Anno 1503 - The New World

Star Wars : Force Commander

Star Trek Armada

Ancient Wars : Sparta

Empire Earth

 

Some of these games have been played already but not all the way through. Some are nearer completion than others though, Genesis has been stuck on the final level for years! Titles like Empire Earth (with their very long and booooooring campaigns) may never find their way onto the pile unless I categorise them as 'endless simulation' games, something I've already done for 2 games where I've completed major campaigns but much more content remains. I found that I simply didn't enjoy the game enough to play EVERY scenario available so I consider my experience sufficient but not complete and then move them over. A few of the above don't work on my current rig, both Carmageddon titles being too old/bugged and Metro 2033 needing better hardware to get a really good experience from. Episodes from Liberty City suffers the same problem but that should also be on the list. Call of Pripyat is currently top of my pile but I'm running a backup PSU right now and it doesn't have the necessary power to run the game. Wierd huh? It's common knowledge though apparently, the game draws a lot of power to the GPU and thus crashes the game... I'm not currently playing any of these titles but most recently I've been working through Settlers 7 so that may be next on the completed pile.

 

Then there's the always recommended plain ol' joy of killing bugs, which I see you fully acknowledge as the game's sole saving grace...

 

Absolutely right, for me it's what the game was all about! Silencer is right, a lot of people got very bored with it before the end but that happens with a lot of FPS titles so it's by no means an isolated incident. I can get bored with games quite often, especially given my power-playing means to complete them as quickly as possible! This one I actually enjoyed though so it was a pretty pleasant encounter for me!

 

I know I've been away for a few days and it's cheeky not to post another title today but I'm tired and the clocks just changed so I'm a bit confused too! Will get one up tomorrow if I can so be sure to let me know what you'd like it to be!Cheers for reading and your responses, it makes this worth doing!

[Thorondor]

How about a bona-fide RPG next?

 

Can you dig up anything among the D&D lines, Veteran? (The Temple of Elemental Evil, Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate, Planescape Torment, etc)

 

Regarding your 'incomplete pile', I notice there are also definitely a few standout titles there. My penchant for squad-based tactical games would have me singling out Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel.

 

Very decent gameplay (albeit linear) with emphasis on combat and some RPG character development, nice graphics and very playable on today's machines.

 

::

 

Now if only these Brahmin would get out of my line of fire...

[NKF]

Fallout 2 would be a good RPG to go with, and with so many ways to play the game, it could take some time if you wish to explore everything. Luckily it accommodates power gamers who want to beat the game fast, as you can skip the main story line and most of the side stories and only do the quests necessary to get some good equipment and open the final mission, then level grind around San Francisco. Spending time exploring and attending to some side stories does allow access to some good rewards though. Tip: always max Agility when creating a character. It's the only stat that cannot be permanently upgraded through any of the quests (at least, I've never found one in my travels). Plus it gives you full APs, before perks. Also if you dont' meet the stat requirement to get some special perk, you can always boost stats temporarily with meds. It's the surest way to get the much coveted Slayer or Sniper perk at level 24 even if your character isn't set up for them.

 

Also definitely recommend Planescape Torment to add to the pile. Very unconventional as far as sword and sorcery RPGs go. It does have a very strong story focus, where you can sometimes earn more by talking than bashing. You can even talk the main villain to death if your chap's clever enough. Only downside is you can't build your own custom squad of heroes like you can in Baldurs Gate (use Multiplayer mode) or the Icewind Dale series.

 

I'm kind of biased on these two games, as they are ones I've tried and have enjoyed quite a bit.

 

- NKF

[silencer_pl]

STALKER : Call of Pripyat - what about previous versions ? I think you should look for graphical mods (I had one - the basic version is so empty)

Metro 2033 - on my Playlist - probably will play it when I will have GTX660 (currently 460 )

Dragon Age Origins - good game - remember to get the Awekaning Expansions - the other DLC's are fine. If you want to complete story Witch Hunt is a Must though every DLC is an hour long but if played on Nightmare difficulty - you will only throw your PC out of the window in Golems of Agrasomething.

Oblivion - meh - just go with main story or you will get bored.

Fallout Tactics - good game - find yourself FTBooster if you will play on crap PC also Ironman mode (in-game one) gives you 2 times more XP which is nice.

Fallout 2 - try to find latest high res mod and find fan made patches.

Seadogs - good game but meh you can get bored easly

 

American McGee's Alice - Don't forget Alice Madness Returns

Command & Conquer Renegade - I will say upfront - stay away from it If you value C&C from Weastwood

Command & Conquer : Red Alert 2 - don't forget the expansion Yuris Revange pretty hilarious

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds - it is multiplayer only - or do you want fight with bots over some scenarios (or maybe I mixed different title)

 

 

Also I should recommend Star Wars Republic Commando because I see few SW titles.

[Space Voyager]

Call of Pripyat is great, and this makes it greater. As Silencer said, previous titles are also worth playing, especially with with the same "series" of Complete mods.

 

I'm afraid I know little of the listed games. Sorry to say.

[silencer_pl]

American McGee's Alice - Don't forget Alice Madness Returns

 

Actualy I remembered - Get Alice Madness Returns - it already contains the first part.

[The Veteran]

I'd like to say I'm doing well this week but it's actually been 9 days since my last post in here it seems! I guess I'm finding it hard to choose one game at a time from such a large list but alas real life also gets in the way and I am an A-grade procrastinator to boot!

 

Anyway I've decided that I probably won't be as bored as I am right now for quite some time so here's the next title from the pile! I'm going with a proper RPG this time, one of the ones I enjoyed more than most. I'm sure everyone will at least be familiar with this title, whether you've played it or not, so let's hear it for;

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/TitanQuest01.jpg

 

I don't think I need to go into the game in too much detail here, Titan Quest is pretty iconic for what it is. What it is then is IronLore Entertainment's 2006 RPG blockbuster. It's recieved some criticism for being 'too Diablo-ish' but then one could argue that of almost every true RPG out there. Generally the only thing that sets one title apart from another is a feature or mechanic non-typical of the genre, therefore removing it from the category somewhat in any case.

 

So yes, Titan Quest is a rather generic button-bashing, Diablo inspired RPG, but that certainly doesn't stop it from performing admirably. Wheras the majority of RPGs find me incredibly bored long before the halfway point, Titan Quest was always good enough to keep me interested in what was coming next (I've even begun a second playthrough recently which happens very rarely!)

 

One of the features I really liked in Titan Quest is one that saves literally hours of wasted time collecting loot and pawning it off in local farmsteads. (Exactly what does Old MacDonald do with all those weapons anyway?) I say one feature but actually there are two that help here... The first is the ability to create a portal that will instantaneously transport the PC somewhere friendly to peddle his goods and then return him to the same spot to continue looting. The second is rather more of an aid and less of an exploit (honestly who ever heard of magical portals? Lizardmen, Titans and the walking dead maybe but don't push us IronLore!) This is the very handy 'item filter' which allows the player to collect loot without loading up with practically worthless broken and common items. I love it, just a press of a button and all those things you were about to pick up are spotted for the firewood they are and your bags stay empty for an extra cave or two!

 

On top of these rubbish items, Titan Quest also has two levels of enchanted items along with Unique and Epic items for those who play the game long enough! All of these are colour coded both on the ground and in the inventory screens to help you identify the things that are really worth having for those which are just ok. There are also sets of some items as in 'suits of armour'. Possessing one demands an awful lot of grave-robbing as they are only discovered one component at a time but a complete set provides some nice bonuses and they usually look pretty swish too!

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/TitanQuest02.jpg

 

On top of some nice armour and weapons, the whole Titan Quest experience looks pretty good. Enemies are nicely varied (though of course there's still the common 'weak zombie', 'zombie' and 'strong zombie' nonsense going on too) and the environments look pretty cool too. This game is only a few years old so it would have little excuse for being ugly but even 5 years on I'd still have it down as a very successfully illustrated title.

 

The story in Titan Quest takes place at a time when Man and God are still in frequent contact but a Titan has escaped it's ancient prison and now threatens this pleasant coexistence. As our hero, players lead a simple farmer through the lands of Greece, Egypt and The Orient to hunt down 'Telkine' (lesser Titans of course!) and generally put a stop to the mischief being caused by the various monsters that are now loose in the world. It's a pretty good story with some familiar names and entertaining quests along the way to keep players interested.

 

Of course story progression would be no good without character progression (especially in an RPG!) and there's a fair bit of meat on Titan Quest in that department as well. Of course it all revolves around killing monsters for XP and then assigning new skill and stat points every time the hero levels up, what RPG doesn't? The stat increases are fairly self-explanatory, being almost identical to every other RPG out there, but the skill tree is perhaps a little different.

 

Titan Quest allows two masteries to be studied when the player reaches specific levels. There are nine options for each mastery allowing for a pretty diverse selection of characters to be created, and within each mastery there are a whole host of skills and attributes to choose from, all of which are unlocked by allocating skill points when you level up. I ended up with a Hunter, Warrior, deadly at range and up close, but there are dozens of different combinations up for grabs.

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/TitanQuest03.jpg

 

All in all I had a pretty good time with this game although the first time around I did encounter a game-breaking bug which cost me literally days of playtime. It seems character file corruption is not unheard of and while there are tools out there which attempt to recover them, mine was irreparable and so I had to start right over. I was so close to the final boss I could almost smell him as well!

 

Apart from that pain it was a really entertaining experience. While not particularly demanding of any part of my brain I did end up with a significantly more powerful index finger than I'd had before playing and that has to count for something! It looks pretty good and plays pretty well too with a decent variety of enemies, massive selection of items and good opportunities for character development. Just because I haven't posted any action shots, here's a few of some badguys getting whooped some. Let me know if you've spent some time with TQ and tell me what you thought of it. For now though I'm off for a run!

 

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/XTC%20completed%20pile/TitanQuest04.jpg

[silencer_pl]

Titan Quest is nice, but the Immortal Throne makes things harder - I didn't complete it beacuse I couldn't win one of the boss fights - he was like one shooting me

 

To pass the Immortal Throne you must have tone of HP or the Cerberus will eat you. Strangely all the bosses in Immortal Throne are harder then the final boss in OC. Why did gods fear him if Hades had more stronger ones