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You know what? I don't care for many of the flaws that plague this game. All those little annoyances are nothing, nothing to detract you from this master of story driven games. Obviously, video games are not exactly high regarded when it comes to the storyline and yet This game has some of the best set of narrative, characters, and dialog you can find in the industry. But is it a game, really? I see it as more of an experience. An interactive tv series, if you will. Gameplay elements are rather thin in this game, like in most point and click adventure games. The chocies you make are difficult, and even if they don't have too much effect on the outcome of the story(from what we have seen at the end of the 5 chapters), they still change characters behavior and dialog along the way. But it doesn't matter at all, in my opinion. The choices you make still dictate how you will feel at the end of the game. Have I done the right thing here? could I have saved this person if I did that? if you are making choices without caring too much because it's "just a game", then your experience will be the same. The characters are outstanding, through voice acting and choices they make, this is as far as you can get from the "black and white" storyline that's found in most videogames these days. If you invest yourself into the narrative and characters, and really think about what's the right thing to do(in your eyes), you could find yourself drawn into one of the best games of the year, or interactive movies, or however you wanna call it. It really doesn't matter one bit.

Metroid prime is all about level design and gameplay. Forget the subtle story, the brilliant graphics, and the awesome soundtrack. The thing that made this game one of the finest games of all time is the level design and game structure. I usually don't like games that give you many paths to choose from, but here is an exception. Metroid prime seems like a huge game, but really it's small. What makes it feel so big is the brilliant sense of adventure and discovery. You enter an erea, find the correct path through puzzles and platforming(and of course, fighting some local life forms). When you clear an erea you usually get a new weapon or gadget that allows you to visit areas that were blocked before so. It becomes a sort **** puzzle, where you must fit in the right pieces to proceed. The game isn't brutally difficult, like the 2d Metroid games, but at the same time requires attention and understanding of your surrounding. It's a game made purely for gamers. It combines elements from most genres into one genius package. If you haven't played this game, you should do so as soon as you can. I never expected it to be that good.

It's funny how this game is still as enjoyable as it was at it's release. Stealth games simply don't get better then blood money and,granted, this game is most certainly underrated. This sort of gaming equivelent of "Dexter" is nothing short of brilliant. The missions are special, each in their own way. There are, literally, dozens of possible ways of completing a mission, and if you replay missions, you'l find more and more hilarious possibilities of kiling. You can be slyish sneaky, or a psychopath, whichever suits your mood. But the game never tells you to do things in a certain way and There are multiple paths and choices for every mission. The story is surprisingly good, and quite subtle as well. You don't get bombing production values, but with every mission you feel like things are getting more complicated and interesting. In short: An overlooked stealth game with personality and high replay value, that is fun as heck. Hands on for Absolution.

Imaginative, creative, hilarious, charming, beautiful, and fun! These are the traits Psychonauts has to offer. But would you expect anything else from Tim shafer? It baffles me how well Double Fine have made this game. Not just from a technical view point, Psychonauts is a genius game. The humor and dialog are some of the best I have seen in videogames, and the characters and story blend together in a most fitting way. There are so many lovable characters in this game, and each has something unique of their own. You get to get into the minds of various folks during the game, and each has a special vision in their brains. The story is fantastic, and geniuanly forces you to keep going. So much creativity and originality is here, I can't recommend it enough. If you like games that aren't conventional, or games that break the mold, this one is like no other. It aged very well, graphically, so you won't have a problem playing it today. A videogame masterpiece.

The fact is, this game is simply good at everything it tries to do. It has a great story, that is told in a subtle way, and narrated in one of the most unique fashions I have seen. The gameplay is very solid, and requires quick thinking and smart use of the tools and weapons you are given. Graphics are beautiful and unique. They compliment the story and gameplay perfectly, and the soundtrack is a gift from heaven. This game was crafted with such care and attention to details, I must recommend it to everybody. Even if you aren't sure this game suits your videogames taste, try it out. It's one of the finest indy games of the generation, and it's very affordable on steam. Supergiant games deserve their game to be appreciated and recognized. Buy it!

Emotional, exciting, fun, breathtaking. I'm probably missing a few other words that can describe this heavenly game. Basically, it's one of the best games of the last generation, and possibly of all time. I'm not afraid to say this game is one of the best, simply because there is no other game like it. It set a bar for every Adventure/action game that followed it, much like Half Life 2 did for FPS's. But it does more then just reinovate gaming mechanics. It is one of the few games that can call themselves, with a straight face, a work of art. Some would disagree, granted, but even the sceptics can appreciate the game's excellent design, and if you are not so narrow minded as some gamers, you will no doubt love this game. It's more then a game, and with every gaming year filled to brimming with grey and unoriginal videogames, it just gets clearer.

This is how FPS's should be like. Tribes is pure run and gun, even more exciting then Unreal Tournament. You don't get cover, you don't get realism, but you get fun. Tons of it.

Among the Metal gear solid games, the second one is my least favourite. It probably has the most convoluted story of the bunch, but that does not make it better. On the contrary, the game has so many plot twists that are squeezed in near the end of the game, it's astounding and **** environments are grey and repetative compared to the other games in the series, though still good. But this remains a Metal Gear Solid game, for the good and the bad, though if by now you haven't played a MGS game then this isn't a place to start. But this is still a great game. It has great bosses and a lot of action and sneaking to do, and the game has a roster of great characters. Much of the game was memorable to me and even though it's not my favourite MGS game, it's still a damn good game that really stays with you.

Few videogames stand the test of time, and Okami is certainly one of them. Perhaps it's the unparalleled graphics, the unique characters and story, or maybe it's the setting and atmosphere.When people are talking about "Art in videogames" I think of Okami. Even 6 years after it's release, not a single game came close to it's vision and magnitude in graphical design, from my perspective. There are games that have better graphics, for granted, but there are few that can challenge Okami's beautiful art direction and visuals. But the fact is that Okami is charming not only in it's graphics but also with it's humor and characters, and especially The little jokes/nuances are very endearing. The game also boasts some of the finest bosses I'v seen in videogames, as well as the ways of beating them. A 40 hour campaign and a vast array of unique locations make okami feel big and full of adventure. The story is a classic "good VS evil" affair but not so much that it descends to kitsch, thanks to the brilliant writing and fantastic characters. For me the overall experience was practically perfect. It's one of "those" games that you come back to every year and play again, just to remind yourself why you love videogames and also to remember the experience itself, one that will always stay with you.

Finishing Metal Gear Solid is not an easy task. Yes, it's not brutally difficult, but it requires a lot of patience. But the patience is worth it. Nearly every aspect of MGS is fantastic, even today. The graphics might be a bit dated but all the same hold much charm and simplicity. The gameplay mechanics defined the stealth/action genre and indeed the MGS series are still the best stealth games out there. The story is ridiculous, with so many plot twists and turns, and Kojima doesn't care one bit. You can sit for ten minutes listening to a new met enemy rambling on and on about philosophy, politics and everything else, and it's worse when Snake is cooporating with them which leads to many awkward conversations. Dialog is what Kojima couldn't handle right, and that's a shame because that was actualy the only real gripe I have had with the game, but I guess that it's part of the magic that this series has. The bosses are fantastic, the mood is great. The game forces you to think about your next move and be on your toes. You constantly have to stay alert and learn to use your gadget arsenal wisely. I also loved the characters, as childish and silly some of them might be, because their personalities are interesting and unique. The codec conversations can be really good and it's especially nice that you can contact characters and get advice or perspective from them. I can safely say that every gamer should experience this game. It might seem dated but it really holds up after all this time, for some strange reason, and is stil perfectly playable. It's humorous, difficult, and **** most importantly , It's a fascinating creation that Hideo and his team managed to make. The game is very unique and has many small nuances that really make it an unforgettable experience.

I look at all the big franchises of gaming that have millions dropped on their development, many years in the making , and hyped to no end. And then I look at Journey, which isn't a big budget game nor is it a pretentious and small indie game. It's a short game, yet if it was longer then two hours it probably wouldn't have exactly the same impact. Rarely there are games like Journey, if at all, and for more then one reason. Real beauty and art in videogames is something rather rare. There are "those" games that people always mention when there's talk of videogame art, for example: Okami, shadow of the colossus/ico, el shaddai and such. Journey, the short non-big budget game somehow manages to surpass almost all of these popular and familiar games. It's everything; the music, the beautiful landscapes and animations, the unbelivable atmosphere, the fluid unique gameplay, and the charm, simplicity and emotion that the game carries **** to deliever one of the most important games of this generation. Now, for some people this might be a boring, short and rather weird game. That's understandable, because some people simply like their games with more explotions and action. But even for the cynic and childish of gamers this game can appeal greatly, it all depands if you let it to absorb you and invoke your feelings. Try it, you might end up loving it more then I do :)

The way people are talking about Mass effect 3 seems harsh. I believe the game was just as good as the second,while the first being more of a classic then it's sequals. The dialog was excellent and on the same level with the second game, I would say. The moral choices are also very appealing and varied, and it feels like the stakes are higher with each choice you make because,well, the entire living galactic population is on the verge of annihilation. The gameplay elements are mostly identical to mass effect 2's which means the game plays very intense and spactacular. People might complain that the characters don't offer as much variety and quality in the dialoge but I dissagree. Most of these characters have already made their full appearance in the last games, so you can't really expand too much on more then established characters(like Garrus, for example). The plot is very cinematic and the game feels like a giant dramatic Sci-fi movie that always keeps you on your toes. The major problem people have with this game is the ending. At first I felt the same;I thought this ending is ridiculous, but as I looked in the internet, I saw a brilliant explenation to that odd and unfulfilling ending. I won't give out spoilers but I think the entire game seems a lot more clear when you see it in the right angle. This game is fantastic, it truly is. I can understand the angry fans who wanted a closure, but to me the game made sense and I hope it will for you as well.

You can say Skyrim's biggest advantage is also it's biggest flaw. I love sandbox games, and although I never really was a big fan of the Elder scrolls series I thought the freedom was certainly entertaining. But Oblivion was flawed on so many levels that I simply can't compare it to Skyrim. Yes, Skyrim is a much better game on every single way. Weapons and armor disintegration is gone and the dungeons are much more varied and interesting. Instead of repetative Oblivion gates you now have dragon fights but more importantly',the game looks and feels much better then it's laggy, buggy predecessor. The game has a ton of quests and will last for months,But here is the big problem: the game never has true high points. It's addicting, I'l give it that, but it doesn't have deep characters nor does it have an interesting story. It relies on it's endless replay value and sacrifices quality. It lacks focus and, as such, it was never memorable for me. Despite this, the game is fun and entertaining. The combat is excellent and the quests can be really grand and fun. The politics in Skyrim are actualy interesting and somehow held my interest of the story. The game is great, but it lacks focus, and Bethesda released it so buggy (let's not forget the broken PS3 version) that it's really a mixed bag here. People rave and praise it, and I can understand where the love is coming from, but it has it's flaws that shouldn't be passed by.