Gaming off the Beaten Path

Nope, no dirt cheap super combos here. No 400000000 hit attacks with the press of a button. No assists crowding up the screen so no one knows what is going on, and certainly no uber -unfair characters like Sentinel. Ladies and gentlemen, this is fighting. Street Fighter II is an icon in gaming for a reason and that is its simplicity. True skill is needed to beat opponents in this game, not playing a higher "tiered" character or being able to exploit a flaw in the game's combo system. While the characters are somewhat unbalanced, a little practice will allow any player to play any character at a high level. The game may be easy to learn but boy is it difficult to master. Perfecting special moves and combos is just the beginning. Truly great players will execute all sorts of cross ups and corner traps to take the win. Of course, if you just want to kick back and have some fun, Street Fighter II is just as awesome. The game can be enjoyed on so many levels agains...

Code Veronica is the Apex of one of the greatest series' of all time. Players took control of Claire Redfield who is searching for her brother Chris in the aftermath of the Raccoon City disaster. Her travels take her to Europe, where she is captured by Umbrella Corp. and imprisoned on Rockfort Island. The island is soon overrun with zombies and other horrible freaks. To make matters worse for Claire, she has become the target of Alfred Ashford , the heir to Umbrella Corp's fortune. This game is truly the best in terms of psychological horror in the RE series. The visuals and especially the environments are disturbing and add a ton to the scares. Alfred is an outstanding villain and quite possibly the most twisted in gaming history. In terms of gameplay , the controls are spot on (by the way, I have NEVER had a problem with RE's control scheme. It adds to the game. I may address this at a later date because I could go on for a while). There are plenty of challenging enem...

Hi everyone. I have been on quite the hiatus, but I promise I will finish my list. Tonight, however, I want to mix it up. I had wanted to a non-game related list but I decided on this one instead. I have thought it over and I came up with what I think are the most overrated games of all time. I don't think any of these games are bad (okay, I think one is bad, but that's it). However, they don't nearly deserve the hype they get. Some are lauded by Internet crowds because they are "cool." Others get pumped up ratings from reviewers without any good reason. Others still just aren't as good as people say. Well, enough talk, here's the list. 10. God of War God of War is a good game. No, that isn't true, God of War is a great game...for the three hours it lasts. I'm sorry, but I refuse to pay full price for a game I can beat relatively easily in one sitting. Even old NES games that were meant to be played that way take longer to beat than this. I...

The greatest side scroller ever released. Mega Man X took one of the NES's biggest series and brought it into the 16 bit realm. Despite being released early in the system's life cycle, MMX has some of the greatest graphics of its generation. Players control X, a more advanced version of mega man. All of the enemies are now based on animals and each has a unique power and an excellently designed level. The game features some of the best abilities in the series. All of the bosses weapons are extremely useful. The game is challenging, as even with the right ability the bosses are hard. However, it is not mind numbingly impossible like the later MMX games for the PS1. Really, simplicity is key. The game follows such a simple formula...and yet it is so great . Pros: Level Design, challenge, graphics and sound, old school fun cons: may be a little too old school for some

The first Lunar game was great. The second was even better with its more expansive quest and better story line. Although the game is set in the same world of Lunar, just enough changes have been made to make it feel fresh and interesting. While the cast of characters are every bit as quirky as their counterparts from the first game, they are a bit stronger when it comes to more serious moments. Gameplay wise, traditional RPG elements are mixed with strategy to create an interesting battle system. It allows for more strategy than the 1st game and the ability to combine crests to create new magic also helps (PS1 version). The graphics are beautifully done 2d style animation, and the sound is awesome. Oh, and the final boss battle of this game may be the single best of all time. (Note: The PS1 and SCD versions were fairly different, but the same game at their core. All screens from the PS1 version) Pros:Story line, long, epic, awesome extras and epilogue , graphics, unique cha...

No one really knew what to expect when Mario made his first trip into 3d. Sure, we had all seen stills, and they looked awesome, but how would the game control? How would the levels be structured? When Nintendo unveiled the new N64 controllers, people became even more skeptical. A joystick? On a console? When the game finally did come out it was the only one released with the N64 at launch besides the below average Pilotwings 64. Super Mario 64 was an instant classic. It revolutionized gaming and single handedly established the 3d platformer . Its style was borrowed by Crash Bandicoot , Gex , and Rayman , but none of those franchises could quite live up to Super Mario 64. The controls are spot on, the graphics are awesome and the worlds are huge and well designed. This game is truly great. Pros: Great level design, strong controls, expansive, addictive, balanced challenge, unique Cons: Camera can be awkward at times

On this list we have seen some outstanding RPGs and some awesome first person shooters. However, no game blended the two genres like Deus Ex. Set in a bleak American future, you control JC Denton , a half man half machine in the service of the government. What starts out as a campaign against a terrorist organization turns into something much more. The game's graphics were a little dated for their time. However, they don't detract from the game in any way. The drab, depressing environments perfectly convey the atmosphere of the game. Perhaps the greatest aspect of the game is the fact that players can choose the way they play. Sneak around and pick locks, hack computers and manipulate enemies or just blow stuff up. The RPG style level up system allows players to customize JC's abilities to their liking. This game is a true classic, and a must play. Pros: Awesome story, open ended gameplay , great environment, good controls, unique Cons: again, not many. Graphics, coul...

Few games have impacted the social or gaming landscape like Doom. Politicians hated it, calling it a "murder simulator" because of its emphasis on killing and its then-revolutionary graphics. It is almost comical to look at Doom and say that now, but as a game it holds up great. The story casts you as a space marine stuck on a military installation on Phobos (one of Mars's moons, for those who don't know). Your base has been overrun by horrible demons and it is up to you to blast your way out. Your journey will eventually take you to the farthest depths of hell to do battle with horrible creatures. The visuals are flat out disturbing and really make you feel as if you are indeed battling your way through the underworld. The gameplay is simple with either a mouse or keyboard. The game was even ported onto just about every console imaginable, with the PS1 version being the best. Doom was truly a pioneer, and is still a blast to play almost 20 years later. Pros: Simple...

(Eds note: I know its been a long time. I promise this will get finished) When the Legend of Zelda was released on the NES , it became one of the standards by which epic games were judged. The series' first foray onto the SNES again redefined the standards with better graphics, bigger worlds, and more gameplay variety. All of the dungeons no longer look the same. In fact, they are huge, expansive, and challenging. The graphics are top notch for the SNES . As Link, players must explore two huge worlds filled with dangerous monsters, all while solving puzzles and looking for hidden items. It was released on the Game Boy Advanced with a four player mode and Gamecube compatibility , but the original has a charm that few other games can duplicate. If you can, play through this one. There is a reason it is in the top 10. Pros: Epic quest, awesome dungeons, challenging puzzles and bosses, great graphics, control, sound, unique environments, true challenge, not "artificial" ch...

Quick pro wrestling history lesson. In 1995, Ted Turner wanted to do something to compete with the WWF (now WWE ). They tried every bizarre gimmick, every weird shtick , and every washed up wrestler. It didn't work. To make matters worse, the company's new million dollar man, Hulk Hogan, was becoming fed up with his role in the company. That's when head booker Eric Bischoff had an idea; turn the beloved hulkster into a bad guy. It worked like a charm. Hogan and the NWO made WCW the main power in pro wrestling. Playing off the success of the angle on TV, WCW worked with THQ to make this awesome game. Wrestling games were a tough sell on the 16 bit systems. The N64's 3d graphics made players feel more like they were in the middle of the ring. WCW and NWO stars, along with other created superstars made for an impressive roster. The grappling system was simple to learn, but difficult to master. Players could pull off their favorite wrestler's moves with ease...

You are Solid Snake. As an elite special forces operative, you have been asked to rescue the president and stop a potential nuclear threat. Standing in your way, thousands of terrorists armed to the teeth, and a stable of warriors with supernatural powers. Even for a badass like snake, the odds are slim. Instead of running and gunning through it all, you must use stealth. The Alaskan base is full of dark corridors and air ducts which snake must use to accomplish his mission. The gameplay is unique, and the control is flawless. Graphics are amazing and the sound (which is critically important in this game) is ultra realistic. To top it all off, the story is full of twists and turns, and is on the same level as plots of top notch RPGs . Whether you play the PS1 original or the Gamecube remake "Twin Snakes," MGS is a must play. Pros: Unique and completely original, awesome story, (almost) technically perfect Cons: Parts of the story don't m...

I said when I began this list a long time ago that a story is the most important part of an RPG . I always say that RPG's are like interactive novles . The story in Final Fantasy VIII is one of the best in history. It follows the story of 18-year-old Squall Leonhart , a student at Balamb Garden. As a mercenaries, he and his friends are sent on missions throughout the world. He meets a young woman named Rinoa , and the two fall in love. The game follows the two in their quest to save the world from a hidden enemy, discover their mysterious past, and make their budding relationship work. The story does focus a lot on teenage angst and frustration, so it does become less relateable (but no less awesome) for older players. All of the other characters are well developed and add a lot to the story. The translation is excellent and the graphics may be the best on the PS1. Overall, this games story sets it aprt. Pros: Ep...

The best of the NES Mega Mans and one of the games that got me into gaming. MM 2 gets most of the praise but I feel that the level design in 3 is just so far superior. The bosses are unique, even if some of them are a little ridiculous. The controls feel as though they have been improved as well. The simple addition of sliding added so many dimensions to the gameplay . The difficulty is the best in the series. It isn't ridiculously difficult, but its not a breeze either. The "skeleton" levels that appear after the initial bosses are defeated are the epitome of perfect "challenge, not cheapness" levels in gaming. It can be difficult to really elaborate on what makes older, simpler games so great. This can be said of any NES game in the Mega Man franchise (or MM9, which was not eligible for the list because it is technically a new generation game) . 3 is simply the cream of an excellent crop. Pros: Good Graphics, balanced challenge, addictive gamepla...