William Willing

A couple of days ago, a friend of mine sent me a list of his ten favourite computer games of all time. Of course, I had to respond with my ten favourite games.

A top 10 of your favourite computer games gives you a nice picture of what kind of gamer you are. In my case, it’s clear that I have a preference for games that include a strong story element. Either that or some fast cars. Also, I am, and always have been, a PC gamer, so you will only find PC games in my top 10.

Note: all title links lead to the Wikipedia entries for the respective game. (Wikipedia even has an entry on 5 Days A Stranger!)

Honourable mention: 5 Days A Stranger (2003)

Don’t let the fact that this game is freeware fool you: it’s one of the best adventure games you’ll ever play. 5 Days A Stranger is a gothic short story that leaves a feeling reminiscent of an Edgar Allan Poe tale. Since this game was developed entirely by a single person, it lacks a bit in production values and depth. Because of the lack of depth and the linear gameplay, I don’t feel it’s appropriate to include this game in my top 10, but the unique atmosphere earns this game an honourable mention. If you have some hours to spare this weekend, be sure to check out 5 Days A Stranger.

#10: Jones in the Fast Lane (1991)

A game about finding a job, paying rent and shopping for groceries shouldn’t be fun, but somehow it is. In today’s terminology, Jones in the Fast Lane is a casual game. The game is quite layed-back, even though you can play against a computer opponent or your friends. I enjoy playing without competition, though. Sign up for class, get a job, earn money. It’s simple and unique. Only the recent game Kudos has gameplay similar to Jones in the Fast Lane, but Jones’ simplicity makes it the better game of the two.

#9: Carmageddon (1997)

Antonym: subtle. Carmageddon is a completely over the top, ultra-violent racing game. Normally, I don’t really like violence for violence’s sake, but Carmegeddon never takes itself seriously and the violence really becomes one big joke. Excellent power-ups, great tracks with a lot of freedom and a thoroughly enjoyable multiplayer mode. The prat-cam is simply a stroke of genious. Why to this day no-one has copied that feature is beyond me.

#8: Another World (a.k.a. Out of this World) (1991)

The first time I saw the introduction sequence for Another World, I was completely blown away. Never before had I seen such a cinematic introduction. What is more, the entire game has a cinematic feel to it that is still unparallelled in gaming history. Of course, the graphics are dated and the introduction isn’t that impressive anymore, but you can still feel that cinematic quality when you play the game. The game self, although linear, is carefully crafted at each point. You can get Another World for a mere 7 Euros. Well worth it.

#7: Anachronox (2001)

This game is seriously strange. I guess it doesn’t hold up very well as an RPG, since the battles are quite easy to win, but if your looking for an entertaining story, Anachronox is about as good as it gets. The facial expressions during the cutscenes actually do a good job of conveying emotions. It’s too bad the sequel will never be made, because now you’re really only left with half a story. I was seriously hooked on this game.

#6: Grim Fandango (1998)

Possibly the best story ever told in a computer game. No other adventure game has so much character and atmosphere, so much grandeur as Grim Fandango. Yes, the puzzles are too hard, yes, the game is completely linear, yes, the controls are suboptimal, but the story, oh man the story! Grim Fandango is something special.

#5: Day of the Tentacle (1993)

Day of the Tentacle doesn’t have the superb, atmospheric story Grim Fandango has, but it’s definitely the better game. Day of the Tentacle is outrageously funny and very cleverly written. Because you play three characters - one in the past, one in the present and one in the future - you have quite a few options at most times. This prevents the game from becoming too linear, like so many adventure games do. Excellent voice acting, great humor and a highly original plot make this one of the best adventure games of all time. (Only one ranks higher…)

#4: Deus Ex (2000)

This pre-09/11 game starts with a terrorist attack in New York and it really makes the resulting tension feelable. Deus Ex is one of the first games that lets you approach situations in your own style. This makes the game highly adaptable to the playing style of the gamer. Coupled with an engaging (albeit slightly geeky) conspiracy story, this game offers a very memorable experience. Side note: Deus Ex 2 doesn’t even come close to being the masterpiece that is its predecessor.

#3: Quest for Glory 1 (1989)

(I’m talking strictly about the first Quest for Glory here. Parts 2 and 3 aren’t nearly as good. Quest for Glory 4 does come close, but it’s so riddled with bugs, that I never could finish it.) I think that LucasArts adventure games are in general far superior to Sierra adventure games, but ironically my personal favourite adventure game of all time comes from Sierra. Quest for Glory 1 is the first adventure game that allows you to take on quests in the order you prefer (for the most part). The folklore that is woven through the game creates a wonderful atmosphere and the simple RPG elements work really well.

#2: Fatal Racing (a.k.a. Whiplash) (1996)

Without a doubt the finest racing game ever made. The track design is simply unparallelled: no racing game even comes close. Racing any track in Fatal Racing feels like a thrilling rollercoaster ride. Also, all the cars really handle differently. You need to learn how to drive each car seperately if you want to be able to win in all of them. I’ve been playing this game for years. The only reason I don’t play it too often anymore is that I played it so often that I’m virtually unbeatable. And then to think that this game was known for its tough AI drivers: I really spent a lot of time with this game.

#1: Thief (1998, 2000, 2004)

Absolutely marvellous. The most intense game ever. I’m talking about the series as a whole here, because all the games are brilliant. Also, it would be quite a boring top 3 if I treated the games seperately. A truly unique game concept that offers by far the best gaming experience I ever had. When I finished Thief 3, I was so disappointed that I had finished, that I immediately popped in my Thief 1 CD and just started over. Thief is my undisputed number one favourite computer game of all time.

Wrapping up
It was quite hard to come up with a top 10 of my favourite games. I played quite a lot of games that I enjoyed, but the hardest part wasn’t to choose between them, but rather to find ten games that I consider special enough to call them top dogs. I think I succeeded to find ten (or eleven, actually) games that all have something unique to offer.

I invite you to share your top 10 of your favourite computer games. It’s a fun way to see what kind of gamer you are. I’m also interested to know whether you have more trouble finding ten games that deserve to be in your top 10 or whether you have trouble limiting your list to only ten games.