What Digital/Computer/Console Games do you play?

[Andy Kitkowski]

Followup to this thread on Analog games:
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=19383.0

If you think console games are evil, Awesome. STEP OFF!!!
But if you consent to play them console or computer games every once in a while, what are you into lately?

Computer:
I started getting into Galactic Civilizations 2, because I was mad into Master of Orion/2 back in the day, and it's pretty much a successor to that line. Unfortunately, the games tend to last a very, very long time so I just haven't been messing with it too much.

The Elder Scrolls: OBLIVION currently is picking at my soul. Forget the gorgeous graphics/sounds/production, etc, it's simply the most open 'faux roleplaying' experience out there, bar none. And I'm including MMOs in there.

Step Mania This is an open-source Dance Dance Revolution game for the PC.  This is probably the game I play most overall, when I have the time I try to get in at least 30 minutes every 1-2 days for exercise.

PS2:
My wife and I drift back and forth with PS2 junkie-dom. I pick up some decent-looking J-Import games, but here's what I've been into:

Katamari Damacy/Everybody Loves Katamari Damacy (available in English). Awesome, awesome games. It's a glorious testament to the fact that games can be fun, addictive, and enjoyable for groups without millions of dollars for a budget, and a relatively simple concept. Recommended for just about everyone.

Final Fantasy XII - I picked this one up, and I think gameplay-wise it's my favorite of the series, but after playing this for 10 hours and playing OBLIVION (above) for 20 or more, I'm treating it more like an interactive movie than a 'faux roleplaying' game on its own. If you like the console RPG stuff, I'm pretty sure you'll really like this one when it comes to America later this year.

Imashime aka "Shinobido Imashime".  http://www.shinobido.com/eng/story.html (apparently coming out in the US in Spring/Fall)
This game was pretty incredible overall. I loves me some ninja games. Previously, the Tenchu series was the best set of ninja games around. Basically, the team that worked on that series created a NEW ninja game here with different characters, controls and gameplay (and Imashime, like Tenchu, means "Punishment"). It's a game that basically plays out in dozens and dozens of "missions", short 10-20 or 30 minute scenarios strung together. Storywise, it's basically The Bourne Identity but with ninja and three masters to serve.

Dance Dance Revolution: I'm a big fan of rythm games, and this one's pretty much the king.

[Warren]

As my day job is programming video games (I work for Rockstar Leeds), I don't tend to play video games in my off time anymore. That being said, I would be remiss not to mention the Grand Theft Auto series :)

Other games I have enjoyed: Everybody Loves Katamari, Ico, the Metal Gear Solid series, Burnout 2 & Burnout 3, Virtua Tennis, Shogun: Total War, Medieval: Total War and Rome: Total War. I also liked the toolset idea of Neverwinter Nights rather more than the prebuilt plot.

[Matt Snyder]

Two games currently kicking my arse:

Oblvion, which so far is the best fantasy computer game I've ever played. That's saying quite a lot.

Rome: Total War. I'm amazed at how fun this game is. Awesome.

My X-Box has been mostly out of commission, but I keep meaning to get back to Jade Empire, Mech Assault, and a couple others I've never completed.

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

I used to be hardcore into EverQuest.  I played a bard named Archestratie.  I've basically let a friend take over my character on the Bertoxxulous server.  Anyway, if you're familiar with the game, here's his stats as they are now:

      Name                                                           Server   Lvl   AA     HP       Mana   FT   ATK   AC     Regen
4  Archestratie Darkheart  <Dragon Council> Bertoxxulous  70   975   12015    10758   21 1761   2492   48/51

You can check him out at http://eqrankings.com/

Peace,

-Troy

[Graham W]

Jade Empire is just beautiful. I'm working my way through it for the second time, now, trying out the Closed Fist way of playing. It makes me feel guilty when I'm nasty to people.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is rather wonderful.

Morrowind was a deeply, deeply beautiful game and I'm trying to hold off buying an X-Box 360 for Oblivion. The longer I hold off, the less it costs, but God it's difficult.

Graham

[Jon Hastings]

I'm currently hooked on the second Fire Emblem game for the GBA.

And I'm slowly working my way through career modes in EA's most recent NASCAR and MLB games on the X-Box.

My home computer, alas, is way too underpowered for serious gaming, but the last games I was really into were Rome: Total War and the first Freedom Force game.

[Valamir]

Gal Civ 2 is pretty damn cool.  But like most 4X games they have trouble making a compelling end game.  I played on a huge map and have ridiculous amounts of ships and starbases and planets.  The interface actually makes it pretty easy to keep track of them all.  The problem is that the game is essentially no different than when I had 6 planets and little weenie ships.  In Gal Civ 1 you could push for Massive Death Stars which could roam the galaxy and destroy at will.  But there really isn't a similar goal to shoot for in GC2.  It still is a pretty good game.  I just have to play on smaller maps that finish before the grind become obnoxious.

Civ always had the same problem.  They tried to solve it with the sudden death space race ending, but that ending always leaves me feeling unsatisfied...he who races to the top of the tech tree with some high producing cities wins.  It really narrows the range of competitive strategies so I tend to turn Space Race victory off.  I keep waiting for them to continue the game with a brand new unexplored Civ Map that you can colonize by sending space ships to it.

Pretty much that's what I play.  Games that let me conquer the world, crush my enemies, drive them before me, and hear the lamentations of the women.  4x all the way.

So currently:  Civ IV, Gal Civ 2, Rome Total War and RTW: Barbarian Invasion, Pirates.

Previous favs are all along the same lines:  Civ III, Gal Civ 1, MOO 1&2 (there was no 3), Age of Wonders, Medieval Total War, Combat Mission.

And of course going into the way back machine: Civ 1&2, Warlords 1&2 (there was no 3), Reach for the Stars (there was no 2), Pirates Gold, Spaceward Ho, and on the way way way back tip:  Lords of Conquest (on the Apple, the PC version was the suxxors).

Shooters, nope.  MMORPGs, nope (aside from a brief flirtation with DAoC and some earlier text MUDs). Sport Games, nope (unless you count ballroom dancing in Pirates).  Racing games, nope (although the original Driver with a force feedback wheel was pretty cool).  

CRPGs, occassionally.  I did play the hell out of the old Ultima Series and the D&D gold boxes and classics like Wasteland.  More recently I ran around killing stuff in Baldurs Gate and Morrowind.  But as CRPGs become more and more like 3/4 view shooters (like Diablo and Dungeon Siege, and even the much hyped Fable)...blah...give me Ultima II over Diablo any day.

So console games currently hold little appeal for me.  I'll still break out the old Sega Genesis for some Pirates Gold or Lightning Force Goodness, but X-Box has just been 1 long string of disappointments.


On the taking it old school track though, I just picked me up the Arcade Legends machine from Ultracade with the 2 main upgrade packs.  Yup...all the classics from the hey-day of the Coin op (almost, it doesn't have pac-man or galaga, or xenophobe).  250 odd games...1 upright old school arcade machine...I was playing me some 1943 (and 42, and 41) last night, SpyHunter, Road Blasters, Rampage, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Warlords, Ramparts, Battlezone...oh yeah...and unlimited Continues...

[Jared A. Sorensen]

As I work on D&D Online, I tend to play that a lot...which is cool, because *gasp* it's fun. And clever monkeys may see some familiar names in the game...

[Jason Morningstar]

My crew rolls with Half-Life FPS mods; originally CS and DoD, and now the Source versions of both.  Not on public servers, of course!  If you play, PM me and I'll hook you up for some p0wnage.

Anybody who does not love Katamari Damacy needs to be shot in the head, too. 

[Graham W]

Anybody who does not love Katamari Damacy needs to be shot in the head, too.

I don't love it, because I'm not sure what it is.

Going to shoot me in the head, then, Roach boy?

Graham

[Ben Lehman]

Shadow of the Colussus owns my heart.

Katamari Damacy owns my soul.

I've been playing through the old Squaresoft games on emulation.  You know, back when you didn't have to wait through the movies to play your game?

yrs--
--Ben

[GreatWolf]

Civilization IV.

That's pretty much the only one, but it is enough.  Oh, is it enough.

Civ always had the same problem.  They tried to solve it with the sudden death space race ending, but that ending always leaves me feeling unsatisfied...he who races to the top of the tech tree with some high producing cities wins.  It really narrows the range of competitive strategies so I tend to turn Space Race victory off.

Oddly enough, I had an experience with this recently (chronicled here.  I was WAY out in front (playing Aztecs) and all the other major civs starting building spaceship parts.  I ended up starting World War III to stop them.  I nuked the Americans until their cities glowed and was at war with three civs at once.  It actually put serious tension into the end game.  I finished with 4 turns to spare before the Americans would have launched the ship.

[Jason Morningstar]

Graham!

It was good-natured hyperbole but, being American and called out in public, I am, indeed, obligated to shoot you.

Katamari Damacy

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

As I work on D&D Online, I tend to play that a lot...which is cool, because *gasp* it's fun. And clever monkeys may see some familiar names in the game...

-Jared, can you explain the rationale they had for going full instancing with that game?

Peace,

-Troy

[Jason13]

My gamer buddy Nick and I have an Xbox night every thursday.  It's a tradition we started some 3 years ago and we mostly play co-op games together.  The one we play most at the minute is X-Men Legends 2 which is cool, but I like The Conflict Desert Storm games as well.  For solo play I love Morrowind and GTA.