hylian_elf wrote:@gazelle maybe link to each persons entry in OP? Would be good to read back now and then and find entries easily.
Journey: Often criticised for not being a game, and it's hard to argue against that, but the reason it works as an experience is in the title. You merely need to travel, over deserts and through ruins, always towards a mountain that towers over the horizon. Why? No idea - it's not the destination that counts. Journey captures a sense of traversing a magical and long forgotten environment, interacting with its ancient machinery and wildlife to advance, and uncovering its secrets along the way. Or, even better, bumping into another player and sharing the trip with them, guiding each other to the most interesting sights for no other reason than the social interaction. It's all part of a 'game' built to capture the surprise and wonder that come with advancing into the unknown. This is further scripted by the constant changes of pace and scenery - from a slow trek under the sun to an exhilarating downhill slide to running scared in darkened tunnels to a brutal climb through a blizzard. And then a joyous finale that rewards you by removing all the fatigue and the effort of travel to set you flying free. Throughout, the mystical atmosphere, expressive colour palette and exceptional soundtrack control the mood expertly. Then, within three hours you're back at the title screen, and even though there's not much beyond a few minor secrets left to find, or maybe another companion, it's worth going again just for the... well, the journey.
Yossarian wrote:I’m half tempted to update my Halo post. Halo deserves it.
SpaceGazelle wrote:I'll never look at goats in the same way again.
No, don't bother. I only posted it because of the Journey chat.SpaceGazelle wrote:Want me to put that in the OP?
Quoting for page turn but also just to agree. That boss in the GIF is one of the great 'wow' moments of the time, most of which I was used to seeing on SNES games.Moot_Geeza wrote:Dynamite Headdy I'm partly picking this one because it's overlooked. It's hardly an obscure hidden gem, but it faces such stiff opposition from Treasures own titles it struggles to get a look in when most people are gushing over their wares. From memory it was their third or fourth Mega Drive title, depending on when Yu Yu Hakusho was released, and it's my pick for their best 16-bit release. The holy trinity of Megadrive platformers for me would be Headdy, Rocket Knight Adventures and Sonic & Knuckles with Sonic 3 cheekily shoved in the top to count as one game. In terms of inventiveness and variety, Headdy tops the list hands down. There's just so much to it, so many variations on the standard left to right progression. Most stages are pure platform side scroller, but then you'll find an aeroplane strapped to your neck and all of a sudden it's a shmup. Other stages see you ascending spinning towers, or give you the ability to move up and down the plane on rotating platforms. It's long, it's difficult (I had to rent it twice to beat it), it's chock full of secrets, the bosses come thick and fast and it pulls off visual tricks Mega Drive owners were accustomed to viewing with jealous eyes. Special mention for the soundtrack: plug some headphones into the MD and treat yourself to one of the console's greatest scores. The two main Sega mags at the time cottoned on to the greatness, I think it received a huge 96% from Sega Magazine and something similarly whopping from Mean Machines Sega (94%?), and I make them as right now as I did back then. It's an absolutely glorious shimmering masterpiece from start to finish, and if Shining Force II didn't exist it'd probably be my favourite MD game. And if Bangai-O and Guardian Heroes didn't exist it'd be my favourite Treasure game.
FFS. Maybe if I'd known that...Moot_Geeza wrote:C, A, left right B is yer title screen level select cheat too, if anyone fancies skipping straight to Spinderella.
Moot_Geeza wrote:Shamefully I owned that but sold it without even breaking the factory seal, so it's pretty high up my list of games I'd like to see rereleased too.
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