It's Taxes

There are very few games that I’ve just enjoyed so thoroughly as to play them all the way through multiple times. Dragon Age: Origins is one such game, however. I really enjoyed that there were multiple origin stories to play through for each race, and I had to try them all. I also wanted to try out different combinations of parties and romance options. It’s one game that I definitely got more than my money’s worth in terms of hours entertained.

_©2009 EA/BioWare_

I don’t really have a specific game that I think everyone should play. Everyone’s tastes are different, so I don’t think there’ll ever be any one game that every gamer will enjoy. Instead, I’ll offer you a broad suggestion. Play an older game (or “retro” if you prefer). I’m not suggesting that older games are somehow superior to modern ones, but they did influence a lot of things to come after them. Do you like RPGs? Try out something like Wizardry or Ultima. Prefer action games? Pick up a copy of Mega Man or DOOM. Just try something a little older and take a look at gaming’s roots. You’ll find that they’re really not nearly as different from modern games as you might think. You may not even be able to finish them, but that’s okay. Just take some time and experience them.

_I was playing_ Golden Sun _on my GBA earlier today. ©2001 Camelot Software Planning_

Nintendo was my first love, since the original Nintendo Entertainment System I owned back in the late 80s. I’ve owned every Nintendo console and handheld with the exception of the GameCube (and the ill-fated VirtualBoy, but who counts that one). I even liked the Wii U. I would have loved more third party titles, but the first party titles were plentiful enough that I still feel I got my money’s worth. If I had to pick a specific Nintendo system, I’d say I have the most fondness for (and playtime on) my 3DS.

Incidentally, tonight is the new stream for the Nintendo Switch. So hyped!

[(source)](http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/collection/newmedia/nationalvideogamearchive/collectionitem?id=2007-5024)

It should come as no surprise that for the best gameplay award I’m going back to my self-proclaimed guilty pleasure, Destiny. Despite its shallow story and grindy, repetitive missions and loot ladder, I still come back to this game time and time again simply because the moment-to-moment gameplay is just so damn good. The simple mechanics of blasting baddies and other Guardians is unmatched in excellence by other FPS titles (IMHO).

_©2016 Bungie_

(As before, full disclaimer: I’m an employee of Activision Blizzard, but I don’t have any direct involvement with the game.)

There are probably sadder scenes to be found in video games, but this is one that stuck in my mind over the years. I think in part that’s because it was one of the earlier video games I remember playing that actually had a deep plot and pretty terrific voice acting to help its scenes hit home. I’m talking about Grandia II, an older JRPG that I originally played on Dreamcast. I used to think it was an obscure title because no one I talked to had ever heard of it before, but I suppose it must have had some sort of cult following, because they re-released it on Steam with updated HD textures.

_Not the exact scene in question, but leading up to it. ©2000 Game Arts_

The specific scene I’m referring to is a part of the game where the main character Ryudo becomes gravely injured in a battle with his demon-possessed brother. Of course, being the main character, he pulls through in the end, but there’s some intervening chatter where Elena pleads to both her own god and essentially the devil to save him at whatever cost, and the devil answers. Luckily said devil, Millenia, is part of Ryudo’s harem (hey it’s a JRPG) and decides not to eat Ryudo’s soul for Elena’s foolishness. That’s grossly oversimplifying it, but you get the gist.

Probably the best part of the whole scene is a bloodcurdling “NOOOOOO” from Jennifer Hale as Elena (yes, that Jennifer Hale) when Ryudo first hits the ground.