It sure feels good to be back in action. But then again, it feels much better to be one of the top five games that have brought sexy back and changed the industry with their graphical prowess.
Graphics aren't everything, but a pretty picture and realistic dismemberment physics are never a bad thing to look at. I'm sure that you all remember at least one or two games in your gaming life that have completely changed your perception on what "good" graphics really are. Listed after the jump is my take on five of the most influential games in the recent past that brought sexy back way before that ri-donk-ulous song hit the radio and your iPod.
Let us begin...
5. Super Mario 64 Do you remember feeling your jaw drop the first time you saw this game in action? I do. Super Mario 64 was the must-have title and the reason the Nintedo 64 sold at launch. To put it simply, this game laid the foundation for 3D platforming and adventure games for years to come.
4. Resident Evil 4
RE4 was the most highly-acclaimed title in the Resident Evil series. Two of the main reasons for this was the dramatic change in viewpoint and the downright stunning graphics that made getting your head chopped off by a chainsaw-wielding madman (a.k.a. Grim) that much more painful to watch.
3. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
This title is an absolute given. Oblivion has truly redefined the subject of "video games as art." At any given moment in the game, there are literally a million details on screen that are worthy to just sit back and behold for a moment. I found myself pinching my cheek the moment I emerged from the sewers and into the breath-taking open landscape that awaited me. Oblivion is without a doubt one of the most beautiful games ever created. But even with all that, it still can't beat the top two of this list.
2. Gears of War
Every shooter game ever made now bends over and calls this game "Daddy." Viceral, violent, vulgar, and beautiful? Yep, that pretty much sums it up. American History X's curb stomp has got nothing on how satisfying it looks in Gears of War. Expect more games in the future to adopt the style GoW has brought to the table and making many people ask "Halo who?"
And the number one game that kicks Justin Timberlake in the junk while saying "I'm the one who brought sexy back" is...
1. Final Fantasy VII
Ground-breaking is not even close to describing what FFVII did in every category of graphics, gameplay, and sound. The CG cutscenes alone were enough to make every gamer rub their eyes in disbelief. Furthermore, do you remember how Leviathan, Bahamut, and Knights of the Round looked the first time you used them in battle? It really is no surprise that FFVII tops the list of most influential, graphically-stunning games in recent history.
Contest:
11:25 AM on 01.10.2007
| 
At least you were decent enough not to put GTA on the list. ^_^
In the future, I expect Assassin's Creed will play just as important a role as the titles you mentioned above.
In the future, I expect Assassin's Creed will play just as important a role as the titles you mentioned above.
Thanks Ishaan. Feels good to be back. :)
In the future, I expect Assassin's Creed will play just as important a role as the titles you mentioned above.
In the future, I expect Assassin's Creed will play just as important a role as the titles you mentioned above.
I can think of quite a few other games that madde me change my perspective about garaphics...
Half Life 2 (well, before it was delayed...), Metroid Prime, Doom 3.
Next up, Crysis ?
Maybe Crysis like Yshaana said, that game looks tight
In the future, I expect Assassin's Creed will play just as important a role as the titles you mentioned above.
In the future, I expect Assassin's Creed will play just as important a role as the titles you mentioned above.
One of the games that made me say "wow" way back was Donkey Kong Country. For the SNES, it was the cream of the crop. Also, the water in Super Mario Sunshine was really impressive IMO.
Other games to consider:
1) Pilotwings: Great 3D for the time, and very smooth gameplay. I thought it was stunning.
2) StarFox: First polygonal title on a home console. Paves the way for the N64 and 3D in general. Apparently, according to Wikipedia, Miyamoto was working on a 3D mario with the FX chip, but realized it wasn't powerful enough. So, they designed new hardware and Mario 64 was birthed.
3) Strider (Genesis): This game was awe-inspiring back in the day.
Truth is, there are a lot of "graphically-influential" games out there (big ditto on Donkey Kong Country) and there are a ton more to list (Soul Calibur?! Hello?!?!). Decent list, except for FFVII.
assasin's creed and crysis will definately be the next two to carry the torch, but what about the older games that really made you crap your pants?
wolfenstien did it to me. 3-d, the introduction of the first person perspective, that was really light years ahead of anything else in its day.
If I were to compare it to something, I'd say it's like a sleek, sporty, jaw-dropping sports car that looks good from the outside, but on the inside you have the engine from a Yugo. But who cares? Sex sells. The general mass don't buy things for substance, they buy for looks.
It wasn't just about the FMVs. Honestly. At the time, the sheer designs of so many things in the game just blew me away. The characters, the envrioments, summons, everything was just so right that i made for a wonderful gaming experience. But as far as everyone knocking the FMV's for being the "life blood" of the game and the reason why it is on this list; it was above anything ever done in a video game ever before. Today it is commonplace because of FFVII's great artistic direction both in and out of the games great cutscenes.
But you know what? It wasn't the FMVs by themselves that persuaded me to put it as #1, it was just the sheer greatness that the game brought to the industry at the time that paved the way for some many things today.
I know not everyone will agree with my list, but it is as honest as I can get from an avid gamer's point of view.
^_^
I think it's definitely a good topic for discussion. The fact that Soul Calibur is absent on this list means you're obviously dead wrong. But that's just one avid gamer's point of view.
[/tongue-in-cheek]
Depending on the gun, a sword will most of the time do far more damage. i mean just think logically. Handgun Vs Bastard sword. A hit with a bullet will make a hole maybe inch wide, 6-8 inchs deep. A sword making a slash can open up a gash half inch by 6-15+ inchs long and 2-4 inches deep. That is more direct damage. obviously tho it is easier to make a lethal wound with a gun rather then a sword. But your just wrong about the raw level of damage.
So way to nitpick reality. /trolling
and yeah, i think Assassins Creed, Gran Turismo 5, Killzone and probably a couple other PS3/360 games are going to be kicking gears of war in the bootay!!! and maybe FFXIII/FFversusXIII will be kicking FFVII off it's reign as king?!?
I would like to say, though, that Metroid Prime and Star Fox Adventures were two games that really made me loose my shit at how the looked. Granted, Star Fox wasn't the most fun experience, but it certainly stands as one of the nicest-looking games around.
That funny feeling is prolly your common sense being filed under "not in use", I already said a bullet can be more lethal then a sword. But not more damaging. A bullet hole through your leg and one through your chest, (assuming it's the same type of bullet from the same type of gun) is roughly the same amount of damage. damage inflicted per area to tissue. As i already said tho one type of damage is more lethal then another.
I love to troll. /Trolling
*applauds*
I agree whole-heartedly. I knew as soon as I saw FF7 at #1 that the sh*t had officially been stirred, but I think it's a great choice, and I feel the same way you do about the game. Still do. A lot of the 3D PS1 RPGs do not stand the test of time, but FF7 does. End of story.
Soul Calibur, Gran Turismo 3, HL2, Quake, and many others are much more worthy than some of them up there
And why is PC gaming constantly getting the journalistic shaft? it seems everyone's only writing about consoles and WoW while there are still a lot of other PC gamers out there
Let's not stoop to that low.
And since so many people are bringing up great PC games (Ultimate Doom was the purely and uncontested graphical benchmark and percursor to 3D gaming and it wasnt even 3D!), it seems rather apparent that the author is ignoring PC games for the simple, well-known fact that PC's always have and have the graphical edge to consoles which are stuck with the technology built in them. With the obvious fact that Oblivion and the FFVII port made appearances on PC, they still were focused on making the said console shine.
But overall, the author made a good effort at making some educated 'guesses' to games that made a graphical impact on the industry - but it's still very much up for debate.
(ie. I completely and utterly disagree with FFVII being #1)
@Maximum
Sorry Maximum for the afore negative reply. I would like to state heartedly that it is true that a slice from a blade can do more damage to the body than a small hole.
Personal opinion: I can't help but think that a dead person is as damaged as a person can get. That's why I instantly connected the subjects "Lethal" and "Damage" together.
Sorry for any disgruntlment I caused,
SleepyWilloe