Remembering a generation

[muse hunter]

7yrs have passed quite quickly and now it seems as if this generation of consoles is at its end. All major releases have seemed to have dried up (twilight princess seems like its going to be the last major release on any console this gen) as everyone jumps onto the new generation of power houses. So i think its time to review the past 7yrs before we all get lost in the next gen hype and completely forget. What were the highlights of this generation? what moments stood out, and what console did you think won this generation for you?

Obviously the moment that stood out for me in this generation was when the Dreamcast was announced, i don't think i any console created as much excitement previously or ever since. The tower of babbel demo blew me away, then later i saw the likes of sonic adventure and i knew the DC was going to offer us something special. It did and i wasn't disappointed, shenmue, the game of this generation, nothing could have prepared me for what i was going to experiance, this was the future of videogames, after playing shenmue going back to the ps1 seemed crazy. So of course the DC for me is the greatest console of this generation despite its premature death.

Of course i enjoyed the videogames of this generation post DC, GTA vice city and Fable being the other highlights, strangely enough this was the first generation in which i felt a nintendo console wasn't compulsory. I did feel that nintendo let their quality slip this gen.

[mid]

Shall I drone on about Rez, Katamari Damacy, Crazy Taxi and Super Monkey Ball for far too long yet again? I know I can.

Or you can all just pretend I did, which is probably better all round.

[Kevvy Metal]

I am probably in a minority, but i really think this last console 'Generation' (Dreamcast, Playstation 2, Gamecube, Xbox) has been for me the 'golden years' of videogaming so far. I haven't had this much fun with videogames (been playin' since i got my spectrum in '83) and i hope it continues into the next generation, which it might not as i see the shelves of Game and Gamestation being filled with more and more dross towards the end of this generation.

The first stand out moment for me was recieveing my Dreamcast (PAL and a few months after launch, i was dirt poor at the time) With Soul Calibur, PowerStone and Crazy Taxi.
My Jaw hit the floor when i first played these games with a nice rgb cable. I was like "I have a real ****ing arcade! in my house!" It was the first time i felt that the distinction between arcade games and home console games was truly blurred.

There are so many stand out moments that i will converse on later. The 'Capcom 5' and Halo are REALLY big stand out moments. So is the 'sleeperness' of the PS2, it now has a vast backcatalog of quality games and could as a result be my 'console of the generation'.

[Kotatsu Neko]

I'd vote for Dreamcast too, so many magical mamories. I could list a load of great games on that system which I will remember for many years to come.

The single best game of this gen may have to go to Resident Evil 4 on the Cube though.

[Sony Fanboy]

7yrs have passed quite quickly and now it seems as if this generation of consoles is at its end. All major releases have seemed to have dried up (twilight princess seems like its going to be the last major release on any console this gen) as everyone jumps onto the new generation of power houses.

? If you consider Twilight Princess to be a major release, you can bet there will be about 30 other games for current gen consoles which will outsell it.

There are still more PS2 games scheduled for release in 2007 than every next-gen console. And many companies have emphasized that they will not transit to next gen as quick as they did with the previous gen.

As far as the industry is concered, only last week was the official UK PS1 chart discontinued...

[PeteJ]

Yeah but the majority of releases will be completely shocking on PS2, budget titles out to get a few quid.
You say only last week the PS1 was discontinued in the UK, but I bet you cannot name one decent release in the last year for this format over here.

Twilight Princess is the biggest game 'left' on current formats, without a doubt. A new Zelda release is an event.

But anyway. I also think the Dreamcast was a defining moment in gaming - it brought the fun home. It was the first console I really got stuck into, and it showed what I had been missing out on over the years. When I first got my hands on SA, House of the Dead2 and Crazy Taxi, it was like discovering actual gameplay for the first time.

The Dreamcast completely changed my perception of games.

[Sony Fanboy]

lol - if you're going to base biggest release on personal preference, then it's not very significant.

[dc-arena]

Dreamcast was, and is amazing (even named my online handle after it ha!). However since then we have had classics.. To name a few: Resident Evil 4, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Katamari Damacy, Luigis Mansion, Zelda Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, Halo, Super Monkey Ball, Gran Turismo 3/4, PGR2 (for online), Guitaroo-man, Cave shooters, etc, etc. The list goes on. I would one of my favourite games Rez, but that of course came out on DC too.

Personally, although Dreamcast is outstanding, with some truely historic games on it, PlayStation2 has offered more variation, and in lots of cases (especially in the last few years) has games that qualites excell what we had on DC. For arcade games though, Dreamcast for the win.

Game of the generation you ask? Shadow of the Colossus for me.

[Leon Retro]

I have to go with the Xbox. From the beginning with Halo1, DOA3, Rallisport, it set a new benchmark for graphics, physics and realism. Then it received Live, and just blew me away. I will never forget playing the MotoGP beta and talking to people from all over the world. The game ran like a dream, and the experience cemented in my mind that the Xbox was way ahead of other consoles, it almost seemed like a new-gen at times.

Other fave games for the system include: Panzer Dragoon Orta-Gun Valkyrie-PGR2-RalliSport2-Burnout2-SoulCalibur2-Otogi1&2-Kung Fu Chaos-SFA-Jet Set Radio Future-Outrun2-ProEvo5

There have been many great games for the system!


The Gamecube has provided me with many unique and fun games too.

Super Monkey Ball-Beach Spikers-Luigis Mansion-Smash Brosh Melee-F-Zero GX-Wario World/Ware-RE4

I will always cherish these gems, thanks Gamecube!


I haven't used my PS2 that much, but I like these games!

GT3-TimeSplitters-Rez-GradiusV-FreakOut-Under The Skin-Mr Mosketo-

Not a bad machine, but not a classic!


The Dreamcast is amazing all round though, it's an essential machine to own!

[Darwock]

Yeah but the majority of releases will be completely shocking on PS2, budget titles out to get a few quid.

Rubbish, we've still got Okami, FFXII and Ace Combat Zero to come for starters, those titles appeal to me more than any next-gen title mentioned to date. This generation is definitely not over. That said, I'd also agree this has been THE golden era for me. And I thought the PS1 days were great!

[Shibusawa jr.]

For me this gen will end when the last good PS2 games have been released and like with the Dreamcast it will probably still churn out quality long after it's been declared dead.

[fiendicus_prime]

I came back into gaming having not played much since Quake days on the PC, and never having had a console. Started with Xbox, then GC, then PS2. I got the Xbox too early, it was a graphical feast but the games were dire in those days. Metroid Prime on the Cube really showed me the way forward, but after a year I got through Resi 4 and I felt the Cube had shown me everything it had (I was wrong, and I had to play Killer7 on a PS2 a few months later). GameCube is still my favorite system, but there is so much more choice for PS2, and there is Ico

Roughly a year on each console, now I have sold the PS2 and am waiting for Revolution (and the GP2X keeps me busy). I know there are more things this gen to play (Okami, Shadow of the Colossus, Katamari Damacy <rages about wait>), but my time is limited now.

If there is one thing I don't like about the current consoles, it's that the 3D engines all look samey to me. I'm hoping the leap in power of the next gen will allow a bit more individuality, or maybe I am just tuned to 2D games.

[PeteJ]

Rubbish, we've still got Okami, FFXII and Ace Combat Zero to come for starters, those titles appeal to me more than any next-gen title mentioned to date. This generation is definitely not over. That said, I'd also agree this has been THE golden era for me. And I thought the PS1 days were great!

I said the majority

[Sketcz]

Does anyone else think "Sony Fanboy" is one of those guys paid to praise Sony?

Otherwise, apart from the Dreamcast this past generation, I'd like give a shout out to Skygunner. As the years have gone by, I seem to enjoy all that much more. My highlight for this generation. ^_^

[John Beaulieu]

lol - if you're going to base biggest release on personal preference, then it's not very significant.

and what should they be based on? Sales figures?

I think any generation you look back on your own favourites, who really gives a fudge about what sold the most, apart from GAF analysts and sony fans . Personally this gen has been tremendous, the amount of good games to ****e is about the same as usual, but the good games have been really good, and the amount of games which aren't great, but are enjoyable, has also been high this gen.