What do you consider AAA/top Quality gaming?

[Shozuki]

im asking this question, as im interested to know what people class a truely great title.

I've noticed people saying games like Oblivion and Advanced Warfighter, but those games have never attracted me. Instead (in the 360's case) I enjoyed Tomb Raider and Dead or Alive 4 more.

Also I throughly enjoyed Shadow of the Colossus and again I notice that some people dislike it.

In light of this im curious to see how people define their perfect/near perfect games.

I think production value and instant rewards are big thing for me, perhaps thats why Advanced Warfighter and Oblivion dont appeal.

im not sure how this thread will progress but im intrigued.

Discuss.

[dataDave]

I can count all the games I class as AAA on no more than two hands. Let's leave it at that.

[JazzFunk]

I think Resident Evil 4 on GC is a total AAA title.

It's something that is visually stunning, plays immaculately, kept me enthralled throughout and just made me feel like I'd been in the presence of the gaming God for the entire duration I experienced it. A game that made me forget a woman I couldn't stop thinking about, it is.

I can think of many games touched with greatness, some heavily fondled by it, but when something feels truly 'perfect', that is a 'triple A' title for me.

[Crimson Day]

Id say a AAA is a game that youll replay just for the hell of it, you truly feel you got value for money and a game that can stand the test of time.


AAA games for me would be

Final Fantasy 7
Resident Evil 4
Gears Of War
Diablo 2 LOD
Halo
Metal Gear Solid
Oblivion

And thats probly about it for me

[Wools]

Define the near perfect title...

It's a bugger really as I love everything from racing titles, adventure games and quick arcade experiances but some of my favourites normally have the same standout points.

They look brillant, sound fantastic, feel fresh and have brillant atmosphere.

Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
Outrun 2
Metal Gear Solid 3
Half Life 2
Halo
Ico
Resident Evil 2
Mario 64

There are possibly even better titles avaliable but these are perfect videogames that encompass everything that I love about the medium.

[Kongster]

Games which represent the best examples of their respective genres.

[sj33]

Games which are as fun today as they were on the day they were released.
We all played games in the last generation, or the one before that and so-on that we might have really enjoyed back then... but playing them today highlights their flaws.
Some stand the test of time as are the basis of gaming today.

I would never be able to list them all, but for me these immidiately spring to mind...

Mario World
Goldeneye
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Streets of Rage 2
Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Resident Evil 2
Mario64
Daytona

Heck I could go on... point is that they just have not aged in my opinion.

Of course, we all have our own AAA list, and what is AAA to some won't be to others.

[smouty]

For me, AAA titles are ones that you still play regularly even 20+ years on in some cases.

Robotron 2084
Defender
Mario64 + SMW
Zelda: Ocarina of Time + LTTP


I would like to think I will be playing these still in years to come.

RE4
Killer 7
Halo

[charlesr]

Of course, we all have our own AAA list, and what is AAA to some won't be to others.

Indeed.

FFVII for example - good story but turn based tedium - read a book instead.
RE4 - fantastic game sure, but I didn't feel the urge to play through more than once.

In contrast the best games on earth (Tm) according to me:
P.N.03. Played through 3 times in a week. So good it hurt.
Dropzone. Best defender variant ever.
1080 N64. Played more than any other game ever.
Psyvariar2. Beautiful to watch and play. A total rush.
Meteos. Owns you.
Forza. Makes many other console based driving games that I've tried seem very dull. But I hated GT3 and GT4 with a passion because of the zero-AI, atrocious handling models and stupid RPG progression method. Pretty though.

I don't think epic games can be AAA for me. They always have too many flaws. For example, Zelda games are repetitive with too much collecting and the usual "get object in dungeon and use it 3 times on the boss" thing. Had a fantastic time playing them, but they always give me deja vu.

Arcade games on the other hand can be perfect due to their simplicity.

Finally, AAA is a silly word/phrase. It's like "yeah, this is better than the A and AA games" and smacks of old-school 99.35% review ratings. It's also mainly used for games that haven't even come out yet faaar tooooo much: "What are the next AAA games for the [console]??11??" and usually refer to Metal Gear Sold 8, FF52, GT31, and other indentikit games. I'm starting to rant so I'll stop. I love AAA games.

[eastyy]

baldurs gate 2

god hand

devil may cry 3

psyvariar 2

resident evil 4

All these games after i completed i started playing again

[Reef]

Now that I'm older and don't have much free time, I find that I play for in sessions of 1-1.5 hours before thinking, "right better get on with something else". Any game which I play for longer sessions (3 or more hours) I class as triple AAA.

The last 3 years or so it's been:
Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
Half Life 2
Psi Ops
Prince of Persia SOT
Resident Evil 4
HALO
God Of War
Psychonauts

In each of these cases, I remember sitting in work thinking about them and couldn't wait to get home and play them. Currently I'm playing PREY on 360 but probably won't be bothered playing it until weekend. Certainly won't dash home and stick it straight on.

[jethro jazz]

Bubble bobble
tetris
pokemon (the originals)
super mario world
super mario kart
super bomberman 5
final fantasy vii
zelda: ocarina of time
mario 64
final fantasy tactics advance
power stone 2
street fighter 3 : third strike
metal gear solid 2
grand theft auto: vice city
resident evil 4
hot shots golf: open tee

[Kubrick]

I think the "AAA" term has lost it's original meaning due to being banded about too much and applied to loads of mediocre games to be honest.

For me, AAA titles are ones that you still play regularly even 20+ years on in some cases.

Robotron 2084
Defender
Mario64 + SMW
Zelda: Ocarina of Time + LTTP

But yes, that's probably how I'd define a genuine "AAA" game as well. Good choices BTW.

A brilliantly-designed game lasts forever and never loses it's appeal. For me, that's stuff like Rainbow Islands, Super Mario World, Tetris, R-TYPE etc...these games are "perfect" or near as damnit and will always be superb no matter how old they are as a result.

[Geoff D]

I think the "AAA" term has lost it's original meaning due to being banded about too much and applied to loads of mediocre games to be honest.

It's true - check out various impressions threads around the net where, with only minutes of play on the board, various games are declared as AAA.

My own definition is that it applies to the handful of games that have given me the most ecstatic experiences over the years. Even if they're not as playable as they once were, I view it as a context-specific term.

[Angelo]

My own impression of "AAA" is simply4 a game that has me excited and ecstatic during play, where I always want to find out more or play more - a game that can totally occupy your mind for that month. Very few games have done that for me, HL2, Zeldaot, KH1/2, Shenmue I/II etc.

There are other games I'd call Timeless Classics, games I dont think all that much about but are easy to get back into and survive the test of time, like Super Mario World, Klonoa, Tombi, Link to the Past, Ikuruga, etc.

I got to agree, the term "Killer App" and "AAA" is often used far too much, I remember it being used for Wind Waker - its neither, I'd call it a timeless classic, so much work was put into it and its a beautiful funny game - but its tame difficulty and its odd/boring pacing at times doesnt make it one of the greatest games of all time.