Best Technical Achievement games ever

[Kotatsu Neko]

Don't get your hopes up, dooder. It looks *okay*...

Personally, I got quite excited by Descent...

I think that's rather unfair. Watch the 15 minute video that's doing the rounds. Looks impressive to me, highly armospheric, better by far than anything else to date.

It may just be a generic shooter, I hope not, but from a visual standpoint if nothing else it will certainly set new standards.

[Tom Salter]

I don't remember it word for word, obviously, but the basic synopsis is that you were stolen as a child by the Beast Lord and subjected to many thaumaturgic experiments that turned you into the fighting machine that you play in the game.

You know nothing of your past, save for the most dream-like memories. One day, while executing a bunch of villiagers who displeased your Dark Master, you realise that an old man is actually your father, and dash off on a revenge-trip to slay your old boss.

Pretty hackneyed when you strip it to it's bare bones, but it's written extremely well, and sets up the story nicely. Psygnosis' version of 'Barbarian' also featured a fantastic story...

Yeah! That was closer than my synopsis. It has been about 12 years since I played it...

I'd love to find a copy of that online.

[anephric]

I think that's rather unfair. Watch the 15 minute video that's doing the rounds. Looks impressive to me, highly armospheric, better by far than anything else to date.

It may just be a generic shooter, I hope not, but from a visual standpoint if nothing else it will certainly set new standards.

Nope: it looks old hat already. And if you're expecting anything other than bog-standard shooting, IMHO ur going to be disappointed.

Even as a tech benchmark it's been beaten to the punch because Id has laboured so long over it young turks have beaten them to the marketplace.

Well, not literally young turks, altho that would be amusing.

[Corrupt Rose]

I'd love to find a copy of that online.

Your wish is my Command.

In Search

In the grounds of Necropolis all was silent and still. The moon, low and large on the horizon, threw long dark shadows into the corners and a cool blue light across the stony ground, disguising the blood-red stains on the sacraficial stone. Not a single creature stirred to disrupt the tranquility, not a leaf moved in the nearby trees, there was not a trace of life in that sinister place but for a single point of light glinting against the age worn face of a statue.

Up there in the huge arms of the deity's image sat a lone creature. In it's powerful hand it clutched a Globe of Seeing whih is moved slowly from side to side examining it's reflected features. As it did so, it recalled the events of the day: the frightened humans being herded into the central courtyard; the athetic pleas for help as they were dragged one by one to the sacrificial stone; the final air-rending screams as the knife came down in one swift arc and the life blood ran.

And then a tired, resigned face being pushed toward the stone, a face that seemed of some importance to him. Yet how could that be when the lives of these people meant nothing to him? And as the gleaming blade struck home, he recognised the agonised face of his father and suddently the memories of all he had been came flooding back to him.

His masters had done this to him. They had been responsible for all that he was, and the loss of all he might have been. Well now they would pay. Now the warrior would stop killing for his masters and begin to exact his revenge.

Standing, he lifted the globe hight above his hed and, clenching his clawed hand, crushed it into a hundred tiny shards. Now the warriors head lifted toward the heavens. He searched the sky for the dark hulls of the ships whence his masters had come and let out a roaring howl that spoke his definace. Nothing would stop him now. He would crush them as he crushed their clobe, and he would never stop until the blood of them, and all their creations soaked the earth...

---

... flame red eyes stared out across the sun-scorched plain, scanning the distant treeline. The warrior was allowing himself a brief moment to enjoy the stillness - a respite before he once again set his mind and body against the unnatural creatures his former masters had spawned.

Drawing in breath sharply, he flexed his hardened muscles and became aware of the blood rushing through his arteries, the double hearts pounding furiously in his chest. The warrior knew that is power and speed were all that ensured his survival. The day he became weak, the hour he became slow would be his last.

Setting off at a run, he headed toward the rees, stirring up a trail of grey dust behind him. To hace remained on the plain while thesun was high would have been fatal, but the shade of the trees concealed a darker fate. As the warrior reached the first growths, his instincts told him that he was unlikely to be alone for long. His eyes darted from side to side, watching for the tiniest movements that would betray a predator.

When it came it did so with speed, rushing at him full on, it's black wings crashing through the foliage, and from it's blood filled mouth came a piercing scream as it sighted it's kill. The warrior careily had enough time to crouch as the creature flew at his head. Turning swiftly, he brought his bone-covered fist hard into the creatures soft underbelly. Now it screamed in pain, spinning in mid-air and crashing down between the gnarled roots of a tree.

But the Warrior ignored the body. Behind him came another screech, too close this time. As he turned and dived for cover another winged demon flew at him, clawas extended for the kill. The warrior struck out again, but the creature was too quick and he felt it's talons tearing into his abdomen as he rolled away into the undergrowth. He lay there panting, momentarily azed. He could feel a warm wetness across his side and stomach, and with it a sharpening pain. But he concentrated on ignroing it. The wound would congeal soon enough, and if he stayed here any longer, he would lose far more than a litle blood.

He stood slowl, fighting the waves of pain that passed through him, feeling his earts ponding faster, but he had to be moving. Other creatures would smell the blood and he could not ward off another attack. As he stumbled between the trees, he noticed something out of place against a distant trunk. Coming closer, he realised it was a doorway, a beastmage construction, and hurried onwards. Thinking only of the things that would soon be trailing him, the warrior took a chance and dropped through into darkness.

He was just in time. Behind him, there was a blood curdling scream, followed by a resounding crash as another winged creature failed to follow him through the opening. The warrior took only a moment to reflect that once more, he had beaten the odds before taking stock of his situation. There was a cool breeze coming from beneath him, and now that the creature had retreated, a menacing silence fell, a silence punctuated by the slow drippng of water deeper within the cavern.

As the warrior's eyes became accustomed to the poor light, he made out a worn stairway curving away from him and into the darkness. So, his suspicions were confirmed. He had stumbled upon another of his ex masters outposts. They were becoming more frequent. Could this be the end of his long journey? Had he found the stronghold at last? There was only one way to find out...

Padding slowly down the trairway, the warrior readied himself for whatever abominations lay in wait at the bottom. [more coming]

[Corrupt Rose]

Soon the stairway straightened out and the warrior found himself on a narrow ledge. The phosperesence from the cavern walls was enough to reveal he was in a huge chanber that extended away into pitch darkness. Now the silence was broken into the distant sounds of angry growling. Whatever inhabited his place had obviously picked up his scent.

The ledge that he was on appeared to be deserted, so he advanced slowly. Without warning there was a sizzling sound behind him. Instinctively, the warrior jumped and felt his feet singe as a white hot fireball shot beneath him to explode vilently against the cavern wall. So, his former masters were aware of his presence, and realised his intent. He would have to be twice as alert now. They owuld use every means in their power to stop him.

Aheard he could make out a rough wooden ladder staked into the side of the ledge. Cat-like, he swung himself onto it, and began his descent, dropping silently the rest of the way when he saw another ledge beneath him. No sooner had his feet hit the ground than a scaled abomination rushed forward, jaws grinding ferocisously. The warrior turned calmly and dispatched it with a single blow.

And so the ordeal when on as he worked his way deeper into the cavern. Creatures which he had never seen beset him at every step, but each was destroyed with determination as the warrior remembered his promise to himself to continue until every last one was dead.

He had just dropped onto a ledge when he caught a glimpse of something shining in the distance. Mooving closer, his keen vision made out a key stting on a the other side of a broad chasm. He started to move swiftly towards it when he was halted by an almight roar. Suddenly he was confronted by a huge beast-like guard. His a opponent took a short tiem to size him up and then made a bellowing charge, swinging his double headed battle axe at the warriors head. Without losign a moment the warrior sidestepped the blow and slammed his fist into the guards throat. There was a sickening crunch as the neck snapped and the warrior stepped back at the huge body tumbled forward over the edge.

There was no moment for recovery before another hulking figure was rushing headlong at him. But this time the warrior was ready and his flying kick sent the huard plummeting backward to join his fellow. Now a clear way lay ahead of him to the key. He sprinted along the remainder of the ledge, and just as the edge of the abyss met him, he lept forward, his hands hands reaching out to grasp the edge of the shelf.

He made it in a shoer of dirt and stones, and caught his breath as he shung swinging above a seemingly bottomless chasm. He could feel his sweaty hands being to lose their grip. Ig he let go now, he would almost certainly die. His he made it onto the shelf, who knew where the key might lead him? Not the warriors true destiny would be decided...

---

And that's it... verbatim from the manual. You don't read many intro texts like that any more...

[anephric]

And that's it... verbatim from the manual. You don't read many intro texts like that any more...

I remember this from release and I didn't bother to read such turgid, mock-profound, prolixious guff then or now.

Woof. It's like Gabriel Knight.

"I dreamt of blood upon the shore and eyes that spoke of sin,
The lake was smooth and deep and black as was her scented skin..."

Or words to that effect. "Teacher! The poem made my eyes hurt! It's so... pretentious (ah, the smell of it!)."

[Corrupt Rose]

I remember this from release and I didn't bother to read such turgid, mock-profound, prolixious guff then or now.

Woof. It's like Gabriel Knight.

"I dreamt of blood upon the shore and eyes that spoke of sin,
The lake was smooth and deep and black as was her scented skin..."

Or words to that effect. "Teacher! The poem made my eyes hurt! It's so... pretentious (ah, the smell of it!)."

The only pretentiousness here is your condescending attitude and thesaurus flexing, in the face of a couple of people induldging in a little nostalgia. It's an 80's videogame backstory (with sneaky guide built in), which just happens to be a little overwrought... it's not a shining example of literature, but exactly what were you expecting?

[anephric]

I like thesaurus flexing. It make me strong.

It is very pretentious indeed to bother excreting a "novella" to accompany a b a d game.

[anephric]

The only pretentiousness here is your condescending attitude and thesaurus flexing

This coming from an entity that uses the word "thaumaturgic."

Hypocrisy, (the smell of it!)...

[Tom Salter]

STFU you two :P

Cheers for that CR, just read that this morning. Fantastic little story, setting the scene perfectly. After reading that I actually wanted to play through that game, if I didn't read it I would have probably turned the game off in minutes.

[anephric]

STFU you two :P

Cheers for that CR, just read that this morning. Fantastic little story, setting the scene perfectly. After reading that I actually wanted to play through that game, if I didn't read it I would have probably turned the game off in minutes.

That's why they wrote it, then.

[Madbury]

Crap, I forgot about Galapagos on the PC. I think this is technically the best game I have ever played. Lets break it down

Graphics - OK
Sound - Bit rubbish
Level design - OK
Control interface - OK
Story - uh

AI - OMFG OMFG OMFG

The premise was simple guide mendlel (sort of 4 legged robotic spider) around a 3 dimensional maze of deadly obstacles to a goal. The catch? As the player you could only control the environment and influence mendel by brushing him either on the left or the right. NOW for the clever bit. Mendel is an experiment in artificial intelligence. He starts off thick as pig ****, but over time if you treat him right he learns to avoid edges, lasers and other traps on his own. Treat him mean and he becomes a jibbering psycho who doesn't know right from left.

Am I the only person who has played this masterpiece?

http://www.ludus.it/dynamic/immagini_grandi/CHIAVE/gala215206310898/TIPO_PAGINA/recensione/NUMERO_IMMAGINE/1

[df0notfound]

gah remember reading about Galapagos, really wanted to play that.

[Firsty]

The only game that made me really sit up and gasp was Space Channel 5. I know it's not exactly technically amazing, but when I first saw it it did look fantastic. I wondered for ages how graphics like these were coming from a Dreamcast. Then when I played it I quickly realised. But I was still impressed