The Gamer's Quarter

Perseus · . Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 56

I'm looking for a game that can evoke a certain kind of feeling- the kind I get when I watch a really great martial arts fight (I'm thinking of the coolie, tailor and cook versus the axe gang fight in Gongfu (or Kung Fu Hustle, if you will)- perhaps not the best martial arts sequence of all time, but surely one of the best-scored), or a dance sequence (Singin' in the Rain comes to mind), scenes where the sight of people doing beautiful and/or impossible things with only the power of their bodies combines with wonderful music to create something truly awe-some, something that leaves you breathless, feeling more alive than you had before you saw it.

I'm looking for a game that can capture that ephemeral feeling, which I can't quite give a name to. The first ten minutes of Beyond Good & Evil nearly did. It had the sights, it had the sounds, but it fell short simply because it was too damn easy- I couldn't connect with the images of my character attacking her enemies with acrobatic grace, because what I input into the game didn't really feel like they corresponded to her actions. Odd as it may sound, I'm looking for something where I need to put in a certain amount of effort and skill in order to make my character do incredible feats.

What I want is... to face a challenge that seems unsurmountable, which then forces me to learn and adapt and develop my skills to the point where when I can finally defeat the obstacles that the game presents me- that magic moment where it all clicks together and I realise that I've become that martial artist, that dancer, that person who does incredible feats that he/she thought impossible of him/herself. Remember that moment in The Incredibles where Dash realises he can run on water, and laughs with sheer delight? I want that.

I think Virtua Fighter 4 might satisfy my criteria (well, except for the music, which doesn't really add to the feel of the game, not for me anyway), but I've never been particularly good at fighters and I don't have the time to go down to the local arcade and fight with real people... so yeah, I'm thinking more of a single-player game (yes, I've already thought of DMC3!). Doesn't even have to be a game where you control a human or humanoid, or one with "realistic" representations. In some ways, I think an abstract presentation might render a... purer play experience.

So yes, this is a very long-winded way of saying I want a game that's really, really difficult, has a solid learning curve, and forces you to be genuinely skilled in order to win.

player 2 · . Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 585 Location: Madison, WI USA

Get Godhand. It'll be pretty hard at first, but there are vids to teach you on youtube.

Also, Dynasty Warriors (or Devil Kings, but I haven't played that yet).
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Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

Toribash.

Ketch · . Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 420

Dance Dance Revolution-esque games? Okay, I've only played it in the arcade but this probably hits a lot of your points except seeing a character do it on screen.

Scratchmonkey · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1439

Winning Eleven.

Seriously, it's the fighting game of sports games. It's a pity that the hardcore shooter/fighter/'core games crowd probably ignores it because it's a "jock" game, because it's one of the best games ever made in terms of handling gameplay depth and complexity. It definitely meets all of your criteria.

silentmatt · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:47 pm Post subject:

I'd almost go for Burnout 3. The fact that everything is practically blurred and if you even come close to another vehicle you spin out.... when you get good at the game, it is so easy to get into a Burnout 'trance' where it is all flickers of impulse behaviour.

I love it.

Burnout 4 had some of those moments but the fact that you can ram same-way traffic was kind of detrimental in this respect.
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Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Definitely Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies. And if it wasn't good enough on its own grounds, the story and the way it's told to the player is quite exquisite in its simplicity, not to mention the soundtrack.

The Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog series for sheer speed is quite fantastic, especially in the second and third. And Rolling Thunder when played through right does give off a sense of finesse and choreographed bullet play.
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Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

dongle · . Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Posts: 290

Play DMC3 on hard and don't use Trickster. There are videos on youtube to help for that as well.

Seconding godhand.

Lockeownzj00 · . Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 214

Lackey · . Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 1107 Location: Canada

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. Especially if you're replaying a level which you already know the steps to. What a feeling of freedom! Not only do you get the satisfaction from successfully executing a complicated series of moves, but it looks great. I want someone to just make a parkour game already.
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Six · . Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 313 Location: montreal

I think the N guys are working on that, actually.

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Assassin's Creed is supposed to have Parkour elements.
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dhex · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:59 pm Post subject:

fear. deal death in sloooooooowwwwmooooootttiiooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnn...
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Lasa · . Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 128

Guys, Max Payne.
Also Zone of the Enders.

dessgeega · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:04 pm Post subject:

time pilot.
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Six · . Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 313 Location: montreal

This is getting a bit specific, but the third level of Low-G Man for the NES made me feel positively heroic when I beat it. You scale a giant robot and drive your spear into his head! Is Shadow of the Colossus that wicked?

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I think so.

dark steve · . Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 1110

The vulture is.
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Cycle · Mac daddy Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2767

Tony Hawk: American Wasteland had some Parkour in it, but it wasn't executed too well.
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Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

In Ocarina of Time you go from a little boy who can barely uproot a bush to a grown man of unimaginable strength. This is incredible if it's the first Zelda game you've ever played and you don't know what's coming.

Perseus · . Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 56

simplicio · . Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 1091

Yeah, the new Prince of Persia series seems designed to fulfill this exact need without the extreme difficulty part. It's just about this constant physical motion with crazy ass acrobatics and wall-running. I'm beginning to think Sands of Time was actually my least favorite of the three, because they didn't understand what they were offering there. Warrior Within, despite the aesthetic misteps (growling and bad metal), improved upon it by recognizing the primary appeal of the thing, and making combat more fluid (and less interruptive). I think the third one may be the best of them, due to the addition of instant kills to remove large chunks of combat entirely, but I'm not certain cause I haven't played much of it yet.

But if you're really set on skill-based, maybe Shinobi (the PS2 one) offers something? Ninja-midair-combo-killing something?

Lockeownzj00 · . Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 214

Swimmy · . Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA

The last boss of Ikaruga gives me a mega adrenaline rush. The rest of the game does not. Take that as you will.
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D-A-I-S · . Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 123

It doesn't completely fill the difficulty objective, but there's pretty much no other handheld game that can reach Ninja 5-O's level of "holy shit I am a total badass". Pity it's so short!

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

Nightmare Creatures on the PS1. Dude you can like chop werewolves the fuck in half.

Scratchmonkey · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1439

chompers po pable · . Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 142

nes bubble bobble and paperboy make me feel awesome.

colors and sounds, colors and sounds. flashing, flashing, press the red buttons.

squidlarkin · . Joined: 10 Dec 2005 Posts: 100

Perseus · . Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 56

player 2 · . Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 585 Location: Madison, WI USA

Oh, Double Dragon II
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Wii #: 8749 9109 9732 3653

"It is a peaceful way of understanding life, to play"
_Marcel Duchamp

dessgeega · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:06 am Post subject:

elevator action returns has a pretty high badass factor.
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Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Oh, definitely, and once you've figured out how to tackle it, so does the Metal Slug series.
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"This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!"

Perseus · . Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 56

FortNinety · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:25 am Post subject:

Can't really say why, but Rival Schools/Project Justice instantly comes to mind.

OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

Perseus · . Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 56

I just tried out Elevator Action Returns. It IS pretty bad-ass! It reminds me of Time Crisis in its over-the-topness. I liked playing as the dandy! EDIT: More games should let you play as dandies! That's another thing this game has in common with Time Crisis (4).

Lightgun shooters are pretty badass, come to think of it.

Also, playing Otocky was one of the most intense gaming experiences I've had of late! I only managed to get to the 2nd stage, though.

dmauro · . Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 303 Location: Brooklyn

Seriously, the answer is Noiz2sa.

Wilkes · milky wilkie Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 256

what ninja five-o
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player 2 · . Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 585 Location: Madison, WI USA

Zelda 1
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Wii #: 8749 9109 9732 3653

"It is a peaceful way of understanding life, to play"
_Marcel Duchamp

dessgeega · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:35 am Post subject:

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Albatross from Rolling Thunder is your regular super-spy. Super-spies are the logical extension of the dandy. You should play Rolling Thunder.
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"This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!"

OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

Sly Spy?
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Karoshi · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 43 Location: Philadelphia, PA

Whenever I use Cable's Air Hyper-Viper Super Combo five times in succession in Marvel vs Capcom 2 I feel like a time-traveling bad ass.
Completing an entire wave with a full kit in Sexy Parodius is mad silly bad ass.
Wesker's thrust fist punching through La Bella sisters is supreme bad-ass.

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

True, but if you like Data East games you'll have a hell of a time with it.
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player 2 · . Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 585 Location: Madison, WI USA

Gunstar Heroes
_________________
Wii #: 8749 9109 9732 3653

"It is a peaceful way of understanding life, to play"
_Marcel Duchamp

kirkjerk · . Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 1227

Bangai-O

Don't know how hard that is to track down, but the whole "wait 'til your just about to be slaughtered, than scatterbomb" feeling is just the bomb-diggity.

helicopterp · . Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia

I feel most like a badass when playing:

Super Metroid
Meteos
Elite Beat Agents

Super Metroid is different from the other two in that I don't feel that I am excelling because of me so much as I feel that I am excelling because of what Samus can do. With Meteos and Elite Beat Agents, I am proud of me and me alone.
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