The Nameless Planet Picks

Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II - Definitely on my all time favorites list. This game never gets old. From the great-sounding John Williams score to using Force-abilities, this game is non-stop fun. I keep playing it only because it is an excellent example of an immersive Star Wars game. The first DF was cool, but the soundtrack sounded goofy as MIDI. JK has it all, even in software-rendering mode the environments look great. Hacking off the arms of stormtroopers with your lightsaber in 3rd person is a definite bonus. Mulitplay is also a lot of fun, and increases the re-playability of the game.

Baldur's Gate - This game is outstanding. Clearly the most immersive and absorbing RPG I've ever played. I feel a real sense of loss when a member of my adventuring party is killed. Although I haven't finished the game yet, it's already on my all-time favorites list. The atomspheric sounds, the landscapes...everything in the game is breathtaking. It also does justice to the AD&D rules system, which many games have attempted and almost none have succeeded. I've spent a lot of my time on this game, and with 5 CDs its sure to provide a lot of bang for your buck.

Diablo - Blizzard got everything right with this game. I was so addicted to it when I first got it, it was such a great game. The music, the sound effects and the RPG elements all contributed to a great gaming experience. The NPCs were a bit funny (eg. Griswald's annoying "What can I do for ye?" in a fake Scottish accent). The ending was a bit short, and kind of dissappointing but I played again anyways. Hellfire, the official expansion from Sierra, was terrible, though. You can tell which publisher designed which levels (i.e. Blizzard did the crypts and Sierra did that weird alien world - totally out of place). Get Diablo if you don't have it already. It's a great RPG for any fan of the genre.

Thief: The Dark Project - This is a great game overall. The story is really cool, and the fact that this is not your regular "shoot everything that moves" FP game really had me excited. You have to hide in the shadows, avoid detection, knock out guards, avoid undead, steal loot...the list is endless. There are some really sneaky things you can do in this game, if you're good. The NPCs have a low polygon count, so they look kind of silly (i.e. unrealistic) but the way they talk or sing to themselves is just plain funny. The atmosphere and setting of the game is mind blowing. Also, the ending is really cool, and you just know there's going to be a sequel. I can't wait!

Heretic II - I love anything to do with the fantasy RPG genre, and as soon as I saw this game I knew I had to have it. The story was pretty good, considering the first Heretic game was pretty lacking. This 3rd person game refreshed a scene that was cluttered with imitators of (ack!) Lara Croft. The spells in this game are AWESOME, and some of the weapons had me excited (the staff that magically appears when you select it, the Phoenix Bow, the Iron Doom spell). Besides some little flaws in controlling Corvus, the game was very good overall.

Half-Life - What can I say about this game that hasn't been said already? This is the best FPS I've ever played in my life, under JK for obvious reasons. The environments and sound effects were immersive beyond compare, and the story was actually GOOD for a FPS. What a game. The only problem was that I played the majority of the game with my old speakers. Some of the sounds were...uh...pretty mangled. But I can't wait to try it with my Monster Sound and new speakers!

Need for Speed III - What a great arcade game! This is the only arcade racer that actually gives me the feeling that I'm zooming along a road at ridiculous speeds. The scenery is great too, although the tracks are pretty repetitive. The music is the BEST for this type of game. Check this out if you're a racing game fan!

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six - This is an astounding game that combines realistic strategy/tactics and up close and personal combat. Have you ever wanted to be part of those SWAT or extraction teams you see in the movies? Well this is it. The game itself is a little buggy, but the gameplay cancels it out. Never in a game before have I actually been afraid of dying. This game is so realistic, its the closest thing to actually being there.

STAR WARS: X-Wing Alliance - Being a Star Wars fan, this game immediately got my attention. But I was reluctant to get this one, after the failure of X-Wing Vs. TIE Fighter. I was pleasantly surprised and then some. This game captures the true feel of Star Wars space combat and carries on the tradition of the original X-Wing. There are enough details to satisfy any SW fan, and the game is very challenging. Definitely worth checking out.

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