The Obsidian Community all-time top 106 games - FULL RESULTS!

[Mamoulian War]

This poll proves you all have terrible taste.

Yes you are right. The only approved taste on this board is mine! All other tastes are just fake tastes !!!

[algroth]

 

 I'm surprised that it scores this big, and the same goes for Icewind Dale. I'm playing Heart of Winter right now, and it feels like a decent BG1 mod, nothing more. If it wasn't for the great soundtracks and that it's D&D with decent combat, it has nothing going for it. IIRC, Josh said that they made the entire game in 9 months. An incredible feat, but it also shows.

 

That was Icewind Dale 2, which I liked better than the first one. Which was, back then, a relatively uncommon position. It still is, I guess.

 

I've always fluctuated between both with regards to which might be better than the other. As a matter of fact both made my top 25 in the end, though clearly one gained more traction with the rest of the folks here than the other. I do think that there's a few things to criticize Icewind Dale II about nowadays - I think padding is an issue, and I'm not entirely convinced that making the whole last half of the game a retread of the original's helped much in the way of keeping the story and setting fresh. But I do feel that the story itself was quite compelling, I liked the tinge of moral greyness to it which I found at the time to be a rather refreshing touch in a videogame (of course this aspect has slowly lost its appeal by becoming commonplace, but still, I recognize my initial reaction to it and value it for the same as well) - which has also made me sadder about being unable to play as an ally of the Chimera either, though in hindsight it is understandable given the time constraints and so on. Likewise, as with Icewind Dale I feel the keys to its success are the excellent and diverse dungeon design as well as the sheer atmosphere to it all - I find these two games as immersive overall as either Planescape: Torment or Baldur's Gate II, but in neither of these games to I get that feeling of a primal yearning for *being* in there myself. There is something rather indescribable about what the setting and experience evokes in me, it all makes for something rather beautiful to play through and that is why I wouldn't want to miss them in a list like this. My two thoughts about it, anyhow.

 

Having said this, Indira mentioned they were playing through Heart of Winter right now... I can certainly understand being non-plussed about that campaign, since it is really nothing to write home about: it's an interesting premise and there's a few nice locations here and there, but the story is ultimately very barebones and the game quickly descends into a series of loosely-connected, uninspired and sameish dungeons by its second half. I can agree to it not being any good, but I don't think it speaks at all of the quality of the original campaign.

Edited January 5, 2018 by algroth

[algroth]

 

To bad MotB is there as stand-alone, I voted for NWN2 also because of MotB. Counting both together, it would have 9 votes and would be really high on the list

Yeah, I wasn't sure of the wisdom of separating expansions and base games, and I was pretty sure MotB was going to suffer for it, and it did. Standalone expansions I could understand, but an add-on to the base game seems like it should count as part of the base game.

 

Here's my thoughts on it, but... As far as I'm concerned, NWN 2 is not much to call home about, yet Mask of the Betrayer's campaign makes for one of the finest games I've ever played. Were I to count both as one, I would probably have never voted for it, least of all if my vote were to include Storm of Zehir too, which is, opposite to Mask, one of the very *worst* instead. I added this option into the poll because I felt that it made sense to be able to consider and expansion with a standalone campaign to be its own game with its own story and arc, that from a narrative standpoint if well not a technical/mechanical one can largely exist independently from its core game, and I think Mask does as much. Thus, when I voted for it I did so because in all frankness I *do* think it is only this release here that is worthy of making my list. And I would have really not wanted to leave it out either, because to me it's really that good.

[Hurlshort]

I'd caution people not to get too caught up in the placement of games on the list. Realistically the amount of people who gave any points to the game is just as important as the amount of points the game received. Also it is hardly surprising Bioware has a lot in the top 100. Whereas there are a number of older and more obscure titles in the top 100+, Bioware games are fairly mainstream and current, so odds are almost everyone here has played them.

 

Actually it's a bit comforting that they haven't cracked the top 20. Of course, BG is still to come, and as I said, placement is a somewhat relative concept here.  

[ShadySands]

I also lumped all expacs and DLC in with the base games

[Pidesco]

I'd caution people not to get too caught up in the placement of games on the list. Realistically the amount of people who gave any points to the game is just as important as the amount of points the game received. Also it is hardly surprising Bioware has a lot in the top 100. Whereas there are a number of older and more obscure titles in the top 100+, Bioware games are fairly mainstream and current, so odds are almost everyone here has played them.

 

Actually it's a bit comforting that they haven't cracked the top 20. Of course, BG is still to come, and as I said, placement is a somewhat relative concept here.

 

You clearly are not familiar with internet top lists, and the debates that form around them. Expounding at length on the details of the relative placement the corporate products got on the list and how said placement relates to your emotional investment in them is obviously the way to go.

[algroth]

I also lumped all expacs and DLC in with the base games

 

Yup, that is also valid. I offered the other option for those of us who specifically loved an expansion over the original game or any other content parented to it. But you could also vote for the main game along with all expansions as one single vote if you wanted.

[Zoraptor]

The expansion pack issue probably has to be handled that way. While I would have happily voted for NWN w/ all xpacs rather than MotB specifically I wouldn't have voted for NWN2 alone. And in Alpha Centauri's case the expansion pack made the game worse.

[majestic]

I've always fluctuated between both with regards to which might be better than the other. As a matter of fact both made my top 25 in the end, though clearly one gained more traction with the rest of the folks here than the other. I do think that there's a few things to criticize Icewind Dale II about nowadays - I think padding is an issue, and I'm not entirely convinced that making the whole last half of the game a retread of the original's helped much in the way of keeping the story and setting fresh.

 

Both games suffer from pacing issues in my opinion but I think IWD's are worse. Usually if I start up Icewind Dale the party eventually stops when Kresselack gives me the quest to deal with Lysan. Having to go back up, deal with her, go back down and then back up only to go to the 5 level madness that is Dragon's Eye usually makes me quit.

 

In IWD2 on the other hand the biggest roadblock is the Ice Temple. The map is also way tpp large there are teleporters and some riddles for entertainment and the battle squares for the masochists among us (finished them once, then immediately installed the skip battle squares mod) but it doesn't work someow. It's just terribly boring.

 

However for me it is easier to power through one boring area than two of them after the other and the Ice Temple still wins by not being as much combat oriented as KT or DE.

[algroth]

I will agree on the Ice Temple, that's stopped a few playthroughs for me. And whilst I don't quite mind Kresselack I do agree that the amount of backtracking present in the game can be annoying. Not least is that quest later on in the game where you have to bring three items to the gardener atop the Severed Hand, which while optional can also get pretty grating - and there is that one small dungeon between the Vale of Shadows and Dragon's Eye which is wholly unmemorable - but overall they are small bumps for me which don't really tarnish the game all that much in the long run.

 

I did become a bit conditioned to despise Dragon's Eye because I remember there was a time in which Yxunomei would disappear if she ever left your sight during your battle with her, thus screwing up the playthrough for good. When I initially started the game it happened to me twice or thrice, and so I've always been a tad anxious whenever I go through that portion of the game. That is my "Ice Temple" for the first game, but again, not too bad either - and in all frankness it's a pretty decent dungeon too.

[ShadySands]

I think I quit IWD2 after the first town. It was too combat focused and I didn't care all that much for the combat.

 

I never tried the first game

[Tigranes]

The backtracking in IWD is annoying, but that's not really a pacing issue, just a specific piece of bad design. They both suffer from being a combat-heavy game where you have to fight waves upon waves of enemies, but the absolutely superb music and artwork does a lot to enhance the experience - the portraits, the melodies, the colour palette, they are incredible. 

[algroth]

We're finally into the top 20! From here on each update will be five games each. We might be doing an update leter this evening to make up for the lack of update yesterday however. Anyhow, thoughts on this new batch?

[Bartimaeus]

Nope, not really, but thanks for asking!

 

Okay, for real, I've only played Stalker (which I voted for) and Civilization 4 out of those. I've always thought at least the last 3-4 Civilization games (i.e. the ones I've actually tried) were too deeply flawed to be deserving on a best games list, but uh, I guess people disagree!

[ShadySands]

I dunno why but I liked every even numbered Civ game

 

My dad bought his first computer after we spent all day on Civ2. I think I already told most of that story though.

[algroth]

Nope, not really, but thanks for asking!

 

Okay, for real, I've only played Stalker (which I voted for) and Civilization 4 out of those. I've always thought at least the last 3-4 Civilization games (i.e. the ones I've actually tried) were too deeply flawed to be deserving on a best games list, but uh, I guess people disagree!

 

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. actually... I haven't played it myself but was all the same surprised by the high placing in the list, and slightly curious even though I've never been a huge fan of survival horror games (which I understand the game is? I could be wrong).

Edited January 6, 2018 by algroth

[Hurlshort]

Interesting to see two Civ games tied, and also that most of the voters were different.

 

Xcom probably should be higher, but what evs

[melkathi]

For me the franchise peaked with Alpha Centauri (which isn't really part of the franchise but you know what I mean), and no Civ after that could live up to the awesomitude of AC.

[Mamoulian War]

I spent many sleepless nigts alternating between Civ 1 and TES:Arena :D

 

But not enough to put them both on my list. Also thinking that Xcom should be higher, you people need to refine your tastes little bit more :D

[melkathi]

A forum horror movie: "I know what games you voted for last winter"

[evilcat]

Interesting to see two Civ games tied, and also that most of the voters were different.

 

Xcom probably should be higher, but what evs

This is kind of problem that I want to pick one of the serries (lets say Civilization) but which one, the first one, which defined genre, the other one which popularized it, or the last which is still rising in power.

[Epaminondas]

I voted for Civ the original. I remember using a hex editor to make my settlers invulnerable with unlimited movement and won the game on my first turn by hunting down enemy settlers and killing them off. So much to do with the original civ. Then they went and made... granaries? barracks? Sometimes that was free of upkeep in the first game and they decided to tinker, the bastards! Still, I've had a lot of fun with various civ games over the years. I do think it's chintzy that super Sid decided not to give even a nod to the board game, which is truly awesome in it's own right. Yeah, I'm sure he'd never heard of it before he made his game. <.<

 

X-com the original is simply splendid.

 

Time to plan your next plebiscite, algroth? Maybe categories like "Which villain/hero is most clearly compensating for personal deficiencies?"

[Hurlshort]

 

Interesting to see two Civ games tied, and also that most of the voters were different.

 

Xcom probably should be higher, but what evs

This is kind of problem that I want to pick one of the serries (lets say Civilization) but which one, the first one, which defined genre, the other one which popularized it, or the last which is still rising in power.

 

 

I doubt the original has aged well. Civ 4 is still a pretty decent looking game, so it is worth the money. I recommend the Colonization stand alone as well.

[ShadySands]

I somehow forgot about Colonization

 

Woe is me

[Epaminondas]

Yeah, colonization is a fun game. I picked it up on gog or steam a while back since my original is long gone.