Five Great Games and Gaming Moments

I'm a gaming geek - I admit it.

Thought I would share with everyone some great gaming moments...

5. Need For Speed - Hot Pursuit/Hot Pursuit II/Most Wanted

These three titles exemplified (for me personally) the very best of the series. Incredible driving, variety of cars, engaging tracks and (of course) those amazing chases as you try to outrun the law. The police would ram your car, set up roadblocks, lay down spike strips and bring in helicopters to drop exploding barrels. All the while, you're racing against opponents to cross the finish line. This is white-knuckle gaming at its finest.

Gaming Moment - I was racing against a single opponent. At the end of the race, we were dead even. The cops were in hot pursuit. With the finish line in sight, a helicopter drops an exploding barrel on my opponent. He explodes, clips my rear-quarter panel and sends me flying. I cross the finish line upside-down and backwards.

4. Half-Life/Half-life 2

This was the first-person shooter (FPS) that redefined the genre. The entire game played out before you with no cut-scenes or ridiculous load times. The result was a completely immersive and engaging experience. This was also the first game that made me feel as if I was just a small player caught up in some massive crisis. Half-Life 2 simply took everything that was right about the first game and improved upon it. This is the gold standard of FPS that all other games strive to emulate.

Gaming Moment - All hell had just broken out at the underground lab where I (Gordon Freeman) worked. I'd just run across some strange crab-like critters and beat them with a crowbar. I headed over to the glass-walled elevator to see if I could make my way to the surface. Earthquake like-tremors and small explosions had rocked the facility. I pressed the elevator button, look up through the glass to see (to my surprise) the elevator cables snap and the car go tumbling past me into the abyss. As the elevator passed me, I saw two lab workers screaming in terror. This game world had consequences.

3. Diablo

Also known as "The game I could not stop playing". Blizzards original action RPG (Role-Playing Game) Diablo was a time-sucking juggernaut. The player’s mantra became "Just one more level". And once you won the game, it was time to create a new character class and head back down. With randomly generated dungeons, critters and loot, the game had massive replay ability. The template of Diablo is still copied to this day.

Gaming Moment - The first time I battled Diablo himself (or itself). The satisfaction of vanquishing this beast of pure evil was sweet indeed.

2. Fallout 3

This was the first hybrid (part FPS/part RPG) that worked on all levels. An amazing, immersive experience that opened up a huge world to explore at your own pace. The post apocalyptic environments were detailed and stunning, the enemy AI was consistent and challenging and the quests were challenging and exciting. I personally roamed the wasteland for months just to see what I could find. A game with massive depth and replay ability, this is one of the best games ever made. A note of caution with this one - it is rated M for a reason (language and extreme violence).

Gaming Moments -
I was running from Talon agents (the bad guys) and stumbled across a drive-in theater. I ran through the parking area littered with old rusted-out cars, ducked behind a rock outcropping and waited for the Talon squad. When they were in the middle of the drive-in theater parking area, I threw a grenade into the mix. The grenade exploded, the cars next to the explosion exploded and soon the entire parking area was one massive exploding fireball. Talon flambé anyone?

The wasteland is home to nasty gangs and bandits that maraud the countryside. One bright, sunny morning, I happened upon a rusted out semi truck and trailer. Peeking into this trailer, I found a gang of five fast asleep. Trailer + gang of five + grenade = very, very messy clean up.

1. Starcraft

I had no interest in playing RTS (Real-Time Strategy) until a friend convinced me to try Starcraft. This is the game that I have played more than any other. The Sci-Fi story arc was amazing, the three races (Protoss, Zerg and Terran) engaging, and the game play is out of this world. Strategy, planning, using your environment, building defenses, attacking, retreating, capturing resources, they all played a vital role in your success. Add to all that the creative dialogue of the sprites which became catch phrases in the gaming community. For me, this game is second to none and I eagerly await Starcraft II.

Gaming Moment - The entire game, start to finish, is a gaming moment that should not be missed. 'Nuff said.

Any gaming moment you'd like to share?