Gaming - My Favorite Moments in Gaming

In comparison to The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (finished first), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons made a powerful first impression on me. It did not feel much of a chore compared with Oracle of Ages. Honestly, this is one of the most promising Zelda games I have ever played in my life.

To start things off, the game is perfectly paced throughout the beginning with extremely rewarding and satisfying level design. I liked some of the ideas presented like a training ground that requires Link (the player) to escape from harm's way using just the shield. I feel this is a brilliant idea that can be utilized in my creative The Legend of Zelda: Hero of Time. Instead, I would allow the player to start with items like the shield and hookshot. The sword comes after those items.

Overall, this game already has shown a great deal more promise than its twin.

Compared with The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, this game blew me away from the first few hours of playthrough. I have not beaten this game yet, but I can tell you that it has been an unforgettable experience for the following reasons:

First off, the game has elements that remind me of the best moments in the old Zelda titles. There are so many of those hidden grottos of the old man who will reward you or charge you for finding his hiding place. Also, the windmill music man from Ocarina of Time makes a return in this game.

The game is perfectly paced so far, beautifully designed, and is not as much of a chore to go through compared with Oracle of Ages. I love the new transported world in Oracle of Seasons. It is way more interesting than going back in the past found in Oracle of Ages. The dancing game is several times better than the Goron dance. Changing the season has very interesting gameplay and puzzle elements. I am absolutely impressed!

I just cannot seem to want to go back to playing Oracle of Ages after playing just the first few hours of The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. This one can be a potential masterpiece that may rival The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. We will see.

Episode Two is just as memorable as the last game. What can I say about Episode Two? Wow! Just wow! It is almost the same level of immersion as Half-Life 2. This game has amazing level design, and it becomes just as satisfying when you get a load of the big robotic enemies you have to take down. They are frightening to deal with at the first few attempts. It ends with a bang leaving you begging for more. Seriously, when is the sequel coming out?

I really enjoyed the level with the insects.

Half-Life 2 is one of the best FPS gaming experiences I have ever played. Part of this reason is the sense of immersion into this world through the eyes of the silent main character. This is a very effective strategy. It almost reminds me why I enjoy The Legend of Zelda series so much due to Link's inability to speak. The difference being is Gordon doesn't seem to make much of a sound.

The beauty of Half-Life 2's unforgettable experience is its level of realism: the physics engine. Not only that, you have almost full control of the game in first-person perspective even during character interactions. That means there is little room for cinematic cut scenes. The environments are extremely breathtaking on the Steam. There is also little background music used. Sound from the silent environment, shots fired from your pistol, and approaching enemies were enough to immerse you into this game in the most natural way. The end result?

The game becomes extremely addicting from the very beginning. It has a high level of polish and pacing the first few hours. Until I approach the creepy setting of Ravenholm, that is basically when I stop progressing the game further. lol!

Jumping from train to train. Extremely fun.

The whole snow area. Great platforming obstacles. Immersive experience with the character partner. Great puzzles later on in the same snow level with the mechanical obstacles.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves starts to lose its strength while playing the level where you take down the tank with rocket launchers.

Climbing the giant stone fortress.

Amazing cutscenes. Especially the beginning scenes. Very funny stuff.

Other than the negligible shortcomings in gameplay, something about the first Uncharted game in the franchise shows a great deal of charm. Every time I pop this game open, there is a wonder to this game from the start of it. The other Uncharted games, with the improved gameplay system and polish, do not seem to possess this magic. Let me explain what made my experience so amazing:

I have been randomly inserting the game disk into my PS3 out of some need to be entertained by this game's characters and story. What made this experience thoroughly enjoyable is playing it in the evening until well past midnight. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune has this addiction from the start of the game where I simply cannot turn off my PS3. The beauty behind this game is that it is not the story that keeps me intrigued to continue playing non-stop. It is something else entirely...perhaps it is the sense of immersion. I really felt immersed into the game as if I was playing Half-Life 2 the first few hours. At some point, I do stop playing around the Sanctuary level due to its darker theme and increased difficulty in dealing with tougher enemies. This is also how I stopped my non-stop session of playing Half-Life 2 when I approached the terrifying alien creatures.

However, in the Sanctuary chapter, even though I felt like stopping at this point, I also really wanted to continue playing. Why? The weapons. It offered a better 9mm pistol with a greater clip than 40 from the first few levels, and it offered other great weapons dropped by the enemies carrying the red laser sight.

Some of the best moments in this game are complimented by its beautiful soundtrack. It is a game that pumps you up with pure immersion of its world.

This Zelda is known for having some of the best soundtracks in the entire Zelda franchise. The best moments were presented while the following soundtracks are being played:

This is a fantastic port. As you play this with a proper TV in 480p glory, you will be able to experience sharper visuals than the Nintendo 64 original title.

As you get used to it, the game feels a lot better on the Gamecube controller. The spin attack is easier to pull off.

The star discussion behind this title is the Master Quest version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. After playing through it once for the first time, I had to deal with some of the most difficult puzzles ever. In conclusion, one starts to appreciate and prefer this level of difficulty over the original. It makes things just as fun and refreshing as if you are playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time all over again. It is like going back to your seven-year-old self. Well, for my case.

The first Halo is the one and only game I consider to be the greatest of its franchise. The level of immersion in Halo: Combat Evolved is so unparalleled. From its epic music, character development, mouth-drooling landscapes, perfectionist pacing, and sound quality, this is an experience that I cannot put down.

To get a perspective on how amazing the replay value and level of addiction this game offers, I was able to get the whole game done 100% in Legendary difficulty. It was no walk in the park, but I felt extremely satisfied like I accomplished something great. That is a true staple to some of the greatest gaming moments I have ever experienced.

There are so many levels in this FPS game that I can talk endlessly about, but I guess I will mention some of the vital parts in this game that moved me with so much emotional enjoyment. One of my replay sessions, I remember that I was sick at home playing only this game to prevent me from not thinking about feeling sick. It helped a lot.

Super Metroid is one of the best SNES games I have ever experienced. Personally, I do not see this game to rival Metroid Prime, but it is a close call. Part of the beauty this game offers is its intense level of immersion and feeling of isolation. The soundtrack and gameplay compliments this adventure really well.

The moment I achieved 100% collections, I realized just how complicated and cryptic this game feels in comparison to Metroid Prime. There are some hidden items that are overly complicated to find. I do not like the upgrades where they hide while using the dash jump, and they expect you to find that by diagonally hitting a random wall that is untraceable to the visor.

Before you start playing Metroid Prime, make sure you are set up with the best audio and visual for maximum immersion:

Play in Dolby Pro Logic II audio output.

Most importantly, make sure you have a progressive scan compatible television (not an HDTV), and have the screen settings on 4:3. When this is accomplished, you will see a major difference. The game is going to look extremely beautiful and crisp. The difference between progressive scan on a regular television over an HDTV in progressive scan is huge. If you do not have component cables, then the S-video cable is the next best thing. If you only have an HDTV, just make sure you are playing the game in 4:3 aspect ratio.

If there's anything that must be taken away from this brilliant sequel, it is its beautifully improved graphics over the original and its level of difficulty.

Those are the strengths of this game. The fact that the sequel is not afraid to put the player at the mercy of such difficult bosses like the Boost Guardian helps enhance the experience a great deal.

The graphics are extremely beautiful. I thought Metroid Prime had amazing visuals in progressive scan, but this one goes one step further. The dark and light worlds are an interesting concept. It is not always something to look forward to at times to visit the dark version of the world you know, but it is an interesting journey nonetheless.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is all about the hyper mode. Through repeat plays, this is a brilliant strategic attempt by the team that there is an efficient way to take down bosses in the fastest way possible. Believe it or not, this is part of the enjoyment.

Metal Gear Solid is likely the best game in the entire franchise, and that is saying a lot. This is the game that started everything off in 3D on the first console. The result is very close to what happened in other beloved franchises like Metroid, Super Mario, and The Legend of Zelda.

The thing that strikes me about this game is its dialogue, the story, the character development, the epic soundtrack, and the boss battles. All this comes together in a beautifully interconnected way. That is partly what is lacking with the other Metal Gear Solid games. Though, games like Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater may show some promise.

Soundtrack and level design.

This game takes the epic from Super Mario 64, and transfers over to the galaxy. It offers beautiful music to compliment the feeling of such beauty and scale.

Soundtrack, level design, and incredible pacing.

While "The Splendor of Athens" is playing.

God of War III has some of the prettiest graphics on the PlayStation 3. The gruesome blood and the way this game is structured is something that stands strong on its own compared with its predecessors. I love the feeling that your items have so much depth and detail to enhance the experience after defeating such incredible bosses.

As "Victory Lap" is being played during the end credits, it took my breath away. Especially the part with the seagulls making noise.

In order to have the maximum immersive experience in Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, make sure you have the following audio and visual setup:

Play in Dolby Pro Logic II audio output.

For Gamecube titles like this and Star Fox Adventures, they offer a 16:9 presentation. Make sure you play this with a progressive scan compatible television (not HDTV) with the screen formatted to 16:9. Not 4:3. If you only have an HDTV, then just make sure the screen is 16:9. If you are playing this on the Gamecube backwards compatible Wii, then make sure the Wii has the screen setup to 16:9 in addition to the HDTV.

Play this game in Dolby Pro Logic II sound output.

Make sure you are playing this game in 16:9 aspect ratio. Set this up in-game and on the progressive scan compatible television's screen setting just like in Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.

All this helps you have the maximum immersive experience as originally intended by the developers from Rare. You will have all the great sound and aspect ratio of the original artists. It is precisely like watching a film on the director's intended widescreen format over full screen. That way, the viewer gets to experience the artist's original form.

The beautiful memories I had of this game can be summarized as one of the best moments of owning a Nintendo Gamecube console. I could say more about how severely underrated and unappreciated the Gamecube is, but maybe I can write about that in a later subject. The most striking aspects of Star Fox Adventures that kept me so immersed and lost into its world is really that sense of adventure, the beautiful landscapes, the addicting soundtrack, the most memorable cutscenes and voice acting developed by Rare since Conker's Bad Fur Day, and its pacing.

Let me first highlight my awareness that many people think this game falls short from comparable adventure titles of the same genre such as The Legend of Zelda series. This may be generally true in terms of gameplay complexity and innovation, but the things I just listed are what makes this game generally overpower some of the lowest tier of Zelda titles like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Now, looking back at all my cherished memories of this game, I remember how much my overall gaming experience has escalated for simply popping it in the morning. See, this game came into my possession after its September 2002 release date. I was 14 years old. 15 on Halloween. In my household, we were only allowed to play video games on weekends/holidays. As long as we finished our homework, we can play during a no school day. My family has been pretty obedient to this rule, and attempts of breaking it for the first time started with Star Fox Adventures. We were so excited for this game after the first few days playing through it until I sort of shared an idea with my brothers that maybe we can just wake up in secret an hour early in the morning to play this amazing game. We had to sneak downstairs very quietly from our rooms all the way down to the garage (where we play our games).

I am not entirely sure how many days straight we did this, but there is something magical about playing this game early in the morning. It is hard to explain. We were playing the game at a slightly lower volume than usual to obviously not disturb our parents, but something about opening up our save file to be introduced to the beautiful environmental sound effects...then the music...with our window in view of the dark morning...it is a very spiritual thing. Perhaps having a morning session for any game has that impression. I recently tested this with my currently incomplete Ratchet & Clank (the first game on the PS3 HD Collection). There was that similar spark felt in Star Fox Adventures. I believe that doing an activity you enjoy in the morning is something interesting to try out. It may have something to do with your brain's current state after waking up. It is at its most active just as you wake up to do some studying.

Anyways, I wrote all this to share an experience. Star Fox Adventures is an amazing game with one of the most beautiful graphics on the console. The amazing cut scenes, sense of adventure, and landscapes pushed me to find out what happens next in the story. During my morning and weekend sessions, I remember moments of getting stuck for long periods of time. There was a morning session where I spent the hour in Lightfoot village completely stuck. No progression whatsoever. I was very angry that day, because I felt like I did not accomplish anything. It was the moment with the rotating totem pole that shapes the drawing of a snake. I did not know I had to fire my staff at the pole to stop it in its tracks. I thought I let it keep rotating until it creates a clear picture, then I get off the switch to stop the rotating. So silly! Yet, even when I had a lot of stumped moments in this game, the sense of reward is very high when I finally figure it out.

The game starts so perfectly with "Simon's Theme" played after entering the castle. Brilliant SNES classic!