The game doesn’t tell
you what to do. If you
want, you can exact your
revenge on every single
one of your ex colleagues.
As a child, that’s exactly
what I did.
Not out of malice, but out
of disbelief that the game
was letting me do it. This
mission alone opened up
my eyes to the possibilities
games could deliver.
è
Shadow of Colossus:
The Fifth Colossus
The first colossus is unlike anything you've seen – a
towering mass of hair and muscle that you can't help
but gaze up at. The fifth colossus turns this on its head,
taking you to the skies and forcing you instead to look
down. The first colossus is special because it’s unlike
anything you’ve seen, but the fifth is so memorable
because it takes you to the skies. You find this colossus
in a bogged valley, the floor filled with water, but with
footholds thrusting out from the floor. It takes flight
within these confines, which is just as well, since you
have to jump onto its back.
Uncharted 2: Among
Thieves: The Train
Uncharted 2 opens with Nathan Drake hanging from
the back of a derailed train in the snow. Later, you
get to see the events leading up to this in that age
old video game staple: the train level. Surrounded by
lush jungle, Drake has to fight his way to the front
of the train as it rocks and travels down the track.
Until this moment, these levels in video games were
an illusion, with the track moving around the train –
Naughty Dog made an actual train that whizzes down
the tracks, which meant completely retooling the
movement system, and it shows.
After fighting past a few goons, Drake jumps a
carriage, which gives under his weight. Things soon
escalate, as the camera pulls back to reveal a serene
lakeside vista and a not-so-serene helicopter giving
chase. This mission making it onto this list because
it’s pure blockbuster at its finest, taking an overused
scenario and make it exciting once again.
è
Deus Ex was the first game
I played that challenged
my perception of what
video games could be. I
remember uncovering
alien conspiracies, not
within a scripted cut
scene, but by reading
computer messages and
uncovering its secret
for myself. I remember
figuring out my pilot had
been assassinated and
switched, by finding their
body tucked underneath
the helipad, and dealing
with the impostor.
What sticks in the memory
most, though, is the
moment when you realise
the word “terrorist” is a
matter of perspective and
you end up back at your
base of operations, but
fighting for the other side.
è
Deus Ex:
Switching
Sides
First you