I thought I'd add my own unique perspective to these lists. You see, my gaming taste isn't what you'd call normal, or main stream. I very rarely like challenging games, and much prefer open sandbox games. It's also very rare a game will be meet my expectations of it. So I'm a bugger for cheating. For example, Theme Park. I used to use the money cheat to create my own game within it. Where I can't open the park until it's fully built. Which allows me to build a superior park, with all the popular rides at the front where people will ride them. I did similar with Theme Hospital, Medieval Total War, and Civilisation 2. The latter two using the money cheat to create a more sandbox type game.
So my list will contain games that have engaged me over the years, and ones I haven't needed to cheat in order to alter the game into something I'd prefer. In no particular order then:
Fifa 95
The first football game I really liked. I used to create leagues by selecting all 6 playable teams, then doing every weeks round of fixtures as a highlights show. My favourite being the Italian one, because I could pretend I was doing my own version of that Italian football show on Channel 4 ( I was only 10).
Micro Machines 96
This game lasted well until I turned 13 and finally got a Playstation. I used to love the multiplayer battles, and I'd spend hours racing my shadows around on time trials. I also remember exchanging those codes they gave you, when you built your own track, with a mate at school. I remember that being mind blowing at the time.
Grand Theft Auto 3
The first GTA was a bit like my coming of age game, where I graduated from cartoonish games like Micro Machines into something more serious. And I consider GTA 5 to be the best one they have done. But 3 is the stand out for me, because it was heavily anticipated (GTA in 3d!). It is also the only GTA I've spent the most time on, and the storyline generally absorbed me more than the other titles.
Timesplitters
I genuinely could of chosen any one of the 3 in the series, I loved them that much. However I chose the first one simply for the mansion level on the hardest difficulty setting. If took me and my mate ages (and several all nighters) to complete that level. In fact, we played it that much, I still remember my part in the opening routine we set up. Spawn, take out the two skeleton zombies. Go though to the next room, take out the other 2 skeleton zombies. Take out the shooter on the stairs, then enter the mansion's basement, deal with the spawning zombie, then head round the corner and take out the police zombie in the distance. Wait for my mate to finish his routine, by taking out zombies on the other side of the basement, then head up into the kitchen for an ambush. Great times.
Eldar Scrolls Oblivion
I really got into this game. I completed virtually every mission, I covered virtually every blade of grass, I bought all the expansion packs. I recently rebooted it, to show my daughter my castle and many, many, many hours worth of loot and goodies. Only to discover the expansion pack longer worked and it was all gone. I nearly cried. Skyrim was a better game, but it just never lived up to my experience with Oblivion.
My list of 5 games that have dissapointed, again, in no particular order:
Medieval Total War 2
I had really loved the campaign mode on the first game. For those who never played it, it was kind of like risk, but just based in medieval Europe. You know when you play a game so much, you know it's weaknesses inside and out. So when you hear of sequal, you get so excited in hope they have fixed them, and enhanced the bits you love? Well it turns out Creative Assembly were more concerned with the other, main aspect of the game. The campaign mode in this sequal was awful. I was so bitterly disappointed. And it's the one they have persisted with since. Ruined an entire franchise, Total War games are now dead to me.
No Mans Sky
I remember a mate telling me about this game. It sounded perfect, and right up my street. However it proved annoyingly frustrating. The grind of having to keep mining resources to stay alive just put me right off. Not quite the freedom I was hoping for.
Final Fantasy VII
Disclaimer, I was 12 when I last played this. Now obviously I'd heard everyone rave about this game, and it should of been a game I'd enjoy. Despite not being a fan of turn based combat. However, for whatever reason, I couldn't get past the first boss. Now I know some games like to make the first boss really hard, so as to hook you. I'm not that type of person. It did the opposite to me, putting me off the series that much that, dipping my toe into 10 aside, I've not touched the series since. To be honest I am giving serious consideration to giving this game another go.
Black and White
On paper this sounded like a really good game. But my God was this a clumsy train wreck. The whole pet aspect, the never ending building that just got messier the longer you played. Never got further than the 2nd level. Not to mention the jumpy, jerky graphics.
Dynasty Warriors 8
I got hooked with DW2, really, really loved DW3, and played DW4 and 5 (especially 5XL legends), but not to the same extent. By the time 8 came out, I was ready to go full on again. But they had ruined all the characters I once considered decent. Zhou Yu with a wooden stick, ffs. And why did every female character get a bow and arrow. Sun Shang Xiang was really good with those sol chakrams. Absolutely ruined it for me. Which was a shame, because I thought their whole bases idea was pretty decent.
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