This is where I
escape from life's stresses. Some go to television, music, and books, well I
like my games. Don't get me wrong, I try not to miss South Park, The Family
Guy, Oz and The Soprano's each week, and (almost) every Dean Koontz and Stephen
King novel is on my bookshelf or nightstand. But nothing is as interactive as
gaming. I'm not into the consoles like Nintendo or Sega these days. They're
great when they start out, but get limited over time (the hardware just can't
be updated like a computer's). There's something great about being able to save
the world or blast friends at the same computer that helps with finances, surfing
the Internet, and emailing everyone I know.
The list
below can change quickly, depending on what I pull off the shelf at any given
time. Sometimes, though, one game dominates my play time exclusively for quite
a while.
These are what I'm playing... (and in the general order of how much of each)
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Diablo II by Blizzard Entertainment. Right now I'm on the second "Act" of four, in Nighmare mode, and playing the Paladin. Finishing the game in Normal mode was hard enough, now it's really tough. This world is immersive, and huge. I didn't play the first Diablo in single player. I played it with a friend a couple times on the network at work, and it was a lot of fun. Buying this was a decision based on that same person's recommendation. It is worth it. Very addicting, and the search for new items (essentially making your character stronger) and finishing quests is making it quite a challenge. I have one character for single play at home, and another at work for playing with others across the network. Right now, ALL other games have taken a back seat to Diablo II. |
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StarCraft: Brood War by Blizzard Entertainment. This expansion added balance with some of the new units created between the three different races. I completed the game itself in single player a long time ago. I still play single player "custom" missions, mainly as the Terrans (I just LOVE the Siege Tanks!). Recently a few of us have even played a few times after hours at work. I think it will be a long time before I put this one away. |
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Unreal Tournament by Epic Games. This is truly the most amazing first-person shooter I have ever played. Talk about releasing stress! There are many different ways to play this game, with straight Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Domination, and Assault, no matter what mood you're in to play, it's there. The visuals are amazing, and the smoothness of play online (as this game was created solely for the online / network play) is untouched by others. I keep this one close because the replayability is very high. There are hundreds of sites out there dedicated to this gaming universe, and literally thousands of levels created by the hardcore. | |
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Homeworld by Sierra Studios and Relic. This is a 3D real time strategy game that is great. I haven't dedicated a lot of time to it simply because Unreal Tournament, and then Diablo II have taken up so much of my time. The story definitely keeps you playing, and the strategy part is much different than playing a 2D RTS like StarCraft. I have a feeling that I will be picking this up again real soon, especially since the expansion pack, Cataclysm, is supposed to be worth it. |
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One special note: All game logos, titles, and web pages are copyrights of the respective authors and publishers. I have created links to those companies in good faith, and am not responsible for the content contained elsewhere.
