The 52 Most Important Video Games of All Time (page 3 of 8)
- April 25, 2007 14:56 PM PST
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Ultima Online*
29. Ultima Online
The first graphics-based MMO not only changed gaming, but may have changed society forever. In-game player-staged protests led sociologists to take note of this bizarre new underground subculture with the silly moniker, "MMORPG."
Adventure*
28. Adventure
The most innovative and important title to launch from the first mainstream home video game console, the Atari 2600, Adventure pilfered from Tolkien and Dungeons & Dragons to create an epic fantasy with multiple zones, increasingly difficult bosses, unfurling quests and, coolest of all, secret rooms and messages thanks to the legendary "magic dot." Every video game RPG ever made owes some influence to Adventure -- and the entire game contains less code than your desktop wallpaper image.
Half-Life for the PS2
27. Half-Life
Half-Life is an important game that will still be recognized decades from now for its massive contributions to game storytelling. Its perfectly paced plot gradually unraveled through short interactive cinemas, which meant the player always felt utterly rooted in the game world. Half-Life's interactive storytelling made CG-rendered cinematics utterly trite and pointless, though lazy gamemakers still rely on them even today.
Pong*
26. Pong
Widely (and falsely) credited as the first video game, Pong was the breakout title that launched the idea of video gaming into the cultural consciousness and established video games as a noteworthy medium. This game also introduced gaming concepts that were elaborated in games like Breakout and Arkanoid and spit shined in modern titles like Virtua Tennis. Pong was also the first major title from Atari, the industry's first dominant leader, and gave that company the brand-name recognition to enter the home market as a major force.
Guitar Hero
25. Guitar Hero
A milestone. Who hasn't played air guitar? Turns out those rock star ambitions can be realized in a video game. The only question on this one was, "What took so long?" Guitar Hero may have been built upon the success of games like Guitar Freaks, but it alone made music games relevant thanks to its slick controller and intuitive interface.
Resident Evil 4
24. Resident Evil 4
"Survival horror" went from a bizarre catchphrase to an industry cliche when Resident Evil burst onto the scene, firmly establishing the PlayStation as a viable destination for third-party publishers and introducing the first truly scary interactive horror movie to gaming fans. The genre peaked with Resident Evil 4, which was probably better than any horror film in the past 10 years, as well as a clear inspiration for Gears of War.
But why is Resident Evil 4 on the list and not the first game? Because RE 4 was the series' pinnacle, expanding on the stuff that worked (suspense, action, and a customizeable arsenal) and leaving out the stuff that didn't (god-awful dialogue, slowly shuffling zombies, and the ink-ribbon game saves). A truly landmark title in modern gaming history.
Counter-Strike for the Xbox
23. Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike wasn't the first mod project ever but it will go down as the most important. What began as a simple homebrew experiment quickly ballooned into one of the biggest online entities in gaming history and helped elevate the modding community to the heights of legitimacy. Counter-Strike is a classic -- easily one of the best games of the decade.
22. Kung Fu
You put a guy on one side and another guy on the other... and then let them fight. Think people are gonna want to play video games like this?
Myst*
21. Myst
The game for everybody other than gamers, Myst mystified audiences and became a major killer app for the first generation of PC graphics cards and CD drives. This title's challenging and rewarding puzzles, which unlocked beautiful, mesmerizing environments, may not have been enamored by hardcore gamers, but the public at large fell in love. Until The Sims came along, this was the highest-selling PC game of all time.
Halo 2 for the Xbox
20. Halo 2
The first killer app for online console gaming, Halo 2 defined Xbox Live as the premiere model for matchmaking services, allowing it to expand with content delivery like demos, downloads, game patches, and even advertisements. Not one game has ever even approached the flexibility and simplicity of Halo 2's online service -- it's still at the top of its class.
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- Jun 10 2008 at 09:28:04:PM PST
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ooooooooooooooooooooooooh yeah thats right i have the most important game of all time
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imagine gaming without gta3? half of us wouldnt even be gaming right now. that game changed gaming as we know it. just like mario 64 did 12 years ago, just like the wii is eventually going to do. gta 3 took gaming in a new direction. this game arguably caught the attention of "non gamers" everywhere. this game introduced alot of people into gaming. dont even deny the fact that you know at least 1 person that bought a ps2 just to play that game
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