Lets get it on
There are rules, and they follow. I have been guided by the earlier posts when this list was being discussed. I may clarify as we go along.

1. You can recommend a maximum of 10 games, but you can recommend less.
2. You can't list a series, unless you use single votes for each game.
3. Expansion packs will be considered seperate games, on the basis that the original might be ordinary but an expansion pack superb.
4. Any game that is not pure adventure can be listed, irrespective of genre.
5. You don't have to indicate the type or genre, and you are not limited to any specific number of games in any genre. Go ahead and list 10 rpg's if you choose.

We will keep the thread open for about 2 weeks. At the end of it all I will compile an alphabetical list and a numerical list, and with the help of Zanthia we will also categorise the games into genres.
So without further ado, here is my humble contribution.

Outcast
System Shock 2
Realms of the Haunting
Deus Ex
Ceasar 3
Alpha Centauri
Half Life
Twinsuns Odyssey

Hi Flotsam, and a big

Here's mine
1-American McGees Alice
2-Clive Barker's Undying
3-PainKiller
4-Serious Sam
5-Ultimate Ride
6-Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
7-Rise of the Middle Kingdom
8-UnReal Tournament 2003
9-Cultures
10-RollerCoaster Tycoon

Here's mine:

1. Grand Prix Legends
2. Painkiller
3. Mafia
4. Splinter Cell
5. System Shock 2
6. Max Payne 1&2
7. Return To Castle Wolfenstein
8. Clive Barker's Undying
9. HalfLife

Rusty

Hi

And mine....

Yahoo !!
Reading posts from other members has jogged my memory for games I have played and traded on, so now I can list a whole TEN

Might & Magic VI
Baldur's Gate
Planescape Torment
Darkened Skye
Diablo
Hellfire
Return to Krondor
Dragon Riders
Outcast
Lands of Lore III

Thanks for yet another mammoth undertaking and "all the best" for your move

Cheers.

Mad

I have only played 6 non-adventure games so here are all of them.

Avernum 1
Avernum 2
Avernum 3
Divine Divinity
Beyond Divinity
Morrowind

some great listings already!

Gimme, all 3 avernum games-wow I am impressed. Curious which one did you like best. in case you didn't know, blades of avernum just got released.

Planescape: Torment
Betrayal at Krondor
Anachronox
Septerra core
Heroes of Might & Magic 2
Deus Ex
Morrowind
Star Wars - KOTOR
Lands of Lore
Rollercoaster Tycoon

That's what I have off the top of my head, I'll probably see something I have missed when I see other people's lists.

Thanks again, Flotsam!

1. Divine Divinity
2. Might and Magic VI
3. Might and Magic VII
4. Might and Magic VIII
5. Zanzarah
6. Enclave
7. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
8. Ghost Master
9. Morrowind
10. Beyond Divinity
Honorable mention: ROTH, Europa 1400, Anachronox, Betrayal in Antara, Dragonriders of Pern, Rollercoaster Tycoon

Aaaah! Dark Side Twisty! Let's not forget who came up with that great name!

Sample the following:

Anachronox
Diablo II
Dungeon Siege
Neverwinter Nights
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate II
Divine Divinity
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Might & Magic VI
Zeus

great gratitude for doing this flotsam! for Zanthia's offer to seperate into catagories..

Here's my humble list in no particular order other the #1:

#1 Divine Divinity
Baldur Gate I
Morrowind
Morrowind-Blood Moon
Beyond Divinity-
Enclave-still playing but love it
Zanzarah
Diablo I-still playing but love it
Sacred-for the ease of playing
Realms of the Haunting

Ingie

Flotsam you are a darling for doing this. Only PC games have been mentioned so far. Are we able to include console games too or should they have a separate list?

I am still considering my list but without console games it will be rather short.

This is so exciting - I actually have games to list this time - who da thunk it???

Divine Divinity
Morrowind
Anachronox
Outcast
Quest for Glory IV
Quest for Glory I
Quest for Glory V
Quest for Glory III
Sacred
Beyond Divinity

Here's my list:

- Morrowind
- Tribunal (Morrowind expansion)
- Bloodmoon (Morrowind expansion)
- Divine Divinity
- Baldur's Gate 1
- Tales of the Sword Coast (BG1 expansion)
- Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
- Throne of Bhaal (BG2 expansion)
- Dragon Lore 2

Many bows to Flotsam for compiling the list, Zanthia for sorting, and Schwab for the name.

1)Zanzarah
2)Max Payne 2
3)Tomb Raider 1
4)Tomb Raider 2
5)Tomb Raider 3
6)Dungeon Siege
7)Dungeon Siege-Legend of Aranna
8)Harry Potter 2
9)Ghostmaster
10)American McGee's Alice.

Caroline

I think we should try and stick to pc games Jude, particularly as that is the way people have started.

Well, here's my short list (In no particular order)

Realms of the Haunting
System Shock 2
Thief: The Dark Project
Thief II: The Metal Age
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Morrowind
Rollercoaster Tycoon
Divine Divinity
Star Wars: Knights Of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Jedi Knight, Jedi Academy

Edit: Why in the world has nobody mentioned the famous Thief games, yet? Am I the only fan of the series left on the board?

Hi Mac,

Ingie

1. Lands of Lore 1
2. Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption
3. Clive Barker's Undying
4. Might & Magic 7
5. Wizardry 7 (CODS)
6. Might & Magic 6
7. Anvil of Dawn
8. Quest for Glory 4
9. Wizards & Warriors
10. Quest for Glory 2

Are there rules about editing your list after posting?

Here's Mine... Not in any order..

1. Prince of Persia 3D
2. Splinter Cell [one]
3. Deus Ex [one]
4. Mask of Eternity
5. Quest for Glory, Dragonfire
6. Nightlong [?]
7. 007 Nightfire
8. Auryn Quest [?]
9. Outcast [still playing]
10 Traitors Gate [one]

Hi Syd

I hope not !! 'Cause I edited mine !!

[I can't see how it would matter before the "end" date ??]

And I didn't include QFG myself - in case it wasn't countable - but then found I could make 10 anyway !! Which I found amazing

Realms of the Haunting
Might and Magic 6
Jurassic Park Operation Genesis
Morrowind
Neighbours from Hell
Baldur's Gate 2
Zanzarah
Ghostmaster
Anachronox
Divine Divinity

I had to leave off ones I really liked--the Quest for Glory series and Stonekeep, for example, but nothing for it but to stick to the rules! Also belonging to the Honorable Mention category are Anvil of Dawn, Ultima Underworld 1, and Ultima Underworld 2. The Ultima Underworlds would be in my top ten were it not for what would now be the too-outdated graphics for a lot of players.

Here's mine. BTW they are not in any order:

1. Baldur's Gate
2. Baldur's Gate Shadows of Amn
3. Arcanum
4. Realms of the Haunting
5. Morrowind
6. Divine Divinity
7. Nox
8. Dungeon Seige
9. Neverwinter Nights
10.Icewind Dale



Honorable Mention:
All the Baldur's Gate Series/Expansion Packs
All the Neverwinter Nights series
Dungeon Seige LOA
Arx Fatalis
All the Diablo Series
Planescape Torment
Icewind Dale II

I haven't been playing that long, so don't have much of a list. My favorites are:

Divine Divinity
Beyond Divinity
Zanzarah
American Magee's Alice

Jean

Thank you for starting this. Love the name too, by the way. Here's my list:

System Shock
System Shock 2
Planescape Torment
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Realms of the Haunting
Thief Gold
American McGee's Alice
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M's Way

I'll probably add to it over the next few days.

Baldur's Gate 1
Baldur's Gate 2
Planescape Torment
Gothic 1
Gothic 2
Divine Divinity
Morrowind
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
American McGee's Alice
Tomb Raider 4 The Last Revelation

and I could go on!

I can't believe that I had enough to narrow the list down to 10. I think my first RPG was Betrayal in Antara and it consumed me so it moved Diablo of my list. Oh Well.........

Here's mine.

Morrowind
Divine Divinity
Gothic
No One Lives Forever
Tomb Raider 2
Tomb Raider 3
Tomb Raider 4
Realms of the Haunting
Betrayal in Antara
Sacred

A rather short list as it takes me ages to play a RPG:

Baldur's Gate 1
Baldur's Gate 2

Not sure I'll have any more to add by next year!

Here's mine.

1. Divine Divinity
2. Neverwinter Nights
3. Morrowind
4. Outcast
5. Might and Magic 6
6. Might and Magic 7
7. Zanzarah
8. Dungeon Siege
9. Prince of Persia 3D
10. Beyond Divinity (haven't finished it)

Thanks flotsam

• Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
• The Mummy (by Konami based on the movie with Brendan Fraser)
• Silent Hill 2
• Silent Hill 3
• Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now

flotsam

This is too hard to shave it down to ten, but here goes:

Baldur

In no Particuliar order

American McGees Alice
Nocturne
BloodRayne
Realms of the Haunting
Diablo
Baulders Gate I
Pool of Radiance
Clive Barkers Undying
Vampire Masquerade Redemption
Resident Evil


Josie

My dark-side twysty list:

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
Outcast
System Shock
System Shock 2
Diablo 2
Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction Expansion
Half-Life
Half-Life Opposing Force
Thief Gold
The Operative: No One Lives Forever

Hi Syd,
There is no rule about editing after posting, but there IS a rule about editing after I have counted - which I haven't yet done so go for it.

I have only played one game that I think would count, but I loved it! It's Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine.

I'm also currently loving 007 Everything or Nothing, but I don't think it's available for PC so doesn't count. But if you have a console I really recommend it.

Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 3
Diablo
Diablo 2
Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction
Divine Divinity

I haven't played that many non-adventure games but here are my favorites ...

Beyond Good and Evil
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Zanzarah
Anachronox
Divine Divinity
Neverwinter Nights
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

Kim

Some classics are already mentioned and some are not yet on the list. Most of them are older games:

Messiah
Hidden & Dangerous
Deus Ex
The Operative: No One Lives Forever
Grand Theft Auto III
Summoner
Severance Blade of Darkness
Fallout
Thief: The Dark Project
Omikron: The Nomad Soul

Hi

There is no rule about editing after posting, but there IS a rule about editing after I have counted - which I haven't yet done so go for it.

I'm really glad you said that, Flotsam, seeing as how I already went an' did it

Cheers.

Mad

This is cheating slightly as I haven't finished two of these games yet:

Zanzarah
Anachronax
Populous The Beginning
Puzz 3d - Bavarian Castle
Age of Empires
ThinkX
Can I include SuperCollapse which you can download from the internet?

Niku'a is Summoner a PC game? I played it on the PS2.

THANK YOU, flotsam!! This is wonderful for those of us that have "fallen prey" to the "dark side!"

Here is my list, in no particular order:

1. Divine Divinity
2. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
3. Sacred
4. Clive Barker's Undying
5. MORROWIND!!!!
6. Neverwinter Nights
7. System Shock 2
8. Anachronox
9. Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood
10. Omikron: The Nomad Soul

And honorable mention goes to:

Triple Peaks Solitaire (from Pogo.com - I know, it's not really "the dark side," but it's not an adventure EITHER!)

Thanks to all you moderators, for all you do!

1. Thief 1 Gold
2. THief 2
3. Deus Ex - the original game
4. Baldur's Gate Shadows of Amn
5. Baldur's Gate
6. Baldur's Gate Tales of the Sword Coast
7. Gothic 1
8. Gothic 2
9. Morrowind
10. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic

(Edit: I didn't include Thief 3 - although it was a great game, I haven't played the patched version yet. If I had, it might have bumped KOTOR off the end of the list. Not that KOTOR isn't a great game - I had a lot of trouble picking ten games, actually - I would have included about five more if I had been able to!).

Jude,

Summoner came out for the PC. since the game is identical to the PSX2 version, i see no reason why you couldn't list it if you so desired.

Summoner 2 however never came for the PC nor will it --bummer!

I played quite a bit of Summoner 2 on the PS2 (don't know if it's the same as the Gamecube version, which has a slightly different title), and didn't find it quite as fun as the first. Don't worry Zanthia, you aren't missing much.

I've noticed that Thief: The Dark Project and Thief Gold have received a few votes. Will they be considered the same thing, or separate games?

Well, I haven't played 10 but here's my short list....

1. Divine Divinity
2. Morrowind
3. Anachronox
4. Zanzarah
5. No One Lives Forever
6. Silent Hill 2

Love, Jen

In response to feardust's query, I think Thief 1 and Thief Gold should really be counted as one game because one is just a longer version of the other and not an expansion pack - that's my two cent's worth.

In no particular order.

1. Diablo: Hellfire (not 2)
2. Civilization 2 (not 3)
3. Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Shadow of Death (not 4)
4. Super Mario 64 (not Sunshine)
5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (not Master Quest)
6. Princess Maker 2 (not 3)
7. Puyo Puyo Sun

All highly recommended games for all gamers.

I have a question..

Some of us had a hard time coming up with 10, and then some of the gamers like Zanthia, Schwab, Hagatha, Debra, and a few others; those that have been playing these types of games for a long time could come up with more than 10...
Could they be allowed to add the others they would want to mention? Just to sort of balance out the ones that cannot make it to 10?
You opinions are valuable to us-already has added a game to my playing list- <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />

I know the reason 10 was so that those of us new to gaming in this world could join in the fun

Thanks,
Ingie

I am not sure if i am understanding you correctly. are you suggesting that we should add our additional picks to those who listed less than 10 games so in total those people would have 10 games listed. if so, then i don't agree with that. i think whatever choices person made no matter what the number they should be left as is. if this is not what you are suggesting, please explain what you mean as i don't get it. sorry.

now what a person can do, if they want is after their list is to list honorable mentions(those that just missed being the top 10) this way you could see additional top choices but Flotsam does not have to include them in his final count.

The last statement you made Zanthia.
I'm sorry I am having a hard time expressing myself these days.

I like the term honorable mention.

Thank you for explaining what I mean.

Ingie

Hi all,
Sorry for my absence. Been off-line moving house etc. Still don't have all the technology wired up yet.
But I will return to my important tasks (ie this one) immediately.
Honourable mentions sound good.

wow was this tough to do. automatically no expansion packs were included. in my mind they are all there with the associated titles. about half the titles on this list could have been easily replaced by 20 other titles that are just as good. one thing i did not want to do is list 2 games from the same series. sorry non-rpg titles just wasn't any room for you on this short a list.

So in no particular order:

1. Baldurs Gate 2
2. Betrayal at krondor
3. Fallout
4. Might and Magic 7
5. Morrowind
6. Neverwinter Nights
7. Planescape Torment
8. Ultima 7 complete
9. Ultima Underworld 2
10 Wizardry 8

Honorable mentions-RPG's: Anachronox, Albion, Anvil of Dawn, Deus Ex, Divine Divinity, Diablo 1, eye of beholder 2, Gothic, ,Icewind dale 1/2, MM3-MM6, Lands of lore 1, ravenloft series, Realms of Arkania: Shadows over riva, TOEE, U4-U6, star wars: KOTOR

Honorable Mentions- non rpg's: ROTH, Outcast, NOLF1, Max payne 1/2, alice, undying, Heroes of Might and Magic 3 complete, indy: infernal machine, arabian nights, tomb raider 1-3 , crusader no remorse/no regret

Flotsam for doing this and hope your move is going well.

Only 10??? Anyways, this is a really cool thread so here's my list:

1. Tombraider 1
2. Tombraider 4: The Last Revelation
3. The Sims (original)
4. Max Payne 1
5. Hitman 1
6. Resident evil :nemesis
7. Silent Hill 2
8. Alone in the dark : The New Nightmare
9. Gothic 1
10. Postal 2

Unfortunately, Need for speed 3, duke nukem: manhatten project and mafia couldn't make it to top.

Allowing for a few errors, nearly 140 games have been mentioned.
Top 3 are Morrowind, Divine Divinty and Baldurs Gate. Anachronox, Zanzarah and Neverwinter Nghts are also doing well.
Crossover games doing well are ROTH and Outcast.
I have counted Thief and Thief Gold as the same game.
Lets finish Saturday - I will send you a list shortly Zanthia.

Good to know, flotsam. It does seem right that they are considered the same title. Cheers.

No RPG's for me, I seem to really like those "shooters". Give me a sniper rifle or a good bow or sword and I'm a happy gamer.

1) Thief Gold
2) Outcast
3) Unreal
4) Nocturne
5) Wheel of Time
6) Drakan
7) Max Payne
8) No On Lives Forever
9) Alice
10)Return to Castle Wolfenstein

Honorable Mention goes to:
Blair Witch 1: Rustin Parr
Thief: The Metal Age
Return to Na Pali (Expansion Pack for Unreal)
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 3
Undying
Thievery(Multiplayer Mod for Unreal Tournament, based on the Thief Series of games)

Waiting on the shelf to play are: Nolf 2, Unreal 2, Max Payne 2, Thief(3):Deadly Shadows, Contact Jack, Serious Sam, PoP: Sands of Time, Hitman 1&2, Mistmare.
Maybe some of these will make next years list.

Sassy

I have counted up to here so no more edits please if you have already posted.
See you all Saturday!

As I delve into the gray matter between my two ears, I am coming up with:

Legacy of Kain Series
Soul Reaver
Soul Reaver 2
Blood Omen 2

I am sure there were others, but those are the only ones of the Kain series that I played.

Vampire: The Masquerade..Redemption
Dark Fall
Amerian McGee's Alice (loved it!)
Lighthouse
Sanitarium

There were so many...so many good ones.

EGADZZZ!!! Almost forgot one the most 'twisted' ones of all time:

Shadowman

It was neck and neck all the way and a clear winner could not be found. I must get them both.
As I am not terribly familiar with these games, I left the names as I found them. I did not want to confuse a subtitle with an expansion pack. My apologies therefore if some games aren't grouped with their siblings.
An alphabetical and numerical list follows. Once Zanthia has had an opportunity to look over the list, I will post a genre list as well.
Here tis

18 Morrowind
18 Divine Divinity
11 Baldur

1 007 Nightfire
1 Age of Empires
1 Alone in the Dark 4
1 Alpha Centauri
7 American McGees Alice
8 Anachronox
1 Anvil of Dawn
1 Arcanum
1 Avernum 1
1 Avernum 2
1 Avernum 3
11 Baldur

<img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/bravo.gif " /> <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/bravo.gif " /> <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/bravo.gif " />
FINALLY! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />
That must have been a lot of work, Flotsam, thanks for your efforts.

Looking at the bigger vote-getters, I see a pretty good variety of genres, and all of them are quality games spanning the last 10 years or so, which means we have pretty good taste here!

flotsam for putting together the list <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/bravo.gif " /> <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/bravo.gif " /> <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/bravo.gif " /> Great job on it.

DId you get my e-mail where i sent you the genre list. i sent it to you several days ago. i still have a copy so i can always resend it.

No real surpise with the winners here. One can't go wrong with any of those games in the top 10.

My hat's off to you Flotsam. Super job.

Glad to see Morrowind at the top. Basically I agree with 4 of the top 5 and haven't played Zanzarah yet.

Thanks so much Flotsam for all your work! Hope your move went well, and sure appreciate you taking the time to do this, especially while having to contend with all those boxes!

Wow, Flotsam....thank you SOOOO much for all of your work on that!! I intend to use this as a purchase list, myself! Already own all the top games, well...all THESE (only missing a few)...

18 Morrowind
18 Divine Divinity
11 Baldur

Hi

More BIG thanks. flotsam, for another BIG job well done

We all appreciate you donating the time and effort

Thanks very much !!!!

Cheers.

Mad

flotsam,

please CYE

Hi Zanthia,
Nothing arrived
Can you try again?

steve

Just 1 vote for The Sims? The biggest selling PC Game of all time? Really? Then who is buying it?

PS. Quest for glory 5 and Dragonfire are the same game.

And I think Baldur's Gate 1 was called Tales of the Sword Coast. They may be the same thing, but it's been so long since I have played it, I can't remember, but somebody else may.

my mistake. i never sent it. i just sent it so now please cye! sorry!

Hi Agent Provocateur

My Baldur's Gate (1) was called Forgotten Realms.

I think Tales of the Sword Coast is the expansion ??

Cheers.

Mad

Still nothing Zanthia.
Is it coming from the gameboomers address? All I can think of is I have a rule or filter that is keeping it out. I know yahoo is blocked.
I am getting stuff from MaG ok.

steve

Oops. Yes, Mad, TOSC is the expansion to BG1.

But what are Sanitarium and Lighthouse, 2 adventure games doing on the list?

Hmmm..let's try this...in no particular order...I realize it's late (would help if I finished reading the whole post before replying, huh?)

Baldur's Gate
Planescape Torment
Thief
Half Life
Tomb Raider (the original)
Deus Ex
Undying
Morrowind
Starcraft
Age of Empires II


So many others I want to include (Icewind Dale, System Shock 2 and Outcast to name a few really close choices) but I think I'll go with these.

wow this is strange. don't know why i would be blocked. i am using my own e-mail address. My provider is comcast which is a major provider so there is no reason your provider should be blocking anything with a comcast address. is there any way you can check if that is the case. i do use an old version of netscape mail but that shouldn't make any difference.

Flotsam,

Congratulations on the excellent work in putting together the list. While my own contribution was made after the list was completed, I certainly wouldn't argue any of the games at the top of the list.

Surprising to me were a number of items which received few or no votes. While I have not played some of the games listed (Princess Maker 2 and Jurassic Park Operation Genesis to name a few), I am surprised at some of the omissions (Starcraft and Warcraft being the largest surprises, along with Everquest) and some which received very few votes (the Age of Empires series, The Sims and Civilization (1,2 or 3)), games which are certainly benchmarks in non-adventure gaming.

Looking at the list it would appear to me that, with some obvious exceptions, our crew here are relative newcomers to the dark side of gaming though obviously we are beginning to open up a bit.

Hi Vik

The Twisty List is more recommendation than a "Best Ever" list and since many folks here are fairly new to anything other than adventure games, the more popular suggestions will be ones that are either newer games or ones that have been popular specifically with Gameboomers at this very forum i.e. Divine Divinity and Zanzarah.

Also, it appears the top vote getters are non-adventure games that all have adventure elements such as a strong story, quests, or puzzles along with combat or action. Do RTS games have that? I don't know, every one I've tried has bored me to tears.

I'm not sure why the Sims isn't more talked about here, but I suspect Sims fans are not interested in many other PC games and don't frequent general gaming sites often. Just a theory.

As far as MMORPG's like Everquest, not many people here play them that I've seen (though I have and like them very much), and I think the twisty list is more about single player game suggestions that don't involve monthly fees <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />

flotsam,

i just had my husband send you e-mail just in case it was netscape related so hopefully you will receive soemthing from stitchman. you don't have attachments blocked by any chance. now i know you never received the e-mail i sent you last week.

Hey Schwab

I can't argue anything that you've said. I'm not a strong RTS player (I tend to tunnel-vision a little too much sometimes) but I find them very challenging from a puzzle-solving standpoint (quite often resource-allocation can be the greatest puzzle of all). I understand they are not always the strongest of stories, if there is one at all, and the storyline primarily being told in cutscenes between segments but some of the people who write these games off without giving them due consideration are the same people who will champion the worst of adventure games (I still play adventure games though I am much pickier now) as "a well-meaning attempt to keep adventure gaming alive". For every truly enjoyable adventure game (a la Syberia, Dark Fall or The Longest Journey), adventure gamers must endure half-a-dozen mockeries (such as Midnight Nowhere) which we buy because "we have to support adventure gaming or the genre will die". The genre will survive because of the quality efforts that are made, not the quantity of hack efforts made to take advantage of our misguided loyalties.

Adventure gamers tend to loathe the other genres because "they're all the same, brainless hacking/shooting/blowing things up and they're all sequels which reflect the lack of originality within the genre - blah,blah,blah" but every genre is susceptible to this and sequels can be as good as the originals (I trace my adventuring roots back to Zork I, II, and III). Many of us, though, are moving past that bias. RPG's are giving us the storylines we have long demanded even though some were there before and we just ignored them (evident by some of the old school RPGs that people have listed, Quest for Glory, the Krondor games). MMORPG's (though I am not a player as I play games on a very haphazard schedule and the thought of a monthly subscription charge to play a game I shelled $40 out for in the first place makes me ill) are developing into a genre that will soon be a creature that cannot be ignored. Simulations and RTS's are also developing with sparks of originality and versatility.

I myself found RTS's quite boring and, with a few exceptions, usually still do. I watched my wife and son become addicted to Lords of the Realm (I and II, haven't tried III yet) and Lords of Magic and couldn't figure out what they were enjoying. I had forgotten my old Commodore-64 days playing Rails West, Temple of Apshai and Tigers in the Snow and other classics from Epyx and SSI (Strategic Simulations Inc). I started again with Starcraft and found a beast that I truly enjoyed. When I finally managed to hold off the Zerg attack and survived the campaign with one measly foot-soldier at the end of the time limit, I felt a sense of exhiliration I rarely felt during an adventure game. Not a greater sense, just a different one. I still don't play many but I don't instantly ignore them as I was wont to in the past.

I feel that RTS's are just different puzzles than the ones you find in adventure games and could addict some of us the same way that Starcraft did for me. Imagine if you will the way first-pers shooter junkies commented on Thief-The Dark Project when it came out. "What do you mean I have to hide and not kill everything in sight?" Now stealth games are their own genre, with further developments in Thief and moving on to things like Hitman and Splinter Cell. Deus Ex crossed an RPG with an action game and a stealth game to create an experience that it couldn't duplicate itself in the sequel.

Puzzles don't always have to be find key-unlock door or join the ipecac flower with the pancake syrup to save yourself from a snake (though I enjoyed that one a lot). Sometimes the puzzle is more subtle than it seems and the quest, part of a much bigger picture.

Now to print out the lists for when I get a bad case of BAAGS again-like everyday


Ingie

Hi all,
Finally overcame the gremlins in the mail so will post some genre details shortly.

Hello again,
What follows is the above numerical list with the top 10 (plus ties) categorised into genre, then the whole list broken up into genre categories. I didn't include the pure adventure titles and left out a few console games.
It seems that rpg's rule the roost.
Greatest thanks to Zanthia for her work


top 10

18 Morrowind (rpg)
18 Divine Divinity (rpg)
11 Baldur’s Gate 1 (rpg)
10 Baldurs gate 2 (rpg)
9 Zanzarah (rpg)
8 Realms of the Haunting (action/adventure)
8 Anachronox (rpg)
7 Outcast (action/adventure)
7 Neverwinter Nights (rpg)
6 American McGees Alice (action)
6 System Shock 2 (action/rpg)
6 Deus Ex (action/rpg)
6 Diablo 2 (action/rpg)
6 Might and Magic 6 (rpg)
6 Beyond Divinity (action/rpg)
6 Thief: The Dark Project (stealth action)


rpg

18 Morrowind
18 Divine Divinity
11 Baldur’s Gate 1
10 Baldur’s Gate 2
9 Zanzarah
8 Anachronox
7 Neverwinter Nights
6 Might and Magic 6
5 Planescape Torment
5 Star Wars – Knights of the Old Republic
5 Gothic
4 Might and Magic 7
3 Morrowind – Blood Moon
3 Gothic 2
2 Betrayal at Krondor
2 Lands of Lore
2 Baldurs Gate – Tales of the Sword Coast
2 Quest for Glory 4
1 Morrowind – Tribunal, Return to Krondor, Dragon Riders, Lands of Lore 3, Avernum 1, Avernum 2, Avernum 3, Might and Magic 8, Wizardry 8, Anvil of Dawn, Wizards and Warriors, Wizardry 7, Quest for Glory 1, Quest for Glory 3, Quest for Glory 2, Quest for Glory 5, Pool of radiance, Icewind Dale, Betrayal at Antara, Baldurs Gate 2 – Throne of Bhaal, Arcanum, Quest for Glory – Dragonfire, Summoner, Fallout, Ultima 7, Ultima Underworld 2,


action/adventure

8 Realms of the Haunting
7 Outcast
4 Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
4 Tomb Raider 4
4 Silent Hill 2
2 Tomb Raider 1
2 Tomb Raider 2
2 Tomb Raider 3
2 Omikron: The Nomad Soul
2 Prince of Persia 3D
2 Silent Hill 3
1 Darkened Skye, Twinsuns Odyssey, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,
Harry Potter 2, Dragon Lore 2, Mask of Eternity, Prince of Persia – Sands of Time, The Mummy, Nocturne, Bloodrayne, Resident Evil, Beyond Good and Evil, Alone in the Dark 4


action/rpg

6 System Shock 2
6 Deus Ex
6 Diablo 2
6 Beyond Divinity
4 Dungeon Siege
4 Sacred
3 Diablo 2, Lord of Destruction
2 System Shock
2 Diablo
2 Diablo Hellfire
2 Vampire Masquerade: Redemption
1 Dungeon Siege – Legend of Aranna
1 Nox


stealth action

6 Thief: The Dark Project
2 Thief: The Metal Age
1 Thief: Deadly Shadows


sim and sim/strategy

3 Roller Coaster Tycoon
1 The Sims
1 Ultimate Ride
1 Jurassic Park Operation Genesis
1 Ceasar 3
1 Rise of the Middle Kingdom
1 Zeus


action

6 American McGees Alice
5 Undying
5 No One Lives Forever
3 Half Life
2 Painkiller
2 Splinter Cell
2 Max Payne 1
2 Max Payne 2
1 Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Serious Sam, Mafia, Half Life: Opposing Force, Star Wars: Jedi Knight, Enclave, 007 Nightfire, No One Lives Forever 2, Messiah, Hidden and Dangerous, Grand Theft Auto 3, Severance Blade of Darkness, Hitman, Postal 2


strategy

3 Ghost Master
1 Cultures
1 Neighbours from hell
1 Popoulous: The Beginning
1 Age of Empires
1 Robin Hood: Legend of Sherwood


turn based strategy

1 Heroes Might and Magic 2
1 Alpha Centauri
1 Civillization 2
1 Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Shadow of Death


racing

1 Grand Prix Legends
1 Carmageddon 2

puzzle

1 Puzzle 3D – Bavarian Castle
1 Thinkx

Thanks a lot to Steve and Zanthia for the hard work of putting this together.

I will archive the thread now.