P&B Ranks: The Top 42 Video Games of All-Time

[Miguel Sanchez]

1 hour ago, Stellaboz said:

TLoU2 is fantastic. Anyone who is still complaining about Abby and the storyline needs to wind it in. It's a fucking rollercoaster of a ride and really presents well the morality of nothing being black and white. 

I think you really need to watch the ZP review of it.

[yoda]

GOW was my top pick. I loved it and have no desire to go and play the previous titles. Somehow I think they'd detract from my enjoyment of it.

There's nothing groundbreaking about it but the story totally sucked me in. It looks gorgeous at times too - it's stunning when you first rock up in Alfheim.

[Miguel Sanchez]

1 minute ago, yoda said:

GOW was my top pick. I loved it and have no desire to go and play the previous titles. Somehow I think they'd detract from my enjoyment of it.

There's nothing groundbreaking about it but the story totally sucked me in. It looks gorgeous at times too - it's stunning when you first rock up in Alfheim.

From what I know of 2018 I honestly don't think there would be any relation to the previous games. All 7 of them are pretty much the same gameplay-wise (Ascension is garbage though) and you get to learn lots about Greek mythology as you kill all of them. 3 is probably the closest to 2018 thematically when Kratos ends up with a surrogate daughter but they're still objectively good games.

[forameus]

At the risk of sounding like a contrarian hipster c**t, I never got into God of War.  I played a fair chunk of the game, but it was another one where I didn't quite see what everyone was raving about.  Seemed to be a jumped up version of a linear environment where you just travelled through, fought some enemies, solved some puzzles, then repeat until the end.  Looks beautiful, well shot, clearly well made, but nothing overly special.

I didn't have LOU2 on my list, but it would've been close to it.  Despite the worrying number of VLs having aneurisms over the story, I quite liked it.  It made bold choices, and although not all of them totally worked, it told a good story.  Slight flub on the ending soured it a little though.  No spoilers, but they introduced new settings and enemies very, very close to the end of the game that left you feeling like it was all a bit sudden.  And I think the tone of the final few scenes was a bit off.  Other than that though, another extremely polished and extremely enjoyable game.  

24 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Two games that I've never played as I no longer own a PS and have no intentions of getting one.

However, both games bizarrely enough are two of only maybe 3 that I have ever actually sat and watched entire playthroughs of as I'd completed and enjoyed previous instalments in the respective series and was interested in the story side of both.

Playthroughs on YouTube are underrated.  For purely story-driven games, if you can find a YouTuber that you enjoy - and particularly one that knows when to shut up and when to talk - then you get to enjoy the game anyway without buying it.  Particularly if you physically can't buy it.  

[19QOS19]

I think you really need to watch the ZP review of it.

I thought the ZP review was very bizarre tbh. He clearly just doesn't like Naughty Dog titles, having slated TLoU and Uncharted (it's not you is it?). That's fair enough but in the review he's almost confused as to what a linear game involves. It's going from Point A to Point B with shit in between. In a post apocalyptic world of course there is going to be mutants every step of the way. He also complains that it's a grim play. Who'd have thought that would be the case in a world where everyone is trying to kill each other? Did he expect it to be a cheery affair? Look at the opening trailer for the game ffs. It's absolutely depressing. But I could let him off to a point with that if he didn't then criticise the jovial approach the Uncharted games take. Make you're mind up [emoji38] Do you want a bit of realism or do you want to have a jolly?

In a world where games cost around £50, game length is something I never complain about. Each to their own on that front but I would only be complaining about a game length if it was ridiculously short.

I didn't have LOU2 on my list, but it would've been close to it.  Despite the worrying number of VLs having aneurisms over the story, I quite liked it.  It made bold choices, and although not all of them totally worked, it told a good story. 

I really didn't understand the hate for the story. Don't get me wrong, when that scene with Joel is played out I was absolutely fizzing but like I've said above, it's a post apocalyptic world. It's a bit of reality in the franchise and that not everyone would survive. I enjoyed how they did the story and ended up edging more towards Abby which IMO is a credit to the writing given how 'protective' I felt over Ellie after the first title.

[Miguel Sanchez]

4 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

 

 

I thought the ZP review was very bizarre tbh. He clearly just doesn't like Naughty Dog titles, having slated TLoU and Uncharted (it's not you is it?). That's fair enough but in the review he's almost confused as to what a linear game involves. It's going from Point A to Point B with shit in between. In a post apocalyptic world of course there is going to be mutants every step of the way. He also complains that it's a grim play. Who'd have thought that would be the case in a world where everyone is trying to kill each other? Did he expect it to be a cheery affair? Look at the opening trailer for the game ffs. It's absolutely depressing. But I could let him off to a point with that if he didn't then criticise the jovial approach the Uncharted games take. Make you're mind up Do you want a bit of realism or do you want to have a jolly?

In a world where games cost around £50, game length is something I never complain about. Each to their own on that front but I would only be complaining about a game length if it was ridiculously short.




I really didn't understand the hate for the story. Don't get me wrong, when that scene with Joel is played out I was absolutely fizzing but like I've said above, it's a post apocalyptic world. It's a bit of reality in the franchise and that not everyone would survive. I enjoyed how they did the story and ended up edging more towards Abby which IMO is a credit to the writing given how 'protective' I felt over Ellie after the first title.

 

Don't make me tap the sign

[19QOS19]

Don't make me tap the sign

I just had a look at his review of RDR2 to confirm my suspicions which is duly did. I apologise for accusing you of being him as he's clearly Rammagamma.

[NotThePars]

I've never played God of War but it does look decent enough. I think my problem with it is more that it's emblematic of the glut of Dad Games that Sony's prestige obsession has given us in the last decade. I'll play it eventually though as I think the issue might just be the way people talk about it rather than the game itself. I mean Death Stranding is a dad game of sorts but I still loved it. 

The one-take cinematography thing is so bizarre though. Like I sorta appreciate it but it's not as impressive to do that in a game for a multitude of reasons as it is in a movie. It's the same problem Naughty Dog has in that 'prestige' games have to emulate other media for acclaim when games are completely different to movies or television so the markers for judging it should be somewhat different. It's why I'm not surprised TLoU and Uncharted are being made into movies but it should also be redundant. Those games are as close to aping cinema without doing anything interesting in their own medium like Metal Gear Solid as they can be so to make that step is pointless. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by NotThePars

[NotThePars]

Anyway, what's that? Another miserable, nihilistic and reactionary post-apocalyptic world where all the power structures are brutal, corrupt and self-serving but this time the protagonists are all queer?

 

[19QOS19]

I need someone to explain to me what Ellie's sexuality in the game has to do with anything. I really didn't care whether it was a boy or girl she was developing feelings for it was just another relationship. I certainly didn't have stronger feelings for her because she was gay and there's something a wee bit off for me when reviewers are using that as a rod to beat the game.

[Homer Thompson]

I've never played God of War but it does look decent enough. I think my problem with it is more that it's emblematic of the glut of Dad Games that Sony's prestige obsession has given us in the last decade. I'll play it eventually though as I think the issue might just be the way people talk about it rather than the game itself. I mean Death Stranding is a dad game of sorts but I still loved it. 
The one-take cinematography thing is so bizarre though. Like I sorta appreciate it but it's not as impressive to do that in a game for a multitude of reasons as it is in a movie. It's the same problem Naughty Dog has in that 'prestige' games have to emulate other media for acclaim when games are completely different to movies or television so the markers for judging it should be somewhat different. It's why I'm not surprised TLoU and Uncharted are being made into movies but it should also be redundant. Those games are as close to aping cinema without doing anything interesting in their own medium like Metal Gear Solid as they can be so to make that step is pointless. 

Dad games?

[SANTAN]

Didn't get past the first few hours of Last Of Us 1, boring game. Decent wee cut scene but the gameplay was turgid. I probably played it too late. 

[NotThePars]

Just now, Mr X said:

1 hour ago, NotThePars said:

I've never played God of War but it does look decent enough. I think my problem with it is more that it's emblematic of the glut of Dad Games that Sony's prestige obsession has given us in the last decade. I'll play it eventually though as I think the issue might just be the way people talk about it rather than the game itself. I mean Death Stranding is a dad game of sorts but I still loved it. 
The one-take cinematography thing is so bizarre though. Like I sorta appreciate it but it's not as impressive to do that in a game for a multitude of reasons as it is in a movie. It's the same problem Naughty Dog has in that 'prestige' games have to emulate other media for acclaim when games are completely different to movies or television so the markers for judging it should be somewhat different. It's why I'm not surprised TLoU and Uncharted are being made into movies but it should also be redundant. Those games are as close to aping cinema without doing anything interesting in their own medium like Metal Gear Solid as they can be so to make that step is pointless. 

Dad games?

Games which are about fatherhood:

The Last of Us, Death Stranding, God of War, The Witcher 3, Bioshock Infinite etc etc. A lot of the big prestige titles of the last decade were on some level about being a dad either literally or figuratively. 

[Homer Thompson]

Games which are about fatherhood:
The Last of Us, Death Stranding, God of War, The Witcher 3, Bioshock Infinite etc etc. A lot of the big prestige titles of the last decade were on some level about being a dad either literally or figuratively. 

What an odd thing to make a "thing" out of.

Not you, just in general

[NotThePars]

1 minute ago, Mr X said:

8 minutes ago, NotThePars said:

Games which are about fatherhood:
The Last of Us, Death Stranding, God of War, The Witcher 3, Bioshock Infinite etc etc. A lot of the big prestige titles of the last decade were on some level about being a dad either literally or figuratively. 

What an odd thing to make a "thing" out of

Well it's natural for human beings to notice trends and patterns. I would wager that people in journalism should probably notice these trends and patterns and assign terms to them otherwise they're not doing their job properly.

[GiGi]

It doesn't seem all that daft in the single player world to have a protective affinity between characters. I suppose it's a kind of ham-fisted way of drawing in the player to give a shit about the story.

And with that wankery I'll check myself out of the thread for the day.

Edited April 15, 2021 by GiGi

[Homer Thompson]

Well it's natural for human beings to notice trends and patterns. I would wager that people in journalism should probably notice these trends and patterns and assign terms to them otherwise they're not doing their job properly.

Is it a trend or pattern though? It's definitely not something new.

If there's been a genuine, significant, increase in titles with that focus then fair enough, its worthy of comment - although assigning terms to things is wholly unnecessary in most cases.

I suspect there hasn't been though.

[SANTAN]

I'd say the dad part is irrelevant it's just more  focus on developing games where you have an emotional connection or feel a responsibility towards the character to do them or their loved ones well. 

Especially considering it's only been the past 10 years where you can have such epic style adventure games that focus on graphics. It's a lot more difficult to be emotionally invested in some 2d pixel than it is some motion capture action. 

Come back in 20 years to see if they're aall about dads or not. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Stormzy

[Miguel Sanchez]

22 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

Especially considering it's only been the past 10 years where you can have such epic style adventure games that focus on graphics. It's a lot more difficult to be emotionally invested in some 2d pixel than it is some motion capture action. 

[forameus]

2 hours ago, 19QOS19 said:

I really didn't understand the hate for the story. Don't get me wrong, when that scene with Joel is played out I was absolutely fizzing but like I've said above, it's a post apocalyptic world. It's a bit of reality in the franchise and that not everyone would survive. I enjoyed how they did the story and ended up edging more towards Abby which IMO is a credit to the writing given how 'protective' I felt over Ellie after the first title.

 

Yeah, I was the same.  I just put the furore in it down to being basically complete Rammagamma's.  

I saw the Joel part as a bold choice and one that ultimately worked, particularly when you balance it against the rest of the choices they made later in the game. Slight spoilers for anyone that hasn't played it yet

I mentioned the ending being a bit weak for me with pacing, but it was a bit more than that.  I expect it was intentional to leave a big grey area on Ellie and have her not-quite-good but not-quite-bad.  But I felt they pushed it a little too far, to the point where at that final battle where you're just kicking the shit out of a defenceless Abby, I wanted an option to stop and not just keep hitting her.  I felt like the real bad guy in the situation was Ellie, and although they'd done a terrific job through the game of dancing that line, the ending seemed a bit off on that.  I can understand why they didn't, but I'd say that having an ending where you could spare or kill would've been a good way to finish it all off.  The way it was, you kind of got an on-rails "killkillkill....och, you can go" sort of thing.  

But it's nitpicking, as I'd agree the writing was great to put together those two stories, and take someone you've been protecting through the first game, and turn her into someone you can argue as the villain.  But at its core, it's the kind of story I like - they're all c***s in some way.