{"id":24410,"date":"2014-10-22T01:00:42","date_gmt":"2014-10-22T06:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=24410"},"modified":"2014-10-22T20:30:11","modified_gmt":"2014-10-23T01:30:11","slug":"top-64-games-56-to-49","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=24410","title":{"rendered":"Top 64 Games: 56 to 49"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reminder: Try not to stress out too much about the order of the items on this list, what games made it and which ones didn’t. This list is just PC games, limited to the ones I’ve played and I thought were worth discussing. If you rage out because I left out your favorite game then you’re just making a fool of yourself. Also remember the rule: A particular franchise can only appear in the list once, so if Resident Evil 4<\/em> makes the list then Resident Evil 2<\/em> can’t.<\/p>\n

Just use this as an excuse to talk about \/ praise \/ eviscerate games we might not get to discuss very often. Read the intro<\/a> to learn why we’re doing this.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

56. Assassin’s Creed<\/h3>\n

FREE HUGS.<\/td><\/tr><\/table><\/p>\n

I hate what Assassins Creed has become: A shallow dose of action schlock, built around a premise the writers don’t know what to do with and with a story that never goes anywhere. The present-day meta-story is a dumb waste of time, the overarching battle between assassins and Templars is a sophomoric mix of ideas with no theme or message, and the entries themselves became patronizingly Euro-centricI think fans would have welcomed more stories in the middle east or Asia, but Ubisoft is allergic to anything resembling risk.<\/span>. The story of Ezio is the worst case of Marty Sue I’ve seen in a AAA game. If you have the nerve to put a spoiled rich selfish simpleton as the central character of your game, and then have the audacity to have him out-smart Leonardo da Vinci<\/em>, then I am angry at you and we must fight.<\/p>\n

So why is this on the list? <\/p>\n

The core mechanics are solid, and I’ll always appreciate the seeds planted by the first game. And the series has a few good ideas sprinkled around out there, such as Black Flag’s naval combat. The series isn’t irredeemable, it’s just far short of what it could have been.<\/p>\n

55. The Walking Dead<\/h3>\n

Ooh. Gut-punch time.<\/td><\/tr><\/table><\/p>\n

I’ve already said everything I could possibly say about the game<\/a>, but in case you missed it: Telltale Games The Walking Dead<\/em> is a powerful experience that proves you don’t need “Photorealistic graphics” to have “more emotions”, and in fact the reverse might be true. Lee, Kenny, Clementine, and the rest of the cast were able to enact scenes with subtle facial expressions and things left unsaid, while staying far away from the tar pit of photorealism. <\/p>\n

54. City of Heroes<\/h3>\n

One of my characters: Fullmetal Jackie. Armor everywhere except where it counts, because comic books. Man I miss this game.<\/td><\/tr><\/table><\/p>\n

The best superhero MMO. One of the best MMO games, period. The genre has been in free-fall since then. Champions Online was stupid and filled with self-defeating gameplay design<\/a>, DC Universe Online was shallow and dull<\/a> and the interface wasn’t just dumbed down, it was lobotomized. Marvel Heroes<\/a> is something else entirely, and has nothing to do with making your own hero and punching bad guys for fun.<\/p>\n

53. FUEL<\/h3>\n