Ask HN: What older games are you playing through?
Recently finished FFX and now playing through FF7 for the first time. I feel like the games from that era tend to be more engaging - they cannot rely on the graphics to sell themselves and had not yet been 'hollywood-ised', so tend to be more creative, not take themselves too seriously and are just more fun.
Plus, there is the test of time - easier to know what the gems are after some time has passed.
I find that after a few hours, you stop even noticing the older graphics.
Any older games you have recently enjoyed for the first time?
Colonization[0] from 1994. Nowadays I play only the open source[1] remake: Freecol[2][3].
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Meier%27s_Colonization
[1] https://github.com/FreeCol/freecol
[2] https://www.freecol.org/about.html
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeCol
This looks great. I wish there was an iPad version. Not for me (I prefer desktop), but for my kid.
Not games I have discovered recently, but these are some truly great games I come back to every 5 years or so:
Heroes of Might and Magic 3 - to me a perfect mix of exploration, building and your own power creep. I've tried some of the later iterations but they all just weren't as good
Darklands - early RPG based on 15th century HRE/Germany with a magic system based on christian saints and miracles. Made in 1992 and amazingly an open world game
FF7 - Always amazing to play again
Alpha Centauri - Not played this for a decade or so, so don't know how it's held up. I kept coming back to this game for a long while. Newer versions such as Endless Space and Stellaris are good but just don't seem to have the same wonder that this original civ in space did, but might be because I've seen it all before.
From the next 'era' of games I would say look at Bioshock 1/2/3 and Deadspace (which I think has been redone recently to rave reviews but unfortunately poor-ish sales so that's probably nixed a Deadspace 2 remake which was even better)
After the movies, I wanted to experience Dune 2 again (the pirate sites have it, along with patches to make it playable on modern OSes or Crossover). It was arguably the first mass-market real-time strategy game. There's also OpenRA for C&C, Red Alert, and Dune 2K: https://www.openra.net/
I understand Square is re-making FF7 in a multi-part release over several years (not sure why it takes so long)? https://ffvii-remake-intergrade.square-enix-games.com/en-us/ Once it's all out, I might play through that again just for nostalgia's sake (and for the soundtrack, of course! Twenty years later, I still have Aeris's Theme stuck in my head from time to time)
> not sure why it takes so long
They're making the original 30-40 hour game into three 40-60 hour action RPGs. I don't know enough about game development timelines, but I'm assuming that it's just large to juggle, especially since it has crossed console generations.
I've only played part one, but they did a great job with it! A warning though: they add a good bit of "filler" compared to the original to turn the 5ish hour Midgar sequence into a full game. It can be a bit draining at points since I wanted to just relive the original game I love, but if you know that going in, it's not bad, just different.
There's some weird stuff they do with Sephiroth to make the end of part one feel more substantial as it's own game, but again, if you can look past it, the game is excellent.
Also note that it's an action RPG now instead of being turn based. Sometimes I missed the old turn based gameplay.
Oh, I didn't realize that! I thought they were just updating the graphics. Thanks for the clarification.
I might just go back and play the original, then.
The original does play very well. The PS3 version allows to speed up time 3x, which is very useful to make some grindy battles less grindy.
If you can find it do play Emperor: Battle for Dune. Its the 3rd installment in the Westwood Dune series. Very playable and balanced, much better than Dune 2K. Of-course there is no comparison with the nostalgia factor of Dune 2.
NES Castlevania. It's tough but satisfying to slowly master an increasing number of stages that seemed impossible initially. I can beat the first 3/4 of the game pretty much any time without dying now.
Last year I finished NES Super Mario Bros 1 and Zelda 1 for the first time. I grew up with later generation games, so the difficulty was quite a shock. But it made mastering them more rewarding.
I was playing thru the original Zelda game on an original NES for a bit. How to do some parts of the game came back instantly but then I needed to start looking up strategies and tips, much like I did back in the day, and I haven't played it much since. Nothing is pulling me back to play it, which I find is how my brain works with most video games that have a "solved" state that I reach. Replaying to the solved state a 2nd or Nth time isn't enjoyable for me, it might be for others.
I do like the nostalgia but for me playing something new or something that is replayable, like random loot based games that pull me in, is more enjoyable.
A Link to the Past remains one of my favorite games to this day. I consider pretty close to a perfect 2D adventure game.
Today's graphics capabilities and therefore game physics capabilities are really wild but also there are trade-offs with 3D gaming and little nuances of the physics can creep into gameplay and cause issues. Having a character get stuck on a small step or rock or whatever leftover physics model can be really frustrating. That mostly didn't exist in old school 2D games, from what I recall.
The mechanics were much simpler but also didn't have massive room for errors/odd conditions to manifest like modern games.
I have a goal to get through all the Zelda's. I'm stuck on Adventures of Link. It's really hard!
> they cannot rely on the graphics to sell themselves
Game reviewers have always been saying that games rely too much on graphics, at the expense of game design. It was already a trope in the early 1990s.
From that era I recommend Ultima 7 Serpent Isle
I think games that do this simply don't survive the test of nostalgia. As a child I remember the 90s being full of bad games and bad music topping the charts, but these days, people would praise 90s music and gaming.
I do not think it is a test of nostalgia, rather a test of time - I have been playing many of these games (and new games, too) for the first time recently.
It is amazing what some games managed to do with the limited graphics capabilities of the time. Metal Gear Solid 1 used a colour palette so well to hide the graphics limitations. Many games shined with clever use of pre-rendered backgrounds (FF7 is one of them, but also the Resident Evil series come to mind).
Even from an earlier time, Monkey Island is all the funnier for the pixelatedness. System Shock 1 is still amazingly immersive and atmospheric (and was way ahead of its time!).
I think part of what makes games from late 90s so special is that the tech was good enough to allow plenty of creative freedom, but still simple enough to allow for relatively small teams with relatively small budgets to make the games and add their personal touch to them. That is why Deus Ex 1 is much more personal than the later more polished installations etc.
It was a golden era for games, but not for music
Just beat Doom last week and I'm now playing through Doom 2. It's still amazing. It brought me back some memories I had completely forgotten about me playing with my cousins. Also, remembering some old map layouts gave me a very weird feeling like I've been visiting a real place I've been when I was a child. 10/10 would recommend.
If you want to try a scatalogically over the top fun remix of the originals, install the project brutality mod. Romero gave it his seal of approval as well.
Doom Eternal is also very very enjoyable too, if you haven't played it yet. DLCs start to get a bit annoying, so consider them optional
On PC or on PSX? The version on PSX had a very different feel to it, partly due to very different kind of soundtrack. Both are good though.
On a PS4, from the PS store.
I had originally played both the PC and the Playstation 1 port.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. I was addicted to point-and-click adventure games during the late 80's / early 90's. So much nostalgia.
Play a few missions of Red Alert 2. Imo best single player RTS of all time
Not to mention the soundtrack and FMVs.
That's a big part of what set's it apart. 8 Bit armies is effectively the same game, by much of the same team, but it doesn't have a story at all.
Dying Breed looks like a homage to Red Alert https://store.steampowered.com/app/2088550/Dying_Breed/
Thanks, looks interesting.
Original Bungie Halo games (master chief collection).
Though the kids seem to get to spend more time playing than I do. These games hold up really well.
I replayed Loom some years ago. It is a unique old Lucasarts game with wonderful music.
I played Loom quite young (not sure I made it very far into the game) and haven't revisited it yet. It occupies this mystical otherworldly place in my mind.
Monkey Island 2 was a personal favorite that I did replay somewhat recently. There's something special about those old Lucasarts games.
Is Monkey Island 2 even possible to beat without a hintbook?
I enjoyed Monkey Island 1 a lot, but with 2 there was a combinatorial explosion of items/locations, and it just seemed too difficult/unfair. I got the impression they wanted you to have to call the hint phoneline.
I am going through the Monkey Island games the last week and I can confirm that in the second game there are several puzzles that I would never have deduced without looking up solutions. It's a sequel that explores what is possible in a way that considerably deviates from the glow of the original.
That said, it executes at times considerably better and you can see the seeds of what would become some of the legendary Lucasarts games to follow.
I am not even sure I can finish it due to some timing sensitive buggy quirks towards the end, It would be rage inducing but it's not, just awww. It's obvious the game is reveling in its own unraveling. In a really special way.
Defender of The Crown - Heroes Live Forever. The original DotC requires DosBox, so I opt for the (a bit fresher) update.
There are weeks that I play this 2-3 times a day, and then a couple of months of not at all. I usually win it. If I am overwhelmed, I joust and bet a land (and 90% I win - this gives me the opportunity to 'conquer' 3 counties per round, instead of just 1 with normal attack).
EDIT: I don't know if this counts as old, but I've restarted playing FTL - Faster Than Light. I sometimes also play StarControl II, but once every couple of years for a weekend or so.
Played through GoldenEye 64 and Perfect Dark semi-recently. Although the more recent releases available on Xbox rather than N64. I'd played GoldenEye 64 a lot as a kid but not Perfect Dark. Both are pretty great and still kinda unique in the FPS space.
I've also been playing Persona 3 Reload, which is technically a new game but a pretty faithful remake of an older one with some great quality of life improvements. I don't think I'd want to play the original again without full control of party members.
I've tried replaying GoldenEye and I found it laborious to aim without dual analog sticks. It's one of the few classic games I think has aged especially poorly just due to the controls.
You could play the original GoldenEye with two N64 controllers (one in each hand) to get dual analogue. Highly Recommended.
That's one thing the Xbox version fixes (not the Switch version unfortunately). The Xbox port has pretty much the same control scheme as a modern console FPS.
Demons Crest on the SNES was an absolute blast, don't know why it isn't talked about these days. I think its better than the SNES castlevanias, and close to Metroid.
There was a related game to Demons Crest, the Gargoyle's Quest on the Game Boy. It mixes several genres. If you have access to it (or an emulator) give it an eye because it's worth it.
Golgo 13 on an NES emulator. What’s not to like? Action, intrigue, first-person perspective, side-scrolling, killing, sex, cigarettes, good music—it’s got it all.
Starcraft. The campaign is oddly memorable.
Earthbound, Lost Odyssey, Chrono Trigger (SNES).
These have been on my to-play list for quite a while, but there's too little time these days... I'll probably never finish them all (TES, Gothic, FF7, Golden Sun 3 are on there as well).
There's also so many mods, ROM hacks and guides still around for older games. Trying to save some of it. Doesn't take much space after all.
I feel I need to get some x86 machine up and running so I can play Portal I and II again. Easily in my top 10 of best games ever.
You can easily play them on GeForce Now, for what it's worth. It just streams to a browser window (or an app if you prefer). There's a free plan, or the higher-quality monthly plans are under $20. https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce-now/
You might also the enjoy the Talos Principle games, which are also on GFN.
And the first Dungeon Defenders game has a Portal Gun tie-in (it's tower defense, not a puzzle game, but you can make portals to send mobs into lava or whatever).
Oh, the thought didn’t even occur. Pretty wild that these days one can stream 3D games. Gotta try it some day!
Yeah, it's pretty crazy how far we've come. A decade ago, we had OnLive and it wasn't a very good experience, Stadia failed, etc., but these days there are a whole bunch of game streaming services (GFN is by far the best, for the games it supports).
Anyway, have fun! I wish I could play through Portal again for the first time.
Wild Arms, Star Ocean: The Second Story, Tales of Eternia and the PS3 Uncharted series.
The first two I played the original Japanese PS1 versions. I can honestly say that the remakes may be worth playing as they are easier and more intuitive from what I have seen. However, if you want to enjoy the original music, art and mechanics then I suggest the PS1 originals.
Tales of Eternia blew me away with how much I enjoyed it having never played a Namco RPG. Worth it all the way.
Having heard the excitement for Uncharted back in the heyday of the PS3 but never owning one back then it was nice to play it in the current time. The graphics have aged well and the gameplay is really engaging. Definitely some of the best gaming I've had that was for PS3.
And lastly, I played through Devil May Cry 1-3. I get why it was a hit but not my cup of tea personally.
Thanks, haven't heard of those RPGs and they look interesting.
I've been working on a CP/M emulator for the past few weeks, and it reached a point where I can play ZORK 1, 2 & 3, along with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - so I've spent a good few hours recently doing just that.
CP/M, and early games, has been a recurring interest for a few years. I've also promised my son that if/when we complete Super Mario Bros, on the original NES, we'll buy a Switch so we can "upgrade" to Mario Kart. So it's not just text-based games I enjoy.
(We can consistently get to 8-2, but neither of us has finished the game yet. I'm resisting the temptation to play outwith his observations and practice, would feel unfair!)
The original Deus Ex (with a high res texture pack).
Daikatana
I'm not going to call it good, but with the user update and God mode+teleporting for the friendly bots. It's... An interesting assault on your senses.
I also just found out last night about the mods for ray tracing quake 1 and half life 1.
> Recently finished FFX and now playing through FF7...they cannot rely on the graphics to sell themselves and had not yet been 'hollywood-ised'
Um...Final Fantasy games, ever since at least 7, were absolutely selling themselves on their amazing graphics. Hell, 7 was maybe the first time that games got cinematic commercials on mainstream TV, because the graphics were that amazing for the time.
That being said, since I've gotten a Steam Deck and hooked it up with RetroAchievements (which gives thousands of retro games achievements you can get), I've been playing through a lot of older games again. A few weeks ago I got a ridiculous (for me at least) high score in Kirby's Pinball Land for the original Game Boy, for example (it was >800,000 points).
Some others I've replayed recently are Wave Race 64 (the gameplay and waves in that still hold up, I actually appreciate it more than I did then), Wendy: Every Witch Way on Game Boy Color, started yet another playthrough of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (I've replayed that game so many times), got about halfway through Donkey Kong on the original Game Boy, tried Puzzle Link for the Neo Geo Pocket for the first time and got addicted to that for a little while, played a good chunk of the way through Kirby and the Amazing Mirror on Game Boy Advance, played through most of Kickle Cubicle for the original NES (I remember finding it too hard to figure out when I was a kid, but it really isn't, and it's a lot of fun).
The achievements are nice because they serve as a bit of an auto documentation of what I've been playing (I was able to share that list because I looked through my achievements on RetroAchievements).
Lords of midnight and its sequel Doomdark’s revenge. I still think its one of the best strategy games ever made and it was released 40 years ago on the ZX Spectrum.
You can get the modern version for free at https://www.icemark.com
There is also a multiplayer version playable in the browser at https://www.midnightmu.com/games_home.php
Lands of Lore.
The King is voiced by Sir Patrick Stewart.
I love the game and played it several times.
Ridge Racer Type 4 from PS1. I find the story and pacing reasonably enjoyable (if you are not aiming to collect the secret car, that is), but what sets it apart from other games is its soundtrack. Each (music) track sets the respective mood and feel to the (racing) track, and even if you didn't play the game, the soundtrack is great in its own right. I also find the (racing) track's design in PS1 much better than the one used in PSP counterpart.
TES III: Morrowind on Apple Silicon using OpenMW.
I still dig out Balance of Power every few years, it was of its time but still relevant today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_Power_(video_game)
Perhaps there's a case for BoP 2025 ?
STALKER trilogy is immortal masterpiece :)
Check out the STALKER modding scene, it appears to be going through a renaissance right now, with lots of standalones being made. And then there is STALKER GAMMA, which gives even modern AAA games a run for their money with its gameplay, features and even visuals.
If you like FFX and FF7, try Xenogears - it's a huge, albeit somewhat unfinished game from Squaresoft's "golden age". Sprawling story laced with biblical elements, Nietzsche, Mecha, martial arts, future, past... Wonderful music, too.
I also replay FF7 and FF Tactics every few years.
Not playing as such, but currently attempting to remake an old CD-i game (Laser Lords) so I'm using it as reference, and also experimenting with extracting assets from other CD-i titles.
Uploaded quite a few bits to The Spriter's Resource, for anyone with an interest.
Need For Speed Underground 2
I used to play it around 15 years ago with my dad but never got to finish it. Just last week, I finished the game and sent a screenshot of the final race to my dad. I'm glad he still recognized the game.
Civilization 6. I would play it from time to time. Because this game reflects the real world very well. The longer I play, the more references I can find in the real world. Border politics, culture, religion.
I'm playing through Bravely Default.
I have a stack of 3DS games that I never got to play, but now I'm taking some time every once in a while, because the system has some really good titles.
I regularly replay FFX, I recently replayed the Battle Realms remaster, and now I'm once again on Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.
This depends on your definition of both "older" and "playing through," but Team Fortress 2 (2007) is really fun.
Old school Runescape. Part nostalgia, part genuine interesting game. No other MMO like it for sure.
I'm replaying it, but haven't in years, the original Command and Conquer
Years ago I got "command and conquer: the first decade" and of course went back and played the original command and conquer.
Everything was low-res. Things moved so slow. shooting lobbed pixels across the screen.
and it was still challenging and fun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_%26_Conquer:_The_First...
(that said, I play red alert 3 single player for fun from time to time)
star wars galaxies mmo emulator. things are still ticking along on these servers.
Loved this game when it was released, I will have to check this out!
StarControl 2
Unreal Tournament '99
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