My Games of 2008: Civilization Revolution, Braid, GTA IV

This is a continuation of my series of brief write-ups for games I played in 2008.

 

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution

Why I played it

I was highly intrigued and inspired by the bold challenge that Firaxis took on with this game. Re-imagining one of gaming’s most beloved and deepest strategy games for consoles? It sounded more like a joke than an actual game.

As someone who plays a lot of both console and PC games, I was also curious to in particular to see if I felt CivRev would appeal to me in ways that the PC versions of the game cannot.

What I liked about it

CivRev appealed to me in several ways that differentiate it from its PC sisters. For starters, simply being playable on a console that I have in my living room was nice, as it meant the entire gaming experience wasn’t an exercise in seeing just how long I can stand to sit on the rather uncomfortable chair that sits in front of my PC.

Since the games move faster and are considerably shorter than in most modes of the PC versions, the thought of playing all the way through the game was also much more palatable. No longer did I need to chunk out 40+ hours to get my “civ fix”.

All in all, I’d say this game was a huge success, and I really hope they make more games like this one. I even hope that some of the “less is more” lessons this game demonstrates can turn into refinements of the (hopefully) inevitable Civilization 5 for PC.

Braid

Why I played it

This one’s easy: Darius and the Experimental Gameplay Sessions at GDC.

I remember seeing Braid briefly at the EGS of GDC ‘07 during what I believe was a section showcasing Crush and talking about games that let you play with time and space.

Both games intrigued me greatly, but Darius could never stop talking for almost two years about how great even his first play-through of (a very early prototype for) Braid was and how unique he believed the game would be.

What I liked about it

In some ways, for me Braid was a tough pill to swallow. I don’t often play games full of puzzles as hard as those in Braid. I knew it would be worth it to stick it out and work my way through the game, though. Blow was completely right about the elated sense of accomplishment you get when you finally solve a tough puzzle in the game.

I really loved the game’s visuals and music, and especially the way they tie in together to express the unique dynamics that make up the meat of the puzzles.

I actually enjoy obtuse/pretentious storytelling if and when it’s kept to a relative minimum, and  I feel that Braid’s overt storytelling was not too much. I enjoyed having my mind stimulated on multiple levels and I definitely believe the story elements added to the game.

Grand Theft Auto IV

Why I played it

GTA 3 single-handedly made me care about the Playstation 2 and revived my faith that console games could, even in today’s market, truly create new and awesome game experiences for players.

The previews for GTA IV made it clear that it was Rockstar’s most ambitious title yet, and I liked that they’d put their focus on making a relatively smaller but more detailed city and a meaningful plot with compelling characters.

What I liked about it

I did really enjoy the story. I think the few few hours of the game, where you really start to understand who Niko and his brother are stand out as gaming memories and always will for me. The depth and multi-dimensionality of Niko actually caused me to rethink my relationship to a game avatar in the way that few games have (Shadow of the Colossus, comes to mind).