Review 10 future classics according to Forbes

[Ausir]

Tags: CD Projekt; Witcher, The

<a href=http://www.forbes.com/>Forbes</a> has <a href=http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/08/future-video-games-tech-future07-cx_mn_de_0211game.html>compiled a list</a> of recent games that they believe will become future classics. The only non-MMO, non-Japanese cRPG on their list is CD Projekt's <a href=http://www.thewitcher.com>The Witcher</a>:
<br>
<blockquote>This PC role-playing game is based on a popular Polish fantasy book series. It's received praise for tackling social issues, including racism and sexual violence, and for forcing players to make complex moral choices.</blockquote>
<br>
The other 9 are BioShock, Brain Age 2, Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, Portal, Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords, Rock Band, Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports and World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade. You can read the whole article <a href=http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/08/future-video-games-tech-future07-cx_mn_de_0211game.html>here</a>.
<br>
<br>
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.thewitcher.com/forum/index.php?topic=10348.0">The Witcher forum</A>

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords

• Combat in the title is conducted entirely via turn-based puzzle action similar to Bejeweled or Zoo Keeper. The player and the computer-controlled opponent take turns swapping the position of two horizontally or vertically adjacent tiles on a grid to make a row or column of at least 3 like tiles; these tiles are removed with various effects as listed below, and all tiles above them fall to fill in the spaces, with new tiles created at the top of the board. If, by this action, a new row or column of three or more like tiles is formed, this is also removed and the chain can continue indefinitely. An extremely long chain can earn the player additional bonuses.

What is with these stupid puzzle games cropping up of late? And really... a classic for implementing a boring puzzle that's been around for fucking years?

 

[Brother None]

From the main body of the article:

Videogame graphics will continue to grow richer and more detailed. But don't expect that photo realism alone will be enough to sell a game. Sony's face-flop with the PS3 proves gamers aren't obsessed with hyper-realistic graphics to the extent that game designers are.

Most gamers don't require characters that look exactly like actors in a movie, and don't care how realistically blood splatters; they want to play great games. Chess isn't any more or less fun in high definition; it's the game that counts.

PC games are going to grow in importance, especially for older, more educated gamers. After being widely dismissed as dead (or irrelevant at best) only five years ago, PC role-playing games have made a tremendous comeback.

...?

 

[MasPingon]

I'm not sure if it's any good for The Witcher to be on that list

 

[OccupatedVoid]

WoW is a classic lulz!

 

[cardtrick]

The other 9 are BioShock, Brain Age 2, Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, Portal, Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords, Rock Band, Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports and World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade.

It's not an awful list. I definitely agree with Portal, Super Mario Galaxy, and Wii Sports. The Witcher and Rock Band are more borderline for me, but I do think they are quite reasonable inclusions. Bioshock doesn't belong on the list, but I haven't played any of the others.

 

[Claw]

I don't know. I really like Portal, but will it truly be a classic?
Ultima VII, Star Trail, Populous or Civ have practically entertained me for years. I'm not sure Portal can accomplish that although I may occasionally say "There is research to be done on the people who are still alive." and snicker for the rest of my life. As well as other choice quotes from that song.
The song may become more of a classic than the actual game. It's got many great lines.

 

[cardtrick]

I don't know. I really like Portal, but will it truly be a classic?
Ultima VII, Star Trail, Populous or Civ have practically entertained me for years. I'm not sure Portal can accomplish that although I may occasionally say "There is research to be done on the people who are still alive." and snicker for the rest of my life. As well as other choice quotes from that song.
The song may become more of a classic than the actual game. It's got many great lines.

Well, fair enough -- but I don't think the intention is to call these games all-time classics. It would be completely ridiculous to make a list of 10, then, wouldn't it? I mean, surely even mainstream reviewers can't possibly think that 10 all-time classics are released every single year?

I took them to mean a list of 10 games released in the past year or so that are memorable and have some quality or uniqueness that will make people play them again in future years. You know? Something about them that transcends the graphics arms race, so that next year's games will be different, but not necessarily better. No one's going to think, 5 years from now, "Ooh, I really ought to play Halo 3. I have such fond memories of that brilliant, innovative game, and it's been so long since I've played something similar! Screw Halo 4, 5, 6, and 6-2 . . . Halo 3 may have worse graphics but it has soul, damnit!" But you can imagine someone sitting down, 5 years from now, and deciding to load up Portal, or Super Mario Galaxy, to relive an enjoyable gaming experience that has stood the test of time.

 

[Claw]

I've always been of the unreasonable opinion that you ought to wait until after a few years have passed before declaring a title a classic, so I'm not sympathetic to that list as a matter of principle.
We could maybe call these games classic nominees, meaning some of them may become classics.

Also, classics and all-time classics? Oh dear. Next you'll expect me to recognize b-grade celebrities.

 

[RK47]

tetris ? not again!

 

[Azrael the cat]

musical comparison

Yeah, it's always hard to tell in advance what will be a classic. Just look at electronic music - how many of us who were 16-25 during 1994-95 would have dreamt that by 2007 the Prodigy would sound so old and dated, whereas the Chemical Bros stuff from the same era still sounds relevant? Back then I would have placed my future house on it being the other way arond

 

[Kthan75]

Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords

• Combat in the title is conducted entirely via turn-based puzzle action similar to Bejeweled or Zoo Keeper. The player and the computer-controlled opponent take turns swapping the position of two horizontally or vertically adjacent tiles on a grid to make a row or column of at least 3 like tiles; these tiles are removed with various effects as listed below, and all tiles above them fall to fill in the spaces, with new tiles created at the top of the board. If, by this action, a new row or column of three or more like tiles is formed, this is also removed and the chain can continue indefinitely. An extremely long chain can earn the player additional bonuses.

What is with these stupid puzzle games cropping up of late? And really... a classic for implementing a boring puzzle that's been around for fucking years?

Did you play the game? I first tried it on the DS, before the PC version came out. I couldn't let it go for a week, it's really addictive.
The thing is, it has a very cool character development segment. From the puzzle battles you gain experience, you increase your skills, you research new spells, build new weapons, etc.

I don't think I would play the game on PC, but I would definitely recommend it to any codexer that owns a DS.

 

[Jason]

Just look at electronic music - how many of us who were 16-25 during 1994-95 would have dreamt that by 2007 the Prodigy would sound so old and dated, whereas the Chemical Bros stuff from the same era still sounds relevant? Back then I would have placed my future house on it being the other way arond

There was not much doubt even back then that The Prodigy would eventually sound dated since they were all about pumping out novelty tracks. Think "Charly", "Wind It Up", etc.

 

[Section8]

Yeah, plus they had that whole image built on that Keith tosser being edgy because he had piercings and stupid hair.

 

[Special_Can]

Re: musical comparison

Back then I would have placed my future house on it being the other way arond

You kind sir, have a gambling problem.

 

[doctor_kaz]

The second that I saw this list, I knew that Bioshock would be on it. In ten years though, the game will not be thought of as a classic.

Puzzle Quest is great for a handheld. I have been playing it on the PC lately. I am stuck on the last boss. He's fucking impossible.

 

[undead dolphin hacker]

I have a hard time disagreeing with 7/10ths of that list. Those seven won't be the ONLY classics, but I'm certain each will be considered one if they're not already.

The three that fail:

-The Witcher does not belong on the list. In fact, it's already been forgotten. Time can only be cruel to this game, if anything retrospectives will go back and realize the game truly is a turd. It will rightfully be mocked for its porn cards and terrible writing, then banished back into the "only choice at the time" pile.

-Brain Age 2 doesn't either. This "exercise your brain" idiocy is a fad and has already started to burn out.

-LoZ: Phantom Hourglass is the last undeserving one. It'll be remembered as Wind Waker was -- a departure that tried too hard to be a departure and collapsed under the weight of its pomp and circumstance. Specifically, Phantom Hourglass is a bucketful of fail because it FORCES you to use the touch-screen of the DS. There isn't even an option use, oh, I dunno, the directional pad. The DS has gotten flak for lacking games that actually use the touchscreen in significant ways, so I guess Nintendo's response was to make a game that could only be controlled by the touchscreen. It turned out to be a clumsy, frustrating mess. If it wasn't a Zelda brand game, it would have gotten panned.

Because I'm the only person who plays both PC and console games on this forum, I would gladly go into why the other seven games deserve a slot if you so desire.

 

[inwoker]

one word for such classics - idiocracy

 

[thesheeep]

WoW is a classic lulz!

It definately will be. But it's addon? Thats retarded.

 

[doctor_kaz]

-The Witcher does not belong on the list. In fact, it's already been forgotten. Time can only be cruel to this game, if anything retrospectives will go back and realize the game truly is a turd. It will rightfully be mocked for its porn cards and terrible writing, then banished back into the "only choice at the time" pile.
.

I wouldn't go so far as to say this, but I agree it also does not deserve to be considered a classic. It's a great game in a lot of ways but it also has a lot of issues.

And if The Witcher doesn't deserve to be on the list, then Bioshock definitely doesn't. It's a prettied-up, gimped, and dumbded down remake of a game that is eight years younger. The only things that it excels at are aspects like art direction and political commentary -- which is practically unheard of in gaming. System Shock 2 is the classic. The lite version of a classic is not a classic. In ten or maybe just five years it will be appropriately viewed as a vastly overrated game, kind of like Civ 3 and Black and White.

 

[Shagnak]

Puzzle Quest is cocaine even for many that don't like "casual" games. I don't mind admitting that I think it's a great break filler.

Because I'm the only person who plays both PC and console games on this forum

I have no idea why you'd think that.

 

[undead dolphin hacker]

And if The Witcher doesn't deserve to be on the list, then Bioshock definitely doesn't. It's a prettied-up, gimped, and dumbded down remake of a game that is eight years younger. The only things that it excels at are aspects like art direction and political commentary -- which is practically unheard of in gaming. System Shock 2 is the classic. The lite version of a classic is not a classic. In ten or maybe just five years it will be appropriately viewed as a vastly overrated game, kind of like Civ 3 and Black and White.

no sry

It nods to System Shock of course, but unlike that game it actually has something to say other than BEWARE ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE. And what Bioshock has to say is important and mature to the point of stunning, based on gaming's usual messages.

You're getting hung up on the game being accessible and popular. It's the hardcore fallacy -- when something becomes popular, it sucks, because the masses suck.

It's the same thing that happens with "indie" music. The band in question is just absolutely awesome until they start making money by "selling out," and then they suck. Even if, objectively, nothing has really changed. They dared to advertise to The Unwashed Masses, and We Are Better Than They Are, therefore That Band Must Suck.

The backlash with Bioshock is fucking hilarious. The hardcore hyped it, the hardcore loved it when they played it, and the hardcore tear it down after they're done.

The game is brilliant. Not as good in terms of being a game as System Shock, but infinitely better as an experience and -- here it comes -- a work of art.

Don't get me wrong, backlashes are important due to how fucking retarded hype is. However, it's important to note the amount and severity of backlash is directly proportional to the amount of hype. The game's quality has absolutely nothing to do with either the hype it enjoy or the backlash it suffers. Hype and backlash are just the audience's digestive process for the media in question, that's all.

I have no idea why you'd think that.

Because 99% of this forum regularly proves they have absolutely no working knowledge of modern console games, especially console RPGs?

 

[cardtrick]

The game is brilliant. Not as good in terms of being a game as System Shock, but infinitely better as an experience and -- here it comes -- a work of art.

Because of the fact that you are capable of typing well constructed sentences, I have to assume you're a reasonably intelligent person. Therefore, I'm left thinking that you are one or more of the following:

A) A troll.

B) Young/naive enough to find Randian philosophy "deep," or perhaps just slightly past that to the point where you really enjoy even the most shallow criticism of Randian philosophy.

C) Simply someone who hasn't played one or both of System Shock 2 and Bioshock, and is making an uninformed statement based on hearsay and reviews.

I have no idea why you'd think that.

Because 99% of this forum regularly proves they have absolutely no working knowledge of modern console games, especially console RPGs?

You have sort of a point, maybe, if you're talking about console RPGs. Of course, that point gets stolen right back away from you when you consider that none of the games on the list were console RPGs, at least in the way the term is usually understood.

Many of us play some console games. Just because we don't like jRPGs doesn't mean we're somehow against the entire concept of consoles. I love Super Mario Galaxy -- I think it's a great game, that (like Mario 64) really will stand the test of time. I prefer my RPGs and strategy games on the PC, but for brawlers, fighting games, sports games, and action adventures I don't think you can beat a console.

 

[MasPingon]

Because of the fact that you are capable of typing well constructed sentences, I have to assume you're a reasonably intelligent person.

I wouldn't go so far. He can be just native english speaker.

 

[cardtrick]

Because of the fact that you are capable of typing well constructed sentences, I have to assume you're a reasonably intelligent person.

I wouldn't go so far. He can be just native english speaker.

Most of the dumbest sounding posters are native English speakers.