Vinegar or Wine?

[Sleep]

Unfortunately for us all, the fond memories of the games we once played long ago are usually best left as just that. Fond Memories. After all, nostalgia has that misleading effect of glossing over those flaws of the past while somehow incorporating the sensibilities of the present. Anyone who's ever tried to relive the glories of yester-year can tell you, like that cute butterfly tattoo on a firm young body, time can warp the things we used to find pleasant before our eyes into grotesque and indistinguishable blobs of disgusting.

This is a place for you to talk about any retro games you've recently fired back up. The older the better, but anything not a new release is welcome to the table. Tell us how it has aged, if time has left it untouched or if it has been ravaged and ruined like a rental jockstrap. Try to include as much information about the game as possible, including original release dates, publisher information and genre.

Without further ado...

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind sandbox/fantasy RPG Released May 7, 2002. Bethesda (PC)
One of my all time favorites, this is a game that quickly earned many awards including game of the year. It was almost universally hailed as a masterpeice and few games released since can match its scope and atmosphere.

Here is a game that sucked my life away completely after I first experienced it at a friends house. I bought the game and rarely ever spoke to the kid again, despite the fact that he was my best friend. It was also the first game that I ever broke 1,000 hours on. Not a trophy I'm particularly proud to bestow on many games, but this is one that truly earned it.

But has it aged well? The answer is a little complicated.

To this day I am hard pressed to find a virtual world that feels so authentic and well traveled. Its easy to see why after 7 years there is still an active modding community for this game.
After reloading an old save I decided to start from scratch and try a new play through. I made it all the way through the main quest and a few factions as well. It was nice to see that old sweet tooth cosades again, and visit my old psycotic grandma from house telvanni. But to be honest the games pacing can be a bit tiring at times (lack of fast travel a la oblivion, no mounts, teleportation is kind of rigid, striders can only take you so far, etc.) I found myself using cheats non stop. Typing " coc 'town name' " into the console alleviates most of the problem. coc balmora for instance, bam instant teleportation. Exploration used to be the coolest thing about this game, but with a lack of a steed it can be a bit of a chore. I had to grab the boots of blinding speed in the old days to make it better, but now adays I'd just cheat my speed up till I got to where I wanted to go. The console (~) is really easy to work with.

Another problem with the game is the boring combat. At early levels you will be whiffing with your claymore at point blank. My longsword skill said 30 but only a true master of the blade could have missed at this range. It can be frustrating watching your sword retardedly swing through your oponent while your health is whittled away by a lunging rat.

On the other hand, the story is truly epic and many of the characters are memorable. I'll never forget my conversations with ma'aik the liar (even if I forget how to spell his name), and that battle with umbra was very cool. Another strong point is that customization is very strong. There are several playable races and faces to choose from, plus loads of armor sets to mix and match. Unlike oblivion, you actually have some incentive to do this because the combinations look pretty cool (I like mixing orcish with ordinator) there are individual L and R gauntlets, boots, etc.
There are many "holy shit!" moments in the game and even though time has taken a toll on the gameplay and visuals, I would still feel confident in reccomending this game to anyone who hasnt picked it up already, but especially to those of you looking for a walk down memory lane. Just do yourself a favor and get some cheats/exploits to make it feel a little fresher. I'd wager the game will provide at least 40 hours of fun before you move on, but back in the day 300 was considered weak.

Final Verdict: Wine

I'll be getting my n64 set up when I get home tonight. I'm going to play through some old 64 bit games like ocarina and super mario. Keep you posted.

[Morfiend]

You do realize we have a whole forum for this right?

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?board=92.0

[Ookii]

But is it fun!

[Hindenburg]

You do realize we have a whole forum for this right?
http://forums.f13.net/index.php?board=92.0

Different purposes. Radicalthon is clearly a different name for Let's Play.
His is "lets review old shit with today's standards".

The mention of Silent Storm has made me install the thing again, will see how it goes, but this time with a mod to remove all of that power armour crap.

[Rasix]

The mention of Silent Storm has made me install the thing again, will see how it goes, but this time with a mod to remove all of that power armour crap.

Oooh, such a thing exists?  Nifty.

[Hindenburg]

Ask and ye shall receive.

Needs the expansion pack, though.
-

A-yup. Silent Storm is better today. WAY better. Enemy takes a lot less time to calculate it's moves, and the engine doesn't wanna destroy your computer when you zoom all the way out. Runs like a charm in w7.

[NiX]

You do realize we have a whole forum for this right?

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?board=92.0

I would have linked to BiiF, as someone hinted above.

[Sleep]

The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of time Action/RPG Released in North America November 23, 1998. Published by Nintendo

Is there anything left to be said about this game that hasn't already been said? People love this game so much that they not only embarrass themselves, but their pets as well. _{Pictured: Dateless virgin.}

I bought the gold cart off amazon a few weeks ago and I've spent the last couple of days getting reacquainted with this gem. (Yes I know, the grey version is actually the rarest, but who cares gold looks so sweet) Like many of you, ocarina is a game I enjoyed best long ago over many bleary-eyed nights in pajamas, swearing at my television while getting lost for the thousandth time in the water temple.

This time around though, the game isn't as difficult as I once found it. Maybe because I actually remember quite a few of the puzzles, or maybe because I'm not a ten year old anymore. Now I wouldn't say that ocarina is easy, but it does start off that way. I believe the pacing is perfect. The game eases you in, teaches you the basics, then ups the difficulty gradually and before you know it you're at the forest temple and its 3:00 am. (I still find this level to be one of the most enjoyable dungeons of all time.)

All and all, the world is very well done. The graphics are beginning to show some age, (textures appear blurry sometimes) but do not detract from the experience at all like I thought it would. Truly, the cartoonish look of the realm has given it a surprising amount of longevity. The music is top notch. I've been humming saria's song all day. The story is epic and well told, with memorable characters and events. It feels so good to be back into -what I consider to be- the definitive land of hyrule. Like an old friend you haven't seen in years, I can't tell you how happy I am to own an n64 again and to be playing this game. More to come -

Final verdict: Wine (1775 Sherry)

[Sky]

You just plug straight ahead, dontcha?

[Sleep]

You just plug straight ahead, dontcha?

If it isn't in the right place then why doesn't a moderator move or lock it? I thought starting a new topic would be redundant.

Too many haters with nothing to say.

[Brogarn]

Too many haters with nothing to say.

I look at his avatar and get a whole different vibe from his post. He's telling you not to stop. Ohhhh yaaaaa....

[Samwise]

If it isn't in the right place then why doesn't a moderator move or lock it?

We're hoping you'll just tire yourself out without us having to do anything.    

FWIW, I think these would be fine BiiFs.  Directions are here.

[Trippy]

Locking.