On The Gamely Episode 3 - PS4, Xbox One, Final Fantasy X and X-2 Remake, and More!

Hey everybody. Here we have another episode of On The Gamely, the show where we talk... VIDEO GAMES!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivk6Qs18Au0

It's Halloween Which Means... Time For A Top 15 Scary Games!

 Written By: Tyler Selig

I almost feel cheap putting up a picture of a kitty to get views... but not quite.

            

                It’s that time of the year, when children get candy, ghouls and ghosts are everywhere and women are dressing as slutty as possible. Every video game blogger or website puts up a list of scary games, and I’m no different because you have to be topical.

                I don’t consider myself an expert on horror games. I don’t have the desire to scare myself on the same level as some people so it’s never been a favourite genre. I’ve played a decent amount of them and enjoyed them, but because of this, there are a bunch of scary games I just haven’t played. I was hesitant to even make the list for this reason but it’s Halloween… you HAVE to do it.

My apologies to some games that should really be on here. Sorry to games I haven’t played like Penumbra: Black Plague, Condemned: Criminal Origins, the Fatal Frame series, the Clock Tower series, etc. I’m also sorry to games I didn’t play long enough to have a worthwhile opinion on such as System Shock 2 and Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth. Sorry to games like Dead Space that I own but haven’t played for whatever reason. Sorry to all games everywhere at all times.

But here is my list anyway. Let’s do this.

15: Blaster Master (NES)

That poor bastard doesn't know what's coming.

                An NES platformer about a boy in a jumping tank going after his frog. I haven’t ever seen this talked about in lists, but as a kid it scared the hell out of me so I feel it warrants an inclusion on this list. The game does a pretty good job of making things feel claustrophobic but I wouldn’t really argue with anybody who says it’s not scary. It’s on here because it scared me as a kid and it’s nice to have nostalgia picks.

                The thing is, when I was little I saw that opening cut scene and I had a hard time actually playing the game. Laugh if you want but five year old (or however old I was) Tyler couldn’t handle this scene: 

                That music creeped me out. Mix that with the fact that you’re some guy exploring unknown territory trying to find your radioactive, huge frog, and little Tyler pee pee’d himself.

14: Yume Nikki (PC)

 

Nope, this is completely normal.

            Due to the graphics and the type of game it is, it’s not really about jump scares with Yume Nikki. It’s about the weirdness, the creepy and unnerving atmosphere. For that reason it may not scare many people but it is a memorable, odd experience. Scary in the same way as a David Lynch movie, really. It may not have things jumping out at you very often (does have the creepy mutant girl), but it deserves to be on this list.

13: OFF (PC)

Well at least we can agree on that.

                Two weird RPG Maker games in a row, but damn there is some creepy shit made with it. OFF has similar elements in style to Yume Nikki but I find it creepier. Don’t let the simplistic graphics fool you, this is some fucked up stuff. There are some enemies that are just scary looking and the game has an incredible atmosphere, where the oddity of it all really makes you feel out of place.

                Plus the music. Oh man. Some of the music is just terrifying.

                Though I consider it a scary game, there is certainly some oddball humour thrown in as well.  It’s not a game with jump scares, but I’m a supporter of creepy atmospheres more than jump scares, though a game with both is the best.

                The world in OFF operates on its own twisted logic and that in itself makes it worth playing.

12: Metro: Last Light (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

This can only end well.

                A tried and tested formula for horror is to shove you into the darkness and throw some weird creatures at you. Metro does both. You aren’t powerless by any means, but there are jump scares and the darkness of it all puts you ill at ease most of the time.

11: Alan Wake (PC, Xbox 360)

This too. I should explore the creepy woods.

                Alan Wake is a game of mystery, a classic story told in video game format. It uses the darkness not unlike other games in the genre, gives you limited firepower.

                It’s yet another game in my list that operates successfully but making you feel tension the entire time. There are certainly a few terrifying sections, but it’s at its best when it’s just making you feel creeped out. Any jump scares during that period just make the jump scares even scarier.

10: Lone Survivor (PC, PS Vita, PS3)

                 

               Some people may not get scared due to its throwback graphics but it’s scary. It’s survival horror in the truest sense of the word, and it’s a mixture of Silent Hill and Twin Peaks, meaning it’s very psychological but let’s be honest, it’s weird as hell and sometimes the tone shifts unexpectedly.

                But the fact that you are unsure of what’s going on, you’re totally isolated, and you may be going crazy, makes this an extremely scary experience.

                I’m not sure if the fact that the main character actually looks like he’s always smiling makes it scarier or not, but I’m just throwing that out there.

9: S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl (PC)

He just needs a girlfriend. That's all.

                It’s not lost on me how much I’ve repeated this sentiment, but S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a post-apocalyptic world and it’s because of how great the developers were in realizing this vision that it’s just straight up sinister. You walk around, and while there are definitely moments where it shows you what’s what and tries to make you pee yourself, this is another example of atmosphere done right.

                Really, there’s nothing better in this genre than being in an environment that pressures you the entire time. You don’t need monsters jumping out at you all the time, you need a convincing world first and foremost… at least in my eyes.

                I’m also bias because it’s based on Stalker, the movie (which I adore), which is based on Roadside Picnic.

8: Parasite Eve (PS1)

"Nah, that bitch is cray-cray."

                Parasite Eve is my favourite RPG of all time, and I’m not sure why I don’t see this on lists for this kind of thing. I don’t know if it’s because it’s an RPG or what, and it’s not constantly trying to scare you, but I’m not sure how a person can’t be at least a little scared when you see some of the video scenes, or listen to the music that is straight up scary at times.

                I don’t know, maybe I’m alone here but I think Parasite Eve is scary. What makes it better is that it takes place on Christmas.

7: Imscared (PC)

Sure, you don't THINK this is creepy.

                Imscared came out around the time Slender did. I’m not sure how close they were together but I think Imscared came after. I could be wrong. It COULD be seen as a clone of sorts but to believe that is to miss what makes this wonderful.

                Yes it takes the element of just walking around looking for something, like Slender does, and there is something chasing you, but it’s the gimmick here that does it for me. The game shuts down and puts files in the folder it’s installed in, like little messages about the game. Then you start up the game again and you’re somewhere else.

                It’s this constant sense of dread, like you’re being chased in and out of the game, that puts this above Slender, or a lot of games. It’s a neat little idea, and it works wonderfully. The ending is fantastic as well.

6: Resident Evil 2 (PS1, N64)

Don't worry guys, the po-po GOT this.

                I was always more of a Silent Hill guy but the first few Resident Evil’s are legitimately scary. I try to only pick one game in a series when I make these lists, so I went with Resident Evil 2 because it’s the one I spent the most time with.

                The music does a great job of setting the mood, and of course there are zombies. The series was never afraid to throw unexpected shit at you, and nowhere is this more obvious than when the licker bursts through the mirror. It’s such a scary scene.

5: Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (Gamecube)

          

Halloween is the time for love and he just wanted a hug. Or a rear-naked choke. I'm not sure. Same thing.

              One of the gems of the Gamecube, Eternal Darkness is a cult classic because the game does anything and everything to fuck with you. I have to respect a game that is willing to completely play with gamers like Eternal Darkness does. I really hope there eventually ends up being a sequel but it’s been a hard go so far.

4: Bioshock (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Something seems off about this area, but I can't put my finger on what...

               While Bioshock: Infinite kind of ditched the horror of the first two, it’s hard to deny that the world of Rapture is… not one you’d want to go in. Being underwater is scary enough (for me), but this place is populated by maniacs who can attack from all angles at any time. Did I say they’re maniacs? Oh yeah, I did. They’re psychotic, and while you can do all kinds of nasty things to them, it doesn’t really help in making the place any less fearful.

                Bioshock is my number 4 because not only is the atmosphere/environment one of the best ever in games, and the story is impeccable, but it’s got a healthy dose of jump scares thrown in there as well so there isn’t really a moment where you can breathe unless you just pause it. Don’t be a smartass.

3: Amnesia: The Dark Descent (PC)

          
 

I can't be the only one who thought PENIS when I saw this.

                Amnesia is one of those games that has to be here. It literally is one of the scariest games of all time and it does it with simplicity. Puts you in a dark, gloomy area and haunts the fuck out of you with scary environments and messed up monsters. The Dark Descent definitely fits here. In fact, it sums the game up entirely (good job people who named it).

                You got yourself a lamp and legs. And your sanity is not havin’ sitting in the dark for too long. There’s also something chasing you. That’s probably an important thing to make mention of.

                This is terror at its finest.

2: Silent Hill 2 (PS2)

               

Fair 'nuf.

                Silent Hill 2 literally made me scared of my own shadow in the game. I don’t think I can give it any bigger praise than that. If you like scary games you know Silent Hill 2. It’s iconic both for how easily it scares you and it’s story. And Pyramid Head.

                There are a bunch of Silent Hills that could get on here. Hell, I’d say 1 – 4 could get on here. They all offer something.

1: F.E.A.R. (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

"GET OUTTA THE WAY, BATTLEFIELD 4 IS OUT!"

                They fucked up and just made a decent first-person shooter with F.E.A.R 3 and F.E.A.R. 2 didn’t scare me half as much as the first, but I think that’s because they came at me with the same tricks as the first one and I was used to it. Or maybe it’s just impossible to live up to the standards of the first.

                F.E.A.R. gave me nightmares of walking through halls that are on fire. It’s a solid first-person shooter with great mechanics, but it’s not above putting you in some surreal moments and messing with you.

                Hell, even when it’s not Alma coming at you or other paranormal things, the game manages to scare you with a truck driving at you.

                F.E.A.R. succeeds in atmosphere and jump scares. Like I’ve said before, when a game does both well, it truly is an experience.

                Well there we go. Got any games that make you unable to sleep at night? Let me know in the comments, and until next time, Merry Christmas!

My Top 50 Favourite Video Games of This Generation, 50 - 41

Written By: Tyler Selig

Unless you’ve been going out and having a life, which I don’t understand, you are aware Sony and Microsoft are releasing their new systems next month. Sony went with the tried, tested and true Playstation 4, while Microsoft opted to confuse the fuck out of people by calling theirs the Xbox One.

                So with the Wii U already out, and these systems on their way to world domination, I reckon now is a good time to give my favourite 50 games of this generation. I’m only going to include console games, so only PS3, 360 and Wii are represented here.

                And if this blog ever got readers, I’m sure some of you will be annoyed by my choices. I definitely follow popular opinion on some games, but I have included games on here that probably no one else would ever include on a Top 50. But that’s the fun… different opinions. I know the internet doesn’t take too kindly to that.

                There are some things that bother me about my list. For as many games as I have played, there are games I know would have made it here, that I just didn’t play. Sorry to those games. I will play you some day.

                I intend to put up an article each day, with ten games each day, so this is a big five day event. Woo hoo. Let’s do this.

50: Kane and Lynch: Dead Men (PS3, 360)

                Maybe Kane and Lynch is not a game most people would pick. I understand that. I don’t think it got great reviews, and even my friend said the controls felt weird. To me, the game plays like the old Conflict games (not Denied Ops, that game sucks), and those have always been “guilty pleasures” of mine, if I believed in feeling guilty about liking things. So I was used to the controls.

                While I don’t like the sequel, I thought the first one is an underrated shooter. It doesn’t bring anything new to the table but sometimes shooting is just fun, and the relationship between these two makes it interesting.

                I think more people should give Kane and Lynch a fair shake. I’m aware I probably like it more than most, but I stand by it. It almost didn’t make the list but I have to show it love.

49: Deathsmiles (360)

                Deathsmiles was a game I knew nothing about but I took a chance. I’m glad I did, because what I found was a wonderful side-scrolling shooting game that is colourful and intense. Maybe it’s because you don’t often see retail games tackle this kind of genre – as it’s mostly indies that do it these days – but it was a breath of fresh air for me. It’s well made, with a lot of style.

               

48: Lost in Shadow (Wii)

                Lost in Shadow takes a genre as old as games (platforming), and adds an interesting twist. You play as a shadow, so instead of jumping on solid objects, you jump on the shadows of said solid objects. It doesn’t seem like much but I felt that it changed up the genre enough to make this stand out, and it made me think a little more about where I was jumping.

                Though people criticize the Wii for not having good graphics, I think Lost in Shadow succeeds in something more important: visual design/art style. It’s a pretty game because they took care to create an interesting world.

                My only dig is the insane amount of backtracking later on. If it weren’t for that momentum killer, I would have put this game higher than I did. This is one of those special games that should be included in “most overlooked games” years from now.

47: Mario Kart Wii (Wii)

                While I don’t think Mario Kart Wii stands up to some of the older Mario Karts, and I’ve been a little bit tough on it, I’ve decided that my disappointment was due more to the outstanding quality of previous games, and not a dig on the game itself.

                I have criticisms, but an average Mario Kart is still a great game. The one thing I do love about the game is the steering wheel packaged right in. That’s a great touch.

                Mario Kart Wii does change things up a bit, so while it wasn’t the huge jump up that I wanted, it’s still wonderful.

46: Catherine (PS3, 360)

                Catherine is another breath of fresh air to me. A game that, at its core, is about a relationship… ends up being much more than that. The story is a little messed up, and it helps that you can affect how it plays out. I was into the story from the moment I started a new game, and I wanted to see what would happen next.

                But it’s not just a story-driven game. No, it does everything else really well too. It does a lot of things well, from the music to the graphics, but above all else, the game is just fun to play. It’s a puzzle game but the gist of it is that you just have to climb up blocks. It doesn’t sound like much but it can be pretty intense, especially at bosses, and it’s something different.

               

45: Alan Wake (360)

                Alan Wake is a great survival horror game. While it isn’t as good as Silent Hill (when it’s at its best), this is still great. The most important aspect of it is the story, but it does get the scares down as well.

                I also am a fan of some of the music choices it picks to end the episodes with, such as Haunted by Poe. I marked out pretty hard when I heard that song because I love it.

44: Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (Wii)

                What a sad, sad Wii game. I’m so glad I bought it though.

                It’s an RPG, and it’s another overlooked game, though I feel some of the better Wii games are overlooked because Nintendo didn’t market some of these very well.

                Like Lost in Shadow, sure, the graphics aren’t great, but the visual design is amazing. Fragile Dreams has such a rich, lonely world, that it’s easy to get lost in it and feel something as you play the main character, a person who has to travel this world, mostly alone. It’s a gripping tale.

                The one issue is that while I think weapons breaking is a good mechanic that should be left in the game, weapons break too much, to the point it becomes a chore to play at games. So this is the one thing that keeps it from getting a little higher.

                But I stand by Fragile Dreams as being one of the better RPGs of the last decade.

43: Mirror’s Edge (PS3, 360)

                I’m glad Mirror’s Edge is finally getting a sequel because it deserves it.

                You take a look at it and you think, “Oh, a first-person shooter with a weird colour palette,” but you’d only be partially right.

                I agree that it has a weird colour palette but it hits the dystopian feel so well because of it. It doesn’t look like other games. The colours also make it easy to spot where you can jump, which is important because this is what makes it different.

                Mirror’s Edge penalizes you for shooting, and urges you to run. Because of this, the game is fast-paced and thrilling. You can disarm guards, but you do it mostly just so they don’t shoot you so you can run away.

                You don’t get many games like this these days, and it should be embraced for that reason.

42: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (PS3, 360)

                Admittedly I was never a massive Ninja Gaiden fan. I definitely enjoyed the crushing difficulty of the NES games, but I wouldn’t include them in my favourite games of all time.

                It took me awhile to play the modern versions of the series. They aren’t side-scrolling platformers anymore, they’re really hard action games.

                It does what these types of games need to do to be successful. The combat is difficult but deep, and each fight seems like a struggle. You can’t just button mash (not that there’s anything wrong with that gameplay choice), you have to try each time or you could die.

41: Limbo (360, PS3)

                Limbo creates a dark world full of intrigue. It’s not a long game, but it does what it sets out to do. It transports you to a mysterious, menacing place, and you have to platform your way out of the situation. The ending is a nice touch. 

Well people, that’s it. What do you think of these games? Let me know in the comments how stupid you think I am. Until next time, thanks for reading.

[Click here to see 40 - 31]