# Games that are the best of their genre **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333 "2003-11-10T02:24:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/1 "2003-11-10T02:24:33Z")
This is practically IMHO. I’m curious what games (computer and console) are the epitome of their genre. FPS: I vote for Unreal Tournament. I’ve had more fun with it than with any sequal. RPG: Planescape: Torment. Adventure: The Longest Journey. Survival Horror: Alone in the Dark. What other games are the apex of their genre? ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/2 "2003-11-10T03:32:46Z")
FPS - Half Life Adventure - Grim Fandango RPG - Wizardry 1 RTS - Rise of Nations TBS - Civ 2 First Person Sneaker - Thief 1 MMORPG - Anarchy Online Special Consideration - Rogue Spear ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/3 "2003-11-10T03:34:41Z")
Oh, I didn’t realize you wanted the epitome, I just listed my favorite. In that case I change RTS to Age of Empires and MMORPG to Everquest. Modern RPG would be Baldur’s Gate 2 but Wiz 1 wins for classic. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/4 "2003-11-10T03:46:13Z")
For RPGs, I’d have to nominate Final Fantasy VI and VII, and Chrono Trigger. Although it looks like you guys are computer gamers, not platformers. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/5 "2003-11-10T04:39:09Z")
For the run, jump, shoot, and collect things genre, it’s a pretty close tie between Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank (in 3D, that is–Wizards & Warriors owned that style of gaming in 2D). ---
**Author:** ![gyt\_fx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@gyt\_fx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gyt_fx)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/6 "2003-11-10T04:56:17Z")
FPS - Halo (What are you guys THINKING?!?!?:dubious: ) (However Unreal is good, it’s more of a fast paced game than a strategic one)(And Half-life and it’s sequels are great (CS)) RPG - Final Fantasy VII most likely Diablo 2 (LoD) is fairly good MMORPG - Everquest (not when World of Warcraft comes out though 🆒 ) RTS - Starcraft, possibly Warcraft… Platform Fighting - Super Smash Bros (melee), Soul Calibur (2), Street Fighter ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/7 "2003-11-10T07:03:12Z")
RTS - Age of Empires II, Conquerors. Yeah, it’s a microsoft game, and yeah, it doesn’t even run right on their own system, but… It’s balanced perfectly. There’s no defense that can’t be broken by someone more skilled or paying more attention, and there’s no attack that can’t be stopped in a similar manner. Every unit has its enemies. And the map editor? Well, ok, it’s a bit clunky for the complex stuff, but some of the scenarios folks have made with it are incredible! Role-playing game? I’m’a nominate two, so take THAT conformity! Fallout, and Fallout Two. REAL character development, stuff your character does actually affects the outcome of the game, and a great sense of actually being there. Not a click-watch-click-watch ‘game’ like some of the Final Fantasy series is. New category: Humor I nominate for permanent #1 status the all-time great “Sam & Max Hit the Road”. An older point-and-click adventure game with the cutest little hyperkinetic rabbity-thing you ever saw clamp onto someone’s jugular vein while screaming “death from above!” Well… permanent until the new one comes out!!! > **[Games - StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/games-apps)** > > Get the latest official news, trailers, and insights on a galaxy of Star Wars games and apps. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/8 "2003-11-10T07:07:48Z")
Adventure: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time / Link to the Past First Person Shooter: Half-Life (Goldeneye for multiplayer) Platformer: Super Mario 64 RTS: Total Annihlation ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/9 "2003-11-10T07:10:28Z")
Humor: Conker’s Bad Fur Day ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/10 "2003-11-10T07:12:27Z")
How can anyone nominate anything other than Fallout 2 for best RPG ever? Racing game: F-Zero (yes, on Super Nintendo/Famicom) ---
**Author:** ![commie\_sho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@commie\_sho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commie_sho)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/11 "2003-11-10T08:01:32Z")
Fighting games: King of Fighters 2002, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Racing: Daytona USA 2 (I dunno if this ever came to console, I only got to play it at the arcades once) Lightgun: Silent Scope 1 and 2 ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/12 "2003-11-10T08:33:44Z")
I second dutchboy208’s F-Zero nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/13 "2003-11-10T08:42:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dutchboy208 \* > \*\*How can anyone nominate anything other than Fallout 2 for best RPG ever? > > \*\* Because the same company made Planescape: Torment and it is better. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/14 "2003-11-10T16:51:46Z")
Music: Amplitude (PS2) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/15 "2003-11-10T17:53:33Z")
RPG- I’ve never played Fallout or Fallout 2, so I can’t rate those (though I was a BIG fan of ‘Wasteland’ on my Apple II+), so my vote goes to Arcanum. Large world, what you did had an effect on the endgame, and lots and lots of choices for character development (granted, I always ended up either a melee specialist, a gunsmith with good firearm skills, or a wizard with the necromancy / force / translocation combo, but still, the options were there). ---
**Author:** ![CaptBushido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@CaptBushido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptBushido)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/16 "2003-11-10T18:02:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Because the same company made Planescape: Torment and it is better. **Blasphemy.** I will evade the FF style/PC style RPG issue by splitting it: RPG(console): Xenogears RPG(PC): Fallout 1 and 2 New catagory: Space sim - Descent: Freespace (1 and 2) RTS: Starcraft FPS(PC): Half-Life FPS(console): Perfect Dark (although, I HAVEN’T played Halo yet; I’ll probably get it for PC soon) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/17 "2003-11-10T20:32:21Z")
Racing: **San Francisco Rush** (or, preferably, \*\*Rush 2: The Rock). Space combat: **Star Raiders.** Word! Text adventure: Anything by Infocom in general, **Trinity** in particular. FPS: **Doom.** No muss, no fuss, grab 'n gun. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/18 "2003-11-10T21:45:03Z")
RPG: Planescape: Torment. Brilliant writing, memorable characters, a huge world, fantastic graphics, freedom of alignment… The perfect RPG experience, period. And it’s not like I haven’t played the best. Chrono Trigger, all the Final Fantasies, the Fallout series… Sure, they’re good, but Torment eclipses them all with room to spare. FPS: Half-Life (Halo? Please. Just an average shooter with pretty graphics. Half-Life was nearly as revolutionary as Doom, and the former is still fun today.) Adventure: Grim Fandango. It made me laugh, it made me cry. It’s made all of my friends who I’ve lent it to laugh and cry, too. This game proves outright that games can be art. Turn-Based Strategy: Worms, in any form in the original series. Worms, worms, worms. What can I say about worms? Funny. Takes a minute to learn, and years to master. Hugely moddable. Just awesome. ---
**Author:** ![gyt\_fx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@gyt\_fx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gyt_fx)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/19 "2003-11-10T22:11:07Z")
Hah, AVERAGE shooter? More like the best FPS. Yes, Doom was revolutionary for its time. So was pong. It is a good game, but multiplayer is what gets me. I’d rather have multiple possibilities playing thousands of different people than just play against the computer ive beat over and over… Now halo ISn’t the most balanced game… and is quite exploitable in many ways (Pistol owns…), But it takes A LOT of practice to get better. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333/20 "2003-11-11T03:28:41Z")
RPG: **Suikoden 2** This series doesn’t get nearly enough credit. The game isn’t half as flashy as Final Fantasy games, but it’s got tons of interesting characters and never forgets to be _fun_. Strategy RPG: **Final Fantasy Tactics** Not just the best strategy RPG, but _the best game ever made_. First Person Shooter: **Half-Life** Platformer: **Super Mario 64** It was unquestionably ground-breaking and influenced just about every game, not just platform game, that came after it. The key, though, is that it’s still the best in terms of control, pacing, design, and presentation. Graphic Adventure: **Day of the Tentacle** With DOTT, some of the puzzles are as interesting as the cutscenes, and you really feel like you’re interacting with a story instead of just watching an animated movie. Humor: **You Don’t Know Jack: Movies** Best writing of any videogame, ever, period. When this was released, I was convinced that the industry had finally entered the stage where people would no longer accept writing that was just “good for a videogame” and demand more maturity and intelligence. That didn’t happen. This is still a damn fine game. Music/rhythm: **Gitaroo-Man** Not the most innovative in its genre (that’d be Parappa the Rapper), but the best in execution MMORPG: **Final Fantasy XI** Maybe too early to judge, but this is the game I was expecting when I first heard about _Everquest_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-that-are-the-best-of-their-genre/212333.md?page=2)