With this clickbait title I have now lured you in to the topic of finding the perfect game. I've been pondering this for a while now, thinking about the many games I've played in my life and which of them I keep returning to and have the fondest memories of.
Some of them are deeply flawed but have this special something that sinks its hooks into you and won't let go. Some are pure nostalgia at this point, viewed through rose-tinted glasses that hide their shortcomings to your subjective perspective.
I've been thinking long and hard and I believe I have found this single absolutely flawless game that I've been playing on and off for decades now (as a series of course, not just one title) and the more I think about it the better it gets and it's harder and harder to find any deficiencies with it. The shining paragon of great game design.
Let's talk about WipEout series (talking about the first release back in 1995 up to Omega Collection in 2017, the mobile abomination done by a different studio in 2021 is not part of it).
On surface it is a very basic game - just an arcade futuristic racing with some extra stuff on top. But the devil is in the details as usual. If you think about it this game has exactly the content it needs and nothing more. Everything is streamlined and polished to the point where adding or removing something would probably be detrimental. The game itself in its basic form is very easy to get into but at the same time it is very challenging to master. There is a bit of luck involved to keep things interesting but for the 99% of it the pure skill is what counts. You have both extensive single player campaigns and multiplayer options. There is plenty of variety in the ships you can fly but it's all extremely well balanced.
With the minimalistic approach you would think it's very similar to other popular competitive titles like TrackMania and you'd be right. But WipEout goes so much deeper... Where TrackMania is all about just mechanics WipEout has very extensive lore behind each craft and team (example: https://wipeout.fandom.com/wiki/FEISAR ). Hell, even the on-board assistant voice is different for each team. The minute details in how each craft handles that you start to pick up as you become more experienced, the sheer feeling of transcendence when you master a particular course (which are all also awesome design). The achievements that actually require a lot skill to accomplish so you can brag about them.
Different game modes it offers:
Race - standard race vs opponents
Tournament - a series of races with cumulative points for standings
Elimination - a race where you want to do the most damage and destroy the most opponents
Zone - a simulation where your craft is constantly picking up speed and you have to navigate the course, every touch of the wall reduces your health, every perfect lap restores your health (there are even achievements for reaching supersonic speeds with only using airbrakes for turning and for reaching speeds of up to Mach 2)
Time trial - get the fastest time on a track
Speed lap - get the fastest lap
There are more of course like Detonator and Zone battle but the above mentioned are the most basic.
Everything from the menus to the HUD, engine sounds and music in this game is just perfection.
Here are some videos to illustrate why after diving deep into WipEout I'm pretty much unable to play any other racing games now and how amazing it looks.
The game is simply pure. It knows exactly what it wants to do and it does it extremely well.
Here's a review of the original from 1995 (surprise, surprise, it holds up even today).
I like this topic, not because there is necessarily an objectively correct answer for each person, but because it highlights what different people value in video games. I always loved the exploration and precision of 3D platformers and adventure games from the N64 era, I always loved the strategy and customization of RPGs and turn-based JRPGs, and I always loved certain multiplayer games that fostered competition and grew the bond between myself and my two younger brothers.
From those three categories, some of my favorite / most impactful / most influential / pretty-darn-close-to-perfect-for-me video games include: Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Star Fox 64, Quest 64, Final Fantasy X, Pokemon Blue/Red, Diablo 1 and 2, StarCraft 1 and 2, Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, and Super Smash Bros. 64.
If I needed to restrict myself as purely and as simply as possible to one, single, perfect game for me, I would pick the video game that I created: Mango Mischief. I designed and developed the entire satirical, retro-style, turn-based JRPG, from the characters and story to the battle system and class/skill customizations. Working on such a passion project was really fun and educational on its own (the day-to-day journey/benchmarks, not just the destination/goal of finishing the product), and I got to include anything and everything I wanted, including personal references and other video game references. I replay it every year, and love every second of it... which should make sense, because I made the game for myself, first and foremost.
Boulderdash on Commodore 64.There's probably only half a dozen games i would play again on that system since many have not aged well, better conversions on other systems etc.In this case I have seen versions with updated graphics and mechanics on more powerful systems and they're just not the same.
I would have to say DotA /Dota 2. Always more to learn, fun in a group, fun solo. Each game is unique even if you play it a lot. The possibility for big plays is always there and the mental challenge of trying to figure out how to come back or even just the angle on this session is stimulating.
What broke it for me was when pushing became too dangerous and people started farming 10-15 minutes more to secure the win. Then it isn't fun on defense or offense. That combined with no poverty role where you try to do a lot with very little slowly pushed me away.
That is why ending an RPG without using the consumables is the right way to play, it means you had to find harder solutions and think on the problem more.
If we ignore the game engine and just focus on the game, then Fallout: New Vegas is the obvious choice for me and apparently a shit ton of other people. Purposeful open world, decisions matter, extreme attention to detail, etc... I'm not going to come up with anything about the game that hasn't been said hundreds of times already. One of the most important aspects to me is the difficulty level seems appropriate.
I just focus on games that feel good to play moment to moment. If the mechanics click for me and the pacing keeps me hooked, the rest usually falls into place on its own.
EPT
