Best uses of videogames as a medium?

[Erik_Twice]

What games do you think that best use the videogame format to create an enjoyable experience?

Portal is probably the best use of it, IMHO, it wouldn't have worked in any other medium as well. You can't have loniness and symphatize with the only character at the same time, talking would break the immersion in a movie and would feel unnatural but in a videogame you don't need to because you ARE that character.

I also think that X-COM:UFO Apocalypse and World of Goo (I have only played the first two chapters of WoG, no spoilers please!) are pretty good too because the gameplay affects the atmosphere.

The scary atmosphere of X-COM and you caring for your soldiers would dissapear if the game were easy or if you could sacrifice soldiers without any disadvantage. The game is made so it reinforces itself with it's gameplay elements.

Similarly, in WoG, there's a mode where you can build a tower depending of the amount of Goo balls you saved. That mode is fun and makes you care more about saving those little Goo Balls instead of cheating your way on each level.

So, what do you think?

[CRTGAMER]

True about X-Com. Felt the same way in Command and Conquer. You know some soldiers are going to be sacrificed, you just want all those tiny icons to survive. I would constantly move the low green bar troops to the back. Same with the scout jeep, draw the enemy to follow, then go pass my line of soldiers keeping the jeep alive.

[lisalover1]

True about X-Com. Felt the same way in Command and Conquer. You know some soldiers are going to be sacrificed, you just want all those tiny icons to survive. I would constantly move the low green bar troops to the back. Same with the scout jeep, draw the enemy to follow, then go pass my line of soldiers keeping the jeep alive.

I think sympathy with your troops in a game is best demonstrated in Valkyria Chronicles, where each one of your soldiers has their own voice, likes and dislikes, appearances, and fighting styles. you really don't want any of them to die, because they seem more human.