Top 5 Friday: Top 5 First Person Shooters
- Thread starter SmoshGames
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Nothing personal but I'm going to have to parrot most of the people here...this isn't very good 
The Negative:
A top five feature needs one of two things:
1. A Someone. Someone I know he knows what he's talking about. Someone I know I can respect their opinion. Maybe I should know who this "Sohinki" guy is but I have absolutely no reason to respect this opinion over the millions of other generic top five best things ever lists out there. What makes you worth listening to over xxGAYLO6969xx on the forums?
2. An interesting list. This is why Lisa worked so well...she wasn't a "somebody" but her lists were interesting. Some of the lists fell flat on their face but I didn't stop watching the video half-way through. The "Top five FPS" games is about as generic as you could get...
The Positive:
The guy had a good speaking voice! So...there's that.
This is a thing that could have a lot of potential. Jim Sterling's videos were absolutely BLASTED the first few times but he took the criticism and turned his show into something that many now call their favorite feature here. This show doesn't seem like it will go anywhere unless you make some drastic changes but it's not impossible.
The Negative:
A top five feature needs one of two things:
1. A Someone. Someone I know he knows what he's talking about. Someone I know I can respect their opinion. Maybe I should know who this "Sohinki" guy is but I have absolutely no reason to respect this opinion over the millions of other generic top five best things ever lists out there. What makes you worth listening to over xxGAYLO6969xx on the forums?
2. An interesting list. This is why Lisa worked so well...she wasn't a "somebody" but her lists were interesting. Some of the lists fell flat on their face but I didn't stop watching the video half-way through. The "Top five FPS" games is about as generic as you could get...
The Positive:
The guy had a good speaking voice! So...there's that.
This is a thing that could have a lot of potential. Jim Sterling's videos were absolutely BLASTED the first few times but he took the criticism and turned his show into something that many now call their favorite feature here. This show doesn't seem like it will go anywhere unless you make some drastic changes but it's not impossible.
"This week, Matt discusses the five first person shooters that define the genre."
No.
Not even close.
(Well, maybe a little, I can except Half-Life and/or Counter Strike, I've never played the latter, but even I know the impact it had.)
This is a top 5 list of Matt's favorite FPS games, not a list of a man who sat down, did some research and then created a plausible list of actual influential FPS titles that defined a genre.
I don't have a problem with this video or this Matt person, I do however have a problem with how SmoshGames advertised this episode.
No.
Not even close.
(Well, maybe a little, I can except Half-Life and/or Counter Strike, I've never played the latter, but even I know the impact it had.)
This is a top 5 list of Matt's favorite FPS games, not a list of a man who sat down, did some research and then created a plausible list of actual influential FPS titles that defined a genre.
I don't have a problem with this video or this Matt person, I do however have a problem with how SmoshGames advertised this episode.
Daikatana falls into the same basic category as Plan 9 From Outer Space and The Room. It's not good per se, but it's definitely fun, just not in the way the authors intended.Scorpid said:
EDIT: Also, Daikatana was pretty influential in that it put Looking Glass out of business and ruined John Romero's reputation.
If I have learned something of this, it is that people miss "Top 5 with Lisa Foiles". Because she was, you know, funny.
True, but these kinds of lists pop up in the gaming discussion forums all the time. I just think it's a little bit pointless to post up a vid announcing for example the 'top 5 RPGs' when a casual look at the first couple of pages in the GD forums will throw up multiple threads on exactly the same subject.Conner42 said:
Whilst I think this weeks Top 5 was much better than last time I kind of agree with these guys:
Also:
Kurt Cristal said:
I sort of feel like the show needs to decide between whether it wants to be zany or in-depth. So far I don't think this video series is for me but it can't hurt the Escapist to have variety to appeal to more people so lets be nice. Sometimes we do take our games too seriously.Valagetti said:
Also:
I wholeheartedly agree.PunkRex said:
My personal 5 FPS of all times just has to include the following:
- Half Life 1: most people tend to forget just how revolutionary that game was.
- Stalker: immersive gameplay at its best
- Star Wars Jedi Knight 1: although a bit unfair since it also has RPG elements, had some of the best level design I've ever seen and some of the most furious firefights.
- Call of Duty 1: Stalingrad forever... Russian Campaign, Pavlov building. Also the Kar98... Nuf' said.
Top spot - No One Lives Forever 2: also probably the best game ever made.
The only problem with nostalgic titles such as these is that anyone who NOW plays them for the first time will think "wtf?!". Poor sods...
- Half Life 1: most people tend to forget just how revolutionary that game was.
- Stalker: immersive gameplay at its best
- Star Wars Jedi Knight 1: although a bit unfair since it also has RPG elements, had some of the best level design I've ever seen and some of the most furious firefights.
- Call of Duty 1: Stalingrad forever... Russian Campaign, Pavlov building. Also the Kar98... Nuf' said.
Top spot - No One Lives Forever 2: also probably the best game ever made.
The only problem with nostalgic titles such as these is that anyone who NOW plays them for the first time will think "wtf?!". Poor sods...
Honestly I didn't mind this top 5 at all and you know why?.
Because it was subjective and I'm fine with him having his say unlike the rest of you on here who spout the same games and the same crap over and over and even then if he isn't calling your favourite game then it somehow amounts to heresy and loses all credibility which I think is just plain disgusting and utterly childish.
Seriously give the guy a fucking chance and stop whining and bitching over it and just grow up for once and let the man have his say without kicking him off the site.
Because it was subjective and I'm fine with him having his say unlike the rest of you on here who spout the same games and the same crap over and over and even then if he isn't calling your favourite game then it somehow amounts to heresy and loses all credibility which I think is just plain disgusting and utterly childish.
Seriously give the guy a fucking chance and stop whining and bitching over it and just grow up for once and let the man have his say without kicking him off the site.
To be fair you didn't really need to say that lame joke just like how many of you say this top 5 guy doesn't deserve to be on the Escapist.Valagetti said:
Most of the time intellectual discussion does on here is about how crap something is and how it can be improved through personal opinion and subjective views rather than accepting something and maybe then giving an unbiased way to improve something.
That and this forum tosses around enough insults to fuel a world war let alone lacking proper intellectual discussion because most that goes on here is always "PC is superior!, consoles are crap and for casual plebs!".
Just for once be the better man and brush it off and walk on or at the very least engage in intellectual talk.
Even if you did care nothing's changed.Scorpid said:
His top 5 haven't done a thing at all but enable you to use the get mad card.
You know I could easily take all the mockery that's being spouted right now as utterly childish and want to punch everyone right now to pipe them down but you know I took it with a grain of salt and don't need to feel like smashing sense.
Yes I know exactly what you mean and talk about but that does not warrant spouting utter nonsense.
Unless of course you're willing to have the Escapist hire you and then you appear on the screen and do a better job or face complete mockery yourself.
And besides you yourself and everyone else here let alone me know what was defined anyway so really you knew the answer all along.
Maybe some staff can clear this up for me, is this being posted elsewhere as well or had it moved here exclusively?
If it's being posted in multiple places and isn't unique to the escapist now then whatever, it probably works for its current audience.
If, however, it has moved here, and is only being posted here I have some constructive criticism.
1. Last week we were assumed to know the cast, we don't. That is silly.
Perhaps an introduction to the series would be good rather than just jumping in at what feels like the middle of a season.
2. Know your audience. I don't know exactly how many posts have called you out on it but a) Misusing literally, and b) Claiming that FPS is the most played genre (What about MOBA's and MMORPG's? LoL is the most played game on the planet. It is not an FPS.).
I think making more carefully worded statements might go down a little better. Especially when semi-praising one of the genres which is less popular recently among snooty videogame elitists (which is the general demographic of this website, whether we acknowledge it or not.)
I really think a few episodes which are formatted differently (to allow us as an audience to know who you are and why we shoudl care) would go down well.
If it's being posted in multiple places and isn't unique to the escapist now then whatever, it probably works for its current audience.
If, however, it has moved here, and is only being posted here I have some constructive criticism.
1. Last week we were assumed to know the cast, we don't. That is silly.
Perhaps an introduction to the series would be good rather than just jumping in at what feels like the middle of a season.
2. Know your audience. I don't know exactly how many posts have called you out on it but a) Misusing literally, and b) Claiming that FPS is the most played genre (What about MOBA's and MMORPG's? LoL is the most played game on the planet. It is not an FPS.).
I think making more carefully worded statements might go down a little better. Especially when semi-praising one of the genres which is less popular recently among snooty videogame elitists (which is the general demographic of this website, whether we acknowledge it or not.)
I really think a few episodes which are formatted differently (to allow us as an audience to know who you are and why we shoudl care) would go down well.
You're going to go the "I'd like to see you do better," route? Seriously? Because not having your own web show where you do a better job presenting the content your criticizing means someone can't have an opinion on how well or how poorly someone else did it?Shadow-Phoenix said:
Give me a break.
Second, simply hand waving someone's argument as utter nonsense rather than refuting it is one of the weakest forms of rebuttal imaginable.
I'd comment on the rest of your post, but honestly, much of it was pretty much incomprehensible. Particularly your apparently taking criticism of someone elses video personally, and your last sentence which literally makes no sense.
Now if you'd like to defend this guys list, feel free. But how about addressing some of the criticism instead of basically just saying "it's his list lol, he can do what he wants." I don't think anyone would refute that he can do what he wants, but I do think a lot of people would like to see some more worth while discourse being created by the content creators on the Escapist.
Then quoting me was a massive waste of time along with shoving words in my mouth.Vivi22 said:
I never said anyone couldn't offer some criticism but instead if you're going to offer some at least be adult about it rather than devolving into calling the show "shit", "he's got no fucking clue" because in the end that really does nothing to help him in any way shape or form but insult.
I'd also like to note that quoting me again would result in another waste of time because I already know what's mostly been commented on this thread isn't 100% valid criticism.
Unless of course you're one of those people that like to endlessly argue to get the last word because I'm pretty much done on this thread.
Half-Life 2 is a solid game, but it's also *easily* the second most over-rated game in history behind Call of Duty 4. It's narrative was well-told through the gameplay, and the gravity gun was fun the first time around. Apart from that, though? The gameplay itself was boring, 90's FPS-affair that had already started to go obsolete by the time Half-Life 2 rolled around (and I'm sorry, fellow PC-gamers, but I NEVER found that kind of gameplay fun in the least), the story was pretty weak (though well-suited to a game), and the atmosphere of the game just never resonated with me in the way a lot of other games have.
As for my list? In no particular order:
- Portal (if we're counting this as an FPS): easily one of the most well-designed games of all time, and a blast to play through. This is one game that actually deserves the massive amount of praise it gets.
- Team Fortress 2: TF2 has been nerfed a bit because of some of the new weapons, but it remains another one of the most well-designed games ever made, and is probably the best multiplayer shooter of all time. The visual style and atmosphere are striking, the mechanics are incredibly well balanced, and (with the obvious exception of 2Fort) the map design is superb.
- Halo: Combat Evolved: the more recent installments have muddied up the franchise a bit (though I still enjoy them), but the original was a game with incredibly deep gameplay given how simple it was. The art style was imaginative, the story was engaging and nicely self-contained while containing a fair amount of back-story (think A New Hope), and it was the first time anyone made an FPS that worked as well with a controller as it did with a mouse and keyboard.
- Mirror's Edge: Another one I'm not sure you'd count as an FPS, Mirror's Edge featured a functional but mediocre story and fun but sometimes temperamental gameplay. So why did I like it so much? Because I've never played another game with such incredible atmosphere. For how short the game is (you can easily beat it in 2-3 hours if you run all the way through it), I've gotten an insane amount of replay out of it by slowing down and soaking in all the different the environments. Mirror's Edge is actually a contender for my favorite game of all time just for this reason.
- Far Cry 3: Admittedly, it might just be because I'm still addicted to post-game at the moment, but Far Cry 3 is a ton of fun. It takes everything that was fun about Far Cry 2 (which I also had a blast with) and ramps it up to 11. My only gripe was the fact that once you clear out the islands, there's very little to do, but I discovered a simple hex-edit mod which restored the islands to their pirate-infested state. That said, the fact that cleared outposts stay cleared does give a nice sense of progress that you never got in Far Cry 2, and for that I put Far Cry 3 on the list.
Honorable mentions that would probably be included in a top ten list:
- The Brothers in Arms franchise
- Half-Life 2: SMOD and all it's runty children
- Garry's Mod (just because it's so damn versatile)
- Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2
- NeoTokyo (a HL2 mod that was popular for about two months but remains one of the best mutliplayer games of all time).
As for my list? In no particular order:
- Portal (if we're counting this as an FPS): easily one of the most well-designed games of all time, and a blast to play through. This is one game that actually deserves the massive amount of praise it gets.
- Team Fortress 2: TF2 has been nerfed a bit because of some of the new weapons, but it remains another one of the most well-designed games ever made, and is probably the best multiplayer shooter of all time. The visual style and atmosphere are striking, the mechanics are incredibly well balanced, and (with the obvious exception of 2Fort) the map design is superb.
- Halo: Combat Evolved: the more recent installments have muddied up the franchise a bit (though I still enjoy them), but the original was a game with incredibly deep gameplay given how simple it was. The art style was imaginative, the story was engaging and nicely self-contained while containing a fair amount of back-story (think A New Hope), and it was the first time anyone made an FPS that worked as well with a controller as it did with a mouse and keyboard.
- Mirror's Edge: Another one I'm not sure you'd count as an FPS, Mirror's Edge featured a functional but mediocre story and fun but sometimes temperamental gameplay. So why did I like it so much? Because I've never played another game with such incredible atmosphere. For how short the game is (you can easily beat it in 2-3 hours if you run all the way through it), I've gotten an insane amount of replay out of it by slowing down and soaking in all the different the environments. Mirror's Edge is actually a contender for my favorite game of all time just for this reason.
- Far Cry 3: Admittedly, it might just be because I'm still addicted to post-game at the moment, but Far Cry 3 is a ton of fun. It takes everything that was fun about Far Cry 2 (which I also had a blast with) and ramps it up to 11. My only gripe was the fact that once you clear out the islands, there's very little to do, but I discovered a simple hex-edit mod which restored the islands to their pirate-infested state. That said, the fact that cleared outposts stay cleared does give a nice sense of progress that you never got in Far Cry 2, and for that I put Far Cry 3 on the list.
Honorable mentions that would probably be included in a top ten list:
- The Brothers in Arms franchise
- Half-Life 2: SMOD and all it's runty children
- Garry's Mod (just because it's so damn versatile)
- Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2
- NeoTokyo (a HL2 mod that was popular for about two months but remains one of the best mutliplayer games of all time).