Gaming nostalgia, a look back at the most memorable games I've played (part 3)

Ever since I pumped a quarter into my first pinball machine I’ve been a gamer. To help kick off the new year I’ve decided to have a look back at my gaming past…

PART THREE: THE REIGN OF SONY

Playstation 2
The only games that stood out for me on this console were GTA Vice City, Metal Gear Solid 2 and Dynasty Warriors 4. Vice City provided me with much needed stress relief at the time, there was nothing like the mayhem a floating smiley face would allow you to wreak on the pixelated denizens of Vice City. This game saved quite a few of my co-workers lives back then (I’m not a violent person by nature, believe me, these guys were assholes.) Metal Gear Solid 2 was a great game and the first–and last–stealth title I’ve played all the way through. I think it was the political and social aspects of the story line (information is power, the control of the flow of information) that made it most memorable for me. Then there was Dynasty Warriors 4. I had a bang up time playing this button masher. I remember having so much fun playing this game that I’ve tried various iterations of it on the 360 to no avail. I recall the gameplay and graphics being far superior on the Ps2 than what I’ve experienced in the various versions available for the 360. Maybe it’s because when I played DW4 I was still smoking weed and had access to Humboldt quality dope but after viewing the gameplay video on YouTube I’m convinced the graphics and gameplay of DW4 for the PS2 are far superior.

Xbox
Another GTA title, San Andreas, will dominate my memories here. Wasting time exercising your virtual toon with virtual weights on a virtual beach was oddly, quite fun. Mercenaries was hella fun too. Blowing shit up in North Korea was a satisfying experience. Not that I really have anything against North Korea, I just liked blowing shit up. Fable was another standout here though Fable 2 would disappoint me (don’t promise an open world and then put me on rails.) And I shouldn’t forget Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2. Wielding dual light sabers was great.

I nearly forgot about Spider-Man 2. I’ve always been a HUGE Spidey fan, even back before being a Spidey fan was cool. The best thing about this one was the web slinging. I must have spent hours just web slinging across Manhattan… A guy has to have his hobbies, right?