Reading these posts I have come to realise that perspective seems to play almost as large a role as nostalgia in deciding whether a game is good or not.

For example, I had never played any of the Baldur's Gate games but I recently played through BG1 and loved it and will soon move on to BG2.

I think one of the reasons I was able to love it was because I have also not played any RPGs that were made after the mid 90s so, if there are problems with the UI or gameplay etc, that have since been improved upon, I am ignorant to that.

There were a few other games people have mentioned that I played for the first time recently (Ultimate Underworld springs to mind) but again, I guess I am yet to play the more modern games which demonstrate that those games are no good anymore.

Ignorance IS bliss!!

That was the in thing back in the day and it sold a whole lot of clue books, hint books and strategy guides. I sold a lot of those games back then and most people got the relevant guide automatically if they'd ever played one before. It was a given it would be needed. It wasn't uncommon for people to somewhat resent this as a cash grab, as in the puzzles were deliberately designed such that most mere mortals would never get them all without buying the book too. Nonetheless, people liked them and the books sold like hotcakes.

This.. Missing an item could kill any progress without a hint of it and merciless game design for hotlines of the eighties.

I think the biggest problem with that is that these are not of the "should have seen that coming" category but more "how should I have known that I shouldn't use that item there because I need it later somewhere else?" category.

I played Battletoads and Battlemaniacs to death and eventually beat it without dying. I also beat the two player mode with a friend, but with some deaths. Turning on PvP and trying to kill each other was a blast, especially if we held off until the snake level. I know it isn't as bad as the NES version, but it's probably still best left to nostalgia.

I was a massive fan of the Tales Series at on point in my life... that game on the otherhand I never was really that huge a fan of & that is largely because of Rita. I cringed every time she spoke.... science BS this & science BS that. On the other hand, Yuri is by far my favorite Tales hero ever. I just love the scene where (SPOILERS: He let Cumore sink into the sand).... coolest scene ever.

You believe that your view is the correct one, while admitting that others will feel the same way, with differing views? That is a scary thought. It's one thing to say "I like X, and I am not sure why/don't feel the need to explain why I do", and another completely to say "I am right, but other people might say the same thing".

Mite b cool. I like the way it looks at least. Feedback would be neato when you get around to trying it.

EDIT:
People will feel that their opinion is the most correct one, because it's theirs. Subjectively, they're right, but objectively it's impossible to say which opinion is the "most correct". Even so, people might still be able to respect other people's opinion. The scary thought would be if you failed to realize that.

He's literally insane on this topic. Let it go.

A handful would do. I am not saying Diablo 2 does not have its flaws but it seems ridiculous to say many games have done better at its concept afterwards and then one of the two games named is in its about to be released in 2013. It also seems odd to me to claim it does not age well pointing out flaws which do not suddenly surface in retrospect, but have been out in the open pretty much from the beginning.

Nobody goes back to Diablo 2 and suddenly does realize that the graphics where not as great as he remembered it, because hardly anyone was delusional about that.

That's a solid complaint, I guess I was just a masochist as a kid, because I always liked that about those games.
Maybe I just felt like it was an achievement to not have to use hint books and guide books, etc.
I DO explicitly remember getting caught by the kissing monster in SQ2, as an example, was very near the end,
then had a baby alien, ruining my game. xD

I think because as a kid, my parents were so strict about the games I played, that left SQ as one of the
very few games I was allowed to play, so I played them a LOT. SQ 1-4 and KQ 1-5, as well as Conquests of Camelot.

Path of Exile has been a state superior to the release state of Diablo 2 for nearly half a year now. Since anyone can essentially "buy" a beta key by purchasing something from the store, nearly anyone can play. It is not open enrollment yet and they are still fixing bugs, but most of what's going on is polish.

We've already said TQ.

TL2, since this was actually a lot of Diablo/D2 alumni and it's a hommage... yeah, it seems pretty obvious.

I haven't played Darkspore yet but I did the PAX demo, the group mechanics seemed really well done. It's possibly better, someone who's played it should weigh in.

Hell, even Dungeon Siege III was better, objectively, than D2.

Crimson Alliance, which it still is sad is not also on PC, also rocks socks. It has some of the most interesting build and challenge mechanics going.

Now, the one caveat that I always mention but have failed to do so here, "except for the cinematics", Blizzard always does really outstanding cinematics.


EDIT: Sorry I keep editing, but Borderlands 2, being a huge improvement on Borderlands, is also superior, and yes, this is an ARPG (as in the reasons you play it is the same as an ARPG, in addition it also shares the lionshare of mechanics).

Krater, though I haven't delved into this one as much as I've wanted.

Has anyone played RAW enough to say? I picked it up on the XBLA sale, it looks above average if not outstanding.

I love you man, that legitimately made me smirk. Explaining my insanity:

You have stated "I believe X completely, and that my belief is the correct one, while I accept that is a fully subjective belief without strong evidence, and that others will belief Y, Z, and Q in the exact same fashion, with as much conviction, and lack of evidence".

Sounds like a strong case against religion!

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with that advice. Have fun having the last word, anjohl.