When I tend to think back on my favorite games, I tend to reminisce on particular moments rather than the experience as a whole. Sure, the experience as a whole is worth replaying as well, but usually there is one bit that I have focused on above all others, one instant where everything came together and burned itself into my brain forever.
Recently, Bioshock Infinite has held several of those moments for me. I won’t venture into spoiler territory here, but I will say that besides the ending, a moment that stood out to me was in the basement of a broken down bar, where Booker DeWiit picks up a guitar and plays Let the Circle Be Unbroken while Elizabeth sings. It’s one of those things that catapulted straight to the lead of my favorite gaming memories, and I remember being breathless in the moment itself.
There are plenty of others to choose from. Climbing that ladder in MGS3. Talking to your party members for the final time in Mass Effect 3. The ride into Mexico in Red Dead Redemption. I’m sure we’ve asked this question before, but it’s always a good time to stop and update. What are some of your recent favorite video game moments?
Oh man, so many memories. I could write a short novel on my favorite moments from the last year of gaming. I’ll keep it short and sweet.
Mass Effect 3: Literally Every Plot Point in the Game
Spec Ops: White Phosphorous (Whoa…)
The Walking Dead: Ending (*Sobbing*)
Halo 4: Ending (A glimpse or two under that MJOLNIR armor done so well)
While it happened all the way back in ’07, Bioshock’s “Would You Kindly?” moment still resonates, so I’ll give that a mention as well.
Ooh, I have a lot. *SPOILERS*
In the first BioShock, I loved suiting up as a Big Daddy. I forgot why you had to do it, but it was so cool to go through, get all the suit parts, modify your voice and get your stink on. Considering how imposing a figure the Big Daddies were, I took delight in literally stepping in one’s shoes.
Crysis had two of these. The first is about halfway in the game as you make your way towards the center of the island, and you see the large mountain far off in the center crumble away It was really well-orchestrated. The second is when you enter the mountain and you find out it’s basically an alien base of operations. You explore the environment in zero gravity. Nomad is cut off from all communications, and is intent on using his suit to record everything he encounters. It’s just him talking to himself in between zero-gravity fights with the alien antagonists.
Half-Life 2 had a great moment once you drop out of the citadel pod and into the weapons confiscation field, which zaps away all your weapons. Except for your Gravity Gun, which becomes charged with dark energy. Armed with only the overcharged gravity gun, a combine squad charges down the hall towards you. You know the rest.
Crossing the border into Mexico in Red Dead Redemption was a sweet little victory in itself.
In Fallout: New Vegas, when I FINALLY reached the Strip, it was a momentous occasion. The game does a great job of building up this “pilgrimage” to New Vegas, and when you finally get out of Freeside and enter the Strip, it feels amazing. Too bad most of the game is broken.
And finally, the final battle against the Komato general Tor in Iji is a great moment. Tor is this hulking giant mech, and Iji is this tiny young woman. And of course, Tor has all sorts of deadly yet flashy attacks. Also, the music that plays during the fight is nothing short of epic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67eLpLhxEPg
Opera scene in FF VI.
When Rydia returns in FF IV.
Being turned to stone in Dragon Quest V, knowing my children are growing up without me.
Seeing the wasteland in Fallout 3.
Seeing Rapture for the first time.
The conversation with Sovereign on Virmire in the first Mass Effect.
“I am the very model of a scientist salarian;
I’ve studied species: turian, asari and batarian;
I’m quite good at genetics (as a subset of biology);
Because I am an expert (which I know is a tautology);
My xenoscience studies range from urban to agrarian;
I am the very model of a scientist salarian!
*cough*”
Half-Life 2 Episode 2: The combine ambush you using these force fields as you drive down the road, you have to run into the nearby house and fight them off. Then storm the force field’s generator.
Red Dead Redemption: The last mission when you’re defending your home, and the duel right before the credits (the song “Deadman’s gun” that plays during the credits completed that moment for me). The ride into Mexico was pretty awesome too.
Mass Effect 3: The ending, the whole sequence on the Citadel was really cool (especially the scene you talk to the Elusive Man) and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
The Walking Dead: The tense conversation with the man at the climax was amazing. The end was really great too.
Well, off the top of my head I’d say
-The first time playing minecraft, not really knowing anything about it, just hearing people say it’s addictive. That first dig, that first night fall, realizing there were actually enemies and hiding in a dirt house for 8 game hours til it was safe to come out. Just awesome
-In the original Deus Ex, there is a computer named Morpheus that is hidden behind a bookshelf. Totally optional, but the conversation you have with him is awesome. He says things like “The unplanned organism is a question asked by nature and answered by death. You are a different kind of question, with a different kind of answer.” and “The basic human need to be watched was once satisfied by God. Now, the same functionality can be replicated with data-mining algorithms.” Genius stuff.
-The twist at the end of Portal which I didn’t see coming. I thought there really was going to be cake at the end of the last test. Turning it into an escape was so crazy.
-And stealing from Anthony (since I just started a heavily modded hardcore playthrough), seeing the Wasteland in Fallout 3. That first step out of the vault is incredible. Still easily in my top 5 of favourite games ever.
Half Life 2: Ravenholm. Still one of the best designed sections in any game.
Mirror’s Edge: Any point in that game when the free running lasted longer than 10 seconds. The sheer spectacle of non-stop, fluid parkour has yet to be matched by any other game.
Bastion: The final level was so intense and ended so beautifully. The music was an amazing part of that experience too.
Borderlands 2: *SPOILERS* The reveal that Angel is not only a Siren, but also Jack’s daughter. The next 30 minutes of that game just hit so hard.
Hotline Miami: The moment when the game clicked with me and I could destroy an entire floor full of enemies without a second thought. It was such an empowering feeling.
Bioshock Infinite: When you see Elizabeth dancing. That moment is just so pure and innocent and in such contrast to the rest of the game that still I cannot stop thinking about it.