30 Days of Video Games - BONUS: Why Do You Play Games Pg. 142

[The Tenth Doctor]

Day 6: Favourite Level

I'd say Shadow Moses Island from Metal Gear Solid/ Metal Gear Solid 4. This map is a snow covered base and my gosh, the feeling of tense rides you hard. Its a memorable map, heck I remember each room enough to find it. Then they brought it back in MGS4 & it was made into a nostalgia station. It gives you a chill remembering each area and seeing how it has degraded. A serious moment of the series.

[Dejimon11]

Day 5

Wow I knew an Indie game question would pop up soon. Most of the indie games I play are on IOS but there is one game console indie game that I've recently played that is better than the rest

Might Switch Force: Hyperdrive edition

Man I've been advise to play this game for a while now so I finally decided to play it and its a good game . The gameplay is solid. The art style is good if you liked the way ducktales remastered look then you'll like this game. The music is pretty catchy not the best video game music I've ever heard but it shouldnt be over looked you can download the games OST off Jake Kauffman's website for free so there's that. It's not my favorite game but it'd something ill go back to playing every now and then. It's basically a mixture of my favorite and least genres platforming and puzzling(meh) so the game requires you to think and for a completion bonus try beating the level under a certain time limit. My only problem with this game are the red and blue blocks God those are annoying.

I don't like the game as much as everybody else does(the same can be said about every wayforward game I play sorry guys) but its the best indie game I've played which isn't really saying much is it

Stay tuned for day 6 within a few short hours

[Celestia]

Day 6: Favourite Level

 

...Hm. That's really tough, actually. I've played enough games that there's a lot to choose from. But I guess I have to pick one that I always enjoy playing through, one that's very special, one tha--

 

 

Angel Island Zone

 

SSMB's reaction:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV0Ou_4i7ww

 

Now, I promised myself I'd avoid Sonic answers as much as I possibly can. But an exception had to be made for this question. And let me to tell you, this wasn't an easy choice who am I kidding? I was bit by the nostalgia bug. I mentioned AIZ in my "favourite first levels" post in the 30 Days of Sonic, and for good reason. It's one of the best first levels in the series. It was also the first I experienced, hell, the first platformer level I experienced.

 

But that's just part of it. It's a very well crafted level in many areas. It's simple enough for a first level, but with plenty of different ways to run through it--particularly Act 2--and with some parts that test you even at the very beginning of the game. You can very easily end up underwater at various points, and even for someone who hadn't played the first two games to let little-me know that water in Sonic is terrifying, it was still enough to make me realize I had to take things seriously.

 

There's also the fact there's a few sections where you have to go left. Doesn't sound like a big deal on paper, but compared to Green Hill and Emerald Hill? Yeah. It sure blows my mind!

 

Also, the music is incredible. Wow, can't believe I'm mentioning music in this topic, but here we are~ Also also, it introduces the Rhinobots who should clearly return in the modern games as a faster alternative to Motobugs you'd meet later in the game. Or something.

 

Plus I mean the whole dang level is set on fire. Gives a neat feeling of progression, sort of. Keeps it fresh, like the way Mushroom Hill changes in seasons as you go through it.

[Xtremer Sadiqachu]

Favorite Level? That seems kind of general, and yet so hard to pick from. But I'll go ahead.



This is the most fun level in all of Banjo Kazooie. It's also one of the most difficult. The creative gimmick of seasons changing makes for a battle between gameplay styles and level tropes. It's also pretty funny how one of the enemies from DKC are a good guy in this game.
Also, THAT FUCKING MUSIC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrGobUUMy_E#t=69

It's one of Grant's best people. 

Also, am I the only one who thinks Nabnut is related to Conker?

[Jin.]

Day 6

 

I'm not a perfect teammate, but there's 2 things I'm good at, sniping from afar and barking orders. I like this map because it allows me to scoot away from my team and still be able to help. For instance; There's a sniper tower, I usually stay there and provide cover until everyone is out of my range and then head after them. Just cus'... I enjoy the change of pace.

[Chaos Warp]

Day 6: Favourite Level (that's not Hydrocity Zone or Flying Battery from Sonic 3K)

 

 

Lightning Battle: Chapter 14 of Kid Icarus: Uprising

 

Ah yes, KI:U one of my other favourite games overall and my favourite game on the 3ds. Now, this is my favourite level for a few reasons. For one reason, I love how you fly through storm clouds on your way to the temple. For another, I love that the first part takes place during an active battle between two rival factions, and your role is that you're hunting one specific target from one of the factions. Thirdly, oh god dat music <3

 

 

So awesome. Best track out of a utterly fantastic soundtrack right here. 

 

And of course it has all the typical KI:U flavour of air combat sections that are on-rails and thus have the luxury of being very cinematic without being overly automated (well not any more automated then an on-rails shooter typically is), and fun ground sections, both conveying the story as they go along to witty dialogue and the gameplay itself as opposed to cutsecnes (the flight sections are especially, especially good at this), but then again most every Uprising level has this. This one's just my favourite of the bunch and one of my overall favourite levels. 

[Johnny Boy]

Day 6: Favorite Level

Pridelands from Kingdom Hearts 2.

The Lion King was one of my favorite disney films, so when I found out that it was going to be a world in KH2 I was stoked. And when the game came out, this world completely lived up to my expectations. The game does an excellent job of making all of the major locations from the movie look specatacular in 3D and I liked the way they handled the controls for a four legged Sora.

My only gripe with this world is that Jeremy Irons didn't come back to voice scar, nor did Matthew Brodrick come back to voice Simba.

[Gabz Girl]

Day 6! Favourite level!

 

 

Fort Frolic in Bioshock. Not only is this the best level in Bioshock but it's also my all time favourite level of any game I've ever played.

 

There are many reasons why this is my favourite. There's a lot to explore in this level and it's probably the most eerie area in the game due to all the plaster sculptures (read: corpses) scattered in places like the bathroom and a creepy flooded basement.

Speaking of basement, this level also introduces us to the most intimidating enemy in the game called the Plastered Splicer. They're basically more powerful Spider Splicers covered in plaster, and they can suddenly sneak up on you by acting like one of the sculptures. The first time you meet these Splicers you will be freaked out!

 

And then there's this guy.

 

 

Fort Frolic introduces us to its insane owner, Sander Cohen. He's one crazy ol' mofo, but he has charisma and he's...I dunno, awesome. I like Cohen, for all his craziness. There's even a part where he sends Splicers at you just because he assumes you don't like his "masterpiece," whilst Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers blares through the speakers in the grand entrance hall of Fort Frolic. Yet I still like the guy. Huh.

 

So not only is this my favourite level for its design and great exploration, but it has some of the most memorable moments (and characters!) in the entirety of Bioshock and hell, any game at that!

[StaticMania]

Favorite Level:

 

I like Flip-out Galaxy from Galaxy 2...

 

Its not a very hard level, but it is a very fun level to play. Its pure platforming fun, the music was great, the concept was cool and it just made for a very enjoyable level. Of the amount of times I played this level I was just trying to figure out any way possible speed run the level to be a "perfect run" I had a lot of enjoyment in just playing through it normally. But I had a lot of fun trying to see how many possible shortcut opportunities there were and ultimately having a lot of trouble making them work the 1st time, but that shouldn't be a surprise. I think the Cosmic clone mission of this level is even more fun to play, just because the tension makes me enjoy the level more. The Green Stars in this place aren't really anything to write home about...really easy stuff.

[Faseeh]

Oh man, I jsut have to I'm sorry.

 

 

This stage man. THIS STAGE. Now some of you may know I love this stage to endless limits. So let me explain why. 

 

Let's start off. The sunset almost at its end, the starry night sky stares, with almost endless black, little torches and flames guiding you, the waterfall pours elegantly and the shores meet the waves beautifully. Just hearing about the art and atmosphere throws you into a great and peaceful world, doesn't it? The visuals do great justice to this wonderful imagination.

 

The level design itself I believe is one of the best stages for the Werehog. Some nooks and crannies to explore, short enough battles, fun enough platforming that doesn't take away speed, and it's a short level being around 5 minutes usually for an average player! Along with Dragon Road Night, this really is one of the best designed stages, in my honest opinion.

 

However, let me come to what really got me loving this stage. The music. The bells just feels so moving for a reason, the strings pushing a foreboding yet peaceful feel. The piano just solidifies the piece and this piece just works so well. My admiration for the Unleashed Team needs no explanation apart from this stage's music. 

 

This stage also has a great place in the story, being the place where Sonic and Chip's friendship is really cemented just before the stage. The stage also allows for a dark but relaxing moment, a great opposition, just before the end-game. 

 

Overall, a stage I hold endless admiration for, an underrated and timeless classic.

[SuperStingray]

This one's too hard, so I'm just going to list my top 5 (in no particular order).

 

Day 6 :

 

City Escape (Sonic Adventure 2)

Simply put, I can't think of a level that better defines the personality of the character you play as.  This is how I and many others were introduced to Sonic and it still provides my favorite image of him.  Skydiving from a helicopter, sliding down the streets of San Francisco, evading military pursuit, destroying assault robots, running down the side of a building, grinding down rails, crossing bottomless construction sites and finally getting chased by a truck until it trashes itself on a tunnel.  Just playing this level is the definition of not giving a FUCK.  And it's done more justice to Sonic's character than all the cutscenes in the franchise combined.

 

Phendrana Drifts (Metroid Prime)

I've gushed about this level in the past, and it's still among my favorites.  God, there's just so much depth to this environment.  You feel the serenity of a dying world slowly meeting its end.  The remains of a lost civilization frozen in time.  An arctic world with a fascinating ecology and structure.  It would be enough for it to simply be pretty and interesting, but it's also where some of the most tense moments happen in Metroid Prime.  It's where you first encounter the pirate labs on Tallon IV and start to uncover their nefarious intents.  The pirate labs is one of the most chilling areas in any game I know; the hairs on my back stand up while I'm walking through there.  There's amazing ambient music no matter which corner of the level you are in and I honestly have zero bad things to say about it.

 

Sanctuary Fortress (Metroid Prime 2)

While I don't hold Prime 2 as highly as 1, Sanctuary Fortress is its saving grace.  After some very desolate and often claustrophobic levels, Sanctuary Fortress was a welcome surprise which completely rejuvenated my interest in the game.  With awesome high-tech vistas, upbeat and energetic design, engaging enemies and some creative and just plain fun-as-hell use of the spider ball, Sanctuary Fortress is one of the most downright inspiring levels I've ever played.  And its boss... well, let's save that for Favorite Boss Fight day.

 

Whomp's Fortress (Super Mario 64)

Being one of the first 3D platformers, Mario 64 was tasked with teaching its audience some of the most fundamental conventions of spacial interactions.  While Whomp's Fortress is the second level, I believe it is the most important in the game- maybe even the most important level of its era.  Where Bob-omb's Battlefield got players acquainted with 3D movement in a non-threatening environment with wide open spaces, clear direction and no pits, Whomp's Fortress is where the cuffs come off and the true promise of the game comes alive.  It's where you learn to THINK in 3D.  It teaches you how to use your environment to make your own shortcuts, how to judge distance, timing your movements, looking for secrets- everything.  You can tell that this started as an early prototype or pitch level like Dark Souls' Painted World of Ariamis; it's Mario 64 in a nutshell- a microcosm of the game's purpose and most interesting mechanics all laid out in a compact yet liberating environment.

 

Ravenholm (Half-Life 2)

After a brief respite in a safehouse with your allies, Gordon Freeman is thrust into a ghost town full of monsters, booby traps and a whole lot of saw blades.  This isn't a particularly pretty or original-looking level, but it does what it's built to do and it does it well.  Much like Whomp's Fortress, Ravenholm feels like a showcase level.  In this case, it's for the Gravity Gun.  You already learned how it works with Alyx and DOG, but now you have the chance to experiment and go nuts without any guilt or reservations.  Pick up sawblades and shoot them at zombies.  Crush them with cars and light them on fire.  Half-Life 2 is a very fun game from beginning to end, but Ravenholm in particular stands out for the way it gives the player extra freedom to experiment and play with the environment itself.  It's just a super satisfying trek from beginning to end.

[Tracker_TD]

Dammit

 

Day 6: Favourite Level

 

Well my number one choice is City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2, but in the interest of non-Sonic stuff:

 

 

Whomp's Fortress from Super Mario 64 is a level I adore, as it takes the basic skills you learn in Bob-Omb Battlefield, and applies them to a classic Mario style obstacle course, throwing varied stage design, interesting enemies and challenges, and a nifty boss to (literally) top it all off. I will say that Blast Away the Wall is a ridiculous star, and defies all common sense, but overall I reckon this level's pretty great, and the small additions in Super Mario 64 DS only provided more exploration possibilities. 

[Solkia]

I don't really have a favorite level, so I'm going to take the unconventional route and use my favorite Ace Attorney case instead.

 

Case 5-5: Turnabout for Tomorrow

 

This is the case where shit goes down on levels the series hasn't seen before.

 

     Your newest coworker Athena is arrested on suspicion of murder of Clay Terran and for a Bombing of a space station, and since Apollo decided to take a leave of absence to investigate the murder on his own, it's up to Phoenix to defend her. During the investigation you learn that the case is similar to a case that happened 7 years ago where there were also 2 bombings and Athena's mother was murdered. Later on, the Sister of Simon Blackquill, a ex-prosecutor convicted of murder and set to be executed the next day, decides to take hostages including Phoenix adopted daughter, Trucy. When she contacts you, the conditions for the release of the hostages is a retrial of Simon's case to declare his innocence, and instead indict Athena on the charges.

 

    With no visible alternatives in sight, Phoenix decides to take the case along with Edgeworth who is also wanting Simon to get cleared of all charges. When you go to the Detention Center to talk with Athena, This is where hell breaks loose.

 

You talk to Athena about the case from seven years ago and learn she was there that day. Her memory of the event is foggy, and she starts to question whether it could have been her. And then:

 

 

Holy mother of law, black psyche locks, the same psyche locks we say with Kristoph Gavin

 

Look at that fucking face, that is some PTSD shit right there. And with Black Psyche Locks, the possibillity of her killing her own mother and not even remembering it is looking more true than ever.

 

But Phoenix still takes the case. Through a series of asspulls you prove Athena of her innocence by finding out that instead of stabbing her mother, she stabbed the actual killer, codenamed "The Phantom", an international spy that the law has tried to take down for years.

 

BUT WAIT

 

 

Through Apollo's investigation, he learned that Athena was caught on security camera in circumstances that tie her to the murder of his best friend.

 

Athena is sad, Phoenix is pissed, and it's time to get to the bottom of this.

 

Through a number of more asspulls, we learn that Detective Fullbright is the Phantom.

 

 

I can't begin to froth over how much I loved this case from beginning to end.

[ElectricAngel]

Day 6 - Favourite Level

 

Okay so I'm just gonna spoiler this in case some people out there haven't played Portal 2.

 

 

"Well, this is the part where he kills us."

"Hello! This is the part where I kill you!"

*Chapter 9 - The Part Where He Kills You*

*Achievement Unlocked: The Part Where He Kills You*

 

Okay so if that wasn't enough to make you love this level, the dialogue Wheatley spurts out during it is hilarious. There are so many hilarious attempts where Wheatley tries to kill you, I couldn't help but laugh my ass of at some. This part in particular is my favourite and what makes the level. 

At least two minutes of constant persuading. This is golden! I can't imagine the actor keeping a straight face while recording this. And it's not just the dialogue. I loved everything about this chapter and how you're on the move from Whealtey. It fills you with adrenaline and makes the experience very exciting. Oh and the turret room is definitely a great moment as well.

 

Ugh, I've mentioned Portal 2 twice already! Darn it Portal 2, why must you be such a good game?!

[Senator NinjaShark]

Day Numbero 5 Hear Gold Edition: Ninja's "Your level is worse than any given Escort or Underwater Mission, Kami" Favourite Level Ever!

 

 

 

now, last year again I talked about stuff like Glitz pit from TTYD, and that still applies too, so here is a level I grew to love more recently

 

 

 

Chapter 2:2 from Resident Evil 4

 

 

 

specifially, the end of it, where you, Ashley and your buddy Luis are trapped in a cabin and have to survive an onslaught of enemies, wave after wave, storming the small Cabin, and you with somewhat Limited Ammunition, trying your best to survive the attack.

 

 

its a really cool and tense scene, you gotta barricade windows, knock down Ladders, Luis provides you with some Ammo but not too much, Ashley is in the safety of a closet so you can focus on pureley taking down the Ganados, its great.

[Debug Ring]

Day 6: Favourite level.

 

 

Halloween Town. KH or KHII, I can't decide but as an avid lover of The Nightmare Before Christmas, I love this world. It's really nice to see it implemented like this.l It's really an imaginative world, and a good expansion from the movie, and really feels like it should. They captured the essence of Halloween Town's residence perfectly, especially Jack Skellington, who is just as he is characterized in the film, and well written in the game. Oogie Boogie is also a really cool boss, and again a really good character captured perfectly in his scenes. I just damn love this world because I love the film, and it does it great justice.

[Spin Attaxx]

My favourite level... prrrrobably Buoy Base Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy?

 

I mean, it's a marine base in space with epic music and you fight your way to the top. That's a pretty cool idea. Gives me a few ideas for my own (planned) game...

 

...yeah, I'm sorry, Discy, but all these "Favourite X" questions are really forcing me to grasp for straws either because I don't have one favourite, or because they're things I don't think about too much.

[gato]

Day 6: Favorite Level
 
 
 
Well, I could mention Dr.Eggman's Wild Ride (Eggmanland) like I did on the last thread, I could mention my favorite Sonic 3 levels, I could talk about how awesome some of the Colors stages looked for me. Really most of the things that come to my mind are Sanic related.
 
I could talk about my favorite PSO2 stage but there really isn't anything to them that makes them unique besides the boss sitting at the end, I could talk about fighting game stages that I like but they are really nothing but a background... I guess I could talk about Metal Gear Rising's first stage and how much of a badass it makes you feel like.
 
 
 
Ah I think I'll go with Starcraft for this one.
 
 

Eye of the Storm

 
 
Eye of the storm is the final mission of the Protoss campaign in the original Starcraft and is pretty much also the culmination of everything you did in the 30 or so scenarios up to this point. After loads and loads of infighting (and I think I'm understating it here) the Protoss finally join forces with the Dark Templar to put an end to the Zerg Overmind.
 
The Zerg Overmind is about to conclude it's centuries long plan to consume the Protoss and become pure, perfect beings.
 
And in the middle of this, a band of misfits lead by Jim Raynor who somehow ended up in this legendary conflict after fleeing what was his own home for a while and failing to rescue a fallen friend (well one very important to the story, the amount of people Raynor actually lost in this war is a bit impossible to count) but since he's already here and the fate of the galaxy is at stake he might as well kick some.... whatever the Overmind has!
 
 

Tassadar's flagship, the Gantrithor.

 
 
The stage puts you for the first time in command of 2 bases (a Terran and a Protoss one) at different ends of the map so you have to micromanage both (or be very good at dodging enemy fire so you can concentrate all your heroes in a single base) if you want to defeat the giant swarm of alien locusts on the middle.
 
As mentioned before this stage pretty much puts everything you learned to the test and it feels really epic to see the consequences of everything you've done in the 3 campaigns until now (except for the Kerrigan storyline, but that gets addressed in the expansion) the development of the Protoss as a race, the Overmind's plan (that would be given a lot more context way later into the sequel) and Raynor's hardships (that wouldn't end here) and why he's the most awesome guy on the sector. The mission is pretty intense when you are playing it for the first time and it concludes in one of the cutscenes that really moved me back in the day.
 
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OlS74Yj148

Remember us, Executor. Remember what was done here today. May Adun watch over you.

En Taro Tassadar.

[Tori Himemiya]

DAY 6 OF PRESIDENT CROW JUMPING THROUGH LEVELS!

I thought long and hard about this so I finally decided on something.

Queensland from American McGee's Alice/Alice Madness Returns!

I have to admit the Alice games are some of my favorite games around. It made a dark Alice story and it worked very well. I have to admit the first game did scare me as a kid but I grew to love it in my later years. Being a mix a platformer and horror these games fascinate me as they brought in an interesting side to Alice's story. But here I'm gonna talk about this particular level.

I can't deny that I love those castles and Queensland is a massive castle obviously, with the Queen of Hearts lurking inside. Since this is the final level of the first game the difficulty amps up here to the point I'm having a hard time beating it on the HD port cause I can't aim for shit. Anyways its a very ominous castle that has a lot of lava which is pretty fitting. The enemies that surround the place are suped up Card Guards, banshees, and mini Jabberwocks which all can be a pain to fight unless you spam the Jabberwock Eye Staff. As you go further in the castle you may notice that the castle slowly gets more and more organic as you see the castle having flesh and tentacles everywhere. You even get to see a few bones as well. This does imply that the entire castle is in fact the Red Queen's body. Even if Alice hasn't aged too well I still love the effects the castle and I love how it slowly changes the more you go into it. I'm also a bit of a sucker for levels like these so hooray for fleshy tentacle castles!

Oh and I listed 2 games for the same level right? Well its the only returning level from American Mcgee's Alice in Alice Madness Returns. Since then the level took a lot of drastic changes.

When you first start the particular chapter, Alice goes through a castle made out of cards which is visually appealing in a lot of ways. Eventually you'll start reaching hell all over again and head into Queensland. This time its vastly different, the colors are very dull compared to the original that at least had a red hue in everything. Also the entire castle actually looks like its rotting since the Red Queen was defeated before and her influence on Alice is decaying. Also the card guards are the main enemies here, but instead of being alive they are rotting zombies as well to go with the theme. I really like Queensland in here too as its interesting to see how much a level can change in so little time, though in Alice's case so much time.

But anyways I've gone on and ranted a bit. UNTIL NEXT TIEM SSMB!

[Indigo Rush]

Day 06: Favorite Level

 

I'm going to have to go with the final level in Super Mario Galaxy. It's basically the big final showdown where you have to traverse all of the hazards you've encountered throughout the game. The castle setting, ice, desert, fire, automatic moving blocks, gravity puzzles, 3D platforming, 2D platforming, the works, (though underwater is strangely absent...) and it's all strung together with this epic and somewhat haunting orchestra that really feels like it's the big finish.

 

The final boss encounter with Bowser is a part of this, but I'm not going to go too in-depth about it, since that's more of a boss fight than a level. I simply wanted to showcase the epic nature of the final world in Mario Galaxy, one of the best games I've ever played. 

 

 

BONUS STAGE!!

 

 

I also want to give a shout-out to the final level in Galaxy 2 as well, as it is very similar in presentation. In fact, I think it has the better music of the two! While I like Galaxy 1's final level more for slightly nostalgic reasons, this one is still pretty darn fun to play through. Just more examples for why the Galaxy subseries was the best Mario had to offer.

[Brad]

 

I'm one of those players who chooses Rainbow Road. No matter what instalment of the Mario Kart series it is, Rainbow Road always ends up being one of my favourites to race around in. It can provide plenty of frustrating moments, but once you're good at Rainbow Road you feel like a Karting master. I find the space setting of Rainbow Road to be very easy on the eyes and the track itself to sparkle and shine, and contain challenging but fun design for the player to overcome. I think my absolute favourite Rainbow Road in any Mario Kart is probably Mario Kart 7's for feeling like a large trek, but if Mario Kart 8's takes the mantle than that'd be fine too, especially the retro version which has been updated beautifully.

[#AR]

Day 6: Location, location, location!

 

Wow, this is an extremely vague question...a question that's going to take me way way back to the early days...aaaaaaaand I can't think that far back so I'm just gonna pick my favorite thing from my recent days of gaming...which, in reality, is probably my favorite level in anything:

 

 

 

REN'S FAVORITE LEVEL: MT. EDDIE (SSX 2012)

 

For the lame-o's losers dorks unfortunate people who don't know, SSX 2012 is damn amazing, first off and you should play it if you like extreme coolness.

And now second off...THIS STAGE. It's DLC, but whatever, IT'S AWESOME. A little bit of background: SSX 2012 featured real life places and mountain ranges (like Mt. Fuji, the Himalayas, Antarctica, etc.) that were SSX-ified so that you can hit off sick tricks and just be awesome in general. Mt. Eddie, on the other hand, is an original stage. Rather, it's a nostalgia-fueled throwback to the old school SSX games. The largest flippin' locale in the entire game (IIRC), Mt. Eddie is a ginormous, towering, rad-awesome mountain with tons and tons of grinding paths, halfpipes, and EXTREME AIR jumps. It made me feel like I was six again playing SSX Tricky. The level itself looks absolutely GLORIOUS in motion, with bright neon lights, awesome SSX-themed billboards, and beautiful fireworks everywhere. The best part of the game for me.

Also, even though it doesn't have much to do with the level, the DLC pack ups the nostalgia factor by coming jam-packed with classic costumes from the previous SSX games for all the SSX veterans and a couple SONGS from past SSX games.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4NRa8BPcr4

 

That was a sick-ass DLC pack.

EA, next SSX when?

[Cyrus]

Day V - Favorite Independant Game

how edgy of me to say “independant” instead of “indie” and use roman numerals.

 

I haven’t played much indie games, and I don’t wanna say Minecraft since everyone and their grandma’s grandma has played it before. I did enjoy what I’ve played of The Behemoth’s Battleblock Theater.

 

 

 

I got a kick out of the gameplay, which is linear block platforming coupled with fun puzzles. The colorful graphics, catchy soundtrack and the witty humor of Stamper’s commentary made the game even more charming and enjoyable. I’m strongly considering buying the full game if I’m not able to sell my Xbox 360.

 

Day VI - Favorite Level

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crash Twinsanity - N. Sanity Island

I’m not sure if an area from an open world game counts as a level, but N. Sanity Island is damn fun. There’s the expected linear path where you follow Cortex to progress into the plot, but then you notice how open the beach is, which is unusual for an entry to a series that’s famous for it’s hallway structure. It’s got totem poles that can be bombed down to smaller scale to help you reach a gem, a mountain that you can run around on for some Wumpas, a ball puzzle, a chicken pen full of nitro crates that rewards you with a gem if you get passed them, etc. Traveler’s Tales should get another shot at the series, I really like the open level Banjo Kazooie-y direction they took with Crash.

[Exploder]

Day 6: Favorite Level

 

Man, I have to reach for this one. The only level I can think of that I really have an impression on in the previous few games I've played is Hengsha from Deus Ex: Human Revolution.

 

 

Technically it's more of a hub than a level, but yeah. It's a dual-layered city in China in the game's world, though you only explore the lower layer, where you find that it's, well, kind of a slummy place with a lot of cyberaug-related crime going on. Has a nice, gloomy atmosphere despite all the lights, with plenty of interesting missions to reflect the mood and the city's situation, from a detective investigation to breaking out of an unexpected siege. And I appreciate that they actually went through the effort of putting in real Chinese spoken by the civilians rather than jibberish.

[T-Min]

Day 6 - Favorite Level in a Video Game

 

Um...

 

Uh...

 

I...I don't...I don't...hm...

 

Ah, screw it. Gonna pull the Sonic card here.

 

FINAL RUSH

 

This level is the concentrated essence of badass. Its placement in the story is one thing - Sonic uses Chaos Control to escape certain death and then makes one last mad dash for the Eclipse Canon to sabotage it before it fires, having one last run-in with Shadow along the way. As the final act of the game's Hero storyline, it certainly does feel quite climactic. But the level itself is just incredible. I don't even know what it is. It's a series of rails and blue glowy platforms suspended over Planet Earth in freaking space, and yet somehow it's probably one of the most awesome things I've ever experienced in a video game. I guess the music and the aesthetics are a big part of what makes it, but also the intensity of it. It's easily the fastest level in the game and it has a large emphasis on grinding, not to mention featuring some of SA2's most high-risk platforming sections. It's also the most..."open" level in the game, for whatever that's saying, offering lots of different paths and even little tricks you can do to get farther or boost your score. Getting an A-rank in this level is a blast. It looks great, it sounds great, the setpieces are awesome, the design is phenomenal, and it has the advantage of nostalgia in its side as well. I think that if I have a favorite level in a video game, this is almost definitely it.