The Video Game Critic

Stalvern wrote:I just realized that Spirit of Speed 1937 didn't even make it into the Dishonorable Mentions. I was was sure that I'd see that one.

I actually realized this when I was looking over the list earlier, but I think the Critic ended up growing just enough of an appreciation for it's portrayal of cars that just aren't found in any other driving game to give it a pass. It probably should have at least been in the Dishonorable Mentions though. It may well be the worst game ever released for the Dreamcast.

I enjoyed the heck out of your "bottom" 50 games. However, I was surprised -- why wasn't "Supercross 3D" for the Jaguar on there? That game was so awful that I simply turned it off, pulled out the cartridge, unhooked the Jaguar from the TV, threw it, both controllers and the 20 or so games I had into a box and traded the whole system for an SNES. That's right, the game was so bad I got rid of the whole blasted system.

There was some real trash released for the Jaguar. but "Supercross 3D" is virtually unplayable.

Good read. The use of F- always makes me chuckle a little bit.

Last thing I'll ever say about this list: Where the hell is Awesome Possum? That craptastic little critter makes Bubsy look like Sonic.

Shocking not a single 2600 game made the list...

Ugh, scratch that.

I'm a bit surprised SwordQuest WaterWorld was listed; usually it's considered the best game in the series. Was the concept simply too old by the time it came out? Is it too expensive/rare to justify the price? Granted, none of the SwordQuest games are good; they're just about moving items between rooms and hoping for a lucky combo. Just wondering how is this one the worst.

pacman000 wrote:I'm a bit surprised SwordQuest WaterWorld was listed; usually it's considered the best game in the series. Was the concept simply too old by the time it came out? Is it too expensive/rare to justify the price? Granted, none of the SwordQuest games are good; they're just about moving items between rooms and hoping for a lucky combo. Just wondering how is this one the worst.

I consider these games as hybrids - kinda like the Odyssey 2 Quest for the Rings / Conquest of the World games. These games are only partly video game, but are also partly a contest, partly a comic book, partly an event to engage in, and partly a riddle to be solved. Its not about high score. There is a narrative at play here.

In a way, they are an attempt to push video games in a new direction. They weren't meant to be replayed, they were meant to be enjoyed at the time, like being part of a video game sporting event.

scotland wrote:I consider these games as hybrids - kinda like the Odyssey 2 Quest for the Rings / Conquest of the World games. These games are only partly video game, but are also partly a contest, partly a comic book, partly an event to engage in, and partly a riddle to be solved. Its not about high score. There is a narrative at play here.

In a way, they are an attempt to push video games in a new direction. They weren't meant to be replayed, they were meant to be enjoyed at the time, like being part of a video game sporting event.

I never thought that the Critic gave that contest its due. There were solid gold prizes worth thousands of dollars, but the reviews here make it out that the event was a sham and the video games - the least important part - were the point of the whole thing. There's no reason to play them now, but it's silly to act as if that means anything about the original contest in the '80s, particularly as it was intended to play out before the crash pulled the rug out from under it. James Rolfe had a far more insightful take on it in his AVGN video.

ptdebate wrote:Fun list, but I can’t understand the inclusion of monster hunter...it sounds to me like you just couldn’t get into it...for what it’s worth, I’m one of the people who put hundreds of hours into it.

Allow me to try to explain, as I think I know why.

I believe this is due to the authenticity of the critic. I'd say it's his personal list. I remember reading that he judges games based on his personal gut feeling, not to cater to what all the review sites and fans say. A lot of review sites and fans love the game. My cousin plays it for hours, and it does seem like the type of game I could get into, it just seems very involved.