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

[kalion]

Most Immersive Game.:Persona 4

 

Not enuff time to write this with love, sadly. But Persona 4. I mean the midnight channel aside, the bosses and people have troubles and struggles you can relate to. And as you talk to them as days go by, social link grows...you peel off the layers of their complexes and personalities to get what kind of person they are. They get affected when you hang out with someone else. They get hurt, happy, sad, distraught. I think no other game has captured how it is be and live as a human in everyday life without feeling routine and robotic. It may seem skin-deep initially but a truckload of thought, emotion and structure has been put into every inch of the writing which makes this a huge time investment and adds to the immersion which sucks you in and make you genuinely care about these characters as if they are your friends..which I have heard in some LPs as well.

[BakingBluePotatoe]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

Easy answer..... every single Pokemon Game. for me, that was Pearl. At the time, it was the newest game, and it introduced WiFi Trading. I spent hours breeding and catching and evolving things so I  could go to town, get on Wifi and trade them out! And of course, you get really close to your Pokemon team, even if they're just pixels. and I remember finding myself screaming at the game at various points because I was frustrated. xD and it's easy to spend all night playing it.

 

Also, yay for Pokemon OmegaRuby/AlphaSapphire HYPE!

[Carbo]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

The only spoken dialogue you are ever given in this game is to introduce the game and cap it off. Everything that follows afterwards in Metroid Prime is you being placed into the first person view of Samus, experiencing the desolate setting of Metroid from a completely new perspective.

Super Metroid is a game that evokes one of the best atmospheres gaming has to offer, but Prime does something which Super could not do, and that is to provide a first person viewpoint of the world she sees. With that comes one of the best abilities ever introduced in a video game - scanning.

This one ability alone elevated the series to new heights that felt like completely new ground not just in terms of Metroid, but video games as a whole. Unlike Super Metroid which is a game that has a clear outset from the start, you explore the mysterious planet of Tallon IV with no indication of what is happening or what has happened on this planet. It's a complete enigma for Metroid, and while the overarching mission of putting an end to Space Pirate experiments is still prevalent it is completely unknown to the player what the real purpose of the planet is. You don't need to solve this mystery while traversing the grounds, but the allure of the majestic construction varying terrains have you fascinated in all the flora and fauna that inhabit these worlds.

Scan a creature or an enemy and you will not just get hints on their weaknesses but also completely fleshed out data and lore detailing the enemy biology, natural behavior, history of it's species, it's role in the planet pecking order and just about anything you can think of. This was the most perfect way for the player to be in charge of learning the narrative on their own and added onto the sense of discovery and empowerment which Metroid is a master of conveying. This wasn't just restricted to information pertaining to creatures but also through historical inscriptions from the Chozo people who once inhabited the planet, and even Space Pirate logs that came to show you weren't just discovering remnants but that the world around you was changing and everyone was reacting to your mere presence. They made it known that you, as a player, were a threatening presence to the people who hope to abuse the planet and that you are the only one that can stop their devious schemes. That is empowerment on a completely new level.

There are an insurmountable number of secrets hidden everywhere to be found and it constantly evolves with each new discovery you make. When you obtain a power-up you realize you have the choice to forge onward or even return to an earlier moment in the game to employ that ability for a potential bonus or new path which you would have known about, because you have seen and remembered the particular context of where it may be employed. This adds to the sense of scale and the knowledge that you feel like a part of a living, breathing world. You make mental notes about where things lie and you have every opportunity to revisit those, much like an actual bounty hunter would do in that kind of situation.

The best kind of game that can absorb you is one that, through it's game play and design, can subtly make one feel like the world is one worth exploring and one that will reward you for the time invested in it while still being aware of the bigger goal you are trying to accomplish. That is the kind of game Metroid Prime is. You don't have to find everything in order to finish the game, but the game play comes together in a way that rewards every single inch you decide to tackle on your own accord.

[Lucky]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

Shenmue is my first choice for this one, but I'm sure we all have at least a basic knowledge of what it's about and I've decided I'm going to talk about another game this time. Also because I spoke about Shenmue quite a lot in the previous 30 Days topic and I don't want to keep reusing my old answers all the time. So here's my close second...

 

 

I've never been able to get into the GTA series, but Bully is one of my all time favourite games despite the similarities. I think the main reason was because it seemed so much more charming and I much preferred the world it was set in. And what a world it was.

 

In the first chapter you weren’t allowed to leave the grounds of Bullworth Academy, although that didn’t mean there wasn’t a lot to do. The school grounds are quite vast and there was a lot to explore, and you even had to attend classes if you wanted to avoid being busted for truancy. These came in the form of minigames that were vaguely based around the subject of the class and while not all of them were the most engaging, it still added another level to the game that made it feel a little more realistic. You also start getting to know the various students and teachers while spending time on the school grounds and all of them have their own personality quirks and are so believable and well written.

 

After you complete the first chapter, you’re able to explore the town and surrounding areas. While while none of them have the sheer scale of GTA or Red Dead Redemption, there’s still lots of exploration opportunities and the utter charm of the locations more than made up for it.

 

Besides the school grounds and the local town, there were a number of other interesting locations you could visit. Two of my favourites were the funfair that was full of games and rides you could interact with, and a mental hospital you could break into later on. There were also a number of shops you could pick up items from, and you could even score yourself a couple of vehicles over the course of the game (bikes, skateboards, electric scooter, even a go-kart) to get around town faster. Those also led to a couple of police chases if you weren’t wearing a helmet or decided to cause trouble while riding them, and you also had to keep an eye out for them if you were wandering around past curfew as they would force you to return to the school if they spotted you out at such later hours.

 

The seasons also change over the course of the game and it offered more variety to the various missions that were already available. And it was also quite nice to explore town through the different seasons after you’d become so attached to it as it showed you another side to everything.

 

What I loved most about the map was that it was just large enough to be interesting and give you lots of opportunities to explore and even manage to hide quite a few secrets that you can stumble across, but it was never so big that it became overwhelming or a chore. And I think that managed to give it this nostalgic vibe and made it feel a little more relatable and familiar.

 

I also mentioned the characters earlier and that was another reason I became so invested in the game. All of them have their own personalities and are so memorable, and you feel like you’re really getting to know them as you go through the game. Quite often I found myself wanting to make my way through all the optional missions just to find out more about them. And it helped that the bulk of the missions are quite engaging even if not necessarily important to the plot.

 

There’s just something about the whole game that feels so nostalgic and charming and that was one of the main reasons I fell in love with it, and it’s one of those titles that I still love to revisit now and again as I just love the whole atmosphere of it.

[jords]

Day 10:

 

Hopefully this answer makes sense with the question. I didn't even knew what "Immersive" mean. But I looked it up and got an idea of it. And so I chose this game. With really great track designs and all are so dynamic and the worlds we race in just felt so real, if that makes sense.  Graffiti City was one of the good ones, with DJ professor K talking in the background kinda felt like we were listening to the radio while he commentates what's going on with the race. The game also had crowds cheering for you, I'm not sure what activates them to go crazy but there are times were the crowds cheers maybe for doing tricks, hitting enemies and going by actual crowds. We also had a go talking in the background to commentate the race, which I guess he was the host. He didn't talk much compared to the guy in the first sega racing. I thought it was funny how he makes comments when we adjust the volume for his voice. When we turn it up, he makes good comments like "I'm liking the sound of my voice" and makes bad comments when turning him down like " This is my only job"

 

So yea, this game was really good, the dynamic track designs were really great and the tracks changing up  kept the race fresh for three laps. Star light carnival was my favourite track. Loved it! The section were your just passing the third lap and the big ship appears in front of you, that was super cool.

[Serperior]

Day 10 - Most Immersive Game

 

 

I said I'd try to mention this game minimalistically but I really couldn't think of another game that I've got quite as lost in as this one. As I said in my favourite game post, the world building and atmosphere in Okami is done excellently, with fleshed out settings that always feel appropriate the context that they're being put in, likeable characters that grow and develop throughout the story and more, make advancing through the plot and seeing what is waiting for you next all the more exciting. The aesthetics, the vastly different settings and the wonderful soundtrack made coming across new areas and exploring them all the better, and with the amount of NPCs to talk to, the sights to see and the tasks to do in each area, I found it extremely easy and satisfying to immerse myself into the experience.

[super saiyan weegee]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

I'm sure my pick has already been talked about, and given more justice than I ever could, but yeah.

 

 

Batman: Arkham City

 

Yep, this game. Man it just really makes you feel like you're Batman, prowling the streets of a huge city crawling with criminals. What, with all the tools you use, the gliding from building to building, and the detective mode. But it doesn't just stop with making you feel like Batman, it also has a sense of urgency, with Batman being poisoned by Joker early on in the game. Also, the foreboding "Protocol 10" that's talked about almost from the start of the game. While there's no actual time limit you need to beat the game by, the little nuances of your condition getting progressively worse actually starts making you believe that at any moment you could die from it, at least to me it did, and add to that the various little "___ hours until Protocol 10" that occur throughout the game. So yeah, not only does it make you feel like you're Batman, but it also gives you the feel that you really only have a short amount of time to get everything done, not just by what the story says, but through gameplay as well.

 

But yeah man, that's my most immersive game.

[Cola]

Day 10 - MOST IMMERSIVE GAME - YOU CAN REALLY JACK INTO THE MATRIX

 

 

I've never played any game quite like Tearaway. It's not immersive in the traditional sense, as it recognizes your world and the game world as two separate worlds. However, it's because of that that it's so immersive.

 

Okay, so, in Tearaway, you are a being known within the world of Tearaway as a "You". And what do you do? You directly interact with the game world by helping the messenger you control reach the sun (which is a live camera feed of your face) and delivering a personalized message to you. How can you interact with the game, though?

 

Touching the Vita's rear touch pad to stick your fingers into the world, or tapping it to make things vibrate. Using the touch screen to peel back surfaces. Using the tilt sensor to move blocks and objects. Drawing and cutting out paper objects to decorate characters within the game world. The possibilities are endless.

 

 

I immersed in the world of Tearaway because I'm a part of the game. I play the role of the "You". It's not intended to be me - it IS me. I'm a part of the story, I am an actor in this play. Never before have I played a game that has immersed me quite like Tearaway.

 

 

And yes, I did take that photo. The papercraft world is truly breathtaking.

[Nix]

Day 10

Most Immersive Game

 

 

Persona 4 / Golden

 

In Persona 4, you play as a pretty average highschool student.  After school everyday, you're given some time to do whatever you want.  You can hang out with friends, go shopping, see a movie, grab some coffee, go inside a TV world and fight demons with your friends, go fishing, go out to eat, etc etc etc.  The town you live in for a year is very small, but is filled to the brim with life. 

 

There's always something new to do, and the amount of content stuffed into the game is ridiculous.  There's a character in the story who's pretty important that you never see until the point he becomes relevant to the plot, and during my second playthrough I happened to notice him walking around the small town, from then on I took every single chance I could to find him and talk to him.  During the evenings you can sometimes go grocery shopping with your uncle and cousin, and you'll overhear random conversations your friends have with each other.  All of your friends have their own schedules that they live by.  Hanging out with friends during the afternoon is great because you learn more about them, the things that trouble them, and eventually help them overcome whatever it is just by being there.  There are several moments in the story that have slightly different outcomes depending on the choices you make.

 

Persona 4 gives you the freedom to live out a year how you want to live it out, and I spent 3 playthroughs digesting every last bit of dialogue I could dig out of it.  By the end of my first playthrough, I legitimately cried when I had to finish the game and leave Inaba because I became so attached to the town and its locals.  It's simply amazing how far the game goes to make you feel like you're an actual part of it.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game
 
AKA Day: "What is this world? What characters inhabit this world? What is the history of this world?
 
This is going to be difficult because I'm not sure how to interpret the word 'Immersive' 
 
I want to say the following.

• Shadow of the Colossus.
• ICO. 
• Flower.
• Journey.

Because they really are games which draw you in and completely capture you... however, looking through what everyone else has said... I'd like to draw your attention to these games which offer you a really cool immersive experience.
 
Demons Souls
 

 
Demons souls offers you a series of connecting locations all within a kingdom. Each one of them contains it's own unique tale and story, but all are linked to what has happened to the kingdom and with characters from these worlds meeting at the central Nexus, you feel like everyone is apart of the same world, and they are. 
 
The architecture of each location all tells a story and further depends the mystery of the place. Even the bosses have their own story and further immerse you in the game.
 
One such stand out is the Maiden Astraea. This character is considered one of the most holy and good characters in the entire Demons Souls world, she is considered by some as one of the few last hopes to rid the world of the demons... however you face her as a villain... why?
 

 
Maiden Astraea, set off into the most vile of worlds, to try and save those taken by the demons... however she became consumed by the demons and ended up making it worse... 
 
Even her location in the world shows this... she sits in water which instantly poisions you, demonic creatures try to pull you under the water should you enter it... and when you find her... you can see there's almost like an infection coming from her legs into the water.
 
The feeling is now that even you, if you considered yourself to be good can be consumed by the demons, even though you are 'the slayer of demons.'
 
Star Trek Bridge Commander + Kobayashi Maru Mod
 

This game is game is well over 10 years old and it looks like that!

 
Ok.. Bridge commander is a game which sets you as the captain of a ship from Star Trek. It's quite immersive in itself... but very limited... few alien races, few star systems... and a very limited skirmish mode...
 
Then the Kobayashi Maru mod came out... 
 
Now at the time, Broadband internet was rare, so mods were typically quite low in file size... Kobayashi Maru was nearly 400MB... 56k? You're looking at around 5 hours to download...
 
But my god it was epic. 
 
Kobayashi Maru turned this game into something else.
 
Imagine being able to warp to hundreds of star systems, encounter systems which had alien races from both Star Trek and other science fiction worlds. 
 
At one point you could be exploring the solar system, then you could warp to Klingon space. And yes, you could actually warp and have control in this game. 
 

 

 

 
The mod also added the ability to fully customise your ship, manage power, resources and at one point even allowed you to use the Prometheus ship from Voyager which had a fully working 'multi-vector assault mode' 
 
The best part... you could play online! So many people had this mod that people would go online to explore the galaxy together. 
 
Kobayashi Maru is what the official Game Star Trek Legacy wishes it was, and you can see elements of it in Star Trek online which so clearly took a lot of inspiration from this fan mod.

 

 
If you want a Star Trek experience which offers both combat and exploration (sorry no diplomacy (that I know of)). Find a copy of Bridge Commander and get a copy of this mod, and have one hell of a good time!
 
Oh... and it also allows for you to install other ships which were not apart of the original pack... What you want to see if a Borg Cube can go against an Ori ship?

 

Edit: Oh I just looked this up... this mod is still being updated and supported! Last major update was in 2011... but... looking at it now, might have to install this game again and get this mod once more.

 

http://bckobayashimaru.de/wiki/index.php/Modinfo

 

[Endy]

Day 10: Most immersive game

 

This question is really killing me. I'm trying to refrain from mentioning a Metroid game and its just so difficult. Despite the areas you are given to explore in Metroid are rather barren, they still do an amazing job of sucking you in. And even in the Prime games they fill you in on the backstory if you go out looking. Its fantastic.

 

But if I had to chose something else I would go with:

 

 

The Great Sea - The Wind Waker

 

There are many reasons The Wind Waker is my favourite Zelda game. And one of them is its world. Just the mere SCALE of the ocean is enough to get me engrossed.  The entire atmosphere of some locations can be very strong. Sometimes just hearing the sound of the waves crash against the shore at night is enough to leave me satisfied. The HD remake only made this better! Everything in the game looks so much more colourful and vibrant, and omfg the sky looks AMAZING. You can encounter so many things in your trek across The Great Sea, like Tornado, a giant monster or a gang of enemies. I also like how many NPC's get their own story arcs as shown through their very own side quests. Personally my favourite is the one where the rich family is forced to go into poverty, and the poor family becomes rich basically steals their house. I have to thank the next game I'm about to mention for this trend...

 

 

 

Termina - Majora's Mask

 

This is how you do pretty much EVERYTHING right. Despite being the smallest overworld in a 3D Zelda game to date, Termina manages to be one of the most engaging places I've ever been in a video game. The day/night mechanic of Zelda is used to its full potential here, where almost every NPC in the game has a different schedule over the course of three days you're given to save the world. It makes the world seem more alive than ever and makes you really want to save the citizens of Termina and make them all happy. The music in some of the enviroments waaay enhances the horribly uncomfortable mood the game is going for too, its chilling and very effective. The power pack thing or whatever helps push the N64's power to the max, giving you the most powerful experience the N64 can offer.

 

Still waiting on that 3DS remake Nintendo! even though to be perfectly honest I would prefer it to be on the Wii U because that face on the moon would look FAB in HD

[-blank-]

Ugh, I really want to mention Unleashed... but I won't. Instead, I'll pick a few from the games of Sonic's greatest rival;

 

 

 

Paper Mario Series (at least the first two)

 

While both Super Paper Mario and Sticker Star didn't really serve much to immerse me into their respective worlds, the original N64 classic and Thousand Year Door showcased well just how cool a gaming world can get when a little care is put into it.

 

I believe what makes both of these games so immersive is the creativity that went into the locations of each. There are so many different places the player visits during their time through these two;

 

 

You've got ruins hidden beneath the sands of the desert.

 

 

A house for a giant Clubba that looks like it's in disarray.

 

 

A toy box for Shy Guys.

 

 

A sunny land of talking plants

 

 

And a lovely palace of ice and crystal.

 

Not to mention;

 

 

A town of criminals and other ne'er-do-wells.

 

 

A rather bizarre forest.

 

 

A floating arena.

 

 

To a town that is in perpetual twilight.

 

Plus, there is a colorful cast of characters in each game, only adding to the experience. You can tell that a lot of care went into the worlds of these two games. The world of Paper Mario may be made out of paper, but it's certainly not flat.

 

I also have to give a shout-out to the original Mario role-playing game, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. While the locations in that game weren't quite as creative, it more than makes up for that by having music that perfectly fits the mood of wherever you are;

 

 

 

[gato]

Day 10: Most immersive game

 

 

 

Like with the Indie games day I'm afraid I don't have any game that I could consider immersive... Or I get immersed into a game way too easily.

 

I see words like the ones from Bioshock, Fallout or Journey and I want to get in on them but I can't say I've played them (actually, I have 2 of those games since a few months ago but I haven't been able to play them due my lack of free time).

 

 

 

Oh well, I guess I could turn back to one of my old experiences...

 

 

Resident Evil... 2

 

 

Admittedly I'm a complete puss when it comes to this sort of games, jumpscares get me every freaking time and this game was chocked on them so it's not so hard to understand why I got so fixated in looking around every single freaking corner of the station multiple times just to be sure there was nothing nasty waiting for me (with varying degrees of success).

 

But let's talk a little more about the game first!

 

 

The people of Raccoon City know there is nothing more important than a good first impression whenever someone comes to visit.

 

 

Despite which character you decide to play with both have some very good setups that work really well for a first time player like I was back then, you are either a young girl who came to the city looking for her missing(?) brother or you are a guy just fresh out of cadet school ready to start your very first day in the police station (after a questionable previous night), there are no hardass veterans here nor badass demons wearing cosmic powers nor living legends, these 2 are very regular and inexperienced guys... Like you! Prone to make mistakes but forced to learn to survive and grow up to become the future badasses they'll be later on the series which IMO, makes them realize easy to connect with, tho one would think Leon would at least be able to handle a gun better than what I did :V ... Tutorial levels weren't a thing back then.

 

 

You could've just used the door you know!?

 

 

As mentioned before, the game throws you right away into this city-wide biological mess and it's up to you to survive the hordes and hordes of mutants lurking everywhere for their next meal, as the game went I started to become weary of sounds or anything where an enemy could jump at me, yet at the same time I also became engrossed with the scenario this game brought me, I checked everything I could even if it ment my character spilling that there wasn't anything useful in the place I was looking over and over, as I went along the game I started to find not only items relevant to progress but also documents and picture rolls (that you could develop in a dark room) that gave a lot more info about the characters and what happened before you got there.

 

The game isn't without faults in the gameplay department because... Well, it's a pretty old game! And maybe the world doesn't make as much sense as I thought it did back then... but back in the day when I played it for the first time I got swallowed by this hellhole of a city!  Back then I didn't care that the police station didn't have any bathrooms for some weird reason or the fact that by the third game you find out the city was under military quarantine despite the fact Leon and Claire got into it with no problems whatsoever, or that despite the both characters are running around the same building and unlocking the same doors at the same time they barely meet each other. It's still a pretty awesome game and it was one of the most engrossing experiences I felt in my younger days.

 

 

 

EDIT: Sorry, I'm half-asleep and even like that I can tell this post could use some editing. >_>

[LATER BUDDY]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

Minecraft

 

 

I think this takes the cake for me, even if it's the most booming over talked thing ever sometimes.

 

Minecraft is the only game I can say that keeps pulling me back, and when it does, my god is it's fangs sunk in so deep that I often lose track of time and even forget about my surroundings. Doesn't really need an introduction, but it seriously has this crazy balance of sandbox-openess and still giving you things to do. The thing is though, these "things to do" is often your own creations, things your mind eventually decides subconsciously that it's dire for you to complete, even if it is just building a giant wolf robot that serves no purpose whatsoever.

 

But seriously, there's games that definitely pull me in like no other (Skyrim, Solatorobo, Fallout New Vegas, etc), but this is the one I can say I've dumped the most hours in, learned the most of it's world and functions, find myself coming back to, AND still learning things since it's still technically updating every so often. When that happens it feels like the world is brand new again, and you find your old project from a month ago is right where you left it, now ready for your attention once again, but this time with a new update, and often so more new ideas.

 

Slap multiplayer on that shit and I guess I'll see you guys probably in July or something. It's just a never ending world (literally) with self set goals and friends, how could I not get caught up in it from time to time?

[Nepenthe]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

I took a really long time on this one because I'm personally interpreting "immersive" to mean a game that has proceeded to engage me so much that I more than often not forget I am indeed playing a game, which... really doesn't help matters. Every game that has been extremely well-liked by me and was technically stable has been immersive: from the puzzle games to the endless runners, from the platformers to racers, from the shooters to the adventure games. Whether on console, PC, or iPad, when I find a game I really like I can just get sucked into it for a myriad of reasons. Thus, I can't really pick a title from the myriad of immersive experiences I've had that is significantly more so than the others to be worth talking about, so I'm going to change the definition to mean "addictive"..... and shamefully when I do that, there's only one game that kind of fits...........

 

 

NO WAIT STOP COME BACK PLEASE HEAR ME OUT I HAVE A POINT TO MAKE I don't want to be alone guys..... ;~;

 

You know what the funny thing is? I didn't originally give a damn for this series. Guns and brawl and machismo just weren't my thing, although they were my brother's as evidenced by the hours upon hours upon hours he would spend playing this one stupid game. I wanted no part of that, and it literally took about four years of my brother begging for me to just sit down and try it. I eventually relented, and on my first few nights I didn't understand how the hell you saw anything or dealt with the slippery aiming. It was a mess to me and- although I kept coming back- I nonetheless wanted to return to Halo or Mario or Sonic; something familiar that I was good at.

 

But then, something just clicked. He outfitted me with a proper and easier set-up, gave me some pointers, and then it's ten o' clock at night and you realize you've lost all control of your life in the midst of waiting for Arkaden to load. But the spiraling inanity that was getting into sync with this game and learning how to play it unlocked a level of (perhaps medically concerning) addiction that I can't really pin to any other game I've played in my life, where long hours of play tended to yield mental exhaustion and a crippling pain in the knees. Not this game; all this required was a shift in sitting position and for your team's commander to announce his presence and subsequently the start of yet another seven-minute, profanity-fueled, revenge-inducing massacre.

 

In short, this game was so immersive to me that it was probably for the benefit of my mental health that the last iteration sucked so badly in comparison.

[turbojet]

Most Immersive Game

This has been already said so I'll just share a story about an experience that I had with this game. There is a mission where you capture your first stallion. You rope that fucker up. It was a golden brown horse with a blonde mane. I promise you that I never let go of that horse when I first got him. I called him Bucky because he was buck nasty. The Horse AI of the game would sometimes have Bucky go up to another horse's ass. His face all up in it. I'm like, "Dayum, Bucky. We haven't been on the road that long, and you already feastin' for some booty." Bucky was a Kentucky Saddler(the third best horse of the game). Let me tell you, me and that fucking horse were inseparable. Every time I started a mission, I was on that damn horse. Took care of that horse. Made sure that he did not die and was a safe distance away from the ensuing gun fight. I never exhausted the X button and I was kept his stamina above half way. I constantly fed Bucky apples because Bucky was family to me and I like to think that he liked the apple bottom of the horses whose ass his nose was all up in. The game did not reward you for keeping a horse. I just fucking kept him because Bucky was a real companion to me. I had Bucky all the way in Mexico. If you don't know, that is like 2/3s of the game. Same damn horse. I had money to get a different horse. A better horse. But Bucky was too good to me to be replaced. Now you wondering why I did not have Bucky for the last third of the game? It was the mission when you tried taking over the fort. It was intense. A lot of people died. But I did not see them coming. They chased me on horse back and then Bucky just collapsed. 

I shot their damn them off their horses. Put bullets in their balls and made them know...don't fuck with me. I refused to ride another Kentucky Saddler again. 

[SIXTH-RATE SOMA]

Day 10: At This Point Y'know What You Know It's Zelda Let's Talk About Something Different

 

 

Pathologic

 

"You can escape anything, even the punishing hand of the Inquisitor...but you can't escape yourself."

From first glance, Pathologic (Original title being Mor/Pestilence: The Utopia) is unimpressive to such a degree that it's astounding, at least in this category. The graphics are reminiscent of Morrowind, a game that came out more than a decade ago, its world is decidedly closed for an open world game, its controls are awkward, and its translation is so rushed as to be incomprehensible at some points. Yet under all these things lies one of the most immersive experiences video gaming has to offer. I'll put it this way: when people ask me what a game should strive to be, Pathologic is one of my top picks.

 

The setting is as simple as it is effective. You play as one of three characters who happen upon a quaint little village which is slowly succumbing to the plague; the three characters act as your three vantage points to the unfolding disaster even as you scramble to halt its progress. Your objective is, of course, to find a cure. Not in a castle dungeon or faraway land, but in the midst of a city collapsing in on itself, both figuratively and literally. If you ever wanted a taste of what it might have been like to witness the downfall of Rapture first-hand, I imagine Pathologic is as close a picture you're going to get. The town and townsfolk don't so much develop as decay, and there is no bottom to how bad things get should you let the plague continue. 

 

 

At its heart, Pathologic is a psychological horror more personal than I've ever seen. It pulls no punches in presenting a world of equivalency: if you wish to save the town, you must give something up, whether that be your scruples, your civilization, or something else. It is, I think, noteworthy that the game doesn't ask this of you cruelly or unfairly. It is a Socratic exercise at its finest; survival must be bought with something, and what you yourself choose to sell will say more about you than any lecture ever could. In fact, I do feel very inadequate to talk about a game like this in such unorganized thought. If I couldn't sell you on the game, I'd try looking over Rock Paper Shotgun's take on it, or better yet trying the game yourself. It's an experience unmatched by simple words; an immersion so well-done that I have no choice but to name it here.

[Strickerx5]

Day 10: Most Immersive (I'd spend time in you any day *wink*) Game

 

 

Oh, there was a time when I couldn't go two days without searching a new cave or castle in this game. From the time I spent creating my character I knew this game was something special. I could just spend hours on end searching for the right material for certain armor or trying to juggle what I absolutely needed when my pockets got too full. I'm not too into the rpg scene outside of pokemon but this game just took me by complete surprise. Four hours could pass by for me while playing it and I wouldn't even know. It's one of the main reasons why I'm afraid to pick it back up again to be honest. XD

[Komodin]

Day 10 - Most Immersive Game

 

Oh, so you wanna know what I consider to be the most immersive game, huh...

 

 

You know, I wasn’t always a big Metroid fan. In fact, until 2003, my only real exposure of the series was through Samus’ appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series. From what I heard of the gameplay from the main games at the time, it didn’t really impress me all that much--I wasn’t much of a fan of what I thought was pointless exploring. When I heard that this game -- Metroid Prime -- was apparently really good, my interest was piqued enough to want to give it a try. Before I started playing, I was worried that I’d be completely bored of it. Afterwards? To this very day, I consider it the most immersive game that I’ve ever played so far, and certainly one of the better purchasing choices I made in my life.

 

Perhaps it was the excellent use of the first person perspective, but when I started playing this game, I immediately hopped into the boots of Samus Aran herself. Exploring the abandoned, ruined Frigate Orpheon, I was honestly rather scared out of my mind. You see, Samus was pretty much mute for the entirety, much like how I was like at the time. I think that mutual silence was the thing that formed a “connection” for her with me. It was like, when Samus got hurt from one of the Space Pirates’ gun blasts, I got “hurt” in a way. When she had to fight the Parasite Queen, I was frantically trying to fire at it. When she died as a result of that thoughtless assault, I honest to goodness cried. The less said about the countdown sequence there, running into Ridley and losing my weapon upgrades and all, the better.

 

Once I landed on Tallon IV proper, I really start to immerse myself into the wonderful scenery. At the time, it really felt like I was actually there cutting through the jungles of the Tallon Overworld, exploring the desert(ed) Chozo Ruins, nearly burning myself to death in the Magmoor Caverns, and traversing the majestic wonder that is the Phendrana Drifts. Because of the absence of any sort of time limit, I was free to be myself and actually take my time with getting to places. I think it was because of this freedom that I got into exploring my surroundings for anything that I could find, such as missile upgrades, save stations, and so on. I think what especially left an impression on me was the Scan Visor and the various lore that I could scan throughout the planet. I was always a fan of mystery stories and it was this ability to get some insights on the Chozo that used to live on the planet, as well as the Space Pirates that actually feared Samus, that really meant a lot to me--like, I was not only a badass hunter, but also a badass space detective like Batman in a way…

 

… Okay, I’m kinda losing myself here. Metroid Prime is the most immersive game to me because at the end of the day, as someone who has never played games like Shadow of the Colossus, Ico or Journey, it’s the game that I honestly felt the most involved in.

[NGw00d]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

 

Probably the easiest answer for me yet. I've sunk countless hours into the entire Animal Crossing series, starting way back with the GameCube. I don't even know how I first discovered the series, I just know as soon as I played it, I fell in love. I bought my 3DS specifically for New Leaf, back before it was even called that and hadn't had a set release date. I played it everyday religiously for half a year before I started to get bored. After about a month or so of not touching the game, I started it up again and I'm back to playing everyday at the moment.

 

The game shouldn't be fun at all, but it just sucks you in to this cute little world filled with these needy animals that force you to become their mayor. And its just the best thing ever. Interacting with all these different animals, doing them favors, making their town a better place, its just lovely. Even just doing the simplest thing like doing a delivery for someone feels rewarding. I never thought I'd find something that makes paying your debt seem fun, but Animal Crossing does just that.

 

One of the main things that draws me in is the customization. Clothes, furniture, houses, basically everything is customizable. New Leaf's additions of using QR codes to use other people's designs and the ability to change the color and pattern of furniture make this aspect even better. I spent hours just the other day switching up my furniture and redesigning all the rooms of my house, and I had a blast doing it. Like I said, its really rewarding for some odd reason. I can safely say that Animal Crossing has taken away more time from my life than any other video game out there.

[Wraith]

Gonna have to keep this post short since I'm not at a computer.

 

Metroid Prime is easily the game that "sucked me in" the most. Tallon IV is huge and not a bit of it is wasted, whether it be information about the technology of the planet, the wildlife, or the space pirate's operations, powerups, or secret passages. It takes the Metroidvania formula and uses it to the ultimate advantage.

[Sami]

So it's come to my attention that today's question has been rather confusing to a few people, and I'd like to apologize for that. Whenever I write these questions I usually just try to think of how I would answer them, and if I deem my answer satisfactory and don't think it lends itself to redundant answers, include it. I hadn't thought of different interpretations of the question, unfortunately, so I'll rectify that now:

 

Day 10: Most Immersive Game - Explanation -

 

So you might have gotten some ideas by looking at the posts here. My original intent was to have people write about the games they felt truly... well, "immersed" them in the experience. Games where you get lost in the worlds and characters they present, and often times can play without even noticing the fact that you're playing a video game. 

 

Ask yourselves these questions: What world interests you the most? What game do you truly love exploring in and find the most compelling? What game makes you feel like you're the main character, rather than just the character on screen?

 

That was my intent. But then, we got some interesting answers. Games where you play for hours and hours without noticing the time go by. Games you keep coming back to over and over again. 

 

It's really your question to interpret. I don't like being rigid with my questions, so if you ever feel confused, you can feel free to ask me or just come up with your own interpretation of the question and roll with it. 

 

That said, there's only seven hours left before Day 11 begins, and I feel that isn't a fair time frame. As such, tomorrow I will allow make-ups and catch-up posts, but only for Day 10. If you didn't know how to answer, now's the time. If you did but just forgot, then lucky you. 

 

Hope this helps.

[Jimbo]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

Hmm. This is pretty difficult. I think I'm going to have to go with:

 

Whenever I start a new journey, it isn't Red, or Blue, or Ash or whatever starting a new journey. Instead, it's "Jimmy", or "Jim" or even "James" starting a new journey. A new journey into the world of Pokemon.

I always like to believe that that Jimmy in the game is me, the one who was entrusted with a Pokemon and a Pokedex to begin my quest. I explore the region, learning new things that I had never known before, meeting strange people telling me about their shorts and how they're comfortable. I battle wild Pokemon, catching each of them and training them to my best ability. I challenge Gym leaders, having them compliment me on my talents as a trainer. I put an end to the heinous crimes of an evil organization, crushing their hopes of world domination. I one day dream of finishing the Pokedex, collecting information on all of the Pokemon in the known universe. Finally, I take on the Elite four, and eventually become the champion of the region. Seeing that I, Jimmy, have been crowned champion, I know that I have accomplished what I wanted to.

 

And then I realize how much time I've been playing for, and shut off the game for another time. The journey can wait until another day.

[Speederino]

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

My immediate thought is Skyrim, but I already went into great detail about that on day 3 or 4 or whatever so instead I'll go with

 

 

I see I'm not the first to choose this, and I totally understand why. Even ignoring the great story that sucks you in all by itself, the world of Red Dead Redemption is just so alive with detail and personality. It's one of those rare games where I can truly forget about reality and feel like I'm in another world entirely. I 100%ed this game and I still spent hours afterwards just riding around New Austin doing the random events, playing poker, and single-handedly destroying gang hideouts. Rockstar completely nailed the look and feel of the old west (well, as far as I know anyways). There was so much to see and do on my first playthrough, and even now that I'm essentially a sentient walkthrough of the game, I still see the world as dynamic and full of new possibilities. The NPC's all have their own schedules and routines, but it's the random events that keep things from getting too stale. I never know when I'll come a cross a run-down wagon by the side of the road or a pack of wolves or bandits or horse thieves or whatever THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THAT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.

 

As I was typing this, my mind started drifting towards another famous western game that fits the bill...

 

 

Oregon Trail might not exactly have what you'd call "visual flair" or a "dynamic world", but when I play it I can easily lose myself in it. Obviously the game requires you to use your imagination, but I think that's what makes it so effective. Yeah Nicole there doesn't have any actual personality or character traits aside from being named "Nicole", but in my head she might be my 8 year old daughter or something, and I don't want to see her literally shitting herself to death, darn it! And when you get a string of bad luck and end up stranded in the desert for weeks because of a broken wagon wheel, believe me, you feel the fucking desperation.

 

 

 

[Jeffhog]

DANOUDDADAN

~ It's Like I'm in the Game or Something! ~

 

 

Day 10: Most Immersive Game

 

Series Selected: Pokémon

Notable entries:

Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green (1996)

Pokémon X and Pokémon Y (2013)

 

Awwwwwwwww yeah! It's Pokémon time!

 

I mean sure, I could've chosen just about any game since any of a decent quality is bound to get me hooked into that particular setting, but I'll be going for a franchise that I think suits today's theme well -- it's not really through story or through characters, but through self-investment? Definitely! You start each game by deciding your own avatar, selecting a gender, a name (I like to choose my own or some variant), and, since X and Y, your appearance (immersion+100 HELL YEAH). You know you're on a roll when the game basically allows you to put yourself in it in some form.

 

No, this isn't your usual punch clock hero you're playing as. This is you, exploring across the region and entrusted with the task of filling up the Pokédex, beating Gym Leader after Gym Leader until you reach the Pokémon League and best the Champion for a spot in the Hall of Fame, fending off a criminal organization, and, most importantly, raising your own Pokémon. There are an infinite number of ways you can play your game just by the team you're using, so your playthrough will never be exactly like someone else's. Your journey and yours alone.

 

If you play the games like I do, if only during the main run, you're bound to have that one team you can't really bring yourself to part with because sentimental value makes an excellent self-guilt trip. You've invested so much time and effort in effectively raising your pocket monsters, from when they were at their tiniest and weakest, bringing them up to be unstoppable powerhouses of mayhem and destruction. This goes on, and on, and on, but, though it does feel like it can be long at times, it never feels too drawn out. I'm practically fixated on my handheld when I'm playing a Pokémon game at that rate and easily lose track of time because I'm basically tending to my own monster babies.

 

 

[ It should also be noted that you can also feed, pet, and play with said sentient weapons of mass destruction.

Thanks for Pokémon-Amie, Gen VI! ]

 

Not to mention, with tools like Pokémon-Amie, you're now capable of interacting with your Pokémon, something that has never been done to such an extent in the series before. It has some interesting effects in battle too, what with you patting them after they KO'd the other, with the description box describing how they're feeling, with them landing critical hits and shrugging off otherwise fatal blows because they just want to do you proud...

 

Wonderful. ;A;

 

that sentimental value so strong that I still have my very first Pokémon on hand, now sitting comfortably in Kalos after a series of transfers starting from Hoenn ilu my swampert you precious thing