Shenmue, GoldenEye and Championship Manager - My Top 3 from the Last 15 Years

I cannot recall a game absorbing me into it’s world as much as Sega’s 1999 masterpiece Shenmue. Developed by Sega AM2, and the brain child of Yu Suzuki, you play the role of Ryo Hazuki as he comes to terms of the death of his father, and begins his own personal quest in finding out why his father met his end and to carry out vengeance on those who killed him.

Set in Japan’s Yokosuka, what sets this game apart from any RPG titles before it, was the incredible amount of freedom the player was given. Not only did you have day / night scenarios where you had to make it home for bed, there were elements such as a weather system, where anything from snow, rain and sunshine really immersed you into this wonderfully crafted environment. For the first time you enter the nearby town after witnessing your fathers death, you stubble upon a living, functioning civilization, where people are going about their daily routines. Shops are open, with non playing characters all interactive in an essence where you can converse and ask questions as to whether they saw anything in relation to your father and that fateful night. Kids are playing in the streets, arcade machines are accessible as a welcome distraction, and convenience stores allow you to purchase soda’s and other miscellaneous items that give the game a sense that you really are Ryo Hazuki, this is your world and you’re living it the way you want to. Later, as the game progresses, you even acquire a job as a forklift driver by a waterfront as you try to gain a better understanding of a notorious gang. I remember being so involved within this beautifully crafted universe that I had to remind myself when I woke up in real life, that my father was okay, I wasn’t Ryo Hazuki, and I couldn’t drive a forklift…

Maybe some of the above mentioned may seem like nothing ground breaking by this generations standards, but back when this game was released for the Dreamcast, this really was something never seen before, or executed with such perfection. I cannot recommend this game enough, to any age of gamer. If you still have your Dreamcast locked away somewhere in the attic, or hidden in a box, go get it now, dust it off and get yourself a copy of this wonderful game. You won’t regret it.

GoldenEye 007 (N64)

Playing the role of Britain’s top spy is something many a young man or boy would kill for, unfortunately acquiring a license to kill isn’t that easy. Lucky for me (and many others), 1997 brought the famous Goldeneye film to the N64 courtesy of developer Rare and publisher Nintendo. As excellent as the single player mode was, the game stood out for me in the multiplayer mode where it was head and shoulders above any other shooter I had played before it. I certainly wasn’t alone in that particular view, with GoldenEye ranked as number three in the all time best selling category for the N64, only predictably behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64.

Graphically, I was taken aback from the first moment I began the first level of the single player, shooting green clad guards with my AK47 as I infiltrated the Byelomorye Dam. The level of detail in that particular first few moments as I began playing the game and shot my first enemy, made me smile with a boyish glee as I noticed blood stains soak the officers clothing. I don’t ever remember a shooter doing that with such detail at the time. I remember me and my friends continually playing the multiplayer mode, where you could actually play with four others split screen. There were numerous weapons to choose from, but notably everybody was vying for the illusive Golden Gun, a powerful weapon to hold as it kills with only one shot. Multiplayer experiences have certainly come a long way since 1997, but this for me was the game that sticks in the memory for console first person shooters. Added to that, it’s still rare these days to find a game that’s come from the big screen to console that’s actually any good. GoldenEye achieved this with ease, and has cemented it’s place in video gaming history.

Championship Manager / Football Manager series (PC)

To this day I’m still trying to figure out how just a wall of text and the occasional flashing box saying ‘GOAL’ could be so addictive. Well, maybe that first sentence answers itself. Football and winning is an addictive combination, and if you’re a fan of football and fancy yourself as a bit of a masterful tactician, then nothing gets you closer to the managers seat of your favourite team than Championship Manager. I literally spent months playing these games from the 1995 season till now, though as I’ve got older I’ve had to refrain from playing it out of pure fear that I won’t leave the house and engage in a life away from being a virtual football coach. The game was re-branded Football Manager for the 2005 version after Eidos Interactive split from Sports Interactive who eventually teamed up with new publisher Sega.

The series has always been almost freakishly accurate with it’s scouting networks, with Premier League side Everton actually subscribing to the vast database of players across the globe a few years back. Tactically everything you need is there to make a winning side. Formations, set-pieces, individual instructions and training routines are all available to implement. You have to deal with greedy players who demand more than their worth, even training ground bust ups have to be dealt with in the correct manner or you’ll threaten to alienate your entire team. The only problem I have with the game isn’t really with the game itself, it’s more to do with my own personality. I hate losing, and nothing can wind you up more than this game if your team fails to perform after you have researched your opponent and set up your tactics and formation to the point that you’re convinced that you’ve covered every aspect of an upcoming fixture. But that is also one of the main strengths of the franchise as it displays a certain realism that football is unpredictable and anything can happen.

This franchise really is a must for any football fan who fancies themselves as a bit of a José Mourinho. You won’t get the fame or reputation like the “special one”, but you’ll have an enjoyable experience. Minus the pay packet.

GoldenEye.

Championship Manager.