PixlBit

Great podcast guys. I need to look through my games to see what I have worth of value. Unfortunately I grew up without a SNES so don't have much from that console which is one of the ones with the best gems. 2004 was definitely a huge year for games. So hard to pick just 1.

I also never had a gaming PC so missed out on MMOs and have never really jumped into them even now. Unless you count Destiny, I dont. I tried so desperately to find a way to play FFXI but there was no feasible way cause I was 16.

2003 is another year that's very hard for me to pick because there are 2 amazing games that appear to be forgotten in time. They haven't had a sequel since then.

Chrono Crossing 2003: Phantasy Star Online 3: C.A.R.D Revolution (Gamecube)

HUGE shout out to Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge for Xbox. It introduced me to the world of online gaming and will always hold a special place in my heart for that. Still dying for a sequel...

But PSO3 is my game of 2003. It's deservedly underrated. I never played PSO1&2 but I can see the disappointment from fans on 3. The concept was unlike the first two. It was more of a card collecter and had me hooked for months until I messed up my Saved Data during a transfer (Still hurts...).

Honestly this year saddens me since sequels have never released since. Crimson Skies may have its day but I don't think I'll find anything like PSO3 again.

Stage Select: Doom Marine vs Hells Champion

I'll stay recent, in Doom (2016) you hear stories of a colossal demon called the Titan. He faced the Doom Marine only to fall. I don't think he reappeared (Unless that was the final boss. If you guys have any knowledge of the first showdown please elaborate because I never finished the previous games).

I went the rest of the game thinking about a battle against a strong "smaller," demon. I want something like Kratos vs Hercules, Link vs Ganondorf in Twilight Princess, or Bloodbornes final boss. Huge and monstrous is fine but I love personal, intimate battles like these and really wanted one between the Doom Marine and a fearsome Demon who could stand toe to toe with him. My lost level would have been like Snake in Metal Gear Solid 4 fighting Ocelot on the Submarine. Only in Hell, as an FPS, with fire engulfing the arena. 

Nice article. I really need to go back and play ME1 again. As I've mentioned before, I beat it a few weeks before 2 released so didn't get to really dive in like I would have. I really enjoyed it but was dying for part 2. 2 is the one that sticks with me most since I was obsessed with it while waiting for 3. 

I'm totally in favor of dropping Heat sinks. Doom was crazy nonstop fun. Once you have Assault Rifle Micro Missles with over 75 armor you never want to hit a reload ever again.

You missed something though. What happened to our Elevator rides? The true unsung hero of the game. I'm sure I got a lot more stretching, bathroom breaks, and hydration that I didn't get in 2/3.

Ha, no problem. I knew you read my stage select. I began to wonder if Chrono Crossing is done before Stage Select then edited toward's the end. Figured maybe I posted in the middle of recording. 

Great again guys. Dawn of Sorrow was almost my pick for that year as well. I chose Shadow of the Colossus but it must have gotten in late cause it wasn't mentioned. I'm looking forward to Last Guardian. Team Ico hasn't let me down yet so I'm giving them benefit of the doubt. I think this will be the first time I skip all reviews until I finish it. I feel like if I see mediocre to bad reviews that'll I'll be subliminally taking enjoyment I may have had away from playing it. Meteos was another great game. Just popped that in a few months ago actually. A new sequal would be amazing. 

I'm actually playing through The Witness right now. It's such an amazing game. The feeling of discovering the answer to a puzzle gives such a great feeling. It will definitely be in the running for Chrono Crossing 2016. 

On that topic...

Chrono Crossing 2004: Burnout 3

In 2005 my definitive answer would be Halo 2. No other game has absorbed so much of my life to this day. I think I played it every day online for over a full year. Only Call of Duty 4 and now Overwatch have come even remotely close to grasping me into online PvP. 

But now in 2016 it's Burnout 3. Dozens of amazing shooters, including more Halos, have come and gone. Now they are a dime a dozen and many have surpassed Halo 2's gameplay and PvP.

Burnout 3 on the other hand, in my opinion, has never been topped. It's easily my favorite racing game and will probably always be. The sense of speed was amazing and probably still is. The fun that came with crashing was unparalleled. Crash mode provided more fun alone than most racing games. I hope Three Fields Entertainment, the old Burnout teams new conpany, can recapture that magic and wash away the disappointment I suffered from Burnout Paradise with their new racing project. 

Stage Select: True 3rd Party Support

I want to see Nintendo recapture 3rd parties. They have went 2 home consoles without much support. If you take away shovel ware than its even slimmer. I know Nintendo can do amazing things but so can 3rd parties. I would love to be playing Overwatch on the go. I want to see what unique thing Kojima can come up with like he did with Boktai for GBA. 

Very different and interesting NWP. It's great to hear some more intellectual discussion on the anomalies of our world. 

I myself can't fathom a universe as, potentially, enormous as ours without other forms of life. That doesn't necessarily mean little green aliens. They could be a lot like us just adapted to fit their environment. Billions of stars with even more planets surrounding them can't all be devoid of life. 

Anyway, great podcast. Julian, I have a few podcast suggestions that you, Jordan, or fellow fans of this NWP may enjoy if you haven't heard them.

Limetown: This one is a fictional documentary about a reporter who is investigating the overnight disappearance of a whole town of people. It's exceptionally well done with great audio and voice acting. There's also more than a few intense moments that tap into your fears. It finished season 1 a few months ago and is only 6 episodes long. Most if not all are under half an hour so it's not a huge investment. It feels very real to the point that I Googled it after the first episode. Highly recommended.

Unexplained: This one is also exceptionally well done. I believe it's done in London. The Narrator is amazing and talks about real cases around the world. There's paranormal cases as well as real life disappearances that can't be explained. Another podcast that is relatively new with only about 10 numbered episodes. 

Great podcast guys. I definitely hear you on overwatch. My catalog is getting really backed up cause of it. Was gonna stop then they announced Halloween stuff so that dragged me back in. 

Stage Select was a bit hard for me cause I don't scare easily but I recall one. 

Stage Select: Silent Hill 2

First time playing my new PS2 and Silent Hill 2. I was so psyched that I woke up at 4am on a school day to play. As I walked through the foggy streets a monster screeched and came crawling from under a car. Its one of the few jump scares I've had in games. 

Chrono Crossing : Shadow of the Colossus 

It has to be this. One of my top 5 and I still replay it. Figuring out the boss "puzzles" was a blast. Few games have amazing boss battles and this game had a dozen. 

Forgot to mention that Okami did appear on PS3 as Okami HD. It had much sharper graphics and better draw distance. It could also use the PS Move controller to replicate the Wii version. Definitely a great game to play again. It's in many PS Flash Sales for cheap. I may have a spare code from that Capcom Humble Bundle. I'll look for it if you're interested. 

Another great podcast. I wasn't sure how you were gonna pull it off with 2 down but Mike nailed it. Wish you had a full cast to see how he fit in with everyone. 

Hell yeah, Resistance was amazing. I loved the replay value with new weapons added after the first play though. I hoped 2 would do that but it didn't. One of my favorite games of last gen. 

Great podcast guys. I really enjoyed the TnB crews infusion. I've added them to my sub list to try out when I'm done with my regular podcasts for the week.

To note, yes I was aware of Mass Effect and Bioshock released that year. While ME is one of my favorites, I am not big on Bioshock. I really enjoyed it for the first half but feel it really dragged on and didn't finish it for years later. I prefer Infinite to either of the first 2. Mass Effect is far and away better than EDF 2017 but not my Chrono Crossing Pick. I also played it a few months before 2 released so there's that. It didn't get a chance to stew with me before I jumped into 2 and got engulfed in it.

Stage Select seemed like it'd be tough but after some time looking at my favorites list I found the perfect one very quickly.


Stage Select: Pokémon Red/Blue World

Initially I thought some Gundam world but that's a bit dangerous and I wouldn't necessarily be a Pilot. Where as in Pokémon everyone from a toddler to a senior citizen can experience and enjoy Pokémon. Even better, the world in Red is pretty mundane. No Pokémon gods trying to destroy the earth. Plus my favorite Pokémon, Jolteon, was in the original 150.


Chrono Crossing 2006: Okami 

Okami was a game that surpassed expectations to me. It initially caught my attention because of its art but the gameplay definitely kept pace. It was a joy to play and amazing to stare at. Even better on PS3. The soundtrack is one of the few I own and I whistle their tunes constantly.