Picking just three games seems so difficult in this case. I love so many different types of games, and it burns me not to include favorites like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Madden, MLB: The Show, Tribes 2, Baldur’s Gate 2 and others on this list. Ultimately, though, I have to go with those franchises that truly define me. I am the Critically Sane Strategist, and I am a huge Western-style RPG fan, and my favorites must shine at the very top.
Rome: Total War
I’m half tempted to put Shogun: Total War on this list, because it was the first game I ever pirated. Good thing for Creative Assembly I did, though, because I adored it, and have bought every game in the series released since then. Of the lot, however, it was the release on the Roman era that ended up nearest and dearest to my heart. I’ve purchased it at least 4 times for different PC’s I’ve owned, and put many, many more hours into the game than any other game I’ve ever played.
In terms of strategy games, this had it all. Challenging AI, a host of different nations to play, and deep, divergent and unpredictable gameplay all combined to an experience that was unique with each campaign. One of the most interesting features was the use of generals, who would level up in RPG fashion. They would also give pre-battle speeches which would grow more interesting as the generals became more experienced, and would vary based on the terrain, odds, and opponent. This was a game to get lost in for many, many hours, and one which cultivated my love for strategy games in a way that has been unmatched since (though, Total War: Shogun 2 is close). It is dire need of an update as its graphics engine has aged quite a bit, but the upcoming Total War: Rome 2 should fix all of my Roman needs.
Mass Effect
There are very few truly epic moments in games that have permanently etched themselves in my memory. I play a lot of games, and to truly strike me in an emotionally compelling way is a rare thing. Mass Effect has done this to me time and again. The game constantly put you in pressure situations, causing you to make decisions with far-reaching consequences. The confrontation with Wrex is one of those heart-wrenching moments where you can be forced into a corner and off one of your best squad mates because you are simply in a position where his goals and yours irreconcilably conflict. And the epic run up the elevator in the game’s finale, with a massive space battle taking place overhead, is a pure adrenaline rush that you don’t often find in an RPG. Mass Effect solidified in myself my love of Western Style RPGs and, because of its exclusivity at the time, confirmed for me the primacy of the Xbox 360 as my console of choice.
Europa Universalis
Every time I bring this title up to my non-hardcore strategy friends, I get funny looks. They result both from the odd-sounding name and the fact that they’ve never heard of the title. In terms of strategy games, however, the EU series is one of the best on the market, both in terms of quality of game and number of sales. It has spawned a number other, similar franchises, from the World War II-based Hearts of Iron to last year’s critical darling Crusader Kings II. But I managed to hop in on the original, way back in the day when you could still regularly find PC games on shelves at EB. The subject of the game, guiding a nation through 300 of the most turbulent years in the history of the world, colonizing the New World and battling your opponents for global supremacy, was unbelievably attractive to someone such as myself. I was not disappointed in the least, and spent many, many hours guiding various nations through victories in battle, using the cold of the Russian winter to attrition opposing armies down to nothing, and generally having the time of my gaming life. The music drove my roommate at the time crazy (so much so that he bought me Civilization III to save his ear drums from the wonderful 16th score), but I loved the period pieces. That game was an experience, and one I look forward to replicating when Europa Universalis IV launches in 12 days (not that I’m counting or anything).
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