Neptune's Pride

The almost-final frontier.

It may not look like much, but Neptune's Pride has already been awarded one of the highest achievements a game can have on a PC. No, it hasn't been installed on the C Drive, it's a web-based game, and it has gotten its tab pinned. Can you believe it?

Well, it would probably help if I explained what Neptune's Pride was. In short, it's a 4X game set in a randomly generated galaxy, full of aliens with one goal: own the majority of stars.

Who, if anyone, will work together and remain at peace until the inevitable backstabbing must occur? How will your galactic empire develop? What aspect will it flourish in? Wealth? Science? Huge numbers of warships?

I don't have a clue, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

Mass Effect 2

"Just once I'd like to ask someone for help and hear them say, 'Sure. Let's go. Right now. No strings attached.'"

I do try to show off a game in its opening image, but I must admit that this isn't exactly the best depiction of BioWare's stellar space RPG sequel, Mass Effect 2, and there's a good reason for it - I'm still yet to play through Mass Effect.

Gutting what didn't work from the first game and cramming the space left over with hours and hours more dialogue between you and the many characters you'll meet across the galaxy, Mass Effect 2 is introduced to us in the 1001 list as the streamlined, story-lead game of science fiction adventuring.

Is streamlining an epic RPG possible? Have we lost anything in the decision to focus on what's important? Is there enough room in the galaxy for all of these characters to coexist? Let's get stuck in already.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

"Do not waste what the Emporer provides!"

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War was a phenomenal game for me, seemingly coming out of nowhere to become one of the highlights of this 1001 list. I've started but not finished the Winter Assault DLC, and there are two more after that, full of new armies to base-build and Zerg-rush across the galaxy to purge the enemy, whomever it may be. That's what it's all about in the far future - war.

Following Dawn of War was Company of Heroes, the Second World War retheme, if you will, though it's much more than that. I've played it twice as much as I've played Dawn of War now, some 32 hours, finishing all the DLC and generally loving everything I was doing.

I like it even more than Dawn of War, but now the Emporer is back with Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, which takes a little of Company of Heroes, rethemes it back into the grim darkness of the far future and then reinvents the gameplay almost entirely to focus even more on your squads and even less on your base building... just stop, I can't wait any longer, let me play already.

Sin & Punishment: Successor to the Skies

"There's no escape from the Nebulox."

Back on the Nintendo 64, there was an on-rails shooter by the name of Sin and Punishment that was incredibly weird but playable, despite being a Japanese-only release. The only reason I know of it is because of this 1001 list, and my conclusions after playing it were along the lines of "well, that's was fun, I guess, but I don't really need more, do I?"

Apparently, damnit, we do need more, because it has a sequel on the Nintendo Wii, Sin & Punishment: Successor to the Skies, or your regional subtitle equivalent.

Last time out, mostly because it was all in Japanese, I had to hit the Internet to learn just what on Earth was going on. This time out... well, I've got to do the same.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

"The darkness, for me, is where I shine."

The world can't get enough of Richard B. Riddick if anyone associated with the Riddick series is anything to go by. Films, animations, video games and now a sequel to the surprisingly good Escape from Butcher Bay in The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena.

Straight after the events of the first game, still before the events of the first film, Riddick continues to be the killer that lurks in the shadows, so efficient in his craft that some of these mercenaries really ought to know better by now.

It started life as an expansion to Butcher Bay, but things happened and now here we are, a full sequel to enjoy, much the same as the first game. And to prove that point, here, we've bundled the first game in here too...

Halo Wars

"You got Halo in my RTS." "You got RTS in my Halo..."

Source // Xbox

The second Halo spin-off the 1001 list throws our way is a real-time strategy game that aims to work on the consoles as well as Halo made first-person shooters work on them. That is to say, it's going to be dumbed down a little and fiddly to control precisely, but Halo Wars will nonetheless give you an action-packed time as you command the UNSC forces against all-comers from your birds-eye vantage point in the sky.

RTS games can be hit and miss, but I'd be lying if I wasn't looking forward to seeing what this one was about in detail. I'd heard of it, but that was about it. Now it's time to hear some more.

Wipeout HD

Cannon.

Source // MobyGames

When last we saw Wipeout, I said it was awesome and it'd only get better. At the times, others might have argued that the series only appearing on the PlayStation Portable was a sign that it had run its course. Yes, it was technically impressive, but it was lost on a handheld that wasn't bought in huge numbers and showed little sign of life on the consoles it belonged on.

And then an HD blend of Pulse and Pure for the PlayStation 3 was announced, a cheap little download that promised improved visuals and buttery smooth gameplay, and as a fan, you know I bought Wipeout HD in an instant.

Sins of a Solar Empire

Boldly going nowhere.

4X games come in many forms, especially on the tabletop. Exploring, expanding, exploiting and exterminating comes naturally to humans, whether the backdrop is of the other side of the world or the other end of the galaxy, as is the case in Sins of a Solar Empire.

Dubbed a real-time 4X game, you don't even need to wait around for other players to finish their turns before you can focus on checking off your next X. The galaxy will evolve around you, military factions bombarding defenceless planets, flourishing trade networks linking allies together, and diplomacy serving as your last chance to turn a dire situation around.

Will we survive the vast expanses that lay ahead of us?

Resistance 2

"They are calling to us. Can you hear them?"

Source // PlayStation

When the PlayStation 3 first came out, most players could only afford to play free demos on it. Thankfully, this was a time when demos actually did exist, and one of those demos I played a few times was for Resistance: Fall of Man, an alternate history/universe sci-fi Second World War first-person shooter pitting men against monstrous aliens up and down the United Kingdom.

I didn't end up purchasing Resistance, nor did I look into Resistance 2 when it came out, a sequel that no doubt improved on the original, but didn't catch my interest in any way.

The 1001 write up mentions how there are multiplayer matches that support up to 60 players, which was pretty much an anomaly in terms of player counts on the PS3. Wikipedia mentions how those servers' plugs were pulled in 2014, so I guess all we've got to enjoy these days is the story.

But what is that story? Who are these angry-looking fellas from another planet? What do they want with good ol' Blighty?

What's that? We're in America now?

Fallout 3

Oblivion. Oblivion has changed.

Source // MobyGames

"I don't want to set the world on fire." Where were you when that Fallout 3 trailer landed? Alright, as far as monumental occasions go, the trailer for Fallout 3 isn't exactly earth-shattering, but this would be the first Fallout title in a long while, and not only was it coming to consoles, but it was coming from the folks behind The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I could not be more interested. Oblivion With Guns was coming.

My literal first encounter with the series was an afternoon at a friends house, watching him on his computer, but I consider Fallout 3 to be my introduction to the Fallout universe. For those familiar with the isometric RPGs of the past, the drastic switch to a first/third-person perspective would be controversial, among many other topics for discussion, but for me, this was simply kinda cool. I played the hell out of Oblivion and wanted to play the hell out of Fallout 3 as well.

And so I did. Bugs and glitches and all.

Dead Space

No-one can hear you scream. Or speak, even.

Survival horror is not my favourite genre of video game, not by a long shot, but since playing a fair few titles for this 1001 list, I've got more of an understanding about what it is that fans of the genre admire. 

Most of my issues with these games are the limiting controls, be they because of hardware limitations on the early consoles, for example, or design choices to keep you on your toes, and not let you get on top of your surroundings.

Resident Evil 4 was a turning point for the way the genre was presented and, importantly, controlled. It was easier for new players to grasp and it was still just as spooky to play as any other survival horror game, but for me, it was still a bit of a slog. I liked the over the shoulder camera, but not the controls that go along with it, even knowing they're a vast improvement over earlier titles.

What I need is Resident Evil 4 with a bit of refinement. And a plot that isn't too bonkers. And maybe set it somewhere that isn't brown? What's Dead Space?

Wipeout Pulse

Quake.

After briefly skimming through my thoughts on the previous two Wipeout/wipEout/wipE'out" titles the 1001 list insisted we played, I have to conclude that the series can come across as a bit of a mixed bag. The games are a phenomenal blend of techno and action, set against the most stylish graphic design languages gaming has ever seen. Probably. But they can be a right pain in the arse to play sometimes, even when you call yourself a fan.

I do call myself a fan, but I must admit that, like the 1001 list, I kind of ignored the series in its middle. I can't actually remember if I ever owned the seventh entry - blimey, seventh? - the PlayStation Portable's second Wipeout, Wipeout Pulse. wipEout pulse. Whatever.

If I do still own it, I was a clever enough sod to leave it a few hundred miles away in the safety of a garage, which is a tad unfortunate, but there are ways and means to play video games, aren't there. And I'm not talking about the PS2 port of this, either...

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

a.k.a. Corruption MP_03 Metroid Prime3, or whatever, according to the title screen.

Source // MobyGames

The Metroid Prime trilogy wouldn't be complete without a thir- what do you mean there's going to be a Metroid Prime 4?

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes was, by most accounts I've read, crying out for a sequel to fix its problems. I didn't know it had any, other than the usual iffy controls that I wasn't used to - despite having played Metroid Prime where, for some reason, I felt like a kid again.

From what I saw in the first two games, I was interested. Perhaps not in the story or the characters, but in how the games felt to actually play. At some point, I'm sure I'd get back to them for a little more gaming, but now there's Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and if I want to conclude the trilo- continue the story, then I'm going to have to strap on this Wiimote.

Ugh.

Mass Effect

"Surrender. Or don't. That would be more fun."

I like space, I like RPGs, you'd have thought that I'd like space RPG Mass Effect, the hot new thing from the minds behind Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Well, much like practically every other title from BioWare, I'm slow to get around to them all.

Thanks to an Xbox 360, then PC release long before ever coming close to the PlayStation 3, Mass Effect was something I heard about but never played, and when in a position to play it, I'd heard an awful lot about the trilogy's shortcomings, and once you know about them, you find a way to not play Mass Effect. But I've watched it, long ago. And the sequel. I can't remember if I watched a playthrough of Mass Effect 3, though.

The point is, I've had some interest in it all, just not enough to jump in personally. Now that I've forgotten all the details and overarching story, and the first game has come up on this 1001 list, maybe it's time to change that.

Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords

"We have discovered a new type of energy pattern that will benefit our economy by +1 percent."

I should have known. Why didn't I think about the title just a little bit harder? Why did it take so long for me to realise that Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords was Civilization in space? Well, Alpha Centauri is Civilization in space, but you get the point.

GalCiv II is the next frontier. We've conquered the lands, now we need to conquer the galaxy. Ignore that I've failed in every attempt to win any Civ game, even those not on the 1001 list. We're in space now. More freedom to move around without bumping into a single other alien race, right? Should be a doddle.

Prey

"The world is full of stories, and from time to time they permit themselves to be told."

Video games and physics. Some games strive for realism and try their best to keep you grounded. Other games just don't care. Somewhere in the broad middle are games that have consistent, reliable physics, even if they are different from the values we're familiar with outside of video games.

So long as these predictable values stay the same, a game can make use of these 'strange' physics to give us a variety of experiences, from the wacky levels of Psychonauts to the mind-bending, portal-traversing, out-of-body moving Prey, a first-person shooter that will have you questioning what 'first-person' even means.

Tommy is dissatisfied with his life. He wants to venture out into the wider world. Unfortunately for him, higher powers have different plans...

X3: Reunion

TRADE FIGHT BUILD THINK

Been a while since you found yourself alone in space? The likes of EVE Online too daunting? Perhaps a single-player offering with a similar scope can get you into spaceshipshape and ready for sci-fi action. Something like X3: Reunion.

The X series has been taking players to space since 1999, and despite continually seeing releases as recently as 2018, I know absolutely nothing about it. I've never come across it, mostly because it doesn't dare venture over to consoles, but in various PC magazines or videos or whatever, I can't even recall it being referenced in passing.

It's lost in space, except to those devoted fans who keep exploring the stars. How soon will I find myself lost in space?

Rebelstar: Tactical Command

Not for the over-30's.

Rebelstar. Rebelstar... where have I heard that name before? Turns out, long, long ago, I failed to emulate Rebelstar for this very 1001 list. I was apparently really rather interested in seeing X-Com on a ZX Spectrum and was saddened by not being able to play it.

I've still not gone back and tried to get it going again, but maybe now that Rebelstar: Tactical Command is making itself known on the Game Boy Advance, I'll be more inspired to try getting Rebelstar going again.

Wait. The Game Boy Advance? There's an X-Com on the GBA?

Rogue Galaxy

"We don't look suspicious at all."

It's completely normal to not know a developers entire back catalogue of games. There is always the possibility of a quirky little release on the side or a game that gets rightly forgotten about. I've just learned that Jade Empire was a BioWare title, for instance, and I'm about to learn something about Level-5.

Here are their first four games. Dark Cloud, the RPG where you rebuild the world as you see fit (ideally in a way that pleases the townsfolk). Dark Chronicle, its cel-shaded sequel, worthy of the 1001 list. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, the cel-shaded RPG that brought the main Dragon Quest series to Europe, also on the 1001 list. Rogue Galaxy, the cel-shaded sci-fi action RPG that we're about to launch into on the 1001 list.

Of those four games, I've played three, enjoyed three. Finished none, but still. It's looking like I'm drawn towards Level-5 and their games. And then I found out Rogue Galaxy was basically Star Wars...

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

"Walk softly and carry a big gun."

It has been a great many years since I first encountered Warhammer 40,000, the grimdark tabletop miniature wargame that costs a lot of time and effort before you even begin to play the game itself. Kinda like gathering a bunch of games and a gaming computer for a silly little 1001 list, really.

The setting is so embracing of different alien races and ideologies that it has spawned games dedicated to small skirmishes, to piloting giant mechs, to racing around in demolition derbies. The Black Library contains what must be hundreds of stories for readers of all interests and ages, with seemingly more coming out than you can ever keep up with. And then there are the video games.

Ah, the video games. For an incredible setting that has captured the imagination of a great many fans across multiple mediums already, why is it so tricky for video games to do right? Warhammer video games are always - or at least, always were - OK at best. Entertaining for fans, but could have been so much more. Not phoned in, per se, not half-arsed, but just nowhere near the quality that the setting deserved.

Does Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War serve as an excellent example of that mediocrity, or is it one of the highlights of the many, many attempts at a Warhammer video game? It has been sitting in this Steam library, unplayed, since I got my Steam account. It's time to find out what we've been missing.