Heart of the Fyre

Best Gamse of All Time

#4 Silpheed

Silpheed Box shot WHY IT'S GREAT:
Silpheed is not only a great game to play, but it was a technological groundbreaker. It's a top-down space shooter in the tradition of Space Invaders, but unlike most, it uses a tilted, conical play field to give a more 3-D feel. Your ship can actually take damage and degrades in performance after your shield is gone, which was unusual in the day. As play progresses, you can unlock additional weapons, some of which are very cool. The 20 levels vary in environment, some in space, some in asteroid fields, some in structures. Finally, there are powerups you can get by cracking certain aliens, and boss battles.
Technologically, Silpheed was the first game ever to render everything on the fly. There were no pre-rendered backgrounds, sprites, etc. Cutscenes and Boss Battles were still a new idea at the time, but Silpheed integrated them beautifully. When I got my first Apple II and started to learn programming, I developed a concept for a game. Silpheed was that game, only better. Game Arts beat me to it, and took it farther than I had even conceived. As a testament to its staying power, Silpheed was developed for Apple II and PC, then rebuilt for Sega CD, and has even spawned a sequel: Silpheed 2: The Lost Planet on the PlayStation 2. (As a side note, Silpheed 2, while incorporating many of the concepts of the original, doesn't quite capture the charm or total gameplay experience. It's still a solid, enjoyable game, though.)

#3 Halo: Combat Evolved

Halo Banner
WHY IT'S GREAT:
Little needs to be said about Halo, because this is one of the first games the rest of the world loves as much as I do. In my estimation, Halo is the Tachyon of First Person Shooters. It incorporates very accessible gameplay with an addicting story line and a compelling lead character. Halo is every bit as good as you've heard.
Official Site

#2 Tachyon: The Fringe

Tachyon Banner
WHY IT'S GREAT:
Tachyon: The Fringe already has a leg up because it's in my favorite game genre: Space Combat Flight Simulators. However, it's the only one that has all the elements in the right places to make it one of my "Greatest Games of All Time." It isn't the prettiest game ever, but it has excellent graphics, smooth animation, a strong lead character and an addicting story line. In addition, its multiplayer element is second to none. What can I say? I love this game.
Tachyon Review >> Tachyon Hints >>

#1 SunDog: The Frozen Legacy

WHY IT'S GREAT:
SunDog is an old game for Apple II and Atari ST, but it is such a brilliant piece of work I still play it today. The graphics are what you'd expect from such an old game, but it has a point and click interface and a level of depth that games like Earth & Beyond or FreeLancer are only beginning to touch. SunDog includes Space Sim flight, Hyperjumps, landing on planets, exploring those planets on foot or by vehicle, buildings to enter and AI "people" to interact with, a vast galaxy to explore, secret items, and a fascinating story line. It's as close to real life as you'd ever want a game to get!
SunDog Review >>

SunDog Box shot

#4 Silpheed
	WHY IT'S GREAT: Silpheed is not only a great game to play, but it was a technological groundbreaker. It's a top-down space shooter in the tradition of Space Invaders, but unlike most, it uses a tilted, conical play field to give a more 3-D feel. Your ship can actually take damage and degrades in performance after your shield is gone, which was unusual in the day. As play progresses, you can unlock additional weapons, some of which are very cool. The 20 levels vary in environment, some in space, some in asteroid fields, some in structures. Finally, there are powerups you can get by cracking certain aliens, and boss battles. Technologically, Silpheed was the first game ever to render everything on the fly. There were no pre-rendered backgrounds, sprites, etc. Cutscenes and Boss Battles were still a new idea at the time, but Silpheed integrated them beautifully. When I got my first Apple II and started to learn programming, I developed a concept for a game. Silpheed was that game, only better. Game Arts beat me to it, and took it farther than I had even conceived. As a testament to its staying power, Silpheed was developed for Apple II and PC, then rebuilt for Sega CD, and has even spawned a sequel: Silpheed 2: The Lost Planet on the PlayStation 2. (As a side note, Silpheed 2, while incorporating many of the concepts of the original, doesn't quite capture the charm or total gameplay experience. It's still a solid, enjoyable game, though.)
#3 Halo: Combat Evolved
WHY IT'S GREAT: Little needs to be said about Halo, because this is one of the first games the rest of the world loves as much as I do. In my estimation, Halo is the Tachyon of First Person Shooters. It incorporates very accessible gameplay with an addicting story line and a compelling lead character. Halo is every bit as good as you've heard. Official Site
#2 Tachyon: The Fringe
WHY IT'S GREAT: Tachyon: The Fringe already has a leg up because it's in my favorite game genre: Space Combat Flight Simulators. However, it's the only one that has all the elements in the right places to make it one of my "Greatest Games of All Time." It isn't the prettiest game ever, but it has excellent graphics, smooth animation, a strong lead character and an addicting story line. In addition, its multiplayer element is second to none. What can I say? I love this game. Tachyon Review >> Tachyon Hints >>
#1 SunDog: The Frozen Legacy
WHY IT'S GREAT: SunDog is an old game for Apple II and Atari ST, but it is such a brilliant piece of work I still play it today. The graphics are what you'd expect from such an old game, but it has a point and click interface and a level of depth that games like Earth & Beyond or FreeLancer are only beginning to touch. SunDog includes Space Sim flight, Hyperjumps, landing on planets, exploring those planets on foot or by vehicle, buildings to enter and AI "people" to interact with, a vast galaxy to explore, secret items, and a fascinating story line. It's as close to real life as you'd ever want a game to get! SunDog Review >>