Unfortunately, this blog series is going to have to take another break for quite a while. I would love to continue it and have been having lots of fun writing it but with my new job and schoolwork piling up, I simply don't have the time required to write these very demanding blogs. If anyone else would like to take it up, I'd be happy to turn it over to you, otherwise, I will have to shelve the project until the beginning of April at the earliest. I apologize. Enjoy 2002!
10. Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast - PC/Xbox/GC
In the giant pile of Star Wars games, only a few good titles come to mind. The RPG hit, Knights of the Old Republic, The multiplayer frag-fest, Battlefront, you may even think of the fun Star Wars X-wing games back in the 90's. One title that's often overlooked, however, was the incredible Dark Forces/Jedi Knight series. While it started out only slightly over mediocrity, Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight truly revolutionized single player first person shooters. We are introduced to Kyle Katarn, one of the most memorable characters in Star Wars gaming lore. Finally, we make it to Jedi Outcast, the third game in the series and probably the best. If you missed it in 2002, it'd be hard to blame you, however, know that you're missing one of the best star wars games out there, not to mention one of the best first-person shooters from the last ten years.
9. Suikoden III - PS2
The Suikoden series at first glance looks like a standard Japanese-RPG series. It's got your standard heroic, slightly sexually-ambiguous main character with spiky, multi-colored hair. It's got your turn-based, random battle filled fighting system. But the main thing that sets Suikoden III apart from the others, is the great attention to detail. The world will suck you in, the storyline goes far beyond your standard save-the-world fare and most importantly, you will love it all. Instead of controlling one main character, you get to use three different people throughout the game, allowing you to see the political storyline unfold from three different perspectives. If you've watched many of the Gundam anime series, you'll understand a little more how this can eliminate good vs. evil and show the world for what it truly is. Throw in the standard 108 playable characters from the other Suikoden games and you've got one heckuva RPG on your hands.
8. Neverwinter Nights - PC
Neverwinter Nights is the other side of the coin from Suikoden III. If JRPG's aren't your thing and you are more into the DnD style RPG's such as Baldurs Gate or Icewind Dale, then Neverwinter Nights is the game for you this year. Enter the Forgotten Realms and move north from the Sea of Swords up to the freezing wastelands and you will find the anomaly that is Neverwinter. Heated by the river around it, Neverwinter literally has no winter season. Moving away from the setting, Neverwinter Nights comes with a very long campaign that's relatively accessible compared with some other DnD games. Along with that, you get full usage of the Aurora client (the same engine used to make all the Neverwinter Nights games and The Witcher) and a full Dungeon Master client to alter your games in real-time. If you enjoy DnD style RPG's or are just looking for something other than the standard fare, Neverwinter Nights is great.
7. Age of Mythology - PC
Several years after the last Age of Empires game was made, Age of Mythology was created to move the setting to ancient Greek, Egyptian and Nordic societies. While its expansion was mediocre at best, the original Age of Mythology was an incredible RTS that many saw as even better than the original Age of Empires games. Anyone familiar with RTS's at all won't be surprised by anything here except maybe at how high quality everything is. All the societies are very well balanced and graphically, the game looks very nice. The thing that really makes Age of Mythology is the god system. As you advance through the ages, you can align your society with various gods that grant you certain passive and active bonuses. Choosing your god can really make or break your campaign as you wage war literally against opposing gods. An epic scale makes this a great RTS that shouldn't be missed by fans.
6. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos - PC
While Age of Mythology is a great game, Warcraft III definitely manages to beat it for RTS fans. Any fantasy fan can appreciate the in-depth storyline that can easily beat anything else in the market even today. Also, the ability to level up units adds a sense of connection with each individual unit. You will think twice before sending leveled up units into a battle you know that it cannot win. Likewise, if you see scouting or raiding parties approaching your base, you can send your leaders in to level up and lead your troops to victory. Warcraft III will really change the way you think about RTS's.