A flawless diamond in gaming history.
I still remember running to the train station with this in hand, and being unable to stand still while I waited for the train... I don't think I've ever entered a house and put a game in a console quite so fast. Then the magic began...
The theme was flawless... The graphics were simply jaw dropping (though now they look terrible), there was a genuinely creepy atmosphere... The storyline was brilliant. And it stayed that way throughout the entire game.
This was also the first game to genuinely scare me. When the dogs jumped through the windows of that narrow corridor, I swear I got air...
Awesome, simply awesome. While the sequels have been good and the graphics have improved out of sight, they will never again capture the theme so perfectly... This was completely absorbing from start to finish.