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[RetroGamingUK]

UK perspective here, so my experience may not line up with many Americans, but thinking back 20 years ago we had one of, if not the greatest years in videogames.

Here’s why… (vaguely in chronological order)


Metal Gear Solid 3

The peak of Kojima’s series undesputedly! Absolutely loved this, yes it’s somewhat linear today, but the jungle environment was incredible back then.


Resident Evil 4

I think don’t regard it as a proper Resi game, but as a stand alone game it was incredible, completely revolutionised third person action games and the influence remains heavy today.


Doom 3 (Xbox)

Impossible port #1, when I bought an Xbox to play Halo I couldn’t have imagined it pulling off graphics like this, but there it was, in my living room, incredible!


E3 2005

The big 3 really put on a show this year. Microsoft was at its peak cool showing off the Xbox 360 with the blades interface and incredible looking HD games. Sony turned up the hype by unveiling the PS3 and showing off game that we (and the console itself) could only dream of. But most people were asking, just what is Revolution?

PSP

Wow, just wow. Sexy, sleek, ergonomic and powerful. That’s how I’d describe clapping eyes on the device when I collected my day 1 pre-order. Loading up WipEout Pure on that LCD widescreen for the first time took my, and several work colleague’s, breath away. Walkman of the 21st century? It sure was to me!

Half-Life (Xbox)

Impossible port #2, to this day it remains the greatest FPS of all time, and I played it first on Xbox.

Xbox 360 launch

While I enjoyed the original Xbox more, playing Project Gotham Racing 3 on a demo station in GameStation (remember GameStation UK GAF?) was pretty mind blowing.



Other highlights for me:

Nintendo DS (UK launch)
Shadow of the Collossus
God of War
World of Warcraft
Devil May Cry 3
Civilisation V
Ninja Gaiden Black
Gran Turismo 4
Tekken 5
Pro Evolution Soccer 5
Jade Empire
Lumines
Psychonauts
FEAR
Wipeout Pure
Ridge Racers
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath

How nostalgic are you feeling now, GAF?

 

[nial]

Yes, I know you meant from an UK perspective, but cut the regional releases and stuff just isn't that great.
Nintendo DS, PSP, Metal Gear Solid 3, Gran Turismo 4, Ridge Racers and Lumines are all 2004 highlights.
Outside of exceptions like RE4 or DMC3, I thought 2005 was one of the weakest years of 6th gen/early 7th gen along with 2003.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I don’t think there’s been any specific time where gaming has peaked. There’s always loads of fantastic games releasing.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

I don’t think there’s been any specific time where gaming has peaked. There’s always loads of fantastic games releasing.

For me it was a unique year.

It was sort of a gap between college and university. I had a part time job to pay for lots of games but lots of free time (outside of the gym and clubbing) to play everything. It’s the only time I was playing every format in a single generation too.

The PSP released on 1st September, but we had a ridiculously long summer and I spent so much time just lying in the sun playing WipEout Pure, Lumines and Ridge Racers. Even played it a few times in the beer garden outside the pub across from work which drew quite some attention.

Being 20 at the time feels like a magic time looking back.

 

[Shane89]

E3 2005, Killzone 2 announcement

 

[Cakeboxer]

E3 Dead Rising trailer. The best launch exclusive game ever.

 

[SmokedMeat]

For me it was a unique year.

It was sort of a gap between college and university. I had a part time job to pay for lots of games but lots of free time (outside of the gym and clubbing) to play everything. It’s the only time I was playing every format in a single generation too.

The PSP released on 1st September, but we had a ridiculously long summer and I spent so much time just lying in the sun playing WipEout Pure, Lumines and Ridge Racers. Even played it a few times in the beer garden outside the pub across from work which drew quite some attention.

Being 20 at the time feels like a magic time looking back.

That’s great. I can recall a lot of happy memories just based on what console/handheld was around at the time.

 

[ungalo]

Yes, I know you meant from an UK perspective, but cut the regional releases and stuff just isn't that great.
Nintendo DS, PSP, Metal Gear Solid 3, Gran Turismo 4, Ridge Racers and Lumines are all 2004 highlights.
Outside of exceptions like RE4 or DMC3, I thought 2005 was one of the weakest years of 6th gen/early 7th gen along with 2003.

RE4, DMC 3, Chaos Theory, Ninja Gaiden Black, Battlefield 2, Call of Duty 2, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, NFS Most Wanted, Tenkaichi, PES 5, Advance Wars, Dawn of Sorrow, Killer7, Soul Calibur 3, Path of Radiance, FEAR, Battlefront 2, Yakuza, Guild Wars, Forza Motorsport

seems great enough to me

 

[Skifi28]

Doom 3 and Half Life 2 on xbox were the holy grail back then as my PC would explode just looking at the box. I was so pissed RE4 never came to xbox.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

I thought 2004 was better. Halo 2, Half Life 2, San Andreas, Doom 3, Pandora Tomorrow (purely for MP), Burnout 3, Unreal Tournament 2004, Riddick.

 

[DirtInUrEye]

See this is what happens when someone asks a strange question with a poll.

 

[64bitmodels]

Xbox 360.

all i gotta say. First console I ever owned. I love that thing to death


PSP was awesome too.

 

[lockdown2222]

I thought 2004 was better. Halo 2, Half Life 2, San Andreas, Doom 3, Pandora Tomorrow (purely for MP), Burnout 3, Unreal Tournament 2004, Riddick.

Add Far Cry into this - this was the best year in gaming and gaming hype.

 

[Bry0]

Battlefield 2 was the standout for me in 2005. I had to upgrade my pc after playing it at 800x600 medium/low settings. Just an incredible game. It was so good in so many ways (aside from the dolphin dive era, that was absolute BS)

 

[Rawbutt Jellybean]

God of War, Shadow of the Colossus, RE4, Guitar Hero, and Burnout Revenge are some of my favorite games so I can't disagree.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Great year but not the GOAT, that’s 2017.

 

[adamsapple]

RE4 is turning 20 years old in less than 24 hrs.

 

[coachmcguirk91]

Socom 3 should be on this list. That game was absolute Crack to me when it released. Incredible multi-player game for it's time

 

[TintoConCasera]

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

2005 was great, like many years preceding it.. but Doom 3?

 

[Laptop1991]

GTA San Andreas on PC, still the best GTA for me, then as above FEAR 1, still the best FPS for me as well, i had to buy my first powered GPU to play Fear, brilliant game, so i enjoyed 2005, a good year.

 

[phant0m]

Putting Doom 3 on your list over FEAR is a crime against gaming, OP.

2005 was a banger for sure, but it’s a tight race with 2007 - Orange Box, Bioshock, COD4, Burning Crusade, OG AssCreed, Crysis, ME1, Halo 3.

 

[loktaiextatus]

I don’t think there’s been any specific time where gaming has peaked. There’s always loads of fantastic games releasing.

See for ME... second half of the 90s.
Thats when we started HALF the franchises people associate with gaming or had some of their most iconic installments, thats when Sony entered and rose and PC gaming BEGAN to become mainstream- its where we moved into 3d graphics
where we got Mario 64, the zelda games most will cite as the best- where we got Warcraft II, Diablo, , Fallout, Quake, Half-life, Duke Nukem 3d, tons of other PC games which became staples. The 90s marked the rise of Valve.

Final fantasy 7 which was considered by many to be the GOAT of RPGs (mostly because its what introduced them to RPGs in my opinion) - We got Gran Turismo and other iconic racing games which became huge names
that echoed forward like Ridge Racer- We got games like Kings Field which introduced From Softwares RPGs to many. Its also the rise of ONLINE gaming mostly starting on PC but also the dreamcast which released in 99 which
came with a modem for that reason.

Those are the reasons I think that era was sort of the peak in terms of progress, and precedent.

 

[No BBC=Anger]

See for ME... second half of the 90s.
Thats when we started HALF the franchises people associate with gaming or had some of their most iconic installments, thats when Sony entered and rose and PC gaming BEGAN to become mainstream- its where we moved into 3d graphics
where we got Mario 64, the zelda games most will cite as the best- where we got Warcraft II, Diablo, , Fallout, Quake, Half-life, Duke Nukem 3d, tons of other PC games which became staples. The 90s marked the rise of Valve.

Final fantasy 7 which was considered by many to be the GOAT of RPGs (mostly because its what introduced them to RPGs in my opinion) - We got Gran Turismo and other iconic racing games which became huge names
that echoed forward like Ridge Racer- We got games like Kings Field which introduced From Softwares RPGs to many. Its also the rise of ONLINE gaming mostly starting on PC but also the dreamcast which released in 99 which
came with a modem for that reason.

Those are the reasons I think that era was sort of the peak in terms of progress, and precedent.

The foundation of the modern gaming house. So many titles still here Gran Turismo, Resident Evil, Diablo, Tomb Raider etc.

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

Great year for EA Sports games. Their best year, imo. It was peak of EA’s power.

 

[SmokedMeat]

See for ME... second half of the 90s.
Thats when we started HALF the franchises people associate with gaming or had some of their most iconic installments, thats when Sony entered and rose and PC gaming BEGAN to become mainstream- its where we moved into 3d graphics
where we got Mario 64, the zelda games most will cite as the best- where we got Warcraft II, Diablo, , Fallout, Quake, Half-life, Duke Nukem 3d, tons of other PC games which became staples. The 90s marked the rise of Valve.

Final fantasy 7 which was considered by many to be the GOAT of RPGs (mostly because its what introduced them to RPGs in my opinion) - We got Gran Turismo and other iconic racing games which became huge names
that echoed forward like Ridge Racer- We got games like Kings Field which introduced From Softwares RPGs to many. Its also the rise of ONLINE gaming mostly starting on PC but also the dreamcast which released in 99 which
came with a modem for that reason.

Those are the reasons I think that era was sort of the peak in terms of progress, and precedent.

Absolutely an amazing time. Back then I had a modded PS1, and a local mom and pop shop selling imports.

Plus the magazines were in full swing. I miss those days.

 

[Aesius]

GTA San Andreas on PC, still the best GTA for me, then as above FEAR 1, still the best FPS for me as well, i had to buy my first powered GPU to play Fear, brilliant game, so i enjoyed 2005, a good year.

Yeah, I bought SA on PS2 at release, but was annoyed by the blurry image quality and performance. The PC version was so much better and I spent most of the summer of 2005 trying to 100% it.

 

[nial]

Genji was, by far, the best SCE action game in 2005 compared to God of War (and Rise of the Kasai that just straight up sucked).

 

[Shifty1897]

2005 was a great year, no arguments there. Was it better than 97 and 98? Hell no.

Also Radiata Stories released in 2005.

 

[Wolves hunt in packs]

I didn't actually played them on 2005 as i only got my PS2 in 2006, but RE4 and GoW was goat back then, amazing times.

 

[Brigandier]

Someone take me back please

 

[Xellos]

It was a great year but not the best.

Not seeing them mentioned yet, but Timesplitters Future Perfect, Mercenaries and the Conker remake were great.

 

[RoadHazard]

It was a cool year, but games-wise, no, absolutely no peak.

 

[SirKicksalot]

I distinctly remember playing Quake 4, FEAR, Call of Duty 2, a leaked Stalker build and HL2 Lost Coast all on the same day.That autumn was something special. Path of Neo and King Kong were pretty awesome too. Never got into NFS Most Wanted. Serious Sam 2 was crap.

 

[Hawk The Slayer]

Agreed!

 

[RetroGamingUK]

RE4 is turning 20 years old in less than 24 hrs.

Didn’t realise that, though we didn’t get it until March 18th.

Still, an unforgettable experience and it completely revolutionised 3rd person action adventure games.

I did feel something had been lost with survival horror at the time, looking back I think Resi 2 remake is my favourite of the series and Capcom should emulate this going forward.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Being 20 at the time

There's the real reason

 

[DaciaJC]

Already brought up in this thread, but deserves another mention: ^one of the finest PC shooters all of time, and certainly the best game in the BF series.

I was also quite fond of

Solid year for sure.