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[legend166]

IS it just me or do people not understand the concept of a game coming before it's time?

I mean, I take it to mean a game that was too ambitious for the system it was on, technically speaking, or too ambitious that it flew over the heads of the majority of the marketplace because no one was used to it and subsequently failed.

Technically speaking, Perfect Dark. Just had so many options that I still haven't seen paralleled in any game yet. Sadly, the 64 hardware couldn't run 4 player + 8 bots ;(

 

[dfyb]

IS it just me or do people not understand the concept of a game coming before it's time?

I mean, I take it to mean a game that was too ambitious for the system it was on, technically speaking, or too ambitious that it flew over the heads of the majority of the marketplace because no one was used to it and subsequently failed.

yeah, some of these are totally off the mark.

 

[Zerostatic]

Yeah, people don't understand what before it's time means. People putting stuff like Mario 64 just because it was first to do something well. It's not the same thing. Like Legend166 said, to be before your time means that the game did things that the world wasn't ready for yet, either design-wise, or technology-wise.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

Jumping MF'ing Flash.

 

[syllogism]

To be fair if we strictly followed the definition this would be a very short thread. I am aware some of my suggestions do not exactly count either. I would even question the one in OP.

 

[arena08]

Wind waker? The graphics are still the best in any game ive ever played. One of the first AAA games to focus on the art direction over pushing polys.

 

[InsertCredit]

To be fair if we strictly followed the definition this would be a very short thread. I am aware some of my suggestions do not exactly count either. I would even question the one in OP.

I believe my suggestion, Sacrifice, fits the bill.
It's a first person strategy (RTS) game, failing miserably because of the (awesome but) weird artstyle and incredibly steep system requirements. These kind of games are only now starting to show up in successful ways (World in Conflict).

 

[syllogism]

I believe my suggestion, Sacrifice, fits the bill.
It's a first person strategy (RTS) game, failing miserably because of the (awesome but) weird artstyle and incredibly steep system requirements. These kind of games are only now starting to show up in successful ways (World in Conflict).

I don't know, it played a lot like the Battlezone remake which was released over 2 years earlier

 

[zsidane]

Alone In The Dark

 

[InsertCredit]

I don't know, it played a lot like the Battlezone remake which was released over 2 years earlier

Hmm, you're right. But isn't this thread listing game-genres that got popular way after the game in question got released?

 

[dfyb]

well, it's not like the game has to have been a failure (dunno if i'd call tribes a failure, but i would definitely say tribes was ahead of it's time), but megahits are usually bad examples because other games will immediately start building off of them (re4, halo, etc) and the original game recieved plenty of praise and credit for doing what it did. few battlefield fans know that tribes was what really brought large scale multiplayer and vehicles together. few XBL fans credit games like tribes 2 for having large, integrated community feature sets. Thief laid the groundwork for a ton of stealth action games, but i doubt most gamers give credit where it's due. ultima online was way ahead of it's time.

but it should also be noted that their contributions don't necessarily have to be fully realized yet. i would argue a lot of aspects in Giants are still not fully realized -- RTS/FPS still aren't very popular even though games like natural selection and savage have tried. most games today still pit very similar sides against eachother, where Giants instead had 3 very different entities balanced for battle. but i think if Giants was remade and reintroduced today, it could really shine. Giants recieved some critical appeal when it arrived, but it was overshadowed by more conventional games in terms of sales. and today, you'd be lucky to get a response like "oh, that's the game with the topless blue girl right?"

i personally am not as interested in games that were too ambitious on a technical level because you could also look at that as bad design.

 

[SapientWolf]

Sacrifice


Shiny Entertainment, a lost gem..

You read my mind. It is everything the MTG game should have been, and Rakion looks like it took some inspiration from the game.

Also:

The complex controls and lackluster graphics may have detracted from some of its mass appeal but it was one of the first to have completely destructible cities.

 

[Rezbit]

Second Life...it's so far ahead of its time it looks like ass and runs even worse.

 

[syllogism]

I guess I could nominate any number of MUDs since they play exactly like MMORPGs, but the first ones came out in late 70s. I'm not sure if I can agree with Ultima Online, it's not even the first graphical game of its kind.

 

[Manp]

I believe my suggestion, Sacrifice, fits the bill.
It's a first person strategy (RTS) game, failing miserably because of the (awesome but) weird artstyle and incredibly steep system requirements. These kind of games are only now starting to show up in successful ways (World in Conflict).

i never passed the second level in that game -_-

 

[neoxavean]

 

[Jasup]

Well... Galaxy Game or Computer Space would win (and Spacewar would win them hundred times over) if we're to go that far.

I'm going to state once more that Looking Glass Studios were ahead of their times so much it's ridiculous. Also seen in this thread, Frontier, was ahead of its time - so many good memories: like getting my hands on Imperial Courier for the first time... good times.

 

[Creamium]

Technically speaking, Perfect Dark. Just had so many options that I still haven't seen paralleled in any game yet. Sadly, the 64 hardware couldn't run 4 player + 8 bots ;(

This may be the perfect example. Perfect Dark was an incredibly ambitious game. It had tons of modes, lots of cool weapons and the multiplayer was so extensive, with an amazing amount of modes, replay value, etc. You could even play mp with one player, activate bots and go for the challenges in each map. And even that was still fun and served as good training for real MP battles. Framerate suffered so much from it. Seriously, that's one game that should've come out one generation later. Perfect scenario: GC launchgame. Perfect Dark literally was released 2 years early.

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

Daikatana.

Spoiler

time travel is becoming more frequent in upcoming games...

I'll just go for Gaints and Messiah.


And Goldeneye for licenced games (as it does not follow the exact same plot as the movie, something which reappeared with King Kong)

 

[dfyb]

I don't know, it played a lot like the Battlezone remake which was released over 2 years earlier

i think two similar games can both be ahead of their time -- sure, battlezone came before Sacrifice, but it's not like Sacrifice was not still ahead of it's time.

Redline is another vehicle-based multiplayer FPS that can be considered before it's time.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

Perfect Dark - ahead of it's time

I've thought the exact same thing for a very long time. The game, in a technical sense and as far as console shooters are concerned, was just too much for the N64 to handle and ahead of its time.

I seriously believe that Perfect Dark as a GC launch game would have, at the very least, made the fight for 2nd place between the GC and Xbox much more interesting.

Halo did come at the right time as far as the evolution of console FPSs go.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

I'd like to add Project Firestart on the C64 by EA. It was a survival horror/adventure game in a sci-fi setting.

Ahead of its time.

 

[NeXuSDK]

Sacrifice

An awesome experience utilizing a custom build engine that ran circles around anything else out there.

Shiny Entertainment, a lost gem..

Damn you, I was gonna say that!

An absolutely beautiful, addictive and innovative game...

 

[dollartaco]

Trespasser. A pretty obvious pick if you've ever played it. Too graphically demanding, had an awesome physics system, you could use the character's arm/hand, and so on. Buggy as hell and slow on most PCs of the era.

And the other is Ultima Online. Still unmatched.

 

[Helznicht]

If you have played, this can not be denied.

 

[Jiguryo]

It's so avant-garde it should've been originally launched for Wii. K7's control scheme and the Wii Remote match perfectly.

 

[NotWii]

Trespasser. A pretty obvious pick if you've ever played it. Too graphically demanding, had an awesome physics system, you could use the character's arm/hand, and so on. Buggy as hell and slow on most PCs of the era.

A broken physics system

Trespasser inspired Gabe Newell to put in crazy physics in HL2.

 

[syllogism]

If you have played, this can not be denied.

The Saturn version? It was released two years after the original PC game, did they even add anything?

 

[beelzebozo]

I, Robot here was about 13 years ahead of its time

this one is so cool, shard. what a bizarre meta gameplay mechanic.

 

[Angelcurio]

- Shadow of the Colossus.
- Metal Gear Solid 2.
- Zone of the Enders 2
- Final Fantasy VI

 

[beelzebozo]

killer7 is the most recent example that makes sense. it's pretty evident that quite a few reviewers just didn't "get it."

 

[djtiesto]

 

[Dr Zhivago]

IS it just me or do people not understand the concept of a game coming before it's time?

Yep, people are just posting innovative games, which isn't the same thing at all. Shame really, could have been an interesting thread but instead we just get the usual suspects.

 

[derder]

Off topic, but does anyone else get an erection from looking at this breathtaking art?

If they could make a FF game with ingame graphics with this detail and art direction...

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Ultima 7
Doom
Dragons Lair

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Breakdown, I think. I think it's still waiting for its time.

And in a lot of ways, Shenmue as well, though Shenmue was conceptually too far ahead of its time as well. I think Shenmue would be a much better game if it were created today.

Poor old Samba De Amigo came a bit early for the US music game popularity burst, which is too bad because I think people would have really liked it.

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

I think some people don't understand the meaning of this thread. RE4 and Shadow of the Colossus were not ahead of their time - they were released at the perfect time.

Games like Omikron or Stunt Island were ahead of their time.

i think two similar games can both be ahead of their time -- sure, battlezone came before Sacrifice, but it's not like Sacrifice was not still ahead of it's time.

Redline is another vehicle-based multiplayer FPS that can be considered before it's time.

This was an awesome game, and very difficult to find. Pretty advanced during its release, but it didn't have much of an audience

 

[quetz67]

what happened to the sequel?

 

[quetz67]

<3

 

[Solo]

Still have never played anything that even comes close to the depth of this game. The greatest game ever made in my eyes.

 

[Illuminati]

I think Operation Flashpoint is a prime example of a game way before its time and in some aspects I don't think many games have still caught up with it yet. The fact that every mission would load up an entire island, where you literally could go anywhere you wanted and complete the mission an infinite amount of ways. It still is the most realistic simulation that I have played with a kick-ass amount of weapons and vehicles. Coupled with that the complete modibility and sandbox environment of the game is still something other games have not done yet. It still has one of the greatest mission editors and due to the community it extended the game immensely.

 

[quetz67]

Originally Posted by dollartaco:
Trespasser. A pretty obvious pick if you've ever played it. Too graphically demanding, had an awesome physics system, you could use the character's arm/hand, and so on. Buggy as hell and slow on most PCs of the era.

A broken physics system

Lets just say it had a physics system.

With enough time it allowed you to build a catapult and drop a freight container on one side making some small item on the other side fly skyhigh...which was actually the most fun the game offered besides seeing the bone system of some raptors getting messed up badly.

 

[ninjaurbano]

Military Madness

Came out in 1989 - not the first turn-based strategy game with that style (Famicom Wars was the first ) - but Military Madness was a really high-standard benchmark. It inspired a lot of other games, but few surpassed it (IMO, only Advance Wars - but it came out more than 10 years later).

I basically consider it a perfect game. I played for the first time this year - and everything about it is perfect: graphics, sound, gameplay etc. 50 years from now someone can pick it up and have great fun playing this game.

 

[elostyle]

Shadowrun SNES came to mind.

 

[border]

I dunno how you can say that Shenmue was before its time. Games of its type never came into vogue, and its influence was highly limited. If released today, it would still bomb and still get a pretty mixed critical reaction.

 

[thefro]

Midi Maze (87)/Faceball 2000 (91), the first massively multiplayer FPSes
(Faceball supported up to 16 players on the Gameboy!).

 

[bigswords]

Where is the Ultima 6 & 7 love, you have total freedom , each npcs that have their own needs and wants , basically a superior version of Oblivion's AI system and seriously there's no other game at that time that lets you bake bread!

And Wing Commander you gotta give that game some credit.

 

[Jiggy]

EVO: The Search for Eden. About as complicated as one can get for character/creature creation when working with the limitations of 2D sprites.

 

[InsertCredit]

Still have never played anything that even comes close to the depth of this game. The greatest game ever made in my eyes.

Sorry, but wtf has Deus Ex to do with this thread?
It was an awesome game for it's time and holds up very well even today. It received critical acclaim and very respectable sales figures.


Why result so many interesting threads to little showoffs of one's favorites..

 

[alistairw]

There are some very stupid answers in this thread. It's very clear who doesn't read other posts at all. I mean, Final Fantasy VI? Uh...no.

Someone is probably going to disagree with this, but stick with me: I think Amped 3 is ahead of its time. Not in terms of gameplay, but in terms of presentation and narrative structure.

For anyone that has actually played it, it's a pretty stunning piece of work in regards to what it does with its cutscenes and that way it mashes up different styles of visuals: action figures, collage, sock puppets, 8-bit-esque graphics, and an absolutely beautiful comic book at the end.

It think if it had been released for 360 six months ago, rather than at launch, there would have been a lot more people talking about it. As it is, I think its lack of success might have just shut the door on anything like that happening again for a long time, which is a real pity.