Your biggest wow game/moment this gen

[el_supraman]

Was just having a think and realised I haven't really had a game that made me go WOW like this gen. The last games that made me stunned would have to be back in the n64 and psx era.

When I was young I told my parents I wouldn't want a n64 until I saw mario64 in action. Even my parents were like wow see you should have waited and got a n64 instead ande said you have to have this and bought it anyway.

Even more impressive was offer ocarina of time. First time I saw hyrule field and the amount of places I would eventually explore as well as the day turning to night I felt immersed like never before in the game.

I also felt the same watching my brother play final fantasy 7 and 8. Even though I wasn't a fan of turn based combat I would just sit and watch and be amazed in the epic size and quality of the game and the environments.

So I have got to thinking has this happened to me this gen? I mean first time I put gears of war on my new LCD tv I thought man this game looks amazing, and day one when the wii came out and i swung my wiimote to play tennis I was very impressed, but it wasn't the same.

The most impressed I have been would probably been an explosion in a set piece of gameplay or a game that told a great story or felt like a movie like bioshock or mass effect.

Am I the only one who feels this way or is it just cause everything is magical when you are younger and now we have too much life experience to be wowed or too caught up in a game. Whats your best wow moment of this gen or any other for that matter?
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[THEMAN]

cat and mouse. uncharted 2.

train. uncharted 2.

helicopter fight. uncharted 2

nepal. uncharted 2.
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[el_supraman]

I am yet to play uncharted 2 but have heard great things specially from my brother and the fact it won multiple game of the year awards. i still don't see how a sequel of a game that was also available on the same system can wow you that much more. Was it that much better than uncharted 1?
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[InvivnI]

Cutting a tree down by shooting it in the Crysis demo so I could see the enemy behind it.

Too bad that I play it now and the mechanics all feel a little dated, even though it's still a graphical powerhouse. I suppose it has been 3 years since it came out.

Also the first time I played Colin McRae DIRT. The NEON engine was the first truly 'next-gen' (so glad that term's started to fall out of use, but it's appropriate here) racing game engine. The damage modelling was just mind-boggling.

The first time I climbed a tower in Assassin's Creed and synchronised. It was a truly astonishing thought that I could probably traverse basically everything the sweeping camera revealed. The effect was eventually dulled after doing it 50,000 times more, and in AC2 it's positively pedestrian. But the first time still sticks in my memory.
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[THEMAN]

[Phreakuency]

Launch day 360 with Oblivion was wow, wow, wow!

I had just got a HD CRT too and as soon as I got out of the dungeon into the lush open world I was like WOW!!
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[InvivnI]

[Tsargrad]

First time I walked out of Vault 101 and saw the landscape. This was actually on a video trailer and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to buy the game.

Also Heavy Rain, finger removal. Using the controller how you did in that game doing that - bloody awesome!!! You could feel it, as you did it.
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[LeonJ]

Gears 1, the opening of chapter 3 rain level. Just could not believe how good that looked at the time. I ran around in circles in amazment.
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[PixieGirl]

The ending of Half Life 2 Episode 2... I never thought a game could make me cry.
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[Jim Dash]

I remember getting my 360 and Perfect Dark Zero. It kept freezing on me, and the visuals/gameplay weren't mind blowing.

Oblivion would have to be my first wow moment, like Phreakuency above. Just a brilliant game. From there it was onto Gears of War.

Now yes, the graphics were, and still are brilliant. But it was the community/social aspect that blew me away. It was my first realy XBL experience, and it turned into a minor addiction for a good 6 months.

Metal Gear 4 was pretty epic too. Snake's fancy new suit, and the graphics. Of course you have a the far fetched story, but thats something that I'm going to have to revisit to really appreciate.

The scope of Mass Effect 1 and 2, Bioshock, and Fallout definately deserve a mention from me too.

[UWSguy]

I thought of a few... then realized they were all from last gen.
That first time in Doom 3 when you realized the computer screen you were reading was actually in the game world blew my mind.

But yeah... this gen...
Graphically things don't do anything for me unless you can interact with them so not much.

Bayonetta wowed me though, seeing some of the bigger foes and being able to fight them felt like what I expected from 'Next Gen' back when it started.

Valkyria Chronicles also wowed me. Sega actually almost invented a new type of game really. A realtime SRPG that works.

[grim-one]

Other than the ones mentioned so far (Uncharted 2, Fallout 3, etc) I'm gonna go with seeing an Ultra Combo Finish in Street Fighter IV for the first time. It's not graphically amazing, but the 3D panning and dazzling background were definitely... wow =)

[dloiscute]

Biggest wow moment ever-





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☑Tekken

[XtremeXfactor]

The slow motion shooting sequence with the pistol in COD 4: MW. It's not "grand scale" style, but i thought it was an awesome in game moment.

[Tooki]

I remember going nuts when I walked out of the sewer in Oblivion. Wow that looked good!

Also Assassin's Creed as well. Looking over the cities from the top of towers was just insane. You couldn't appreciate the true beauty of the game till you did it.

Also, Hill 400 in COD2. Just the fact that once you finish the level, you realise you traversed the massive slope you see at the start.
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Year Of The Husky 2010

[He need to cut the ego.]

Nuclear bomb being set off in Modern Warfare.
Snake walking/crawling through the Microwave chamber thingy in MGS4
Walking around Venice / The Carnivale scene in Assassin's Creed II.
The Citadel attack in Mass Effect.

And more I'll think of later.

[Fetidchimp]

my biggest wow moment was managing to not die on demons souls.
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kill, kill, kill.....the white man. Kill the white man, kill

[grim-one]

[metalgear_yoshi]

The first one was Oblivion, the graphics were gorgeous and I had never played in a game that felt so open and alive. Sure it doesn't hold up so much now after so many games with great graphical detail and strong NPC characters(Mass Effect, Dragons Age) but at the time I felt more immersed than I had ever felt, I played the game for hours at a time making my own fun and just enjoying the world. I've spent 300+ hours in the world and I don't think I've ever been more obsessed with a game.

I was completely blown away by Valkyria Chronicles, the art style was absolutely beautiful and the story was heart warming with tonnes of charm but the thing that left the biggest impression was the gameplay, as was stated before, it felt like a new genre. Obviously it's really just a new take on an old gameplay style but the changes make the game so refreshing and unique.

Mario Galaxy was a different kind of "wow", for me it was like playing the video game version of the Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's"David", it was perfection.

There are more but my memories bad and I've spent enough time gushing so I'll leave it at those 3 games, one for each system
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[Fraggo_W.A.]

Firstly im all for retro gaming, I love the idea of picking up a game and playing it straight away wihtout dealing with hour introductions and so on... But this gen is providing beautiful games.

I think the first WOW moment for me on this generation of gaming was when I bought my first 60gb PS3 about 4 weeks after launch and about 2 weeks earlier I got my fist Sony Bravia 32" LCD TV. I was amazed by the LCD's picture quality as it was and then when I connected the PS3 and played my first game which was Motorstorm, the picture and graphics were amazing. I never play racing games but Motorstorm was in the bundle (including Resistance: Fall of Man). It was a WOW moment for me with the scenary and the way the course was effected and so on. The I put in Resistance and was amazed by the gameplay and graphics and sheer amount of what was going on in the background.

I know they are not the BEST games around but it was very cool to experience my first taste of next gen gaming.

Uncharted 1 and 2... you cant go past them for having amazing graphics, gameplay and storylines. I felt I was just playing an actor in a movie. That kind of immersion i havent experience in any older gen games.
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[bobboblaw]

The Darkness - Chapter 1, St Mary's Orphanage. Those that have played it know what I'm referring to. It's the events leading up to it ("it feels like someone just walked over my grave") that really make it a powerful moment. I remember my first time playing through that section, even though I knew there was nothing I could do, I was still wiggling the analogue sticks like crazy, I wanted to save her. "That... that was the first time I died". The torture scene was pretty crazy too, I was getting very uncomfortable... Overall though, the story is what makes this a favourite of mine, it really is amazing and well told (though recently Cryostasis has knocked it off its perch, best story in any damn medium. You could analyze its themes and symbology for years).

Metro 2033 - I could easily pick any number of moments, but the most intense would be staring down the Librarians at the Library. They are these massive mutated Gorilla type monsters (possibly human) that guard the Library. If you want to go in guns blazing, good luck. They take a huge amount of ammo to take down, but you have the option of going through peacefully by letting them walk right up to your face, sniff you out, and if you don't make a move, they'll walk off. Very intense. Also, the ending was great, one of the few where I've been left thinking about it long after the credits have rolled.

Mirror's Edge - I adore this game, having played the story about 10 times now, and countless hours completing the time trials and speed runs. I remember just being blown away when first downloading the demo, it really was something special, with something fresh and exciting. Haven't had that kind of pure joy since I picked up a mega drive controller when I was 5.

Call of Duty series - I could easily pick any mission from any of the games (except 3 ) and I'd be happy using it as an example. Sure, the games are linear and heavily scripted, but that's exactly what I want when I play a CoD game. I love being in the middle of an epic blockbuster while some amazing setpieces play out in front of you. My favourite moment though is a non-interactive mission. I was blown away when Al-Fulani was executed, and you witness it from his viewpoint. It was just the beginning of an epic campaign.

Heavenly Sword - While the scale of the game was incredible (1000's of enemies, huge draw distances), it's the level of emotion and dramatic acting that amazed me most. I don't think any game has yet to beat HS in terms of facial expressions (HL2EP2 comes close).

Condemned 1 & 2 - This is my favourite horror series. Prior to playing Condemned, I'd rarely played any scary game (apart from maybe Res Evil 4, but that's more action anyway, well, apart from the regenerators which used to scare the crap out of me). Anyway, when C1 was first released, I tried playing it and persevered through the first level and half-way through the second. My nerves just couldn't cope anymore when I realised that the bums could surprise you from behind. It was bad enough worrying about what might be waiting in front of me. So, a year later I thought I'd give it another shot, and made it through one of the most compelling and atmospheric games in just 2 days. Mr Tibbits is the stand out moment from the first game. For those of you that haven't played it (spoilers), you're at a school searching for The Torturer, a serial killer that tortures his victims almost to the point of death, and then lets them go where the victim will then commit suicide. So, while you're searching the school, you find 'bits and pieces' of Mr Tibbits around the place, such as his lips on a blackboard. Later on, you end up finding Mr Tibbits dead in a locker, and you then take a photo. While you're focusing the camera, Mr Tibbits all of a sudden lunges at you, begging for help. Scariest moment ever in my opinion. Since finishing it, no game has really scared me at all, though the sequel did come close with some tricks. The bear chase is my favourite part from the sequel.

Those are a few that stick out at the moment, I'll add some more later.
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Steam: bobboblaw

[Jarrod]

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories - The ending. Beats the living shit out of everything else this gen, story wise.

Portal - The final confrontation with GlaDOS.

Episode 2 - Pretty much THE WHOLE GODDAMN THING, but the first Hunter battle was really amazing.

No More Heroes - The 'real' ending, including post-credits video, and how utterly ridiculous and over the top it was.

Mass Effect - Landing on Ilos, and the whole climatic battle at the Citadel. So amazing.

Super Mario Galaxy - I think it was the worm + apples level that really hit me. The game is beautiful by default, but that level looked amazing. Gorgeous reds and greens on a bright blue backdrop. Crazy detail.

Crysis - First time you play it maxed out. Seeing everything rendered in real time, with the ability to interact, is jaw dropping. It doesnt have the same impact on me anymore because I dont really like the art, but that initial impact and the engine's power really hits hard.
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[x7h3CUREx]

Uncharted 2 - the first section and several others throughout the game.

God of War 3 - opening sequence / boss fight.

[Frozencry]

Crysis - I spent 2k at the time building up a computer for it, and was just able to play it on high at 1680x1050. The detail in the faces at the first cutscene of the game literally made me nearly spit my coffee onto the screen in bewilderment. Every technical detail was utterly astonishing, and I could not get over the procedural destruction mixed with nanosuit powers. Not as mind blowing today, but still the most technically powerful.

Demon's Souls - Pretty much all the bosses, especially Flame Lurker. No game this gen has made me sweat as hard.

Uncharted 2 - The Collapsing Building. There was a LOT of holy wow moments in this, but this one actually had me laughing by the end in that weird "I'm laughing but I can't really breathe and holy crap what just happened" kind of way. The flow was absolutely amazing.

World of WarCraft: Wrath of the Lich King - Northrend. I'm a big, big lore nut for WarCraft, and entering Northrend for the first time was an amazing feeling. I've rarely been so immersed by a game. Sholazar Basin, Icecrown, Dragonblight and Crystalsong Forest were huge highlights for me, and the music was breathtaking. Seriously unforgettable moments, it really did feel like I went off into another world entirely.

StarCraft II Beta - Launching it for the first time and playing it. It was a weird kind of wow, where it was like being reunited with an old childhood friend after many years.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Act IV with Raiden and Naomi. Man...tear jerker and a half, amazingly well choreographed. Then Act V as well, microwave scene and the entire ending. Incredible finish to a big series.

With all that though, none of them have compared to the effect and wow factor that Shadow of the Colossus has given me. That game is still well on top of the list of greatest games for me.
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