A Life in Video Games

Video games have been a part of my life since I can remember. There has always been a video game, whether it be a challenging or easy one, a fun or boring one, or a multiplayer or single-player one. I aim to delve deeper into my relationship with them in these paragraphs and potentially introduce you to new games to enjoy on your own.

I want to concentrate on the video games that have had an impact on my life, even if it means leaving out some amazing games. We didn't have internet at home until I was 10 years old, which I consider to be a turning point in my relationship with video games - offline versus online.

Windows 95

I recall as a child watching my uncles play "Pitfall" on their Windows 95. It was a fantastic game with an Indiana Jones-style platform where you battled against various animals and villains. The music and sounds were superb, immersing you in the jungle, waterfalls, and deserts. It was my first "travel" experience without leaving home.

Pitfall

Windows 98

One day my father took me to the hairdresser and he also bought us our first two PC games. My brothers and I were clear on our choice: some wanted to buy "StarCraft" and others "Midtown Madness." These were GREAT GAMES and we invested a good part of our free time in both. "StarCraft" taught me to choose between multiple options to defeat enemies (AI or my brothers) and "Midtown Madness" taught me to explore giant virtual worlds, even to follow traffic laws when I got bored of running or escaping the police. Since then, we've always had strategy titles like "Heroes of Might and Magic III," "Age of Empires II," or "Empire Earth," and open-world racing titles like "Grand Theft Auto" and "Need for Speed" games (I don't want to dwell on each one of them, but if anyone wants to chat, I'm happy to do so!).

Starcraft

Midtown Madness

N64

Consoles also played a key role in my relationship with video games. My cousins' Nintendo 64 was the first to enable our split-screen sessions. With "Duke Nukem" as my first shooter and "Super Smash Bros." as my first fighting game, we had countless hours of entertainment. The highlight of the weekends was visiting my cousins to play these amazing titles. My friend's Gameboy Advance allowed me to experience being a Pokémon trainer for the first time, always using Charmander/Charmeleon/Charizard as my sole companion to victory in all battles (I wasn't one of those who diversified). Playing "Mario Party 7," "Mario Kart," "Super Smash Bros. Melee," "Zelda Windwaker," and "Need for Speed Most Wanted" on the Gamecube with family provided me with many hours of entertainment.

Dukenukem

Super Smash Bros.

Windows XP

My first online experience was with the game Tibia. As soon as we learned that the internet was coming to our house, my brothers and I got excited. We had previously only been able to play the game "illegally" on the computers at school. Tibia is the best game I've ever played, an MMORPG where you can play as one of four different vocations: Knight, Paladin (archer), Mage, or Druid. The goal is to level up, explore the world, do quests, and fight other players in a great PvP system. I've invested almost 20 years in the game, including the original servers and mods, and also some money (it has a freemium subscription model with certain areas requiring payment). The world is vast with no level limit and new content added by Cipsoft every month. It's also challenging, requiring knowledge of how to defeat each monster with the right weapons and spells. Dying in the game results in a loss of 10% of your total experience and items, including your backpack and sometimes equipment unless you buy protection items. Avoiding death at critical moments is like defeating tough monsters. I still follow the game's forums and play from time to time.

One of the best Tibia spin-offs is Pokexgames. It has the same 2.5D graphics using sprites, but the mechanics differ in that you play as a Pokemon trainer, and there is a level cap. Unlike Tibia, you don't have the freedom to kill other players, but the PvP system is unique and entertaining. You can challenge other trainers in free matches or participate in tournaments that award unique prizes and prestige as the champion of your server and the entire game. They even hold inter-server tournaments.

Another game I enjoyed is Mu Online by Webzen. It has less freedom compared to Tibia or Pokexgames as the world is smaller and access to areas is restricted based on level. The difference in player power is more noticeable, with a high level player easily defeating a group of low levels, unlike Tibia. The graphics were impressive when the game was first released (still unchanged today) and the items, with their upgrade system, were visually stunning but also risky as upgrades had the potential to destroy them.

Tibia

Pokexgames

Mu Online

Xbox 360

Amid my online gaming experience, I was lucky to have an Xbox 360 as a gift with a car my mother purchased. "Halo 3" had one of the best stories I ever experienced, and it was also one of the first times I could share the campaign with my brothers on the same screen. The PvP system in giant arenas, with access to various flying and ground vehicles, provided us with hours of play instead of fighting each other. "Two Worlds II," one of my first open-world RPG games, allowed me to choose a profession (e.g. mage, archer, knight) as I gained experience and spent my skill points. The ability to merge items to create better ones made it incredibly dynamic and enjoyable.

Halo 3

Two Worlds II

PS3

The first time I traveled to the USA, I bought a PlayStation 3 and spent hours playing "God of War 3". Greek mythology has always fascinated me and in this masterpiece, one takes on the role of a character even more powerful than the gods. Killing hordes of monsters was thrilling, especially in legendary mode where each attack would result in instant death. The PlayStation 3 also opened up the world of "Grand Theft Auto V" and "Red Dead Redemption". Both games offered complete freedom in an open world and allowed me to live unique experiences like riding a horse while shooting a rifle or attempting to land a civilian plane in a military base while being fired upon by tanks.

God of War 3

Grand Theft Auto V

Red Dead Redemption

Windows Vista

Going back to online games, it's time to talk about one of my loves: "World of Warcraft". I started playing in the third expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, which dealt with one of my favorite themes: the undead. The world was huge and fantastic. From the eyes of the Horde (yes, I always hated the Alliance), I had fun leveling up characters like warlocks, warriors, mages, priests, and druids, using different races like Tauren, Orcs, Trolls, Blood Elves, and Undead, to defeat great villains like the Lich King. To this day, I still play each new expansion as they are released, experiencing the magic of each new world in this amazing universe.

World of Warcraft

PS4

After college, while preparing for my thesis defense, I bought a PlayStation 4. I was drawn to the game "Shadows of Mordor", inspired by one of my favorite fantasy universes, "Lord of the Rings". However, the best offline game I played on PS4 was "The Witcher 3." It was a rich learning experience, as I had to make strategic decisions on how to defeat monsters using a variety of skills like blocking, rolling, magic, or swords, rather than just spamming a single button. The breathtaking views and the ability to spot distant monsters from miles away added to the excitement of the game.

Shadows of Mordor

The Witcher 3

The endless story

Currently, I regularly play different games (the last one was the remastered Darksouls) and every once in a while, I have revisit old games that have marked my life. Now I'm learning to develop games so I can bring new gaming experiences to everyone, please keep reading if you want to know more about this.

Darksouls