LAN Games
I’ve always found it interesting how different groups play different games at LAN parties. A group will often play the same games at party after party, but if you go to a different group, they will often be playing a completely different set of games. The choice of games depends on a number of different factors, not all of which are directly related to the quality of the game. As far as I can tell, some of the factors include which games the people in the group own, which games they’ve played and are good at, and which games will run on everyone’s computers.
I’ve gone to LAN parties with a variety of different groups, but there is one main group I consider myself a part of. This group has a very specific set of games that we play. Not everyone in the group has an amazing computer, so the games we play aren’t always the newest, most demanding games on the market. We have a wide range of interests, so the games we play come from a variety of different genres. Many wouldn’t consider them the best games in their genres, but they are all solid titles that are fun to play and hold up to the test of time. Here are the games we play the most often:
Warcraft III: Warcraft III is a very solid real-time strategy game, but that’s only part of its appeal. One of the main reasons we play this game is because of the huge range of custom maps available. From tower defense maps to games where you only control single hero, there are dozens of high-quality custom maps readily available for Warcraft III that completely change the way the game is played. Add in the games fairly low system requirements, and this is a solid game for our group.
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy: Jedi Academy is a very solid Star Wars title. It has its fair share of issue, but it provides solid game play, decent graphics, and low system requirements. Plus, it’s always fun to run around wielding a lightsaber against your friends. Siege maps are also fun, but there are only three that come with the game, and they don’t support bots. That’s a place where improvement would have been nice.
Alien vs. Predator 2: Alien vs. Predator 2 is a really great game with a surprising amount of depth. The game offers three completely different teams, each with their own very different play style. Even within the alien team there are several choices that change the way you play the game. Aliens can be fast, agile, and completely unseen, or they can be juggernauts of force, smashing through anyone in their path. The wide variety of choices make Alien vs. Predator 2 a game worth playing with friends. One of my friends plays a runner alien incredibly well, constantly attacking from behind and leaping off of the ceilings. All of us have been very surprised to find we had just been killed by someone we hadn’t even seen. I, however, will never forget the time when, playing as a predator, i turned just in time and impaled him with a claw in midleap.
Diablo II: Diablo II is the classic point-and-click RPG. It really isn’t a vey complicated game, but it does offer a decent selection of choices, and will run on almost any computer. It’s a game where it’s easy to spend six or seven hours playing before you even realize what’s happened. Playing with friends really brings this game to a new level. The different classes complement each other exceptionally well: a barbarian with a sorceress backing him up is far more effective than a barbarian and a sorceress fighting seperately.
Serious Sam 1&2: The Serious Sam games are good games on a variety of different levels. They offer decent graphics without putting too much of a strain on computers. They have interesting weapons and exceptional game play. The real reason for their excellence, however, is the number of moments where you think, “Oh, crap!” as dozens of strange creatures assault you. You empty weapon after weapon on them, but they just keep coming. There’s nothing better than trying to take out a horde of oncoming enemies with nothing but your two pistols.
These games aren’t necessarily my favorite games of all time, but I enjoy each and every one of them. They are all great games that are even better when you play them with friends. That’s what a LAN party is all about, and the games that get played are far less important than the people you are playing them with.
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