Final Fantasy 6 - April 2026
Release Date: April 2, 1994
Platforms: Originally SNES but is now most stores
Developer: Square
Publisher: Square
Genre: JRPG
Prep: FF6 originally released on the Super Nintendo, it has since been re-released PS1, mobile, PC, Switch, PSN, etc. There are a few different versions that are primary the same. IMO the most definitive and easiest way to play it in modern times is the Pixel Remastered Version.
Pre-Game: by Pixel Phoenix
Final Fantasy VI poses the ever present question, who am I when all I have relied on is lost?
The player is challenged with this concept in a variety of ways. Terra's lost memories, Celes' survivor's guilt, Locke's grief, Cyan's disillusionment, Shadow's abandonment, and Edgar's, Saban's, and Setzer's self-worth. It's a game that delves into understanding of the self, and shows us that it is possible to rebuild in the face of uncertainty.
The game's main villain, Kefka, approaches the world in a nihilistic mindset, that nothing matters. Through self discovery and personal growth, our protagonists are poised to counter this with a humanitarian outlook. We create our own meaning. But how do we define that meaning?
Final Fantasy VI answers this beautifully. It teaches us that family can be chosen. The connections we form in life through the bonds of friendship can be their own form of meaning. This is reinforced through the game's ending. The survival of our protagonists is a result of that bond. The game tackles the concept of identity through its extensive usage of leitmotifs utilized in its compositional score, each one reinforcing A character's emotional arc. Its music also serves as a form of memory, helping us to remember who we are through feeling.
The game seeks to remind us that the planet does not exist to be used. Doing so can lead to its collapse. It contends with the idea that progress justifies cruelty. It's a game that treats hope not as a feeling, but as an act of defiance. That hope is a choice, not a guarantee. Some might say that Final Fantasy VI is a story about saving the world. I would claim that it's about living in a broken world. I am excited to jump into this game again for what is probably my 40th time
Links and Tools
Metal Gear Solid - March 2026
Release Date: Sept 3, 1998
Platforms: Playstation Originally but is now on Windows, Switch, Xbox and PSN
Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
Publisher: Konami
Genre: Stealth Action
Prep: Originally released on Playstation 1 the game has since been released and remastered on most stores. The definitive way to play it is on one of the HD Remaster collections. The game also had a remake on Nintendo Gamecube called Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes. Which is the game made in the Metal Gear Solid 2 engine.
EXPM March 2026
Pre-Game: by Filbert and MsMoon (Audio in the video)
When a video game director wants to become a movie director the product is Metal Gear Solid. The series creator Hideo Kojima had an early desire to create films. He has always had a passion for film and Metal Gear Solid was him who brought his love of movies to games. The average play through of Metal Gear Solid is around 11-12 hours. Of which about 2 in a half are cutscenes and another 2 hours are codex calls. You might average 40% of your play time by watching the game giving no input. There is the presentation of the game in which every time a new character is introduced not only is the character's name on screen but the credit to their voice actor. You can also see a more typical 3 act structure as you normally see in a movie.
Other games in this era and before, typical JRPGs, were known for their narrative story telling. Still in 1998 Metal Gear Solid had the ambition of doing all of these with voice acting and a major reliance on cutscenes and video. In the mid and late 90s if a game pushed a deeper narrative it was typically an RPG or JRPG. Often using lore constructed in the game, told through a handful of cutscenes and text that often wasn’t voice acted. Even when this was done well it rarely was a consensus experience. You were along for a longer journey with multiple arcs.
The other way many narratives were told were more simple straight forward narratives that were told between missions. You had clear game play segments which were separated with bits of story. You typically play a level, then watch a cutscene or read next, then press start to continue to the next level. Kojima and Konami were some of the first to attempt a cinematic experience in a video game. A game that though was 3-4 times the length of a movie it felt as if it had the same pace as one. One that invested a lot of resources in appearance and delivery. A game which took many real world aspects into account to tell its story.
Metal Gear Solid captures one of my favorite aspects of a narrative. Whether a video game, book, or movie. It’s always been challenging for me to describe but I have a fondness for a story that as the protagonist I feel the foundation for the start of an adventure. The stakes are set up and I have the journey laid out in front of me. Through the experience there is both discovery and power gained. Then, as the third act you not only can tell but can feel everything is leading up to a finale. At this point in the story a point of no return has been crossed.
It’s not just the typical 3 act structure I am describing. That might be the scaffolding of it. What I am describing is something only great stories provide. It requires pacing, setup, pay off, and most importantly development all to work in tandem. It’s hard for me to explain the feeling but it is one that only a few stories ever give me. The ones that does feel epic.
Metal Gear Solid was the first game to present this aspect of story telling me that I didn’t gain from a movie. Before Metal Gear Solid I had played or watched other games with deep or interesting stories. Often though those were long JRPG experiences. More akin to a TV Season rather than a movie. The magic of how much of this is done is how Metal Gear Solid blends all the cutscenes and codex calls throughout the game. These narrative breaks could easily feel as interruptions but instead bind with the gameplay and the story in a satisfying way. Often in this era reaching a cutscene was a reward for gameplay, and if you become invested into the story of Metal Gear Solid it is not only a special experience but a unique one in many ways.
There are certain games which for many of us we played or were exposed to and they left a major impact in one way or another. Before I share my thoughts I want to introduce one of EXPM members MsMoon. Who is going to share her thoughts on MGS.
Please watch the video for MsMoons contribution and thoughts on MGS
For me personally MGS takes me back to the late nines as a kid. I’ve mentioned it many times before but I am the youngest of 5 and I have so many memories of SNES and PS1 games. I would watch my brothers play RPGs or more complex games. And be invested in these games as I hung out with them. It was not that different from binging a TV show. MGS will always take me back to watching my brothers take on Sniper Wolf or taking a giant walking robot head on. It would have been some of the first times I heard about concepts like nuclear war and military industrial complex. As an adult I became very invested in military history and geography. I truly think a lot of that influence came from MGS. I would have been 8 or 9 and wanted to learn where Alaska and Russia were. I remember asking the teachers in school about the USA and Russia since I was coming to understand about the cold war and what was then a new recent peace.
As MsMoon stated it brought into ideas of nature vs nurture. At that age I still wasn’t grasping those concepts but I recall wanting characters to change or fight back against urges. As I reflect on those thoughts as a kid I can recognize that though I wasn’t aware of it I was hoping characters would break the bounds of nature vs nurture.
As a game I just go back to my early statements. It was a game that felt like a journey. Whether I was watching or playing it often reflected in gameplay. Early on me and my brothers were much more likely to do silly things in the game or treat it more like a sandbox. As the game continued though I wanted to complete certain tasks to advance the mission. Then, as the game comes to a close you reach that point of no return. Snake and the characters in the game will never be the same. You must press on. The original mission feels like a dream now. There is a bitter sweetness to closing the final chapter on this experience.
If you haven’t I recommend you play Metal Gear Solid. If it has been a long time I recommend you pick it back up and give it a fresh playthrough. As always check out EXP Monthly. Join us to share your experiences and thoughts on the game. And be a part of an awesome community and podcast.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic - February 2026
Release Date: July 16, 2003
Platforms: Xbox then PC
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: LucasArts
Genre: RPG
Prep: Still available on most platforms in digitally. Can be played on Xbox consoles.
EXPM February 2026
Pre-Game: by Filbert
First encounter
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic otherwise known as Kotor has been one of those games on my back log for 2 decades now. I grew up playing many of BioWare games. From dabbling in the first Baldurs Gate games to Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Series, and Dragon Age Origins. Those later 3 being my favorites games of all time.
I always heard the praise of Kotor. One of my best friends always considers Kotor and Kotor 2 one of, if not, his favorite game(s). A common conversation I had in the late 2000s and early 2010s was “Oh your a fan of Neverwinter Nights/Dragon Age/Etc, then you have to try Kotor!”. I have luckily stayed spoiler free. I know it has some of the classic BioWare structure such as having a morality system.
I also am aware its mechanics are based upon Dungeons and Dragons. Converting and tweaking that system to fit in Star Wars. Something that used to be fairly popular during that golden age of CRPGs in the 90s.
That said, I did play quite a bit of Knight of the Old Republic Online. Though it has been a decade since I put a lot of time into that MMO and frankly when it comes to an MMO I generally don’t engage heavily into the story. Even if that was/is related closely to the Original Kotors I can’t recall many major story beats.
Conclusion
I can’t wait to jump into this game finally and see how it holds up. As of writing this Pre-Game I have played the first 1 hour so. It is interesting I see a lot of aspects that would be used in both Mass Effect and Dragon Age Origins already. I am really interested to see how this story develops. Often most of the praise I heard from this game was due to his characters and story.
-Filbert
Links and Tools
BioShock - January 2026
ReleaseDate: August 21, 2007
Platforms: PC, Xbox, and Playstation
Developer: 2K Boston
Publisher: 2K
Genre: First Person Shooter
Prep: Stil can be played easily there is also a remasted version released in 2016 available in most modern stores and consoles.
EXPM January 2026
Pre-Game: by Filbert
When I think about BioShock I think about the Xbox 360 and 7th generation of console generation. This was really the last major milestone in console jumps. The jump from 7th to 8th felt more like a hop and the jump from 8th to 9th was more like a step. I recall the release of the 360 thinking how great games looked at launch and larger they felt in scope.
Though I couldn’t help but think about launch titles from PS2, Gamecube, and Xbox games. Comparing a launch game to one released later in the console's life you saw vast improvements.Being a launch or early title wasn’t inherently a bad thing but as a kid I still remember when renting games. If I was comparing two or more I would often do a quick check of the copyright on the back of a box and if one was a launch year and the other wasn’t I generally went with the game released later in the consoles life.
Generally games released a year or more into the lifetime of the console simply meant the developers were better with the tools to create games on consoles. BioShock along with Elder Scrolls Oblivion were the first games to feel truly next gen. I still remember all the hype and talk about BioShock and how all future shooters would be compared to BioShock.
I remember being in a local game store talking to the owner about BioShock and how he said it was already his game of the year. He doubted anything would top it but one thing he said suck to me at that age. He mentioned it took him about 8 or 10 hours to beat and how he felt that was a perfect amount of time.
Now, at the time I didn’t have a 360 and wouldn't have a gaming computer capable of playing it for another year. Though BioShock constantly got praise I kept passing on picking it up. When I was a teen and into my college year still one of the primary things I looked in for a game was replay ability and game length. I wanted games I could easily sink 50 or 100 hours into.
The funny thing is in my older age. I often grumble and complain about narrative games being longer than 10-15 hours. A tight 8 hour shooter is a major selling point to me now.
I have never played BioShock, never watched anyone play it, and have never been spoiled on it. I know just the basics. There is some weird little girl and robot called Big Daddy? Heck I am not even sure if it is a single Big Daddy or if there are multiple. I know you’re in some underwater city that holds some guy in high regard. I also have heard it is a bit of a spiritual successor to the System Shock games but I am not sure how true that is. That’s all I really know though.
This has been a game on my backlog for basically 2 decades now. I am excited to play it and see what this game has to offer.
Links and Tools
Fable - December 2025
ReleaseDate: Sept 14, 2004
Platforms: PC and Xbox
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Action RPG
Prep: Can be played on Xbox systems using OG or on newer Xbox Consoles. For PC it is available on steam. Generally runs find on modern systems with out any needed fixes
EXPM December 2025
Pre-Game: by Filbert
I do want a halo? Or will I prefer to have a mustache I can twirl…
Fable is an early 2000s Action RPG. I still remember my first encounter with the game.
First encounter
I was a freshman and a few of us were over at my buddy Zach’s house. It was a night of playing a lot of Halo 2 and other competitive games. His basement was one of the main gaming hangouts.
This was 2004 but he had what must have been a 50 inch plasma TV. I remember it was the first tv I knew of which used this new plug called HDMI. The basement had a few couches and chairs, it had to be 1am and most of us were looking to nab which couch we were going to crash on before they were all taken, and you were stuck to the floor.
Then, one of my friends Billy picks up this game Fable. Ask how this game is? Mike and others said it is awesome. So Billy goes to play the game to them ironically telling him “No don’t play it!”.
They attempted to explain if he starts it he will not put it down and will be up all night. We all had to be out of the house fairly early. If Billy didn’t want to battle an intense lack of sleep he should just go to bed. Though he claimed he was just going to try it out and wouldn’t get hooked.
I wake up around 7am and Billy is still questing in Fable. The game was still new but Mike who had beaten it at this point let Billy borrow it to take it home because he was hooked.
Back to Pre-Game
There are some games that have that certain gameplay, story, and style. Mix in you playing them at the right time in life they can just pull you in. I think for people in my generation Fable nailed it. Simply everyone I knew at the time who played it was hooked.
Fable as a game didn’t necessarily do a lot of unique things. What it did while it differently did bring some of it’s own ideas to the action RPG genre. What Fable achieved was how it brought the package together and presented it. Specifically in 2004 we hadn’t seen many games like Fable.
Keep in mind this is still fairly new to fully voiced games by professionals. Four years prior most Action RPGs still have very rudimentary graphics or were CRPGs. A be draw of Fable was how immersive it was. The graphics, voice acting, world building, passage of time, and simply how the game reacted to you as a player.
Maybe the keystone of the immersion was how your actions and specifically the alignment in the game affected the world in the game. Fable wasn’t the first game with alignment allowing you to be good or evil nor was it the first to have your actions affect the game.
It was one of the first to do so within such a high standard of quality. That had all the support of quality voice acting, a style of humor and charm that left an impact. NPCs would react to you differently depending on your reputation. You would see your friends save and notice your characters even looked different. Aspects like your stats changed the character's appearance. Alongside normal customization options like hair and armor.
The game, though fairly linear, felt as if it was open world due to how it presented quests, choices, and the fact you could take many unique actions. Such as killing a shop keeper then buying his store front when it went vacant.
I think the first Fable is still a classic example of how to make a linear RPG not feel as if you’re being railroaded along.
Conclusion
When Fable lost chapters were released, it was a game I wanted to build a PC to finally play. Unfortunately I still had to wait for some time. I ended up playing Fable on the OG Xbox after my brother bought one. I have since beaten Fable at least a couple more times with the last play being around 2017.
It is a game I still remember all the major story beats and a lot of the notable moments. It is also a game I have beat playing both the ultra good and ultra evil path. I can recall the last time playing the game thinking certain elements had aged a bit, know the game is still being a blast to progress though.
On my first playthrough I remember how much it just felt like an adventure in all the best ways. You really felt the Heroes Journey. I’m excited to play it again and see if that retains.
Links and Tools
Links to Purchase
GOG
Steam
I highly recommend installing Shogo Fix mod. It does a few important things it adds widescreen and higher res and fixes POV. Also if you constantly have you mouse flicker someone made a DLL fix for that on git hub. Download this file dxwrapper.zip it is from this git hub link. You simply extract the 4 files in that download to the Shogo root folder.
If you need further help getting the game to run or have questions reach out on the discord.
To The Moon - Novemeber 2025
ReleaseDate: Nov 1, 2011
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PSN, Switch, iOS, Android
Developer: Freebird Games
Publisher: Freebird Games
Genre: Adventure / Narrative Driven
Prep: N/A
November 2025
Pre-Game: by Filbert
I have always believed the less you know about a great narrative the better. I half jokingly but half seriously say there should be a law that movie trailers can’t show footage past the first 15 minutes. Being on that journey of discovery through a great narrative is satisfying, and nearly always enhanced when you don't have any breadcrumbs to follow. That said, this is the Pre-Game and I have to talk about the game. Though I am going to do my best to make sure if this game is a first time experience you just know the setup.
To the Moon is considered an adventure game and was made within RPG Maker XP. Though I do always tell people it is much more of an experience and narrative than a game. There isn’t any battle system or inventory management. The only gameplay mechanics come in exploration and puzzle solving. What carries this game and experience in the narrative.
Which in my humble opinion might be one of, if not the strongest narrative I came across in a video game.
The setup of the game is you are playing as two scientists who work for a company that offers an end of life service. People who hire this service can have a wish fulfilled prior to their death. When that individual is on their deathbed in a comatose state, they will be hooked up to a machine. Which carries out their wish by creating artificial memories. The last thing the patient does before they die is live out what they requested.
For this to happen though the scientist need to meet the patient prior to their death to learn about them and their past. They are able to do so by journeying through the memories of the individual. This must be done so their final wish can be fulfilled. They are not able to just forcibly implement a wish, it must fit into the individual's personality, experiences, and history.
Now, we start off the story of this game. You arrive at your latest client's house. An old man who only has a couple days left. His final wish is to go to the moon. Though he doesn’t even know why, only that he wants to. The scientist this seems strange. Most wishes someone asks for they clearly know why they want to experience it. A huge football fan might want to win the Superbowl, or someone into aviation might want to become a fighter pilot. That is all I will say for the plot. I hope you will enjoy the story as much as I did. It is a fairly short experience, a game that can be completed in 3 or 4 hours.
When it comes to playing the game it balances between the themes of romanticism and realism in the literary scene. I do think it is helpful to keep these both in mind as you play the game. As well for the discussion at the end of the month.
Conclusion
If it isn’t clear by now I think To the Moon is a masterfully told story. I honestly find it less of a game and more of an experience. I do think you being a player does add a certain amount of agency you can never get with a book, movie, or show. Though it is a narrative I think would be a fantastic adaptation into a movie or mini series.
If you have heard me talk about games enough. I have almost certainly asked “Have you played To the Moon?” which more often than not the response is “No what game is that”, and I follow up with “Go play it!”.
A big reason why I want to participate in EXP Monthly is to shed light on games or experiences like this. Now, hop into your death bed, get tucked in, and strap in for a journey to the moon.
Links and Tools
Pumpkin Jack - October 2025
ReleaseDate: Oct 23, 2020
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PSN, Switch
Developer: Nicolas Meyssonnier
Publisher: Headup Games
Genre: Action-Adventure
Prep: None
EXPM October 2025
Pre-Game: by Shadown815x
On October 23rd, 2020, Pumpkin Jack released on PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Pumpkin Jack took Nicolas Meyssonnier 4 years to make. He did so mostly alone. He got help from Adrien Lucas with porting the game to consoles. Then we have who composed the music. Pumpkin Jack is a Halloween themed 3D platformer with hack and slash and action/adventure elements. This game is somewhat considered a hidden gem. This was also a very requested game to get a physical copy.
First Encounter
I first saw this game at AGDQ 2022 (Awesome Games Done Quick), a speedrun marathon for charity where the runner, Jaxler, ran the game. What got my attention right away was the art direction and the vibrant colors. The gameplay also looked very fun. It was hard to look away from the run. So when Limited Run announced a physical, I was very pleased.
Conclusion
I have yet to play this game, so this will be my first playthrough. But I'm a big fan of 3D platformers, so I'm excited about giving this a go.
Links and Tools
Chrono Trigger - September 2025
ReleaseDate: 03/11/1995 Japan, 08/22/1995 North America
Platforms: SNES, Playstation 1, Android, Apple Store (IOS), Nintendo DS, Steam,
Developer: Squaresoft
Publisher: Squaresoft
Genre: JRPG
Prep: There are few ways to purchase it. I found a helpful website that compares the different versions for the pros and cons.
EXPM September 2025
Pre-Game: by MsMoon
Frequently hailed as one of the best JRPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger was brought to life through a unique, collaborative effort by a group of developers known as the “Dream Team.” Some of the most notable names in the genre at that time included Hironobu Sakaguchi (creator of FF), Yuji Horii (creator of Dragon Quest) and Akira Toriyama (creator of the Dragon Ball series). Others involved were Yoshinori Kitase as one of the Directors, Yasunori Mitusda as first-time composer along with FF series composer Nobuo Uematsu who contributed 10 tracks. Even Tetsuya Nomura assisted with Field Graphics.
First Encounter
I discovered Chrono Trigger on one fateful day at my local rental store in 1995. The cool logo design along with Akira’s signature art style depicting a battle scene on the box art, it immediately jumped out to me and my older brother. From then on this, along with FFVI, became some of my earliest experiences with JRPGs and with it, compelling storytelling in games. The music, characters, and world building started a lifelong love affair with this genre that has influenced tremendously.
Story
It’s a simple premise; a demonstration of a teleporter at a local fair goes wrong, causing Crono, Lucca, and Marle to discover the ability to time travel. Along the way, they learn about a global catastrophe hundreds of years into the future that will end their world as they know it unless they can change history. This and Chrono Cross, have to be some of my favorite storylines about the concept of time travel. It has often had me thinking about the bittersweet nature of time on a few occasions in my life and how much about and around you could change just by making a different choice, even down to the smallest ones if you had the ability to do it. What’s so awesome about Chrono Trigger is that you feel the weight of a lot those outcomes. Stories like these can get lost in their own writing with difficulties keeping various plot points consistent and with threads that don’t ultimately tie together in the end but Chrono Trigger for me is one of the exceptions. It felt like it had purpose and payoff. There’s a lot more I want to mention but you know…spoilers haha
The one cool thing I will mention is that there are 13 unique endings. They can be achieved by defeating the final boss at different points in the game or with different conditions during the final battle. They’re accessible in New Game+ after the first playthrough. I recommend looking up those endings on Youtube if you want to check them out!
Battle System
The battle system is your classic turn-based where you control three characters at a time. One of the fun aspects is the dual/triple tech attacks you can do with your party in different combinations. It’s a nice initiative to experiment and use different party combinations. Another notable feature is that enemy encounters are openly visible on field maps or lie in wait to ambush the party. Contact with enemies on a field map initiates a battle that occurs directly on the map rather than on a separate battle screen.
Conclusion
I haven’t played Chrono Trigger in a number of years so I’m very excited for this month’s EXP Monthly to revisit it with others and get their perspectives. Is it still the JRPG classic I consider it to be down to this day or an aged, nostalgic relic of the past? Only time will tell... -MsMoon
F.E.A.R. - August 2025
ReleaseDate: Oct 18, 2005
Platforms: Windows, Xbox 360, PS3
Developer: Monolith Productions
Publisher: Vivendi Universal Games
Genre: First Person Shooter
Prep: Can be purchased on GoG or Steam, still runs on modern systems. There is a fan made patch F.E.A.R. Echo Patch which improves the experience.
EXPM August 2025
Pre-Game: by Filbert
We start the second EXP Monthly with F.E.A.R. Following up with Shogo a Monolith Productions game with another Monolith game. F.E.A.R. is a first person shooter but with two notable gameplay mechanics. The first is melee combat is a viable method to do damage in this game. From hitting with the butt of weapons to jumping kicks. The other prominent mechanic is reflex time, a type of bullet time. You can react at normal speeds still firing and melee enemies. F.E.A.R. was another game I did play around its release.
It’s a game I recall fondly because one of my older brothers had purchased a gaming PC. It was our first computer with a dedicated graphics card. Granted we had this PC for at least a year or two now but it was still a new and cool experience to play at the time high end games on max or nearly max settings. F.E.A.R. and the first Far Cry are two games which always come to mind. Gone were the days of playing the newest game on the family computer getting 20 FPS.
Now, it has been nearly 20 years since I last played the single player of F.E.A.R. I don’t remember much when it comes to the story other than it dealt with the paranormal and a few enemies. I assume I would have beat the game but can’t specifically recall. Much like Shogo this game will feel nearly like the first time playing through, though with Shogo I did recall a few major story beats. When it comes to F.E.A.R. I only remember there was a little girl. I also want to say early in a mission all your team dies and bleeds out of their helmets? Who knows if that recollection is accurate lol.
I do know I never would of played the two expansions for the game. When I was in college me and a group of friends were playing LAN nights often. At the time a free version of F.E.A.R. released which was only multiplayer. Me and a few friends including Blue had many nights playing 2v2s, 4v4s or FFA matches in the dorm room. Though the single player narrative didn’t quite stick with me, those LAN parties that F.E.A.R. was a staple will always be cherished memories.
Links and Tools
Shogo Mobile Armor Division - July 2025
ReleaseDate: Oct 1998
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, and Amiga
Developer: Monolith Productions / Hyperion Entertainment (For Amiga)
Publisher: Monolith Productions (NA) / Microids (EU) / Titan Computers (Ports)
Genre: First Person Shooter
Prep: Can be purchased on GoG or Steam, still runs on modern systems. There are two easy to setup Mods you might want to download linked at the bottom. I highly recommend doing so.
EXPM July 2025
Pre-Game: by Filbert
Shogo was a late 90s first person shooter. One of the earlier games put out by Monolith who is also known for F.E.A.R. Alien Versus Predator 2, Middle-Earth Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War. Until in 2025 unfortunately being shut down by their parent company Warner Bros. Games.
The game is a mix of first person shooting action. Some levels are on foot while others take place in Mechs. The game is fully voice acted and also has two possible endings. It also does it’s test to include some immersive story telling much like Half-Life did which release a month after. In some areas, typically the on foot out of mech you can walk around and trigger interactions from NPCs. Some story elements are optional by interacting with objects like computers in the game. You even do things like selecting your mech by walking in an hanger and triggering mechs to be deployed then must walk into them.
I (Filbert) first played the game back in the early 2000s probably around 2002-2003. It was one of the games I have no clue how I ended up with. Simply I just had the CD and key for the game, and still do. I would of first played it on my Windows 98 computer which was the family computer until the family computer was upgraded to a Dell XP Machine in 2001.
By the time when I finally played it. I could tell the graphics were dated but still looked great. Since I would have been comparing to games like Metal Gear Solid 2. Though I knew for a late 90s game it was a great looking game. I was also impressed that it was fully voiced acted. I would of also played Half-Life around this time, not sure which I played first. Much like Half Life in Shogo I quickly became immersed in the world. That fact you could go rogue and just attack anyone which would soft lock the mission and send guards to keep killings you. Game the impression so much was in your control.
At the time I thought maybe you could just go rogue and fight everyone and continue. I haven’t played the game since the mid 2000s other that booting it up and making the way through the first couple levels. I don’t recall the specifics about the story besides there are two warring sides and you get to make a choice on which side to go with at the end.
I’m personally excited to jump back into this game and discuss with others as I progress through it and hear everyone's thoughts.
Links and Tools
Links to Purchase
GOG
Steam
I highly recommend installing Shogo Fix mod. It does a few important things it adds widescreen and higher res and fixes POV. Also if you constantly have you mouse flicker someone made a DLL fix for that on git hub. Download this file dxwrapper.zip it is from this git hub link. You simply extract the 4 files in that download to the Shogo root folder.
If you need further help getting the game to run or have questions reach out on the discord.