Your Memories Of A Generation: Part Two

Hello! Fancy seeing you here. Welcome back to the second part of Your Memories Of A Generation.

Yesterday we looked at your comments regarding everything from Buzz to Call Of Duty Modern Warfare, and how that particular title provided many a memorable moment. It wasn’t the only multiplayer game you raved about though, MAG & Warhawk are two other titles you commended for their online experience, and the memories it provided.


Mickey2010 remembers sinking some 70+ hours into MAG, calling the online only multiplayer title his “favourite FPS of all time”, while Bugsy246 also “spent hours” on the game, and described how “it brought together all manner of players,” adding a social, memorable and long-lasting aspect to an otherwise “man-cave” solo experience.

“It really changed the way I play games, now always opting for using my headset and being up for a chat or tactical discussions,” Bugsy said. “It also added many new friends to my friends list who I still play online with today.”

“My favourite moment of this generation was the first time I sank my teeth into Warhawk” wrote cam_manutd. “On the surface, it is a limited multiplayer only game, yet beneath its skin is a game in which nothing occurs in the same way twice.”

“I have yet to find an online game so well balanced,” bigchrissyc also wrote of the latter; “Spot on” said Kitch.


As the videogames industry progressed at a rapid rate – and so the technology within it – it appears that although the narratives and pre-determined cinematic gameplay decisions found within the likes of Uncharted or Mass Effect were interesting and beguiling to each of us at the time, your Memories Of A Generation were made in the new digital playground of online.

“Kudos has to be given to the superb story provided by the main game, but playing Metal Gear Online alongside a fantastic group of regulars every Sunday night was hands down the most fun I’ve had this generation.” – Takyu


Generation 7’s enhancement of internet capabilities didn’t just mean online play of course, it also introduced us to the idea of digital downloads and the availability of smaller “indie” or “arcade” titles, which traditional bricks-and-mortar retail wouldn’t carry.

Talking of how competitively pricing early digital releases like Sony’s Wipeout revolutionised our buying habits, bunimomike wrote “barriers continue to be broken down with digitally delivered games”. Going on to explain how this memory – an idea – led developers to realise they’re able to distribute everything from small-scale mobile games to “genuinely wonderful sized games like State of Decay or anything in between” via a digital platform with far less risk and cost involved than previously.

Dan Lee and tonycawley were equally impressed by the magic of digital delivery, with Dan saying he was “blown away” by indie-studio Futurlab’s PS Mini version of Velocity – a game which would never have released prior to last-generation’s digital explosion – and Tony revealing that “most of my games were downloaded and saved on my hdd,” as the generation came to an end.


The internet also, in a round-about way, also introduced PlayStation gamers to another of your favourite things: Trophies.

Since being patched in to PS3 systems in 2009, the hunt for Trophies – and that strangely satisfying ping – within your games has provided many a memorable moment.

“My game completion percentage has shot up because of these,” says tonycawley. “I love comparing my achievements in a game against other people.”

moshbag describes his “hankering after a pointless digital platinum trophy” as a “strange new experience from this generation” and zander14rfc took the opportunity to share not only his memories of trophies, but also memories of how he found TheSixthAxis.

“The idea of trophies made me and my friend freak the hell out,” he commented. “I tried to see what other games would have them in the future, I found the forum and signed up.

“This site holds a spot in my heart and in my memories when I think back on the last gen of gaming, TSA has always been my go to website for gaming news. If the Playstation is ‘For The Players’ then TSA is ‘For The Community’!”

I wonder if we can get that trending?


Alas, as we come to an end, and it’s inevitable that although the generation brought us numerous high-points, there are always going to be some lows – some flies in the ointment, if you will. Alongside all the gems we saw a few real stinkers release onto the PS3 & 360 software charts – literally hundreds if you glanced at the Wii’s catalogue – but these were, thankfully, all inexpensive enough to forgive, and easy enough to forget.

Hardware failure on the other hand, was – in the early days at least – just as frequent, and could be far, far more costly.

hellfire13, double-o-dave & TheDemocrodile all shared their experiences of suffering multiple overheating Xbox 360’s and the infamous red-ring, while AshW92 and simplebob took to the comments to talk of their PlayStation 3’s failures, and the resulting yellow light.

Boo to the coloured lights of impending console death!


So there you have it, TSAs readers’ Memories Of The Generation. I do hope you’ve enjoyed reading this – and the entirety of our recent Memories series – and please, if you have anything further to add, do not hesitate to drop us a comment below.

5 Comments

  1. I am surprisingly quite pleased when the ping of a trophy goes of, but I never really chase them, Although I may try and get them all in Contrast as I`m only a few short,

  2. Warhawk was the pinnacle of online warfare and still is one of the best. Many have come before it but to me they weren’t as fun or worth getting into.

  3. I don’t actively hunt trophies but i believe i found my way here whilst looking for tips for playing one of the early psn games – can’t even remember which one now but Google brought me to the trophies page where someone had added some tips in the comments. Started reading the main site and found it a refreshing change from some of the other sites i had visited. Maturity, humour and a great sense of community – not least from TSA staffers themselves – meant it wasn’t long before i registered and started ‘contributing’ to this merry lot.
    That ‘ping’ does give an undeniable sense of reward though. :)

  4. I remember rushing to the store and buying Super Stardust HD just because it was the only trophy enabled game available… And then the disappointment of having to wait for more to come along. Since then I’ve not looked back. I try and wring as many trophies as I’m capable of out of a game I like before moving on. They’ve prompted me to play games more than once, on harder difficulties, and in ways I may not have bothered with in the past…
    I certainly get a lot more out of my games now :-)

  5. Lovely part two, fella. Really, really enjoyed it. Thanks for all of the hard work sifting through our comments and writing them up.

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