What Exactly Makes the Perfect Game?

Have I really only posted once this month? How embarrassing...this semester of school has so far been unreal with the amount of work that I've had piled on me. That and a lack of inspiration has been keeping me from posting here. However, a sudden bit of inspiration hit me when I caught a brief respite from the harsh world of comparative politics. While scrolling through the articles on Kotaku I found that one of their writers had brought up the question of "what the perfect game is". It is a daunting one for sure; how can we really know exactly what the perfect game is?

The answer to the question is that the perfect game is different for everyone. However, through my experience, what exactly would I define as the perfect game? After all, games come in such shapes and sizes. For example, Super Smash Bros. or Mario Kart could be considered perfect games because they have huge amounts of replay value and have remained relevant to this day. However, if you're playing those games alone, are they really that great? Then there are games such as Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or Final Fantasy VII where fanboys shove down you're throats how amazing they think their favorite game is. Those games have fantastic stories and were great in their time, but do they really hold up as well against other games? Some might argue that a game like Minecraft which just allows one to flex their creative muscles is perfect in it's simplicity. Even so, I never found those games engaging or immersive. Even among games that I have played, I struggle to figure exactly what I would consider to be "perfect".

Batman: Arkham City, Xbox 360 

I love the Arkham games; if there was an immersive game experience, this is definitely it. Arkham City is my favorite of the bunch because it opened up the world, gave you a city to fly around in and let you just simply be Batman (or in my case, Catwoman). The game plays great, however, it doesn't entirely hold up throughout the game. The plot is a bit of a letdown, feeling more like a mashed together freakshow of Batman villains loosely connected by a plot. The extra features never really appealed to me either. Flinging around the city as Catwoman is certainly fun; but could I do that for hours on end? Probably not; so Arkham City is not our perfect game experience.

Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Nintendo Gamecube

This is where the rose tinted glasses begin to sink in. Sonic Adventure 2 is one of the most fun games I've ever played. Sure, it's plot was a bit convoluted, the voice cast is terrible, and the controls wonky, but the game itself remained so good. Extra levels gave it replayability as did the Chao Garden and it's simply fun to run around fast as either Sonic or Shadow. However, there's still a large part of the game that I barely even touched (the shoot em up levels and the treasure hunting missions). We play Sonic to run fast and while it's fun from time to time to play the other modes, it's not something that draws me back to the game. I'm here to play levels like "City Escape" and "Radical Highway". I love this game and I love replaying through it. The problem with SA2 is that it is clearly an imperfect game by conventional standards and obviously that means it can't be perfect.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Gameboy Advance

Discussion of this game will always lead back to games like Pokemon and other RPG's. Where exactly does one consider the game to end? Are the post game objectives worth dumping loads and loads of hours into in order to accomplish them? FFTA was a brilliantly executed game that I dumped loads and loads of time into when I was younger. There was nearly limitless combinations and ways that a player could succeed in the game and had a plot that was surprisingly deep for the games I played as a child. After the game was over, there was plenty of incentive to keep playing and I really wish I could have. Unfortunately, the game required to me to have a certain item that would allow me to progress through the game's final three side quests. I happened to have misplaced the item at some point during my playing of the game and had no idea that it would turn out to be so significant. Turns out that there was no possible way to recoup the item without cheats. Any game where it locks a significant portion of the game off to you because you lack certain items can't be considered perfect.

Super Smash Bros. Melee, Nintendo Gamecube

Super Smash Bros. Melee is a timeless game. It is one of the few games that you can break out at a party or when you have company over that everyone can play. Even people who are barely into video games have played a few rounds of Melee and even today it remains the gold standard of the franchise. However, like I said earlier, how much of the game do you really want to play though by yourself. Other than to unlock characters, the single player mode offers very little to the player. An infinitely fun game yes, but with nobody else around to play with, it quickly loses it's shine. Sure, the Adventure Mode is a fun thing to do every once in awhile and there's some neat challenges but the allure of those game modes doesn't last. By the time you've unlocked all the characters and Final Destination (the only stage that really matters) you pretty much have everything you need. Smash Bros. meant to be enjoyed with friends. A great game but not a complete experience.

Civilization V, PC

Quite simply, Civilization V is a phenomenal game. There's something great about a game that allows the player to leave their own imprint on it. Civ V is an immersive experience that can cause you to lose track of time. It's that way because there really is no "right" way to play it, the player can play which ever way they want. Take over the world? Why not? Make the Iroquois a world power? Why not? Cross Ghandi and have him plunge your Civ into nuclear winter? Why not? Civ V is probably the closest thing on this short list to perfection. After all, the experience changes just about every time you play based on what Civ you are and who is surrounding you. However, even with these variations in gameplay, Civ V does start to get a little boring. You start going through the motions, running your Civ becomes more like a chore than anything, you start realizing that you do the same things just about every game. Even so, it's still an entertaining game.

So there are five significant games that I have played through that have still stuck with me. Each comes close to being perfect but just misses in key areas. The criteria for a perfect game must be very high indeed. When judging a game today, it is the same way that one judges a movie, Tv show, or even a piece of art. What emotions does the game evoke from you and most importantly, was the experience of the game worth it? Games aren't simply about reaching point B from point A anymore. The games that have gotten this right and that can still hold up to games of a similar style are the ones that should be regarded as perfect. So, what would be my perfect game?

I'm not sure where to even start with this game because it really is perfect in so many different ways. It has everything that somebody could want from a video game: plot, great character, great dialogue, visuals, gameplay that is out of the world fun (and different to boot), and loads of things to explore outside the main story. Paper Mario is an RPG in a rather untraditional sense. It is able to perfectly blend together the platform elements of Mario that have made him such a video game icon and a unique style of turn-based combat that keeps the player engaged. At no point was Thousand-Year Door ever boring, it kept me engaged from beginning to end. The story takes you to the farthest reaches of the Mushroom Kingdom and even took you into space. Sure, it's the same old "Peach gets kidnapped" story that Mario has been dealing with since his introduction but it's given a twist as Bowser isn't the one responsible. In fact, we get to see a whole new cast of villains and the game is better off for it. Thousand-Year Door is also incredibly challenging, the type of game that actually gives you a sense of accomplishment when you complete it. However, an important distinction to make here is that it never felt frustrating. Every time I lost I simply felt driven to get past that part, never any sense of defeat. The ability to be challenging as a carrot on a stick to the player, rather than being challenging for sake of being a hard game is an undervalued trait in gaming.

The place where Thousand-Year Door really show's it's polish is the character dialogues which are hold-your-sides funny at times. Rather than some RPG's, where the unskippable cutscenes are a drag because of bland dialogue and boring characters, Thousand-Year Door made every scene a must-watch event as you didn't really know what one character would say next. I've played through the game several times through at this point and this aspect of the game has never gotten old to me. I enjoy this game more and more each time I play through it. Not to mention that the game has tons of other things to keep you occupied. Thousand-Year Door is one of the few games that makes me want to earn 100% every time that I play. It's the back to back boss challenge near the end of the game, the slow grind of the Pit of 100 Trials, the expansive Mushroom Kingdom underground, and the want to keep boosting up your stats. No game has ever evoked that kind of drive out of me. It's the kind of game that I want to play again and again without ever getting stale. Thousand-Year Door is quite simply the best game I've ever played.

Retracing the Steps of this Game - Ranking the Episodes of Sherlock

If there is one thing that humans do, it's make lists. We make lists for EVERYTHING. Anything where we can make case that something is better than another thing needs a list that affirms our belief and causes us outrage when it doesn't. Ranking things is almost like human nature. Why certainly I'd rank Filet Mignon higher than a burger served at a grimy burger joint, let's make a list that affirms that belief shall we? Regardless, put away my snide remarks and now focus on this. I am going to rank the episodes of Sherlock. Why exactly? Because I am acting on my human compulsion to make a list, that's why. Actually, in truth, I believe that since Season 3 has concluded, now is the time to make a list. Six episodes was a tad to small and now nine episodes is just one from being ten which makes this a pseudo-Top Ten despite lacking ten episodes. Either way, I digress, here's another grand list. Disclaimer, I absolutely love Sherlock as a show. I don't think any of these episodes are bad television. So if I say harsh things, keep in mind that I am judging each episode alongside it's companions.

9.) "The Blind Banker" (Season 1, Episode 2)

To be honest, I barely remember this happening

Alright, I'm going to spoil a part of this list for you. I had a hard time deciding which episode between this one and "The Hounds of Baskerville" was truly the lowest ranked episode of Sherlock. My reasoning for "The Blind Banker" to occupy this spot is because while I remember a great deal about "Baskerville", this episode in particular seems to be nearly missing from my memory (this includes having watched it this past weekend). What I do remember is a rather confusing case (even by Sherlock's wacky standards), lots of John and Sherlock ho yay, and nothing much really happening. There's an over the top, crossbow wielding villain who just seems a little out of place in this incarnation of Holmes. Keep in mind, there are no bad episodes of Sherlock. There's still plenty to enjoy in this episode, there's even a Chinese circus, but unfortunately it pales in comparison to the other eight which occupy this list.

8.) "The Hounds of Baskerville" (Season 2, Episode 2)

This fabulous pose turns out to be the highlight

A disturbing trend about Sherlock is that through it;s first two seasons, the middle episodes of it's three parts usually turned out to be of lesser quality. "The Blind Banker" and "The Hounds of Baskerville" both apply. This is another case in which Sherlock tried something new with mixed results. While in "The Blind Banker" it was melodrama, "Baskerville" attempts to be legitimately scary. Sherlock and John investigate a man who is haunted by what he calls "a giant hound".  The idea of Sherlock, a notorious and stubborn rational thinker, even somewhat believing in the existence of a giant hound is rather farfetched. However, this episode does produce Sherlock busting out the fabulous pose above so there's that. There's also some pretty phenomenal lines ("your name is Greg?") and watching John run around screaming while Sherlock watches from afar is pretty hysterial. Unfortunately, the whole product doesn't really match up.

7.) "The Empty Hearse" (Season 3, Episode 1)

This episode, much like this kiss, is really just fantasy/fanservice

Sherlock's return was extraordinarily entertaining. In fact, I don't think I have ever laughed harder watching an episode of Sherlock than I have for this one. Sherlock makes his grand return from the dead, there's plenty of scenes in which characters in the show try to figure out how he survived, John gets them kicked out of three public places (not to mention he's engaged), and generally the whole thing is a rather silly affair. However, it's in this case that this silliness turns out to be a weakness. The whole thing is just so farcical and silly, that despite it's entertainment value, lacks the depth and wit that the series made its trademark in the first two seasons. Rather, it's much more of a tribute episode for the fans, which given how long we had to wait for it, is almost fitting. It's wonderful, it sets the tone well for the season, but it just feels shallow.

6.) "A Study in Pink" (Season 1, Episode 1)

Introducing our resident sociopath

"A Study in Pink" is the definitive Sherlock episode. If you want to give anyone a good glimpse as to what the show is all about, this episode is certainly fitting. Here we find all of the quick wit, depth, and excellent plot that defines the series. Of course, this only makes sense given that this is the first episode but even so, it's remarkably enjoyable. As far as first episodes go, it's certainly something else. It introduces our protagonist beating a corpse with a riding crop, introduces us to the wonderful character of John Watson, and has the two meeting and interacting for the first time. Hell, Sherlock refers to a string of suicides as "Christmas" and almost joyfully places himself into the episode's brilliantly done climax. Yes, this episode showcases Sherlock Holmes in all his sociopathic glory (a high functioning one no less). "A Study in Pink" is certainly an underrated episode of Sherlock.

5.) "The Great Game" (Season 1, Episode 3)

A fitting introduction for a fantastic villain

If "A Study in Pink" was the perfect introductions for Sherlock and Watson, then "The Great Game" serves to introduce Sherlock's greatest adversary, Jim Moriarty. Moriarty was a name that had been teased through the show's first two episodes before finally rushing to the forefront in this episode. The entire episode turns out to be a "game" between Moriarty and Sherlock, with the former revealing himself during the episodes climax. Moriarty turns out to be worth a wait, a giggling and twisted version of Sherlock. The show seems to cast Moriarty as what Sherlock could become if he decided to use his talents for crime rather than for good. The episode itself moves at a quick clip with Moriarty putting Sherlock through his paces. However, rather than cringe at the sadistic tone that the game takes, Sherlock revels in it, loving the fact that there is someone who can match his wit. However, Sherlock vastly underestimates Moriarty's resolve in the game which proves fatal for some of his victims. Then, there's the cliffhanger of the episode which sent Sherlock fandom into blind rage (but not for the last time). All around, a star episode.

4.) "The Sign of Three" (Season 3, Episode 2)

"Let's play a game, let's play MURDER"

I'll admit, "The Sign of Three" definitely isn't your prototypical Sherlock episode and it lacks the dramatic punch of "The Great Game" which makes it's appearance so high on this list somewhat interesting. However, for what "The Sign of Three" lacks in drama it makes up for it with crafty storytelling and character development. John and Mary are finally getting married and Sherlock is giving the best man speech. The premise of the episode would seem more fitting for a sitcom rather than a show like Sherlock. For a while, the episode seems to play out that way, Sherlock's speech is utterly hilarious and offensive and yet it comes all the way back around into something really touching. The episode's story plays out in a similar way as Sherlock recounts two cases in which he and John were never able to solve. Like Sherlock's speech, these anecdotes seem rather random and gives the impression that the episode lacks focus. Over the course of his speech however, Sherlock puts two and two together as he weaves the cases together and solves them both at the wedding. "The Sign of Three" can be a little confusing but like Sherlock's best man speech, it comes together beautifully at the end.

3.) "His Last Vow" (Season 3, Episode 3)

 

The first two episodes of Season 3 got some stick from fans who felt that it deviated a little too much from the traditional Sherlock formula. "His Last Vow" however, was able to turn that criticism into a strength. Starting with our introduction to the new villain, Charles Augustus Magnussen, who was a cool and calculating menace rather than the giggling madness of Moriarty. Kudos goes to Lars Mikkelson, who's performance becomes the defining piece of a masterfully done episode. Like most of Season 3, there's a large focus on character development, especially that Mary Watson, and yet it manages to turn Sherlock's hunt to take down Magnussen into something exhilarating. From the moment Sherlock enters Magnussen's mansion in the episode's climax, each following event is jaw dropping. A dark, complex, and sometimes heartwarming episode brought the series back to it's roots and reminded the fans that Sherlock hadn't lost it's way (a ludicrous claim in itself if you ask me). 

2.) "A Scandal in Belgravia" (Season 2, Episode 1)

The one villain Sherlock can't defeat.

Now we start getting to the best of the best, when an already brilliant show manages to elevate itself to another level. That was the feeling with "A Scandal in Belgravia". Not only was Irene Adler brilliantly done by Lara Pulver, but the masterfully crafted story, which involves Sherlock going up against an enemy that he's not entirely sure how to combat, is something to savor. From Adler's initial introduction, to her confronting Shrelock entirely in the nude, to the episode's brilliant climax, "A Scandal in Belgravia" took the show to new heights. For one, we got some depth to Sherlock's character, proving that he's not entirely a sociopath even if he doesn't understand love. Not to mention a hilarious Christmas party involving all the characters. If "A Study in Pink" laid out the initial blueprint for how a Sherlock episode should be done, "A Scandal in Belgravia" redefined it and improved it. It elevated the depth of the show, it's humor, and expanded on Sherlock's human element without it feeling forced or tacky. A prime example of Gatiss and Moffat's brilliance.

1.) "The Reichenbach Fall" (Season 2, Episode 3)

The Final Problem, that of which one survives...

This is that episode, the best of the best, Sherlock's magnum opus. When Moriarty stated his intention to burn Sherlock in "The Great Game", we never could have understood what he exactly meant by that. Moriarty's master plan to destroy Sherlock's reputation and everything he holds dear is utterly terrifying. The episode feels as if it's thrown us into an alternate universe in which everything has turned on Sherlock. It's disorienting, it's creepy, and, like I said before, completely and utterly terrifying. Moriarty gets a major amount of screentime and manages to top all of his performances before then. Whether it's gleefully dancing while attempting to steal the Crown Jewels, sitting down to have a cup of tea with Sherlock, or telling us the story of Sherlock's fall as if it's a children's book. There's a reason why Moriarty is my favorite villain and such a beloved figure among Sherlock fans. This episode is of course known more for it's absolutely insane ending which sparked two years of impatient waiting by Sherlock fans and wild mass guessing as to how exactly he survived. The final showdown between the two rivals is jawdropping and the final scene on the rooftop is undeniably thrilling. This is the definitive episode of Sherlock, the one that will always be known as the show at it's peak. Sherlock will continue to be a great show, the episodes will continue to be great, but "The Reichenbach Fall" will remain the show's best.