1. Ultima Underworld

If I asked you what it was that connected Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Bioshock, System Shock 2, Fallout 3, Half Life 2, Bully, Deus Ex, Empire Earth, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Tomb Raider Legend, and Oblivion could you give me an answer? Such an eclectic mix of games might seem impossible to compare. But what if I told you that all of these games, and many more all traced back to a single studio? Harmonix, Irrational, Bethesda, Valve, Rockstar, Mad Doc, Ion Storm, Arkane, and more all are (or were) staffed by ex members of Looking Glass Studios. Never heard of them? Well you should have. If you've ever played an open world game that featured a simulated society that you could interact with and do with as you please (a la GTA or Assassin's Creed) then you should know Looking Glass. If you've ever played a first person RPG (Or any first person game for that matter) you should know Looking Glass. If you've ever played a stealth game you should know looking glass. If you've ever played a game where you could solve a situation in multiple ways (Like through talking, fighting, or sneaking), you should know Looking Glass. All of these ideas and countless others, as well as many aspects of modern day physics, graphics, and AI all got their start at Looking Glass Studios.

So who were these guys? They were a team of great designers (many with musical backgrounds) who made some of the most revolutionary and influential games of all time. The first game by what would become Looking Glass (then Blue Sky Productions) is my choice for most underappreciated game of all time. It was called Ultima Underworld, and I have blogged about it at least once already.

Ultima Underworld was a game of firsts. It was the first 3D game to have geometry textures (John Carmack is said to have based the Wolfenstein 3D and Doom engine off the prototype UW engine he saw in 1990), the first 3D game to have destructible objects, to use advanced object physics, and to have dynamic light and shadows. It was the first 3D game to have levels with multiple heights, inclined surfaces and real time interactivity. It was the first 3D game with dynamic music and sound effects. It was the first game to allow a user to look in 360 degrees, was one of the first games that allowed you to move in 360 degrees, it was essentially the basis for all modern game engines.

But Ultima Underworld is more than the technology behind it. It had numerous gameplay innovations that would later be applied to everything from GTA to Splinter Cell to Modern Warfare 2. Ultima Underworld was one of the first games to feature a working society with multiple unique characters that the player could interact with, but who would also go about their business regardless of the player's actions. The world was open ended. Players could go anywhere they wished, but going too far off course could lead the player into areas far to dangerous for him to handle. Every situation could be solved multiple ways. For example, at one point in the game the player needs to collect an object from the dwarf king's stash. The player can go about this in multiple ways. He could bring the king a certain treasure in trade for the object, he could bribe the king with precious jewels and money, or he could kill the king and take the object. Finally, the player could even sneak past the king, pick the lock on the door, and steal the object without anyone being the wiser. This was the first time that a system where players could solve a situation in so many different ways had ever been implemented. It was also the first use of stealth in a 3D space, and would influence Kojima Productions and Ubisosft Montreal in the creation of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell. The creators of the stealth mechanics in the game would work on Thief soon after, the first 3D stealth game. Like Grand Theft Auto, players could do with the world what they pleased. They could trade with the inhabitants of the world to get food, weapons, and armor, or they could kill everyone in the game and take what they needed. An in game map kept track of areas the player had explored, the first use of a auto-filling map in a game. Ultima Underworld was a first person game, and John Carmack and John Romero saw a demo of Ultima Underworld several years before making Wolfenstein 3D. The idea to have a weapon on display at the bottom of the screen was an idea John stole from Ultima Underworld. Likewise, later first person RPG's like Morrowind and Oblivion would steal the combat system from Ultima. Players could swing their weapon, often in multiple ways, and the longer a swing was held the more damage it would do. Magic was available in the form of runes. Players combined the ruins and used them to create light, make food, fly, damage enemies or open doors.

Called a dungeon simulator, Ultima Underworld featured many elements that would later be used in other dungeon crawlers. For example, it was the first game to have ambient lighting. Torches on walls would give off light, or the player could create a field of light around him through magic, torches, candles, or even a lantern. Interestingly, candles gave of less light than torches, which gave off less than lanterns and so forth. In earlier Ultima games, where dungeons were displayed in wire mesh first person, players also had to light torches to see, but Underworld took it one step further. In this game torches would run out if not put out before sleeping.

And players had to sleep and eat or they would get sick and eventually die. Food would get bad after being left out for hours. Players had a weight limit and space limit. This was the first time a weight limit was implemented in a game. Players could only carry as many items as they could hold, but players could find backpacks, bags, pouches, and other containers that they could use to carry more items. Unlike other games, your inventory was based on real life. If you had room in your backpack you could carry it. If you didn't then you couldn't. Bags and pouches couldn't hold items bigger than their size, and they could be put in a backpack (or a bigger pouch) so that you could tie another pouch around you waist. In this way you were always getting more storage space. Players also had to carry a sleeping bag. Yes, unlike later RPG's you couldn't just drop down on the floor and sleep.

If you haven't figured it out by now, Ultima Underworld is one of the most important games in history. Warren Spector, its producer, would go on to make Deus Ex and the Thief series and is currently working on Epic Mickey. The audio team would go on to make System Shock 1 and 2 before joining Harmonix where they created Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Ken Levine, one of the designers, went on to make System Shock 1 and 2, Freedom Force, SWAT 4 and Bioshock. Other members of the team later joined Valve to create Half Life 2, and Bethesda creating Oblivion and Fallout 3. Still other members created Mad Doc Software, which created the Empire Earth series, and worked on Bully before becoming Rockstar New England. Arkane created Arx Fatalis, and worked with Floodgate to create Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. Both teams are made up of ex-Looking Glass members. Arkane is now working on Bioshock 2. The Indie Game Jam, an independent games festival was founded by ex-Looking Glass employees. Seamus Blackley was a physics pioneer and was one of the creators of the Xbox. He started out working on physics for Ultima Underworld. Doug Church, another Looking Glass vet, created Tomb Raider Legend, and is now working at EA LA on that Stephen Spielberg game. Marc Leblanc went from Looking Glass to Sega's Visual Concepts, which created the 2K Sports game line in the early part of this decade. So it's easy to see how both the team behind it, and Ultima Underworld itself is easily one of the top five most influential games of all time. Now if only someone important would realize it.

So there you have it, the number one most underappreciated game of all time. It sold only 500,000 copies, and has largely been forgotten, but it defined all games to come after it. First person gaming, stealth gaming, sandbox gaming, moral choices, multiple solutions, so many major buzzwords in today's gaming landscape were created with Ultima Underworld. If you haven't played this game then download it. It can be gotten for free. It can be played on any computer made in the past decade and a half, you have no excuse to not try it at least. It holds up. I play it every couple of years. It never gets old and you will experience a piece of gaming history in the process. Play this game. That's all there is to it.

As I have mentioned to several of you, I have decided to do an entire blog dedicated to the number one game, so this blog will be for games 6-2. It was very hard to order these and I ended up making a last minute change that I think will surprise people. Enjoy!

6. Might and Magic VII (PC) – A lot of people have played Heroes of Might and Magic, the turn based strategy game created by 3DO and New World Computing in the early nineties. Far fewer people, though, have played the series it's based on, Might and Magic. These first person RPG's were great fun. The highlight of the series were numbers 6-8 but I never played 6 so we'll just focus on 7. Definitely an underplayed RPG, Might and Magic VII had a great story about… wait for it… the end of the world. And of course your party of merry travelers are the only ones who can save it. Featuring beautiful 2D art on 3D backgrounds, the first person game could be played in real time or paused for more tactical consideration. The huge world, open ended structure, and array of quests that could be completed foreshadowed the likes of Morrowind and Oblivion. Truly one of the most magical and amazing RPG's ever made. And in number eight? You could have a dragon in your team. That's right, you could have a dragon actually fighting for you. How novel.

5. Beyond Good and Evil (PS2, GC, Xbox) – This game really is very cool. You are Jade, a girl on a journey to save her friends and her planet from an alien invasion. With a fascinating mix of stealth, combat, and platforming, Beyond Good and Evil might have been a success had it not been for the photography elements. Jade is a photographer and many of the goals in this game involve you taking photos of different creatures, people, or machines. It's actually a very cool and fun mechanic, but manly gamers everywhere couldn't be seen taking photos, oh no. So this game remains a cult classic with a sequel somewhere in limbo. Also check out this team's great adaptation of King Kong which was actually far better than the movie. I know who would have thought, right?

4. Psychonauts (PS2, PC, Xbox) – Well this game was expected, right? Right? You've heard of it? But never played it, yes I know. Well I am playing it right now and I can safely say it is one of the most amazing experiences of the PS2 generation. The level design is among the best in the history of gaming, and the wacky characters, crazy story, and great humor make it one of the most interesting games ever made. You play as Raz, a psychonaut trying to save the world (and his not-girlfriend) from a mad scientist. The game is a basic platformer but the situations you are put in are so unique the game never feels old. Truly a great experience.

3. Ico (PS2) – Why oh why didn't more people get to experience this masterpiece from Sony's Japan studio. One of the most beautiful, haunting, and ultimately touching experiences in gaming, Ico is a sought after collectors item in most parts of the world. It's great puzzle mechanics, which involved the player helping a girl over various different obstacles was a genius take on the rescue the princess formula. The graphics at the time were outstanding, though they feel pretty dated today. Regardless, Ico should be experienced by all gamers with a heart and mind for more than reckless slaughter.

2. Heart of Darkness (PS1, PC) – A cousin of Oddworld, this absolutely quirky puzzle platformer was truly one of a kind. You played as a boy in a world of darkness trying to free your dog from an evil dark lord. I can best describe the game as Jim Henson-esque. The dark elements are contrasted by the sugary sweet art style and goofy dialogue. The actual game is sort of like a platformer, but is also a puzzle game of sorts. Instead of scrolling to the side each screen of heart of darkness is its own contained area. Each area is essentially a jumping puzzle. Good reflexes alone won't get you through this game. You'll also need to use your brain to figure out what to do and where to go. Truly a one of a kind experience with an indie feel that has disappeared from today's big budget titles. Play this game.

12. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System (PS2, Xbox, GC) – This wacky third person shooter from Swingin Ape, which was at one point responsible for Starcraft Ghost, is about a robot fighting against some repressive robots with a bunch of crazy weapons. The game is similar to Insomniac's Ratchet and Clank in that you collect a huge amount of zany weapons and then upgrade them to give them new abilities. The game is also huge, lasting well over 20 hours. I picked it up at Best Buy several years after its release, new for $5. It was a well thought out purchase.

11. Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit in Europe/Asia) (PS2, Xbox, PC) – Ever heard of Quantic Dream? The company has single-handedly kept alive the interactive movie genre that fell apart sometime around Sewer Shark. Their first game, Omikron, was a unique PC and DC experience that I never got around to playing. Their second effort was Indigo Prophecy. The gameplay is very much in vein of Dragon's Lair as you basically press a series of buttons at certain points in a movie to affect the outcome of a scenario. There are more interactive parts, but they basically amount to walking around your apartment or solving basic puzzles. Don't let its lack of interactivity dissuade you, though, as Indigo Prophecy absolutely should be played by anyone who wants to play a game where the story is as important, if not more so, than the gameplay. You can probably find this game on XBL, but even if you can't you should try to get a hold of it somehow.

10. The Longest Journey/Dreamfall (PC, Xbox) – The Longest Journey is one of the best adventure games ever made, and its sequel easily combines great adventure elements with action sequences and much more. Best are the characters. The cynical April Ryan of the first game is an art student without inspiration (sounds like a lot of people I know) who is somehow sucked into an alternate universe full of crazy happenings. Soon, of course, the fate of the world is in peril, and the only way to save it is by solving obscure, frustrating, and enraging puzzles that will force you to play the game with a FAQ by your side. The sequel, Dreamfall, features Zoe as the main character. This South African chick is a great protagonist who is again forced into an alternate dimension to save the planet from ultimate destruction. Amazing experiences through and through. Easily the best adventure games I have ever played.

9. Phantom Dust (Xbox) – Imagine Pokemon in a post-apocalyptic steampunk mystery set to Beethoven and you'll have an idea of what Phantom Dust is. Can't imagine it? Well neither could developer Microsoft. They refused to release it outside of Japan, leaving those duties to Majesco who released the game for a budget price. With online multiplayer duels, crazy card collection, and an action game combat system Phantom Dust was nothing if not unique. Cards represented moves that your character could perform. These cards took the place of spheres on the battlefield that appeared in a random order. Building the perfect deck was key to victory, especially against tough online competitors. The story was also one of the most crazy I've ever seen in a game. Amazing overall.

8. Oddworld Series (PS1, Xbox, PC) – The first Oddworld was released on PS1 in 1997. It was a strange combination of puzzles and platforming that was as weird as it was difficult. You played as a strange, almost indescribable creature that was fleeing from the factory he worked at after learning that the company was planning to make a meal out of his species. I honestly never got past the first ten minutes. This game is simply one of the hardest ever created. A sequel was created a year later that I haven't played. The next entry was released on the Xbox, and took the platforming to a third dimension. Finally, Stranger's Wrath was released towards the end of the Xbox's lifecycle and took the series in a new direction. A first person shooter, Stranger used live ammo to hunt animals and collect bounties. A great game that, again, I never managed to beat. If you like insane challenges mixed with bizarre humor and even more bizarre scenarios then the Oddworld series is for you. The PS1 games can be found on PSN and the Xbox ones are available on XBL.

7. Arx Fatalis (PC, Xbox) – I've actually only played a small portion of this game, but it was fabulous. A dungeon crawler in the purest of senses, Arx Fatalis has you awakening in a dungeon, where you spend the remainder of the game trying to get out. Arx was a first person action RPG that was essentially a dungeon simulator. You had to eat regularly, after cooking your food of course. And after time that food went bad. Different species lived below the surface in miniature societies. A throwback to the days of old, Arx Fatalis is possibly the Xbox's most underappreciated game and one that should be sought out by collectors and RPG fanatics alike.