10 Face Smackingly Awesome Examples Of Gaming Excellence

Gaming has the unique ability to capture our hearts and minds in the blink of an eye. Each crisply wrapped new game we get our hands on offers a fresh chance to be blindsided by, unpredictable moments, of jaw-dropping goodness. The times when a game takes you by surprise with something you can't believe you're seeing; a game that can shift our perspective of what we thought gaming can accomplish. Everyone knows that there are many different elements working together to capture your attention. Yet, there's not a specific set of requirements that need to be met in order to provide fans with great examples gaming excellence. It can be a single element, a combination of elements, or the game in it's entirety. When we are treated to something truly impressive it always serves as a point to look back on, or possibly look forward to, and is always a wonderful reminder of why we love gaming so much. Here are a few of the best moments in gaming that smacked us in the face with gaming excellence.

10. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem - F****** With Your Mind Via "Sanity Meter"

Many of us are familiar with the survival horror genre, but I'm sure there are many gamers that let this gem slip under their radar. In a game where your character's sanity is constantly at risk, it manages to conjures up the illusion that we just might have something more to fear than appears to the eye. This fear is only pushed further once your character has finally seen too much, and snaps. Silicon Knights took a different approach to how the horror affects the player, and achieved something truly unique by taking control away from the player. What better way to make a gamer fear for their sanity than to remove the one thing they need at all times? The "Sanity Meter" implemented a wide variety of effects that contributed to the horror the development team aimed to achieve. Players would be at the mercy of creepy sounds such as footsteps, women and children screaming, and more. Walls and ceilings would bleed, and stepping into rooms could result in your character walking on the ceiling. These were just a few of the many effects, and often times multiple playthroughs were required in order to witness them all. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem showed gamers that there is always new ground to break for a genre and sometimes it just happens to scare the crap out of you. Click "next" below to continue reading...