The Most Shocking Moments In Games: A Debate

Part 2: Mad Paddy makes his illustrious return!

[Part 1] [Part 2]

 

Mad Paddy O'Semtex: Metal Gear Solid 2's intro, and all five playable minutes of Rez

Ok, I can never leave it short and sweet, so I'm going to go for both the most beautiful, most painful moments in my console gaming experience.
We've all had that moment; maybe it's a truly stirring scene of a favourite film, a killer riff on your dad's classic Led Zep albums, or maybe the first time she says 'I love you'. The sheer wonder of what your senses are telling you makes your brain force adrenaline through your system, widening capillaries and heightening your nerve endings. A warm glow comes over you and your ecstasy is perfect.

This happens to me every time I put my Metal Gear Solid 2 disc into my playstation.

Every time.

That intro sequence is unrivalled in the histories of both video games and cinema. I would pay £35 just for that sequence. The green washed images, and scenes matching the sublime music absolutely flawlessly. Your favourite music video doesn't even come close to this.

I don't want to cheapen this moment any more with my inadequate praise, just go out, buy a PS2 and the game, and see it for your selves. You will not regret it.

 

But, you have to take the good with the bad, and this is true agony. Another PS2 game, I'm afraid to say, (and Dreamcast too - Oberon) but a damn fine one. I love this game and despise it, I want to play it all the time, but I simply cant because of the genuine, physical pain I feel, every time I do.

It's REZ.

SEGA's masterful uber-modern super-retro arcade style shooter causes epileptic fits, in people who don't have epilepsy. I honestly can't play this game for more than 20 minutes at a time without suffering severe headaches, but the game is so good, you just don't learn your lesson. You know it'll hurt more and more, but you just keep playing. Then you have to lie down for at least two days with a wet flannel over your face.

It's like acid, but with worse headaches and trippier giant-mutant-killer-spiders.

We love this game.