Gaming hasn’t been around for a long time, when you think about it. Although, with each passing year, game anniversaries become more important as their impact carries over from decade to decade. The following is a list of celebrated games that will reach historic milestones in August 2018. They range between five and 30 years old. Each has had a profound impact on the industry in some way. It’s important to remember the ground work they’ve cemented for the medium, and why each is lauded to this day for contributing to gaming as we know it.
Game Anniversaries in August 2018 – Gone Home (5th Anniversary)
Gone Home quietly released on PC on August 5, 2013. It exceeded the expectations of pretty much anyone who played it at the time. At first, the title feels very much like a horror game. The dark corridors of the Greenbriar house and the storm outside help make the setting seem that much more surreal. There may be a ghost or two lurking in the shadows, too, but your ears may also just be betraying you.
The console version of Gone Home released only two years ago, so the game’s narrative impact may still be fresh for a lot of people. To say more about the story would ruin its big revelation. It’s totally worth a buy even considering the fact that its only a couple of hours long (if you don’t rush through). If you’re a fan of atmosphere and great sound design, Gone Home is definitely worth visiting in 2018.
Game Anniversaries in August 2018 – Braid (10th Anniversary)
Game Anniversaries in August 2018 – Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six (20th Anniversary)
Chances are that you’ve heard of Tom Clancy’s name before. Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and The Division are just some of the great series associated with this franchise. Arguably the best, however, is Rainbow Six. Today’s Siege serves as a testament to this, as this title’s community is thriving. The game that started it all released on August 21, 1998 exclusively for PC.
This tactical shooter was actually the first title to have Tom Clancy’s name attached. It follows a counter-terrorism unit called Rainbow in a series of objective-based missions. Stealth and tactics are the keys here, and every character in the game can be wounded in just one or two shots. Causalities are permanently out of action, meaning players could be stuck without any help if they aren’t too careful. Though these scenarios typically only last a few minutes, each is thrilling in its own way. The game still holds up to this day and can still be played on its native platform.
Game Anniversaries in August 2018 – Secret of Mana (25th Anniversary)
A remake of Secret of Mana released earlier this year, possibly in celebration of the game’s 25th anniversary. Released on August 6, 1993, the title follows three adventurers on a quest to prevent an ancient evil from taking over the world. It’s your standard JRPG affair, though is frequently looked back on today for its unique gameplay mechanics. These include real-time battles, a ring command system, and a fun cooperative multiplayer element.
As if that isn’t enough to get you excited, Secret of Mana has one of the best soundtracks to ever grace a JRPG. Enemy artificial intelligence was pretty advanced for the time too, aiding in enforcing the grueling difficulty that so many fans look back on fondly. If you’re new to the genre or just want a lot of bang for your buck, you can’t go wrong with this game. If you’re stuck between the remake and the original, go with the latter. The remake’s technical issues take a little away from the overall experience.
Game Anniversaries in August 2018 – Altered Beast (30th Anniversary)
Altered Beast released for the Sega System 16 (an old arcade system) in August 1988. The long dormant franchise is set in Ancient Greece and revolves around a centurion on a quest to save Zeus’ daughter Athena. The centurion protagonist can transform into various beasts through power-ups that the god of lightning himself grants. These include the ability to transform into a werewolf, a thunder weredragon, a werebear, a weretiger, and a powerful golden werewolf. Who doesn’t love golden werewolves?
Ultimately, players navigate through the title by punching, kicking, and jumping around enemies onscreen. Some light platforming elements are thrown in the mix just to shake things up. Though Altered Beast doesn’t exactly hold up the same that it used to, it’s memorable in its over-the-top, fantastical characters. In many ways, the game is a representation of the medium as a whole. Video games are really only limited by the imagination we share with one another. Here’s hoping Sega and other publishers are willing enough to keep backing crazy concepts like this in the future.
What gaming anniversaries are you celebrating this month? Let us know in the comments below!
