Popular computer games - a review
Computer games, just like many other ways of entertainment, fall into different categories. On the basis of those groups, we are able to see that some users like one game, whereas others like something completely different. Furthermore, we must take into account that each country has its own favorites in the computer games market. However, there is one common feature that characterizes all popular computer games, namely – a dedicated group of fans. Thanks to their interest, a game can maintain its recognition even years after release. Passionate gamers’ own initiative can lead to the creation of additional content and can ultimately immortalize the production for further generations. Hence, let us present a few items that have allowed the older generation to know which computer games were popular in the past and are still now.
Gothic
“Gothic” is a series that has been permanently written in the annals of Polish gaming history as one of the most popular productions. We can see it from the great interest of the fan community dedicated to the process of game production. We are talking not only about various animations and remakes of the official production, but also about films dedicated to the history and mechanics of the game.
Firstly, we will discuss what exactly “Gothic” is. It is a series of three games produced by the German Piranha Bites and published by JoWooD Entertainment AG. The game represents the RPG (role-playing game) genre, i.e. the gameplay is based on character development in terms of statistics and story. In this article, we will devote a little more time to the second edition of the series due to its greater popularity in the community. The second edition was released on 29 November 2002 and received expansion packs that upgraded various aspects of the gameplay on 22 August 2003. One of the things that makes computer games popular is the devotion of their fans. On 10 December 2021, the company released a fan modification with the addition of an original soundtrack, voiced dialogue, and a unique world.
Witcher - popular computer games
In the gameplay, we direct the character of Geralt of Rivia, the protagonist of the fantasy book series written by Andrzej Sapkowski. Along with Geralt, other characters from the book series appear in the game. Among others, we will see the dwarf Zoltan Chivay, the lustful Jasper and other characters that could not be seen in other editions of the games.
Minecraft
“The Witcher 3” was one of the major Polish productions released by a Polish studio which became a huge success. The popularity of this game in the country on the Vistula River was immeasurable, but still, there remains one production that undoubtedly dominates the market of popular computer games. We are talking about „Minecraft”, released on 18 November 2011 by the Swedish studio Mojang. The game was designed by Markus Persson (also known as Notch) and Jens Bergensten (with the nickname Jeb), who have created one of the most innovative games in history. It boasts millions of devoted fans around the world – both younger and older players.
“Minecraft” is presented as both a sandbox and a survival type of game. Sandbox games involve a fully interactive world that the player can change at his own will, whereas survival requires the player to collect valuable resources scattered throughout the game map. By combining both aspects, they have created a platform for a large group of players to traverse the world together, collect resources and build monuments that showcase creativity.
Warcraft - popular computer games
Both RPG and sandbox games are popular among Polish players. It can also be noted that gamers have become very fond of real-time strategy games, especially the production of “Warcraft 3”. Initially released on 3 July 2002 under the title “Reign of Chaos”, it was declared one of the best real-time strategy games. The strategy has 4 playable fantasy races from which the player can choose.
Warcraft 3, just like other RTSs, has a system based on collecting raw materials to expand our army. In this case, the system consists of extracting gold from a mine, which must be exploited by up to five workers, and harvesting wood from trees locally scattered around the map. Blizzard’s RTS also introduced a hero who gains experience and items to support other characters by defeating enemies.
Stronghold
As we can see, popular computer games in Poland share quite a lot of similarities when it comes to genres. We have presented many items from the RPG genre and a few from the RTS genre, and as far as the next production is concerned, it is definitely a strategy game. We are talking about the game Stronghold, released on 18 October 2001 by the British Firefly Studios. In contrast to the previous position on our list, this game is distinguished by its unusual approach to strategy. Instead of two main and generally available resources, the game forces us to acquire several types of resources, which we have to store in a special place.
The items can later be used to produce weapons, fortifications, and other buildings needed in the gameplay. The process starts with a worker, who has to bring the resource from the warehouse to his own workshop, and then bring it back. Only when the made item is placed in the appropriate building can it be used. Stronghold has become iconic because of not only its mechanics, but also the fans who still create videos dedicated to it.
Many games could be called good, or even great, but in the end, it is the interest of the supporting community that counts. Thanks to it, we can see productions that are more than 10 years old enjoying greater popularity than even the most expensive AAA games. And this is exactly what makes the aforementioned popular games iconic.
