Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (Game Cube, 2002)

What's not great about this amazing game? This is survival horror at it's best, so innovative and atmospheric that even surpasses Resident Evil, being even more creepy and atmospheric!

The great thing about this game is how it looks different from everything you ever played, this is so plot-driven that many will feel bored right away, so do fear, this game is not for everybody, it's an epic, mysterious and intriguing journey through various present and past events, all culminating into a fantastically, creative and labyrinthic piece of art! So if you seek action filled game at first instance, you might consider pass it.

In this game you shall --- the occult, all kinds of dark themes are dealt, you play as a dozen of different characters during the whole game, each on in a different time of history, so sometimes you play in the same place, with some different character, in some different time, meaning that the stuff made in the past, affected the future, and reminisces of what had been done, being visible in the future; and it is done so perfectly that gets you even more involved with the plot. Another important thing is how it's historically coherent, like the weaponry that keeps evolving, in the past only swords are used, whereas the time passes others kinds are used, reaching revolvers and automatic fire weapons!

You will play during war time (both world wars), ruins, inquisition, and many other historic moments, but it's at the present days (2000 A.D), at a mansion, that the main character lies, Alex Roivas, trying to uncover the truth about the murder of her grandfather, Edward Roivas, in his own mansion; after two weeks of the gruesome murder, the police fails in finding any proof or clue, so Alex decides to search herself for clues, adn that's when she finds the Tome of Eternal Darkness, an ancient book made by human flesh and bone, and by that and its pages hidden all over the old mansion, that is her connection to the past events and characters.

The game has a lot of classic fantasy inspired stuff too, noticeable in bosses for example. Runes and magic are very important, with them you'll make enchantments and will be able to cat the magic that does several different things, pretty crucial to the game.

And maybe one of the best things about this game is the Sanity, yes, your character looses sanity every time he finds himself in a dangerous situation, menaced by zombies and some others creatures for example, each character has different amounts of sanity, health and magic, and the become more vulnerable to his weakest point, if your character has low sanity, he will start hallucinating really soon and a lot of strange things will happen, believe me, some of them are quite annoying and for the first time viewers maybe a little disturbing, but all adds the atmosphere, and it's a really gloomy atmosphere, be aware!

So if you like extremely executed plot-driven games, with many historical and fantasy terms and connections, some violence and perfectly crafted dark atmosphere, you'll surely love this game!