🚀 go-pugleaf

1)  Warlords II

Playing Dragon Isle, 40 city, 'I am the Greatest' difficulty level.  I
remark to my friend that the game is going really well.  He agreed and then
said:
"wait a minute...how many cities do you have?"
"Uh, twenty."
"AND YOU'RE STILL ON YOUR SECOND TURN!?"
"holy sh*t, I am!"

I just barely capped one more city and the computers surrendered.  Game
over, 2 turns.  I never came remotely close to that performance again.

2)  Half-Life

Ton of moments...great game.  The scripted satchel charge in the sewer pipe
is particularly memorable.  Possibly the best FPS in terms of maintaining a
sense of danger and pressure without having to either die/reload or baby
step everywhere.  The game offered you that split second you needed to see
and understand what was happening, react appropriately, and live, but only
if you were on your toes.  You didn't already need to know a level to
survive it the first time through.

3)  Unreal

Going outside the first time...man that was a jaw-dropper!

4)  Diablo

Going back outside *in real life* the first time...

5)  Quake

Watching Quake done Quick

6)  Whiplash

Much like Stunts!, the physics engine had some very strange quirks.  I
landed a jump poorly and my car bounced several thousand feet straight up.
The game got more fun when I stopped racing and tried to find the bugs.
Instant replays are great.

7)  Ultima V

Fleeing Blackthorne's palace after taking the Crown.  I know it was a turn
based game with tile graphics, and I could have stepped away at any moment,
but I felt like the hounds of hell were breathing down my neck.  My hands
were shaking as I made my escape.