‘My Favourite Games’ is a regular MossRanking feature which gives us a chance to get to know our fellow Spelunkers a little better. In each edition, we put the spotlight on one member of the community, as they pick three of their most treasured video games ever and give their reasons why. Featured members are allowed to pick whatever games they want... except for Spelunky. In the ninth entry, we go to SAIBOT, an experienced and incredibly fast speedrunner who has, among other impressive runs, a 4:14 Max Low% and a 2:12 Any%. Below are his three games... Dark Souls (PC, 2012) Saibot’s first pick is the notoriously tough Dark Souls. Saibot has finished the game three times now, and his love for it stems largely from its unforgiving but fair difficulty. “The unforgiving difficulty is important, because it forces you to learn the optimal way to play the game,” he explains. “The difficulty is fair because it never makes you lose without giving you ample opportunity to escape the situation or overcome the challenge.” Among other things, Saibot appreciates the “detailed areas and nuanced enemies”, and praises the world of Dark Souls and how meticulously it was put together. “The world itself feels truly natural, which makes the setting seem more believable,” he says. “The areas are often interconnected in very clever ways, which both contribute to the natural feeling and also eliminates the tedious running from one area to another that one might expect in such a game. Possibly more significant, though, is the sheer detail and the intricacy that each area has.” It sounds like he’s not done with the game, either. “I find myself going back to play the game in new ways that provide extra challenge and fun,” Saibot comments. “For example, my second run of the game was Soul Level 1, which prohibits you to level up your character throughout the whole game.” Super Meat Boy (PC, 2010) Next is indie platformer Super Meat Boy, another game which is noted for its difficulty. When asked about what he loves about being challenged, Saibot answers: “I think difficult games provide a much more intense feeling of pride and accomplishment when you conquer them." Super Meat Boy, which features 300 levels and puts a huge emphasis on split-second timing, made Saibot's list because of its “tight controls and masterful level design”, and he explains that the way these two elements combined contributed towards a truly memorable experience for him. “This game fulfilled my platforming needs before I played Spelunky,” he comments. “It forces you to execute moves that you didn’t think were possible before. The precise controls were crucial, because without them, the game wouldn’t feel fair as having adequate control of your character is needed in a tough platforming game.” The other notable aspect of the game Saibot loves is the impressive variety of playable characters, many of which have unique attributes. “The unlockable characters help provide an extra incentive to collect the bandages in each level, which add extra challenge,” he says. “Also, their varying playstyles expand the ways and routes to beat each level.” Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PC, 2012) For his final game, Saibot chooses Valve’s multiplayer shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Saibot has spent around 500 hours on the game, and a large part of it is because of its “focus on teamwork” and “economic decisions”. The money system is particularly interesting. Earned through winning rounds and completing various objectives, cash can be spent on better weapons during matches to give you the upper hand against your opponents. Explaining the allure and the depth of this system, Saibot says: “A good example of a thoughtful economic decision would be to not buy weaponry and other equipment at the start of the round when your team’s funds aren’t fully adequate, such that the next round you can fully buy everything you need to have a good chance of winning that round. “This feature makes the experience compelling because, while in theory I like the concept of the first-person shooter, most games in that genre are unfortunately mindless and don’t involve much strategy or thought. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s emphasis on mindful play and strategy makes it far more interesting, and a more interesting game than most other shooters I’ve played.” And on the teamwork component of Global Offensive, Saibot adds: “The focus on teamwork makes the game much more enjoyable for me, because it forces me to coordinate strategies with either friends or random teammates. This coordination increases the depth and makes the strategy of the game more complex.” -- What's ahead... 'My Favourite Games' season one wraps up this coming week with entry #10, which centres on saturnin55. Very exciting. The series will then go on hiatus as the All Shortcuts + Olmec Tournament launches on Friday, September 8. Season two will start later this year. Previous 'My Favourite Games' entries: MrEikono (#8) Kazzy (#7) Konato_K (#6) ShinGraywords (#5) Meowmixmix (#4) MikeIsMyIke (#3) Twiggle (#2) Kinnijup (#1)