INSiGHT | What Makes a Great Game a Classic?

I believe what makes a game a classic is originality. Originality makes whatever it is stand out in peoples minds. For the person playing to not only enjoy the experience, but have not played anything like it before or since. Games like Metroid Prime, Journey, Super Mario Galaxy come to mind. 

A recent classic would be Bioshock Infinite or Mass Effect. We're talking about games ahead of there time, that are absolutely peerless

Dead Synchronicity is one that stuck in my mind. Yes, I gave it 7/10 because it had some issues, but in terms of managing to tickle something inside and lodge itself in my memory, it really did succeed on that front, and it's one of those games that I keep thinking, "Damn, I really want to know more about the story" even near enough a month after playing it. Maybe not putting it into 'classic' territory, but certainly far more memorable than other games I've played lately.

I do sometimes feel that too about some games I score lower than a 10 or even 9. It is something special that tingle. Something that makes it special and memorable. One such game I have reviewed at C3 which did not reach a high score was Winged Sakura: Mindy's Ark. I just want to see more of that, but better polished (MUCH better polished). It was straight out painful to play at times, but it was at the same time a special experience that is really memorable.

Other games that gave me that feeling where Analogue: A Hate Story and Hate Plus.. Those games really left an emotional mark on me. And those got higher scores than Winged Sakura as well... Much higher.

In Sakura Wings: Mindy's Arc it is the fact that the game feels fresh with its genremix that keeps it in my mind. Definitely, I do not think it will be a classic though. No way, but it had that tingle and a well-done sequel without the flaw of gameplay designed to slow down a tedious task more than needed might be a game changer in the Tower Defense genre.

Analogue and Hate Plus though. Those games might if discovered become real classics in their genre. I know they are going to be very fondly remembered by me at least. What made me fall so deeply for them was the emotional attachment to the characters, the world and the stories within.