Welcome to another week of Five of the Best, a series where we celebrate the overlooked parts of video games, like hands! And potions! And dinosaurs! And shops! They’re the kinds of things etched unwittingly into memory, like an essential ingredient of a favourite dish you could never put a finger on. And I want to spark discussion, so please share memories as they flash into your mind. Today, another five. The topic…
Health pick-ups! Oh how very specific – but I need to be. I’m not talking about health systems but the things you pick up to heal yourself. Used to be all games did it this way, but then Halo came along with its recharging health and all of a sudden everyone wanted the same. Now that feels like the norm.
But there are old-fashioned health systems out there (and they’ll probably take offence at being called old-fashioned, so I’m sorry, I don’t mean it in a bad way!). I still see Overwatch health packs when I close my eyes at night, and potions, which I’ve written a whole Five of the Best on, are a dime a dozen in RPGs. They’re still out there, still crucial to how we get through games.
