14 DAY TRIAL // To most of the older hard-core gamers Ken Levine is one of the gods of gaming. And his most interesting work is not the fictional, dystopian and Objectivism infused underwater world of Bioshock, but the long running spell at now defunct Looking Glass game studio, where he was a central part of the team that created such classic and cult hits like System Shock 2 (oh, how we miss you, SHODAN!), Thief: The Dark Project and Tribes.
So, what games does he play? Where do his gaming loyalties lie? He seems to side with long time classics. He admits to religiously playing Civilization ever since its first iteration and getting hooked up on every new Civ game that Sid Meier designs. Levine said, while talking to MSNBC, "I love this game [Civilization] because it's entirely player driven and endlessly fascinating. Also the design simply refuses to get old, some fifteen years later."
Another one of the classics that appeal to him is Heroes of Might and Magic 2, the first turn-based game that rivaled the Civilization series with its deep gameplay, almost endless possibilities for development of characters and intriguing world.
Also, Levine regularly revisits The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, praising the game for the ability to inspire every other adventure on the market now and the power to continue to be relevant so many years after the game was first released.
Beyond Good and Evil also earns a place in the top five for its ability to create a clear connection between the player and the main character and then to the main world. It's a game that takes a central character like Jade and then makes her the lens through which an entire world is described.
And finally, the secret is out. Levine admits to spending much more time in World of Warcraft than he should, often missing a good night's sleep because of raids of other guild duty. I think Blizzard should put this on the cover: "Even Ken Levine plays World of Warcraft!"