The 7 Best Video Game Lifebars
- December 04, 2008 16:58 PM PST
- Email this!
#4 Spine Bar (Dead Space)
Dead Space is a game that prides itself on never taking you out of the action--that means whether you're switching weapons, accessing your inventory, or even checking your health, you have to be focused on what Isaac's doing at all time. Putting a lifebar in the corner of the screen could be deadly if it caused you to lose focus in the midst of a bloody battle against a batch of necromorphs. Thankfully, the team at EA Redwood decided to incorporate the health bar into Isaac's mining armor. As a container of neon-blue fluid running up his spine, the healthbar is prominent without seeming out of place on Isaac's person. It may not be especially convenient in real life--you'd have to ask people how close to death you are constantly or have easy access to mirrors--but as a game mechanic, we love how it's incorporated in Dead Space.
#3: Rock Meter (Guitar Hero Series)
The concept of having a lifebar in a music title is a bit weird unless you're John Lennon (... too soon?) but Activision managed to incorporate one into Guitar Hero with great results. As your performance begins to suffer, the Rock Meter--a meter similar to many found on professional music equipment--will slip from the safe green section on the left to the middle yellow, to the red on the right. If your performance forces the pointer all the way to the right, you lose. It's simple, effective, and it fits in with the game perfectly. When you take the mess that is Rock Band's Band Meter into consideration the genius of the Rock Meter is magnified. What the hell does that outline when one person fails out mean anyway?
#2: Doomguy's Face (Doom)
While playing as a character whose face becomes battered and bloodied the more damage you take was featured in id Software's popular Nazi-slaying FPS game Wolfenstein 3-D, it wasn't until the company spawned Doom that they perfected their unique alternative to the traditional video game health bar. Not only did Doom add more detail to the wounds you'd receive (big lacerations would break out on Doomguy's face and his nose would gush blood the more you let Imps and Cacodemons thrash you), but your demon hunting marine was just a lot cooler than Wolf 3-D's B.J. Blazkowicz. The upcoming re-imagining of Splatterhouse will also feature a similar health meter to classic Doom's where the protagonist's whole body displays gruesome damage.
#1: Hearts (The Legend of Zelda Series)
When a lifebar system holds up over two decades of sequels, it's a sign of a well-designed one. Link starts each adventure with three hearts, which are depleted in increments of half-hearts due to taking damage. In order to replenish them, you collect miniature hearts from downed enemies (among other methods like drinking potions or having fairies fly about your head). If you want to add extra hearts, it's as simple as getting new heart containers. The Zelda heart has become an iconic image--show anyone a row of red and white hearts, and they'll likely reply with a surge of Nintendo nostalgia. Unless there's less than three red ones--then it's panic time.
- Previous Page Prev
- Next Page Next
- 1
- 2
More Top GamePro Stories
Comments [35]
-
- Jump To Page:
- [ 1 ]
- 2
- 3
- 3
- 4
-
- Dec 04 2008 at 03:53:15:PM PST
-
I'm glad to see Dead Space in there... should get top spot IMO. The Zelda health bar is great... but I absolutely hate it when your life is low and it constantly beeps... I think I'd rather die than to hear the beeping. Rock Meter is kinda dumb... and John has been dead for almost 30 years... so not too soon, just a bad joke.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- -1
- report user
That Trespasser boob life bar -- LOL! You know, one of the main guys behind that bomb of a game later went on to help create the original Xbox.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
There was a game where when you were close to death you were in your underwear. It should be on there.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
ShortHairedOffender, are you talking about Ghosts and Goblins? Now that you mention it, it seems like another game used that device too.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
Just seeing the heart containers makes me hear the horrible warning sign that shows up when you are down to hearts late in the game.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
Good list. Very good list. Who could forget Primal Rage? The heart beating out of control. Jurassic Park boobs? Never heard of that one, but it looked good ha ha. I knew Dead Space would find a way onto the list, pretty awesome feature, completely refreshing. Last but not least, the Doom face, I loved that, still do. Worse on the list? The Zelda heart bar, ahhh, hate that noise when you get critical. Cool list Gamepro.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
Banjo wrote:
OMG! No honey combs?!
So much more memorable than some of these.
agreed
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
