I followed the rules but just realized that the examples have a space between the semicolon and title, just seems unintuitive but I understand if they were to use a parser
and yeah i should have been more clear, I meant it doesn't matter that much bc he's counting manually. i always encourage reading and following rules!
1. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos ; (PC/Mac) This was my alpha and omega of gaming for a long time. The single player was alright, but it's not what makes this my game of the generation. The ranked games were alright, but it's nowhere near what makes this my game of the generation.No, what makes this game so great was the custom maps. The games within the game.
Wanted to play an arena game in which teams of heroes are pitted against each other? This game had it. Wanted to play a lord of the rings game? This was the best place for it. Wanted to play an rpg? Sure why not, it's here. Wanted to play a galaxy spanning space conquering 4x game, where you conquer and manage planets? Yep, we've got it. Wanted to play a survival sci-fi shooter in which you scavenge for ammo trying to survive as long as possible in which you could save your character data if you manage to escape? Yep, that's a thing. How about a star wars dogfighting game in first person? Yep.
This game literally encompassed all genres through its custom games, and no game since has done the same. I spent a ridiculous amount of time hosting and playing a myriad of games within this game, which easily makes this my game of the generation, no questions asked.
2. Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders ; (Xbox) This one came out of nowhere for me. I was out of town and just happened to be in a mall, where I decided to impulse buy something. Found this game marked down and begging for a home, and decided "Why not", though I expected it to be some mediocre shovelware. What I ended up getting was a completely unique game, a hack-n-slash-rpg-rts.
The game allowed you to control hordes of units that leveled up, had equipment, and gained abilities of their own(and upgraded to different units) based on your choices. A hero would always lead one of these units, and the hero would be able to join the battle once the unit engaged the enemy, turning the game from a tactical rts with rpg elements into a full on hack-n-slash brawl in which you tried your best to hack down as many of your enemies units as possible. This game represents the experimentality of its generation that we just don't see today.
3. Mechassault ; (Xbox) This was the first major Xbox live capable game, and it revolutionized online gaming through its use of voice chat. Based on the Mechwarrior universe, the game is much faster paced than its PC cousin(And has much better controls). With dozens of mechs for a player to choose from at the beginning of every match, the game accomidated any playstyle you could think of while at the same time managing to be perfectly balanced. It also helpped that at the outset of Xbox Live, people didn't know how to treat common voice chat between players and were generally polite and talkative, and that combined with how tactical the game was made me a lot of online friends.
4. Escape Velocity Nova: (PC/Mac) The 3rd entry in the Escape Velocity series with its own universe, Escape velocity nova felt like a hint of the future of gaming, space-sims, and role-playing(Shame that never turned out to be the case). The game had several completely different storylines all with their own missions and rarely was there some common event between them, it had deep well-written sidequests a universe that felt alive through news broadcasts, people running into you in bars, handcrafted and yet simulatenously random events, and a freedom that no other game has managed to capture since. The game also kept track of your kills and combat skill, so people would react and give you missions based on that and your reputation with their respective government. All the while the gameplay involved buying and completely customizing a ship of your choice however you see fit. This has got to be my absolute favorite single-player game of all time and I've put an absurd amount of time into it over the years.
5. Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front ; (PS2) A methodical tactical mech game that shows you the perspective of Zeonic forces during the 1 year war, Zeonic Front holds a special place in my heart. Before a battle even begins, the gameplay starts. First you read the mission briefing to determine whether what you need to equip on your mechs and what mechs you need, and how many people you want following each squad leader. If it's night? Night-vision goggles. If someone is going to act as a decoy? Send him out alone and don't weigh him down with extra troops. Next you go to the tactical map where you determine the route your squad will take, what points they'll stop at, which direction they're facing at any giving time... This is all before you even take control of one of the mechs on the field, and your AI allies are integrally important to the missions success.
Another thing this game manages to do right is how it ramps up the difficulty. At first, you're the only ones with mechs, so you absolutely dominate the battlefield, laughing as tanks fire at you with rounds that could only kill you if you turned your back to them. Then, midway through the game, the enemies are the ones laughing at your feeble attempts to hurt them as they fire beam cannons that tear you apart in one or two shots. It's at this point in the game that your tactics and choices on the battlefield absolutely matter. I'll be saying this a lot in this post, but what this game does no other game being released today does.
6. Diablo 2 ; (Mac/PC) ; A game with an awesome multiplayer community(Well, unless you're playing hardcore mode. People would murder you and steal your gold) that's still alive today. This game, while itself a descendant of other games, is what all loot games try to emulate today. The diverse skill trees, dark atmosphere, and fun roguelike dungeon crawling is something I'll always remember fondly, I even picked this up again for another run-through recently.
7. Star Wars Battlefront 2 ; (Xbox) This game has perfectly balanced a-symettrical class and faction based warfare that goes from space battles to ground battles. Online you'd have massive scale battles play out with a decent community to talk with, offline you had Galactic conquest which made great splitscreen play with three friends. It's also the only game I've ever felt did killstreak rewards right. Definitely a game I will always remember fondly, even if DICE screws up the next battlefront to the point it's unrecognizable.
8. Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy ; (Xbox) Offline it had a decent multi-branched story with fun missions set in the star wars universe. Online it had a great variety of game modes, ranging from king of the hill style 1v1 lightsaber duels in small arenas to Siege with deep class-based a-symetrical objective warfare where there's an attacking and defending team. You just don't see games like this nowadays.
10. MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf ; (Xbox) Does a lot of things differently than Mechassault 1, with the mechs that you can start with being map specific. I found addition of the tank and VTOL interesting and the map layout allowed for some nice tactical warfare. The galaxy conquest mode was interesting as a concept, but not well realized, though Chromehounds ended up taking the idea and making it awesome.
I had a really, really hard time getting to a top 10 list simply because I honestly don't care about 95% of the games that will dominate the top of the list with one exception.
1. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns ; The best version of the games that pretty much took most of my life between the Dreamcast import, the GBA version and the PS2 rounding it out. Just as much fun to watch as it is to play, and the customization to the point that I still have an up-to-date WWE on the PS3 now when it came out as a Classic. (2007, PS2)
2. Burnout 3: Takedown, ; I bought this on a whim with no experience with the first two games and ended up putting 60 hours into it. I think the fun of this game actually ruined non-Mario Kart racing games for me forever. (2005, PS2)
3. Persona 4 ; A super-deep RPG that came so late most people ignored it, myself included - but I got so far into the game on the PS2 that I paid full price for the ability to finish it portably. (2008, PS2)
4. Guitar Hero 2 ; The first game was a good demo, but the 2nd game had way more content and managed to secure master tracks which went a long way to perfecting the experience. Plus hey, Trogdor. (2006, PS2)
5. Pokemon Emerald ; I put about 900 hours into the Pokemon games during this generation but Emerald was the only one I felt the need to play in the run-up to Diamond and Pearl. The definitive Pokemon game for a generation, even setting aside the Battle Frontier because seriously screw that noise. (2005, GBA)
6. Street Fighter Alpha 3 ; I'm going with the Dreamcast version of this game because I sunk a stupid amount of time into the Dreamcast's World Tour mode, while the PS1/PSP versions were pretty much one-and-done. It's honestly my favourite Street Fighter game to this day. (1999, Dreamcast)
7. WarioWare: Mega Microgame$ ; They pretty much nailed the WarioWare formula with the first game, and even the lack of Ashley can be overcome with the very interesting games. Pay no attention to the unlockable Dr. Wario. (2003, GBA)
8. Final Fantasy X ; Yeah, I know, the laugh. But as someone who prefers his RPG combat turn-based in most cases, the battle system with its quick shuffling and character building that was fun while not being wholly exploitable gets it on the list. (2001, PS2)
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9. Soul Calibur 3 ; Wins over SC2 because really, more fighting games need character creators - let me make my own Link. Plus, I had way more multiplayer with this game than 2. (2005, PS2)
10. The Legend of Zelda; Twilight Princess ; Comedy Gamecube game option, it's the Zelda game that didn't make me seasick while playing it. (2006, Gamecube)
x. Skies of Arcadia ; Honestly the game I'm most depressed about missing from the whole generation. I played a few minutes of it and what I saw charmed me enough to see it through... but I never got the chance. At least there's Valkyria Chronicles. (2000, Dreamcast)
1. Deus Ex ; The game that both defied and deified game design conventions. To a modern player it might seem janky and unpractical in its mechanical design, but its also that very design that allows and encourages the player to explore the games multifacated approach to its goals and obstacles. It empowers the player by letting him or her play it the way they want to experience it. That combined with the games excellent level design, some of the best in any game ever, creates a truly organic experience that to this day is almost unparalleled.
2. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn ; In this day and age, a post Peter Jackson LOTR and Game of Thrones world, the fantasy genre tends to take itself more seriously than ever before. The BG games came out just before that and are thus, by comparison, somewhat juvenile. But it wears that badge with honour and doesn't try to hide it - Baldur's Gate II is a straight out fantasy romp and takes pride in it. This is a game with adventure literally around every nook and cranny.
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords ; This subversive take on Star Wars is not only unique, but also revealed a lot of depth and character in its ethos.
4. Half-Life 2 ; In my opinion it's not quite as good as the original, but still one of the best FPS campaigns around.
5. Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis ; This is the only single player campaign in a war game that made me feel like a soldier; a warrior stuck in a conflict that they themselves have no real control over - you're just another rifle.
6. Battlefield 2 ;
7. Battlefield 1942 ;
8. Driver 2: Back on the Streets ;
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ;
10. Max Payne ;
Here’s a list. This was super hard to decide, but fun!
Random mentions…
x. Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies ; [PS2] x. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 ; [PS2] x. Return to Castle Wolfenstein ; [PC] x. Okami ; [PS2] x. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory ; [PC] x. Rise of Nations ; [PC] x. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; [PS2]
…and close-but-no-cigar [almost in the top 10, but not quite. No particular order]
x. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ; [PS2] x. Bully ; [PS2] x. Grand Theft Auto III ; [PS2] x. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 ; [PS2] x. F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon ; [PC] x. ICO ; [PS2] x. Resident Evil 4 ; [PS2] x. Silent Hill 2 ; [PS2]
Top 10, numbered from 10 to 1:
10. EverQuest Online Adventures ; [PS2, 2003] - [pic not mine, never did get any actual in-game shots :/ ] - God-awful marketing aside, anyone who gave EQOA more than just a dismissive glance knows that it was a super-solid console MMO sorely limited in a number of ways (small group size/no raid groups, abysmal draw distance, low-res textures, etc). What they did manage to pull out of the PS2, however, was immensely impressive and so god damn much fun.
I don't think most people realize that it was an MMO on the PS2 with NO LOADING TIMES running across the world, much like WoW did later. There was no quest marker, and the quest log only gave a general description as to what needed to be done, meaning you had to explore and memorize details and locations. The quests themselves ranged from fetch quests to intricate, obtuse, multi-step ARG-style journeys - which usually required a group and were always super fun. There were rare spawns dropping super rare gear, like a robe that any character could wear (in a game where only casters had robes). There were a couple of dragons to raid on release, and there was quickly another patched in along with a full raid zone - the Isle of Dread - which was horror-themed (traditional, not movie) and actually super tense and creepy. And hard. It showed me that playing an MMO with a gamepad could be not only enjoyable, but potentially preferable to keyboard & mouse.
I suppose I had the big advantage of playing from the get-go with like-minded people who wanted to destroy the game, which we did, all creating characters as soon as Marr's Fist went live and proceeding to hit max level, complete our epic questlines, and server-first'd the available raid encounters within a few weeks, if memory serves. Since that was going to be all the content for a while, the good times didn't last long - but while they did, it was some of the most fun I'd ever had in online gaming. Not exactly one of the 'greatest' games, but definitely one of my 'favorites'.
9. Suikoden III ; [PS2, 2002] - I only had a bit of experience with Suikoden II at the time III was released, but the reviews were stellar, so I dove in sight unseen. I remember being super hyped to play a good JRPG, so in a way I was putting all of my eggs into the Suikoden III basket - and it totally paid off. The Trinity system (+3 extras) was such a cool way to tell a game story, all 108 characters were unique and interesting, and it features a very satisfying battle system - one of my favorite ever. Building up the castle by opening new areas and having the characters you meet all over the world fill them in with shops and things was really satisfying. And props to one of my favorite intro movies, which makes me wonder if this story could have worked as a short anime series or OVA. Even reading previews and later reviews for Suikoden III before I had purchased it, there was something very appealing and attractive about it. Even years later - at this point I haven't played it in maybe 5-6 years - it still feels like a good place to go, somewhere I want to return to. Given my Persona 4 description, I suppose this is probably my 4th favorite RPG.
8. Silent Hill 3 ; [PS2, 2003] - I played the original Silent Hill soon after it released, and absolutely loved it. Silent Hill 2 was a tougher egg to crack, since I never actually owned it, only rented. When 3 came along, I was enthralled by everything I saw about it in magazines - it just looked unreal, far ahead of anything else. It still looks amazing today, more than a decade later - which is more than can be said for 99.9% of 3D games. While I enjoy SH2's soundtrack the most overall (probably top 5 ever), Yamaoka went in a more structured yet odd direction with 3 that resulted in some truly haunting musical moments (even the Major's vocal pieces fit in just fine). Most importantly though, Silent Hill 3's atmospheric tension was physically exhausting to endure, which to me is the hallmark of a truly masterful horror experience. And the bathroom scene: holy christ, man.
7. Unreal Tournament 2004 ; [PC, 2004] - A game that I can just endlessly go back to and have fun in - and have for the last decade. Moreso than Quake III, 2K4 is, for me, the pinnacle of fast-paced, over-the-top, FPS gameplay. UTIII was a valiant effort, but the speed and feel of 2K4 has yet to be bested.
6 Shadow of the Colossus ; [PS2, 2005] - A master class in atmosphere and scale, nothing quite like Shadow of the Colossus has ever been released (or even attempted), not even by the team that created it.
5. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne ; [PC, 2003] - The best third-person shooter of all time, and possibly the best bullet-time implementation (maybe tied with F.E.A.R.). I have a weakness for noir-ish intrigue and copious amounts of metaphoric one-liners, so this this game was a no-brainer, but still better than I'd expected. Easily the best in-universe TV shows, as well, my lord... my lady.
4. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 ; [PS2, 2008] - Somewhere in the top three RPGs I've ever played (alongside Final Fantasy VII and Shining Force II), but certainly my favorite RPG of the last 15 years. Great story, lovable characters, fantastically varied and realized aesthetics, and addictive gameplay. Between playing the PS2 release through a couple of times, and most of the way through Golden, probably the most time I've spent with a single player game since FFVII. If Persona 4 had never come out, Persona 3 would be here, as 4 was a step up in every possible way.
3. Half-Life 2 ; [PC, 2004] - The best single-player FPS ever, and my favorite fictional universe in gaming. I've probably completed Half-Life 2 more times than any other game, which is sort of crazy for such a heavily story-driven game, but the gunplay and physics (for the time) are excellent. I've seen many people - fans and critics alike - mention how the game just goes on far too long, wearing out its welcome, and I just couldn't disagree more. I can't get enough of being in this world, and - still - can't wait for whatever the next installment may be... whenever the next installment may be.
2. Deus Ex ; [PC, 2000] - I actually played the PS2 version of this first, since right after release it was only $10 at Wal-Mart - basically an impulse buy. Once I realized what it actually was, though, I found the PC version and fell in love. I don't consider this to be an FPS exactly - it's the quintessential open-ended play-how-you-want RPG in an awesome cyberpunk world. The graphics were never amazing, but the freedom of action, quirky characters, and amazing soundtrack more than made up for any visual deficiencies. Anyway though, just look at my username. LOOK AT IT.
1. World of Warcraft ; [PC, 2004] - I'm willing to bet that World of Warcraft has been played for the greatest cumulative amount of time compared to any other game since its release - it certainly was for me, and all that time resulted in many of my favorite gaming memories ever. I can still rattle off a stupid list of meaningless accomplishments from WoW that, nonetheless, I'm happy to look back fondly on [nsfw]. Never has a game done so many things right, much less continue to do so for such a long period of time, as WoW has. The truest game changer, an undeniable juggernaut, and one of the greatest games of all time.
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Thanks for putting the thread together, AniHawk!
1. Metal Gear Solid 3 ; (Probably) my favorite game of all time, really like almost everything about it. One of the best endings of all time, fun boss fights, fun stealth (and enemy AI that was fun to mess with!), Kojima's crazy attention to detail... A fantastic game.
2. Persona 3 FES ; Sorta wish I could put Pesona 4 here, but I only played Golden on Vita, I did play the PS2 version of Persona 3. Still a fantastic game in its own right. Soundtrack is awesome, Persona fusing is addicting, great cast of characters, the intro of Social Links (and this game has my 2 favorite social links still, Maiko and Maya). One of the best RPGs I've ever played. Led to me becoming a little obsessed with Persona over the past couple years!
3. Metal Gear Solid 2 ; Yeah, 2 of the top 3 spots are Metal Gear, get over it! Still love the top-down building infiltration type gameplay that MGS1 and 2 have, I miss it in some ways over the more open 3, 4, and PW. The Tanker chapter is really everything you could ask for in a sequel to MGS, then everything gets turned on it's head.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; Starting to get to games I haven't played in a while on the list. I honestly don't remember a lot of the details of Twilight Princess, but I remember really enjoying it. Slow intros (which I DO remember) in games don't usually bother me, and I actually like it here.
5. Kingdom Hearts 2 ; Greatly improved on the combat of KH1. Yeah the story got crazy, but who cares when it's so fun to play?
6. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; I was probably terrible at this game. But I was better than all my friends, and that's all that really matters
7. Final Fantasy X ; Another game I haven't played since way back (I have started up the HD release recently but not made it very far). I remember really liking the Sphere Grid system, the turn-based battle system (and being able to switch members) on the fly was great, the soundtrack is great, and I dug the story too. Great RPG. ("hallways" never bothered me)
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past/Four Swords Adventure ; I never played the original SNES version, this was my only exposure to the game. Not much to be said about the game that hasn't been said by a million other people, it's an amazing game. The extra 4 swords stuff was pretty cool too, especially if you could get enough friends with GBAs and link cables to play with
9. Mega Man Battle Network 3 ; Spent so many nights staying up way too late playing these games, this one is my favorite from the series. The combat system is flat out awesome, and I'm shocked no one has copied it, especially since the series is dead. Really love these games, this is actually my favorite version of Mega Man.
10. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal ; The crazy weapons and upgrading were perfected in this one, I think it's the first one in the series that really nailed down the humor too. Still tons of fun to play today
Honorable Mentions:
x. Pokemon Emerald ;
x. Kingdom Hearts ;
x. Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando ;
x. The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap ;
x. Final Fantasy X-2 ;
x. MVP Baseball 2005 ;
x. Madden NFL 2005 ;
1) Dragon Quest 8 ; When this game came out, it just took over my life. I immediately put over 100 hours into it, which for me is unheard of, especially because I did it all at once without getting distracted in the middle and moving on to another game and coming back to it eventually. Nope, all at once. I even did all the optional dungeons, which I dont usually/always do. I was already a fan of the DQ games, though thanks to Enixs localization policies, I had really only played Dragon Warrior 1-3. When DQ7 released I missed it because it wasnt a good time for me to get it. But I was ready for DQ8 and it was my favorite game of last gen.
2) Super Mario Sunshine ; This game gets criticized because its the game that had the severe misfortune of following Mario 64. People seemed to expect Nintendo to come up with something that was just as different and evolutionary a leap as Mario 64 was from the SNES titles, which was of course, absurd. Id argue that none of the games since then have been a huge leap from Mario 64, but that doesnt mean they arent great games. For Sunshine, Nintendo tried something different, and I dont just mean the inclusion of FLUDD. They based a whole game around an Island theme. Gone were the traditional Mario tropes of a Snow level and lava level and under ground level and under water level. These levels all revolved around a tropical theme. And yet they all managed to be diverse and interesting. And the platforming levels without FLUDD offered a very welcome challenge and solid gameplay. Mario games get criticized for being too easy, but this game is probably the most challenging Mario Title (other than maybe the Japanese SMB2)
3) Animal Crossing ; I had an incredible amount of disdain for this game prior to its release. It looked like everything that I thought was wrong with Nintendo. It was a boring game where you didnt do anything and the Fisher Price characters looked like they were designed for toddlers. Positive word of mouth got me to rent the game at Blockbuster (a week before the game actually came out) I had to buy a memory card for it, because though the game itself came with one, Blockbuster didnt include that when they rented it to me. And so my little town of CrackVil was born and I became obsessed. As soon as my rental period was over I bought the game. I had to create a new town on the new memory card I received because I wanted the gifts from Nintendo (two NES games playable in-game) I used those games to trade for all the games I was missing and then helped other people get the games they needed. I met one of my best friends through the game, I was In his wedding. I cant think of another example where I was so wrong about a game.
4) Super Smash Brothers Melee ; To me this is still the greatest Smash game. I loved Adventure mode and using it to unlock things. I loved getting coins and trying to get all the trophies. I loved everything about this game. Im no fighting game fan by any means, and I know nobody considers this a true fighting game but this game transcends fighting games. Its just a phenomenal game and you dont have to like fighting games to love this game.
5) Resident Evil 4 ; The best action game of all time. Its not the horror game that the first game was (or the Silent Hill series) but it still scared me when I first played it. But the action and the combat was just so satisfying. And the game looked gorgeous. To me the fight at the village in the beginning of the game is one of the most memorable moments in video gaming. Its fun just to go back and play that scene.
6) Guitar Hero ; This game came out of nowhere for me. I remember walking into Gamestop and they had this on display, so I started to play with it. That night, it was all I could think about and I went back the next day and bought it. It was a great game for parties and for playing by myself. Quality-wise, the game has been surpassed. Subsequent games would have longer track lists and use the actual artists, not mostly-decent covers. As a bonus, I discovered quite a few great songs from this and others in the series. I even made a mix cd at one point of just songs I grew to love from these games.
7) Halo: Combat Evolved ; When this came out and started amassing great reviews I was skeptical. Why would a console gamer want to play a first person shooter? I remember my neighbor in college got an xbox one and we all played together and I started to get it. And then I bought an Xbox and a copy of Halo and then I REALLY got it. The game was just magical. The graphics seemed incredible to me at the time, its hilarious to look back at them now after the anniversary edition. And that sound track, thats probably the best theme song in video games.
8) Skies of Arcadia ; at a time when Japanese RPGs were getting dark and gritty, here arrived Skies of Arcadia. It was bright and funny and optimistic. It conveyed a fantastic sense of adventure and exploring as you recruited new crew and discovered new locations. It was a really excellent Japanese RPG that arrived on two systems: The DreamCast and the Game Cube and was the best RPG available on either (Though to be fair, that wasnt saying all that much, as both systems could have used more RPGs).
9) Eternal Darkness ; As someone who loves history, I adored the notion of going to the same locations at different points in history. The story was really fascinating, the music and sound effects added so well to the mood.
10) Metroid Prime ; While Mario and Links transition into 3D was somewhat obvious, Metroid never was. Side scrolling 8 and 16 bit shooters like Megaman and Contra have struggled to make the transition. When it was announced that Metroid was going to come back as a first person shooter, a lot of people hated the idea. As we know now, they were wrong, and Metroid Prime wound up being one of the very best games of the generation.
Honerable Mentions: X) Metal Gear Solid 2 ; The hardest cut. This is the game I bought my PS2 for. I still remember getting this game for Christmas and playing the hell out of it during the winter break. I loved the cinematic qualities and the little touches. I never minded the Raiden reveal. It was new and different and interesting, and its not like it made the game less fun to play. x) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
X) Burnout 3: Takedown
X) Spy Hunter - When I saw people's lists I was appalled at the lack of Burnout 3 and Spy Hunter. Then I couldn't fit them on my own list. Whelp. X) Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
X) Soul Caliber 2
X) NBA 2K1
spoiling things kinda, but looking at overall platforms, and counting multiplatforms, gc and xbox are rather close, but far behind ps2. only count exclusives, and the xbox tumbles behind a few other platforms.
God... PS2 has SO MUCH really INCREDIBLE games that narrowing it to just 10 is just... a really difficult task. After much deliberation, here is my list:
1. Xenosaga trilogy, or if trilogy is not allowed, Xenosaga III: the final part of what I consider to this day the best RPG trilogy ever made. Parting with the Xenosaga series is like parting with a friend or family, I've grown a strong emotional attachment to all of them that ending my play with the series really affected me emotionally. Up to this day, no game has ever affected my emotions more than Xenosaga III.
2. Ace Combat 5: Unsung War. In my opinion, the perfect Ace Combat game, with characters that I love, gameplay that I dig, and story that I am involved in. There is no better game series that can instill "you are a badass" as well as Ace Combat games, and this is especially true in Ace Combat 5.
3. Resident Evil 4: scary, tense, amazing; from start to finish, this game haunts me in a good way. I will never forget the feeling of first encountering the Regenerators. The only slight I can send to it is its weak final boss battle, but other than that, a really great experience to play through and one that I will not forget.
4. Persona 3 FES: a better game than Persona 4 in my opinion, at least in terms of overall atmosphere, story, and characters. At times it can be unforgiving, at times it can be emotionally crushing, at times it can be inspiring, but all of those times are good times... good times indeed. Playing through the ending and through The Answer gave me a rare kind of feeling that I only associate with the best games; I was emotionally very invested to my experience playing this game.
5. Dragon Quest VIII: I've spent a vast amount of time playing this game, unlocking all of its secrets and beating all of the strongest monsters. I really like this game because it's like playing through a fairy tale. I am also a big sucker for romance and the romance between the Main Character and the Princess was so sweet, so innocent, it sucked me badly. The good ending was one of the sweetest endings of any video games I have ever played: simple, yet rewarding.
6. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: One of the best RPG donning the venerable Shin Megami Tensei names, this RPG has everything: incredible atmosphere, great battle system, INCREDIBLE music (featuring many songs that can easily enter my best video game music list), and a thoroughly addicting collect-them-all monster/demon compendium/fusing system. From top to bottom, this is a VERY fine RPG through and through (and the True Demon ending is still one of the most badass video game endings of ALL TIME)
7. Shadow of the Colossus: Fantastic atmosphere and ambience, incredible music, unique story, and one-of-a-kind gameplay system all collided into one experience I doubt I can forget anytime soon, if ever. Never before have I been awed so much like that one time I climbed the gigantic 3rd Colossus, or when I grab the fur of that bird Colossus that took me through the sky, or when I held on to dear life during life and death battle with the swimming Colossus, or when I rode Agro and then jumped towards the wing of that gigantic and majestic flying Colossus....... a fantastic, fantastic experience.
8. Suikoden V: the game that became the victim of Suikoden IV (which I thought was an okay game), and unfortunately this is such a gem of a victim. Fantastic characters (with amazing costumes!), fantastic emotional payoff during the early hours of the game that culminate into an event so emotionally inflicting I was really glued to the screen, not wanting to let go, fantastic character collecting, great music, etc etc. It is unlikely that Suikoden would be revived as a major RPG again, but even if it doesn't, at least its final game managed to make a very visible mark on my heart.
9. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly: has a reputation as one of the best horror videogames of all time, and it is for very good reason; not only it is plenty scary, it also boasted incredible atmosphere, unique battle system, and a great story with compelling characters and world that I could really invest myself into emotionally. The Hard Ending, in particular, was very good, and it also featured simply one of the best ending credit musics throughout the PS2 era.
10. Shinobi PS2.: The only action game where I actually bothered to complete in all difficulties from normal to super while also collecting all the collectibles and such. I'd never forget the utter joy I felt when I finally managed to land the final blow to the last boss in Super difficulty. Love this game to death.
Honorable mentions
x. Ace Combat Zero.
x. Ace Combat 4.
x. Persona 4.
x. Final Fantasy X.
x. GTA San Andreas.
x. Kunoichi (Nightshade).
x. Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition.
x. Metal Gear Solid 3.
x. Silent Hill 3.
x. SSX 3.
x. Zone of the Enders 2.
Man... you just can't beat the PS2. NEVER AGAIN will we have so much incredible experience crammed into just one console.....
1. Diablo 2; The game that defined a genre, and to this day,no game has managed to do it better.
2. Morrowind; It has the best world design I have ever seen in a game, and an amazing soundtrack.
3. Half life 2; the last great single player FPS.
4. Arcanum; An rpg in an open steampunk world with deep role playing elements? sign me in.
5. Vampire the masquerade bloodlines; another great RPG from troika
6. Gothic 2;
7. Warcraft 3; It's a shame many people only see this game as a means to play DOTA.
8. Zelda Wind waker; the best zelda game ever made
9. Metroid prime - The first to do the metroidvania genre right in 3D.
10. Baten Kaitos origins - interesting story, innovative battle system,and a godly soundtrack
1.Shadow of the Colossus; The first game that opened my mind to what is truly possible of video games as a medium. Beautiful soundtrack and visuals with incredible game mechanics.
2.Devil May Cry 3; The best character action game period. Crazy stylish and super fun.
3.Metal Gear solid 2; The underlying meanings behind this game makes it truly ahead of its time.
4.Metal Gear Solid 3; Great story, characters and gameplay. A solid action game through and through.
5.Devil May Cry; The father of my favorite video game genre.
6.Resident Evil 4; The most tightly paced and designed action games ever made.
7.God of War 2; Brutal visceral action at its best.
8.Prince of Persia Sands of time; Great story, platforming with awesome time bending mechanics.
9. Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4; The world and characters of persona 4 are seeming alive and I have real feelings for them.
10.Burnout 3 Takedown; The best racing game ever. It still holds up incredibly well.Arcade-y fun racing at its best.
Lot of great titles to choose from and overall really difficult to make top10 list of this generation. Also to prevent having only few franchises on my ballot I decided to pick only one game from any franchise.
1. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2) ; One of the greatest achievements this medium will ever have.
2. Resident Evil 4 (PS2) ; I remember hating this game because you had to stop to shoot. After it clicked though it became one of my favorite games of all time.
3. Silent Hill 2 (PS2); Great story, amazing visuals considering how old it is and fantastic soundtrack. Still the best survival horror game ever made.
4. Devil May Cry 3 (PS2) ; Loved the first one but this game improves on everything except the atmosphere which is still good here. Easily one of the best action games ever made.
5. Persona 3 FES (PS2) ; Fantastic story and characters accompanied with great soundtrack and gameplay.
6. Kingdom Hearts 2 (PS2) ; Great action-RPG from that improved on lot of mechanics of the first game. Story became somewhat messy with this title but it was still great story.
7. Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (PS2) ; High-speed robot action at its finest. Great visuals, soundtrack and gameplay.
8. Okami (PS2) ; Great art style that will always look stunning. Game has some pacing issues but overall experience is great.
9. Counter Strike: Source (PC) ; So many hours put into this game that even though I don’t care for this game that much anymore I had to put it on the list.
10. Tony Hawk’s Underground (PS2) ; Best Tony Hawk game as it gives you lot of mobility and options to do different crazy combos. Fantastic soundtrack and great level design.
x. Resident Evil: Remake
x. Silent Hill 3
x. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
x. Devil May Cry
x. God Hand
x. Persona 4
x. War of the Monsters
x. Burnout 3: Takedown
x. God of War 2
x. Half-Life 2
x. Flatout
x. Midnight Club 2
x. Twisted Metal: Black
x. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
1. Baldur's Gate II ; THE epitome of the cRPG. Great winding narrative that is influenced by your words and deed? Check. Huge areas that you are rewarded for exploring? Check. Tense, tactical party combat? Check. Great companions with compelling backstories? Check. Not just loot, but loot with 5 paragraphs worth of lore? Check. Amazing, multi-stage, epic side quests that DO NOT involve collecting x of this or that? Check. Simply the best RPG of the decade.
2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ; Bioware's other masterpiece. Take the Star Wars liscence and apply 2/3's baldur's gate and you get what is probably one of the top three RPG's of all time.
3. Half-Life 2 ;
4. Rome: Total War ;
5. Deus Ex ;
6. Diablo II ;
7. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind ;
8. Unreal Tournament 2004 ;
9. Thief: Deadly Shadows ;
10. Civilization IV ;
x. Medieval: Total War ;
x. Galactic Civilizations ;
x. Giants: Citizen Kabuto ;
x. Neverwinter Nights ;
x. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos ;
x. Battlefield 1942 ;
x. Far Cry ;
x. Homeworld 2 ;
x. Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura ;
x. SimCity 4 ;
x. Doom 3 ;
x. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines ;
x. World of Warcraft ;
x. Guild Wars ;
x. Battlefield 2 ;
x. The longest journey ;
x. Thief II: The metal age ;
x. Counterstrike: Source ;
1. Deus Ex.
One of the all-time great adventures. Deus Ex has a genuinely interesting narrative, and offered many different ways to play. Truly ahead of its time.
2. Rez
3. Shenmue
4. Half-Life 2
5. Resident Evil 4
6. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
7. Civilization IV
8, Battlefield 1942
9. Jet Set Radio
10. Chu Chu Rocket
1. Jet Set Radio ; That game introduced me to celshading and was unlike anything I have played before. The urban scenario, the street art, the soundtrack, the overall creative energy of this title make this one of my all-time favorite games. All the positives, to me, far outweigh the negative aspects (such as camera control and some questionable character physics and enemy encounters, for example).
2. Skies of Arcadia ; Being hungry for JRPGs after coming from a PC/N64 combo of several years, I was glad to find this gem on my Dreamcast. The sense of adventure, the fantastic concept of isles in the skies, the pure amount of content. It has flaws like endless random battles and a fun, but often slow battle system. Then again, it had that clever weapon-colour change mechanic which made the battles surprisingly fun and fresh to play. The overall product shines as being one of my favorite RPGs of all time. It has a certain kind of atmosphere similiar to classics such as Lunar or Grandia which is rare in more recent games of the genre.
3. Shenmue 2 ; This was the future of gaming! Similiar gameplay to Shenmue 1, but quite different in regards to world building and atmosphere, Shenmue 2 was a bigger and more game-like experience than Shenmue 1 at a time when sandbox games where still in their pre-GTA3 era. Certain aspects of the game, such as controls and pacing, have aged, sure. But the sense of freedom, the atmosphere of a true playable 80s martial arts epic and the immersive build-up of characters and world (every NPC has a distinct look and every location is handcrafted) make it stand out so much to me, even today. There was never anything really like it since...
4. The Legend of Zelda: Majoras Mask ; I didn't fully appreciate this game till many years later since it was one of my last N64 games and I was completely into Dreamcast at that time. Still enjoyed it back then, but began to love it in the late 2000s. The way Majoras Mask builds up a microcosmos of characters and little stories, the sense of urgency and despair, the interesting mechanics of time and character change: This game is unique and playing the 3DS version today, it still is relevant in so many ways when it comes to game design with lots of player restrictions and still achieving a feel of a living world.
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; This was my second exposure to the series, the first being Twin Snakes. I replayed the game, actually, 2 weeks ago and in terms of possibilities how to mess with the enemies, animals and areas the game still is so much fun. Multiple possibilities how to solve certain situations, memorable characters everywhere, a sometimes clumsy, but complex and deep control scheme and game design make this the best Metal Gear Solid in my opinion - not because other games in the series don't offer the same in many ways, but in MGS3, everything just comes together. And arguably, it has the best storyline of all MGS games (with MGS2 being close second, but for completely different reasons). This will probably always be my secret agent action thriller game of all time.
6. Ninja Gaiden Black ; I am a huge Itagaki fanboy. From the Dead or Alive series and spinoffs to Ninja Gaiden up until the promising Devil's Third which even with the slight backlash at its WiiU trailer will have the benefit of the doubt from me in every way. This is because here is Ninja Gaiden Black, one of the very best character action games of all time. The tight responsive controls, the enemy AI, the gigantic bosses, the hard but fair battle system and of course also the graphically perfect (for the time) presentation made this a classic I still play today.
7. Metal Slug 3 ; SNK, so many good 2D games. While I slightly prefer Metal Slug X to 3, this seemed to be (back then) one of the last real 2D run n'gun epics. Imaginative enemy and weapon design, most fantastic pixelart, responsive controls, the branching leveldesign - all great. Can't wait for the PS Vita version.
8. Katamari Damacy ; This game really moved me. A fantastic, imaginative and metaphorical gameplay which wasn't only lots of fun, but also had a positive message. Style and music are unmatched, the unusual controls are nice. Writing this, I guess I just have to dust off my PS2 these days. (How's the Vita version, anyway? Always hearing mixed things about it...)
9. Icewind Dale ; My personal PC era began to fade out when I got back big into console games with the Dreamcast and subsequent systems. While Baldur's Gate 1&2 might have been the bigger and more ambitious RPGs, I was and still am a kinda dungeon-running sorta guy. And this, for me, is THE dungeon runner of the 2000s (though... still have to play Wizardry 8 some day). Fantastic setting which the developers used wisely to get around the possible restrictions, this really felt like an adventure at the end of the world. Venturing deep into the forgotten, icy dungeons, inbetween travelling through the small villages in the icy tundra of the region. The seemingly smaller scale made this feel like a more personal experience compared to other, more globe-trotting games in the genre. AD&Ds RPG system also was lots of fun to get into and "count numbers" with.
10. Phantasy Star Online ; I was amazed by the scale of the game and the simple but satisfying combat system. Soundtrack and the scifi-world gave the game a nice touch and I still hum some of the melodies unconsciously. Customisation options and grinding for new and better equipment was enjoyable over the course of several difficulties and even a new graphic style was added for some stages and enemies in the last difficulty setting. Oh, let's not forget that it was online and a blast in multiplayer! Played it on both Dreamcast and local multiplayer Gamecube - great times.
x. TimeSplitters 3: Future Perfect ; My favorite console FPS. Humour, cool comic book-like designs, lots and lots of modes for multiplayer.
x. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 ; I actually like the first more for nostalgia, but this one enhanced the gameplay mechanics and overall quality. This was the trendsport genre reaching its peak, and it is a cool window into the late90s/early 2000s youth culture with its references, soundtrack and humour.
x. Dead or Alive 2 ; I love the fighting system of rock/paper/scissors in attack/conter/hold and the ensuing mindgame. Yeah, I also like the characters and the fanservice. The interactive stages with several layers where the battle could go and continue. 2 was the best, to me, especially in the Ultimate version.
x. Wario Land 4 ; Surreal settings, classic Wario exploration gameplay, the thrill of having to escape a self-destructing stage in the second half of every level, the soundtrack. Here, it is Nintendo experimenting with their character style and the concept of the genre and level-design. They did that a lot in the early 2000s.
x. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker ; Strong Zelda experience with the feel of travel on the ocean, a slower and a bit melancholic overall pacing of the game, excellent dungeons and an unique graphical style.
x. Unreal Tournament 2004 ; Arena shooting games were some of my favorite games in the late 90s and early 2000s. While I like the speed of Quake 3, I prefer the level design and weapons of UT2004. The vehicle sequences were amazing back then, the different modes lots of fun and there were so many maps. Controls and technical quality also rocked. So much.
______
I notice that I could now go on and on with that list. 2000-2005 was a really strong time in gaming - lots of old genres of the 90s evolved and now enabled classics still perfectly playable compared to the sometimes awkward early 3D games where it could be a bit hit-or-miss with controls and 3D-character movement. Milestones of conceptual creativity with important games such as Ico, REZ, Katamari Damacy could be observed. Console gaming space changed a lot with the fall of SEGA and the rise of Microsoft who brought a more western, PC Games-style approach to the former Japanese-dominated console space. PS2 made gaming a true mass phenomenon while the Nintendo DS made everyone a gaming enthusiast. Something was maybe lost in that time because of rising costs for game developments, which meant some franchises began to try appealing to as big of an audience as possible. It was also the swan song era for classic Arcade style gaming (which got a bit of a renaissance in the last few years).
8. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat ; After thinking about it for a long time, this one made the list. It had a disappointing remake on the Wii (gameplay changes make it just not as smart nor fun), but the original is just fantastic on most points. Who could have thought a platformer would work so well with just bongos?! Koizumi, now well-known for being in charge of the 3D Mario franchise, did a superb game design work with a limited peripheral (tap & clap) to give us a game that is not only accessible and fun from the get go, but can also be really challenging for hardcore players, giving it a lot of replayability. Bosses can seem gimmicky at first, until you get how it is really following rhythm games tropes. Platformer phases give you red hands after hours of fun in front of your tv, clapping and tapping with a big smile as Donkey Kong destroy every enemy and is just as agile as in recent 2D DKC games. This is what game design is also made of: make something deep, fun, rewarding, accessible, with a limited genre and limited controls.
I had so many hours of fun with it, and the game design is just so good, that I just had to put it in.
Play the GC version if you can, the Wii remake isn't really good.
I'm going to need a couple of posts for this one so I'll be utilising the novelty of counting down from 10, oh the suspense!
The correctly formatted version of the list comes at the end by the way.
This is a generation so rich of games that there's still many depths for me to discover and a ton of top 10 contenders that have to miss this one out even if it pains me. I'll start with the more fortunate of these that reach honourable mention status.
x Metroid Fusion
Linear Metroid sounds like an oxymoron, Fusion is interesting like that seeing that it toes that line yet never in a regretful sense, it guides the player enough to direct you towards an objective but often wont tell you how to actually get there, this format is rather ideal for its portable format so that you never lose sight of what to do while still retaining that all important exploration.
Bosses are among the series best taking a much more aggressive and varied role to those in Super that really help play up the action side of the series taking greater advantage of Samus mobility. Just barely edges out Metroid Zero Mission and Castlevania Aria of Sorrow to be my handheld metroidvania of choice for the generation.
x The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Okay so firstly I have to say right now that this game has quite the downhill slide upon reaching the halfway point, what couldve sailed into the finest waters springs a leak and starts slowly sinking into the murky deep which is fitting because Ganons Lair is at the bottom of the ocean after all and is as slapdash as final area as they come.
Still let us remember the good times on the Great Sea, Wind Waker is a very solid entry into the Zelda series that offered a different type of overworld to traverse, gone are the green fields replaced by the vast blue ocean. The visuals havent aged a day, the formula still holds strong and it has cartoony whimsy by the bucket loads imbuing even a mute lead like Link with expressive character. While the realization that the islands dotted around the Great Sea arent often as grand as Id like Id still happily fill in that map and chart the waters, even if its another underwhelming *insert number* eye reef.
I actually much prefer Twilight Princess but I never played the GC version of it so Wind Waker youre a lucky scamp right now.
x. Metroid Prime 2
Lets just say that Sanctuary Fortress is the best area in the entire series, Retro pulled out all the stops putting together this wonderfully designed tech fortress filled to the brim with a mechanically moving environment thats a joy to look at in motion while not skimping on the actual design which reaches the Trilogies most complex and rewarding stage structure capped off with a host of varied boss battles that take advantage of the expanded power set available to the player.
As a whole It draws a lot of the same strengths as the original game with higher highs but also lower lows as The Xtortionist also said earlier in the thread, if the overall map for Aether connected as well as Tallon IV you mightve seen a different game topping my list (oh gee that's a spoiler! Well for varieties sake only one Metroid can make the top 10).
Safe to say Metroid was on fire this gen.
x. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
When not pulling you out of the action for either more long winded dialogue or menu diving once more to patch up another addition to the injury list Snake Eater for me is the series at its best. The cinematics while still bordering on being too much are at their most engaging telling a touch more standalone tale away not as heavily shackled to the rest of the saga that stands up on its own merits and all while retaining that enigmatic absurdity that the franchise partakes in when it feels inclined to.
And what a boss line up, a wacky bunch to be sure yet The Cobra Unit provide memorable encounters each one different to the last. The series still has a bit of clunk in its controls but that doesnt take away from its almost toybox like approach to stealth gameplay.
Now onto the main event.
10. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Safe to say that across the previous generation 3D platformers had slowly but surely shifted into being more about world traversing as opposed to finely tuned platforming challenges, Jak & Daxter though is a game that represents the best of both worlds, its going to give you a vast land to explore without skimping on the obstacle course where the collectathon meets platforming focused world design.
Theres an interesting world setup in play that adds an element of open world design effectively blending the hubs and various areas together, it's still gated to a degree roughly split into three main hubs separated by vehicle sections but it comes together to make the game feel that much more like a full on journey, It also flows together well managing to bypass any jarring loading screens.
Jak himself isnt really the most endearing of characters, a mute protagonist with a design that doesnt exactly leap off the screen, Daxter seems to exist purely to fill those blanks, he wont be much help in game but hes well animated and full of snark but shared title aside this is pretty much all about Jak whos the one doing all the legwork, Daxter is just piggybacking off his glory.
Still the environments burst with bold colours, platforms are clear and coherent, its quite impressive that they manage to intertwine the more obstacle course like platforming features while still coming across cohesive with the open maps theyve created.
Light on the underwhelming minigames unlike others in the genre both before and after it, fortunately heavier on the nabbing and platforming, effectively I like to think of J&D as one of the best examples at how you can tackle an open 3D platformer that doesnt do anything truly amazing, it just does what it does damn well and its still a blast to play now.
And on the other end of the spectrum is Jak 2, a game that would get my negative vote if possible, yes I'm obligated to get that jab in.
9. Timesplitters 2
Poor Chassisbot, forever cursed to be the one engulfed in the green flames of virus, a mode he can never win just because he was unfortunate enough to end up in the starter spot of my default custom bot line up, still without him where would my multiplayer be? Chassisbot, I salute your commitment to the spread of Virus, may we all flee in terror forever more when catching a glimpse of your emerald engulfed form sprinting down the dreary hospital corridors.
So Timesplitters 2 is very much like the FPS plucked from my brain, a single player campaign in the now vintage style of Perfect Dark and Goldeneye set wherever the hell it feels like due to the freedom of time travel complete with a cartoony aesthetic that leads to it multiplayer having a roster where the likes of a bipedal Calimari and Gingerbread man join forces to tackle Tommy Gun toting mobsters in a Circus Big Top.
TS2 offers a host of modes to jump around, its campaign may be short lived but thats not even half the game when you factor in the challenges and arcade league modes which can task you with setting fire to Snowmen one second and punching waves of zombies heads off the next. While the single player content is surprisingly robust the lasting memories come from the multiplayer and with all the options available I have to expect every group has their own standbys, just know that elimination one hit kill bricks is a good one.
Admittedly Its not a mechanically masterful shooter, it really benefits from the sum of its parts coming together right down to even the witty little descriptors for each character and scenario explanations that gives the game its own charm, a rather British one at that (the best kind!).
TS2 is just the sort of FPS you dont see anymore, it stat tracks how many watermelons Ive blasted to bits, I can play as a Stone Golem or a Fishbowl headed robot, theres an unlockable for slow mo deaths just because, its the best kind of silly and it being a great well rounded title on top of that ensures that Ill fondly remember it.
8. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
In an unusual turn of events Platforming was not the plumbers forte this generation, after taking his passable vacation to Delfino Island Mario seemed much more content to spend the rest of the gen spinning off in every other direction to mixed results. He threw so many parties the novelty ran dry, he took up more sports, he even busted some awkward looking moves through a Mario themed DDR game, let it be said that if the term throwing shapes is being used within this series It best be fired from a Magikoopas wand and not witnessing Marios dismal dancing, or actually maybe Ill let it slide when hes doing the leveling up Superstar Saga shuffle.
The door was left open for two Mario RPG titles to steal the series spotlight, while both are strong I have to favour the game that finally brings the bros back together, Ill shut the thousand year door and embrace the Superstar Saga.
You know youre off to a good start when the usually kidnapping premise is tackled in the off beat way of the Peachs voice being stolen and replaced by explosive vocabulary bombing out of the speech bubbles. Superstar Saga isnt afraid to be silly, it positively revels in it with the backdrop of the bean bean kingdom providing a stylistic shift where things just feel a little bit more insane.
The joy of Superstar Saga is in its commitment to the duo act of Mario & Luigi, traversing the overworld requires the bros to twirl in tandem over chasms and even set Luigis backside on fire for a speedy sprint, its all very slapstick at times. Effectively the A button is Mario and the B button is Luigi, this carries over into the battle system which overcomes its potential limitations by focusing more on the foes with a small selection of timing based attacks on the players part, learning the enemy tells is the key to success and mastery of this creates a turn based system where you can evade everything and punish foes for attacking. I liken Superstar Saga to an RPG that on the surface is designed for those who dont gel with the complexities the genre can find itself in, its simple and easy to learn with a fast flowing battle system that aims to keep you always active and engaged.
And perhaps most importantly of all, the Mario Bros finally do some damn plumbing!
7. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
In the recent Essential RPGs thread I described Path of Radiances difficulty curve as a bath that feels just right and Ill stick with that, it aint scalding your toes when you try to enter like some of the less forgiving JPN only titles and its not a case of fiddling with both taps leading to an uneven temperature such as recent 3DS outing Awakening.
Path of Radiance has enough going on to keep things heated but ultimately quite relaxing and wholly enjoyable. It has map variety, its got an expanding cast of enjoyable characters that partake in a fairly typical plot spiced up with a dash of political intrigue. Building up your personal army is always a treat, you hold your breath and then sigh in relief when a near death unit of yours luckily dodges a fatal blow, theres that delightful feeling of conquest when surrounding the one remaining enemy unit with your army as you plan how his inevitable demise can best benefit your exp needs.
Theres something wholly personal about a Fire Emblem game due to this, where one of the ending rewards is seeing which character took the most lives to be the blood stained MVP of your merry band of murdering mercenaries, good on you Boyd, you beat leading man Ike to the top spot by one kill and thats after spending the final map asleep, yeah that one enemy bishop knew who the real threat to Daein's reign was.
PoR is simply put a well-executed slice of strategy RPG, it pulled me into a genre that Id usually avoid through a well-constructed progression in both its narrative and gradual introduction of mechanics that ensured things never got too complex and always remained compelling. It's still my favourite of the series western releases overcoming its visual shortcomings with strong gameplay and having a main rival in the Black Knight who somehow manges to be memorable in the face of such a generic trope, I could say the same for the game's Radiant Hero Ike.
6. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
On paper Jungle Beat sounds like sacrilege, a 2D platformer controlled with the bongo controller peripheral of all things and on top of this skeptical start everything anyone knew about DKs previous platforming revival is thrown completely out the window sans Donkey Kong himself and the nabbing of bananas. There is no Country here, only Kingdoms that can range from sky high vats of jelly to swim through to a worse for wear feudal japan style castle occupied by ninjapes, this game is far closer to Super Mario Galaxy than it is to any DKC as you may expect seeing that it was the first title created under the newly assembled EAD Tokyo.
The limitations of the bongo controller created something truly unique among 2D platformers, standard movement performed through rapid bongo bashing, attacking with the power of sound using claps which are reflected on screen as a giant stunning soundwave emanating from DKs position. It shouldnt work yet it does, DK is surprisingly controllable in this seemingly unwieldy state, it uses simplicity to its advantage and also makes you feel that much more engaged with the action, especially upon leaping on top of a stunned foe and unleashing a flurry of strikes with the left and right sides of the bongo drums corresponding to DKs mighty fists. This isnt the DK that sprints off in terror upon stubbing his toe on a googly eyed beaver, no this is the DK that leaps onto the abdomen of a giant rotor blade Bee and headbutts it into an explosive banana shower and thats great.
Control novelties alone would not a great game make, the more precise platform hopping of your standard platformer cant entirely be replicated and in its place came something truly special. Jungle Beat isnt so much about reaching the end of a stage in one piece as its about reaching the end as stylishly as possible by chaining together platforming actions to build up a banana boosting combo. Stages are set out with the potential to boost your score through varied objects and enemies providing ways to keep Kong airborne, hit the floor and the combos ends so the real aim of the game is how well you can adapt to the flow of the level design and take true advantage of it. Jungle Beat is almost like the character action game of platformers, the first time through is a funny little bongo novelty and then the replays are high score runs of game mastery, the game itself teases and teaches you with post stage snippets showing crazy ways to accumulate more bananas and keep the combos going, the more you play the more the hidden depths are revealed.
Oh and you fight EVIL kongs punch-out style and ski jump on the back of a huge wildebeest, this here was EAD Tokyo at their most gloriously mad and the first sign of their greatness to come, DK was twirling up giant dandelions and stylishly skimming the tip of platform edges in space long before Mario did the same and itll likely remain as that one oddball outing in his platforming history, DKs wacky acid trip.
5. Ninja Gaiden Black
Talk about being thrown into the deep end, Ninja Gaiden brings it from the word go as it needs to swiftly and effectively teach you the fundamentals of combat if you hope to survive the trials to come, it does this by giving you a first boss that can kick the crap out of you and damn it youll thank him for this painful lesson.
Ninja Gaiden is very much kill or be killed, you roll into a backstreet of Tairon, see a group of four ninjas once more and even having built up a mountain of corpses so far you never underestimate them, one slip up can prove fatal against even the lowliest of this games mooks. Embracing the flow of battle is damn near euphoric, its bloody, brutal and oh so satisfying, weaving between foes with decapitating slashes and busting out the ever enjoyable Izuna drop.
Combat is certainly Ninja Gaidens jam but thats just part of its brilliance, see while some other games and even the series itself these days like to try and distance themselves from all these platforming and puzzling distractions Ninja Gaiden is all about the adventure. Between hacking foes to bits and them doing the same to you Ryu will explore a world that slowly reveals itself to be connected, while progression is mostly linear it has moments of openness and prompts some exploration, sure one wonders why Ryu has to do half the stuff he does if he couldnt just you know sneak over some walls and reach the end areas quicker like I dont know a Ninja maybe? But never mind being gated by video game logic because were making a detour in a sewer because theres an aqueduct of puzzles down here and thats no bad thing. Theres something almost charming about the somewhat janky yet stylish platforming bits or good old path finding and key item collecting, NG knows how to cool down between fights. In fact while its sequel feels like a series of connected battle arenas that ask you to endure waves of fodder here enemies just feel like part of the chapter youre playing through, its so much more organic and interesting to play.
A bevy of bosses exist to halt player progression and Im sure thanks to bloody Alma many of us have journeyed back from that savepoint to the boss to such a degree where you can kill the three flippy ninjas in that preceding room with the safe in your sleep. Yes NG can be a touch spotty with its save points at times though it certainly elevates the fear of death thats for sure especially with how sudden it can come, as such you play this game on the tip top of your toes. Still triumphing over tough bosses feels so earned, just remember you still need to reach a save point post chapter completion because theres nothing that says screw you like SODDING GHOST FISH deciding that you hadnt had quite enough of Spirit Doku quite yet. And really thats the spirit of Ninja Gaiden Black in general, its unflinching and unwavering in its design yet so unforgettable, youll enjoy every beat down because the eventual victory is of the sweetest taste.
4. Super Smash Brothers Melee
From a bit bare bones to a full on feast, Melee presented a tremendous content and quality jump from SSB64 and left its enduring legacy as a legendary sequel even today in the wake of more content filled follow ups.
For some Melees defining strength is providing the best balance between the two opposing ends of the playstyle spectrum, capable of deceptive depth and clusterfuck chaos. While its stronger competitive elements have done a lot to keep it in the smash spotlight with its sequels reeling that aspect back in to various degrees that for me is just a small factor that plays a part in Melees performance.
Simply put the gameplay is fast and satisfying, perhaps a touch too quick for my slow self admittedly but each fight has a frantic pace to it. The expanded item selection is a well rounded batch that tends not to delve into being excessively overpowered like later entries and its collection of stages toe the line between light gimmicks and effective platform placement making them an incredibly well rounded batch that rarely get overly intrusive, Melee has a balance between its core and its chaos that give it that well rounded craftsmanship.
Speaking of a sense of balance theres one somewhat under appreciated aspect of Melee that Ive grown to really appreciate more in recent years. While the series has progressed and indulges in a wealth of content and Nintendo franchise representation its begun to feel a bit skewered in favour of the bigger names. This is understandable in some respects but the special thing about Melee is that while it still has its big three so to speak there seemed to be a more even spread of the founding franchises making the jump from SSB64 which all feel well represented with an equal amount of stages. A cult series like Mother/Earthbound can boast two unique stages alongside the likes of Legend of Zelda, Its a small detail in the grand scheme of things but seeing how the stages were dispersed in both iterations of SSB4 theres something about Melee that just hits a sweeter spot of variety in its locales, to me its kind of what makes Super Smash Bros "The Nintendo celebration as well as paying equal tribute to its original smashers whilst bringing new ones into the fold.
Though I suppose this is all quickly forgotten when you just want to lob pokeballs at each other and laugh at the poor sap who gets Goldeen.
3. Resident Evil 4
I had doubts, huge doubts that Resi 4 was all it was cracked up to be, One fateful day I travelled to my cousins house and experienced the boss battle against IT and that was that, I was convinced and swiftly left to buy it myself with him wondering where I was going? Bingo? (okay that last bit never happened).
So my start with RE4 doesnt involve Dr Salvador hunting me down but it sure as hell didnt stop that from being any more tense when I did it myself, even now.
For its genre RE4 is a meaty game thats paced brilliantly to ensure theres always something applying a twist to the solid foundation of its design so that popping dudes in the kneecap and suplexing them into a cranium explosion just doesnt get old. Its always got a way to surprise you, like the insertion of a minecart ride segment which in itself is unexpected only then Dr Salvador drops in to join the ride and the realization hits that theres really nowhere to run this time thus presenting a different take on the well established chainsaw scenario.
Leons journey through Not Spain is full of memorable combat encounters, cutscenes that embrace the cheese and an escort mission that is actually dare I say it pretty neat. The village is certainly a strong way to kick things off but Im all about that Gothic Castle. Its like the game just runs with the absurdity of things here so you get in a cage fight with ol blind claw Garridor, have a turret just pop up in the middle of an art gallery of all places (like seriously of all the rooms to put a turret in) and outrun a giant statue of the crazed little madman whos the current resident evil if you will. On top of that is still manages to be chilling at points, Resi 4 performs this delightful balancing act of video gamey nonsense and genuinely tense game design.
It definitely leans more to the action side of things than it does to the survival horror that birthed the series, fortunately it does so in such a way that it still carries that unease, ammunition isnt in excess and your case can only hold so much no matter how oddly fun it is to tactically cram as much in your case as efficiently as possible (a mini game unto itself). You can go from feeling powerful to powerless just like that, the game always finds a way to make you the underdog once more be it an ammo draining scenario or the sneaky dynamic difficulty.
Sometimes its just the little things that remind me of how great RE4 is, like killing a big fish and trying to cram it in your case as a healthy snack, buying maps from the loveable merchant to go treasure hunting and the incredibly emotional demise of "MIIIIKE!" of whom youve known for 10 minutes but what a 10 minute stretch it was, why it fits in perfectly with the other 15+ hours of goodness throughout.
2. Shadow of the Colossus
There was nothing quite as awe inspiring as encountering that first Colossus, the sheer scale of the masked beast was a sight to behold and thats only the beginning, SotC excels in creating spectacle that the player is actively involved in.
A contrasting loop of gameplay emphasizes each side of the colossus coin, the search across the forbidden lands for the next colossus is like the calm before the storm. Journeying across the vast yet empty landscape is almost serene, all you have is your horse and the howling winds as you follow the guiding light. By using the desolate environment to its advantage the simple sighting of a small lizard scurrying out of your path or a hawk swooping past a grand chasm feels like an event unto itself, Ill take note of the structure of both the natural world and mysterious ruins that define this land as I traverse it , youre never asked to go and explore the unknown yet even with no tangible reward I want to, the journey in itself is the reward, you could say that the silence is Golden.
The silence is broken as a brief musical interlude signifies that youre on the right track and the camera pans over the destination youve been guided to, the mood is about to shift and the coin begins to flip. The next guardian reveals itself, it may be slowly staggering about absentmindedly unaware of the minor menace about to make his presence known, or perhaps its a rather compact colossus immediately snarling at you on sight. Each of the 16 colossi are unique, all manners of shape and size, all moving with a very real sense of weight and life, its almost painful to have to harm such awe inspiring creatures.
Still youre here for a reason and with the release of a bow string a declaration of war is made summoning foreboding music, now comes the puzzling part, how are you going to bring down the behemoth? Be they armoured, simply gargantuan or even flying far above the ground theres always a way to get a very literal grip on the situation. Solving the first phase of this puzzle results in the music shifting from intimidating to empowering, the orchestra swells to match the tables turning and the struggle for life begins. Landing the fatal blow causes black fluid to erupt from the wound like a geyser, the great beast crashes to the ground with an earth shaking impact, theres both joy and sorrow in this victory which is short lived as the tendrils of darkness claim you and the cycle begins again.
SotC thrives off its atmosphere and its presentation is sensational giving a cinematic edge to the battles while still leaving you in control. The gradual climb up a Colossus is no fancy quick time event, its just an excellent execution of the games base mechanics, there isnt a ton to SotC but what there is was meticulously crafted.
1. Metroid Prime
Stepping foot out into the downpour of Tallon Overworld for the first time surrounded by lush greenery and raindrops pitter pattering off Samus visor I had one thought cross my mind, why have they reduced my beam to a pea shooter?!.
Safe to say Metroid Prime caught me off guard, I had little idea how it was going to be structured and its open explorative nature came as a surprise to me, fitting that an alien planet could feel so alien to me when it came to the gameplay itself, this was no simple first person shooter. Trying to make heads or tails of what the game wanted me to do, what my objective was, if I was going the right direction, why I was scanning the environment for details, Prime was not like anything I had played before.
Of course Prime is really just taking the Super Metroid template and moves it into 3D, effectively like A Link to the Past going to Ocarina of Time, it follows an established formula. This being my first Metroid outing with that Robo lady from Super Smash Bros the formula took a bit of time to get used to, a slow burn indeed as I bumbled through the Chozo Ruins gradually getting some of Samus basic abilities back. I wasnt truly sold until I reached Phendrana Drifts and realized just what sort of map structure this game was sprawling into, confusion became intrigue, backtracking became efficient route-planning, figuring out where to head next became adventure and exploring the unknown.
Scanning the environments of Tallon IV to understand its past and its ecology is unusually compelling and completely optional yet Ill still be busting out that scan visor, be it hostile lifeforms or grandiose statues theres plenty to discover, its like being a part time Archeologist, Biologist and Cartographer for the planet in between that whole Bounty Hunting business of course.
It all starts coming together as you gradually power up, learn the map and get a nose for secrets, once a player delving into the unknown I emerged as a successful explorer and also slayer of mechanically enhanced space dragons, the pay off is strong and now Ill happily holiday back to Tallon IV to take in the sights over and over.
For the parser and what not...
1. Metroid Prime ; For a jolly good time play Metroid Prime. 2. Shadow of the Colossus ; Each mammoth climb is still sublime 3. Resident Evil 4 ; Oh God it's El Gigante with a log, but have no fear because hey it's that dog 4. Super Smash Brothers Melee; An All Star Clash? it's gotta be Smash! 5. Ninja Gaiden Black ; Take on the enemy hoard with the Dragon Sword 6. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat ; Even when you're hands are numb you'll still mash that drum 7. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance; Hope for Aether to smite the durable Black Knight 8. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga ; By all means consume the mustard of your doom 9. Timesplitters 2 ; You'll only quit when it's time to split 10. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy ; Its sequel is most certainly not its equal x. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater; Snake's stealth botch is revealed via his crotch x. Metroid Prime 2 ; Prime 2 is jolly good to x The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; Sail the seas and obtain small keys x Metroid Fusion ; That computer seems a bit shady, "any objections lady?"
Whew, between the GotY and soundtrack threads i'm all listed out.
This list dedicated to ViewtifulJC, I've probably spent more time typing this list than he's lasted on GAF this year thus far.
I've had a tab open with this post here for weeks, changing up the order of the list and adding games as honourable mentions as I remember them.
And here is the result:
1. Kingdom Hearts ; I adore this game. The art style, the music, the real time combat, the colourful worlds, the exploration and platforming (that is missing from the sequels), the self-contained story, and just how utterly ridiculous the concept of it is: a Squaresoft JRPG about Disney movies with Final Fantasy cameos.
I doubt this will ever be topped as my favourite game of all time. Likely because I played it at an impressionable age, and it was my first big non-Pokemon RPG.
2. Persona 4 ; I've only gotten into this series recently, but my god is it great. 4 has the best cast of any game I have played. Ever. They work so well together and everything is just so believable. The game also just oozes style, and everything has been carefully put together, the music, the menus, the flavour dialogue of random people in the street that changes as the game goes on. It's just an all around fantastic game.
3. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy ; Ahh, Jak & Daxter, my favourite platformer from this generation, and the last game from Naughty Dog I would put on my all time greats list (Note: I have yet to play The Last of Us).
I just love the colourful world, the fun characters, the animations, and just how simple the game is. It's a platformer and nothing more, in an era when everything tried to be an action game or a shooter or an RPG etc.
4. Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal ; And as I was talking about with J&D, here's a big platforming series of the era that isn't a straight platformer, in fact, most of the more tricky platforming comes from the combat itself, jumping around dodging attacks and environmental hazards and the like.
But yes, this game is the best of its kind, and one of my favourite games. The third instalment is when the series truly peaked, the weapons and great, the story is great, the humour is great, the villain is great, the worlds are great. Everything just worked to form one cohesive whole, and created one of the best action-platformers of all time.
5. World of Warcraft ; I was almost going to skip this one from the list. I don't know why, but I never really consider it when I think of my favourite games, but here it is, the game that I sunk hundreds of hours into. My paladin fucked shit up.
6. Ico ; Another game I've only played recently. Something about the simplicity of this game just clicked with me. Running around the beautiful castle, holding Yorda's hand, with the fantastic OST in the background just made for a fantastic experience that I will never forget. And one I will definitely revisit in the future.
7. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; The best Metal Gear game. The story is unforgettable. The level design is fantastic. The setting is gorgeous. This isn't as fresh in my mind as some others, so I don't have as much to say, but it is definitely one of the best games of all time.
8. Shadow of the Colossus ; I only finished this one the other week. It didn't click with me as much as Ico, I felt the colossi died too quickly, and the game rushed along too fast, but as it went on it grew on me more and more, and by the end I came to adore it. The game is truly 'cinematic' with the music cues, the camera, the dynamic boss fights, and just the fragile beauty of the colossi themselves. The lack of enemies in the world was a joy as well, it's not often you can just explore the world of a game without a worry at all, doing everything at your own pace, and I explored every nook and cranny. Utterly fantastic game.
9. Okami ; The best Zelda game of this generation. The art style and the world is just fantastic, and so, so unique. I didn't even mind the length of the game, I loved every bit of it and wanted to stay in the beautiful world as long as possible. The combat and dungeon design was lacking compared to it's obvious inspiration, but the game more than made up for it with it's sheer style. A shame about Clover and that the game will probably never get the proper sequel it deserves.
10. Metroid Prime ; It is pretty amazing at how well Retro adapted Metroid into a 3D, first-person perspective, game. But I applaud them for it. The atmosphere of this game is in a class of its own, and it is something that the sequels never managed to match. Finding upgrades and immediately rushing back to areas where you know you can use them makes for such a satisfying game. An utter gem.
And now for the games that didn't make the top 10, but ones I hold dear to my heart, somewhat listed in order:
x. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
x. Pokemon Emerald
x. Ratchet & Clank
x. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
x. Persona 3
x. Ape Escape 2
x. Kingdom Hearts II
x. God of War II
x. Super Smash Bros. Melee
x. Jak II: Renegade
x. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
And there's still a bunch of stuff I still haven't been able to get around to playing... Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, Ape Escape 3, Devil May Cry 3, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XII, Dragon Quest VIII, F-Zero GX, Skies of Arcadia, Jet Set Radio, Dark Cloud, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Shadow Hearts, Klonoa 2, Beyond Good & Evil and many more... such an amazing generation. And one I will continue to enjoy for years to come.
1. Shadow of the Colossus ; A very straightforward game pitting you against 16 enemies in a fairytale plot, but it works beautifully thanks to a sorrowful atmosphere that makes you relate to the Colossi, grow to love your faithful steed, and basically make you feel 16 times like David against Goliath, outsmarting daunting opponents.
Epic, majestic and beautiful.
2. Hitman Blood Money ; Each level is a vignette of life that tells little stories. You have to know the ins and outs of the floors, the timing of the characters, to plan a masterful and invisible attack. Empowering given the number of possibilities, each fraught with real tension and stakes, and often a dark sense of humor.
3. Metal Gear Solid 2 : Sons of Liberty ; The gameplay minutiae, the scope of the preposterous scenario, a awe inspiring game.
4. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas ; First GTA game to have a relatable protagonist. Bold direction with an African american, the gang culture and the related issues. Turf wars, multimissions casino heist, jetpacks and the sense of place made it a classic.
5. Final Fantasy XII ; a Matsuno game, with byzantine politics in the Star Wars mould, gorgeous art direction and a fantastic combat system with the gambits that frees you from the grind to focus on the strategy.
6. Yakuza 2 ; Great characters and drama with a generous helping of japanese wackiness and brutal combat, it eclipses Shenmue
7. Killer 7 ; Great art, insane plot and fantastic boss encounters. Truly one of a kind. Sadly, I've not enjoyed Suda 51's output as much since.
8. Mercenaries ; the Just Cause 2 of its time. I adored the openness of the game, where you could chase bad guys however you saw fit, without being restraine dby missions. The huge arsenal, complete with airstrikes, and the changing alliances which both impact the battlefield, truly made it a blast.
9. Deus Ex ; Numerous approaches with levels filled with civilians and bad guys you could talk to, cool powers and meaningul choices. Even on PS2 it was cool.
10. Beyond Good and Evil ; Charming art direction and unique world, neat gameplay idea with the camera which ties beautifully with the story. Not a revolution but a beautfully executed game, can't wait for the sequel.
Honorable mentions : MGS3, Bully, Shenmue II, Virtua Tennis 2
1. Civilization IV ; The first turn based strategy game I ever played, and still the one I go back to the most. Easy to pick up as a beginner. Sure, you feel overwhelmed for a couple of hours, but before you're halfway through your first game it has it's hooks in you. Then it doesn't let go for years and years.
2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 ; I think this might be the best feeling game ever made. 60fps and the tightest controls of the generation make pulling off massive combos a breeze, you enter a zen-like state and pull off ridiculous tricks chained by huge grinds and manuals. The combo system was perfected with the revert. The best levels in the franchise, expansive and varied but every single object on the map is there for a reason. Heaps of multiplayer options. Awesome level editor. THE ACE OF SPADES. THE ACE OF SPADES.
3. SimCity 4 ; OK, I'll just fix this traffic jam, then I'll go to bed. I need to reroute traffic, no one is passing through my commercial zone. Ooh, you want to build a statue of me? Fuck it, I'll redesign my entire subway system. Oh shit, another fire, I really should have upgraded my station. I don't have any space to build any farms why can't you all just get office jobs. No way is it 4am already, damn it SimCity.
4. Counter-Strike: Source ; I was very late to getting a PC that could run decent games, so this was the game that introduced me to the power of mods, the same way Unreal Tournament probably did for many of you, by allowing every mod on a server to be downloaded and installed within the game. And even though by the time I downloaded the mod, the map, the skins and all those fucking voice samples everyone had moved onto the next map and I had to do it all over again, Racking up killstreaks in gungame on a map that looked like The Simpsons' house while the UT announcer yells and some dickhead is playing music through the mic are my favourite online multiplayer memories.
5. Guitar Hero ; I played these awful covers till my fingers ached, and then I played some more.
6. Metroid Prime ; This is the only game on this list I came to late. This isn't news to anyone, but god does this game ooze atmosphere. It conveys a feeling of eerie isolation in a way no other game has ever come close to, with its vast, strange environments and impeccable sound design. Also, you get to fill in a massive list of enemies, and man am I a sucker for that.
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; Combines chaotic 4-player fighting with so, so much Nintendo fan service. What more could you want?
8. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! ; This was the ultimate 'casual' multiplayer game, on one of the best multiplayer systems ever. I had a ton of fun with this game with every friend who came over. Whether they played games on not, they were sucked in to this game's scattershot minigame approach and weird humour.
9. Burnout 3: Takedown ; I miss you so much Burnout. This game is so fast, you spend the whole time on the edge of your seat just barely in control of your car.
10. Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 ; This is probably not the thing most people focus on with this game, but I am in love with how it looks. Something about the art and the isometric viewpoint is just so satisfying.
Just to be clear, I only owned a Nintendo GameCube through this era so I have only chosen games for that system (with one exception). I have a backlog of titles including classics from this era that I will slowly get through but for now, this is my personal top ten.
1. Resident Evil 4 ; This is still the game I compare all other action adventure/shooter games to and it always holds up. Resident Evil 4 might well be the most well paced game I've ever played and Leon. It has mother fucking Leon.
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ; My first Zelda game. I fell in love with the series based on this vast ocean adventure. There is something so satisfying to exploring that world that I can't really explain. The aesthetic, music, atmosphere and mood all come together in such a special way. That the game was easy for a Zelda title helped ease me into the series.
3. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door ; Such a brilliant game, from the characters, story, art design and gameplay. I still find it incredible that we haven't gotten a worthy sequel to this gem.
4. Metroid Fusion ; Played this in January this year on 3DS and I was blown away. This is my favourite Metroid title now.
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes ; My first Metroid game and man was it tough. Completing Metroid Prime 2 felt so good at the time. I can't compare it to the original in the same way others can because I've played them the wrong way around (I'm also playing the original at the moment and haven't finished it yet.)
6. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; Say what you want about Twilight Princess but not many can deny the fact that this game has the best dungeons in the series. Not only that but it won't be easy for Nintendo to give us a character as good as Midna again in the Zelda series.
7. Need For Speed: Underground 2 ; I enjoyed this game way more than I should have.
8. Mario Kart: Double Dash ; Baby Park.
9. Super Mario Sunshine ; I really enjoyed Sunshine at the time, although I knew Mario 64 was still the king. Looking back on it, I think Sunshine got more hate than it deserved and even I judged it more harshly than necessary. It's certainly not perfect and it is probably the weakest 3D Mario platformer but it was still a great game.
10. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; Countless hours spent on this game. It's a quality game and I loved my time with it but I can't put it any higher than tenth because quite simply, I feel I enjoyed nine other games more than this one.
x. Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat
x. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
x. Pikmin
x. Luigi's Mansion
I could swear voting ended on the 22nd, which is why I pasted my ballot above in a hurry on Sunday night. In any case I just edited in descriptions for the rest of the games on my list.
1. Resident Evil 4 ; The most impressive thing about RE4, and what the sequels so miserably failed to recreate, was the progression of designed enemy encounters as you go through the game. In many action games before and after RE4, the developers seem to be struggling to find a gameplay loop that is fun for the player. If "something fun" is found, the instinct is to repeat the success over the entire game. Many successful action games are designed like this, and the best ones manage to use graphics, story, and positive feedback mechanisms such as collectibles to mask the repetition for the player. Another common strategy to mask repetition is to mix up the successful gameplay loop with scripted sequences that give the impression that gameplay is changing, when you are actually just pressing buttons to progress through interactive cutscenes.
On the other end of the spectrum, you have a few game series that are not designed with the described "repeat success" mindset. A particularly rare philosophy is when a developer sees a successful gameplay loop as a starting point, and tries to introduce new successful loops through an entire game. The "moment of fun" is explored and investigated from every interesting angle, but after that it is time to move on to the next thing. The problem is, developing games according to this philosophy requires really talented people, lots of time and huge piles of money. Nintendo is the the only reliable producer of these type of games, with the 3d Mario series and the Legend of Zelda games.
And that brings us to RE4. RE4 was developed with exactly the type of mindset that makes the Mario and Zelda games so unique. It was a revelation to play a third person shooter, or for that matter any type of shooting game, that explored enemy encounters to their fullest potential, but then briskly moved on to the next thing. There was no "trickery" to give a fake sense of gameplay progression. There were no "reskinned" levels with the same challenges. There was no overabundance of scripted sequences. There was no reliance on story to motivate the player to go through boring gameplay.
Instead of this, the game had a string of perfectly tuned enemy encounters, where almost every one brought something new to the table. However, RE4 did not just provide variation from one encounter to the next, but it also unified the encounters with a strong sense of progression, which it arguably did even better than the aforementioned Nintendo games. The increased player agency from finding weapons, pesos and buying upgrades were almost perfectly tuned against the challenge level in RE4, which made it so depressing to play RE5 (or RE6) where they just didn't care due to the impossibility of balancing coop anyway.
2. Deus Ex ; 3. Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay ; 4. Grand Theft Auto: III ; 5. Far Cry ; 6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ; 7. Hitman: Blood Money ; 8. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; 9. God of War ; 10. Final Fantasy X ;
x. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy ; x. Shadow of the Colossus ; x. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind ; x. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ;
1. Silent Hill 2 ; At the time of release, Silent Hill 2 was a very emotionally engaging game for me. Very well developed story, dark atmosphere and great soundtrack and all this was ideally combined together, which makes it my favorite game of the generation.
2. Devil May Cry ;
3. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec ;
4. SimCity 4 ;
5. Homeworld: Cataclysm ;
6. Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed ;
7. Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Complete ;
8. Burnout 3: Takedown ;
9. Black ;
10. Clive Barker's Undying ;
Wow, this was tough. Sooo many good games that had to be left out, it's next to impossible to make any kind of definitive list and not end up with a bunch of regrets. Ask me one year later and my picks would probably somewhat different, but here's where I'm at right now:
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence ; Probably one of my top 3 games of all time. While I think Metal Gear Solid 2 has more artistic value in terms of theme and concept, MGS3 is the better gaming experience and one that I keep going back to over and over.
2. Resident Evil 4 ; Absolutely groundbreaking at the time and still one of the best and most intense action games ever made.
3. Shadow of the Colossus ; I think I like ICO and this equally, but for the sake of diversity I picked one and it fell on SotC. I love the serene atmosphere and the puzzle solving of ICO, but the exploration and scope of SotC gives it a slight upper hand. Also a technical masterpiece, bringing the PS2 on to its knees.
4. Ninja Gaiden Black ; The best character action game of all time. Nothing comes close. Relying on defence and countering is extremely satisfying and makes for a more refined and thoughtful approach to combat.
5. Half-Life 2 ; My personal hype for this game was through the roof; from the initial reveal to the leaks to the pre-loading on Steam (back when everyone hated it), I just couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I remember having it preloaded on my computer but not playing it until a couple of days after release. Instead, I was finishing Halo 2 and after the very lackluster ending of that game, I turned the Xbox off, booted up my PC and started playing Half-Life 2. Two things blew my away: having a brand new game magically appear on my hard drive and me unlocking it with the press of a button (this was when you could pre-load a game without buying it, and it was also my first ever digital game), and of course, the opening hour or so which made Halo 2 seem like a piece of trash in comparison.
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ; I might as well have put GTAIII on here as it had a bigger impact on me, but Vice City is the better package. Never really liked San Andreas for a number of reasons, and while the map in VC is pretty bland, the music, setting and gameplay additions more than made up for it.
7. Guitar Hero II ; Few games have ever got me as excited as the plastic instrument games. The sensation of connecting with both the music and the game through the guitar controller is nothing short of magical. Learning songs and getting better was such a fantastic and rewarding experience and one that I think no other game will ever be able to top. Guitar Hero II took everything the first game did and added 2 player mode, better songs and some vital tweaks. The gameplay formula and presentation was topped by Rock Band a few years later of course, but Guitar Hero II still represents a landmark in my personal gaming history.
8. Silent Hill 2 ; Unsettling, genuinely scary and mature in the true sense of the word. Silent Hill 2 is probably the finest survival horror game ever made.
9. Metroid Prime ; Retro managed the impossible by turning Metroid into a first person game while keeping everything that made the 2D games great. I was VERY sceptical before release, thinking that Nintendo had lost it when they let an unproven American developer handle Metroid. Boy was I proven wrong. Prime oozes with atmosphere.
10. We Love Katamari ; Living in Europe, this was the first Katamari game to appear over here and the only one that I've ever played, so I can't really comment on its qualities compared to other entries in the series. To me, this game represents everything that was great about this generation. The fact that games like Resident Evil 4 and this could co-exist and reach a mass audience was fantastic and marked a wider definition of games as an art form. As a game, Katamari is insane in the best way possible and don't think we've had a game since that has come close to being this weird yet accessible.
Wow, this was tough. Sooo many good games that had to be left out, it's next to impossible to make any kind of definitive list and not end up with a bunch of regrets. Ask me one year later and my picks would probably somewhat different, but here's where I'm at right now:
9. Planescape: Torment ; Certainly not the bets playing game of the generation, but definitely the best written one.
spoiling things kinda, but looking at overall platforms, and counting multiplatforms, gc and xbox are rather close, but far behind ps2. only count exclusives, and the xbox tumbles behind a few other platforms.
It's a shame, but expected considering how much more the PS2 sold. I wonder where PC games rank. I'll be a bit sad if Warcraft III doesn't end up in the top 10.
Nice writeups, everyone! I especially enjoyed your little rhyming summary, Nocturnowl. I love reading these. These GOTY-type threads are always so much fun to browse. Can't wait to see the results!
Metal Gear, polished to an unprecedented sheen. Take the already finely tuned mechanics from MGS 2, then enhance it with amazing survival and camouflage systems. Perfect controls, fantastic layouts, engaging enemies, and one of the best antagonists gaming has ever seen. Pacing is second to none, and while all boss fights rank among the very best, "The End" in particular needs to be taught in game design classes. Simply astonishing.
2. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
There's a reason this game had the gaming world in shock since the reveal, and it went way beyond the graphics. The mechanics introduced here were amazing, and the attention to detail was at times simply shocking (and often unmatched even today). I'm not going to dive too deep in the "craziness" of the story; suffice to say that this remains the greatest "4th wall" moment I've experienced in any medium. The shot of the dog tags in the ending seen is sensational.
3. Shadow of the Colossus
It is a deceptively simple concept: it's a series of boss fights. But it's how those fights play out that makes the game so brilliant. Each epic encounter provides the perfect balance of scale, strategy, and intensity. The game is also masterful in balancing its visual flare with an inspiring musical score, which rises and falls with your triumphs and failures. An irreplaceable, unforgettable experience.
4. Silent Hill 2
Incredible marriage of atmosphere, gameplay, and music. So many games try to force-feed you the mood they're trying to convey. This one didn't need to do that, it lets you in and allows you to discover the terror. A triumph.
5. Resident Evil 4
A brave, bold move for the series, but that doesn't really matter in hindsight. What matters here are the controls, enemies, and pitch-perfect pacing. An easy way to appreciate this gem is the play RE 5 and 6.
6. Zone of the Enders 2: The 2nd Runner
The best playing, controlling and sounding mecha game ever made. Smooth, addictive and a feast for the senses.
7. God of War 2
A roller coaster ride of a game. No other series pulls off scale like this one, and God of War 2 does it effortlessly. Play on hard for a perfectly balanced experience. You may not require the technical know-how of Ninja Gaiden or DMC, but you sure as shit can't just button-mash your way to glory.
8. Persona 4
Why did I crawl through boring-ass dungeons? Why did I sit through countless Social Link cutscenes and melodramas? Charm, that's why. This game has more character in the pause menu that most other games do in their entirety. A cure for every ailment.
9. Yakuza 2
Taking the core concepts of the original on its back, the sequel went crazy. The template of the fighting system, quest design, and world building set here remain fun and addictive 6 or 7 games later. If it clicks, it never quits.
10. Half Life 2
Pacing, pacing, pacing. That's it, that all I really need to say.
Honorable Mentions:
- Gran Turismo 3 - Shocking jump up from GT 2, and just about the perfect driving experience at the time
- God Hand - One of the most mechanically brilliant games, and the true successor to the "beatem'up" formula of the 90's.
- Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves - Platforming heaven, thanks to endearing characters, excellent variety, and smart level design
- Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne - Moves slow, and it can frustrate in some areas, but man oh man, it knows how to grab hold of you in story and atmosphere.
- Twisted Metal Black - Better than the much-beloved Twisted Metal 2 in just about every way. Even the story-lines were fun.
1. Metal Gear Solid 3 ; Amazing in so many ways. It's close to being my favorite game of all time.
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ; I really wish Nintendo would allow for a proper sequel to this game.
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; Countless hours were spent on this game (even way after the game came out).
4. Battlefield 2 ; This and Halo (PC version) are probably my most played online multiplayer games.
5. Halo: Combat Evolved
6. Final Fantasy X
7. Resident Evil 4
8. F.E.A.R.
9. RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
10. Shadow of the Colossus
x. Jedi Knight II
x. Rome: Total War
x. Metal Gear Solid 2
x. Zone of the Enders II
1. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn ; Crown jewel of infinity engine games. While Planescape Torment is considered a pinnacle of video game storytelling, BG2 is the complete package. Immense in scope, brilliant in design - down to the little details, overwhelmingly engaging. Topped off by one of the greatest expansion packs of all time. I wish I could post more personal thoughts on the game, but it's been so long, I was so young... and despite the passage of time there is no doubt in my mind that this is the greatest game released in the first half of the last decade.
2. Resident Evil 4 ; A true work of genius, Resident Evil 4 is a brilliantly designed game that even 10 years later remains one of the most impressive games of all time. While it's graphics are not as impressive as they once were (and sure they were, boy, this game was a looker), it's amazing gameplay and tight design is still unmatched. The true star of the show is how the game is paced - while some have reservations about the final act of the game, over the 15 (or so) hours it takes to complete for the first time it never fails to excite. RE4 grabs you within first 15 minutes of the game and never lets go, with memorable set pieces, polished gameplay and ever-changing gameplay scenarios. Even QTE implementation is satisfying (though RE4 is one of the games to be blamed for their ever-presence today). It's a gem of a game, a spectacle that to this day had been unmatched (the only game I can think of that's as well paced as RE4 is Uncharted 2, but it falls short in other aspects). A must-play.
3. Metroid Prime ; How do you bring a franchise into third dimension? This is how. Retro Studios took on an impossible task and delivered 100%. Metroid Prime is as close to the classic Metroid formula as a 3D game can be. A great gameplay core that's, well, technically a first person shooter but not quite, wrapped in an absolutely incredible, stunning atmosphere, topped off with a great art direction. Scanning mechanic was brilliant, allowing Retro to set the game in an unknown, alien world, fill it with tons of lore, while not encroaching on the series trademark sense of solitude. It's not without it's problems, the game could do without the obnoxious McGuffin search near the end and the plot itself was not too well thought-out (otherwise how do you leave such an obvious gargantuan plot hole in), but to heck with that, everything else is so excellent that you can easily let it slide. Prime is a fantastic game and a worthy successor to Super Metroid.
4. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ; Oh god, the next two were hard. I knew 4/5 had to be MGS games, but in which order? In the end, I think Sons of Liberty deserves to be higher. One of the most controversial games of all time, it's design choices are shrouded in infamy up to this day. One can only doubt that the breadth of Kojima's bizarre decisions will ever be matched. From protagonist switcheroo to the absolutely insane final hour+ of the game, there is nothing like Metal Gear Solid 2, nothing. And while plot could use some work... the themes tackled in MGS2 are only getting more relevant as the time goes. What often gets lost in discussions about Sons of Liberty is a solid gameplay foundation which alleviated a lot of problems original MGS had (though we still got stuck with an annoying camera) and incredible attention to detail (famous melting ice cubes). Whether Sons of Liberty or Snake Eater is better - often that's down to personal preferences. As this is a list, one has to win, and in my case I'd say it's Sons of Liberty.
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; Snake Eater features gameplay that's definitely superior to that of Sons of Liberty, memorable characters, some fantastic boss battles and a fun, engaging story. However, it lacks... eh, something. 'Something'. Yes, this intangible quality, often referred to as 'heart', hated by oh-so-many. In this case I think it would be... ambition. MGS2 tackled some very interesting and, for a video game, unusual themes. It fails at times, fails in more aspects than MGS3 does, that's true. Storyline itself got borderline gibberish at times, yes, but there's no denying Kojima was following his bizarre vision. In contrast, MGS3 reverting to some sort of Bond-esque fun romp is kind of disappointing. I'm simplifying things, but after grandiose scope of MGS2 Snake Eater feels like a step down... even if it's plot makes a whole lot more sense than that of Sons of Libert.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker ;
7. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind ;
8. Battlefield 2 ;
9. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ;
10. Burnout 3: Takedown ;
x. Super Smash Bros. Melee ;
x. Eternal Darkness ;
x. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 ;
x. World of Warcraft ;
x. Mafia: City of Lost Heaven ;
I hope I'll be able to add more, but the deadline is really close so for now it's that much.
Kept putting this off, but I threw this together real quick. Not real sure on the order after the top four. Five and six I could easily flip and after that they are about the same.
1. Jak 3 ; This is the perfect action platformer to me. It has so much variety and does it all so well. From the platforming segments to the gunplay to the desert driving, I love it all. The story wraps up the trilogy so well and is hilarious in the process (the reveal about the precursors was so good). I just wish Keira was in it more. Otherwise, perfect. My favorite game!
2. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy ; I like this one for different reasons than Jak 3, but like it just about as much. Takes the formula established by several platformers from the previous gen and improves on it in my opinion. Great platforming. Fun exploration. And the introduction of the characters and world for my favorite game series. This is also number 2 on my all-time list.
3. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal ; After a couple of iterations on the R&C formula, Insomniac perfected it with this entry. This has the best weapon set and upgrade system in the series. The best villain and funniest story in the series. The multiplayer was a good addition too.
4. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ; A brilliant take on the platforming genre that was as much about finding your way through levels as actually executing the button presses. Throw in some great puzzles, the rewind mechanic, and an excellent final twist in the story and this is a classic.
5. Okami ; Loved this take on the Zelda formula. One of gamings best art-styles, the inventive celestial brush mechanics plus you play as a wolf. Awesome.
6. Tomb Raider: Anniversary ; The classic TR design meets modern graphics and controls. My favorite Tomb Raider.
7. Shadow of the Colossus ; The unique gameplay structure of taking down 16 bosses was so cool. Maybe my favorite game OST too. That battle music is intense.
8. God of War II ; Still my favorite God of War game. The scale and bosses are particularly special. The opening level is one of the best ever.
9. Sly 2: Band of Thieves ; Combining platforming and heists was a cool idea and this was a lot of fun!
10. Half-Life 2 ; Probably my favorite FPS campaign ever. Great pacing and design all-around.
1. Silent Hill 2 - still has one of the best video game plots, if not the best. I really loved everything about the game. The characters, the music, the monster design, and the endings.
2. Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver (DC) - some of the best narrative in a game I've played. The voice acting and story are put together so well. I love how well the game flows once you learn all the abilities
3. Metal gear solid 3
4. Resident evil 4
5. Ninja Gaiden Black
6. Luigi's Mansion
7. Shenmue
8. Half life 2
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
10. ICO
Also loved mgs2, sotc, silent hill 3, and loads more that I don't have time to list :/
Was primarily a PC gamer during this period so mine is focused accordingly:
1) Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. The absolute pinnacle of the Infinity Engine Bioware/Black Isle crpgs. Massive world for the time, painstakingly detailed backgrounds, incredible fully fleshed out companion characters with fantastic branching dialogue trees, and loads of quests, most of which managed to feel engaging with little sense of "fetch quest" being present. Also one of the best character creators, skill trees, and combat systems (yeah I know it's D&D based) in an rpg. The whole experience just stunned me when it released and stills stands as one of the best rpgs ever crafted.
2) The Operative: No One Lives Forever. I'd played a decent handful of fps by the time this came out, and it completely rewrote the rules for what I thought was possible in the genre. The 60s spy motif was executed perfectly, with tons of unique gadgets, great pacing and level variety, and genuinely funny writing (the henchmen back and forth convos in particular). Definitely one of the most memorable experiences I had during this period.
3) GTA III: My grades in high school pretty much tanked due to this damn game. Never before had a game like this been done on the scale in which R* managed. Fucking around in the sandbox city for hours on end never got old. Discovering new vehicles like the EMT was a revelation, it seemed like the possibilities in gaming skyrocketed once this came out.
4) Halo CE (PC): I spent many a night playing this online with friends, the world Bungie crafted still remains one of the most captivating sci-fi universes in gaming, such a well realized experience with incredible AI, controls, and atmosphere.
5) Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. To this day the best action game set in the SW universe, never had being a Jedi felt as fluid with the mechanics implemented here. The interplay between force powers, gunplay, and lightsaber use just worked. Although a console command, once enabling limb severing, mowing through a hallway full of stormtroopers with force lighting, force choke (that lifted them off the ground and could be flung around and into each other), and lightsaber throw, and seeing the whole lot of them collapse to the ground in a pile of limbs is some of the most satisfying action one could experience in the SW gaming canon.
6) Knights of the Old Republic: The last great game Bioware made, and one of the best realizations of the SW universe in a game ever. That feeling of building your crew, exploring the Ebon Hawk, crafting lightsabers from found crystals, all while experiencing a story on par with the original trilogy was just sublime.
7) Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines. One of the few games made with the og Source engine not developed by Valve, and certainly the best. The first fp rpg I played and probably still my favorite. Amazing atmosphere, characters, and gameplay. Great set pieces (that haunted hotel) and overall just a fantastic game.
8) Far Cry. Crytek's first big title in the PC space, and a pretty unforgettable one. Amazing graphics for the time, ditto for draw distance, large open ended environments, with a gorgeous setting. Also, I actually dug the alien/hybrids part of the game, made things a lot more tense and scurry.
9) F.E.A.R. Ran like poo on my computer but still managed to captivate me in a way few shooters had, the paranormal subtext mixed with the visceral af gunplay, that had actually honest to god great AI worked. The bullet time mechanic was icing on the cake.
10) Psychonauts. I grew up on Tim Schafer (Full Throttle, Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango) so this was a no brainer. His first foray into full 3d and a great intro at that. Animation work holds up even today on the characters, with wonderful voice acting, funny as hell, and creative levels that really played up the going into people's minds as a battlefield theme.
1)Soul Calibur - The most perfect game I have ever played. A sublime, intuitive, yet incredibly deep and fun combat system, with amazing visuals, amazing character design. It had classy art direction, a beautiful soundtrack, and just so, so many unlockables that lead you through the best campaign mode ever in a fighting game. The amount of consistency in quality is amazing considering the breadth of content, and the inclusion of an astounding unlockable art collection, on top of like 10 unlockable and all excellent characters topped the cake. 2)Ninja Gaiden Black - My favorite game of all time, and a game I still lovingly slice through. Huge campaign, with a simply amazing, deep, and rewarding combat system, with brutal, yet always fair AI and a required precision that no game has even matched. The breadth of enemies, bosses and locales that never cease to reward, still blows me away. This game has seemingly endlessly rewarding replayability and discovery. 3) Persona 4 - My favorite JRPG of all time. The Shin Megami series delivers on the one promise every JRPG pretends to, by having a great, truly meaningful, symbollic, and metaphor fused storyline, with excellent characters, and a surreal, demonic underbelly that both warms and chills the soul. Great, consistent aesthetics, with a nice playfulness and originality coming from the daily routines of having to attend class and having a light dating sim aspect. The Velvet room is still one of the creepiest, strangest and inspired aspects of a game I've seen. Persona is legit. 4) Metroid Prime - A ceaselessly excellent and basically perfect experience. All aspects from visuals, art direction, gameplay, level design, sound design, atmosphere, and a huge campaign that just beckons to be loved and explored. The only hitch is the lack of right-stick aiming, but the controls are perfect for what they are. 5) Halo: Combat Evolved - Another game I'd consider the total package. Once again, a huge, incredibly fun campaign that had incredible replayability that introduced for the first time in ages, a great co-op campaign experience. There was nothing like navigating Halo's immerse and contextually non immersion-breaking world and lore and constantly being struck by its magnificence in AI, wonder, and excellent combat with brilliant, minuimalist design flourishes. To top it off, was an amazing score, and an excellent and incredibly fun multiplayer mode that forced us all to have LAN parties on a constant basis. 6) Eternal Darkness - One of the most engrossing and evocative stories ever told in a game that I've played. A dark, mature thriller with truly mature themes, thought provoking lore and locales, topped off with one of the most innovative and successfully implemented features, the sanity system that I'd ever seen in a game. Plus, the campaign was huge, and entirely great. 7) Bully - Possibly my favorite Rockstar game of all time. Everything worked together to create a setting that I found incredibly endearing. The characters, the story, the soundtrack, the little school cliques. You could do almost anything a teenage punk could wish. Make out with girls, stuff kids in lockers, give them swirlys, punk kids with slingshots, harass nerds, become a paperboy, go to the fair and go on every single ride, play actual arcade games. It even had an ambitious day/night cycle where you went to class and played fun mini-games, and the missions were just consistently great and varied, even to the point that 100 percenting the game was a joy. 8) Psychonauts - Psychinauts had a one of the best stories ever in a videogame. The characters were almost all great, endearing, hilarious, lovable, and lovingly hate-able when not lovable. The levels, while initially a bit too safe of a 3D platforming style, aesthetically and creatively flourished with a dark inspiration that I've never seen in a videogame. The campaign was huge, and as it went on, it just got more and more twisted, trippy, and awesome, eventually becoming part adventure game to great effect. There was just a nice calm felt in the campground in psychonauts that you don't find in games. Usually they are intense affairs, but this one was just comfortable and often relaxing to experience. 9) The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay - One of the most contextually non-immersion breaking games I've ever played. Everything in this game oozed of consistency, quality, fun, and excellence. It had incredible pacing, a great story told in a quality of character and voice acting that I had never experienced in a game. The AI was great, the gun fights were great, the level design was great, the stealth was great, the first-person melee combat was great. It even had hub area, with RPG-like NPC encounters, and even the world building and signage lead the player around perfectly without ever holding their hand that creased to be great to the very end. To top it off, it even beat Doom to the normal map game, with amazing, realistic visuals unmatched at the time. 10) Jade Empire - One of the best stories told in an RPG, with great characters, and great twist, and deep lore that inspired me daily as I played. I also loved the combat system, which was a unique action-based blend of kung-fu, with RPG type skill aquirement. It may have been short for an RPG (22-28 hours), but it was perfectly paced, and had no filler. Every inch was great and a joy to explore.
X) GTA Series
X) Yakuza 2
X) Civilization IV
X) Guitar Hero 2
X) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
X) Jet Set Radio/ Jet Set Radio Future
X) Rez
X) Ikaruga
X) Shin Megami Tensai Nocturne
X) Max Payne
X) RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
X) Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
X) MechAssault
X) Skies of Arcadia
X) Resident Evil 4
X) Crazy Taxi
1. RealMyst ; This is my second favorite game of all time, with the first one being Riven: The Sequel to Myst. I’ve actually started with Riven in early 98 and then wanted to go back to Myst, but the rumors about 3D remake started to fly around fan community, so I just waited for that. RealMyst had everything I love this series for – incredible world building, great story told through journals and insanely hard, but very fun and logical puzzles. Plus the audiovisual part of the experience was just plain amazing. Especially since this was a rare case of game with truly bizarre and fantastical worlds, that yet still felt like genuine places people might live in.
2.Vampire: The Masquerada - Bloodlines ; I’ve been pretty heavy World of Darkness PnP player in 90s, so I loved the setting and after Fallout I’ve also worshipped the ground Troika crew walked on. So the expectation were incredibly huge for it and yet they managed to surpass it. Incredibly immersive game, with amazing storyline, great gameplay system and mindblowing freedom. I’ve replayed this one like 10 times and it’s always just as good as it ever was. It was buggy as hell at launch, but I’ve always had big tolerance for that and fan patches have fixed all the big problems anyway.
3. Thief 2: The Metal Age ; The kind of stealth genre. 15 years on the throne and still nothing has come even remotely close. Amazing immersion, wonderfully hardcore gameplay, fun storyline and the best level design in history of gaming industry, with Life of a Party being the single greatest level ever created. Add to this the fact that it managed to have surprisingly big and active fan community, with at least a hundred of new adventures that are worth playing.
4. SWAT 4 ; The best CQB tactical shooter. Extremely tense, with great gunplay and infinitely replayable campaign thanks to random enemies and NPC placements. Incredible multiplayer too, both PvP and especially co-op. Plus surprisingly inventive visual level design. It’s a shame this peak of the genre was pretty much it’s final moment too.
5. Myst V ; Same as RealMyst, only prettier and less polished. It felt a bit rough, but I still vastly prefer it over Myst III and IV. Because while those were great games I also felt neither Pyro nor Ubi truly got what made Myst special. They always felt off. Especially the locations were needlessly fantastical, which hurt the believability. Myst V didn’t have that problem. It gave me wonderful worlds to explore and very inventive puzzle to solve. As always with this series I’ve kept huge paper journal, where I not only wrote down clues, but roleplayed being an explorer, making sketches and writing down observation. I just love this series.
6. Independence War 2: Edge of Chaos ; When somebody asks about best space sim people usually name Freepace 2, but for me that title belongs to Inependence-War 2. Amazing flight model that mixes challenging realism with fast action. Incredible campaign that fresh story and great immersion factor. Space sims don’t get better than this.
7.Silent Hunter III ; Another sim that blew my mind with how immersive it was. For over a decade I didn’t think anyone would ever be able to surpass Aces of the Deep, but Ubisoft Romania did. Brilliant, brilliant game that delivers some of the most tense gameplay you can find in videogames medium. It’s another rough release, but also another one that was polished to perfection by fans. The whole genre has been trying to match SH3 for last decade, but nothing came close, including the sequels.
8. No One Lives Forever 2 ; Monolith’s Magnus Opus. Great atmosphere, one of the best female protagonist in the medium, extremely varied campaign, amazing humor and wonderful gameplay, that is fun both when played offensively as well as in stealth mode. The game still looks damn good too and gameplay still holds up remarkably well.
9. Enemy Engaged: RAH-66 Comanche Versus Ka-52 Hokum ; When it comes to modern simulators I’ve always liked heli sims the most. They offer huge complexity, but unlike with planes, you have to get close to targets and a lot of missions center on attacking ground targets, which increases variety. Because of that my list from every era will probably have at least one heli sim. But among all of them Enemy Engaged: RAH-66 Comanche Versus Ka-52 Hokum is my favorite. It doesn’t match up to insane realism of DCS: Black Shark, but it’s still realistic as hell and most of all..it’s definitely the most fun. Great flight physics, huge mission variety, two detailed and very different helis to fly and dynamic campaign that makes it infinitely replayable. The game also benefited hugely from active fan community creating some spectacular mod.
10. Nexus: The Jupiter Incident ; My favorite space strategy game. It’s not a popular opinion, but I’ve enjoyed it a lot more than Homeworld. It has the most tactical battles out of the games of this type with great depth in combat system, while also lacking the annoying base building. Plus the campaign is just amazing. Long, varied, with great storyline. Overall one of the most underrated PC games of last decade. The fact that crowdfunding campaign for sequel has failed broke my heart.
Honorable Mentions:
11. Operation Flashpoint
12. F.E.A.R.
13. Rainbow Six: Raven Shield
14. Persona 4
15. Port Royale 2
16.Mark of Kri
17. Silent Storm
18. Wizardry 8
19. Deus Ex
20. Ground Control 2
This got long. Having pretty much grown up with this incredible generation of games, I had a lot to say.
First a bit of housekeeping:
-I consider THPS 1 and 2 games of the N64 gen (even though they were on Dreamcast), so they are not included on this list.
Games I have yet to play but I really want to (and therefore I couldnt add to the list):
FFX, FFXII, Ico, SOTC, God of War 1 and 2, Gran Turismo 3 and 4, the three GBA Castlevanias, Soul Calibur, Metroid Prime 2, Jak and Daxter, Dragon Quest VIII, Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, Okami, Prince of Persia, any of the Splinter Cell games, Advance Wars, the GBA and GC Fire Emblem games, Golden Sun, Devil May Cry 3. Ill fix all of this as soon as I can >_<
Honorable Mentions:
Pikmin, Pikmin 2, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, Soul Calibur II, Halo 2, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3, Devil May Cry, Pokemon Emerald, The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap
20. Sonic Adventure 2 (To this day, I love the Sonic and Shadow stages. The mech and emerald hunting stages drag the game down. Also, the soundtrack is one of my favourites of all time)
19. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Some of the best dungeons in the Zelda series, but far too many flaws to make my top 10.)
18. Metroid Fusion (Hard to decide between Zero Mission and Fusion. Both are great games.)
17. Metroid Zero Mission (A fantastic remake of the first Metroid.)
16. The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap (An underrated masterpiece. One of the best looking 16 bit games ever, and some of the best 2D Zelda dungeons ever.)
15. Super Mario Sunshine (A beautiful, fun game. Blue coins hurt it.)
14. F-Zero GX (PURE ADRENALINE PUMPING FUN. ALSO HARD AS HELL. But also extremely satisfying. Beating that story mode is one of my greatest gaming achievements.)
13. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (An awesome follow up to the N64 Paper Mario. Fantastic game.)
12. Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Microgames (Best GBA game. Just pure fun.)
11. REmake (AHH THIS WAS SO TOUGH. I had to think long and hard between REmake and MGS2 making the top 10, and I ultimately just BARELY gave the nod to MGS2. REmake is an absolute masterpiece.)
THE TOP 10 GAMES OF THE GENERATION
10. Metal Gear Solid 2
MGS2 was one of the most hyped games of all time. I remember reading about it every month in EGM, and the magazine would go on and on about how great the trailers were and how amazing the game would be. Unfortunately, I didnt own a PS2 at the time, so there was no chance Id be able to play it around launch time. By the time I finally played through it in 2008 via the Essential Collection, I was completely blown away by how incredible this game was. It felt like it hadnt aged a day, running at a solid 60 fps and featuring the patented, timeless Kojima/Shinkawa art direction. There was no crushing disappointment due to the fact that Raiden was the character you played as for 90% of the game, and I had somehow managed to avoid spoilers for the games story for all of these years. For that Im glad, because the ending to MGS2 is something everyone should experience. Truly one of the most mind-blowing game experiences Ive ever had.
And yes, Ill admit it. I turned off my PS2. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND I WAS CREEPED OUT.
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
San Andreas is basically Vice City times three. Does that make it a better game, though? No. But its not very much worse off, either. I tackled the soundtrack in my soundtrack of the generation post, but I cant understate just how awesome the world design is in this game. Its pretty much the romanticized Compton, California of early 90s rap music videos, and for that reason, it is awesome. It also helps that the music from those videos is playing from the car radio whenever you are driving in this game! San Andreas has a number of improvements over Vice City: a graphical upgrade, new vehicle types like the bike, ATV and jet, gameplay improvements such as being able to jump and grab ledges, and of course, swimming! Being able to add a waypoint to your map is also much appreciated, but that leads to the worst thing about San Andreas the size. While I can see why players would appreciate a giant open world like San Andreas, I actually preferred the more intimate Vice City. By the time I was finished with that game, I had the entire world memorized, no map necessary. I felt completely in control of that city, just like my character in the game. After playing through San Andreas multiple times, I still dont really have the entire map memorized. It doesnt help that a good chunk of the map is made up of forestry and desert, as well. Nevertheless, San Andreas builds upon one of the greatest games Ive ever played. Its a lot bigger than Vice City in every way, and with that comes many improvements, but also more flaws. I mean, those RC missions ugh. Regardless, San Andreas is a god damn masterpiece and still fun as hell to play today. In my opinion, still the tightest GTA game to control from an on foot and driving perspective.
Everything really went to shit with IV.
8. Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved was a game that completely took me by surprise. As previously mentioned, I was an avid EGM reader as a child, and 2001 was defined by two things according to that magazine: Metal Gear Solid 2, and the launch of the Gamecube. I wasnt getting a PS2 anytime soon, so in November 2001, my mind was on the Gamecube. Strangely, Microsoft was also going to release a video game console called the Xbox in November of 2001. Looking at the previews, I didnt really understand who would possibly buy one over a Gamecube or PS2. I mean it had Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2x. Thats probably the only game Id be interested in playing.
So I picked up the November 2001 issue of EGM, and the game of the month, of course, was Metal Gear Solid 2OHGODNOITWASNTITWASHALO.
Halo? What is Halo? I had seen ads for the game, but it looked like a generic shooter by some company Id never heard of. It got a perfect, PLATINUM score in EGM, something I had never seen before that point. I was flabbergasted. What is this Halo game? Do I need to buy an Xbox?
The rest is history. Halo became the killer app for the Xbox and basically cemented the platforms position in the console wars. EGM would feature the game for MONTHS in their magazine, and the gaming world had collectively lost their shit for Halo. I was dying to play it, but at that time, there was no way I could justify buying the console strictly for one game.
Fast forward many years, before Halo 3 launch. I had a 360, it was backwards compatible, and I was hyped for the new Halo game. I had played a ton of Halo 2 split screen multiplayer with friends, but never a single player campaign from either of the Halo games. I borrowed my cousins copy of Halo: CE and finally was able to experience what EGM called a perfect game nearly 6 years earlier.
They were pretty much right on the money. Halo: CEs single player campaign is one of the best Ive ever played, and in the conversation for best single player FPS experience Ive ever had. From the feel of the weapons, to the character and enemy design, to the world design, the sky box, the art direction, and that music! Halo managed to live up to years of expectations on my part, which I didnt think was possible. Just a fantastically paced campaign from start to finish, Halo: CE is a complete joy. I only wish I was able to experience 16 player LAN parties during the hype surrounding the games launch.
7. Metroid Prime
Despite owning a Gamecube, I did not properly experience Metroid Prime until well into the Wiis life. Like Halo, Prime received an unprecedented platinum rating from EGM. My reaction? Metroid? You mean the game that stars Samus from Smash Bros? Yes! Having grown up with Genesis and N64, I was never really exposed to the Metroid franchise. I knew who Samus was because of Smash Bros and thats about it. Eventually, around the time Prime was released, I learned just how beloved the Metroid games were. Super Metroid was called the greatest game of all time by EGM. After hearing all of this praise for the franchise, and Prime itself, I couldnt resist renting the game.
Unfortunately, 10 year old me got lost. Fast. I dont know what it was, but I just couldnt proceed past the first area in the game. I dont think I had the patience to explore every nook and cranny of the overworld, like a Metroid game really demands from you. So I returned the game to the video store, disappointed. It was one of those games that everyone loved that just wasnt for me, it seemed.
Many years later (at least 10 years), I decided to tackle the game again, and OH MAN I WAS A DUMB KID. Prime deserves every bit of praise it ever got. Now having played every Metroid game (besides the Prime sequels), I can truly appreciate just how amazing a job Retro Studios did in bringing the Metroid franchise to 3D. This is up there with Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time when it comes to making the jump from 2D to 3D. The first person perspective, as crazy as it may have seemed back in 2002, just works so well. The atmosphere and feeling of isolation that made the 2D games so great and unique is fully realized here. The game is incredibly polished and the world is immersive and fun to explore. The boss battles, the art direction, the music, that feeling of satisfaction when you have the entire world layout memorized and youre just plowing through everything with your new powerups just incredible.
What a game. I can only pray we get a new, HD Metroid Prime from Retro at some point in the future.
Also, I really need to play Prime 2 and 3.
6. Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3
The THPS games were probably the biggest surprise of the N64 generation for me. Skateboarding games by Neversoft? Who? As it turns out, that team created two of my favourite games of all time. The free flowing combos and special moves, the crude yet charming humour, the incredibly well designed courses, the exploration elements, the awesome, licensed soundtrack full of memorable, high energy rock music the THPS games were the complete package. And Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 was the peak of the franchise.
Simply put, THPS3 is endless fun. Running for the first time at a buttery smooth 60 fps, the game just felt good to play. The movement of your character was incredibly tight, and no combo seemed out of reach as long as you practiced hard enough. That kind of technical design kept me playing, and always wanting to improve, because theres nothing more satisfying than that perfect run where you get a new high score. The THPS franchise is well known for its music, and while I prefer 2s soundtrack to 3, this game still introduced me to a ton of awesome music Id never heard of before. With the quicker framerate comes quicker gameplay, and the music adjusted accordingly, bringing in the likes of Motorhead and The Ramones. The quirky humour and writing was at its best in THPS3, now with some of the most ridiculous voice acting/voice clips youll ever hear in a game. On that note, the THPS franchise has some of the best unlockable characters in video games, with the likes of Darth Maul, the Neversoft Eyeball Man and fucking WOLVERINE all playable in THPS3.
Unfortunately, it was all down hill from here for the THPS series. I can only hope that someday, theyll return to their roots and make another game like THPS3. Until then, Ill keep poppin' in my Gamecube disc and go for a new, high score on Airport while jamming to Blitzkrieg Bop.
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is, to this day, the best looking game ever made. Its hilarious to reflect back on the reaction to the first "Celda" trailer. Never doubt that patented Nintendo art direction. The world is colourful, bright and happy; just a joy to explore. The character design, from Link to the King of Red Lions to Ganondorf himself are just striking and always manage to stand out. To go with the best art direction of any game ever made, Wind Waker also boasts one of the best soundtracks Ive ever heard. Adopting an Irish folk sound, composers Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai and Toru Minegishi took over the helm of the Zelda franchise from legendary game composer Koji Kondo, who only composed one track in the game. What we were left with is one of the more memorable soundtracks in the Zelda franchise, and a soundtrack that perfectly complements the whimsical, colourful world of the game.
Yoshiaki Koizumi was also brought onto the game as assistant director, alongside series mainstay Eiji Aonuma. While Wind Waker would be Koizumis last Zelda title, he sure made it count. Always one to try and introduce story elements into the games he worked on, Koizumis impression is certainly felt in Wind Waker. From the opening scroll recounting the events of Ocarina of Time to the emotional ending of the game, I can confidently say Wind Waker has the best story of any Zelda title. The dialogue is intelligent, funny and quirky all at the same time, the animation of each character, especially Links facial expressions, are so well thought out, and the cutscenes are just unforgettable. That ending. IS THAT WHAT YOU EXPECTED FROM CELDA?
Wind Waker has some flaws: It started the Link wakes up in a peaceful village. Now talk to everyone, do some tutorials, and go through a bunch of dialogue and cutscenes until the real story begins trope that has persisted in every 3D Zelda game since. Throwing the player into a stealth section of the game right off the bat probably wasnt a great idea, as 10 year old me who got stuck for weeks can attest to. Then you have the triforce quest, the boss rush at the end, the OBVIOUS missing dungeon for Nayru's Pearl but none of that matters in the grand scheme of things. With Wind Waker, the positives far outweigh the negatives. This game is sublime.
4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
I had never even heard of the Grand Theft Auto franchise until GTA III. You couldnt turn on your TV without seeing that commercial play. At some point, I was actually getting annoyed. The game looked dumb, honestly. Then I started hearing about all the praise, and seeing the reviewers throwing around words like game-changer. Okay, maybe its not so bad. Nonetheless, I didnt have a PS2, so I couldnt play the game. Bummer.
A mere year later, Vice City was announced. Just from the screenshots, I was already more interested in it than III. The main character wore a bright blue shirt. There were palm trees, motorcycles, a beach and chainsaws? Woah. 10 year old me was interested.
In whats becoming a common trend on my list, Vice City was yet another platinum-reviewed game from EGM. At that point, I knew I couldnt resist any longer. I needed to play Grand Theft Auto. So in 2003, I picked up Vice City for PC, and it was at that point that I officially questioned whether the Gamecube was the right choice over the PS2 for the first time.
It was. PS2 is great, but its no Gamecube.
Vice City introduced me to something I had no experience with: the 80s! Scarface? Miami Vice? A Flock of Seagulls? 10 year old me knew no such thing. But I was being exposed to it. And it was awesome. The soundtrack is one of the most memorable things about the game. Essentially an 80s greatest hits album, driving around in a game was never so fun, listening to hits from a decade I simply hadnt discovered. This was pre-Youtube, remember? I wasnt just going to stumble upon all of this stuff on my own as a 10 year old in 2003. I immediately fell in love with 80s new wave, metal and pop music. It added so much to the tone of the game for me.
I had never been exposed to a Rockstar game, so the writing kinda blew me away at the time. While the story was really just Scarface, I hadnt seen the film, so I loved it! Tommy Vercetti was, and still is, a bad ass protagonist. Ray Liotta absolutely killed it in the role. The supporting cast, such as Lance Vance
Dance
,
IM LOOKING FOR THE MONEY,
Sonny, Ricardo Diaz, Kent Paul all super memorable and fun characters. Don't forget the radio talk shows! Classic.
The mission variety in the game is great, from beginning to end. The GTA team really hit a perfect balance with this game: nothing ever felt tedious in Vice City, which is something I cant really say for any other GTA title. The size of the city is also perfect to me: not too small, but also not massive to the point where Id find myself getting lost and having to refer to the map. By the end of my first playthrough of Vice City, I had the entire world memorized. Like Tommy Vercetti, I had complete control over Vice City, at least in my mind. The character movement and vehicle physics in the game are great, and while they were improved in San Andreas, the HD GTA titles cant hold a candle to the tight feel of Vice City. One of the most satisfying moments in the game is taking over that mansion and having a brand new Infernus at your disposal at all times. Man did that feel good to drive around.
All in all, its that romanticized 80s Miami brought to life that always keeps me coming back to Vice City. While the graphics may look rough today, its still playable, and luckily, that music will never age. Vice City is just such a unique setting, even more than 10 years after this games release. The atmosphere and FEEL of the game is just so good. Although the succeeding GTA games would make improvements in some areas, Vice City to me still remains the complete package, and the best game in the franchise.
3. Metal Gear Solid 3
After playing MGS 1 and 2 and being completely blown away by both games, I had some pretty high expectations for MGS 3. Going into the game, I knew it was pretty different compared to the first two games. It took place in the 60s, so some of the high tech elements of the first two games would be absent. Solid Snake was replaced with Big Boss, Snakes identical father. Also, instead of a facility of sorts, this game took place in a jungle and there was a heavy focus on camouflage. Sometimes you feed on a tree frog. All in all, its a pretty weird game, but its that charming, Kojima weird.
MGS3 exceeded my expectations like I could have never imagined. As it turns out, the colourful, outdoor landscapes were a great departure from the cold, grey interiors of the previous MGS titles. As expected, Kojima and Shinkawa art direction is amongst the best in the business, and MGS3 is no exception, with some of the most bad ass character and mech designs in the franchise. As a Bond fan, I can completely appreciate the 60s spy aesthetic, and its clear just what films and stories were influencing Kojima while he created this game.
Possibly the most memorable parts of the game are the boss battles. The Cobra Unit are not only well designed and cool looking, but the battles themselves are also incredibly unique. Ill never forget the intense, 40 minute shootout I had with The End. In true Kojima fashion, you can even beat these bosses via some of the most quirky, fourth wall breaking methods Ive ever seen in a game. Its so much fun, and just adds to the games allure.
Speaking of fun, I have to mention the games main theme, Snake Eater. I mentioned the 60s spy aesthetic and Bond influence, and my god is it on display here. Snake Eater is basically a Bond theme song. In fact, Id have to say it sounds better than most Bond theme songs. Despite some ridiculous (and hilarious) lyrics, just hearing that song kick off the game had me completely hooked, and the game really didnt let up until the end.
While Ive never been huge on story in games, I can confidently say that MGS3s story is easily amongst my favourite in all of video games. Standing well on its own from the rest of the franchise, MGS3 never feels dragged down by any of the baggage of the other MGS games. The relationship and evolution of the story between Big Boss and The Boss is nothing short of beautiful. This is Kojima story telling at its absolutely best. I was totally absorbed into every cutscene, every codec and every character in the game. This is not something common with me: I even tend to skip cutscenes in games that dont grab me within the first few hours. MGS3 never came close to that. Some of the best cutscenes Ive ever seen are in this game.
This brings me to the ending, which probably evoked the most emotional response Ive ever had while playing a video game. From pressing the button, to the salute, to the music playing over the credits, this ending crushed me. I felt things I had never felt while playing a video game before. This is the peak of Kojimas genius, and the Metal Gear Solid franchise. I love this game.
2. Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is one of the only games I was ever out of my mind hyped for going into the games release.
(The others include: Banjo Tooie, Brawl and Twilight Princess).
While I followed the game during all the various twists and turns in early development, it wasnt until E3 2004 that I really started to get obsessed with it. I saw a full demo playthrough from E3 featuring the games now famous village segment. I was hooked. I had never played a Resident Evil game before that, yet this video just drew me in. It looked so good, both graphically and gameplay wise. The aiming looked great, the environments looked creepy, the zombies looked unlike anything Id ever seen a game. I was amazed that you could shoot the garden utensils they threw at you in mid air. Everything about this game blew me away, and this was just a video of the first 15 or so minutes of the game.
I made my first internet purchase because of Resident Evil 4. There was a demo released in Japan alongside a Japanese magazine, and I needed to have it. So I somehow convinced my dad to let me use his credit card, and I imported the magazine along with the Biohazard 4 demo. I had an Action Replay for the Gamecube, and was able to load up import games.
I must have played that demo 20 times. I was blown away. It was so good, so fun... just everything felt right. Looking back, Im actually amazed just how much this game drew me in. I didnt stop at the demo. I bought Resident Evil Zero and Remake in anticipation for RE4. As I was only 12 at the time, those games were a little too complex for me, with the tank controls and heavy focus on exploration, I got stuck relatively quickly. Nevertheless, this didnt diminish my hype for RE4. I couldnt be more excited. Launch was imminent. What could go wrong?
The answer is nothing. Resident Evil 4 is very close to what Id consider a perfect game. Somehow, someway, even with the INSANE hype I had for this title, when I finally played the game, I was still completely blown away. It exceeded my hype, somehow. By a lot. Ill never forget physically moving around in my seat in excitement like a crazy person when I left the village portion of the game, which I played countless times via the demo, and was able to proceed through the entire game. I ended up playing RE4 for about 10 straight hours the day it came out. That play session is one of my most cherished moments when it comes to games, and something Ive rarely experienced since.
The game itself is pretty much perfect from top to bottom. Shinji Mikami is a genius, and this game is his magnum opus. I believe the opening segment of the game, leading into the village, is the greatest intro to a video game ever. It gets the player excited right off the bat, and that feeling never really leaves you for the rest of the playthrough. Leon is an awesome protagonist, and the campy dialogue and story in this game is unforgettable, in a good way!
Theres not much more that can be said here that hasnt already been said a million times. RE4 gave birth to the third person shooter dominated gaming landscape we live in today. Yet, none of these newer games can even hold a candle to it. The controls, which are essentially just the original Resident Evil tank controls, but now with the camera centered behind Leon instead of various static positions, are perfect for the world Mikami created, and that slowness adds just that little bit of tension needed for the "survival horror" part of the game. The Ganados are awesome enemies, and the creepy, Spanish communication between them has become iconic at this point. Once we get to the Church and they start with their chants goosebumps every time.
The pacing of this game. The music. The weapons. The upgrade system. The reload animations. WHAT ARE YA BUYIN? I can go on listing all of the great things about this game endlessly. Resident Evil 4 is one of those games that changed everything, and is of a quality and level of polish that you rarely see anymore. It exceeded the hype, and Im still finding out new things while playing it to this day. A perfect game.
1. Super Smash Bros. Melee
Was there ever any doubt? As culturally enlightening as Vice City was, as emotionally moving as MGS3 was, and as hype exceedingly perfect RE4 was, SSBM is at a whole other level for me. To write this post, I had to pause the game, which is currently running on the TV behind me. In fact, it is always running, and the Gamecube I have in my game center is basically a Melee player that has its own dedicated input on my TV. Melee is by far my most played video game of all time, and that is because, on certain days, I consider it the greatest game ever made. Between training alone at home, playing with friends, and competing at tournaments, Ive played thousands of hours of Melee since 2001.
That right there is the key. That right there is why this game is my game of the generation, and its not really even close. The longevity of this game is unparalleled. Ive been playing Melee consistently since the game launched in 2001. We are coming up on 14 years since its release, and I dont feel any desire to stop playing any time soon. In case you didnt know, Ive been playing Melee at the competitive level for years, entering my first tournament in 2008. Since then, Ive consistently attended tournaments, get togethers with other top level players, and casual smash fests at my university.
But why? How can someone play a single game for so long and not get bored of it? Well, the fact is, I think its that good, and Ive thought it was that good ever since it was released. An enormous improvement over the N64 installment and the first appearance of most Nintendo characters on the Gamecube, Melee was a masterpiece from day one. The tight, fast paced feel of the game, the fan service, the new Adventure mode, target test, home run contest, retro stages, new stages, new playable characters like Falco, Ganon, Mewtwo and even Mr. Game and Watch! Marth! Wait who? Sheik from Ocarina of Time! All of these things were mind-blowing back in 2001. So mind-blowing, that the effects are still being felt today!
Indeed, it is the healthy tournament scene, which is bigger than ever in 2015, that is keeping my love and devotion to this game alive. Believe it or not, despite all of the hours Ive put into this game Im not even close to being remotely good.
Melee is the perfect accident. Director Masahiro Sakurai never intended for the game to be played at such a high level, and for techniques such as L-cancelling and wavedashing to be exploited to such an extreme. Yet here we are. A competitive metagame evolved to mind numbing speeds. Thousand man tournaments fourteen years after launch, spreading three console generations and two successors in the Smash Bros series. Its the strive to get better, the unlimited depth, and the insane difficulty involved with competing at the top level that keeps me hungry. That being said, I wouldn't want to keep getting better if I wasn't enjoying what I was doing. Above all, Melee is the most fun game ever made. Ive had more laughs, thrills and excitement playing this game than any other. The fast paced, free flowing, combo filled gameplay is the reason why I, and thousands others, still cannot stop playing this game even after all these years.
Ive met many friends through Melee. Ive traveled across the country for this game, and even to America to play with the best of the best. For me, there is no feeling more satisfying in video games than seeing my hard work pay off in the form of winning tournament sets, and in a few lucky circumstances, winning entire tournaments.
There was never any doubt: Super Smash Bros. Melee is my game of the generation.
Condensed version for the parser:
1. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; My most played game, and the most fun, deep game ever created. 2. Resident Evil 4 ; The perfect game. 3. Metal Gear Solid 3 ; One of the best stories in video games. 4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ; I love the 80s. 5. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker ; The most beautiful game. Period. 6. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 ; One of the most fun I've had with a game. Super smooth gameplay and the combo system is incredible. 7. Metroid Prime ; A perfect translation of the 2D Metroid formula to 3D. 8. Halo: Combat Evolved ; One of the best single player FPS campaigns ever. 9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; An early 90s rap video come to life. 10. Metal Gear Solid 2 ; I need scissors. 61! x. REmake ; A true masterpiece. One of the most creepy and atmospheric games ever made. x. WarioWare Inc. Mega Microgames ; Random game that came out of nowhere. So much fun.
Choosing between three and four was the hardest choice for me. In the end, I realized that MGS3s story, gameplay, graphics, art design, intro theme, and the ending, including the credits music, is some of the finest Ive ever seen in a video game. So Im giving the Big Boss salute to Vice City, which sits at #4 on my list, just barely.
1. Counter Strike - this game has been evolving since I started playing the betas and its still one of the few remaining online games of its age still going strong though in a slightly different form.
2. Dota - not much needs to be said considering it's own impact and how it basically created the modern moba.
3 Soul Calibur 1 - The original best balance is one of the finest pieces of gaming on so many levels. Shame developers within the genre and outside do not look at what this game gets right because this is how you make a perfect title especially if we are talking about the polish namco put on this from the arcade.
4. Burnout 2 - before this series jumped the shark and became too combat focused this is easily one of the best arcade racers next to daytona in that generation.
5. Resident Evil 4 - I came back in to franchise for this game be it gc and eventually wii it has the right touch of action despite taking the game from it's roots.
6. GTA Vice City - Out of the 3 of that came out that generation this one stuck with me the most something about them nailing the atmosphere of the 80's so well it's almost my favorite of any 3d GTA unmodded.
7. Half Life 2
8. Smash Brothers Melee
9. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
10. NBA Street Vol 2
1) Metal Gear Solid 3; one of the best stories in gaming and of-course the usual awesome gameplay of the series, legendary boss battles, unbelievably complex codec. Such a masterpiece.
2) ICO; it was magical, you felt like you really cared for your AI companion like no other game ever did, amazing atmosphere, cool puzzles, just one of a kind.
3) Metal Gear Solid 2; the first next gen WOW moment and a visually striking moment that no game since has passed yet, one of the best and most improved sequels ever, not only it was one of the biggest jumps visually compared to previous entry, it was one of the biggest jumps in gameplay as well. legendary.
4) God of War; one of my favorites Hack n' Slash ever, sequel was equally amazing but i want to give the nod for the first game that really took me by surprise.
5) Silent Hill 2; the scariest game that I've played with the most creepy atmosphere and one of the best horror games as well.
6) Grand Theft Auto 3; one of the most influential games of all time, it felt like a revolution at the time, something that was never done before. I was in awe by the sense of freedom and the technology.
7) Tekken Tag Tournament; my favorite fighting game of all time, bought it at launch and played it against my friends for years, had intense tournaments and just a blast together.
1. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal ; Wonderful game. It built upon Goin' Commando's introductions and expanded upon it with a ton of new things, adding multiplayer and Qwark's games, while keeping the gameplay perfection of the prequel.
2. Burnout Revenge ; A timeless classic in the racing genre.So much fun had with this game, and so sad the series is dead.
3. Ape Escape 2 ; In my opinion, the best in the series. Lovely aesthethics, great gameplay mechanics.
4. Sly 2 Band of Thieves ; yet another 3D platformer I loved to death. Honorable mention to the first game, which was amazing, but I liked the sequel a bit more.
5. Metroid Prime ; The first Retro Studios' masterpiece. Aside from the bosses, I loved everything of it.
6. Jak and Daxter The Precursor Legacy ; The natural evolution to Super Mario 64. Another game I'd struggle to find a bad thing into.
7. Prince of Persia The Sands of Time ; Amazing aesthethic and atmosphere, great level design. The sequels definitely weren't on par.
8. Tekken 5 ; it deserved a place here for the wonderful times I had with this game, especially in multiplayer.
9. Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance ; I've yet to play Aria of Sorrow, and I loved DOS to death, so that might be the real 9th game, but as of now I have to place HoD, which is still a great Metroidvania game.
10. Starfox Adventures ; still haven't got the hate for this. Amazing adventure game.
I had to make really hard choices, a lot of the game listed here could've been 1st and I left a lot of games that I loved and could have easily been top 10. What a generation.
