There was
this thread from way back in the day about listing your top 10 favorite games. So I'll just take that and maybe update it for games since then.
12. Pokémon Red/Blue - Sure it got blown way out of proportion, but it was still a ton of fun. It was the first video game purchase I made with my own money (along with the gameboy) and I played the hell out of it. To this day I would imagine that most of us could put the name to a picture of one of the original 150, perhaps even their type, and MAYBE even when they evolve.
11. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 - This is another game that I played for hours and hours. It was hokey, but it was supposed to be and I really enjoyed the strategy in this game. The pacing was great and the missions were blast even in subsequent playthroughs. I know everyone else was playing Starcraft (which is great in its own right, don't get me wrong), but I was playing this. Besides, I liked that you could select more than 10 units.
10. Shadow of the Colossus - This gets on here if just for uniqueness. I've never played a game quite like it, and probably never will. This game is the argument for games' capability of being art. You'd be wasting your time trying to use any others. The living painting-style graphics along with the breathtaking scale they managed to portray is truly impressive. Not to mention the fact that this game evoked such confused emotions that no other form of entertainment has. The game is an experience, it just places lower due to the low replay value.
9. Armored Core 1/Project Phantasma - Here's one I bet no one else has. Armored Core is a niche, nerd game if there ever was one. But my friend had Armored Core 1 and its expansion way back in the day and we would play through it and play against each other for hours and hours. The Armored Core games since have all entertained me, but I knew these inside and out, despite the fact that I was not good at them at all. You know a game has something when you long to play it even when you're pretty bad at it.
8. Uncharted 2 - A thoroughly enjoyed series, and this was the pinnacle. Incredible acting and dialogue, some of the most human video game characters around. I loved the scenery porn and the historical fiction.
7. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Cthulhu pretty much expressed my feelings on this. No I've never played Morrowind (sorry...) but Oblivion's world really sucked me in, I was totally immersed as I played this game, often into the early morning. I truly was "role-playing." Also, Yop, Final Fantasy II actually had a experience system like TES, but it wasn't quite as well implemented. Now of course there's Skyrim, and I don't know which I like better. If I had to just pick up a game and play, it would probably be Skyrim, but I did spend an inordinate number of hours in Oblivion.
6. Tales of Xillia - The best JRPG I've played of the last generation. I've extolled about it before. It looks incredibly anime, but it defied my expectations all the time. Every time I thought I knew what would happen from my knowledge of anime it surprised me. And the localization is probably the best I have ever seen. The game is legitimately funny, which is a feat for voiced JRPGs these days, and with a very likable cast. I highly recommend it.
5. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles - The best Sonic game, if not the best game on the stellar Sega Genesis. I've always been a Sonic guy (as opposed to a Mario one), and this was his peak. Some of the best video game music accompanied by imaginative levels and 14 Chaos Emeralds to find made for a very fun experience. Ironically enough, as hard as Sega tries on those damned 4kids storylines on today's Sonic, S3&K actually told a pretty good, subtle story.
4. Final Fantasy VI or X - I really can't decide. It pretty much goes to whichever one I've played more recently. VI was the first game, in my opinion, to prove that one could weave a brilliant and elaborate plot in a video game. The fact that it had such a huge cast and that the vast majority of them are interesting is a testament to that. From memorable scenes such as Cyan's family on the Doomtrain, the famous Opera, and one of the greatest villains' rise to power, it was truly a masterpiece. That said, X also broke some barriers. As much as people love to hate the voice-overs, I never really minded it (except for the abuse of "you know?"). X's graphics STILL look pretty good, it redefined summon magic and had a really imaginative leveling system. X exemplifies the right way to tell a love story (I'm looking at you, 8), and as was previously stated, perhaps the best ending in the series.
A tough choice.
3. Xenosaga Episode I - My first PS2 game, and I am eternally grateful to the gamestop employee that recommended it to me. Yeah, yeah, its a movie. But its a damn good one. Truly a sci-fi epic with large scale battles and all the orchestral accouterments that go with it. The characters were entertained with largely good voice acting. KOS-MOS is a spectacular badass and really cool take on the 'living weapon' thing that anime loves. Albedo was a disturbing, hateful villain with one the best dubbed voice-over roles in video games and anime hands down.
2. Final Fantasy Tactics - The pinnacle of the Final Fantasy job system and the definitive tactical RPG, FFT started things off with a great battle system. Battles took a long time, and losing sucked, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I've never "rooted for" a hero I was controlled like I did for Ramza. He was so noble and against such incredible odds that I truly hoped for him to succeed. I still am upset by his lack of recognition in the history books, he really is as much a hero I've encountered in any medium. The Shakespearean plot was a ton of fun and the pseudo-Victorian translation of the War of the Lions remake complemented it perfectly and is a game I recommend to anyone.
1. Final Fantasy VII - Yeah, no surprise there. Were it not for this game, I would not have played any of the other RPGs on this list. I may not even be a dedicated gamer were it not for this game. But I believe it deserves number 1 for more than nostalgia and happenstance. I've played this game more than any of the others on here, or if not definitely spent the most time playing, discussing, and playing its spinoffs. VI showed that video games could tell a great story, and VII confirmed it. VII didn't really break any ground within the genre, even with the story. It's just they did something with characters to make them some of the most memorable, ever. Every gamer, begrudgingly or otherwise, knows Cloud, Sephiroth and Aeris. Many remember the tons of memorable moments, lines and revelations. It's no small wonder this is the game that received a Compilation. And that's not to diminish its gameplay either. Its not a wild departure but it did just about everything right. Materia is a great, fun system allowing for tons of customizability and is not nearly as unbalanced and easily broken as, say, VIII or Crisis Core. It's the reason we're all here and still remains my favorite game.
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