Was thinking about what my favorite 10 games are. But just like I wouldn't describe my three favorite colors as "red", "a slightly darker red", and "a slightly lighter red". I will limit my choices to things that are as different as possible, or that I like for entirely different reasons. (so sorry FFVII, FFIX wins out).
1: Final Fantasy IX.
2: Nier:Automata
3: Doki Doki literature Club
4: Pokemon
5: Stepmania
6: Dungeon defenders
7: Warcraft 3
8: Diablo 2
9: Portal 1/2
10: Keep talking and nobody explodes
1: To me FFIX represents the pinnacle of epic fantasy storytelling in gaming, and since I think the "epic" is the highest of potential storytypes it's also the best game. Something like Fifa can be great at the very specific thing it's designed for, emulating a football game, but the thing it's trying to accomplish is in itself not very deep or meaningful, and trying to make it deep and meaningful would only distract from its actual purpose, which is being a football game.
But the epic, the final fantasies, the lord of the ringses, they tackle good, evil, the human condition, and the full range of human emotions from a spectrum beyond what we can even get in real life. To me, FFIX perfectly encapsulated the wonder, adventure, romance, tragedy, sorrow, and all the other emotions and aspects that such a story can touch on, and is the fullest, most complete and rich game ever made. (FFVII would probably come second).
2: Slightly less large in scale is Nier:automata, a story and world designed to explore philosophy and humanity. I got lured in by the best designed gaming character I had ever seen, and stayed because of the best deconstruction of nihilism, the meaning of life, and what it means to be human, that I have ever seen.
Nier: Automata is just unique in the way it tells its story, how it sets up an atmosphere throughout its different playthroughs, how it subtly imbues the player with a subconscious understanding and acceptance of existential nihilism, only to then compel the player into not accepting that conclusion, thereby disproving it.
From the characters to the gameplay to the best ending of any game ever made, Nier: Automata is just the masterpiece of a mad genius.
3: Some games just take a single concept, and use everything available to focus in and really explore that single concept and I don't think there has ever been a better or more interesting one than Doki Doki literature club. Even though I'd honestly say that the first few hours of this game are rather dull if you don't like japanese dating sims, what this game does, especially with the character of Monika, is just so inspired that I can't help but gush over it. It plays with the very concept of what a game is, hell, what fiction is. Instead of transporting you to another world the gaming world is transported to you, to where the story is taking place right in your very room. It strips away your sense of safety, and creates what in my opinion is the best and most tragic video game character ever created in the form of Monika. Running the gamut from eldritch horror antagonist to lonely school girl, from antagonist to self-sacrificing tragic heroine. The game starts at the download page and threatens to slips out into the real world by the end. Of all the video game characters I've failed, I feel like I've failed Monika the most.
4: Not much I have to say about pokemon, there is a reason it's a multi-billion dollar juggernaut. The concept of "gotta catch em all" was just inspired, and has continued for 20 years over multiple platforms. Imo, by a large margin the best hand-held game ever created. I only stopped playing with sword and shield since I am NOT ok with not being able to catch them all. To me, this was a single game lasting 20 years, and that's where it ended.
5: This is the most pure example of just directly trying to plug your brain into a system and trying to became as insanely good in a system, purely for the sake of being good at it. Even something like guitar hero, in my opinion, is less pure because there is a layer of ornament between yourself and the computer. The guitar is "flavor", when playing any sort of game the characters, the settings, they're all flavor. Stepmania is just skill and music, and I've always just loved the purity of it. Plus, I am insanely good at it, and I love it.
When I buy an actual oculus, beat saber might replace this, since it's similarly awesome and even more fun.
6: This is just my favorite "fun" game, there is some skill involved, I can level, I can collect stuff, I can do it myself, I can multiplayer, the graphics are cute, I don't get bogged down in stories or anything. I've spend thousand of hours on this.
7: I loved the characters, world, story, and mechanics of Warcraft 3. I tend to not be a fan of RTS, but I wanted one on here, and this is the only one I've ever truly loved. Most probably prefer starcraft, but much as a love Kerrigan, starcraft never did it for me.
8: The dark atmosphere of diablo 2 was brilliant and terrifying, unfortunately I think it was lost in diablo 3. Looking at the diablo 4 trailer I do have high hopes for that.
This was just an overall great game in look, concept, and execution.
9: What can I say, the best puzzle game. This is the best example of emerging gameplay I think that I know. If it were just the portal puzzles, these games would already be brilliant, but the addition of the humor, world building, and especially "Glados" make it into something special. The way the antagonist is always there throughout the game torturing you makes it so that somehow they managed to create one of the greatest villains ever....in a puzzle game.
Not a fighting game, or action game, or roleplaying game, a imposing, scary, disturbing....puzzle game boss.
10: Had difficulties thinking of a number 10, but this shit is just hilarious to play with your friends. It's an original way to use vr glasses, as well as a fresh take on multiplayer. Do this at a lan-party and enjoy the stress and screaming.
1: Final Fantasy IX.
2: Nier:Automata
3: Doki Doki literature Club
4: Pokemon
5: Stepmania
6: Dungeon defenders
7: Warcraft 3
8: Diablo 2
9: Portal 1/2
10: Keep talking and nobody explodes
1: To me FFIX represents the pinnacle of epic fantasy storytelling in gaming, and since I think the "epic" is the highest of potential storytypes it's also the best game. Something like Fifa can be great at the very specific thing it's designed for, emulating a football game, but the thing it's trying to accomplish is in itself not very deep or meaningful, and trying to make it deep and meaningful would only distract from its actual purpose, which is being a football game.
But the epic, the final fantasies, the lord of the ringses, they tackle good, evil, the human condition, and the full range of human emotions from a spectrum beyond what we can even get in real life. To me, FFIX perfectly encapsulated the wonder, adventure, romance, tragedy, sorrow, and all the other emotions and aspects that such a story can touch on, and is the fullest, most complete and rich game ever made. (FFVII would probably come second).
2: Slightly less large in scale is Nier:automata, a story and world designed to explore philosophy and humanity. I got lured in by the best designed gaming character I had ever seen, and stayed because of the best deconstruction of nihilism, the meaning of life, and what it means to be human, that I have ever seen.
Nier: Automata is just unique in the way it tells its story, how it sets up an atmosphere throughout its different playthroughs, how it subtly imbues the player with a subconscious understanding and acceptance of existential nihilism, only to then compel the player into not accepting that conclusion, thereby disproving it.
From the characters to the gameplay to the best ending of any game ever made, Nier: Automata is just the masterpiece of a mad genius.
3: Some games just take a single concept, and use everything available to focus in and really explore that single concept and I don't think there has ever been a better or more interesting one than Doki Doki literature club. Even though I'd honestly say that the first few hours of this game are rather dull if you don't like japanese dating sims, what this game does, especially with the character of Monika, is just so inspired that I can't help but gush over it. It plays with the very concept of what a game is, hell, what fiction is. Instead of transporting you to another world the gaming world is transported to you, to where the story is taking place right in your very room. It strips away your sense of safety, and creates what in my opinion is the best and most tragic video game character ever created in the form of Monika. Running the gamut from eldritch horror antagonist to lonely school girl, from antagonist to self-sacrificing tragic heroine. The game starts at the download page and threatens to slips out into the real world by the end. Of all the video game characters I've failed, I feel like I've failed Monika the most.
4: Not much I have to say about pokemon, there is a reason it's a multi-billion dollar juggernaut. The concept of "gotta catch em all" was just inspired, and has continued for 20 years over multiple platforms. Imo, by a large margin the best hand-held game ever created. I only stopped playing with sword and shield since I am NOT ok with not being able to catch them all. To me, this was a single game lasting 20 years, and that's where it ended.
5: This is the most pure example of just directly trying to plug your brain into a system and trying to became as insanely good in a system, purely for the sake of being good at it. Even something like guitar hero, in my opinion, is less pure because there is a layer of ornament between yourself and the computer. The guitar is "flavor", when playing any sort of game the characters, the settings, they're all flavor. Stepmania is just skill and music, and I've always just loved the purity of it. Plus, I am insanely good at it, and I love it.
When I buy an actual oculus, beat saber might replace this, since it's similarly awesome and even more fun.
6: This is just my favorite "fun" game, there is some skill involved, I can level, I can collect stuff, I can do it myself, I can multiplayer, the graphics are cute, I don't get bogged down in stories or anything. I've spend thousand of hours on this.
7: I loved the characters, world, story, and mechanics of Warcraft 3. I tend to not be a fan of RTS, but I wanted one on here, and this is the only one I've ever truly loved. Most probably prefer starcraft, but much as a love Kerrigan, starcraft never did it for me.
8: The dark atmosphere of diablo 2 was brilliant and terrifying, unfortunately I think it was lost in diablo 3. Looking at the diablo 4 trailer I do have high hopes for that.
This was just an overall great game in look, concept, and execution.
9: What can I say, the best puzzle game. This is the best example of emerging gameplay I think that I know. If it were just the portal puzzles, these games would already be brilliant, but the addition of the humor, world building, and especially "Glados" make it into something special. The way the antagonist is always there throughout the game torturing you makes it so that somehow they managed to create one of the greatest villains ever....in a puzzle game.
Not a fighting game, or action game, or roleplaying game, a imposing, scary, disturbing....puzzle game boss.
10: Had difficulties thinking of a number 10, but this shit is just hilarious to play with your friends. It's an original way to use vr glasses, as well as a fresh take on multiplayer. Do this at a lan-party and enjoy the stress and screaming.
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. Limiting the list to one game per franchise.
).
