What are your favorite 10 games? (and why?)

Stiggie

Pro Adventurer
AKA
Stiggie
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.
 
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1. FFVII because it was my gateway drug, and reawakened a creativity and love of fantasy I thought was dead in me

2. Mario Kart: the ultimate family game. I love playing this with my boys and their cousins

3. Dragon Age. It's fun and I love all the glitches.

4. Dragon Quest VIII. I love all the Dragon Quest games, they're utterly immersive and I find the gameplay more challenging than Final Fantasy. VIII is my absolute fave. So immersive. It's the kind of game you put down reluctantly and race back to playing asap. Wonderfully ridiculous enemies, fabulous music, beautiful animation and world building.

5. FFXII, because I really want to play an MMORPG but I'm unsociable so I play this instead.

6. Spooky Castle. It probably sucks but it was the first game I ever played and I didn't have anything to compare it to. It's just monsters in dungeons, but my kids and I had hours of fun with it.

7. The Witcher III. Great world building; I can spend hours running or riding around from one gorgeous piece of scenery to the next. And I love the characters.

8. Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I was obsessed by this game for about a year. Fascinating story and lore, plenty of fuel for debate. Good fanfic fodder.

9. FFXV. Sometimes it's what I'm in the mood for. Fishing.

10. Best Fiends is my one and only mobile game.
 

Clement Rage

Pro Adventurer
In no particular order

Legacy of Kain:Soul Reaver
Final Fantasy IX
Dirge of Cerberus
Metal Gear Rising:Revengeance
Devil May Cry 4
Final Fantasy XIII
MarioKart
XCom 2
Super Mario Bros 3
Donkey Kong Country

Series:Resident Evil (all of them, even Outbreak)

Could talk for a long time about each of these.
 

Odysseus

Ninja Potato
AKA
Ody
No special order, and these might not even be my favorite games. Just what came to mind.

FFVII - Played at a formative time in my life. It wasn't my first FF technically, but it might as well have been. It opened my mind to what a videogame story could be, and has an unforgettable cast of characters and great aesthetic.

Sonic Adventure 2 - One of the first games I ever played, started a lifelong obsession with this awful blue nightmare. I know there's been endless debate about the quality of this game, but fuck it, I love it. Great OST, cheesy as fuck voice acting, solid gameplay from Sonic and Shadow, and I loved raising Chao when I was young.

Sonic 3&K - As far as I'm concerned, it's the best 2D platformer ever made. Big and complex stages that (mostly) don't drag, a proper storyline conveyed entirely through animation, two unique campaigns, and the best special stages in the series. Lots of secrets to find, too.

Super Mario World
- Another of my first games. It just really captured my imagination when I was young, with all of its secrets. Probably my favorite Mario game, too.

Pikmin 1 - It was too hard for me as a kid, but I love it now. It's a very serene and relaxing game, with beautiful areas to explore. For a nintendo game, Olimar is surprisingly well characterized too. just a loving dad trying to get home. When I was a kid, the 30 day limit was intimidating, but now I can see that the game doesn't work as well without it (as seen in Pikmin 2.)

Yume Nikki - I literally cannot remember how I found this game, but it's one I've known about for a long time. Despite it's lack of gameplay beyond walking around, it's a game that really captures my imagination. Since it has no story, you're left to infer everything just by the visuals alone. There are amny surreal and Bizzare places to see, and despite the fact that the OST is largely comprised of very short loops, it can be very captivating. There's really nothing that makes me feel like it does.

Shadow of the Colossus - Fighting the Colossi is captivating, but what really draws me in is the world. It's a vast, expansive map that is all at once so empty, but so carefully designed. It's a game where it feels like there's so much more going on than what you as a player are made aware of. This video really captured my imagination, too.

Mother 3 / Earthbound depending on my mood
- I've always been at a crossroads on which Mother entry is the best. 3 has the best storyline by far, but Earthbound just has this irreverent feeling too it that I don't get as much from Mother 3. Then again, it's to Mother 3's credit that it manages to make the small town suburbia parodied EB feel like a disgusting corruption of the world Lucas knew. Both games, I like both games. I own a 400 page book about Earthbound's localization.

Undertale - funny skeleton

Super Smash Brothers - fun fighting game with clud in it now. Melee had the best non-story single player mode, bring back adventure mode damn it.
 

Lulcielid

Eyes of the Lord
AKA
Lulcy
10 favourites...it'll be hurt to exclude some games among my many favourites :(. Limiting the list to one game per franchise.

Devil May Cry 3
An excellent action game to this date, only edged out by its following installments but still having the best executed story in an action game, you don't get much better than this.

Dragon Ball FighterZ
The dream game any fighting game player fan of Dragon Ball always waited to happen finally made a reality. A game that the hardcore FGC can take competitively seriously.

Final Fantasy XV
A roadtrip with the best four digital bros you could ask for, an excellent game to chill. Wish Noctis & Co were my friends.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Great criminal gang simulator that Rockstar ever made haven't quite managed to replicate since then.

Kingdom Hearts
One of the greater coming of age stories in a jrpg, the writing of the franchise peaked here (...:'().

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phanton Pain
Metal Gear at its most expressive and a fitting if moody way to end the Solid series.

Persona 3
Game came at the right in my life when I was experiencing a lot of loss, helped carry the head up and move forward even if it still hurt.

Resident Evil 4
A well paced, fun and campy horror action game, nothing more, nothing less.

Shadow of The Colossus
Crowning achivement that you can do excellent storytelling with very little.

The King of Fighters XI
Can't articulate why I like it a lot other than it's my all time favourite fighting game.
 

Saven

Pro Adventurer
1. Final Fantasy VII - This game just blew me away. I've already wrote up a long explanation of what this game meant to me when I first joined here a long time ago, but it was just a game changer, both in the way I played video games and with my life. Whenever I think about this game or whenever I play it, good memories come from it.

2. Xenogears - Also a game changer. It sounds corny saying it, but it opened my eyes to the world. If it weren't for this game, I probably would've never really thought outside of the box when it comes to religion, politics, or how the universe is. This is my favorite story of all time and this would be the only other game besides FFVII that I would mark the fuck out over if it got a Remake announcement at a E3. It has influenced me as a story teller as well.

3. Streets of Rage Remake - A fantastic fan remake of my favorite video game series of all time during a time when Streets of Rage was dead in the water and Sega didn't give a fuck about it. It perfectly recreated everything I loved about the first three games and was a blast to play all the time.

4. Streets of Rage 2 - The first video game I've ever played, so I might be a little biased, but it's such a good game. This is what made me a gamer and also a lover of video game music thanks to the fantastic soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro (which annoyed my family since I always blasted music from the Options menu on the living room TV lol). It doesn't innovate as much as other beat em ups like Double Dragon or Final Fight did, but it emulates the absolute best of the genre and it's still a blast to play to this day.

5. Metal Gear Solid - Before playing FFVII all the way through, I came across this gem and this was the first story that just blew me away. I have replayed this game so many times and everything about it just stuck with me, the gameplay, story (as I just mentioned), music, presentation, etc. It was also the first game that I can remember having good voice acting as well. This is where my love for the franchise started and also for Hideo Kojima.

6. Grand Theft Auto III - As a big fan of the game Driver for the PSX, seeing this for the first time just blew me away. It was Driver and MUCH more. This game gave me unlimited creative freedom at the time and I had so many fun memories playing it amongst myself and even with the neighborhood kids. While the game is dated compared to other entries, it was the first game of its kind in 3D and it was amazing back when I first played it in early 2002. It was hard to rent it at Blockbuster that year lol. I just replayed it earlier this year and finally got 100% on it and it still holds up.

7. Half-Life - One of the first games I ever got with my first Windows PC. The presentation and gameplay just kept me addicted. I could not put this one down for a long time and I was blown away with the many twist and turns that it spit out starting with the slow start with the "your at work" chapter, the survivor horror feel that starts right after, and with the twist that the people you thought would save you, the military, actually wants you dead. Surface Tension is one of the greatest levels in video game history as far as I'm concerned.

8. Final Fantasy IX - I loved playing this when I was younger, and my friend on my street claimed it was better than VII when he played it first before me, which intrigued me to rent it myself. I didn't get to finally play this one all the way through until my college years later, but every time I tried playing through it including the one playthrough where I did finally beat it, I had such a fun time with it. It is a very charming game with a great story, a great cast of characters, incredible music, etc. Disc 3 is the best Final Fantasy disc as far as I'm concerned (and I don't understand why that disc is hated on the net nowadays). I almost blew this game off due to it's McDonald's Kids Meal character design back in the day like everyone else, but thanks to my friend, I gave it the chance it deserved. A good example of never judging a book by it's cover.

9. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - What is there to say that everyone else hasn't said about this game already? It was a fantastic entry in an already fantastic franchise. Much like FFVII, this game always had me hooked whenever I rented it and I was always exploring and doing new things when this came out. I loved the coming of age story that the game has and it made Zelda feel more epic than ever. I was very thankful that I was able to rent one cartridge that was either 1.0 or 1.1 that had the original red blood in it. Seeing Ganon bleed red in a Nintendo game back in that day was shocking and AMAZING. Ganon in particular is still my favorite final boss of all time due the presentation, haunting music, cool boss battle, and the shocking ending (especially after the "nah, that wasn't blood from Ganondorf's mouth I just saw" just minutes before lol). But most importantly, it was a fantastic way of reintroducing a classic NES villain in 3D that didn't seem hokey but actually menacing.

10. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Let's get something more modern on this list so I don't sound like a boomer lol. Speaking of Zelda, I was about fed up with the franchise when it kept trying to recreate the magic of OOT over and over again and was going to write it off after being letdown after Skyward Sword. Before the game was shown off at E3 2016 I believe it was, I was like "it would be nice if they tried to recreate Zelda 1 in a 3D environment finally, but that'd never happen" and was skeptical of Nintendo's claims of "You see that mountain way over there in the distance? You can climb that!" especially since so many companies claim that shit and it never comes true. I was so thankful to be wrong in both cases. I bought my Switch day one because of this presentation and I still play this game every now and then to this day. It should've been called Breath of Fresh Air. It really brings life back into the franchise itself, but also in the open world genre which was getting a little too formulative at the time. When it comes to the FFVII vs. Zelda battle, I do believe that FFVII won the 5th gen round. However, BOTW beats FFVIIR in the 8th gen round (FFVIIR would be my 2nd favorite game this past generation) in this case. This brought back life to a franchise that absolutely needed a fairy in a bottle to bring it back to full health. *slaps knee*
 

Areega

Sephiroth's Best Friend
AKA
Ariga
These are my fave games, in no particular order:

Final Fantasy VII - This is actually my fave game of all time.

Final Fantasy VII Remake - I didn't really like the game when it first came out, but since I've played it this year, it's really grown on me and become one of my top 10 games.

Dragon Quest Journey of the Cursed King - I love this game. I wish it was ported to the PS4 or PS5.

Shadow Hearts Covenant - I wish this was ported to the PS4 or PS5 as well.

Final Fantasy IX - Nothing much to say except I just love everything about this game. Except Zidane's stealing skills...

Dissidia 012 - SE please port this to the PS4 or PS5! I'll pay you!!!!!! Yeah I love this game. This game actually got me to play the older Final Fantasies (FF1 to FF6) as I hadn't played them before this. I had only played from FF7 onwards.

The Elder Scrolls Skyrim - Yeah, I love this game, bugs and all. I just enjoy doing nothing but running around and firing fireballs at everything I see.

Kingdom Hearts 2 - This is my favourite game in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm a big fan of the series.

Final Fantasy 2 - That's right. This game is in my top 10. I just have a very soft spot for it.

My final fave game is a toss up between Dragon Age Inquisition and Ni No Kuni. I love the story in Dragon Age Inquisition, but I also love collecting the familiars in Ni No Kuni. Yeah, i just can't decide between these two games.
 

Makoeyes987

Listen closely, there is meaning in my words.
AKA
Smooth Criminal
I'm going to make this interesting for myself. Instead of just making this a rote ranking list, I'm going to rank these as if they're Espada from Bleach, play around with it and make certain ranks special because why not :monster:

1.) Final Fantasy VII

It's no surprise it'd be rank one, it's power is unmatched and well-known. It was my entry point into the FF franchise, and while there are many other members who are also extremely good games with well written stories and characters (FFIX, FFVIII, FFVI, FFT, etc), my fondness for this one outclasses them all.

2.) Nier Automata

If Final Fantasy is the optimistic fantasy JRPG series of light, Nier is the cynical fantasy RPG of darkness that strangles one's emotions, rips at one's heart, and skeletonizes you. And I love it. Yoko Taro's power to rip out your heart strings and choke you with them is unreal. The power this game has is on another level. It's incredible, in terms of gameplay and story. Despite being #2, it sits on it's throne because it truly believes it should be king. And it has subjects who agree.

3.) Silent Hill 3

In terms of story, I would rank Silent Hill 2 above it. However, in terms of gameplay, the likeability of the main character and soundtrack... My heart goes for SH3. It's the one I honestly have the most fun playing. Silent Hill 1 through 4 are some of the very best horror games out there. But 3 is close to my heart.

4.) Resident Evil (Remake), Segundo Etapa: Resident Evil 2/6/7/8??

Resident Evil is a franchise that is extremely unique. It's too hard to pick just one game out of the RE franchise because so many fill so many niches. The RE1 Remake is one of the best Survival Horror games bar none. However, just like Ulquiorra... RE has a unique factor to it that allows it to regenerate and evolve past this rank in some areas. It's one of the few entries that gets multiple games to count because it's so flexible. RE2 Remake is one of the best RE Engine games and like RE1's remake, surpasses the original. I love RE6 because it's so fucking fun to play, especially co-op and Mercenaries. Oh yes.. it definitely has the best Mercenaries mode ever made, and that's important to me. It may not live up to the franchise's roots of horror but I simply don't care. It's fun. I've replayed this game so much with friends and it has brought me so many good memories, that I'd be lying if I ignored it. RE7 and RE8 are extremely good and really evolved the franchise, showcasing how alive it really is, easily becoming some of it's best games. Despite it being capable of ranking higher, it hides it's power level and is content sitting at 4.

5.) Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

I'd be lying to myself if I didn't include this game. I replay this every so often simply out of pure nostalgia and fondness for it's characters and style. This game was peak Compilation of FFVII and I have such fond memories of that time. It left a lasting impression that fills me with a lot of emotions.

6.) Danganronpa 2

I love this pop murder mystery visual novel series. And Danganronpa 2 is the best of the 3 games. The first is great but, if you played 2, you know why this is the one. V3 was alright, but it sorta felt like it was trying too hard.

7.) Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

I love Lightning. I love action. I love the setting. And I love the gameplay. It's fast paced and unique for a Final Fantasy. One of my favorite endings as well. And I love all the dresses Lightning can wear but ANYWAYS...

8.) World of Final Fantasy

This game doesn't get nearly enough recognition, yet this was one of the newer games that reignited my love for FF. It's an amazing return to turn based form with a loveable cast, emotional story and just... The mirage system is loads of fun. Pokemon meets Final Fantasy? Yeah, I like that.

9.) Bayonetta

I picked up this game series late but when I played it, I was in love. This is one of the most well done action games ever created. It's fun, hilarious, and a wild ride of a game.


10?) Final Fantasy VII Remake

Ah, yes. The Remake. There's a reason why its rank 10. I loved Part 1, and combined with NKN downloading from my brain to read my desires and create Episode Intermission makes this games series special. But... It's not complete. It's evolution is still ongoing.... But if all goes well... This will become Number 0. It's growth is on course, so all I need to do is wait and see.

There are other games that I love, but... Hmm. Right now they're simply not in my top 10 favorites anymore. Some get rotated out after having been in my list for awhile. Certain favorites carry staying power (like FFVII) while others eventually make way for new favorites that interest me or have succeeded in making new impressions on me. You could say they're the Privaron Espada. Favorites who have been demoted over time, yet still hold significance. Them being in the hundreds reflects their new tier.

110.) Kingdom Hearts 2

I love this game and it's my favorite in the whole franchise. It's extremely fun and I did enjoy the story, particularly the Organization and how Nobodies work. I have a soft spot for KH as a whole but after KH3 and all, I've sorta fallen out of it. I did love REmind though.

109.) Sonic CD

Of all the classic Sonic Games, Sonic CD is my favorite. It was the first classic Sonic game I owneed. Don't @ me. :monster:

108.) Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

107.) Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

106.) Sonic Unleashed

105.) Sonic Generations

104.) Sonic Mania

103.) Earthbound (Mother 2)

102.) Super Mario World

101.) Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I didn't feel like explaining the rest because I think they're sorta self explanatory. :monster:

But yes. It's hard to just rank top 10 because my favorites can change over time and certain games lend themselves to certain unique experiences. Even though FFVII is #1, I have no interest in replaying it anytime soon because I've replayed it so much that it just wouldn't be enjoyable. Yet, I love it from all the times I did play it, and it holds a unique and significant place in my memories. Nier Automata I played a year ago, yet it cemented itself in the #2 spot because it was that memorable and enjoyable. Favorites are just funny like that, I guess.

Edit: Oh, and while I'm still playing Nier Replicant... I have a feeling it might end up in the top 10 too... Sorta depends on how it ends. Guess we'll see about that! LOL
 
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Prism

Pro Adventurer
AKA
pikpixelart
I should note that these are in no particular order.

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Cave Story: Probably my favorite of all time - it shows what one man can do. Its creator did everything himself, which represents a great standard for what doujin projects can be - the 2000s and late 90s have a rich history of freeware home-grown games, and Cave Story is probably the most famous of those.
The game is just the right length, has great, charming and efficient pixel art, a memorable cast, and so on. The weapon leveling system where you pick up shards as you defeat enemies is a great concept, and keeps the gameplay feeling dynamic as you defeat enemies.

A handful of optional weapons (some secret) that all perform differently in interesting ways is great. Being able to aim your weapon up and down makes combat really smooth, and it has some excellent boss encounters to show that off with. Especially the hidden final boss.

Also, the music is impeccable.

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Metal Gear Rising: Revengance: No game has been able to give me as much of a pure adrenaline rush since. It has fast, intense action while always seeming to have a perfect balance of difficulty - It always feels like a challenge, but never a frustrating one. I think the Zandatsu mechanic has a lot to do with that. Enemies are actually quite powerful and can do quite a bit of damage to you in just a few hits, but if you defeat them through a Zandatsu, you restore your health completely. This rewards successful gameplay and makes the player feel like they’re running a relay race - always trying to chain into the next stylish way to keep their momentum going. The stakes are always high, where any enemy can still pose a threat, but you’ll be fine if you keep killing them in style. The parry mechanic is also requires more effort than just pressing a button, which adds some extra depth. Being good at parrying and Zandatsu really makes sure the game’s action never stops, but with the underlying threat still always there to prevent the game from feeling easy. Being able to slice and dice enemies also feels quite dynamic and helps the games’ brisk pacing.

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Super Smash Bros Melee: It exists as a very, very specific time capsule of the game industry. Melee represents the shift from the fifth to sixth console generation very well. All the characters have their 90s designs, but actually resemble those designs more because of the power of the GameCube. The character models are (relatively) high poly, and often show off cool sixth-gen physics like cloth and chain physics.

That’s just visually, though - it also expanded greatly on what the N64 version had, introducing new mechanics like side-Bs, more throwing options, more dodging options, fantastically chaotic items, and so on. Most importantly, the character movesets are really fun and fluid to play around with, and accessing the full arsenal of a character’s abilities eventually becomes second nature. Movement is really important and has an insanely high skill ceiling that is still being pushed to its limit twenty years later.

The trophies are also the best collectibles seen in a game, too. They represent obscure Nintendo history very well. Spending time scrolling through your collection is very relaxing.

It’s a great party game AND a great competitive game.

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NeiR Gestalt: The game’s world design and unforgettable music transport you to what feels like a totally different realm - more-so than any game of its time, in my opinion.

There’s also a lot more I could say, but I think that gets the core feeling down.

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Final Fantasy VII - I doubt this needs an introduction here. The game that really set the bar for what RPGs could be - a vast world you explore that gets more and more open the more you play, tons of fun mini-games, and a story with epic mysteries that unravel the more you investigate. Optional party members are the icing on top.

The battle system is often quite strategic, like when you have to target the various parts of a boss in a specific order in order to make progress in the fight. FFVII is instantly nostalgic, too. It’s easy to get lost in the world as you investigate each map on a screen-by-screen basis, with the fantastic music making your real-life surroundings melt away as you play.

Each story moment has a lot of subtle power that gives it the impact it does, and uses the way it reveals character info to strengthen that (how Sephiroth is made imposing and mysterious, for example)
There’s a lot to say about FFVII that this excerpt is too brief to cover, but I think that’s the gist of it.

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Chrono Trigger - Just like FFVII, it feels like an RPG stacked with things an RPG fan could only dream of. A game with multiple endings and the ability to recruit one of the biggest antagonists the game sets up is really special. The battle system has a great rhythm to it and the team attacks are always satisfying to pull off. The game’s time travel mechanic gives the world a sense of presence and tangible history that other games don’t, culminating in fighting a presence that transcends time itself. (That makes Lavos / the Black Omen feel super imposing - the fact it’s present in all times)

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Ocarina of Time - Link’s moveset (locking on, strafing, dodging, a multitude of swings) still feels innovative to play around with to this day. The world and characters have a really nice fairy tale feel that bring you into the world. (I could spend a long time in Lon Lon Ranch just for its atmosphere alone)

The game’s titular mechanic, the Ocarina, is novel in the sense that you have the freedom to play the songs yourself (as well as any song you can find out how to play)

There’s a decent amount of charming touches, like seeing how the world changes in between the seven years Link spends growing up.

Its items are also really fun to play around with in 3D, like the bow and the hook shot. The 3ds version is the definitive version.

policenauts-jonathan-and-ed.jpg


POLICENAUTS: A visual novel / adventure game with fantastic character dynamics. The main character was in an accident in space that kept him in “locked in time” - he hasn’t aged. The game is about him finding a place again in the world he left behind. The relationship with his best friend takes an entirely new light, as they now have a pretty significant age gap - they grapple with the accident that happened. The game’s climax is the culmination of that relationship, through there’s plenty of other significant twists and turns the story offers along the way.

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Hotel Dusk: Another visual novel / adventure game that captures the feeling of staying in a modest, roadside hotel as you get to know the other occupants and why they’re where they are.

Hotel Dusk’s setting is not only novel in its place, but in its time: it’s set on the cusp of a new decade - the last month of the 1970s. This placement makes it feels like there’s always a big event looming over the player and frames the events of the game in an interesting manner. Very stylish, very intriguing.

supermario64.jpg


Super Mario 64:
When mainstream 3D gaming was still in its infancy, Mario 64 manages to design an absolutely groundbreaking 3D platformer move set. Mario’s moves are designed with a freedom that allows multiple solutions to the same platforming challenges, where the player can creatively use Mario’s arsenal of jumps in the way they feel is most fun.



Honorable mentions:
Probably most of the SNES’ library
Knytt
MGS1/MGS2
Secret of Mana 3
Kirby Super Star
The Last Story
Bayonetta 1/2
Famicom Detective Club II (SNES)
MOTHER 1/2/3
ICO
Pikmin 1/2
Chrono Cross / Radical Dreamers
Xenogears
Breath of the Wild
Gunstar Heroes
SNATCHER
Cosmology of Kyoto
Tetris
Many other games I’m sure I’m forgetting about.

Incidentally, I agree that Danganronpa 2 is crazy good. I’m doing a playthrough of Shadow Hearts: Covenant and am having a good time as well.
 
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AKA
Alex
Shortlist:

1) Deus Ex: Played religiously yearly for the last two decades. Not stopping anytime soon -- just installed the GMDX mod.
2) Baldur's Gate II: Still the best 2.5D D&D RPG ever made. So far, nothing else has come close, not Pillars of Eternity, not the BG2 Enhanced Edition, not even Wasteland 2 (and that was pretty damn good).
3) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain: Even with the "...but" qualifiers, I would consider it to be the best stealth-action game made in the last two generations. Feels like a magnum opus Kojima was building towards, and the mechanics he put in are second-to-none. The moment-to-moment gameplay loop is the best in the biz.
4) FF7. 'Nuff said.
5) Super Mario World: Far as I'm concerned, the best Mario platformer, the game that defined the SNES, and still a standout of the "pick up and play" genre 30 years later.
6) Thief II: The Metal Age. I'm tempted to call it "the best stealth sneaker ever", but I'm sure there's something out there that beats it. Still, the combination of irreverent humor, level design, sarcastic wit by lead character Garrett and the way the game continually throws curveballs in the level still put it head-and-shoulders above other examples of the genre.
7) Mass Effect 3 (with mods): The vanilla game is a ho-hum final part of the trilogy that fumbled the ball when it came to bringing the story home. Mods like Priority Earth Overhaul and the Expanded Galaxy Mod make the game the only instance I know of in a space RPG where you actually feel like a commander, every choice weighs on you and you feel your actions have micro and macro consequences. It's such a dramatic shift that I'm amazed anyone bothers to play vanilla (on PC) without them, it's that good.
8) System Shock 2: There's a reason why it set the standard for every action-horror space game that followed it, and why it's considered to be part of the "Holy Trinity" alongside Deus Ex and Thief 2. What this game did for the genre is still unmatched, and it's atmosphere still terrifies even with the dated graphics -- small wonder it's getting a third installment. The villain, the gameplay, the weapon degradation, the audio logs and little Easter eggs... it adds up to a near-unparalleled experience.
9) Fallout New Vegas: For my money, it's the best installment of the franchise, and hits the sweet spot between a post-apocalyptic RPG, optional rulesets (Hardcore), deep exploration and replayability and an "old West" feel that's rarely been matched.
10) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: It was a toss-up between this and KOTOR1, but I feel that this is still the best Star Wars game made, all these years later.
 

JBedford

Pro Adventurer
AKA
JBed
Creating top-X lists of anything is hard. And I'm still going to cheat my making two lists, one for JRPGs and one for non-JRPGs. Many of my gaming experiences are coloured by playing them locally with multiplayer. Still, having no LEGO or Warriors/Musou games on this list seems absurd given the joy I've extracted from those series.

Special mentions for ones that didn't make the cut on technicalities:
Fate/stay Night - Visual novels aren't games. But this was my first visual novel that I played at a certain time of life and got me both into Type-Moon and visual novels. So it's had a big impact. Also it's good. Bonus mention to Planetarian because that short and sweet experience also holds a special place in my heart.
Disgaea - Chances are I'll never complete this due to reasons, but even though tactical RPGs aren't usually my thing, its gameplay and systems are really cool.
Touhou - I've never played a Touhou game, and I'm not interested either. But the amount of time I've dedicated to it (via it's music) seems worth a mention.
Trails in the Sky 1 - The game I am currently playing. I was going to put it on this list but decided to remove because I knew I could mention it here instead and get to mention an extra game in its place. I love the setting, exploration, and humour. I like the mix of CTB and grid battle systems. Still haven't fully explored the ability system but it seems like a great way to customise characters.

Top 10 non-JRPGs
Ape Escape 2 (2002)
Catching monkeys fun. Never played Ape Escape 3 because it sells high on online auctions.

Crash 2 (1997)
Fun and simple platformer. I played it in my younger years where you would play a game for a long time and share discoveries with friends rather than just googling everything. I played it before Crash 1 which I found difficult to adapt back to, and also I found it too difficult and the systems too punishing (I'll have to play NST to get a decent experience from it). Crash 3 was too gimmicky.

Crash Team Racing (1998)
Enjoyable kart racing physics. I've always wondered if I would have liked this game less if the AI could use the most annoying weapons.

Danganronpa (2010)
Clever mystery series. All three games have great stories and twists. Picking a favourite is difficult but one of my gripes with the series are some of the trial minigames so I tend towards the first.

Ms Pac-Man Maze Madness (2000)
I just think it's neat. The gameplay is truer to Pac-Man and more unique so why did Pac-Man World get all the sequels?

Rayman Origins (2011)
Fast-paced platformer. Legends is good too, but I missed time trials and the chase levels.

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battlecars (2008)
The precursor to Rocket League. Might be because I played it first, I could never get into Rocket League.

Tekken Tag Tournament (2000)
I'm mostly a button masher and not good at fighting games, but I still get enjoyment from the Tekken series. The Tag entries are the best though because co-op and also the rosters.

TimeSplitters (2000)
Its sequels may be better in various ways, but I love the fast pace of the original where all guns reload in half a second.

Worms Armageddon (1999)
Fun.


Top 10 JRPGs
Blue Dragon (2006)
The cost-benefit of being able to increase the effect of attacks while moving back on the timeline is fun. Also a really cool job and ability system.

Eternal Sonata (2007)
The balance in this game is a bit all over the place. I love how wild the concept of this game is though. Its battle systems, character design, local multiplayer, and Motoi Sakuraba definitely don't let it down too.

Final Fantasy VII (1997)
Materia system is great, especially the combinations that linked Materia allow. Fixed-camera with small and clearly unique areas is the best exploration design for JRPGs. Cloud's story is great, and interesting characters. Also yes, my first JRPG.

Final Fantasy X (2001)
I love the story of this game and the way it's told. CTB is the supreme battle system. I love the choice in the (Expert) Sphere Grid. The equipment customisation system beats getting weapons with special effects that you never use because they get obsoleted by increasing Atk stats.

Jade Cocoon 2 (2001)
A great Monster JRPG. Just like its predecessor the experience is dampened a bit by bugs meaning you can't catch-em-all, and also post-game opponents using the same high-speed and instant death tactics. The monster wheel is a great bit of game design though.

Lost Odyssey (2007)
Great JRPG with more traditional concepts. Good world exploration, and being able to mix-and-match with ability lists is always a joy. 1000 Years of Dreams are great. I don't know what people are talking about when they say you can't have turn-based combat with realistic character design. When I played this a year or so ago, I think this was the first time I got tired of random encounters though -- or at least the inability to freely change the rate.

Ni no Kuni 1 (2011)
It's been a long time since I've played this game, but I invested so much time into both game it would feel like an odd omission. The two games are both a bit different, and there are things I did and didn't like about both. But I caught them all!

Tales of Graces f (2009)
My first and (currently) most modern Tales. All the systems in this game just really come together nicely. No MP to worry about it (that wasn't fun in Symphonia), the co-op's great (fuck you Arise), and the story is... serviceable. But yeah, I really enjoyed the battle system.

Undertale (2015)
Not sure whether to call this a JRPG. Not because it's not Japanese, but because most of the numbers are made up and its battle system is a minigame collection. I played this long after the hype and avoided all of the discussion about it in that time. It was very enjoyable. I'm not a skilled enough gamer to beat Megalovania but I'm happy with what I got out of the game.

Ys VIII (2016)
The only Ys I've played. Originally I decided to play this game just to add variety, but someone added some jank co-op to the Steam release. So naturally now it's the only way I'm interested in playing this series. I like the setting and tone of this game. It's fun exploring the island. The battle system's fine too.
 
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I am dirty old retro gamer. Titles plucked out of my mind based on things like total playtime, how likely I am to replay the title and how much joy it has brought me.

SNES titles
Super Metroid
Mega Man X
Chrono Trigger
Super Castlevania IV
Soul Blazer

Other
Super Mario 64
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Dragoon
Dirge of Cerberus
Kuru Kuru Kururin



Enough time has passed of me being bored with the original FF7 that I can no longer rightly include it in a Top 10 list.
FF7R "Part 1" would be on the list if not for the ending. That's just how it is.
 

Clement Rage

Pro Adventurer
I also like the Danganronpas, but have to admit that I've only ever Youtubed them and not actually played. 1 and the Future Arc Anime are my favourites, Makoto/Kyoko is one of my very rare ships, because the dynamic is built on pure mutual respect and minimal fanservice.
 

Prism

Pro Adventurer
AKA
pikpixelart
Oh man, I love Kuru kuru kuruin! Such a simple gameplay concept that ends up being a lot of fun with some good challenges to boot. Soul Blazer's also really good. So, all in all, good list, Shademp.

I wonder what the year would be if we were to average the release dates of all of our favorite games. I imagine it wouldn't be in this century. Or, alternatively, what's the most recent game anyone has listed?
 
D

Deleted member 13557

Guest
I'm yet to play a bunch of classic / criticality acclaimed games, but as of this very moment, my (highly subject to change) list would look something like this:

1: Bloodborne
2: Final Fantasy 7
3: Persona 5
4: NieR: Automata
5: Resident Evil 4
6: Tekken 2
7: Devil May Cry 3
8: Crash Bandicoot 2
9: God of War 3
10: Super Mario World
 

Rhoey

Follow your heart.
AKA
Nikki
I guess I've got to.

1. Final Fantasy VI
2. Final Fantasy VII
3. Lost Odyssey
4. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
5. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
6. Tomb Raider
7. Crash Bandicoot 2
8. Rayman
9. Tekken 3
10. Kirby's Epic Yarn

I'm no game critic, but these are the ones I enjoyed playing the most.
 

tidus79

Pro Adventurer
AKA
Dragoon Knight
My Fav in no particular order :

1) Final Fantasy VII (Psx) a great Jrpg !

2) Metal Gear Solid 3 (Ps2) one of the best game in the series

3) Ninja Gaiden Black (Xbox) a really impressive action game!

4) Castlevania SOTN (Psx) one of the greatest games of Playstation! A must have imho

5) Sensible Soccer (Amiga) very funny to play with my friends!

6) Super Mario 64 (N64) I really like it at time....revolutionary!

7) Zelda Ocarina of Time (N64) I have really good memories of this fantastic game!

8) Super Street Fighter 2 best version of this classic Arcade imho!

9) Thunder Force III (Megadrive) a great shooter for fans!

10) Resident Evil Rebirth (Gamecube) one of the best survival horror I played!
 
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Fiz

Pro Adventurer
AKA
Eh?
Not in any particular order. Reasons can be tricky, often it just boils down to me liking it. I also have a preference for RPG's so it leans that way more than I want it to.


1. Final Fantasy 6
I just like these characters, the concept, its theatrical style, the music and the story.

2. Final Fantasy 7
Much the same as FF6, I see many parallels between FF6 and 7.

3. The Witcher 3
Excellent worldbuilding, the environment, excellent characters.

4. GTA Vice City
The vibe, this is the best GTA game.

5. Final Fantasy 9
Charming, one of the best story driven kids games Ive played.

6. Tales of Graces F
I... don't... know. I just found it ridiculously fun and charming.

7. Tales of Berseria
The characters and humour. I don't think it has the best battle system in a Tales game though.

8. Zelda: Links Awakening
Classic, proper videogame being a videogame.

9. Minecraft
I love the creative side of Minecraft, and its been a mainstay to play with my kids. Soooo many hours in the Farming Valley modpack.

10. Gran Turismo 3
Is it the best racing game ever? Dunno, but its still my favourite. Car selection and tuning was bang on and I like how the cars handled in GT3


Honourable mentions:

Wipeout (the second one)
Chrono Trigger
Theme Park (the original)
Ys 8
Civilization 4
GTA 5
 
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Ryeleigh

Pro Adventurer
AKA
Rye
I thought I'd see if I can come up with ten favourite games but they aren't really in any preferential order.

1. Original Tomb Raiders (because Lara is best girl)
2. Breath of Fires (these are actually really bleak, but they're also goofy, cute and touching, and they do cute things with fairy tales)
3. Okami (I consider this game soul-healing)
4. Child of Light (super cute and pretty)
5. Ico (the atmosphere)
6. Fire Emblems (most of the characters)
7. Dishonored (just because it's fun to play)
8. Song of Horror (the prettiest horror I've ever seen)
9. Art of Magic (I just like playing this)
10. Resonance of Fate, maybe? (I liked the customization)

The last one is more of a like than a favourite, but I'll go with it anyway since I really liked the customization in that game. As for Tomb Raider, Breath of Fire and Fire Emblem, I wrote the series' name rather than list my favourites individually but that doesn't mean I like every game from those series. But hee, I just about got ten games.

Edit: oops, totally forgot the whys so I edited them in.
 
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Wol

None Shall Remember Those Who Do Not Fight
AKA
Rosarian Shield
It's hard to put them in a tier order. These games aren't just marvels quality-wise but they have an essence/identity that is unique to them and that's why they are masterpieces:

Chrono Cross
Xenogears
God of War (latest one)
Shadow of the Colossus
Okami
Bloodborne
MGS 3

I'll think about the others...but don't be surprised if I put some Burnout in there, those games are fucking crazy and provided me with insane amounts of fun.
 
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looneymoon

they/them
AKA
Rishi
basically running through my favourite series and picking out my favourites it'd be something like: Residen Evil 4, Super Mario 64, FF9, Metal Gear Solid 2, Silent Hill 2, Hades, The Last of Us, Overwatch, Pokemon Gold/Silver, Breath of the Wild

That list probably isn't comprehensive because there are a lot of games I really love that I'd like to revisit but I think that gives a pretty good overview of what I like.

I am editing this specifically because I can't decide who to kick out in favour of Earthbound :(
 
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Rhoey

Follow your heart.
AKA
Nikki
Rayman, Rhoey? That game was SO HARD!! I still remember failing over and over, it's a nightmare XD Cool atmosphere and style though.
Yes! It's so nostalgic to me! I made so much Rayman fanart as a kid, lol. It's so colorful and imaginative, the music is fantastic, and the world is immersive. But yes, it's hard and frustrating. Definitely one of the hardest games I've ever played.
 

Fangu

Great Old One
I don't really play that many games but the 10 games I've played over and over again to the point of exhaustion are:

Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)
Super Mario Land (original Game Boy)
SSX3 (PS2)
Uncharted 3
Final Fantasy XII
Valkyria Chronicles
Yakuza 0
Yakuza: Like a dragon
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Forbidden West
 

Rydeen

In-KWEH-dible
There’s a couple VNs in here. Does that count?

Overall I gravitate towards stuff with an expansive lore/immersive setting, usually with deep psychological themes, a mix of dark and light hearted scenes, and complex characters. I like games that make me think and feel a lot of things. Good gameplay helps, and I think most of these games have good gameplay, but my list would probably be in a different order if I judged on gameplay. This list is just me rating by storytelling/feels.
  1. Persona 3
  2. Final Fantasy VII (and remake)
  3. Steins;Gate
  4. Persona 4
  5. Nier Automata
  6. Final Fantasy VI
  7. Chrono Trigger
  8. Chrono Cross
  9. Cyberpunk 2077 (ya rly)
  10. VA-11 Hall-A
 
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