i updated the op, but please don't do this. just make the list you want to make and only edit if you feel you missed something and pm me later with your original list and the changed list.
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GAF Games o' the Generation (DC/PS2/GBA/GC/Xbox/PC 2000-2005) Voting Closed
- Thread starter AniHawk
- Start date
i updated the op, but please don't do this. just make the list you want to make and only edit if you feel you missed something and pm me later with your original list and the changed list.
Sir Ilpalazzo
Member
1. Viewtiful Joe ; VFX is perfect.
2. God Hand ;
3. Mother 3 ;
4. Ninja Gaiden Black ;
5. Devil May Cry ;
6. Resident Evil 4 ;
7. Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi ; Stage 3 is better than most full games.
8. Ys: The Oath in Felghana ;
9. Deus Ex ;
10. Super Smash Bros. Melee ;
x. F-Zero GX ;
x. Silent Hill 2 ;
2. God Hand ;
3. Mother 3 ;
4. Ninja Gaiden Black ;
5. Devil May Cry ;
6. Resident Evil 4 ;
7. Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi ; Stage 3 is better than most full games.
8. Ys: The Oath in Felghana ;
9. Deus Ex ;
10. Super Smash Bros. Melee ;
x. F-Zero GX ;
x. Silent Hill 2 ;
Barry Burton
Member
No problem, I was really only talking about adding comments and not really changing the ordering around. Is it a problem if I add comments later or is it easier for you if I just take care of it now?
kinoki
Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.
1. World of Warcraft ; Most likely the best game ever made. It's absurd. I've spent so many hours and made life-long friends playing it. There's nothing like it. Got me out of the console gaming swamp until I rage quit during a raid and gave up on organized multiplayer.
2. Shadow of the Colossus ; The best action game ever made. I never shed a tear for a single colossi but the kick I got from besting them was the best experience ever.
3. Silent Hill 2 ; The game that convinced me that gaming was an art form..
4. REZ ; Deep and engaging shooter. Engaged that part of the brain that regards VALIS as the greatest piece of literature and still hold it dear to this day.
5. Final Fantasy XII ; The best Final Fantasy-game to date. This list wouldn't be complete without it.
6. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; While Metal Gear Solid 2 was the game that got me into console gaming it was Metal Gear Solid 3 that made me love console gaming.
7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ; Better than TV.
8. Guitar Hero ;
9. Burnout 3 ;
10. Transformers ; One of those gems I forgot when I first listed these games. Awesome game that showed how licensed games should be made.
2. Shadow of the Colossus ; The best action game ever made. I never shed a tear for a single colossi but the kick I got from besting them was the best experience ever.
3. Silent Hill 2 ; The game that convinced me that gaming was an art form..
4. REZ ; Deep and engaging shooter. Engaged that part of the brain that regards VALIS as the greatest piece of literature and still hold it dear to this day.
5. Final Fantasy XII ; The best Final Fantasy-game to date. This list wouldn't be complete without it.
6. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ; While Metal Gear Solid 2 was the game that got me into console gaming it was Metal Gear Solid 3 that made me love console gaming.
7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ; Better than TV.
8. Guitar Hero ;
9. Burnout 3 ;
10. Transformers ; One of those gems I forgot when I first listed these games. Awesome game that showed how licensed games should be made.
if you can make a post with the final list/comments, that would be ideal. once i start going through lists, if i don't see a comment, i just won't count the post.
Aarglefarg
Member
Something like this:
1. Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando; I really liked the first Ratchet & Clank but about 20 hours into R&C2 a few days after getting it, I realised that this was one of my favourite games ever and made the series one of my favourites. Adding light levelling up mechanics perfected the R&C formula.
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater; What a thrill. Bring on Metal Gear Scanlon 3.
3. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty; An amazing accomplishment and advancement upon MGS1's gameplay.
4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
5. Silent Hill 2; Coming from playing MGS2, the simplicity of the storytelling was a big advantage.
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; "Tim, they've got your wife!" "But I'm not married!" "You are now: to America." Excellent sense of setting.
7. Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal; A bit too heavy on the shooting to be as good as R&C2.
8. Final Fantasy X; The foreshadowing in the story is an underappreciated element.
9. Ratchet & Clank
10. Kingdom Hearts
x. Ico
x. Shadow of Destiny; Also known as Shadow of Memories, it's a time travel adventure (in the point and click style, but not point and click) that exemplifies to me a 'middle-budget comforting rainy day game' that there aren't many of anymore (regardless of this game's budget).
There are some games that I only played in HD remaster form that would be on the list if they were eligible but I will still list them here: Jak & Daxter 1, Sly 1, The Wind Waker. Maybe Okami as an honourable mention.
1. Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando; I really liked the first Ratchet & Clank but about 20 hours into R&C2 a few days after getting it, I realised that this was one of my favourite games ever and made the series one of my favourites. Adding light levelling up mechanics perfected the R&C formula.
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater; What a thrill. Bring on Metal Gear Scanlon 3.
3. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty; An amazing accomplishment and advancement upon MGS1's gameplay.
4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
5. Silent Hill 2; Coming from playing MGS2, the simplicity of the storytelling was a big advantage.
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; "Tim, they've got your wife!" "But I'm not married!" "You are now: to America." Excellent sense of setting.
7. Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal; A bit too heavy on the shooting to be as good as R&C2.
8. Final Fantasy X; The foreshadowing in the story is an underappreciated element.
9. Ratchet & Clank
10. Kingdom Hearts
x. Ico
x. Shadow of Destiny; Also known as Shadow of Memories, it's a time travel adventure (in the point and click style, but not point and click) that exemplifies to me a 'middle-budget comforting rainy day game' that there aren't many of anymore (regardless of this game's budget).
There are some games that I only played in HD remaster form that would be on the list if they were eligible but I will still list them here: Jak & Daxter 1, Sly 1, The Wind Waker. Maybe Okami as an honourable mention.
1. Super Smash Bros Melee ; Melee is my favorite game of all time. Not only is it the best Smash game, but I consider it the best fighting game ever. It is a game of unfathomable depth. Its a game of speed, skill, smarts, and most importantly fun. As a competitive player, Ive spent years playing this game and learning about its intricacies and I know Ive only scratched the surface. This game has had an incredible history with the competitive community and has only become stronger with an amazing run from 2012-2015, seeing an insane amount of growth within the competitive community. Melee is beautifully constructed in every aspect: the weight of each character, speed of the game, L-canceling, wavedashing, ledge mechanics, directional influence, etc. It is the epitome of easy to play, hard to master. Even all these years later, the highest level players still havent reached the skill ceiling. Perfect play might not even be possible with human hands.
But Melee is not just an insanely deep and and fast 1 v 1 game. Melee, unlike its sequels, is able to satisfy both audiences of casual party players and competitors. All the 4-player free for all game modes are there. Even items, which are turned off in competitive play, are balanced significantly better in Melee than Brawl or Smash 4. The single player modes are still the best as well. Classic, Adventure, and Event modes are the trifecta of single player content in Smash. Adventure lets you tour each iconic Nintendo world with any of the fighters, while event gives you specific challenges that you must overcome. These modes have had successors in the other Smash games, but have not been nearly as good as their appearances in Melee.
Melee has the best stages, the best music and the best gameplay in the entire Smash series. It is the best game of the 6th generation and my favorite game ever made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSuvj0QzLko
2. F-Zero GX ; F-Zero GX, much like Melee, is the best entry in its entire genre. I think anyone who has spent enough time with GX will agree that it is the single best racing game ever made. Its notable for its unmatched sense of speed and its difficulty, but those alone wouldnt make for a good game. It is because of the insanely deep control you are given over your F-Zero machines that the difficulty and speed becomes manageable. This game is very hard, yet fair. You are given all the tools you need to succeed and are pushed to learn how to use them if you want to win. With multiple cups, racers, customizable machines and parts and a crazy hard story mode, F-Zero GX is a game you could play for years and never get bored.
http://youtu.be/aKq-RuDLoF0?t=14m59s
3. Fire Emblem ; I was introduced to Fire Emblem, like most people, through Super Smash Bros Melee. It wasnt until I saw my friend play it on GBA that I decided to give it a try. Im glad that I did because now Fire Emblem is my favorite RPG franchise ever. This particular entry was the seventh FE game but the first game in the series to be localized for North America (thus the simple title). The timing was great because they chose one of the very best games in the series to bring over to our shores. Fire Emblem is a beautifully paced and designed game. Its an RPG that isnt as much about leveling up and getting better stats as it is about smart strategy and thoughtful moves. The story is a fun medieval adventure with dragons, magic, and the like, yet each character really brings a color to the world they inhabit. Every character is a unique individual with a personality that you will get attached to. The strategy gameplay is fined tuned to perfection with a limited amount of EXP available throughout the whole game. That means you have to think about which characters you want to grow, which have uses in your strategy and which are falling behind. Fire Emblem forces the player to think about their strategy which then affects the characters relationships and how your party composition ends up. The art is brilliantly clear and colorful with battle animations being some of the most memorable in any RPG. The OST is one of the most memorable in the series. This game was massively influential and played a huge part in defining my taste in games.
4. Metroid Prime ; When moving to 3D gaming, Nintendo was one of the few developers who were able to transitions their franchises from 2D and keep up the high quality. Super Metroid is an incredibly tough act to follow, but skipping the N64 might have been the best thing that happened to this series. Being able to push the Gamecube gave Retro Studios the power they needed to fully realize a world and mechanics that would not be possible on the N64. Metroid Prime is a masterpiece adventure. There are almost too many aspects that elevate this game to greatness to even count. The detail and design of each environment was years ahead of its time. First person platforming actually works and its good. The music perfectly matches the mood and sets the atmosphere. These aspects are great, but the game as a whole really is more than the sum of its parts. It may still be unmatched in 3D world design, and thats a damn good accomplishment.
5. Metal Gear Solid 3 ; Metal Gear Solid 3 is one of the best games I have ever played. This game was Kojimas peak. He was able to blend and balance the 007-esque espionage story with the alternate history and fantasy elements so well. What makes this experience so memorable is how cohesive it feels. The story informs the gameplay and vice versa. MGS3 is a game that isnt afraid to let the player fail. It asks the player to think before acting. There is so much detail in every aspect of this game that it is easy to become overwhelmed, but as you traverse the Russian jungles you learn so much. You learn how to trick the guards, how to sneak past traps, lights, guard dogs, and how to escape tricky situations designed with all of those elements. The pacing is very well crafted with slow sneaking sections lasting just long enough to build up the suspense for a big action scene without overstaying their welcome and becoming boring. Even through all the bombast, the crazy story twists, and the fast paced action, it still manages to have one of the most affecting final moments and one of the most beautiful mergers of cut scene and gameplay ever. Its linear but leaves room for exploration and experimentation. Its vague and mysterious while giving you the tools to figuring everything out. It is a game that respects the player and asks you return that respect. MGS3 is an unforgettable experience.
6. Mother 3 ; Earthbound is one of my favorite games ever made. But despite waiting and hoping, Mother 3 never came out in North America. Im a little ashamed it took me so long to play this (I just finished it last month!), but Im happy that I did. I had been told for years about how Mother 3 is one of the best told stories in gaming, and one of the best games ever. Im happy to say that I think Mother 3 lived up to that hype. The game itself is a pretty standard turn based RPG, but has a rhythm element to each battle. The music based battle system paired with the rolling health meter creates a tense risk/reward that always feels fair. But Mother 3 isnt really about the difficulty or intricacies of its game mechanics; its really all about the story. While Earthbound is about the meaning of growing up and learning the truths behind the world, Mother 3 is about humanity, innocence, and the distortion of those concepts. Mother 3 is so perfectly written and designed. Ive seen Mother 3 referred to as the closest games have come to literature, I think that comparison is pretty funny but apt. Nothing is wasted and everything has meaning. I honestly dont think I could ever do justice to the masterpiece of a story that is Mother 3. It is something to be played, enjoyed, and kept with you forever. Mother 3 may be the most personal and human game I have ever played.
7. Resident Evil 4 ; RE4 is such a perfectly polished and tightly paced game, its scary(hehe). It evolved the classic RE tank controls just enough to feel good in the over-the-shoulder view while balancing action, suspense and horror perfectly. The design of each area is unique and interesting both from a story and gameplay perspective, the gunplay is incredibly sharp and responsive, and the enemy encounters are always tense. The culmination of all these aspects lead to one of the greatest survival horror games ever made. Resident Evil 4 is a thrilling game that you wont ever want to put down.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; The choice between Wind Waker and Twilight Princess was tough. Zelda is my favorite franchise and I would place both games as equals on my series tier list. However there are a couple reasons why I chose TP to represent Zelda on this list. Yes, Twilight Princess has a slow and boring opening, but after that the game really comes into its own, Wind Waker starts more quickly but runs into a major roadblock in the back half which is more harmful to the game design in my opinion. Twilight Princess earns its spot on this list because it has arguably the best dungeon designs in the entire Zelda series. Every dungeon does something new even with old and traditional items like the boomerang, which now creates a tornado for Link to use in puzzles, and the iron boots, which allow link to walk on magnetized surfaces while also allowing him to sink to the bottom of bodies of water. Twilight Princess has an incredible OST. Tracks like Midnas Lament and the new Lost Woods are some of the best in the series. The art as well, specifically in the Twilight Realm, is very good. There is a soft lighting to everything that gives off a very eerie mood and nicely complements the rest of the game. Even though Twilight Princess can be seen as OoT 2, it does enough to really differentiate itself as a sequel and has some of the best designed challenges the series has ever seen.
9. Halo 2 ; Halo 2 marked the start of my experiences with online gaming. It was the first game I ever played online and the game I spent the most time with (until Halo 3 was released). This game was really influential to me. I really cut my teeth on competitive multiplayer with this game and I made many friends through this series. It was a staple when hanging out with friends or just playing online. Halo 2 had amazing maps, amazing gunplay, and some of the best competitive gaming moments ever. Halo 2 lead me to MLG, which was my obsession throughout high school and sparked my interest in competitive gaming. I still think Halo 2 is the best game in the series.
10. Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire ; This particular entry in the Pokémon franchise is really special to me. I put incredible amounts of time into this generation of Pokémon games. This was the last game that really had the feeling of mystery and discovery for me. I was young, and Ruby was the game that all the people I knew talked about. Rumors and speculation were rampant with this title. Rumors like getting the 100th rocket launch and going to the moon to catch Jirachi, secret ways to get the eon ticket and a method to get Deoxys without going to an official event. Hoenn is one of my favorite game worlds and the weather effects, music, and art really brought me in like no other game has. Pokémon Ruby accompanied me on countless family vacations and road trips. It was a world that I never got tired of and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Honorable Mentions
x. Wind Waker ; Gorgeous, but has weak dungeons and a terrible fetch quest before the end.
x. Super Mario Sunshine ; The last Mario game with incredibly smooth and fast movement.
x. Nocturne ; Incredible RPG, but I havent finished it yet!
x. Fire Emblem Path of Radiance ; Possibly a top 3 game in the series. PoR has my favorite story in the series.
x. Devil May Cry 3 ; Dante vs Vergil. Its possibly the greatest rivalry in gaming and some of the most intense and amazing boss battles ever.
x. Persona 4 ; I played this on Vita, and while its fantastic, I just cant think of it as part of the 6th gen. especially because it was originally released in 2008.
x. Half Life 2 ; Its Half Life 2.
Dash Kappei
Not actually that important
Damn, you can really tell people who've missed the Gamecube train. It's unfortunate how many had no idea what smashing library of masterpieces they were missing on.
1. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn ; Still the second best isometric RPG ever created. After Ultima VII that is 
2. Majesty ; One of the best strategy games ever made that actually broke the typical RTS mold and tried something new.
3. Grand Theft Auto III ; Not much you can say about this one. Really brought a great open-world city to the player and caused an open world renaissance that is still going to this day.
4. Metroid Prime ; Pretty much the only Gamecube game I played to completion. This game sucked me in with it's oppressing atmosphere and I still think about it from time to time. This reminds me I need to play through it again.
5. Half-life 2 ; Best FPS ever.
6. Rise of Nations ; Best RTS ever.
7. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast ; Really showed me what a Star Wars action game could do. The epic sabre battles in this game just blew me away.
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ; Great Star Wars story and still one of the most impactful story twists of any game I've played to date.
9. Silent Storm ; Pretty much the best X-Com clone ever. And set within one of my favorite time periods. The physics in this game were just nuts. Blowing up the second story of house to kill a Nazi never got old.
10. Arx Fatalis ; Best first-person adventure RPG ever created. Great and diverse settings, and fantastic, enveloping atmosphere.
x. Civilization 3 ; Still the best Civilization to date.
x. Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns ; Almost tied Majesty as a RTS that tried something new and did a really amazing job at it.
x. Tribes 2 ; Some of the most fun multiplayer shooting I've done to date.
2. Majesty ; One of the best strategy games ever made that actually broke the typical RTS mold and tried something new.
3. Grand Theft Auto III ; Not much you can say about this one. Really brought a great open-world city to the player and caused an open world renaissance that is still going to this day.
4. Metroid Prime ; Pretty much the only Gamecube game I played to completion. This game sucked me in with it's oppressing atmosphere and I still think about it from time to time. This reminds me I need to play through it again.
5. Half-life 2 ; Best FPS ever.
6. Rise of Nations ; Best RTS ever.
7. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast ; Really showed me what a Star Wars action game could do. The epic sabre battles in this game just blew me away.
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ; Great Star Wars story and still one of the most impactful story twists of any game I've played to date.
9. Silent Storm ; Pretty much the best X-Com clone ever. And set within one of my favorite time periods. The physics in this game were just nuts. Blowing up the second story of house to kill a Nazi never got old.
10. Arx Fatalis ; Best first-person adventure RPG ever created. Great and diverse settings, and fantastic, enveloping atmosphere.
x. Civilization 3 ; Still the best Civilization to date.
x. Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns ; Almost tied Majesty as a RTS that tried something new and did a really amazing job at it.
x. Tribes 2 ; Some of the most fun multiplayer shooting I've done to date.
lord_of_flood
Member
1. Metroid Prime: One of the best 2D to 3D transitions I've ever seen for a video game. The first person view works really well for a game like this, and the scan visor is an indispensable tool in a game as focused around exploration as this one. Utterly fantastic game.
2. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: Honestly, this game could switch places with Prime 1 on this list and I wouldn't have any qualms about it, but I need to pick a spot, so it's going here. World is well put together, as it feels like an intricate maze. Also, the atmosphere in this game is top notch. Very well done.
3. Resident Evil 4: Favorite RE game by a long shot. The move to a behind-the-shoulder camera really helped it not feel as archaic as the games before it, and despite it being more action-based than the others, it is still very tense to play.
4. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow: First Igavania I ever played, and it made me fall in love with the rest of them. The castle was well designed, there was a lot of enemy variety, and it's really replayable.
5. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga: Probably my favorite of the Mario RPG games as it had such memorable characters, writing, enemies, bosses, etc. Also the Mario RPG with the most satisfying final boss IMO.
6. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance: This game introduced me to strategy RPG's, and I had loads of fun with it. I never thought I'd have so much fun with a strategy game, yet this game got me addicted to the series. Also, the concept of permadeath made me care a lot for each individual unit, which I thought was pretty neat.
7. Tales of Symphonia: This was a rather different take on RPG's than I was used to at the time, and it not only had an engaging plot and fun set of characters, it also had a great action combat system that made itself stand out amongst most of the other RPG's I had played at the time. Good stuff.
8. Animal Crossing: Never thought a game could be both so relaxing and stressful at the same time. Going into the town and doing errands let me take my mind off a lot of things, though it just put my mind onto not missing certain events or trying to pay back that damn home loan. That stupid raccoon...
9. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker: When it was first revealed, I was turned off by the artstyle at first (like most others), though I ended up liking it a fair amount when I actually played it. I really enjoyed how expressive the characters were, and it made them pretty engaging (even if some of them were still pretty flat at the core).
10. F-Zero GX: Damn this game was hard, but it was also loads of fun to play. High speed racing really got the adrenaline flowing, and I'd love to see another game as well designed as this one (though I would scrap the story mode).
x. Custom Robo: Custom Robo is tons of fun to play, and at times I find it hard to understand why it got such middling reception. All the different possible loadouts made it fun to experiment with the different parts until I found the loadout(s) I wanted, and the combat was pretty fun too. The story is kind of bad, but I still found the characters strangely charming, so I didn't really mind. This game really stuck out to me as a kid, so I had to give it an honorable mention of some kind.
2. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: Honestly, this game could switch places with Prime 1 on this list and I wouldn't have any qualms about it, but I need to pick a spot, so it's going here. World is well put together, as it feels like an intricate maze. Also, the atmosphere in this game is top notch. Very well done.
3. Resident Evil 4: Favorite RE game by a long shot. The move to a behind-the-shoulder camera really helped it not feel as archaic as the games before it, and despite it being more action-based than the others, it is still very tense to play.
4. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow: First Igavania I ever played, and it made me fall in love with the rest of them. The castle was well designed, there was a lot of enemy variety, and it's really replayable.
5. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga: Probably my favorite of the Mario RPG games as it had such memorable characters, writing, enemies, bosses, etc. Also the Mario RPG with the most satisfying final boss IMO.
6. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance: This game introduced me to strategy RPG's, and I had loads of fun with it. I never thought I'd have so much fun with a strategy game, yet this game got me addicted to the series. Also, the concept of permadeath made me care a lot for each individual unit, which I thought was pretty neat.
7. Tales of Symphonia: This was a rather different take on RPG's than I was used to at the time, and it not only had an engaging plot and fun set of characters, it also had a great action combat system that made itself stand out amongst most of the other RPG's I had played at the time. Good stuff.
8. Animal Crossing: Never thought a game could be both so relaxing and stressful at the same time. Going into the town and doing errands let me take my mind off a lot of things, though it just put my mind onto not missing certain events or trying to pay back that damn home loan. That stupid raccoon...
9. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker: When it was first revealed, I was turned off by the artstyle at first (like most others), though I ended up liking it a fair amount when I actually played it. I really enjoyed how expressive the characters were, and it made them pretty engaging (even if some of them were still pretty flat at the core).
10. F-Zero GX: Damn this game was hard, but it was also loads of fun to play. High speed racing really got the adrenaline flowing, and I'd love to see another game as well designed as this one (though I would scrap the story mode).
x. Custom Robo: Custom Robo is tons of fun to play, and at times I find it hard to understand why it got such middling reception. All the different possible loadouts made it fun to experiment with the different parts until I found the loadout(s) I wanted, and the combat was pretty fun too. The story is kind of bad, but I still found the characters strangely charming, so I didn't really mind. This game really stuck out to me as a kid, so I had to give it an honorable mention of some kind.
Touch fuzZy. get BizZay
Member
yeah, that was one hell of a console
1. Resident Evil 4 ; I remember how incredible the game looked and sounded in previews. But Resident Evil 4 must be the only time I remember where playing the game lived up to the hype generated by the previews, often exceeding them. It revolutionised the third-person shooter genre, and in some respects, still hasnt been bettered. Its easy to take a lot of the game for granted now, but there are so many little touches that I thought were amazing at the time. In particular, the context-sensitive action prompts were mind-blowing in their seamlessness. Little things like jumping over walls, through windows, climbing ladders all worked without the immersion-breaking janky animations we were previously used to. And the action, oh the beautiful action. Games like these only come once a generation. The greatest.
2. Winning Eleven 6 ; The game intro starts with We Will Rock You; win a championship and the game plays We Are The Champions. Konami knew they had an incredible game, and it was the only time in years that they actually licensed music for it. Honestly, I wish I could vote for the entire WE/PES series, but the magic all started here and lasted for four amazing years.
3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; GTA III was more revolutionary and Vice City had the better soundtrack, but the enormity of San Andreas and the amount of activities you could take part in makes it the winner for me. I still feel Rockstar hasnt come close to replicating it, (GTAV comes very close). Driving from Los Santos through San Fierro and into Las Venturas was a magical experience.
4. Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast ; I dont know what it is about this game that has stayed with me for so long. I sometimes find myself longing to play it, realising that I no longer have a PS2 and sad that I can no longer buy it on the PS3 or Xbox stores. Just a perfect combination of beautiful scenery, perfect music and speed. My favourite chill-out game.
5. Super Monkey Ball ; Some games are just perfectly formed on release. This is it. Simple to pick up, incredibly challenging and never unfair. Also contains one of the best multiplayer party games in Monkey Target.
6. Ico ; Ill always remember one moment in the game, where I was struggling to figure out a puzzle. I just couldnt figure out how to open this one door. There was a switch that opened it, but nothing obvious in the vicinity to keep the switch open. After 5 or 10 minutes of frustrated exploring, Yorda calls out, and points to a higher platform I havent explored where shes spotted a box that might be useful. Im just blown away. A built-in hint system but organically entwined in the game. A little moment that sums up how magical the game is.
7. WarioWare Inc.: Mega Microgames! ; Mobile gaming before smartphones were invented. But much, much better. Twisted is arguably improved on the concept, but the first one wins for its simplicity and purity.
8. Katamari Damacy ; This type of insanity can only exist in the world of video games. On paper, it sounds stupid, but oh so much fun.
9. Rez ; Turn off the lights and turn up the sound for good times.
10. Metal Gear Solid 2 ; I still have no idea what was going on, but man it was a fun ride.
2. Winning Eleven 6 ; The game intro starts with We Will Rock You; win a championship and the game plays We Are The Champions. Konami knew they had an incredible game, and it was the only time in years that they actually licensed music for it. Honestly, I wish I could vote for the entire WE/PES series, but the magic all started here and lasted for four amazing years.
3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; GTA III was more revolutionary and Vice City had the better soundtrack, but the enormity of San Andreas and the amount of activities you could take part in makes it the winner for me. I still feel Rockstar hasnt come close to replicating it, (GTAV comes very close). Driving from Los Santos through San Fierro and into Las Venturas was a magical experience.
4. Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast ; I dont know what it is about this game that has stayed with me for so long. I sometimes find myself longing to play it, realising that I no longer have a PS2 and sad that I can no longer buy it on the PS3 or Xbox stores. Just a perfect combination of beautiful scenery, perfect music and speed. My favourite chill-out game.
5. Super Monkey Ball ; Some games are just perfectly formed on release. This is it. Simple to pick up, incredibly challenging and never unfair. Also contains one of the best multiplayer party games in Monkey Target.
6. Ico ; Ill always remember one moment in the game, where I was struggling to figure out a puzzle. I just couldnt figure out how to open this one door. There was a switch that opened it, but nothing obvious in the vicinity to keep the switch open. After 5 or 10 minutes of frustrated exploring, Yorda calls out, and points to a higher platform I havent explored where shes spotted a box that might be useful. Im just blown away. A built-in hint system but organically entwined in the game. A little moment that sums up how magical the game is.
7. WarioWare Inc.: Mega Microgames! ; Mobile gaming before smartphones were invented. But much, much better. Twisted is arguably improved on the concept, but the first one wins for its simplicity and purity.
8. Katamari Damacy ; This type of insanity can only exist in the world of video games. On paper, it sounds stupid, but oh so much fun.
9. Rez ; Turn off the lights and turn up the sound for good times.
10. Metal Gear Solid 2 ; I still have no idea what was going on, but man it was a fun ride.
the dreamcast train as well. i think its status is overblown in 2015, but 2000 was a seemingly magical year where the system had great quirky first-party stuff and great quirky third party stuff, as well as good mainstream stuff too. it was that image of the dreamcast with an amazing library versus the ps2 which was a dvd player that could play games that i think stuck with a lot of people at the beginning of the generation. i know that was my outlook on the ps2 early on as well, not really as a fan of nintendo stuff, but as a big fan of what sega was doing with the dreamcast.
that sentiment fell away pretty quickly for me. i was compelled to buy a ps2 less than a year and a half after getting a dreamcast, and only a few months after getting a gamecube. the dreamcast is still a little mythical in my eyes. it's not a rational view to hold, but its short time on the market was an interesting and unique one. the market is truly lesser for sega not being around to put their own spin on things and influence the industry in a way that was unique to them.
TheSpaceBetween
Member
Apologies, as I posted a list with the plan to comment later. Just want to make sure my ballot is counted. If not I'll Just make a new post. It's post 454.
I wanted to get my initial list done, i plan to edit this over the next couple days with comments.
1. World of Warcraft ; I've spent more time playing this game and it's expansions over the past 10 years then any other game i've played, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if my /played rivaled the total time i've played games period. There are better games on the this list, but I couldn't justify to myself putting it lower than #1 due to the volume of enjoyment iv'e gotten over time.
2. Persona 3: FES ;
3. Persona 4 ;
4. Half Life 2 ;
5. Diablo II ;
6. Grand Theft Auto III ;
7. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ;
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ;
9. Warcraft III ;
10. Civilization IV ;
x. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 ;
x. Dragon Quest VIII ;
x. Silent Hill 2 ;
x. Katamari Damacy ;
x. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne ;
1. World of Warcraft ; I've spent more time playing this game and it's expansions over the past 10 years then any other game i've played, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if my /played rivaled the total time i've played games period. There are better games on the this list, but I couldn't justify to myself putting it lower than #1 due to the volume of enjoyment iv'e gotten over time.
2. Persona 3: FES ;
3. Persona 4 ;
4. Half Life 2 ;
5. Diablo II ;
6. Grand Theft Auto III ;
7. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ;
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ;
9. Warcraft III ;
10. Civilization IV ;
x. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 ;
x. Dragon Quest VIII ;
x. Silent Hill 2 ;
x. Katamari Damacy ;
x. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne ;
TheRedSnifit
Member
1. Resident Evil 4 ; Simply one of the greatest games ever. It set the bar for third-person shooters, and has yet to be surpassed.
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door ; I'd actually gone out to buy Mario Sunshine, but the store was sold out. Disappointed, I went with the other Mario game there, which looked like some weird RPG, and when I put it in my Gamecube I didn't have high expectations. It didn't take long before I was completely blown away by the world, characters, everything. I've run through this more than almost any other game (RE4 being the exception), and it never gets boring.
3. Metroid Prime ; Metroid as an atmospheric FPS. Nothing more needs to be said.
4. Half Life 2 ;
5. Resident Evil REmake ; Best survival horror game.
6. Fatal Frame 2 ; Another great survival horror game.
7. Silent Hill 2 ; Yet another. Not quite as good as REmake or FF2, but damn near.
8. Metal Gear Solid 3 ;
9. F-Zero GX ;
Smash Bros Melee ;
x. Star Wars Battlefront ; Had to mention this somewhere. Me and my friends spent so much time playing this.
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door ; I'd actually gone out to buy Mario Sunshine, but the store was sold out. Disappointed, I went with the other Mario game there, which looked like some weird RPG, and when I put it in my Gamecube I didn't have high expectations. It didn't take long before I was completely blown away by the world, characters, everything. I've run through this more than almost any other game (RE4 being the exception), and it never gets boring.
3. Metroid Prime ; Metroid as an atmospheric FPS. Nothing more needs to be said.
4. Half Life 2 ;
5. Resident Evil REmake ; Best survival horror game.
6. Fatal Frame 2 ; Another great survival horror game.
7. Silent Hill 2 ; Yet another. Not quite as good as REmake or FF2, but damn near.
8. Metal Gear Solid 3 ;
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9. F-Zero GX ;
Smash Bros Melee ;
x. Star Wars Battlefront ; Had to mention this somewhere. Me and my friends spent so much time playing this.
To Far Away Times
Member
1. Diablo II ; A crack like gaming experience. I don't think I've ever played a game as much as this one. Great production values as well.
2. Resident Evil 4 ; Finely-crafted, expertly paced, and so much fun.
3. Resident Evil Remake ; If you play games for the "experience" this is one of the best.
4. Shadow of the Colossus ; Fun and unique gameplay with a well told story
5. DoDonPachi DaiOuJou ; 1 Credit Clearing this game is probably my favorite gaming accomplishment. Tremendous production values and stage design. This game demands more from the player than just about any game, but you get back what you put into it.
6. Soul Calibur II ; The soul still burns for 3D fighting games to ever be this good again
7. Ninja Gaiden Black ; Itagaki's masterpiece and the finest 3D character action game ever made.
8. Metroid Prime; Metroid works even better as an FPS than a 2D game.
9. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon ; Maybe not the first choice for many when it comes to GBA Castlevanias, but I appreciated the more serious tone, challenge, and music more than the other entries on the system.
10. Contra: Shattered Soldier ; Turning Contra into a series of boss fights strung together with short stage sections instead of the more traditional run-and-gun stages was a brilliant choice, the game is extremely challenging and immensely satisfying to beat.
x. Crazy Taxi ; YA YA YA YA YA. So much fun, it's hard to stop playing. Lots of hidden depth in this game.
x. Shinobi (PS2) ; Awesome and highly under-rated game.
x. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time ; A Disney-esque vibe runs through this satisfying 3D platforming game.
2. Resident Evil 4 ; Finely-crafted, expertly paced, and so much fun.
3. Resident Evil Remake ; If you play games for the "experience" this is one of the best.
4. Shadow of the Colossus ; Fun and unique gameplay with a well told story
5. DoDonPachi DaiOuJou ; 1 Credit Clearing this game is probably my favorite gaming accomplishment. Tremendous production values and stage design. This game demands more from the player than just about any game, but you get back what you put into it.
6. Soul Calibur II ; The soul still burns for 3D fighting games to ever be this good again
7. Ninja Gaiden Black ; Itagaki's masterpiece and the finest 3D character action game ever made.
8. Metroid Prime; Metroid works even better as an FPS than a 2D game.
9. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon ; Maybe not the first choice for many when it comes to GBA Castlevanias, but I appreciated the more serious tone, challenge, and music more than the other entries on the system.
10. Contra: Shattered Soldier ; Turning Contra into a series of boss fights strung together with short stage sections instead of the more traditional run-and-gun stages was a brilliant choice, the game is extremely challenging and immensely satisfying to beat.
x. Crazy Taxi ; YA YA YA YA YA. So much fun, it's hard to stop playing. Lots of hidden depth in this game.
x. Shinobi (PS2) ; Awesome and highly under-rated game.
x. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time ; A Disney-esque vibe runs through this satisfying 3D platforming game.
Aarglefarg
Member
Lots of Gamecube games I'm seeing in lists here were also released on other platforms, giving people chances to play them but not include them in their lists. Resident Evil 4, REmake, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime, Tales of Symphonia.
I've played all of those, but apart from Resident Evil 4 (PS2) I can not vote for any (as the versions I played were not of that generation), and I didn't quite like RE4 enough to include it...
you're fine.
i only just started going through them now. just completed page one.
A Black Falcon
Member
Why is the cutoff for PC games 2000? How are 1998-1999 games any less deserving of being included in this generation as 2000 games are? Seriously, stuff like the PC versions of Unreal Tournament or Quake III should count as part of this generation.
Also, of course, choosing only ten games is really hard...
1. Warcraft III (PC) - The last Blizzard game I was completely, totally addicted to for a long time, WC3 is one of the absolute best games ever made. The single player isn't quite up to Starcraft 1's level, but the unbelievably great multiplayer more than makes up for it. This game is my second favorite PC game ever.
2. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (PC) - Another game on my PC top 10 list, BGII is certainly one of the all-time greatest RPGs ever made. Only Planescape: Torment matches its genius.
3. Eternal Darkness (GC) - My favorite console game of the generation. ED is a really, really good action/adventure game, I love it. Great story, great world, great characters, writing, everything! The gameplay has issues, but is great fun anyway.
4. Guild Wars: Prophecies (PC) - The best online RPG ever made by a wide margin, I absolutely love GW1. After WC3 and Starcraft, this is probably my next most played game ever -- over a thousand hours. I've been playing Nightfall again recently, and it's still one of the best games... it's really too bad GW2 is so different, and disappointing. But the first game is great! The first part of GW1, Prophecies, is my favorite, (and the only one that released by the '05 cutoff here), followed by Factions, then Eye of the North, and last Nightfall... probably. Maybe those last two could switch, I'm not certain anymore. All four are incredible, regardless of the order you play them in, though. (And yes, this is another game on my top 10 PC games list.)
5. Metroid Prime (GC) - Outstanding game, and also some of the best art and music design and sense of atmosphere I've ever seen in a game. I'm not that good at this game, but it well deserves very, very high praise.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GC) - After the slightly disappointing Wind Waker, Twilight Princess was a nice return to form. I mean, I liked WW, but I like TP more -- better art, better world, higher difficulty level, and more. WW does have a better story, but TP is better overall for sure. I love the gameplay (after the overlong tutorial) and world, and it also has my favorite art design ever in the Zelda series. It's such a beautiful game!
7. Fire Emblem (GBA) - The first Western-released Fire Emblem game is such a great, great strategy game! This game introduced me, and a lot of people outside Japan, to this series, and it's still my favorite FE game. This is a hard but fun game, and I've played through it more than a couple of times.
8. Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast, also on Gamecube) - My favorite JRPG ever! Skies has a great cast, great soundtrack, good story, great gameplay, lots to do, and more. It's not a hard game, but it is really good, on both platforms.
9. XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association (Gamecube, also on PS2 and Xbox) - XGRA is my favorite racing game of the generation that isn't also on last-gen hardware. I really love this game; it was designed all around being fun, and it shows. This game is one of the most purely fun futuristic racing games ever. I love the music, the track designs, graphics, the "TV show" theme, the secondary mission objectives, and more.
10. Ikaruga (Dreamcast, also on Gamecube) - One of the best shmups ever, Ikaruga is an amazing experience, and a great game too.
I've got about fifty honorable mentions. Anyone want to see the complete list?
Also, of course, choosing only ten games is really hard...
1. Warcraft III (PC) - The last Blizzard game I was completely, totally addicted to for a long time, WC3 is one of the absolute best games ever made. The single player isn't quite up to Starcraft 1's level, but the unbelievably great multiplayer more than makes up for it. This game is my second favorite PC game ever.
2. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (PC) - Another game on my PC top 10 list, BGII is certainly one of the all-time greatest RPGs ever made. Only Planescape: Torment matches its genius.
3. Eternal Darkness (GC) - My favorite console game of the generation. ED is a really, really good action/adventure game, I love it. Great story, great world, great characters, writing, everything! The gameplay has issues, but is great fun anyway.
4. Guild Wars: Prophecies (PC) - The best online RPG ever made by a wide margin, I absolutely love GW1. After WC3 and Starcraft, this is probably my next most played game ever -- over a thousand hours. I've been playing Nightfall again recently, and it's still one of the best games... it's really too bad GW2 is so different, and disappointing. But the first game is great! The first part of GW1, Prophecies, is my favorite, (and the only one that released by the '05 cutoff here), followed by Factions, then Eye of the North, and last Nightfall... probably. Maybe those last two could switch, I'm not certain anymore. All four are incredible, regardless of the order you play them in, though. (And yes, this is another game on my top 10 PC games list.)
5. Metroid Prime (GC) - Outstanding game, and also some of the best art and music design and sense of atmosphere I've ever seen in a game. I'm not that good at this game, but it well deserves very, very high praise.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GC) - After the slightly disappointing Wind Waker, Twilight Princess was a nice return to form. I mean, I liked WW, but I like TP more -- better art, better world, higher difficulty level, and more. WW does have a better story, but TP is better overall for sure. I love the gameplay (after the overlong tutorial) and world, and it also has my favorite art design ever in the Zelda series. It's such a beautiful game!
7. Fire Emblem (GBA) - The first Western-released Fire Emblem game is such a great, great strategy game! This game introduced me, and a lot of people outside Japan, to this series, and it's still my favorite FE game. This is a hard but fun game, and I've played through it more than a couple of times.
8. Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast, also on Gamecube) - My favorite JRPG ever! Skies has a great cast, great soundtrack, good story, great gameplay, lots to do, and more. It's not a hard game, but it is really good, on both platforms.
9. XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association (Gamecube, also on PS2 and Xbox) - XGRA is my favorite racing game of the generation that isn't also on last-gen hardware. I really love this game; it was designed all around being fun, and it shows. This game is one of the most purely fun futuristic racing games ever. I love the music, the track designs, graphics, the "TV show" theme, the secondary mission objectives, and more.
10. Ikaruga (Dreamcast, also on Gamecube) - One of the best shmups ever, Ikaruga is an amazing experience, and a great game too.
I've got about fifty honorable mentions. Anyone want to see the complete list?
Funyarinpa
Member
As somebody who was a preschooler/primary schooler during this generation, I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of titles I've not played.
i guess you're probably in high school then? you're about my age when i started playing games on the dreamcast. now that is pretty overwhelming to me.
gollumsluvslave
Member
1. Halo CE (Xbox) ; Was getting bummed out on PC gaming, this came along and blew me away. Still the best Halo, and along with Half-Life my alltime favourite FPS. Played it so many times.
2. Baldur's Gate II (PC) : Shadows of Amn ; My favourite RPG ever. So deep. Infinity Engine was great.
3. Thief II : The Metal Age (PC); Garret's finest hour. Best stealth game ever, Life of the Party!
4. Deus Ex (PC); The best FPA ever? So many ways to achieve your end, and a great cyberpunk story. Some great characters! Tracer Tong, Bob Simmons. Amazing game.
5. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox) ; Loved everything about this game. Bioware at their best! Bastila! That twist!
6. Ninja Gaiden (Xbox); Gorgeous, and so smooth. Hard but fair. Loved it.
7. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory ; The best Splinter Cell game by a long way, and graphically can't believe what they acheived on the OG Xbox!
8. Prince of Persia : Sands of Time ; Time mechanic was great, and near perfect 3D platforming. Awesome!
9. Panzer Dragoon Orta ; A work of art! I still play this now and again on my OD Xbox, so chilled!
10. Chronicles of Riddick :Escape from Butcher Bay ; Still one of the best examples of melee in a first person game, great graphics, and an interesting take on stealth.
x. Rallisport Challenge 2 ; I generally don't like driving games, but this was perfection!
x. Halo 2 ; IMO the worst campaign in the Halo series, but still a great game, with amazing moments.
2. Baldur's Gate II (PC) : Shadows of Amn ; My favourite RPG ever. So deep. Infinity Engine was great.
3. Thief II : The Metal Age (PC); Garret's finest hour. Best stealth game ever, Life of the Party!
4. Deus Ex (PC); The best FPA ever? So many ways to achieve your end, and a great cyberpunk story. Some great characters! Tracer Tong, Bob Simmons. Amazing game.
5. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox) ; Loved everything about this game. Bioware at their best! Bastila! That twist!
6. Ninja Gaiden (Xbox); Gorgeous, and so smooth. Hard but fair. Loved it.
7. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory ; The best Splinter Cell game by a long way, and graphically can't believe what they acheived on the OG Xbox!
8. Prince of Persia : Sands of Time ; Time mechanic was great, and near perfect 3D platforming. Awesome!
9. Panzer Dragoon Orta ; A work of art! I still play this now and again on my OD Xbox, so chilled!
10. Chronicles of Riddick :Escape from Butcher Bay ; Still one of the best examples of melee in a first person game, great graphics, and an interesting take on stealth.
x. Rallisport Challenge 2 ; I generally don't like driving games, but this was perfection!
x. Halo 2 ; IMO the worst campaign in the Halo series, but still a great game, with amazing moments.
i'll just pretend to use parser and then recommend jak ii to everyone.
Nocturnowl
Member
You're a twisted man!
Funyarinpa
Member
That's correct, it's my second year in high school.
Wish I'd made it to see the Dreamcast as it seems I'm attracted to every commercially failed consoles out there.
This is hard. Especially 'cause I limit myself to 1 game per franchise. Puberty hit me during that generation, and without wanting people to feel sorry for me, it was a very rough time. Thank god I had my PS2 and my big-ass old tube TV up in my room.
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; Aaaaah, 2004. Growing up, the video game. Released in 2004, I skipped school just to play this game on release day. Apart from playing hooky, there wasn't a single worry on my mind. Disappointed with the graphics at first, I was immediately hooked. The possibilities seemed endless. Overexcited phone calls to friends, numerous gettogethers for years. Then we activated action replay codes, etc. This game kept on giving. It's been more than 10 years, and I still play it with my friends to this day. It looks like ass, but it fills me with pure joy and that warm nostalgia feeling in my tummy. It's been there during the toughest times in my life, and during those times I would YEARN to escape to the magical state of San Andreas, leaving all my woe's and worries behind. GTA: San Andreas might even be my favorite game of all time. It's been good.
2. Resident Evil 4; Don't know where to start. After my first hour of game time, I never figured RE4 could keep up with itself. But it did. This action game can never ever be topped. No way a developer can match the perfect pacing, the tension, the unforgettable boss battles, the Easter eggs, the impeccable sound design, the atmosphere, the hamminess, the dialogue, the extras, the excellent creature design, the inventory management, those regenerators and that mercenaries mode. Other action games, you are small-time.
3. Timeplitters 2; Played tons of Timeplitters 1 with friends back when I was PS2-less. Upon getting my PS2, I bought TS2. Not aware of what I was getting into. It was one of those go-to games when I did not know what to do. Challenges, Story Mode, Arcade, etc... But most of all, I busted out the multitap, called some friends and lost track of time. Many phone calls between a worried mother and a confused son. Alas, never got to 100% because some of those challenges seemed to be impossible. Still regret that to this day.
4. WWE Smackdown - Shut Your Mouth; What? A wrestling game? And I don't even like wrestling. My disc stopped working because I played this game too much. Me and my friends used to play this every weekend. Creating new wrestlers, thinking of scenarios and trying to perform them to the T during matches. We faked our own digital wrestling matches. Triple H's hair though...
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater; The first game to catch me off guard story-wise. A video game made me shed a tear? Kojima kind of fucked himself over at the end of MGS2, a mess he would later have to clean up with MGS4. I was glad to hear that MGS3 was the Big Boss' origins story. Finished numerous times. What an unforgettable video game.
6. Final Fantasy X; The Last FF I played through to the end. And when I mean to the end, I mean I did EVERYTHING. It cost me a significant part of my life too. No regrets.
7. God of War II; While Devil May Cry may have "evolved" the character action game genre, it was always trying too hard to be cool and edgy in my book. No such thing in GoW. No finesse, just brutality. GoW II shifted into higher gear. A relentlessly paced roller coaster ride. Finished it in one sitting only to start it again right after the credits rolled. Couldn't believe this was running on a PS2 either. So excited to know that Cory Barlog is heading that new PS4 GoW project.
8. Tony Hawks Underground; Regarded by many as the first step towards the downfall of Mr. Hawk's popular video game franchise. Not here. Aside from the tight gameplay and the creation modes, the thing that sticks with me the most is the soundtrack. It defined what I still listen to today. Orange Goblin, Mastodon, High On Fire, Clutch, Entombed, Fu Manchu, Solace, Unida, etc... And that music made me into the person I am today. Thank you Neversoft. R.I.P.
9. Half-Life 2; Need an explanation? It's been ten years and the game still holds up to this day. Masterpiece.
10. Burnout 3; Not even a racing game fanatic, but got 100% in this arcade racing classic. Still one of the most intense game I've ever played. It looked the tits, controls were incredibly tight and that crash mode has never been rivaled.
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; Aaaaah, 2004. Growing up, the video game. Released in 2004, I skipped school just to play this game on release day. Apart from playing hooky, there wasn't a single worry on my mind. Disappointed with the graphics at first, I was immediately hooked. The possibilities seemed endless. Overexcited phone calls to friends, numerous gettogethers for years. Then we activated action replay codes, etc. This game kept on giving. It's been more than 10 years, and I still play it with my friends to this day. It looks like ass, but it fills me with pure joy and that warm nostalgia feeling in my tummy. It's been there during the toughest times in my life, and during those times I would YEARN to escape to the magical state of San Andreas, leaving all my woe's and worries behind. GTA: San Andreas might even be my favorite game of all time. It's been good.
2. Resident Evil 4; Don't know where to start. After my first hour of game time, I never figured RE4 could keep up with itself. But it did. This action game can never ever be topped. No way a developer can match the perfect pacing, the tension, the unforgettable boss battles, the Easter eggs, the impeccable sound design, the atmosphere, the hamminess, the dialogue, the extras, the excellent creature design, the inventory management, those regenerators and that mercenaries mode. Other action games, you are small-time.
3. Timeplitters 2; Played tons of Timeplitters 1 with friends back when I was PS2-less. Upon getting my PS2, I bought TS2. Not aware of what I was getting into. It was one of those go-to games when I did not know what to do. Challenges, Story Mode, Arcade, etc... But most of all, I busted out the multitap, called some friends and lost track of time. Many phone calls between a worried mother and a confused son. Alas, never got to 100% because some of those challenges seemed to be impossible. Still regret that to this day.
4. WWE Smackdown - Shut Your Mouth; What? A wrestling game? And I don't even like wrestling. My disc stopped working because I played this game too much. Me and my friends used to play this every weekend. Creating new wrestlers, thinking of scenarios and trying to perform them to the T during matches. We faked our own digital wrestling matches. Triple H's hair though...
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater; The first game to catch me off guard story-wise. A video game made me shed a tear? Kojima kind of fucked himself over at the end of MGS2, a mess he would later have to clean up with MGS4. I was glad to hear that MGS3 was the Big Boss' origins story. Finished numerous times. What an unforgettable video game.
6. Final Fantasy X; The Last FF I played through to the end. And when I mean to the end, I mean I did EVERYTHING. It cost me a significant part of my life too. No regrets.
7. God of War II; While Devil May Cry may have "evolved" the character action game genre, it was always trying too hard to be cool and edgy in my book. No such thing in GoW. No finesse, just brutality. GoW II shifted into higher gear. A relentlessly paced roller coaster ride. Finished it in one sitting only to start it again right after the credits rolled. Couldn't believe this was running on a PS2 either. So excited to know that Cory Barlog is heading that new PS4 GoW project.
8. Tony Hawks Underground; Regarded by many as the first step towards the downfall of Mr. Hawk's popular video game franchise. Not here. Aside from the tight gameplay and the creation modes, the thing that sticks with me the most is the soundtrack. It defined what I still listen to today. Orange Goblin, Mastodon, High On Fire, Clutch, Entombed, Fu Manchu, Solace, Unida, etc... And that music made me into the person I am today. Thank you Neversoft. R.I.P.
9. Half-Life 2; Need an explanation? It's been ten years and the game still holds up to this day. Masterpiece.
10. Burnout 3; Not even a racing game fanatic, but got 100% in this arcade racing classic. Still one of the most intense game I've ever played. It looked the tits, controls were incredibly tight and that crash mode has never been rivaled.
1. Metroid Prime: I don't think much of an explanation is required here, but fine: It's the absolute best game I've ever played, and introduced me to the Metroid series full-on, despite Samus being my main in Smash 64 and Melee. It's as flawless as a game could be, and proved First Person was not just a possibility for Metroid, but a revolution all its own.
2. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Yeah, a lot of people didn't love this game immediately, and it caught a lot of flak for being too hard, resulting in Prime 3 being significantly streamlined. But each time I replay this game I appreciate it more and more, to the point that I might like it more than the first one because every boss battle still feels epic, and the universe is so brooding. I doubt we'll ever see a Metroid game this hardcore again.
3. Shenmue You either get it, or you don't. I got it, and what an impression it made.
4. Sonic Aventure 2 OK, this is nostalgia goggles at their thickest, but I loved this game, and replayed levels endlessly to get higher and higher times, and loved all the unlockables.
5. Halo 2 Online multiplayer revolution. So many high school memories to even count. A true classic.
6. Halo So much System Link, and firmly planted Microsoft's foot in the door of the console industry.
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee Is it the ultimate party game, or the ultimate competitive fighting game, it's up to whoever's playing.
8. Shenmue II - The sequel...but it shall never receive it's proper ending.
9. Timesplitters 2 The true successor to Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, endless split-screen fun!
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Yeah San Andreas might technically be better, but this game introduced me to the series, and the '80s atmosphere made me really feel in the game world.
2. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Yeah, a lot of people didn't love this game immediately, and it caught a lot of flak for being too hard, resulting in Prime 3 being significantly streamlined. But each time I replay this game I appreciate it more and more, to the point that I might like it more than the first one because every boss battle still feels epic, and the universe is so brooding. I doubt we'll ever see a Metroid game this hardcore again.
3. Shenmue You either get it, or you don't. I got it, and what an impression it made.
4. Sonic Aventure 2 OK, this is nostalgia goggles at their thickest, but I loved this game, and replayed levels endlessly to get higher and higher times, and loved all the unlockables.
5. Halo 2 Online multiplayer revolution. So many high school memories to even count. A true classic.
6. Halo So much System Link, and firmly planted Microsoft's foot in the door of the console industry.
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee Is it the ultimate party game, or the ultimate competitive fighting game, it's up to whoever's playing.
8. Shenmue II - The sequel...but it shall never receive it's proper ending.
9. Timesplitters 2 The true successor to Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, endless split-screen fun!
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Yeah San Andreas might technically be better, but this game introduced me to the series, and the '80s atmosphere made me really feel in the game world.
petran79
Banned
During that time my gaming preferences were completely different than the majority here
But I still play those games even today!
1. Virtual Pool 3 Featuring: Jeanette Lee
What set the PC apart from arcades and consoles?
Pool simulators! Best pool game I've ever played on PC. It had so many details that it felt almost like real pool. Very good mechanics. Also Jeanette's tutorials were very informative, helpful and fun. You also got to challenge her, one of the best pool players in the world back then!
Too bad that the sequels didnt feature her or any other known pool player.
2. Pro Pinball Trilogy (Dreamcast version)
Though the Windows PC version was arguably the best, I spent quite a lot of time on that game. There were other pinball games on PC that were more fun but this was the most realistic and difficult to play
3. Virtua Tennis 2 (Arcade and Dreamcast version)
Game I've spent most hours on both platforms. Amazingly fun game and I still play it today. Simple yet addictive.
As for the rest:
4. Puzzle Bubble 4 (Dreamcast)
I preferred PB3 but this was the next best installment to the franchise. I played it in the arcades too few years before
5. Jet Set Radio (Dreamcast)
6. Virtua Striker 2: ver 2000 (Dreamcast)
7. Soul Calibour (Dreamcast)
8. Rage of the Dragons (Arcades)
Very good fighting game by SNK, underrated unfortunately. Japanese-Mexican co-production, spin-off of Double Dragon.
9. Europa Universalis II (PC)
First introduction to the series. I was impressed by the amount of options, mods and complexity
10. Mazan - Flash of the Blade (Arcade)
Plastic sword wielding against samurai ghosts and demons. Attack and defense tactics and patterns are involved and it can get quite tiresome for your arms. Very fun arcade game, it gave me blisters. I even used a pool stick for better defense and accuracy
But I still play those games even today!
1. Virtual Pool 3 Featuring: Jeanette Lee
What set the PC apart from arcades and consoles?
Pool simulators! Best pool game I've ever played on PC. It had so many details that it felt almost like real pool. Very good mechanics. Also Jeanette's tutorials were very informative, helpful and fun. You also got to challenge her, one of the best pool players in the world back then!
Too bad that the sequels didnt feature her or any other known pool player.
2. Pro Pinball Trilogy (Dreamcast version)
Though the Windows PC version was arguably the best, I spent quite a lot of time on that game. There were other pinball games on PC that were more fun but this was the most realistic and difficult to play
3. Virtua Tennis 2 (Arcade and Dreamcast version)
Game I've spent most hours on both platforms. Amazingly fun game and I still play it today. Simple yet addictive.
As for the rest:
4. Puzzle Bubble 4 (Dreamcast)
I preferred PB3 but this was the next best installment to the franchise. I played it in the arcades too few years before
5. Jet Set Radio (Dreamcast)
6. Virtua Striker 2: ver 2000 (Dreamcast)
7. Soul Calibour (Dreamcast)
8. Rage of the Dragons (Arcades)
Very good fighting game by SNK, underrated unfortunately. Japanese-Mexican co-production, spin-off of Double Dragon.
9. Europa Universalis II (PC)
First introduction to the series. I was impressed by the amount of options, mods and complexity
10. Mazan - Flash of the Blade (Arcade)
Plastic sword wielding against samurai ghosts and demons. Attack and defense tactics and patterns are involved and it can get quite tiresome for your arms. Very fun arcade game, it gave me blisters. I even used a pool stick for better defense and accuracy
synchronicity
Member
During that time my gaming preferences were completely different than the majority here
But I still play those games even today!
Now that's a unique list! I enjoyed that. Much better than seeing Smash Bros. Melee over and over and over.
(I'm not a big Smash Bros. fan.)I don't imagine you'll see any of your list make the top of the final cut, but it's refreshing to see something so different.
1. Metroid Prime; I remember being super disappointed when the first person news came out and then that early gameplay video was awful. But man everything came together so well it made a gamecube worth owning all by itself.
2. Halo;
3. Half Life 2;
4. Resident Evil 4;
5. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic;
6. Final Fantasy XII;
7. Skies of Arcadia Legends;
8. Ninja Gaiden Black;
9. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence;
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City;
2. Halo;
3. Half Life 2;
4. Resident Evil 4;
5. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic;
6. Final Fantasy XII;
7. Skies of Arcadia Legends;
8. Ninja Gaiden Black;
9. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence;
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City;
Resident Evil 4.
TheSpaceBetween
Member
Scanning through the lists, it looks like MGS3 has the lead with Prime and RE4 fairly close behind.
RurouniZel
Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
1. Sakura Taisen 3 (Sega Dreamcast) ; I had an incredibly difficult time deciding on numbers 2-10 of this list. I didnt know which games to put in and which to leave out, what order they truly belonged in, etc. But, there was no question about number 1. Nothing else released in this generation of systems even compares to the amount of joy and fun I had playing Sakura Taisen 3. While the first game on the Saturn is still my personal favorite in the series, I have absolutely no qualms about saying that this game was the peak of the series. With the series first foray into 3D, it could have gone horribly wrong as has happened with many other game series. However Sakura Taisen 3 decided to reinvent its gameplay system for 3D rather than copy/paste the systems from the two Saturn entries. Called the ARMS system, it made the game incredibly more organic to play in 3D (and in hindsight it also laid the foundation for what would later become the BLiTZ system in Valkyria Chronicles. It is from the same developer, Overworks).
Instead of moving on the standard Grid system of most strategy games where you move in squares and then select an action like attack or defend, the ARMS system of Sakura Taisen 3 tied all character movements and actions to an Action Bar the bottom of the screen. How far you could move, how many actions you could take, it all depended on the Action Bar. This created a much more fluid system not rigidly tied together by square grids; the player could move each unit organically with the analogue stick, and if they managed their Action Bar right they could select many actions. The player could use part of the bar to move and the remainder to attack, they could just move the character a great distance and do nothing else, they could even do more than two actions in a turn if they had enough space left. It was the perfect way to bring the series to 3D.
Take all of those gameplay improvements and combine it with stellar art and presentation, incredibly memorable music from series composer Kohei Tanaka, a delightful cast of characters and a story that has serious moments but never actually takes itself too seriously, and its just the right foundation for an amazing game.
Oh, and the game has a scene in the last chapter where the Arc De Triomphe is transformed into a giant revolver. How do you beat that?
Obligatory:
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2. Ar Tonelico II (Sony PlayStation 2) ; This game literally came out of nowhere and blew me away. I had never played a game from GUST before and it looked generic at first. But I decided to give it a try based on the gorgeous music. And at first it really felt generic outside of the battle system which was really cool. And then something happened I did not expect. The game subverted my expectations and from then on I was hooked.
See, its not that uncommon in Japanese games for there to be multiple endings based on which character path you take, including my number 1 pick above. And normally before youre forced to choose a path, the developers attempt to make the decision really difficult by presenting each of the potential characters in an incredibly positive light in the hopes that youll be hard pressed on making that decision. And Ar Tonelico II did that for the first few hours
and then threw all that out the window. The game suddenly puts the two main heroines of the game in a very negative light, as they do/say things that dont exactly endear themselves to just about anyone really. And then game says Make a choice. I was laughing at how masterfully they had pulled that off. Well played GUST. Well played. Now, there are plenty of other reasons I love this game to death. The battle system, the Cosmospheres, the incredible music, the surprisingly engaging story, and a cast that really comes together amazingly well. But that moment early on in the game is what really made this game stand out for me. Its one of those small gaming moments Ill never forget.
3. Resident Evil (Nintendo Gamecube) ; This remake of the original game is more than just an upscaled port of the PSX original. Youd be hard-pressed to find a remake of a game that makes the jump this game did. The backgrounds were improved 10-fold, the zombie threat was given new life in the form of the Crimson Heads, the voice acting (while still cheesy as hell) was very much improved, and the Spencer Mansion was made the real star of the show, moreso than in the original in my opinion. This is, in my opinion, the closest the industry has ever come to creating the perfect remake. Or as its affectionately known, the perfect REmake.
4. Kingdom Hearts II (Sony PlayStation 2) ; While the first Kingdom Hearts was endearing and surprisingly successful for what at first brush seemed like a ludicrous idea (Disney x Final Fantasy?!), Kingdom Hearts II improved on the original in virtually every way. The story was grander, the stakes were higher, the controls were smoother, and everything just felt right. Its not that the game was all that dramatic departure from the original; the core of the first game was mostly intact. It was just polished and polished to virtual perfection. Playing the game again recently in the HD remake was both a wonderful return to one of my favorite games, and a cold reminder of how much better games were in this generation.
5. Metroid Prime (Nintendo Gamecube) ; I was skeptical about Metroid Prime when it was first shown, and I know I wasnt the only one. A western developer helming the project rather than internally developed by Nintendo? First person perspective? It had all the signs of a potential disaster, but instead became one of the best games ever made. It was a nearly perfect transformation of what made Metroid fantastic; lush yet mysterious environments, an elaborate maze of corridors and shortcuts, the sense of discovery and the dread of freeling truly alone in a foreign world. Retro Studios hit it out of the park with Metroid Prime.
6. Shenmue II (Sega Dreamcast) ; As much as Ive been a Sega fan my entire life, Ill admit they werent always as good as Nintendo in terms of a polished package; they were hit or miss. But what I always admired about Sega was their ambition, and how they were often ahead of their time. And no other series perfectly sums up that spirit than Shenmue. Shenmue was beyond ambitious and ahead of its time. It was an attempt at an open world in a relatively modern-day setting before games like GTAIII made it popular. And Shenmue II worked out the majority of the kinks found in the first game, in particular in terms of the games pacing. Give me Shenmue III Sega. Give me Shenmue III.
7. Dragon Quest VIII (Sony PlayStation 2) ; Square-Enix and Level 5 masterfully brought the Dragon Quest series into full 3D with this installment. Dragon Quest VIII dropped a lot of the pacing issues found in VI and VII and focused on a smaller but more intimate scope. The result was a story that I felt I shouldnt be so emotionally attached to, but couldnt help it. I think the moment it really hit me was a point mid-way when the characters return to Trodain Castle. Everything from the sweeping music to the forlorn looks of the characters as they gazed at the state of the once magnificent castle just sucked me in. And for me, whenever a game hits me right in the feels, its doing something right.
8. Grandia II (Sega Dreamcast) ; The original Grandia was a bigger and perhaps better game than its sequel overall, but thats less a knock against Grandia II and more a testament to how great the original was. Grandia II is still one of my favorite JRPGs with its amazing battle system and endearing story and characters. Plus its got a airship that is also a gigantic sword, which is always awesome in my book.
9. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (Sony PlayStation 2) ; This game succeeds in bringing the Metal Gear series back to earth with a more simplified structure, better pacing, and an absolutely gut-wrenching ending. This would have been the perfect end to the Metal Gear saga. But it had to continue. Oh well.
10. Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (Sony PlayStation 2) ; I cried in Chapter 8. That alone makes it worth putting on my list. Well, that and I spent well over 100 hours playing this fantastic game. The game also had an amazing sense of humor and was ready to parody anything videogame related, including itself. The second they first met, and then named Mid-boss, I knew I was in for something special. I love this game so much. :3
Honorable Mentions.
x. Final Fantasy X
x. Wild Arms 5
x. Tales of Symphonia
x. Metroid Fusion
x. Metroid Zero Mission
x. Resident Evil 0
x. Resident Evil 4
x. Skies of Arcadia
x. Metal Gear Solid 2
x. Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories
x. Shadow of the Colossus
x. The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker
x. Jet Set/Grind Radio
x. Atelier Iris
x. Sakura Taisen: Atsuki Chishio Ni
x. Sakura Wars: So Long My Love
x. Mario Kart: Double Dash
x. Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia
TheRedSnifit
Member
I'm going through the thread to see who didn't put RE4 at the top spot so I know whose recommendations to ignore.
just getting around to this, but yes.
theprodigy
Member
you must realize that you have no way of actually enforcing this right
It's pretty much a given that he can't stop people from lying.
dr3upmushroom
Banned
I played most of the big GameCube titles, and while I loved many of the games, none of them really grabbed me. Outside of Remake, RE4, Prime, and Zelda... Not many other games left a mark on me. Honestly I had more fun on the Wii, than I did on GC.
if they don't list the correct console, or if they specifically mention ones that aren't allowed (both have already happened), the votes aren't counted.
anyway, through page 3, and the top 3 spots are starting to solidify, but the top 5 is still rather fluid.
okami being lost to time warms my cold black heart.
Why would you do that?
Member
1. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; (GameCube) One of the very few fighting games I really enjoy.
2. F-Zero GX ; (GameCube) My favorite racing game ever, so fast and energetic, and the high difficulty makes everything you do feel like an accomplishment.
3. WarioWare: Twisted! ; (Game Boy Advance) I can't believe how good this game is, and it's a shame Europe never got it...
4. Rhythm Tengoku ; (Game Boy Advance) I'm in the U.S. and this is a Japan only game. I am not entirely sure if the rules allow it, but the rules do allow the Mother 3 translation, so... If the rules don't allow it, then my first honorable mention can become #10 (if it isn't too much trouble).
5. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! ; (Game Boy Advance) Why knew a collection of minigames can be so fun?
6. Space Channel 5: Part 2 ; (PlayStation 2) This game is part of the Space Channel 5: Collector's Edition package on the PlayStation 2. However, the package contains two discs, one with the original Space Channel 5 and the second with the sequel, Space Channel 5: Part 2. If you must count the collector's edition as one whole game, then that's fine.
7. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; (GameCube) Didn't quite live up to the astronomical hype for me, yet is still up on my list. Speaks a lot about the Zelda series...
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ; (GameCube)
9. SSX Tricky ; (PlayStation 2) I miss super arcadey racers...
10. The Sims 2 ; (PC, 2004) Even with just the base game, seeing The Sims in 3D for the first time and the level of freedom to build and customize absolutely floored me when I first played it.
x. Tales of Symphonia ; (GameCube) I don't like RPGs, but Tales games are just so good!
x. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; (PlayStation 2) The only game I played entirely with a complete save file. I never played it from the beginning, yet had so much fun with the world that I had to include it here.
x. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ; (GameCube) Another great RPG to someone who doesn't like RPGs.
x. Mega Man Zero ; (Game Boy Advance)
x. Guitar Hero 2 ; (PlayStation 2) I don't listen to most music, so I don't have any sort of attachment to the sound list. However, the songs were very fun to play, more than GH1 and especially more than GH3.
x. Gradius V ; (PlayStation 2) Gradius + Treasure, what more could you ask for? Every level was just one surprise after another...
x. Half-Life 2 ; (PC, 2004)
2. F-Zero GX ; (GameCube) My favorite racing game ever, so fast and energetic, and the high difficulty makes everything you do feel like an accomplishment.
3. WarioWare: Twisted! ; (Game Boy Advance) I can't believe how good this game is, and it's a shame Europe never got it...
4. Rhythm Tengoku ; (Game Boy Advance) I'm in the U.S. and this is a Japan only game. I am not entirely sure if the rules allow it, but the rules do allow the Mother 3 translation, so... If the rules don't allow it, then my first honorable mention can become #10 (if it isn't too much trouble).
5. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! ; (Game Boy Advance) Why knew a collection of minigames can be so fun?
6. Space Channel 5: Part 2 ; (PlayStation 2) This game is part of the Space Channel 5: Collector's Edition package on the PlayStation 2. However, the package contains two discs, one with the original Space Channel 5 and the second with the sequel, Space Channel 5: Part 2. If you must count the collector's edition as one whole game, then that's fine.
7. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; (GameCube) Didn't quite live up to the astronomical hype for me, yet is still up on my list. Speaks a lot about the Zelda series...
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ; (GameCube)
9. SSX Tricky ; (PlayStation 2) I miss super arcadey racers...
10. The Sims 2 ; (PC, 2004) Even with just the base game, seeing The Sims in 3D for the first time and the level of freedom to build and customize absolutely floored me when I first played it.
x. Tales of Symphonia ; (GameCube) I don't like RPGs, but Tales games are just so good!
x. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ; (PlayStation 2) The only game I played entirely with a complete save file. I never played it from the beginning, yet had so much fun with the world that I had to include it here.
x. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ; (GameCube) Another great RPG to someone who doesn't like RPGs.
x. Mega Man Zero ; (Game Boy Advance)
x. Guitar Hero 2 ; (PlayStation 2) I don't listen to most music, so I don't have any sort of attachment to the sound list. However, the songs were very fun to play, more than GH1 and especially more than GH3.
x. Gradius V ; (PlayStation 2) Gradius + Treasure, what more could you ask for?
Every level was just one surprise after another...x. Half-Life 2 ; (PC, 2004)
Ok, so I only had a PS2 on that gen, and I couldn't really play on the PC because my brother was usually on it, so my list will be very PS2-centric:
1. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne; the (almost) perfect jRPG. Unbeatable atmosphere, increadible aesthetics, great combat system (coupled with a rather constant difficulty curve), excellent OST, addictive collecting/fusing system. Still better on todays standards than most recent jRPGs.
2. GTA III; I know San Andreas is the better game. I know there were open world games before it. But holy shit had this game a big inpact back then, and still has as today. I'm pretty confident I still know Liberty City's layout by heart, even though I haven't touched the game for almost 10 years.
3. Devil May Cry 3; Best action game ever. And a few Kaneko designs on top of that!
4. Final Fantasy X; Still my favorite FF. The battle system is still great, the music too, but god do the english dubs suck...
5. Resident Evil 4; Excellent TPS/action game.
6. Persona 3; Beautifully managed to combine a social sim with the gruesome universe of SMTs.
7. Time Splitters 2; I can't count the hours spent playing splittscreen multiplayer on this one (up to 8 persons on 2 TVs!).
8. PES 5; Same as above.
9. No One Lives forever 2;
10. Prince of Persia: Sands in Time;
x. Halo; while I don't like FPSs, I did somewhat enjoy the long multiplayer sensions on this one.
x. Shadow of the Collossus;
x. Mana Khemia 2;
x. Shadow Heart: Covenant;
x. GTA: San Andreas;
1. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne; the (almost) perfect jRPG. Unbeatable atmosphere, increadible aesthetics, great combat system (coupled with a rather constant difficulty curve), excellent OST, addictive collecting/fusing system. Still better on todays standards than most recent jRPGs.
2. GTA III; I know San Andreas is the better game. I know there were open world games before it. But holy shit had this game a big inpact back then, and still has as today. I'm pretty confident I still know Liberty City's layout by heart, even though I haven't touched the game for almost 10 years.
3. Devil May Cry 3; Best action game ever. And a few Kaneko designs on top of that!
4. Final Fantasy X; Still my favorite FF. The battle system is still great, the music too, but god do the english dubs suck...
5. Resident Evil 4; Excellent TPS/action game.
6. Persona 3; Beautifully managed to combine a social sim with the gruesome universe of SMTs.
7. Time Splitters 2; I can't count the hours spent playing splittscreen multiplayer on this one (up to 8 persons on 2 TVs!).
8. PES 5; Same as above.
9. No One Lives forever 2;
10. Prince of Persia: Sands in Time;
x. Halo; while I don't like FPSs, I did somewhat enjoy the long multiplayer sensions on this one.
x. Shadow of the Collossus;
x. Mana Khemia 2;
x. Shadow Heart: Covenant;
x. GTA: San Andreas;
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
Quick! Everyone vote for Jak II!!!!!
NipplesAndToes23
Member
I don't know about that. Did you forget the part where the game made you backtrack the whole game to find one dude?
1. Final Fantasy XII ; The best RPG of the gen, I loved exploring its beautiful world and perfecting my gambits.
2. Metal Gear Solid 2 ; This game could resume the generation by itself.
3. F-zero GX ; The greatest racer of all time.
4. Devil May Cry 3 ; The best Character Action Game to date.
5. Resident Evil 4 ; (Gamecube) This game is an anomaly, its pacing is way too close to perfection.
6. Kingdom Hearts 2 ; Finished it 3 times, and the last time in Final Mix Critical was the best of all.
7. Silent Hill 2 ; Finished it countless time with friends, still can't play it alone.
8. Tekken 5 ; the best fighting game, too bad the series never got better than T5DR.
9. Shadow of the Colossus ; Do I need to say more?
10. Zelda Twilight Princess ; (Gamecube) Still a mere shadow of OOT, but also, being a shadow of OOT makes it a great game.
This generation was insane in quality, there's no match yet. I adore those games equally, often for completely different reasons.
I still managed rating by trying to consider both their play/replay value and influence on me, but really I could switch any position on a whim. It's like trying to choose between your children.
2. Metal Gear Solid 2 ; This game could resume the generation by itself.
3. F-zero GX ; The greatest racer of all time.
4. Devil May Cry 3 ; The best Character Action Game to date.
5. Resident Evil 4 ; (Gamecube) This game is an anomaly, its pacing is way too close to perfection.
6. Kingdom Hearts 2 ; Finished it 3 times, and the last time in Final Mix Critical was the best of all.
7. Silent Hill 2 ; Finished it countless time with friends, still can't play it alone.
8. Tekken 5 ; the best fighting game, too bad the series never got better than T5DR.
9. Shadow of the Colossus ; Do I need to say more?
10. Zelda Twilight Princess ; (Gamecube) Still a mere shadow of OOT, but also, being a shadow of OOT makes it a great game.
This generation was insane in quality, there's no match yet. I adore those games equally, often for completely different reasons.
I still managed rating by trying to consider both their play/replay value and influence on me, but really I could switch any position on a whim. It's like trying to choose between your children.
Thunder Monkey
Banned
unknownstranger
Member
1. Shadow of the Colossus ; I still remember my reaction when I first saw this game being reviewed on X-Play. It was the reason I got a PS2. Artistically there's still nothing like it (3D anyways).
2. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker ; This was my first game in the series and while I don't have the passion for it like most fans, I still end up getting every game. This was the first game I've play with a massive scale like this. I loved how balanced the game was between sillyness and seriousness. When I got a Wii U and bought Mario Kart 8 with the promotion, Wind Waker HD was the game I got as I never actually owned it, just borrowed it from a friend.
3. Okami ; I got Okami around the same time as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Okami always stood out more. The art style was cel shading to the next level, and while technically it wasn't great (some low polygons and framerate issues), it carried the game well. The story was unlike anything I played before and surprised me with its length. The music was unlike any other game and I spent countless hours listening to it. Gameplay wise it was slightly above average but everything around it brought it up so much.
4. God of War 2 ; I did not have a ton of experience in the hack-and-slash genre but this game really got me into it. The gameplay was nearly perfect and while other weapons were overly simple, I still enjoyed them. My only real issue was the game felt too long. While the gameplay was nearly perfect, it did get old after awhile with how limited leveling was.
Will post the rest when I'm not as tired.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker ; This was my first game in the series and while I don't have the passion for it like most fans, I still end up getting every game. This was the first game I've play with a massive scale like this. I loved how balanced the game was between sillyness and seriousness. When I got a Wii U and bought Mario Kart 8 with the promotion, Wind Waker HD was the game I got as I never actually owned it, just borrowed it from a friend.
3. Okami ; I got Okami around the same time as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Okami always stood out more. The art style was cel shading to the next level, and while technically it wasn't great (some low polygons and framerate issues), it carried the game well. The story was unlike anything I played before and surprised me with its length. The music was unlike any other game and I spent countless hours listening to it. Gameplay wise it was slightly above average but everything around it brought it up so much.
4. God of War 2 ; I did not have a ton of experience in the hack-and-slash genre but this game really got me into it. The gameplay was nearly perfect and while other weapons were overly simple, I still enjoyed them. My only real issue was the game felt too long. While the gameplay was nearly perfect, it did get old after awhile with how limited leveling was.
Will post the rest when I'm not as tired.