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1. Resident Evil 4 (PlayStation 2, Gamecube)
MiamiWesker said:Perfection. The greatest action game ever made. The greatest paced game ever. game design that needs to be studied for generations.
Mrmartel said:The greatest Horror/Action game ever. Really. in fact I think it's flawless, or in-so-much that it's come closer to perfection than any game I've ever played. The pacing, encounter and level design are three areas of which RE4 is critic proof. It's Mikami's 9th symphony, his Sistine chapel, his Mona Lisa. I don't know how they did it, but a perfect storm of the best minds at Capcom came together and made it happen.
tanuki said: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 hasn’t been bettered. It’s 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.
Snake said:The unrivaled experience of the generation. Within the first three minutes of playing the game I knew it was going to be an incredible experience, and the feeling lasted through another half dozen playthroughs.
timetokill said:In its genre, it's still better than anything before it or after. It has better pacing, better game mechanics, better variety, better just about everything. When this was playable at E3, I played it every day. On the last day, they literally had to pull the plug from the machines before I stopped. Today, it still stands as a monument, a challenge that has yet to be overcome. Games like The Last of Us may have surpassed it in presentation, but when it comes to play, they're honestly not even in the discussion
2. Metroid Prime (Gamecube)
tcrunch said:In addition to finding pretty places and blasting all the wildlife that live within them, the game offered a variety of puzzles, a soundtrack that steps gracefully between its sci-fi and naturalistic themes, and the late-game horror of the series' namesake alien species.
Nocturnowl said:Safe to say Metroid Prime caught me off guard, I had little idea how it was going to be structured and its open explorative nature came as a surprise to me, fitting that an alien planet could feel so alien to me when it came to the gameplay itself, this was no simple first person shooter. Trying to make heads or tails of what the game wanted me to do, what my objective was, if I was going the right direction, why I was scanning the environment for details, Prime was not like anything I had played before.
Nothing1016 said:The perfect transition from 2D to 3D. Unrivaled level design. Fantastic Graphics. Fantastic Gameplay. Impeccable atmosphere. memorable music. The game is literally perfection, flawless.
3. Metal Gear Solid 3 (PlayStation 2)
Game4life said:One of the greatest games ever crafted. Amazing level design, deep mechanics and some of the best boss fights ever. It is easily the best MGS game of all time and a perfect amalgamation of story and gameplay.
Timealsis said:When we talk about "gameplay complementing story", we are talking about Metal Gear Solid 3. No game I've played since has blended an intriguing, heartfelt story of love, loss and redemption with thrilling narrative-driven gameplay mechanics. Survival is the name of the game, both in narrative and in mechanics, pushing you ever forward to your goal of averting nuclear catastrophe. With a '60s-inspired Cold War narrative (with some James Bond thrown in for good measure), enthralling gameplay that teeters between incredible setpieces, memorable boss battles, and subtle survival simulation, and a gripping cast of intriguing, tortured characters, Metal Gear Solid 3 is truly the greatest, most interesting, game ever made.
Tookay said:Kojima merges his storytelling and gameplay into a perfect package. Snake's tale of survival is not only emotionally compelling, but integrated nicely into the gameplay. You'll trudge through swamps, trek along cliffsides, and battle through some of the most memorable boss fights ever. The next Metal Gear might be the first "open-world" entry, but this game is impressively "open-ended." There's so many ways to approach a situation or encounter... or avoid it altogether - as long as you're willing to try. Cap it off with one of the best endings ever, and you've got a classic.
4. Shadow of the Colossus (PlayStation 2)
Pound_lb003 said:It goes without saying, this is one was a marvel for it's use of mechanics, visuals and storytelling. Using the strengths of the medium to tell a story through play and visuals. Compelling, with unmatched spirit and dignity.
Stove said:The story is the right amount of abtuse and minimalist. You are given motivation, but nothing is over explained to you. I'm one of those who believes that all control issues and minor (or major) annoyances that people have with the game are done intentionaly to emphasize the fact that your character isn't a perfect hero from a physical sense. This might make me a crazy person, but I don't really care. Even if this wasn't the case, it still couldn't take away from the amazing score and the awe inspiring scope.
upselo said:A very straightforward game pitting you against 16 enemies in a fairytale plot, but it works beautifully thanks to a sorrowful atmosphere that makes you relate to the Colossi, grow to love your faithful steed, and basically make you feel 16 times like David against Goliath, outsmarting daunting opponents.
Epic, majestic and beautiful.
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)
Mr. Patch said:It might be everything a gamer could want in a sequel. It takes the original concept and makes it bigger and better. The game is fast and intense while remaining simple enough for casual players to enjoy. With or without items, this game is a ton of fun to play.
Wask said:It's Smash. The Smash. Melee is so incredibly designed that it's not only fun for casuals, but there's a near limitless skill ceiling for those looking for an in depth fighter. This game was released in 2001 and yet it's never been bigger, still played in dorm rooms around the world today.
Leondexter said:This game is magical, a once-in-a-lifetime, lightning-in-a-bottle unintentional masterpiece that will never be replicated.
6. Half-Life 2 (PC, Xbox)
Ikon said:It was breathtaking when it was released with incredibly varied and engaging gameplay and a beautifully crafted world. I feel like enough praise has been given this game that it feels futile to try to add to it.
Marceles said:From the intro, to first getting the gravity gun, to first entering Ravenholm, to getting the speed buggy, to using the guide laser rocket launcher, to getting the bug fruit, etc etc etc...the Source engine, the graphics, the everything. My brain is exploding revisiting this game.
7. Metal Gear Solid 2 (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
cory64 said:Brilliantly flawed, but still one of the medium's greatest achievements.
McNum said:It is a masterstroke of video game story telling, even if it breaks the rules and plays the player for a fool, the "Raiden is the actual main character" twist was incredibly brave, and pulled off magnificently, no one saw it coming. This theme of censorship and information control remains relevant, even today, perhaps especially today with the reveal of just how much we are being monitored thanks to Snowden. And all of that is not even mentioning how the gameplay was a massive upgrade over the Playstation Metal Gear Solid. First person aiming, no-kill playthroughs, smarter enemy soldiers, sometimes dangerously so, and a ton of new moves for Snake and Raiden to do.
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Gamecube)
JingoUnchained said:Another outstanding Zelda campaign with a striking, timeless art style. I don't usually go on about visuals, but WW's look is intoxicating.
DownGrader said:The best Zelda game ever, and maybe the best exploration-focused 3D action/adventure title.
9. Halo: Combat Evolved (PC, Xbox)
Collingwood said:This game changed everything. It truly brought FPSes to consoles and has pretty much influenced every major shooter franchise in one way or another since.
Kittens said:Legendary.
10. Final Fantasy X (PlayStation 2)
Wazzy said:Gorgeous visuals and one of the most beautiful soundtracks in the series, this game is my second favourite in the Final Fantasy franchise with Final Fantasy VIII beating it out. The character designs were vibrant and perfectly matched the colourful world of Spira. The battle system was fast paced and addicting with a wonderful party member switch in option in battle. There's so much to love about this game and it makes sure to have a story that keeps you playing until the very end. One of my most cherished game experiences is with Final Fantasy X.
arbok26 said:This was my first Final Fantasy and JRPG so I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I don't think any JRPG i've played since has topped it. I loved how it told such a grand story and the artistic design of the game really blew me away. I never got bored over the 50 hours I played the game because I always wanted to find out what happened next. I also had no idea turn based games could be so rewarding.
11. Silent Hill 2 (PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox)
BaraSailey said:The best horror game of all time, with one of the most mature and deep stories told in gaming. The game wasn't particularly scary to me, but the atmosphere was perfect, thanks to a combination of great design and a beautifully haunting score. The amount of thought and detail put into every aspect of this game is amazing. It's one of the best games ever made, and a game I replay almost every year.
12. Persona 4 (PlayStation 2)
LX_Theo said:The game is amazing, with the schedule system, social link system, and traditional SMT dungeon/fusion mechanics only making the great storytelling and character feel that much more alive.
13. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (PC, Xbox)
Ralemont said:The level of interactivity with the game's story, from basic sidequests to the main plot, was exemplary and something that I didn't even know I needed in a game until I played this. Gamespot said that KotOR was the best thing to happen to Star Wars since Empire Strikes Back, and I couldn't agree more.
14. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
Duster said:The 80s setting, cartoon style, overall tone and superlative radio stations make it the peak of the series and indeed the generation. Like somebody said earlier nothing could beat the feeling of riding a bike along the beach listening to Billie Jean.
15. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
Mr_Antimatter said:Probably the pinnacle of open world design for the era, and did things others games wouldn't do for many years.
16. World of Warcraft (PC)
Haxxor said:Even though the expansions added a lot, it wasn’t the same thing as vanilla WoW. But never has a game been so fun to play with strangers and friends alike. Was just great fun, that sadly took way, way to much time from other games… oh and life…
17. Deus Ex (PC, PlayStation 2)
Touch fuzZy said:But the greatest strengths of Deus Ex have to be gameplay ones - the way it allows the player to solve problems in multiple ways, the variety of options it gives them when building their character, the way it integrates their choices into the story rewardingly. I was shocked when someone told me they managed to save Paul. He had died in my game and the game handled it so convincingly that I thought that was the only possible outcome! Learning this led me to do something I never do...I was very attached to the game's characters, so I quit midgame, restarted and played through it again with the intent of saving Paul. Along the way I found several different, interesting solutions to previous challenges I had beaten! The game was incredible and I've yet to play another game that's been this cool. Heartfelt thanks to Warren Spector and his ambitious team.
18. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (PC)
THE epitome of the cRPG. Great winding narrative that is influenced by your words and deed? Check. Huge areas that you are rewarded for exploring? Check. Tense said:Kinthalls
19. F-Zero GX (Gamecube)
Allan Holdsworth said:my first F-Zero, and what a ride it was.
20. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Gamecube)
Vaddon said:In an already stellar catalogue of games, I consider this to be IS's masterpiece and they have never matched it since.
21. Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)
Whoompthereitis said:one of the best action games ever
22. Devil May Cry 3 (PlayStation 2)
dancingphlower said:Amazing combat, amazing bosses, amazing music. Also, playable Vergil! The complete package in every sense of the word.
23. Diablo II (PC)
Riesenfass said:Diablo 2 was a massive improvement over the original Diablo's gameplay, scope, replayability, and story. The music and atmosphere matched, and sometimes exceeded, its predecessor. 3 of the 4 acts it launched with were larger, more detailed, and more varied than all of Diablo 1. More character classes, more items, more enemies, more spells, more everything, and it managed to be somewhat balanced and more polished than the original. 15 years later, this is still the king of the genre.
24. Halo 2 (Xbox)
Welfare said:Campaign was fun and very replayable, and the multiplayer was legendary before it XBL was taken down for the Xbox. A gem to be remember.
25. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Gamecube)
Yoshi said:TP is the Zelda with the most expertly crafted dungeons and offers a lot of incredibly well-designed content.