Disclaimer : I only pick one entry of my favorite series for this list. Otherwise I would end up with two or three gaming franchises that hold multiple positions in this list and bloat it. I also didn't include multiplayer games since it is extremely hard to rank them properly compared to single player games.
1) The Last of Us Part II
My personal best game of all time. After two decades a game finally was able to overtake Final Fantasy VIII and Zelda Ocarina of Time which I thought was nearly impossible. At some point you have to realize that gaming feels different when you are older and more mature. The magic of being 10 years old and discovering the greatness of Video games can't be repeated. But TLOU2 was just the most impressive achievement in video game I've evern seen and even with nostalgia googles on I had to be open minded about the absolute masterpiece that this game is.
The technical side and animations of this game is basically perfect including the accessibility options for a wide variety of gamers was an absolute breakthrough and I am glad that Naughty Dog went the extra mile to make this enjoyable for as many gamers as possible. It was heartwarming to see youtube videos of blind people being able to enjoy the game.
The emotional side, story, voice acting and gameplay were top notch. A bold sequel that doesn't play it safe and ruins itself in stagnation like many other franchises that have become formulaic and boring like assembly line work.
After playing The Last of Us it is hard to get into another game for a while. The same happened to me in 2013 and 2020. Not easy to follow that up for any game and it shows the big difference in talent between Naughty Dog and other studios.
The one thing I have to critize is the pacing. The game could've been a little bit cleaner. It is quite big with 30+ hours for a wide linear game.
2) Final Fantasy VIII
It wouldn't have matter much which Final Fantasy entry I put in here since whether it is VI, VII, VIII, XI or X there are so many fantastic Final Fantasy games from the golden era that are 10/10 games which take you on an amazing journey to be immersed in.
Final Fantasy 8 is my personal favorite and the OST is one of the big reasons for it. It is still the very best soundtrack of any video game I've ever listened to. Balamb garden and experiencing this world as a SeeD was one of the most memorable gaming experiences of my life and it was on my top spot for 20 years.
3) The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time
When it comes to the best video games of all time it is impossible to ignore Zelda OoT. It rightly deserves to be the top spot on many lists and the influence of this game doesn't need to be emphasized any further. And on top of that there is also Majora's Mask for the Nintendo 64 which is nearly equally as impressive for a lot of different reasons. A game with a lot more depth than people give it credit for and one of the most underrated gems in video game history.
Christmas time plus a new Zelda game in 1998. It doesn't get much better than this.
4) Silent Hill 2
The true masterpiece of gaming. The one game that I think basically everyone loves, but it still being underrated and doesn't get enough praise for the absolute genius that went into designing it. When I first played it and was a lot younger I wasn't quite sure what it all meant, but playing it again and again over the years and diving deeper into it and understanding it is where the true masterclass of this game lies. Back then it was still an amazing game, but now that I understand it I fully appreciate it. A must play game that rewards you tenfold for playing it again and again and taking it all in.
5) Dark Souls
FROM Software is probably the most influential developer of the last decade when it comes to amazing gameplay and combat. A revolutionary break from many other games of that time which tried to establish quick time events and other nonsense. They have an amazing track record whether it is Sekiro, Bloodborne, Dark Souls 1-3 or Demon's Souls. Miyazaki is the man and I love him very much. It showed that he wasn't the director for Dark Souls 2.
Dark Souls ultimately takes the top spot over Dark Souls 3, Sekiro and Bloodborne for me, because of the level design, size and variety. The benchmark for how the feedback for combat should feel.
6) Metal Gear Solid
It pains me to only put this on six since MGS is probably the gaming series that I love most and I worship Kojima. So many excellent games in that series and I include V to that, because there is too much surface level hate for MGS V from people that don't understand the meaning of that game. In a top list of so many 10/10 games it seems to be ranked low, but I basically appreciate MGS 2 and 3 as much as I do 1.
7) Super Mario 64
Too many great Mario games and I have to play a couple of them including Odyssey. Gabe Newell's favorite game is an all time game and cements the N64 as one of the console with absolute masterpiece games that will still be relevant for generations to come.
8) God of War 2018
During a time where I felt that games wouldn't make me feel like they did back then I was wronged by God of War. What an absolute astonishing game that doesn't set a foot wrong and made it clear that the PS4 generation had so many great exclusive games which kept getting better with each year. Can't wait for Ragnarok next year.
9) Resident Evil 2
This was one of the hardest picks for me since I do love so many entries of this franchise. The original playstation games are my favorites, but the remakes are amazing too and for many RE4 is one of the greatest games of all time. While I don't agree with that since I love the fixed camera angle tank controls from the PS1, I do have to agree that it is a great even though it was the beginning of the end for those older games. They are still going strong with 7 and 8 and we do kinda have to forget 5 and 6.
10) The Witcher 3
Open world and DLC done right. It was extremely easy to immerse and spent many hours on this game. It never felt like a chore, a problem many open world games battle with, and the DLC was a great example of how you should add content to your game.
11) Portal 2
I love puzzle games and this is probably the best one. At least on top of my head. I desperately want another Portal game.
12) Half Life 2
Revolutionary PC game and each time it is being mentioned the pain of now having a proper third one hurts more.
13) Mass Effect 2
SciFi space opera with great gameplay and story. Love it and hope to have some time soon to play through the Legendary Edition.
14) Slay The Spire
Genius roguelike card game that is extremely rewarding and addictive. Just one more run to finally beat Ascension 20.
15) Hollow Knight
It took me a long time to finally play it, but it was well worth it. Great combat and gameplay in a beautifully created world. Hope to get some Silksong news soon.
16) Uncharted 4
They finally improved the A.I. so combat and stealth feel much better. On top of that an amazing story to the most mature entry of the series. I love all the Uncharted games, but Neil Druckmann gave this game a lot more substance. Feels good to play, looks beautiful and kept me interested throughout. Great game. Same goes for The Lost Legacy.
17) GTA Vice City
I spent countless hours cruising in this game and listening to the music. Maybe it is not as good as San Andreas or V, but for me personally I spent quality time with this game.
18) Tony Hawk' Pro Skater 2
My very first tendinitis from gaming. That says enough about this game. Great times we had back then trying to beat each other's highscores.
19) Bioshock
Brilliant atmosphere in an interesting world that keeps you well entertained and admiring.
20) Ori And The Blind Forest
I 100%'d both Ori games and this beautiful game keeps on delivering. One of many games of the last 5-10 years that give me high hopes that we get good games in a world where many bid budget AAA games start to struggle for quality.