Top Ten games ever

[Ignis]

I guess it's my turn...

I am also a RPG player, since the thing that matters the most to me in a videogame is the atmosphere (the design, the "universe" in which the game takes place, including music and story)

Without any order :

Culdcept : the most recent of the games which entered my personal Game Hall of Fame. I already explained why, but to sum it up, I really like the design and the game system.

the Panzer Dragoon series (Sega Saturn / Xbox) : I am totally in love with those four games (I don't include the Game Gear game). The universe is immersive and creative, thanks to an incredible blend of beattiful design, awesome music, and a legendary storyline. Saga and Orta are the two games of the series I prefer (maybe because there are not many story elements in the other ones...)

Alpha Centauri (PC) : It's undoubtedly the video game I spent the more time on (almost 1000 hours if I include all the time I spent on the add-on). I really like turn-based strategy games, and I'm a fan of science-fiction (essentially novels). The countless hours of happiness on this game explain why I chose to place it il my Hall of Fame.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne (PS2) : I am a great fan of the Megaten Series, and this episode is the best one IMO. A more special and more esthetic design than ever before (Kazuma Kaneko is a gifted artist...), a fighting system nicely done, a music score which stands aside from all that is done in other RPGs.... Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne is the Guilty Gear XX #Reload of RPGs !

the Virtual On series (Arcade / Sega Saturn / Sega Dreamcast / Playstation 2) : I discovered the series on Sega Saturn (Virtual On was my first Saturn game...bought it even before the hardware...). I love the mechas design (Katoki Kajime rocks ^^), the gameplay, and the strategic elements of the arenas. My favirote one is Oratorio Tangram (the Dreamcast game).

Crimson Sea (Xbox) : The atmosphere of this game is one of the best I've ever seen. In this Dynasty Warriors-like game, the sci-fi universe and the charismatic characters put me under a spell... I love everything in this game... (except the cameras, at least at the beginning...)

ICO (PS2) : Well... If poetry was a game, it would certainly be ICO. Everything seems so...different... in this game. Playing ICO brings serenity, enlightens our spirit (and is far more funny than transcendental meditation ^^). I love this game. Really

Shining Force III (Sega Saturn) : This is definitely my favorite Tactical-RPG. Too bad only the first scenario has been translated in English... But everything in this game, from the battle system to the characters and the story, including wonderful music by Motoi Sakuraba, is near perfection.

the Myst series (PC / Mac / Saturn / Playstation 1&2 / Xbox) : Althouth i was quite disappointed with Uru, the last game of the series, nothing can prevent the Myst series of being one of my favourites. Some may be repelled by the "point and click" interface, but the atmosphere of those games is soooooooo beautiful... original... imaginative... etc...

Rez (Dreamcast / PS2) : Tetsuya Mizuguchi really is a weird guy... That's great ^^ the Space Channel 5 games made me laugh, but Rez definitely has been one of the strongest gaming experiences I've ever had. It may be a conceptual game, but indeed I love things that stand aside from all the others. Rez did it, but also has strong qualities. The music is the main one (The game gravitates around it), but I'm also fond of the graphics, the gameplay, ... The last area of the game delivers a unforgettable message, some things you can't forget.



P.S. : Sorry my English vocabulary (and grammar...) isn't very accurate, so I may have been repetitive at times...

[ExMortis]

I love Megaten and Kazuma Kaneko as well.. have you seen the Pandaemonium artbooks? I went through the trouble of figuring out Amazon Japan to get them, they're quite good.
I really should import Nocturne or Maniax, I haven't spent nearly enough time with the series.

Don't apologize for your English, it's leagues better than most native speakers'.

[TheTampaCepter]

Rez=Very Rare

[ButchNapkins]

My all time favorites in no particular order:

- Dragon Warrior III (NES)
- Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1)
- Diablo II (PC)
- Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)
- Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
- Planescape:Torment (PC)
- The Sims (PC)
- Baldur's Gate (PC)
- Civilization II (PC)
- Age of Empires II (PC)

(Sorry - I've only had Culdcept a couple of months. It takes more time to get on this list....)

[Logik]

I can't number these, it wouldn't be fair to some of them.

- Final Fantasy Tactics
- Deus Ex
- Killer Instinct 2/Gold
- Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
- Disgaea
- Civilization II
- Half-Life
- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- High Heat Major League Baseball (2001+)

I just picked up Culdcept the other day, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorites. I suppose Shadows of the Empire would be the odd man out, then.

[TheTampaCepter]

I will have to add Brigandine to my list. I have played it 5 hours a day since I got it and dont see myself stopping soon. This and CSOTN are the psx games to own imo.

[s6]

I play rpg and action-adventure on the PSX and PS2, both US and Japanese versions. (No, I can't read Japanese yet but I'm working on it, and the best way to learn is to play the same games you've already played.) Favorite games in no particular order include:

Arc the Lad - all of them, especially the first one

Suikoden - all of them, especially the second one

Tomb Raider - all of them, especially the first one

Lunar Star Silver Story and LS Eternal Blue - both of them

Final Fantasy - all of them, especially X

Kingdom Hearts - can't wait for the next one (Disney meets Squaresoft - what could be better?)

Culdcept - self-explanatory

Legacy of Kain - Soul Reaver - all of them but favor Blood Omen and Soul Reaver (great puzzles in SR)

.hack - all of them (but they're all about the same game)

Legend of Mana -

The Legend of Dragoon - especially fond of this one, for some reason

ICO - just a very cool game and pretty unique (a sleeper with beautiful artwork)

Prince of Persia - WOW

Twisted Metal Black - just plain fun to drive crazy!

Xenosaga - not my favorite on this list

How many is that? Oh, well. All are worth owning in any collection.

Most, if not all of these games are widely known, so I'm not going to bother writing descriptions now.

TheTampaCepter said:

I love to see which games are the best ever to some peeps. Plus it gives me a reason to buy new games that i havent played before. The games can be on any console or arcade. Please give a short description of the game as well. Ill start

[SeanXor]

I am very eclectic when it comes to games, so my list takes from a lot of genres.

10. Time Splitters 2: It is the best FPS to play by oneself with all of the options for game types, and the level creator is really fun.

9. Super Mario All stars: For all the reasons already mentioned

8. Legend of Zelda: Oceanrica of Time The game is so fun, so deep, so epic . . .

7. Moonbase Commander: A realtivly unknown PC game that is incredibly simple, incredibly addictive, and timeless.

6. Champions of Norrath: This game is, in my opinion, the best hack and slash game ever.

5. Halo: For all the reasons already mentioned (even though I do not have acess to an X-box anymore)

4. Gladius: This game is a "arcade tactical game", the battles are very fun, despite the fact that the storyline is lacking.


3. Prince of Persia: It is the most complete and beautiful game I have ever played.

2. Culdcept: If I were to make my dream tabletop game, Culdcept would be it. The fact it is on the PS2 and I always have the computer to play against makes it even better.

1. Super Mario Kart 64: This game is for the battlemode. I have spent more time playing it than any other game.

[s6]

I have to agree that Champions of Norath is a very cool, fun hack 'n slash game. Forgot about this one - played it through twice this past winter...it's not very challenging, though.

[BlueBomber]

Well, coming up with 10 games is hard enough in and of itself, so I'm not going to number them, but here they are regardless:

Vagrant Story (PSOne)- An absolutely incredible RPG that slipped under the radar during a season of big releases. I've never played an RPG that I felt equaled it in terms of pure cinematic quality, or in terms of an amazing battle system.

Kingdom Hearts (PS2)- It may have had its share of flaws, but the melding of Disney and Square was so unique and well-done, I really fell in love with this game. As far as personality is concerned, this game takes the proverbial cake.

Final Fantasy X (PS2)- Well, I'm sure this one is pretty obvious. A great battle system, a unique character development tool (the sphere grid), and a very compelling story combine to put this game high up on my list.

Marvel Vs Capcom 2 (PS2)- Ok, this is, hands-down, the most enjoyable fighter to play one-on-one with a friend. With crazy 300-hit hyper combos, and hectic 3-on-3 battles, this game provides one of the most wonderfully chaotic gameplay experiences ever!

Mega Man X (SNES)- Mega Man gaming in all it's glory, one of my favorite games featuring the Blue Bomber ever. Some of the sequels were good, but the original was . . . well . . . the original

Suikoden III (PS2)- Comon', an 80-hour RPG with 108 characters to collect, and an engaging storyline; what's not to love? Seriously though, another game I consider to be a classic, if only because of it's sheer length and the fact that it managed to keep me engaged the whole time through.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)- Absolute classic game. It's not so much a question of whether or not a mario game will be in the top 10, so much as which one. This is my personal favorite of the series (though I love them all).

Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)- Hand's-down the best fighting game of all time. Ok, it may not be the same kind of arcade fighting game as Virtua Fighter 4, but it requires just as much skill. My friend has had it since it first came out, and we still play regularly. One of the best party games of all time too, since 4-person melees are a great time!

Harvest Moon 64 (N64)- I love the Harvest Moon games, but this is the one that comes to mind when I think of the best. I think this game was definitely my personal favorite Harvest Moon.

Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter (PS2)- An obscure RPG most people probably don't even know existed. Also one of my favorite games. It had a very unique visual style, an amazing score (same guy who did Vagrant StoryTEXT), and one of my favorite battle systems of all time.


Ok, there you have it folks. If you couldn't tell, I'm a major RPG fan. I wish I could have listed more than 10 though, because as I came up with my top 10, I remembered a lot more games that I look upon with great fondness. Oh well, that's my list.

~Later Days

[Stoffel67]

In no particular order:
- Starcraft
- Diablo 2 (+ expansion)
- Super Puzzle Fighter 2
- Star Control 2 (good luck finding that one!)
- Masters of Magic
- Masters of Orion 2
- Amplitude
- Civilization
- Battlefield 1942
- Bard's Tale (just for sentimental reasons)

Culdcept would be on here if it had internet play.

[TheTampaCepter]

I would have to add without a doubt Brigandine. The gameplay in this game is amazing!!!

[nycmange]

Ok, on to what I would consider the top ten, in no particular order and with no particular reasoning other than how many hours were spent with these games:

Culdcept (and is it addicting!!)
Final Fantasy VII
Grand Theft Auto III/Vice City
Xenosaga
Fatal Frame 1 & 2
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Civilization III
Alpha Centauri - Alien Crossfire
Beyond Good and Evil
Silent Hill (all 3)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Lunar: Silver Star Story (PS1)
Final Fantasy X & X-2
Warcraft III

and so I suppose these 19 games total would be the top ten.

[Chingis]

Oh dear God, in all these top ten lists I haven't seen Medieval:Total War once! That's the only game (besides Civ 2) that I spent over a year playing and never got tired of it!

[thesideburns]

In no particular order, my favorite games of all time. (Therse are mostly from the current generation of hardware. I know the Classics are great, but I live in the now. Also, I love multiplayer games, and they are where I spend most of my gaming time.)

MULTIPLAYER

Super Smash Bros: Melee (cube) - This is absolutely my all-time favorite game of all time. Very easy to pick up, and uses all the classic characters. Tremendous fun for up to four people, but the game gets very deep if you go into advanced techniques for 1v1 or 2v2 tournament play. I played the n64 version, and they made everything better and more balanced on the Cube. If anyone played the 64 version and hasn't upgraded yet, you're missing out BIGTIME.

Halo 2 (xbox) - Personally, I hated halo1. I hated getting pistol sniped from across the level, and i hated the stupid powerups and the whoring of the overpowered weapons. That said, halo2 is much more balanced, and the xbox live component of it is tremendous. I couldn't give a darn about the campaign in either game - boring and tedious all around. But halo2 is where it's at when it comes to multiplayer, particularly team play. You really do get creamed unless your team sticks together in a pack. 1-flag CTF on Zanzibar is gaming bliss.

Perfect Dark (N64) - even though halo2 is amazing, perfect dark will always be my favorite FPS of all time. it had a tremendous level of customization, where you could choose 6 specific weapons to be in their specific places in each map. also the bots ("sims") were awesome, and had different AI difficulties, and different 'personalities', such as JudgeSim, which would only go after the guy in first place, and VengeSim which would hunt down the last player who killed it. On top of that, you could create these cutom setups and save them. Tragically, this game came out late in the n64's life, and required an expansion pak to play multiplayer, so many missed its glory. It was better than Goldeneye in every way.

SINGLE-PLAYER

Devil May Cry (ps2) - great combat system, great upgrade system, and the increasing difficulty levels are fantastic. you can't call yourself a hardcore gamer until you've played Dante Must Die mode. Love it.

Ico (ps2) - Absolutely beautiful. And you can probably find this game for 3 bucks these days. I bought it over a year ago and it was 13 bucks then. A challenging and rewarding adventure/puzzle game, where you have to rescue a girl from a huge castle. The ending was fantastic.

Culdcept (ps2) - This game has to go under the single-player category for me, just because of the way it GRIPPED me when i first got the game. I'm still working through the medals (i have 43 now), and I only have one friend who regularly plays with me, and he spends 10 months of the year in a different part of the country, so I don't get to play against people that often. The fact that you get new cards after every match (win or loss) makes it impossible to put down. Plus, deck editing is a gloriously dorky way to waste time, and that's certainly not a multiplayer event.

Escape Velocity: Override (Mac) - Back in the day when my family only had a mac, Ambrosia Software (www.ambrosiasw.com) was every mac-gamer's beacon of hope. They made amazing shareware games, and I think they're still coming out with new stuff. Escape Velocity is a top-down space game, that's completely open-ended. Theres different systems and a few planets in each system, and you have a ship. Many planets have places where you can buy new ships, upgrades, or weapons, and places where you can take missions. The game is completely open ended from there, as you can choose any sort of lifestyle you want. Make money transporting goods across the galaxy, or take missions escorting VIPs through dangerous territory. Explore the outer reaches of the galaxy (trust me, it's big) and form alliances with exotic alien civilizations. They even let you buy their alien ships if you complete the required missions. The other fun thing is that when you're shooting at a ship, it has a DISABLED phase after you take out it's shield and armor, but before it blows up. Disabled ships can be boarded, and you can then steal their cargo, steal their money, take the ship as your own new ride, or acquire it as an escort, and it will shoot at anything that threatens you. Override is the second in a series of three Escape Velocity games. I haven't played the third, but it's recently been ported to PC. Go to ambrosiasw.com and check it out. I guarantee it's worth whatever shareware price they've put on it.