NOTE: Sorry about the long wait everyone, getting moved into my new dorm room took more out of me than I had expected. From here on out, every other day should be alright. Thanks for understanding!
This year was a major upset as far as the top 10 games go! It was the first year in history where handheld games definitely deserved a spot in the top 10. In fact, multiple games made it on my top 10 list for 2001 from the Game Boy Advance. I guess I should address this now, I think some people will strongly disagree not necessarily with the games I chose for the top 10 but the order I put them in. I'm gonna say this now, before we begin, I thought about the order of this list for a long time and I'm sticking with what I decided on. I'll explain as I go. Hopefully, I can convince you of my reasoning. Enjoy!
10. Max Payne (July 21, 2001) - PC
Max Payne's reputation has dropped significantly from when it was first released but, to be honest, I don't really know why. Many people see how you can get both Max Payne and its sequel for five dollars and instantly assume it's a terrible game. Honestly, though, you couldn't be farther from the truth. Max Payne is about a man who is framed for a crime and has to find the truth. While the concept isn't particularly original, the game sure is. It is the first game to utilize "Bullet-time", something that has been butchered beyond imagination since. Also, even though the basic concept has been done before, it hasn't ever been done quite like this. Max Payne is a great shooter that reminds us why we still play the bloated genre.
9. Conker's Bad Fur Day (March 4, 2001) - N64
I doubt there was anyone that expected anything out of this very adult-based game. Especially if you played the original Conker's Pocket Adventures for the Game Boy Color, this had to come as quite a shock. However, if you can bring yourself to play Bad Fur Day, despite the very bizarre concept, you'll find that it's actually quite good. Instead of just relying solely on the rather disgusting yet hilarious subject matter, Rare actually combined plenty of different genres and all of them are actually done pretty well. You have your shooting, your racing and your platforming segments filled to the brim with mini-games galore. All in all, if you enjoy any of these genres, Conker's Bad Fur Day is a good game for you. Just be warned, no matter how lewd you can be, Conker's probably worse. You have been warned!
8. ICO (September 21, 2001) - PS2
The first Playstation 2 game to make it onto the top 10 list, ICO is more than deserving. An incredibly hard game to find now, the simple fact that people hold on to this game is a testament how good it is. Oddly enough, ICO really doesn't try hard to get its point across. The gameplay is incredibly simple and is almost entirely one big escort mission. While this may turn off a lot of people right away, I'm here to tell you that this is actually fun. I hate escort missions more than anything else and yet, this game manages to make this daunting, tedious objective fun. The main way it does this is by making you truly like the characters. You will feel strongly for Ico and his newfound love, Yorda and it will make you want to escort them both to safety. The game's length, while short by normal standards, feels perfect for Ico. Any longer and it would have felt tedious yet it's long enough to give you a satisfying experience.
7. Grand Theft Auto 3 (October 22, 2001) - PS2
This is the first game on the list I think people will disagree with. The reason why I'm putting GTA3 so low on the list is because, honestly, I don't think that it really did anything that well. However, it's one of those games that everyone else loves so I couldn't, in good conscious, leave it off the list. Grand Theft Auto 3 was the series' first foray in 3D and it completely dumps the over-head camera from the past two games. Instead, it gives the player a third person perspective that really goes far in improving the graphical quality of the games. Instead of shooting little dots at other slightly bigger dots, you could now see the people you were shooting/running over/beating, giving the game a much more realistic feel to it. Other than the great graphics, Grand Theft Auto 3 is mostly praised for mixing together a wide variety of genres in a realistic fashion. Overall, Grand Theft Auto 3 has something for every gamer to enjoy.
6. Final Fantasy X (December 17, 2001) - PS2
Final Fantasy X was the first Final Fantasy game for the new generation of systems and it doesn't disappoint. The first thing you will notice is the beautiful graphics that Final Fantasy X has, truly delving in and exploiting the full power of the Playstation 2. However, FFX isn't just a graphical pleasure; it has one of the best storylines of any of the Final Fantasy games, delving into very deep territory and is no longer just good guy vs. bad guy. While the gameplay feels extremely linear and restricted compared to previous entries, the combat has been revamped to make up for the restrictions. Instead of simply becoming more powerful than your enemies, this game really promotes strategy and outthinking your opponents. While the beginning of the game can be rather easy, the second half becomes incredibly difficult, forcing you to find the bosses weak points instead of just mindlessly beating them with your swords. If you enjoy RPG's or are just looking for a good story, Final Fantasy X is a great game for you.