Well, what a journey. Six months, 145 games, hundred comments responded, debates had...it's been some time since I decided to make this eventful list. Before you scroll down the list, pretty much ignoring the text, I'd like to take some time to thank all of you that have put your own time into reading my list and commented. I won't be listing names because I'm sure I'll forget someone. Simply see it this way: if you've ever commented, thank you. Now, I guess this is the moment people have been waiting for, so I won't stall it further. These are my personal top 5 games of all time.
#5: Monster Rancher 2 (PS) (1999)
-Slapping is a past time for pink balls. Uh oh.
Ever wonder from what game all of my avatars are from, including my current one? Yup, it's from this game, one of the most over-looked games of all time and a true cult cIassic. It still has a fanbase today, even. Monster Rancher 2 chronicles your experience as you train special monsters to fight in tourneys, eventually becoming a breeding master. That's it, that's the story. That is, however, exactly what makes the game so great. It has no end (well, you get 9999 years, so almost endless), only a beginning and an abnormal amount of time to hone your skills and improve. This game is all about getting you hooked, and it does so incredibly quick. After you bring your first monster home, you can give it food, train it, let it sleep, play with it or take it into battle (not a good idea early on). You can also visit the town, shop around or go on special expeditions. There's a lot to do, and luckily, a lot of time to do it. You train a number of attributes in various trials. Once these stats are boosted, it's time to battle. The photo above shows the normal format, attacks are mapped to certain proximities, and you'll need Guts to perform them. Also, according to your Skill stat, there is a specific hit percentage. There's a lot of strategy, some moves sacrifice hit percentage for power, others lower guts and some have high critical rates and some even cure you. Pretty cool. Your main goal is to get to the champions (never managed that, the disc was destroyed before I could do that) and become the master of all fighting.
-Slapping continues, you can even slap sharks!
You spend more time on the farm itself, however, and also in the town. The most unique aspect of the game is how you procure your monsters. You can buy a few basic monsters yourself, but the main procedure is to pop in a CD, DVD or video game into the PS at a certain shrine and get a monster for your troubles. And each disc (or its specific code) corresponds with a certain monster. I don't know how many hours I've spent taking CDs to my room and putting them into the console one at a time, revelling in the mystery of the monster to come. Once you've done that, you can also combine different monster types and get hybrids. There are 38 different monster types, anda grand total of 391 monsters in all. That's A LOT. The game's main achievement, however, is how it manages to get you attached to every monster. They all have a limited time to live, and when they did, it is truly a sad moment. All the times you've spent together, training, bonding, eating at times, celebrating birthdays even. If they get sick, you worry. If they disappear, you fret. It takes a special game to do that, and that is maybe the biggest reason it holds such a special place in my heart. Not many have heard of the game, but if you ever, at any time, get a chance to play it, get ready to be engrossed in one of the most charming and lovable games of all time.
GS review: 8.7
#4: Pokemon Gold and Silver (GBC) (2000)
-How did this person get to the elite four?
When it comes to Pokemon, you'll meet some very, very passionate fans. And, despite popular belief, this isn'tagame loved only by young kids. Definitely not, the series' incredibly addictive nature and incredible depth is hard to solidify in a simple paragraph or two. I've already explained some of the legendary series' staples when Blue and Red came on the list some while ago, and who am I kidding: everyone knows what Pokemon's about. Fight monsters, train them, repeat. It's much like Monster Rancher 2 (more the other way around, actually), and it's odd that two monster training games get so high on the list. That is, maybe, because of how different they are in real life. Gold and Silver are (obviously, seeing where it is placed) what I think are the pinnacle of the Pokemon series. It takes everything the first game did well, adds 100 Pokemon, another entire region, even better graphics and awesome music. All of this in a tiny GBC cartridge? What a deal!
-It's still a mystery why all the professors are named after trees. Weird.
I think what makes it so incredibly good, however, is just how much ridiculous fun it is to explore the world, train your Pokemon and find everything there is to be found. The Pokemon formula has always been a magical thing, and I think Gold and Silver are the best examples of that. There aren't many games as timeless, as enchanting, as memorable, as expansive and as varied. It just shows that portable games can indeed match, and even exceed, some of the biggest console games. To me, Gold and Silver are some of the best games in existence (I own, have played and finished both), and they most certainly deserve the fourth spot on my list.
GS review (same for both): 8.8
#3: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) (2008 )
-He can wear that mustache!
Oh boy, we're reaching the big boys now. Now, let it be known that when this game was released, I wasn't even a fan of the MGS games. I hadn't tried one at any time. So, when MGS4 got a 10 on GS, I wasn't sure what to think. So I brushed up on the series, played 2 and 3, read up on the series via the worldwide web and got to playing MGS4, basically daring the game to impressme. What can I say: I was blown away. This is one of my two 10 games (along with KH, which I decided to exclude from the list as I stated a long time ago for certain reasons), so it isn't exactly a secret that this game is up here. Why does it deserve this spot (for me at least), however? First of all: the story is the best I've ever seen in any game, ever. It's told superbly, the cut-scenes are amazing and the characters are incredibly detailed in every way. The pacing, atmosphere, moral, dialogue, set-pieces; they're all perfect and I can barelydescribe how much I love it. Story isn't enough to propel it so high, however, and that's where we come to the gameplay. MGS4 is how to do a sequel right. It has the core gameplay mechanics, but it improves everything. The guns, the combat, the sneaking, the equipment, the bosses even. It's astonishing. You can pretty much choose how to finish each area in the game in whatever way you choose, even guns a-blazing (but that's no fun, is it?). The new octocamo is absolutely genius, the iPod makes waiting in lockers more fun than it should be, the insane amount of weapons is insane and you can customize them to your liking. To add even more fun, you also get the awesome solid eye to add even more tactical depth.
-How to be awesome: be a cyber ninja.
One thing MGS4 is just amazing at is boss battles. They are all deadly, dangerous and incredibly well-designed. I rememberevery little detail of the battles. The Beauty and the Beasts are fantastic montages of Snake's older foes, and are all executed wonderfully. The graphics in the game are, in a word, extraordinary. Not only that MGS4 mixes the world up; you whisk from one world to another instead of being stuck in one place the entire time, which adds great variety. The character animation is incredibly detailed on top of all that. And, of course, the music is as good as ever, fitting every moment like a glove, not to mention the always brilliant voice acting. MGS4 simply manages to succeed in...everything. It's a technical marvel as well as a storytelling one. I was doubtful that I would be that impressed by the game, but at this point, I can't avoid it. MGS4 is a masterpiece of our time, and a must-own for all PS3 owners.
GS review: 10
My (first) review: 10
#2: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA) (2003)
-I also have a tail! As I said, I'm not well.
This is the same case as with Super Mario World, I've only played the GBA port. And, wow, what a game. This is another almost universally loved game, and for many reasons. It's cIassic Mario, for one, but it's also something much, much more than that. It's also near perfect. Heck, for the record, I can't actually find one flaw in this game. Fantastic level design, charming visual design, immaculate platforming bliss, great value, inventive enemies and bosses and more and more and more. And more. You get the drift. I have very little to say about this game. It's simply so good that it needs no explanation. It takes incredible skill to complete, which is always a plus, and you'll have many ways to get through the challenges. You have the incredible Raccoon suit (why hasn't this been used again), the Frog suit, the Hammer Bros. suit and the awesome Tanuki suit as well. And let's not forget the P Wing, which makes almost every level a breeze. But that would be a wrong move, since every level is so amazing. Remember seeing the giant level for the first time? What about soaring in the sky? Have you seen the secret coin ship? Have you found the secret flutes? These are just a piece of the things you'll find throughout the game, it's so filled with content, despite it originally being an NES game. I'm not gonna talk much more about the game simply because I can't find more words. The game...is awesome. I couldn't find a more deserving game for the number 2 spot, and to me, there's only one other game that could beat it.
GS review: 8.9
*drum roll*
*more drum roll*
*even more drum roll*
#1: Final Fantasy X (PS2) (2001)
-I...can't joke here. This game is too good.
Shock! Gasp! Duh! Anyone that knows anything about me know that I LOVE this game. I practically worship it, really. There are just so many reasons, but this time, I can actually talk quite a bit about the game. One thing you might have noticed is that I gave this game a 9.9 while MGS4 got a 10. Well, that's ONLY because of the repetitiveness of the beginning in repeat playthroughs. I know it's petty, but that's the way it has to be. This game is too good to deserve such a slight but noticeable flaw! However, there is no doubt in my mind that this is my favorite game (it even fights Kingdom Hearts for the top spot, and in many ways, beats it). The story is simply one of the best I've seen. It isn't often that I'm this invested in the characters. Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Auron, Rikku and Kimahri, I will never forget you. Also, I would like to point out that I, the anti-romantic, love Tidus and Yuna's relationship. Why? Because it isn't thrust down my throat like a mandatory addition. It all feels natural, and in a way, beautiful. I can't believe I'm saying this, really, it's not like me. But it is what it is. The main characters aren't the only ones that shine. Seymour topped my list of gaming villains, but lets not forget the *spoiler, spoiler, spoiler, can't put spoiler tags!* evil old man Mika. *spoiler end, spoiler end* and the other great side-characters (riding ze shoopuf is always fun), and Jecht gets the award for most irritating father. Way to go! Some of the twists are ingenious, and the way the game tells it is astounding. And before you go and mention the whistling scene, it's only five minutes of the 10+ hours of cutscenes. Jeez.
-Yes, this game is beautiful.
The next part I want to point out is the gameplay itself. I love CTB, it's probably my all-time favorite FF battle system and for good reason. I had time to compose myself in every battle, instead of frantically choosing an option with the clock ticking away. It's a very welcome change of pace from the ATB system, which has its own merits. It made each battle intense, but also strategic. Putting that together with the sphere grid system and you had a bevy of options to choose from. The weapon system was also a cool addition, and gave you more control over each character's powers. I miss random battles, to be honest, and I'm glad I can still fall back on FFX if I get the familiar want of randomness. This is partially due to the great enemy design. I love how every monster varies in a number of ways, even monsters of the same species. I always knew how to react to every situation and the boss battles were similar in how fantastic they are in design. They're almost all huge, lumbering beasts that will require some smart organizing to defeat. The highlights for me are the battle with Yunalesca and all the Seymour battles. Just awesome.
-Besaid Islands, where your dreams come true and blitzballs hit your head.
I think I've overused the word "awesome" at this point, so I'll tone it down. Like with most FF games, FFX has an assortment of great minigames. Yes, I'm one of those that actually likes blitzball, but that's mostly because I took the time to learn the finer nuances of the sport. The chocobo minigame (which I've beaten twice now with a time of 0 seconds, haha) is also fun if not imprecise and frustrating. I can't help but love the lightning-dodging minigame, which took me 2 hours to perfect and tried my patience more than almost anything else I've experienced. Then there's the great monster arena, where you can duke it out with some of the most fearsome enemies in the entire game (only one left for me at this point). All of these minigames and extras are great fun, but what interests me even more are the secret sidemissions. Finding the secret aeons, getting all the legendary weapons and discovering all the secret areas are activities that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I won't forget the dark aeons. These weren't included in the original NA (and I think JP) version of the game, it then appeared in the International Version. These are INCREDIBLY difficult bosses that are absolutely brutal, and beating them all leads to the nightmarish Penance, who is the pain in many a person's side. It's these secrets that make FFX that more enthralling.
-Eeek! I mean, aaarrrg!
As you may have noticed, this game still looks awesome. It's amazing that more than 8 years since its initial release, it still looks awesome. Its FMVs still put some of today's games to shame. The detail to everything really brings out the best of the world, and I can't find a gaming world that I want to live in more. Who wouldn't want to visit Luca once in their lifetime? I've talked of the soundtrack in FFX before, so I'll just say this: to me, it's the best gaming soundtrack ever. Period. To Zanarkand is my all-time favorite song, even, so I would like to thank the composers for their fantastic work. This is pretty much all I can say at this point. I just love this game, and it is one of the games that reminds me so well of why I'm still playing them. Some may disagree with this placement, but I don't mind. To me, this is an experience I will never forget, an experience that is so good that it transcends simple gaming pleasures. It's not just a masterpiece; it's a work of art.