Well, it is finally time. Time to put an end to the madness, end the sorrows, abade the tension and reveal the truth. Yes, people, I'm talking of my top 10 games of all time. You will gasp, you will be surprised, you will swoon (maybe), but one thing is for certain: you will be entertained (aren't you entertained?!). This is the last chapter in my top 150 games list, and check the former entries out if you wish to see the big picture of it all. However, if you have, then there is no more need to wait. Here are my personal top 10 games of all time.
#10: Spyro the Dragon (PS) (1998 )
-This is a sheep on stilts wearing a cloak, a pumpkin head and weilding a scythe. I'm not kidding.
Why do I love this game? That's a question I've been pondering for some time now and never found a concrete answer. I just...do. Spyro is to me a masterpiece (well, the other games on the top 10 are as well, but still!) that is: a. original b. funny c. big d. challenging e. entertaining and f. timeless. I guess those are the reasons why I love it so much, but I'm here to explain exactly what makes the points valid. Spyro is the first in the now sadly deteriorating Spyro series (why does Sierra destroy my favorite franchises?) and is developed by Insomniac Games of Ratchet and Clank and Resistance fame. It tells the story of the young, purple dragon Spyro that is thrust into action when the elder dragons are all imprisoned in crystal. It is Spyro's task to save his elders from their fate and defeat the sinister Gnasty Gnorc. You'll traverse lofty skies, dangerous bogs, tranquil country sides and more. I don't think you'll be surprised to hear that the level design is superb. Every level has its styIe and is laden with hidden treasures and goals to complete. You can glide, breathe fire, charge with your horns and even fly at points and you'll be surprised how varied the game really is. There are numerous enemies to slay each with their own charm, and the bosses are definitely the highlights, dangerous multi-tiered bouts requiring skill and cunning.
Spyro is a traditional 3D platformer, and one of the biggest showcases of the hidden power of the PS. Not only is the game proficient in technical terms, it also looks beautiful. The textures are smooth, the animation colorful and detailed and the framerate is smooth. The voice acting is great as well, Spyro is spunky and fun, while the other dragons all have their own unique personality. Spyro also has a sense of humor, and there are many laugh-out-loud moments in the game. The final thing I'd like to point out is the difficulty. Spyro is not easy, it will take real skill to beat some of the tougher levels but the game is never unfair or frustrating. It's a fine balance that only the best games achieve. Spyro the Dragon is both a milestone in platformers and PS games in general. It's a true cult cIassic and will live on as a true diamond in the rough. You can get it on PSN, so what are you waiting for? Get it!
GS review: 8.3
#9: Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS) (1997)
-N tattoos are all the rage these days. And collagen-infused foreheads, apparently.
I can say, with about 90% certainty, that I am one of the 100 people that thinks CSB better than Warped. OK, so it's not by much (Warped is number 20 on the list) but still! The reasons why I think the second game is superiorcan be summed up in one, simple word: difficulty. Warped isn't easy, but it can still be finished 100% without too much effort. Crash 2, however, will have you trying for weeks to finish it completely. The difficulty levels of the Crash games isan interesting thing, I must say. Crash Bandicoot, the first game, has an insane difficulty, which is probably its biggest problem. As a kid, I just could not beat the game. I tried, and tried, and tried, and tried to no avail. I don't think that the annoying password system helped either. Crash 3 is, as already mentioned, a bit on the easy side, but it at least offers a challenge. Crash 2 is the perfect blend of both worlds. Platforming finesse is necessary throughout, you have to jump, spin and slide through countless worlds, run from giant polar bears, ride a small one, go on a jet-pack ride and surf on your very own jet-propelled surf board, all in the name of the purple crystals. Ironically, you have to get these crystals for your arch-nemesis, Neo Cortex, who retains his big-headedness and makes a not-so triumphant return. You will also need to collect the beautiful silver gems for the crazy enemy of Cortex, Nitrus Brio. It's not exactly a secret that Cortex secretly wants to kill our amiable bandicoot, but Crash isn't a smarty guy. He just goes with the flow. This leads to many battles with his crazy henchmen. The bosses are cool, fun and often-times tough as nails. It caps off a world with a veritable bang.
One thing I've noticed, and I hope I'm not alone in this, is that Crash never ages. It still looks and plays absolutely great. I played it a short while ago, and it is still as good as I remember it. Mario 64 revolutionized the platformer scene due to its open 3D, but in terms of pure looks, it's hard to match Crash (the first game actually came out before Mario 64, if I remember correctly). It's all incredibly colorful and beautiful, and I love that. The whimsical styIe is presented very well and like Spyro, the game is very funny. Cortex is such a pitiful villain that you grow to love him very fast. This can be said about all the characters in the game, though, and that's a terrific thing right there. When I think of pure, unadulterated fun, Crash always springs to mind. And seeing as Crash 2 is my favorite in the series, it isn't strange that the game gets the ninth spot on my list.
GS review: 8.6
#8: Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2) (2005)
-Hero's "tension" increases by 100. That changes things, doesn't it?
If you remember from my top 5 games of 2009 list, I love cIassic RPGs. Dragon Quest is the cIassic RPG incarnate, so there's no chance that I didn't like Dragon Quest VIII. What makes it so great, however, is just how refined it is. The combat, the story, the scale, the visual styIe, the music, the side-quests, the enemy design, the voice-acting...everything is just so good. You play as the Hero (mute, emotionless, but more important than you might think at first) on an adventure to save the king, who has been transformed into a toad-like creature. You are accompanied by a colorful cast of characters that are memorable and not at all overbearing. One thing that is maybe a bit bothering is that the plot is very, very simple. However, that isn't a very bothersome detail when it's told so well. The world feels absolutely unique, it's so stunningly detailed and beautiful (yes, I love that word) and it's the same with the visual styIe itself. It's a sort of cel-shading, but it has its own feel to it. Akira Toriyama (known for his work on Dragon Ball Z) also lends his talent in character design, which should be apparent from the photo above.
However, the game's main triumph is its gameplay. It's turn-based combat blended with exploration, and it works perfectly. It's strategic, but also incredible fun. The battles all present a challenge (other than the little blue slimes, mayhaps) but the bosses are the real challenges. They can take over 20 minutes at times, and I just love that. It's hard to exactly explain what's so great about the battle system, it just rocks. The music is simply wonderful orchestration that fits the game perfectly. It's pretty much epic, and I don't use that word often (so overused). The reason it's epic is because of the pure scale. You explain the immense world, and can find so many different treasures and secrets that it's staggering. It's a magical journey that will last you over 80 hours, and what more can you ask for? What about an unbelievable adventure? Either way, DQVIII offers both. So the eighth entry in the legendary series gets the number eight spot. Fitting, yes?
#7: Metroid Prime (GC) (2002)
-Aw, come on, it's a bit cute.
When it comes to almost ubiquitously loved games, there are few that reach Metroid Prime. This game is to me almost completely perfect. It is a technical, artistic, aesthetic, aural and ludological masterpiece, and is an incredible experience. How do you sum up Metroid Prime in just a few words? How do you encompass an experience so atmospheric, beautiful (yes, for the fourth time) and exciting that you are lost for words? I do not know, butI'll sure try. 2D to 3D transitions are fickle things. They either succeed with much aplomb (Marioand Zelda, for instance) and others fail spectacularly (Castlevania and Mega Man are examples of that), but MP is not only in the former camp; it transcends it, it defines it, it's an achievement like no other. It transforms the lonely world of the 2D Metroids into glorious 3D and it looks amazing. The GC was a surprisingly powerful piece of machinery, and MP is a showcase. It still looks amazing, and will probably always look amazing no matter what comes up in the future. That is, of course, partially due to the technology but also partially because of the art styIe. The motif is solitude, you are alone on this planet. Samus (one of the best heroes in gaming history) is once again tasked with exploring a foreign planet, this time chasing a robotic version of the deadly Ridley. She finds hereself then thrust into an amazing adventure spanning huge areas filled with lethal enemies.
The gameplay mechanics are absolute genius. You can use various visors, my favorite being the informing Scan Visor with which you can scan different items and read about them. You can also use various beams and other weapons to tackle your foes, not to mention you can go into Morphball mode and roll around in tight spaces. The world is your oyster and you're given rather limitless freedom to explore what you wish. The isolation is complete, giving a great sense of adventure alongside the loneliness. There's a lot of backtracking involved, but it's just so much fun to explore that it barely matters. The music also help, feeling incredibly ambiant and fitting the Metroid theme perfectly. I'm running out of words here, but I feel I've made my case pretty well. Metroid Prime can now be found in limited supply in the Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Wii. If you haven't played the game yet: get it. Get it now. You will not regret it.
#6: Banjo-Kazooie (N64) (1998 )
-I have my very own backpack-wearing crocodile. I'm not well.
I've said it before, and I'll say it once more: I miss Rare. Not Rare the company itself, but Nintendo Rare, where the magic happened. The wonderful, wonderful magic called Banjo-Kazooie. As GS so amply stated in their review, this game is often called a simple Mario 64 clone, but I think GS also said it correctly when they said: "It doesn't stray too far from the formula, but it makes the logical progressions you would expect Nintendo to make". That's exactly it, it improves, it adds on while not getting rid of anything good. Basically, it's 3D platforming at its absolute best. You're cast as the aloof bear Banjo with his backpack-dwelling bird Kazooie. This crazy duo must save Banjo's sister from the evil Gruntilda, who wishes to extract the beauty of the little sister and make it her own (every game over screen shows this process being performed, it's a horrid sight). Arid deserts, chilly snow paradises, the infernal Rusty Bucket Bay (darn you, oil water, darn you!) and more amazing levels await you. It's a lot like the gameplay in Donkey Kong 64 in that there are multiple items of interest in every level, unlike the segmented form of the Mario games. There are some curve balls, however. You can transform into special animals, use Kazooie for a number of menial tasks and there are some incredible secrets to be had too. There's a lot to have in this small package.
I think it is a common trait with all games on my list that they age well, and BK is no exception. Its visuals are still colorful and great to look at (see, I avoided beautiful) though it's not as much of a technological marvel as it used to be. Ah well, who cares about that, the main thing is that it plays well. And it still does. It's Mario 64 with some smoothing down in terms of platforming. You can glide for a short amount of time and have some new, nifty abilities as well. You trek along the world collecting golden notes and jigsaw pieces (called jiggies). Not only that, you also save the lovely Jinjos, who help you along the way. Solving the different puzzles with your wits alone is incredibly fun, and as mentioned before, some of the secrets in the game are incredibly obtuse (Ice Key, anyone?). But that's what BK is about: finding out the fun stuff yourself. You can find this gem of a game on Xbox Live (you lucky 360 owners), so get it if you can. What more can I say but Banjo-Kazooie is a game to remember.
GS review: 9.5
Hang in there for part 2, where I will unveil (drum roll, please)...the top 5! Stay tuned!
-Calvinsora