Well fellas, this is it.

Number 2: Halo

First off the bat, this game has some of the best graphics ever seen on a console game. In fact, I'm at a loss to think of a game with better graphics. And, probably the best multiplayer mode since Goldeneye way back for the N64. I didn't play the campaign until this summer. Before that, Deathmatches were the name of the game. So, there in lies the problem. The campaign, or story mode really confused me. I was good up until the library and the flood. What the hell?? Somehow, I lost track of what was going on. The flood, along with the "guy" that starts talking in your head screwed things up for me. Come on, I had a blast with this when we were just knocking off aliens. They would shoot back, but it was an actual battle. The flood was just crazy. They were little suicide bombers, and made the game seem like a marathon run. I much prefer to get the guns a blazin and clear the area, but the flood made this impossible. So, was it all bad?? No. And the reason for that is because this game was, well, "friend" friendly. Meaning, you could do the campaign mode with somebody else, which made it very enjoyable. I would have no problems going through the campaign again, WITH A FRIEND. But I would never try it again by myself.

Memorable moments: Endless hours spent on Sidewinder/ and "No, I'm playing the end of the game. You had your chance to finish it, and you blew it."-Dutch. Hahaha, Truer words have never been spoken, and I wouldn't have finished the game without ya.

Number 1: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Let me get this out of the way, first and foremost. The graphics on this game suck, and are some of the worst on the PS2. Sure the city looks good, and the vechicles are sweet, but the cutscenes and the character models make me cringe. There, now that we got that out of the way, let me get to why this game is the best ever (to this point). I was born in 1981. I was coherent in 1986, when the game takes place. What the game did for me was serve as a flashback. Not with the game itself, but with the music. There are songs on there that I haven't heard in years. Long live the 80s!. Nothing could have made a game more enjoyable than putting old crappy tunes on there. On more than one occasion, while playing the game, I would stumble across a song, and sit in my vechicle waiting for it to finish before I got out and did my mission. No joke! So, what else can be said about the game? The story was AWESOME. The ability to buy property, and become a big business man was a huge improvement from the previous installment. You got some say in how the story played out (at least WHEN you get to do things). Also, the city itself way fun to just go and explore. Adding things like a golf course, and the ability to control airplanes and choppers really added to the fun of just cruising. AND, putting a scarface style house and ending to the game really mopped up the 80's sentiment. Lets face it, this game was a trend setter. It's no coincidence that "I Love the 80's" came to be AFTER the release of this game.

Memorable moments: "And the Giant Shark will come up and bite their d!cks off"/ Come on, could you really make a "scarface" inspired game, and NOT put a chainsaw in it??

Number 5: Onimusha 2

Think about any trilogy. Typically, the second movie is the best (Empire Strikes Back, Matrix Reloaded, Godfather 2) in the series. The Onimusha franchise is no exception to this rule. The middle leg of this series was indeed the best. The game was the longest, and most difficult of the three (unless you put it on easy mode). Also it featured new characters, and different story lines. Make no mistake about it. When it comes to Onimusha, the story is Samonauske v. Nobonauga, but the ability to play as Jubei just built the anticipation for the final installment. Another key aspect of the game was the addition of RPG style gameplay. Collecting gold to buy items, as well as taking the different paths with 4 friend/foe characters added new dimensions from the first game. Overall, this game took everything that was good about the first game, and improved on it. And finally, I can't talk about this game without mentioning the final battle with Nobonauga. After playing through 2 games, you finally get your first encounter with one of the greatest villans of all time. And again, if you weren't on easy mode, this battle was nasty. You needed to have health stocked up for this one, or else you were totally screwed.

Memorable moments: The flamboyant Gogandantes, the final battle

Number 4: Syphon Filter 2

Another sequel, and the final game on the list for the PS. Nothing against the first game, it was awesome indeed. However, just one year later, the second game burst on the scene. I was so addicted to the series, that I bought this game the day it came out, and could not put it down until I finished it. The game featured the protagonest, Gabe Logan from the first game, and continued the story of the Syphon Filter Virus. New to this game, was the ability to play as Leon Xiang, the female who was featured (but unplayable) in the first game. Also, the game was 2 discs, so the gameplay was much deeper than the first installment. When it comes down to it, the best thing about this game was that it really was an encore to the classic original. The weapons were the same. The story was a continuation of the first, and the graphics, for its time were pretty sweet. For my money, Gabe Logan is one of the all time greatest heros in a video game series, and for it's time, this game was everything it should be.

Memorable moments: Running the boss through the moving blades of a chopper, Using the taser on opponents to the point where they catch on fire.

Number 3: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

When thinking about this game, one word comes to mind: Stunning. For the graphics alone, the world in this game are just incredible. The story was awesome. The controls seemed to be perfect. And the unique aspects of the gameplay make this game very deserving of the 3rd best of all time. One key concept of the game was the ability to rewind time, at any point in the game, and re-do what you had screwed up. This was done flawlessly. Never were there any glitches or problems with this aspect of the gameplay. Also, the ability to revive your health by drinking water was interesting, because it was realistic, and water was to be found all over the game. While some of the battles did get repetitive, the game was more about the puzzles than the action. This was without question an adventure game, which was a nice break from the typical shooters that fill my collection. The prince was awesome; from his crazy actobatics, to his wall runnig, to his quirky conversations with Farah, the game was always interesting. And the ending was just plain awesome (I'll refrain from giving anything away as some of you have not beat it yet).

Memorable moments: Spending a good 3 or 4 days learning how to jump DOWN a set of walls, The light beam and mirror room (tough stuff!)

Look back next week to see the final entry. Will it be Master Chief or Tommy Vercetti taking the top spot???

Here we go again.

Number 8: Headhunter

Jack Wade. Total Bad-Ass. This guy is one of the coolest characters in a game. While the premise has been done a million times before (Guy gets brainwashed, breaks out, meets a "Stacked" blonede bombshell, goes on revenge to find out who he is), this game added some dimensions that made it interesting. The motorcycle rides, and the Resident Evil Style puzzles made for more than just kill, kill kill. Also, this game featured a plot twist that I didn't see coming the first time through. The first time I played this game, I spent forever searching for things that simply weren't there, but it was awesome anyways. The soundtrack featuring an orchestra also added a nice dimension. Overall, this relative unknown really got my interest, and should be interesting to see if the sequel can live up to the original.

Memorable moments: Shaking as I FINALLY approached the final point level on the motorcycle (I sucked at this); "X-Must".

Number 7: Tony Hawk Pro Skater

This is by far the most controversial pick on the list. While I said no sports games, this one is different in the aspect that it does not rely on rosters to be updated each year. So, the original THPS for the Play Station gets makes the list. What can I say about this game, other than I probably logged more hours on it than any other game. And, I still haven't beat the stupid thing!! There are some tapes in this one that are just impossible to get, but that's what made it cool to try. 5 years ago, everybody played this game. Countless hours were spent in Phillips Hall of Michigan State not studying, but playing horse. Everyone had their own skater, and yes, it was weak to take The Master, Tony Hawk. Bob Burnquest was my boy, and the best part of this game was that while others would use the same characters, we would all be pulling different moves. This is one of the ultimate multi-player games, and what made it great was that you could play for 10 minutes or hours on end. In addition, this game featured a soundtrack that just stuck in your head. Right now, I can sing the words to 4 or 5 of the songs from that game. While the series lost all its luster in the sequels, the original game was a true masterpiece, and will forever have a place on my top 10 list.

Memorable moments: The sweet satisfaction of unlocking all the characters; being called a "Cock-su" by one infamous friend who would tell you "You're a -----" after every letter received in Horse.

Number 6: Grand Theft Auto 3

The best thing about getting a PS2 for Christmas was knowing I could play this game. After two entertaining tries on the PS featuring the overhead view, GTA went 3D, and did not dissapoint. Everything was possible in this game. The story was awesome. Working for the sleeze-ball at the strip-joint, eventually dealing for the mafia, until they turn and you're on your own. I must admit too, I didn't even know about the hookers until I had basically beaten the game. One of the beatuties of this game was driving around each of the 3 cities enough until you get to know your way around. Totally realistic. At first , you are compeletely lost, and don't know which way to go. Then, you learn that this road takes you to the car-wash, or that road loops around town. As you get to know the city, the missions become easier, and there's some pride in knowing which routes are best to take. Also, driving around was made painless with the killer radio system. With all the channels to choose from, it felt like you were really driving around. This is one of the few games I have gone back and played for a second time, and I must say, I enjoyed it every bit as much the 2nd time through.

Memorable Moments: Going on a mass-murdering spree while cruising to the sounds of classical music; "Screech.............................................................Screech............................Screech..............Screech............Screech........Screech...Screech..Screech..Screech.ScreechScreechScreech.............Car Door Closes."

Hey guys,

In this journal for the next few weeks, I will count down my top 10 games of all time. I will give 2 entries a week, and with each entry, I'll give a little explanation of why I chose the game. A few of my selections will raise some eyebrows, and I welcome criticism. So, here's the first week, number 9 and 10

Number 10: Onimusha 3.

I can't remember a game with as much hype as this game had prior to its release. It was the first true trilogy on a game format, and the anticipation to see Samonauske defeat the evil Oda Nobonauga built for far too long. The game itself was genius. Switching characters between Samonauske and Jacques (played by Jean Reno) gave different scenes, different settings, and different stories tp follow. The game's only flaw was that it became too easy, and the match with Nobonauga was simple because you had acquired enough health to take out an entire army. Speaking of armies, that was one of the highlights of the game, when you encounter a battlefield, and spend a good half and hour slashing your way through it. Overall, the story of this game did not disappoint as the conclusion of the trilogy.

Memorable moments: The Civil War, and "Samonauske.....................................................Kick his ass."- Jacques

Number 9: Hitman: Codename 47

This is the only appearance of a PC game to the list, and without question, this was a great one. If patience is a virtue, you learned it with this one, as the load time took an eternity, but once you got in it was Kill-Fest Galore. Were you supposed to play the missions in Stealth, absolutely. Was it possible to go Kamikaze and take out anything that moved? No Question. This is where the 2nd game fell short. Some of us (namely me) don't choose to creep through the bushes and wait for the perfect moment to slip through the door. I go straight for the door guns a blazin'. This game allowed you to do it whichever way you preferred, although my way was MUCH more difficult. An excellent blood bath, with many unique levels, this game deserved better than the two average sequels that have followed.

Memorable moments: The Coke pile and the shake-off, and the carnage in the little Russian bar/stripclub.