Here's a sad fact, video games for the most part are juvenile. As an avid gamer, and admire of them it pains me to say it, after three or more decades gaming has not change form the trash appearance it received when first introduced, the only difference now - they make more money. I suppose like all great mediums, when something new comes to the scene they are torn apart by skeptics and pushed to the side as merely playthings, or toys that will corrupt children's minds. Comic book's faced this, films did as well (many forget the first movies to ever be made were made for exploitation purposes such as pornographic films.) But through the years, and through people willing to use these new forms of entertainment and storytelling to a great advantage both mediums for the most part over came the dreadful stereotype. For now however, video games are the newest target for the destruction of our civilization, for being mindless, and for distracting people from real things. Unfortunately they are right, video games still have the stink of pop trash on them, and only few people seem to care.

Let's face it, pop trash makes a lot of money (need proof? Brittany Spears is still making albums.) Things that distract us from our ordinary boring lives sell because, well, they distract is from our boring lives. It doesn't take a scientist to figure out that people like being put into impossible situations, facing what appears to be impossible odds and do it with some flash. As people we like to be excited, and anything shiny that can grab our attention for a couple of hours is surely worth the price. Like popular music, video games fit the category of disposable entertainment. We download a song, listen to it until it becomes annoying and never bother with it again, we have forgotten about the art of an entire album and have settled for what ever gets stuck in our head for a day or two. Well, we buy video games for ridiculous prices (often $60 plus) play them, beat them, and trade them in for considerably less than we payed for them. They hold no value other than our attention for that weekend, or time spent playing. Sure people will argue that's why we have multi player to expand the life cycle of the game, but in essence online multi player usually consists of the repetitively game of tag with guns.

That's not to say that there isn't developers out there using the video game medium to its potential, as a new tool for creativity. Many do try, and the result ends with poor sales proving that as gamers we'd rather something disposable but of the moment, rather than something original and timeless. Some recent examples could be the incredible high sales of Modern Warfare 2, essentially a graphical improvement to its predecessor made for one of the highest grossing games of all time. Some will argue that Modern Warfare does not fit in this category because it has a universal storyline, but universal doesn't mean good. It lacks heart, and after one play through it becomes clear that just about any North American development team could have made the same game. A game that lacks any true creativity in it's design or gameplay, and who's storyline feels like a teenage Tom Clancy fans wet dream, ends up being both pointless and predictable. But it's not only Modern Warfare, the same problem applies to just about every game developed today.

It wasn't until the 1980's that comic books finally started being treated as a worthy medium to tell stories. The reason for this, because a handful of writers decided to go against the grain, and stray away from the expected and take a risk. Sure there were comic books released before the 80's that tried the same, some succeeded but none garnered the success until later in their lives. Alan Moore's The Watchmen, now proudly known as one of the fathers of the revolution in comic books, along with Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns achieved both success as well as artistic prasie. So what does this mean? Do video games deserved to be someday put into the same category as film and comic books? Well, because I'm optimistic I believe so, and I think it's only a matter of time before gaming receives that wave of breakthrough titles that not only garner the millions of dollars but the respect and enjoyment that other mediums have already. Again, there have been games released in the past that have tried this, some resulted better than others, but none have been revolutionary.

One could argue it's not just video games, but its that the stereotype is true. Both developers and gamers gather artistic inspiration and influences from the same place, what ever makes the most profit. As a culture it does suffer from the "hyper geek" service of fantasy themed elements that only the select devoted will respond with. Or perhaps like movies, video games are suffering from the same inevitable watering down of quality through self reference. If the same people are all taking inspiration from the same place, than the reality is everything is the same with only minor changes. They take from the same place because as a culture its all we know, through media, hype, and sales we take from what we know best, the problem being what we know best is what everyone else knows best. If a chance isn't taken on creativity than nothing new can ever gain success, and sure we will be happy for a moment until we forget and move on repeatedly, but nothing that repeats can last forever.

Silent Hill 2

Grotesque, violent, beautiful, terrifying, chilling, haunting -- these are the words I use to describe what is easily the greatest Survival Horror game too date. In a decade that saw many games in this genre, none have stay this true to the meaning of horror. Your palms will sweat, your heart will race, and you will think twice about picking up the controller (I mean that in a good way.) With a story that is just as complex as it is chilling, with an atmosphere that can never be match ever again, it is quite clear that Silent Hill 2 may never be dethroned as the greatest horror experience too date.

Final Fantasy X

One of the first stand out achievements on the Playstation 2, Final Fantasy X remains the best in the series. No other game in the series offers the same remarkable story, characters, and addictive gameplay as X. Although the game is far from perfect, and looking back now random battle encounters are a thing of the past, the game holds strong after all these years. It was the first in the series too include full voice overs, and still ranks high on the best graphical achievements on PS2. You'll play it for the story, but stay for the fantastic characters and spot on gameplay.

Half Life 2

The greatest first person shooter ever made. Period. Released in 2004, it still looks better, plays better, sounds better, is more interesting than any other game of its genre. I could argue this for days, and reluctantly would, but I cannot stress enough how unbelievable the game truly is. Valve knocked it out of the park, and set the bar sky high on what a FPS should be, and it has yet to be matched. With the episodes attached, I could easily make the argument that Half Life 2 is not only the best shooter of the decade, but the best overall game as well.

Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines

I am not a PC gamer, in fact I hate most games that only get released on PC for no aparent reason. With that being said, Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines is a must play, for either fans of shooter or RPG's. Built on the source engine (the same engine used for Half Life 2) the game offered players the chance to enter the underground world of vampires. It has now become common to see first person shooter elements mixed with role playing, but this was one of the first games to do it right. Sure the game is technically faulty, with more bugs than you can shake a stick at, but patches are available, and it does not take away from the overall feel you get from being in this world. Great memorable characters, a twisty twirly storyline, and some damn good atmosphere its hard not to think about this game.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Remember the Xbox? - Oh is that the console that had Halo?

Lets face it, no Halo = Microsoft not in the gaming world. Released as a launch game for the original Xbox, Halo managed to be the standout game. Every console has one, Bungie answered the call early on, and created one of the most addictive video game ever made. It came out of no where, a bright colorful game, that let you shoot at annoying yet cute alien creatures, that usually wore purple or some bright suit of armor. What made Halo the franchise it is today is the multiplayer, and most people forget that the original Halo had some of the best multiplayer for its time.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

I love Metal Gear games, and Snake Eater delivered one of the best in the series. Many people complained after MGS 2, I however enjoyed the hell out of that game, but my head was blown off when I finally enter the jungle as Big Boss. LIke other Metal Gear games, the story is complex, the graphics are stunning (go back and look at it, still looks fantastic) and the Kojima weirdness was at full sail. It was like the first time watching a Rambo movies when I was a kid, or my first time playing Mario Bros - you know that you are playing a piece of history.

Conker's Bad Fur Day

Not very often are games made on a comedic level, this rarity however was. A platform game released near the end of the Nintendo 64's life, starring a foul mouth little squriel who drinks a little too much and loses all direction. Who can't relate to that?? But seriously, Conker's Bad Fur Day was one of the most underrated N64 games, with better platforming and charm than dare I say it Super Mario 64.

Ico

Beautiful. What else can I say?

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best game of 2009, made sure that the decade went out with a bang. Honestly, this game is everything that is good about pop entertainment wrapped up in a neat and tidy package. From the opening five minutes, to the closing five and everything in between it never loses its pace, it always throws something new and exciting your way, and more importantly tops the original Uncharted: Drake's Fortune in every single way. This is how to make a sequel developers take not, no doubt Uncharted 2 has set a bench mark for next generation game development that will be tough to reach.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

I have said it before, I love Metal Gear games. This one is the best in the series.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

Truly one of the most underrated games of the last generation.

Killer 7

I could have just as easily put No More Heroes on this list, but looking back Killer 7 is Suda's psychological masterpiece. So cinematic, so hip, so messed up, so damn amazing. When it comes to creating video games no one looks at development the same way Suda 51 does. Saying that he thinks outside the box would be an understatement. A game that distances itself from every other game, just because it can. It doesn't go with a trend so that it will sell a million copies, it doesn't try to be a ripoff of a more popular game, it is originality at its finest.

Shadow of the Colossus

I'm not about to start a rant on whether or not video games should be seen as art, but I will say this, the definition of art is something that moves you emotional - well Shadow of the Colossus moved me. In fact I feel wrong even calling this a "game", because it's not, it's far from a simple video game, but for the sake of this I will. The game was like playing art, like if you walked into a museum and set down to play a painting by Picasso (if that were in any way possible.) Never has a sense of scale been so raw, so realistic as it was here. A soundtrack that may just very well be the greatest ever composed for a video game, a setting that will be remembered for years to come. This is what an adventure game should be, the sense of packing your things and going off into a magical land that time forgot. The story is revealed too you through the environment, and it lets your imagination run wild with speculation. My all time favorite game, that has never been matched, never been duplicated, never been cloned, it showed me why I started playing games in the first place. Poetry in motion.

Released in 2003, Freedom Fighters was that odd ball little game that had everything except popularity. Like the kid in the class who is really good at math, science, and social studies but remains unpopular because he/she lacks the looks. That's the game Freedom Fighters was, the one no one talked about except only a few, and when you told people how totally awesome it was, they never believed you. An original IP, created by IO Interactive, the same dudes responsible for the Hitman series of games, and more recently Kane & Lynch. The game feature some of the most unique game play available at the time. It wasn't just run and shoot (although you did a lot of running and gunning) but it also introduced a squad command. Remember this was during a time when every video game and it's sister never had seen such a interesting idea. Sure games did it, but none did it quite like this. It was easy to pull off, and never took you out of the action. As for the story, well you were killing Russians. The story was set in a what if scenario, and in this case it was what if Russia attacked the United States, New York City to be exact. Surprisingly interesting with plot twist, and good characters the game moved at a steady pace, that never let up until the final moments. As the game progressed your squad would increase, eventually maxing out at 12 men. You could take care of the enemies yourself or send your guys to do the dirty work instead, which made strategy something of a choice. For me though, the multi-player was what kept me hooked. Large scaled battles would ensue, with one player controlling the Americans, while the other handled the bad Russians. The goal was to collect bases, and at these bases respawn points for you to gather more AI controlled teammates, to send out and attack the opposite player. It was addictive, and serve for hours apun hours of sheer delight watching my little Red Army minions die and respawn repeatedly. Overall, Freedom Fighters was one of the most underrated games of its generation. Reviewers shunned it with mediocre scores, and players didn't bother with it at all. Like alot of games in the industry it was not rewarded for it's original ideas, and well thought out gameplay. Sure it never starred a guy in a green metal suit, or an Italian plumber, but it did help me waist away plenty of hours. For that, I raise the flag to Freedom Fighters, a game that got lost in time like so many others.

10: EARTHWORM JIM 9: REVENGE OF SHINOBI 8: FORGOTTEN WORLDS 7: SONIC & KNUCKLES 6: OUT OF THIS WORLD 5: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 4: STREETS OF RAGE 3: COMIX ZONE 2: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 1: PIRATES! GOLD

10) DUCK HUNT 9) MEGA MAN 8) THE LEGEND OF ZELDA 7) FINAL FANTASY 6) BIONIC COMMANDO 5) TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 2: THE ARCADE GAME 4) SUPER MARIO BROS 3) RIVER CITY RANSOM 2) NINJA GAIDEN 2: THE DARK SWORD OF CHAOS 1) SUPER MARIO BROS 3