Personal top 10 Games of all time!

M76

[H]F Junkie
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What, another top 10 list? Yes. But this time it's a personal one. Why? Because I want to, and I haven't done anything of the kind before. Well actually I did, a long time ago on an IT forum far far away I polled the entire user base to name the best game, and then I compiled a top list based on that.

But this time it's different this is my subjective list of Top 10 games. I don't choose games on one metric. Some might get in because they played a significant role, they were ground breaking or addictive, or for some weird reason I liked them that much.

So without further ado here are my top 10 video games:

Mass Effect 2 (2010)

This is obvious enough. The Mass Effect series evolved narrative based action games to a new level. A game that is not driven by gameplay but primarily the narrative. Of course gameplay is still good in it, but it only serves as the vessel for the story. Without the story and the characters and the interaction the game would only make it a mediocre shooter. If only the ending of the series was better this place would've been taken by Mass Effect 3, which taken things narrative wise to an even higher level, only to fall face forward at the final stretch.
Max Payne (2001)

I wanted to say as a direct opposite to ME2, this game shines in the gameplay department, but it also has a strong narrative as well. But it's real strength remains the gameplay, and the introduction of bullet time for the first time. And nailing it as well right away. IMO the sequels especially the third game tried too hard to improve on what was already perfect. It feels like I finished this game a million times, it was so good. Remedy entertainment got on the map and immediately gotten renowed for this, only to wither away as Microsoft's little bitches later. But this is supposed to be a positive post. So I'll shut up about that.
XCOM 2 (2016)

It might be blasphemy to put such a new game on a list like this, but I decided I'm going to do this anyway. The game is unbeliveably well designed and addictive, the campaign nails you to the screen, and you want to do better at it all the time. This is the only game where immediately after finishing a playtrough I started a new one, not even once but multiple times. The only reason it's not higher on the list is because I haven't had time to forget about the issues it has yet.
Transport Tycoon Deluxe (1995)

There aren't any other games that could achieve what this little 10mb game achieved. That I any many others actively play it over 20 years beyond it's release date. And I'm giving credit for that to the original game despite knowing that technically it's an unoffical (TTDPatch / OpenTTD) remake that everyone plays, but it's still the same game at the core. It's so satisfying to lean back and watch the infastrucutre of rails and roads work that you created. I blame this game partly for doing so badly in primary school. I couldn't have imagined back then that I'll still load it up from time to time so many years later.
Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour (2003)

The C&C series was always one of my favorites, at least until it turned into garbage after RA3. But gameplay and balance wise this is the best part of the series. I've spent hundreds of hours playing skirmish against AI enemies in it. The only other that came close to it is the original Red Alert.
Star Wars: TIE Fighter (1994)

The standard in space simulation. Of course X-Wing came before, but playing on the side of the empire always felt more satisfying. The missions were much better in this game. And this is probably the only star wars game where the empire doesn't look all bad, they're not the evil oppressors, but trying to bring balance and peace to their subject worlds.
Test Drive Unlimited (2007)

Everything I dreamed about since the first time I played a street racing game on a computer. This is the perfect open world racing game. It hit a nerve with me, like they made it exactly after plans lifted from my brain. A little role-playing, a little racing, a lot of high speed cruising, exploring and having dozens of hours of pure fun. It's just simulation enough to satisfy my hyper sensitive need for good physics in a racing game. But the setting and the whole execution is flawless. Even when I was in the closed beta I knew this game will make history at least in my history book.
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven (2002)

And talking about simulations what could be better than a game, that's not even a racing game, but has better physics and driving controls than most, possibly all racing games of the era? Among all the racing games this was the one that utillized my force feedback wheel the best, and this was the one that allowed you to use a manual clutch. Which was almost unheard of at the time. Espeically in a game that was branded as a „GTA clone” by the ignorant masses. Still highly acclaimed critically despite many players were disillusioned by the fact that this is not gta, this is a story based third person shooter. And what a story, but most importantly what perfect storytelling. Many tried to mimic it since, and so few succeded.
Half Life (1998)

The game that proved to the world that videgames can be narratve driven. Regardless it's the best shooter of it's era as well, and that title wasn't threatened for years to come. Another game I finished 10+ times. But this one for gameplay. I remember the first time I started playing couldn't put it down until 4 am. Brilliant game. Member when valve used to make games? Now they only make money.

System Shock 2 (1999): Well this is how an sci-fi RPG should look and play.
Alien Isolation (2014): took the hint which earned it a place here as well.
Hard Truck: Apocalypse (2005): privateer on wheels
Gran Turismo 4 (2005): Best part of the best arcade racing game series
X-Wing Alliance (1999): Should've been a sequel to Tie Fighter, not a rebel sob story

Deus Ex (2000)

This is it. The freedom this game gives you is mind boggling. Especially when you look at when it was released. You can solve every problem in the game a dozen different ways. Without it being in your face. Every little secret you discover in it, every new solution to a problem feels earned. Not given. If game design schools would show nothing else but this game as an example, no bad games would ever be made again. In some regards it's still the benchmark, despite being terribly aged by now. There is no other game that could reveal new secrets to me after the tenth completion. This still had an ace up it's sleeve even after I thought I knew everything. Probably the first game where you could make choices seamlessly that changed the narrative a bit. Critics always say to me „yeh buh yo dunt chang anythin of import!” But C'mon it the things you could change were huge for it's time. What other game was there where you could avoid or delay confrontations with bosses? Or save key NPCs from certain death? Or help someone who in turn will help you later in the game ? All by choice.

And of course the game is a conspiracy theorist's valhallla. Not saying I'm one, but the mere possibility of these secretive organizations intrigue me. I just think it'd be cool if they actually existed, and in this game world they do.

So there. Now come the flood of posts saying You idiot! How could you not include „insert title here”?
 
1. Twisted Metal 2
My favorite game. My dad and I played it for many many hours together

2. Unreal Tournament 99
My favorite FPS game

3. The Witcher 3
IMO the best RPG story ever written

4. Final Fantasy Tactics
Fantastic Story & character creation. Also played with my dad.

5. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
My favorite childhood game.

6. Destruction Derby
First game that allowed me to "LAN" via the PS link cable. Great times with friends on this one.

7. Diablo II
Best treasure hunt game

8. Revenant
Not as ground breaking as D2 but the story compelled me.

9. Elderscrolls IV: Oblivion
A great game & introduction to modding for me.

10. Joe Montana '94
A childhood favorite among friends & family.

Honorable Mentions:
Double Dragon II
F-22 Interceptor
General Chaos
 
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  1. Legend of Zelda
  2. Skyrim
  3. Crysis
  4. SimCity 2000
  5. Terraria
  6. Portal 2
  7. Age of Empires II
  8. Diablo
  9. Myst
  10. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
 
Nice to see some quality games on these lists.

Personally, I don't like to make any set number of top games - of course it's all subjective, but also that when you play a game is in the context of the state of all other games. Uncharted 2 was amazing, and for its time, probably the best third-person adventure/shooter, however, is Rise of the Tomb Raider better? Yes it is, in nearly every technical aspect. Do I place Rise of the Tomb Raider higher? Not really and part of that is subjective, and part of that is that I already have the experience with Uncharted 2 (and the crushing disappointment of Uncharted 3) in my mind. And Rise came many years later.

I have no idea why I picked Uncharted 2 or Rise of the Tomb Raider, or even this genre to demonstrate this.

Crap, I'm a cranky old man.
 
Too difficult to organize but I'll try. I'm going solely based on the singleplayer experience. It's hard for me to lump retro games into this list because as much as I love Super Mario Bros, Metroid and Megaman, those games didn't give me a lasting impact or story like games of today do. I still love the hell out of them but I can't give them a top 10 list because those moments didn't burn into my mind as much as recent games.

1. Metal Gear Solid
2. Mass Effect
3. Deus Ex
4. The Elder Scrolls Oblivion
5. Goldeneye
6. Half-Life 2
7. Knights of the Old Republic
8. The Legend of Zelda Majoras Mask
9. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl
10. The Last of Us
11. Grand Theft Auto Vice City
 
It's strange to see Oblvivion cropping up multiple times. When it comes to Elder Scrolls Skyrim is a much better offering IMO.
Maybe it had a better story, and better map. But everything else is better in Skyrim.

I also considered Vice City for the list. Also Last of Us, but then I remembered how much I hated the combat in that, but of course I hate everything that I have to play with a damned controller.
 
I just felt like the city was more alive in Oblivion. It seemed like every citizen actually lived there with a home you could break into and enter. I also liked the story better, spell making and the dark brotherhood storyline. Skyrim won the eye candy department but overall Oblivion was just more fun to me.
 
My top 10 (I cheated a bit by combining multiple games from my favorites series):

1. The Witcher 3
2. Dark Souls 1 & 3
3. Skyrim
4. World of Warcraft (Vanilla & Burning Crusade)
5. Dragon Age: Origins
6. Mass Effect 1 & 2
7. The Longest Journey
8. Grim Fandango
9. Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic
10. The Legend of Zelda (Original & Ocarina of Time)

Honorable Mentions:
Fallout 3
Portal (Would be higher if it was longer)
Super Mario Bros. (1, 3, 64)
The Longest Journey
Planescape: Torment
Dishonored
 
In no particular order

Witcher 3
Fallout 2
Baldur's Gate 2
Diablo 2: LOD
C&C: Red Alert
WarCraft 2
StarCraft: BW
Theme Hospital
Wages of War
Commandos
 
1. System Shock 2
2. Half Life 2
3. KOTOR
4. Skyrim
5. Alien Isolation
6. Stalker SOC
7. Legend of Zelda OoT
8. FEAR
9. Doom 2016
10. Rome Total War
 
1. Contra
2. Time Soliders
3. Mike Tyson's Punchout
4. Ultima Online
5. Everquest 2
6. Dark Age of Camelot
7. Duke Nukem Forever
8. Borderlands
9. Rift
10. Divinity Original Sin
 
Hmmmm. It's a tough task, but here's my top 10 that come to mind:

1. Street Fighter 2 (in particular Hyper Fighting)
2. Tekken Tag Tournament
3. Half-Life 2
4. Mario Kart 64 (technically MKDS is better, but I didn't play it as much)
5. Witcher 3
6. Baldur's Gate 2 + Throne of Bhaal
7. Final Fantasy 6
8. Dark Souls
9. Resident Evil 4
10. Ninja Gaiden (the new series, not the NES one)

An honorable mention would have to be the original Quake with the GLQuake functionality and a boatload of add-ons and mods. I put a ton of time into that game.
 
Top 10? In no particular order...

1. Donkey Kong Country
2. Starfox
3. Super Mario 64
4. Super Mario Bros 3
5. Tetris
6. Minecraft
7. Call of Duty 4 : Modern Warfare
8. Doom
9. Halo
10. Legend of Zelda : A Link to the Past
 
1. Unreal Tournament 99
2. Super Mario 64
3. Fallout 2
4. Diablo II
5. Dota 2
6. World of Warcraft (Vanilla)
7. Dark Souls 1 & 3
8. S.T.A.L.K.E.R SoC & CoP
9. Castlevania: SotN
10. Zombies Ate My Neighbors

There have been a ton of memorable games over the years so I just tried to list games from different genres.

I know I'll catch some flak for including WoW in a top 10 list but it was just a perfect storm of being my first MMO, being on my own in college, and being played by all my friends. Good times :D
 
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subject to change
 
1. Dark Souls
2. Interstate 76
3. Tie Fighter
4. Deus Ex 1
5. Max Payne 1 & 2
6. Dark Souls 3
7. Oblivion
8. Battlefield 1942
9. Bioshock 2
10. Grim Fandango
10.5 Portal1/Portal2
 
It's strange to see Oblvivion cropping up multiple times. When it comes to Elder Scrolls Skyrim is a much better offering IMO.
Maybe it had a better story, and better map. But everything else is better in Skyrim.

I also considered Vice City for the list. Also Last of Us, but then I remembered how much I hated the combat in that, but of course I hate everything that I have to play with a damned controller.


I think its more about the experience.. Skyrim may have be better technically but Oblivion was that first time really experiencing it...
 
So many Oblivion but thats the one I skipped lol. I thought Morrowind > Skyrim, technical superiority aside, i recall being more engaged by Morrowind than Skyrim.
 
Oblivion gave me really bad Nausea I tossed the game in the Trash for the 360 or PS3 version.
 
Oblivion gave me really bad Nausea I tossed the game in the Trash for the 360 or PS3 version.
That's what you get for trying to play a pc game on a peasant console. :eek:
I remember there were tons of issues with oblivion on 360, it ran like shit, terrible graphics, pop-in, no modding of any kind.
 
Company of Heroes
Witcher 3
FarCry 3
DOOM
Half Life 2
Max Payne series
Portal
Assassins Creed Black Flag
Crysis 1 and 2
Battlefield 2
 
Quest for Glory 2
Betrayal at Krondor
Deadline (1982 Infocom)
Unreal Tournament
Ultima VII
King's Quest V
Chrono Trigger
Super Mario Bros. 3
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Castlevania 3
 
That's what you get for trying to play a pc game on a peasant console. :eek:
I remember there were tons of issues with oblivion on 360, it ran like shit, terrible graphics, pop-in, no modding of any kind.

Oblivion was a mess on the consoles at first. At the time, my PC was out of commission and I had to have Oblivion on launch day -- got it on 360. Tons of pop-in, low draw distance, graphical glitches and crashes, and of course, no modding. Picked up the PC version as soon as my PC was back and had the proper experience (played it with dual GTX 8800s).

I think the PS3 version was a bit more stable (although it had FPS issues), if I recall, since it had a year longer to bake.

My top 10:

System Shock 2
Mafia
Ultima VII (and Serpent Isle)
Bioshock
Xcom 2
Morrowind/Skyrim (tie)
Golgo 13
Far Cry
Dragon Age Origins/Mass Effect 2
Witcher 3

Honorable Mention:
Supreme Commander
Thief: Metal Age
Privateer
 
Gran Turismo 4
Command & Conquer Retaliation
Front Mission 3
Medal of Honor Allied Assault
Battlefield 2
World in Conflict
Medieval Total War 2
Empire Total War (with mods)
Driver
Cossacks 3
 
I prefer Oblivion to Skyrim. IMO, it offered more varied terrain and environments. Oblivion felt like an entire world rather than just the snowy corner of one. I liked Skyrim, too, but not as much. I know a lot of people loved Morrowind and I *hated* the setting.

For GTA games, I think it's a toss-up as none of them are perfect. I feel San Andreas and GTA4 captured the feel of a location the best, but SA was overly repetitious and 4 was clumsy as hell to actually play. 5's probably the best "game" but it was also the least compelling for me. I've probably played 4 the most even if the gameplay was on the edge of terrible. I know some people love Vice City, but I just never got into that one. I think it just felt too limited even if the voice acting was probably the best of the bunch.
 
1. Witcher 3
2. Chrono Trigger
3. Metroid Prime series
4. Mass effect series
5. Zelda: A link to the past
6. Quake 2 + xpack
7. Tactical ops
8. UT2K4
9. BF3 hardcore mode
10. Final Fantasy X/X-2
 
1. Deep End (2017)
2. Holopoint (2016)
4. Pavlov (2017)
3. Soundboxing (2016)
5. The Brookhaven Experiment (2016)
6. Tomb Raider (1996)
7. Doom (1993)
8. Counter-Strike (1999)
9. Far Cry (2004)
10. The Forest (2014)

I love VR :)
 
This is a really interesting thread. What I hate about top 10 lists is it usually has to be the "best" game out there, not the one that inspired you to the most. There are obvious titles to me that time and time again if I think about my favorite games, it's always one that you have fond memories of, regardless of what issues they had. I do get tired of reading the same list over and over again about Skyrim or the other big name titles that blew up. Then the lists that aren't big names are usually the obscure 10 top where I've never even heard of the games on the list. Subjectively I actually tend to like some of the lesser favorites in the same category as the most popular games.

I'm not even going for an order, but I'll see if I can rattle off 10 games that are dear to me.

Command and Conquer: Red Alert
SimCity 2000
Unreal Tournament 2003
Call of Duty 2
Grand Turismo
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Sim Copter
Age of Empires 3
Factorio

I can't think of a 10th game that really falls into the same league as those ones do for me. There are several ones that are close, but they don't quite hold their own. As M76 said, Test Drive Unlimited. I absolutely loved that game, but it was just too broken even for me (And I put Sim Copter in my list) to add it to my list. The only other honorable mention that instantly pops into my head is a little unknown Korean game called 2 Moons / Dekaron. It's a cheesier F2P MMO, but we spent a lot of time on it. The game is still out there 10 years later, but I can only imagine what kind of shape it's in now.
 
Too many to list but games I remember are:

Last of Us
Uncharted series
Witcher 3
Skyrim
Undying
RTCW
Bayonetta
Horizon Zero Dawn
Heavy Rain
Medal of Honor
Mafia
Mass Effect
KOTOR
Legacy of Kain series (Soul Reaver and Blood Omen)
Ass Creed 2 (all games)
 
Half Life 1 (1999)
Half Life 2
Counter-Strike (* The original Beta from 1999, nothing like 18hr marathon matches, showing up to class late, if at all)
Gabriel Knight - The Beast Within
Black Dahlia PC (1998)
Max Payne (2001)
Red Dead Redemption
Skyrim
The Last of Us
Brother in Arms - Hells Highway

With Black Dahlia PC taking the crown.
 
  1. Metroid Prime
  2. Mass Effect 2
  3. Dark Souls
  4. DOOM (2016)
  5. Grand Prix Legends
  6. Counter-Strike (1.3 - 1.6)
  7. Titan Quest: Immortal Throne
  8. Gran Turismo 4
  9. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
  10. Forza Motorsport 4
 
This is a really interesting thread. What I hate about top 10 lists is it usually has to be the "best" game out there, not the one that inspired you to the most. There are obvious titles to me that time and time again if I think about my favorite games, it's always one that you have fond memories of, regardless of what issues they had. I do get tired of reading the same list over and over again about Skyrim or the other big name titles that blew up. Then the lists that aren't big names are usually the obscure 10 top where I've never even heard of the games on the list. Subjectively I actually tend to like some of the lesser favorites in the same category as the most popular games.

Games that inspired me would be a completely different list. My top 10 favorite games are not my top 10 most influential/inspiring games. I think that would definitely be interesting to see in what/how games crafted people.
 
Games that inspired me would be a completely different list. My top 10 favorite games are not my top 10 most influential/inspiring games. I think that would definitely be interesting to see in what/how games crafted people.
I don't want to create that thread. But It would be interesting to see.
And while we're at it it would be nice to see a "most anticipated games" list as well, regardless of how bad or well those games turned out.
 
  1. Soul Reaver
  2. Clive Barkers Undying
  3. The Operative, No one Lives Forever
  4. Bioshock
  5. Tony Hawk PS 4
  6. Soldier of Fortune 2 (For MP only)
  7. Portal 2
  8. Legend of Zelda
  9. Crysis
  10. Castlevania
  11. Megaman, Metroid, Contra, Street Fighter, MK
Not in order.
 
I don't want to create that thread. But It would be interesting to see.
And while we're at it it would be nice to see a "most anticipated games" list as well, regardless of how bad or well those games turned out.
Well, there's always NeoGAF...
 
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