A few months ago, I acquired a PlayStation 4. Earlier this month, I decided to do a play through of Sony's horror game Until Dawn, developed by Supermassive Games. I figured since it's October, and I'm a huge fan of horror films, spending my time with what is essentially an interactive horror film would be perfect. What I ended up getting out of it was something more.
Video games are known to be something to bring people together, but most of the time people are playing multiplayer games. Some of our most fond gaming memories consist of playing with friends, from Goldeneye to Super Smash Bros., and from Wii Sports to League of Legends. But something that isn't talked about as much is the single-player bonding experience. Just because someone isn't actually playing a game, doesn't mean they can't get pulled into it as well. Narrative-focused games, especially those involved with choice, can provide a great social opportunity with friends.
Being Engrossed by the Experience
I was planning on putting a proper review here, but by the time I finished the game I realized I had more to write about than that. I went into the living room of my apartment, turned the lights off, and started my long night in the Canadian wilderness. As I progressed through the first chapter, some of my roommates entered the living room and noticed what was going on the TV screen. By the time the characters were being chased by an unseen force (later revealed to be a carnivorous Wendigo, a poor soul who resorted to cannibalism, which triggers the transformation into the dangerous creature), they were sitting on the couch, completely pulled in to the experience. Soon I decided to let them know when I wanted to play it again, and I realized this was no longer a game I was playing on my own, but instead something I was experiencing with my friends as well.
I always had others assist me in making decisions in instances like this
It was more than just watching me play, however. They were actively involved in the experience, helping me make decisions, assisting me in QTE's, and just overall commenting on the events occurring. It made the experience that much more engaging for everyone; it was more than a group-watching experience.
More Than Just One Instance
Despite Until Dawn being the spark for this piece, it's more than just that, though. In fact, a similar experience actually happened right after one of my Until Dawn playthroughs.
I played the first episode of Batman: The Telltale Series back in August, and only recently played the second one about a week ago, due to other commitments. When one of my roommates realized the game was by the same developer as The Wolf Among Us, he immediately sat down to watch along. Soon he was also helping me make decisions here as well, especially a case where I had to decide to visit Gotham City's mayor as either Batman or Bruce Wayne. He witnessed the birth of Two-Face, among other things.
It's possible to have multiple people be involved in decisions like this with Telltale's crowd play
Speaking of Telltale, this is even something they brought in as a feature, starting with Batman. Crowd play is a new feature that allows "audience members" (aka your friends) to give their input on what decisions should be made online, with the game either showing you what has been suggested, or the game outright choosing the most popular. The developers noted this was created because they noticed how popular it was for spectators to be actively involved in these story-driven games. This just shows you that even developers are realizing that single-player-designed games don't have to be exclusively single-player
Single-Player Doesn't Mean Others Can't Be Invovled
Sure, multiplayer games are an amazing time. Watching friendships deteriorate during a round of Mario Party, shooting your way through the zombie apocalypse in Left 4 Dead, or laughing at your friend driving off Rainbow Road, only to find yourself in the same exact situation, are all memories I'm sure resonate with most people. But sometimes playing a game with someone else doesn't need to involve a second controller. Sometimes it's just seeing someone else play a game that's catching your eye. For me, it was watching one of my friends play Portal 2. What I was watching was just so compelling; next thing I knew, I was helping him figure out solutions for the puzzles.
So long story short, games created to be single-player don't have to exclusively have one person actively involved in the experience. Just because one person has the controller doesn't mean no one else can participate. Whether it's helping you make story decisions, advising you on which side quest to start, or just helping you find a solution to the puzzle to make it through that tomb/dungeon/temple/etc. Sometimes being a spectator means more than just watching the adventure, it's being apart of the adventure.
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I'd love to hear your feedback! And if you want to see more of my rambling, follow me at @aidansimonds on Twitter.
If you think about it, the ocean is pretty scary. I'm sure you already know that we've only discovered about 5% of the earth's waters. When you think about it, it's amazing that there have been so few games actually taking place underwater and capitalizing on it's mysteries. You've got Flow, Endless Ocean, everybody's favorite Echo the Dolphin (which is amazing just for the absurdity of its story, but I digress), and a few others, but nothing particularly noteworthy (and no, I'm not counting Bioshock here, because even though it does take place underwater, that's hardly the focal point of it). Enter Abzu.
Riding the sea life was one of my favorite features of Abzu
Abzu takes place underwater, but the focus of this game isn't how scary the ocean is, but how much of it is there to discover, and how awe-inspiring it can be. There's no combat, no supplies, and no sort of health or time limit to worry about. The emphasis is on exploring this unknown section of our planet, and the game encourages you to take the time to do so, and discover some hidden objects, like enabling a whole new species of fish to roam around. However, this is not an open world game. It is very much a linearly progressed story, though each level encourages extra exploration.
There are many instances where you'll find yourself surrounded by fish
The most striking thing about Abzu to me was its visuals. The cell-shaded visuals are vibrant and colorful, and immediately make this game stand out. The only time I really experienced any framerate issues was instances when the screen was filled with fish. Besides that, the game always ran smoothly. The controls are also surprisingly fluid, especially in comparison to other underwater controls. I don't know if I would call them "natural", however, but navigating Abzu's underwater world was some of the best underwater movement I've ever felt.
I've never felted more relaxed while playing a game, at least in recent memory. With no enemies or health to speak of, the game just wants you to explore and appreciate its world, and the ocean truly does feel like its own world. Each section of the game feels distinct from the other, with not only each area looking different, but each area has its own set of life as well. One of the coolest, and most relaxing features of the game, was the meditation feature. Each area includes a shark statue, where you can sit and literally meditate for as long as you want. When you meditate, you follow a certain species as they do their thing in the water, and can switch between the available ones. I spent a good amount of time just sitting and scrolling through the different fish, and seeing what they were up to.
Abzu includes many awe-inspiring moments
My biggest problem with Abzu was its story, or lack thereof one. Now, that's not to say there isn't a story, but it's so abstract that I couldn't follow along with most of it. I'm all for abstract storytelling, though. Case in point: 2013's Journey, which Abzu is very clearly inspired by, (the main force behind this game, Matt Nava, worked on Journey, natch) featured quite the abstract story, but it was told in such a way that it was very easy to follow along with. Abzu does has its moments; I got legitimately emotional during one scene, and it does have some surprises in store, but for me, the story was one of the weakest aspects.
Abzu isn't a perfect game, but it's a damn memorable one. It's probably not for everyone, though, but for those who can appreciate a game with no real objective other than exploration, Abzu highly recommended. If you want a game to just relax with, look no further than here.
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I'm as terrified as the ocean as I am completely fascinated by it. If you are too, you should follow me on Twitter!
Well, things just got weird. Basically, we learn that Tifa was last seen in the mansion of mafia man Don Corneo, who I think is looking for a bride. Unfortnuately for our heroes, no males (except those who work for Corneo) are allowed in the mansion, which leads Aeris to come up with a plan to dress Cloud up as a girl to get in. What follows is a very, um, strange series of events. After finding a dressmaker at a bar and getting him out of a funk, he makes a very beautiful dress for Cloud. However, that's not enough, so Cloud goes around town looking for accessories (wig, makeup, etc.) to pretty himself up some more. This brings us to the Honeybee Inn, which is pretty much a brothel. Cloud enters one of the rooms, but passes out after seeing a vision of himself? He's woken up by a man, who I'm pretty sure raped Cloud, and this game is suddenly a whole lot different than I remembered.
But we must press on, I guess, and Cloud & Aeris pretty themselves up to enter the mansion. They find Tifa, where we learn that she's here to get information from Don, as he may be involved with Shinra. They eventually confront him, and after threatening his geintalia, he admits he's been working with Shinra; not only that, he also reveals that Shinra plans on destroying Sector 7 (where our heroes reside), as that's where they believe the AVALANCHE headquarters is. Well, that's just not good at all, is it? But before our heroes have a chance to react, Don opens up a trapdoor, sending our heroes into the sewers. They make their way through the sewers, but not before defeating a giant pig monster.
When the group finally reaches Sector 7, it's already under attack, though the AVALANCHE crew is trying is best to defend it. Tifa and Cloud go to help Barret, while Aeris goes off on her own to look for Marlene. Honestly, that doesn't sound like a very good idea. Since all Materia leaves your possession as soon as you leave the party, all the girl's got to defend herself with is a giant stick. But no one seems to think about that, as they all go on their separate ways. Unfortunately, they're too late, to save the sector with Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie among the casualties. We hardly knew ye (literally). To add salt to the wound, they find out Shinra captured Aeris and is taking her to their headquarters. Guess that stick didn't do you much good, did it?
Tifa and Barret take this pretty hard, Barret especially so since he doesn't know where his daughter is. Coupled with the fact that 50% of AVALANCHE is now gone, things aren't looking good for our heroes. But none of that matters to Cloud, of course! No, he is more concerned with what all this "ancient" crap has to do with Aeris. Obviously the best place to start is with her mother, so they go back to Aeris' house, where, SURPRISE; Aeris took Marlene before she was kidnapped. After a lot of climbing, our group finally makes it to Shinra HQ, and face their next challenge.
I guess I should talk a little more about the game itself, no? Well, after spending more time with the Materia system, I'm starting to warm up to it more, though I'm still not completely sold on it. Call me old fashioned, but I personally like when characters have defined classes and abilities, and you have to work your strategy around how they best fit in your party, a la Final Fantasy IV and IX. Don't ask me why, as I can't really put it into words, but I just find it more fascinating from a character and gameplay perspective. On the other hand, I really did end up loving the Sphere Grid of Final Fantasy X, but that's also a fair bit different than this. While the characters in X can theoretically learn any ability, they each start on a certain section of the grid, with abilities related to that character. So in a sense, the characters are somewhat divided into classes. The characters in VII are similar in that each character has different stats and different ways of attacking, but unless I'm mistaken any character can learn any ability. So while some characters may be better suited to learn magical rather than physical abilities, all characters can learn magic spells. Only three characters can be in your active party, and only X allowed you to switch characters mid-battle, so I'm not really sure what are the real advantages of the Materia system.
I may not be on board with this system quite yet, but I do know it's fairly popular, so I'm wondering if it becomes more complex the further into this adventure we get. But, that's for another time, because for now, our journey is on pause.
There's a little game coming out this year called Final Fantasy XV, maybe you've heard of it? While that game may actually never come out (kidding), there's still an entire backlog's worth of Final Fantasy games to experience. I've been in a Final Fantasy mood lately, so I've been playing quite a few of them actually. However, none happen to be quite as ~ridiculous~ as Final Fantasy VII, probably the most famous and popular game in the series. It's a game I haven't played in the longest time, when I was a child and couldn't comprehend what was going on, so it's pretty muchgoing to be likeplaying it for the first time. While obviously I remember the big events that everyone knows, since I was so young the first time, it'll be interesting to see how different it really is and how much I really remember. I'm going to give a summary of what's happened as well some general commentary for every few hours I play. Without further ado, let's get started.
Warning: spoilers follow
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Final Fantasy VII casts you as Cloud, who is kind of a douchebag; he's the kind of douchebag that knows this quite well, and doesn't mind telling people so. He's the kind of guy that will tell you to your face that he doesn't care about what you're talking about right to your face. He used to be a member of a group called SOLDIER, which from what I can tell is a group of super soldiers (for lack of a better term) working for Shinra, a giant energy company that pretty much rules the world. Apparently they became so powerful by using the planet's lifeforce(?!) as energy. Let me just say, that seems like a pretty short-sighted and terrible plan. But anyway, Cloud also seems to have some sort of PTSD, since he has regular flashbacks. I'm sure this will be elaborated upon later, as well as the assumed "growth arc" turning Cloud from doucebag into slightly less douchey hero.
Cloud quit SOLDIER a while ago, and has now teamed up with AVALANCHE, a group of eco-terrorists created to oppose Shinra. Their grand plan is to destroy Shinra's many reactors, which are the things killing the planet. These reactors are in the city of Midgar, which seems like an awful place all around. There's smog, it's grimy, and the buildings (which seem to be made of trash to begin with) are falling apart. It also looks like Shinra is pretty much controlling the city as a police state, so that's fun.
Looks inviting
Cloud is joined on his mission by Barret, who seems kind of cliche at this point. He's a tough guy who has one thing in his life that gives him a heart of gold; in this case, it's his daughter, Marlene, who is his main motivation for wanting to destroy Schinra. He's also pretty similar to Mr. T, but one of his arms is also a machine gun, so I guess he's cool. AVALANCHE's plan is to destroy Shinra reactors that are what's draining the planet. Again, these plans don't seem all that great; I mean, innoncent people are going to die here, right? They're blowing these giant reactors up. People will get caught in the blast radius. Also, if Shirna is the one source of power for Midgar, wouldn't destorying the reactors lead to Midgar losing all electricity, therefore leading to chaos? AND if Midgar is essentially the government, destroying it would result in anarchy. To be fair I'm not one to hypothesize the implications of destroying the life of the planet, so maybe it balances out. Plus, AVANALCHE is a terrorist organization, so I guess it's not much of a concern. Cloud and Barret are also joined on this mission with fellow members Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, but they aren't much of a factor here, except Jessie gets stuck during the escape while the detonation countdown is going off, as one does.
So, Cloud and Barret complete their mission, but not before facing off against a robot scorpion thing. I'm fairly certain Cloud is trying to get himself killed during this fight; he tells you to attack the robo scorpion when it's tail is up, but then immediately after tells you that when this happens, scorpiobot will counter with its laster tail. Despite that, they manage to defeat the thing, and destroy the reactor.
Here we meet the third member of our group, Tifa, who's quite..."busty". Not Lara Croft triangle boob level, but her model is a clear indication that this was someone's first time creating a 3D character. She's a bartender at a place that also doubles as AVALANCHE's headquarters. Tifa's apparently Cloud's childhood friend, and I can't for the life of me figure out their relationship. Are they together? Not? Were they? I really have no idea what's going on between them. Tifa's also got some issues of her own, since one of Cloud's flashbacks showed that her father was killed by a (former?) SOLDIER named Sepiroth (I remember him!). She joins the group on their next mission to destroy another reactor. Cloud at first refuses to join, because apparently he doesn't care about the fate of the planet he lives on. Only after getting an offer of even more than before, he joins once again. (Side note: the money for cloud is coming out Marlene's COLLEGE FUND?!? WHAT?!?!).
This is obviously not my first Final Fantasy game, so I'm quite used to the Active Time Battle System, so I won't go into too much detail here. Cliffnotes version, it's still turn based, but instead of going in a sequence, each character has a bar that gradually fills up before you can perform a command, giving the battles a faster pace. I happen like the ATB system a lot. The characters don't have defined classes (you'll see why below), but they each have their own weapon sets and abilities. Cloud uses his big-ass Buster Sword, and is the strongest attacker of the group. Barret uses his gun arm (as he should), and is pretty strong defensively. Tifa...punches things. Gotta give the girl credit for her moxie, but punching doesn't seem all that effective when fighting robots and such, but apparently she must have a super punch or something, because she can kill robots and such with her fists, so what do I know? She' not quite as strong as Barret, but she's pretty damn close, so once again, props to you, girl. Her Limit Break also something has to do with slot machines, so there's that.
So, while I like the basic battle system, I'm not sure how I feel about the materia system just yet. Basically, materia are these objects that you can equip to your weapons and armor, not only giving you special abilities associated with that materia (like magic commands such as Fire and Cure), but also changing your stats as well. This is totally a personal thing, but I like when each character has a specific class and abilties, instead of you molding the character into whatever you want, as is the case here. There's also "special" materia, I guess, that changes the affect of the materia, but I haven't gotten any of those yet. I'm still trying to wrap my head about how materia functionally works in the world of this game, but that's probably overthinking things. (I can't help it! Do they just jam it into their weapons? And how does jamming an orb into the Buster Sword give you the ability to cast magic??) I also later found out that whenever a member leaves the party, the materia they had equipped reverts back to you? Weird, but nice.
You apparently get magic but shoving *this thing* into the Buster Sword
So, it turns out that our trio has been caught in a trap set up by Shinra. Which, honestly, should have been seen ahead of time. Give yourself a few days before you try to blow up a reactor for a company you attacked very very recenly. Long story short, Cloud gets separated from the group, and falls.
But don't worry! He managed to fall through a roof onto a flower bed! Said flower bed is growing in a church for some reason involving the grass I think? There's a girl tending to the flowers, who you actually met earlier in the story. This girl's name is Aeris, which means she's going to die. Aeris is also the nicest person in the world, so screw you Square. Cloud is his normal arrogant self, which leads Aeris to request Cloud be her bodyguard and escort her home. Turns out there's a reason she needs to be guarded; Shinra's after her, for reasons I don't think have been explained yet, other then those after her calling her an "ancient".
I hope nothing bad happens to her
Aeris fights in battle using a giant staff, which I'm convinced re-uses a sound effect from Super Mario RPG. She's not a very good physical attacker, but an excellent spellcaster. After Cloud returns her home, she decides to attach herself to Cloud, and join him on whatever quest he's on at the moment. The pair catch a glimpse of Tifa, who I think became a prostitue?? But that doesn't seem like Tifa at all, so they decide to investigate.
And that's it for now!
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What are your opinions on FFVII? Love it? Hate it? Utterly confused by it (like me!)? Let me know! Also don't forget to follow me on Twitter if you want! And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, which I'm currently working on a few videos for!
Video games are something that have been with me my entire life, and something that I don't think will ever leave. From playing my cousin's SNES that was at my grandparent's house, where my cousins and I spent hours playing games like Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country 2, to the first ever system that was truly mine, a "glacier" Game Boy Advance that I still own today, which came with a crappy Shrek fighting game that I was too young to realize was awful. That turned into a GBA SP, a Nintendo DS, a second DS, (the first one was in a tragic accident), and finally a 3DS. That turned into a love of console gaming, starting with a used PlayStation my mom bought for my sister and I. We later upgraded to a PS2, which was used probably about 90% for Guitar Hero. Then came the two systems I bought with my own money, the Wii and the PlayStation 3 (I have an amazing story about the time I acquired my Wii, but that really warrants its own article). And before you ask, no, I currently do not have a PS4, though I'm getting closer and closer to finally getting one.
Note: I have never had an Xbox system of my own, not for any reason in particular, just that I only have so much money to spend, and as I've always had Playstation systems, I went with what I knew.
The point is, video games are some of the most important things in my life, and for some reason I'll never know I decided to narrow all of the games I've played & loved to ten. This was actually much, much easier than I would have ever thought, until I realized that I was listing off games that was adding up to be much, much more than ten. Simply put, I love too many games to narrow them down to only ten, but somehow I've managed to do it.
So without further ado, here are my top ten games of all time. Note: For the sake of my sanity, these are presented in no particular order. For multiplatform games I will list only the system I played them on.
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Mass Effect Trilogy (PS3)
Why not start off this list with a cheat, huh? Yes, I know these are three separate games, but to be fair I did get them in one collection so that counts, right?
In all honesty, I tried to decide which one I wanted to have on its own, but each game is so essential to the bigger picture that I just could not pick one game to represent this series. Unlike most video game series, each entry is one part of a larger overall narrative, with choices in previous games affecting the current playthrough of the one you're currently playing. This was essentially unheard of when Mass Effect was announced, and no one knew for sure if it would pan out. But it did, and what a way it did. I refused to play any Mass Effect game until the first one was ever released on PlayStation (the first one was originally published by Microsoft and was an Xbox 360 exclusive), and I could not be happier with my decision. The first game is essential, it's where you are introduced to this vast universe Bioware created, the first time you meet characters that have become mainstays.
What makes these games unique is that everyone can have vastly different playthroughs. Even the smallest choice can have a huge butterfly effect that's not seen until a different game. One person may make a choice that another may not even have the option to choose. What truly makes this series succeed is the amazing world-building Bioware did. I grew with the characters, I cared about this world, I felt like part of the Normandy crew. By the time I finished the Citadel DLC (the final piece of content released for Mass Effect 3), I was tearing up, knowing that my time in this world was almost done.
The series became progressively less RPG-focused as it went on (Property of EA/Bioware)
Now don't get me wrong, these games aren't perfect at all. ME1 is pretty rough to get through, and while I didn't outright hate ME3's ending like many, I totally felt disappointed by it. In addition, the gameplay weirdly shifts throughout the series, with ME1 being a full-on RPG with some action elements, and ME3 ending up as a third-person shooter with some RPG elements thrown in. It may not be perfect, but Bioware created an amazing universe I just wanted to get lost in, and I can't wait to return to it in 2017.
Everyone's favorite six-wheeled space exploration vehicle (Property of EA/Bioware)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)
Remember when I mentioned that SNES at my grandparent's house at the top of this post? Well, this was one of the games we had, and this was the one that had the biggest impact on me. Right from the opening cutscene, the storybook look of this world is something that has stuck with me since then. I knew I loved it as a kid, but I grew to appreciate it even more as a young adult.
How can you say this isn't beautiful? (Property of Nintendo)
This game wasn't just charming as hell, it was just a flat-out great platformer. It took the basic concepts of the Super Mario series (run, jump, etc.) and added a whole new element. Yoshi, the loveable dinosaur-thing introduced in the absolute masterpiece that is Super Mario World, is the main character you control. After the stork carrying Babies Mario and Luigi is attacked, Luigi is taken to Baby Bowser's castle, while Mario falls right in the middle of Yoshi's Island, surrounded by a rainbow assortment of Yoshis. The Yoshis decide to band together to reunite the babies and save Luigi from Bowser. Each level involves a Yoshi carrying Mario on its back, and you need to protect him all the way through. If something gets to him, well, if it hasn't been ingrained in your head yet, let me show you:
As Yoshi, the game introduced concepts that are now mainstays of the Mario/Yoshi series. Egg shooting, ground pounds, and Yoshi's flutter jumps all originated in this game. The game looks beautiful even today, and while I won't give it away, the level Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy is an amazing feat of technology for a 16-bit machine. The graphics, gameplay, and soundtrack all come together to what may be (in my opinion at least) a perfect game.
Thomas Was Alone (PS3)
"Are video games art?" This question is asked multiple times, and this question has popped up even more in recent memory. To me, art is something that hits you emotionally, and makes you feel something. This is what video games do to me, and while others may object, this is why I consider video games to be art. To me, nothing exemplifies this more than than the indie puzzle-platformer, Thomas Was Alone. It is a game that makes you care about what are, essentially, rectangles. Now, they're much more than that, but what this game accomplishes is nothing sort of incredible. There is no spoken dialogue between the characters, and the narrative is told only by the narrator. The narrator speaks for the characters, gives them individual personalities, and ultimately is what makes you care for this ragtag group.
The colorful cast of heroes (Property of Mike Bithell)
As a puzzle-platformer, the gameplay is solid, and can be legitimately challenging sometimes, for me at least. Each character has it's own special ability along with it's unique personality. For example, one can swim, while no one else can, and so can be used as a sort of "boat" to carry the others across water. Another one can be used as a trampoline of sorts, and other characters can bounce off of her to reach even higher platforms. Each character is also a different size, with one being tall and narrow, and another being short and wide, adding another layer to the platforming.
Each character has their own unique ability, forcing you to become creative (Property of Thomas Bithell)
While the gameplay is engaging, it's really the narrative that makes this game so memorable. In addition to the wonderful narrator, the minimalistic soundtrack also adds another element to this game. When everything is thrown together, it makes for a gaming experience that I will never forget.
Pokemon was the first gaming series that I ever connected with, Emerald specifically. I had always watched the anime as a kid, and once I finally got that GBA, I knew I had to get my hands on a Pokemon game. Why did I connect with Pokemon? I think it's because it was the first game I played that was my adventure. The protagonist isn't necessarily a character and more of a vessel for yourself. You can name the character after yourself, catch whatever Pokemon you want, and ultimately play however you want. Add a simple, yet deep and engaging gameplay system, and you've got a winner on your hands.
So why these two games specifically? In all honesty, this was probably the hardest part of making this list. I knew a Pokemon game had to show up on this list, but which one? I've played every one so far, and while I could make a case for my first ever game (Emerald) for purely nostalgic reasons, or the originals (Red/Blue//Yellow) for their historical impact, but then I realized that the one I think about most is the remake of the Gen. II games. (Note: I myself had played SoulSilver, though the differences between versions are minimal.) I feel like the biggest reason for this is something that's shallow and superficial on the surface, but in the end adds a whole new layer to the game; walking Pokemon. Having any one of your Pokemon follow you throughout your entire journey, and the ability to interact with them, really drives home the fact that you truly aren't alone on this journey, you have (up to) six comrades along with you. By getting to spend quality time with your Pokemon, you realize that they aren't just your allies in battle, they truly are your family.
During most of the game, the Pokemon at the top of your party will follow you in the overworld (Property of Game Freak/Nintendo)
In addition, the game is just jam-packed with content. Not only is there the main campaign, plus completion of the campaign opens up a whole other region for your to explore, filled with its own objectives. There's also the Battle Frontier, which I've honestly never cared for all that much personally. I can't be certain, but this game may have the most meaningful post-game content (the Delta Episode in Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire is pretty darn great, though). Pokemon is one of the most important series in video games for me, and these remakes stand above the rest.
The game gives you a total of sixteen gym leaders to fight, the most in any main Pokemon campaign (Property of Game Freak/Nintendo)
Final Fantasy IX (PlayStation)
Final Fantasy IX is my favorite Final Fantasy, if it's placement on this list didn't make that obvious. This is another case where I had to do an internal ranking within a ranking. It was a close race between IX and the also-great VI and X (Note: I have not yet played FFXII, though it is one of the games in my backlog that I most want to play), but ultimately, this love-letter to the Final Fantasy games of yore came out on top. And I think the reason why is because of his heart.
The ATB system is, as usual, fantastic (Property of Square-Enix)
See, after Final Fantasy VII (which I like), VIII (which is actually fairly low on my ranking of the FF titles), and to an extent VI (which I love), which were all dark and brooding, with similarly brooding protagonists (VII and VIII in particular), it was just so refreshing to get a character like Zidane who just loves adventure. He doesn't want to be a hero, but he's not reluctant to be one either. He just ends up in a larger-than-life situation, and just decides to go along with it. In comparison to the dark steampunk settings of the previous three, IX goes all-in on the Fantasy in the title, being a lovely throwback to the original FF titles.
While I mentioned my love of Zidane, honestly I love all of the characters. They're all just so diverse, species- and personality-wise (QUINA QUEN!!!); and this is just a matter of taste, but I love when characters have specific roles within a party. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed both the Materia system of VII and the sphere grid of X, but I just love when each character has a defined role to play in battle, and strategizing around those roles. Add all of what I said above with the alway-great Active Time Battle system, and you've got what is (in my opinion of course) the best Final Fantasy, period.
The colorful cast of characters that will join you on your journey (Property of Square-Enix)
Paper Mario (Virtual Console (Originally on N64))
I remember exactly when I first played Paper Mario. It was the summer before I was going to enter high school, and I had recently had surgery on my arm. Because of that, I was unable to do much, so I was looking for more video games to play to occupy my time. I was on the Wii Shop channel, and discovered a quirky Nintendo 64 game which is the game I'm currently discussing. First off, this game is gorgeous, with a paper-based look (obviously), that mixes 2D character models with 3D backgrounds. The later games in the series expand upon this, and admittedly look superior, but there's a special charm about this game's look, and this game built the foundation for the rest of the series.
This game just oozes charm (Property of Nintendo)
As a spiritual successor to the also-wonderful Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (can you tell I like RPG's?), Paper Mario expands on the awesome battle system used in that SNES masterpiece. The battles are turn-based, but before you land an attack, you have an opportunity to give even more damage. If you time a button press or flick of the analog stick, your damage will double. It also works the other way too, with a well-timed button press can decrease some of the damage you take from enemies.
The companions in this game are top-notch (Property of Nintendo)
The game also has a great partner mechanic. Mario acquires eight partners throughout the course of the game, each based on a classic Mario baddie. In addition to distinct personalities, they all have special abilities that can be used in the overworld. One can turn Mario invisible, one allows Mario to swim across water, and so on. These abilities are not only needed to progress through the game, but also allows you to discover secrets throughout. While the story is an expansion of the classic "save the Princess" Mario story, it takes you to many diverse locations all throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, and is filled with humor and heart.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of my favorite films. There's just something about the adventure genre that I love, all the globe-trotting, puzzle-solving, and exploration that I gravitate towards, and I always jump at the chance to experience these in a more interactive form. I love the original Tomb Raider, though gameplay-wise it certainly hasn't aged well. I also love Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, which was my first PS3 game, probably more than most. As much as Drake's Fortune, Naughty Dog managed to take everything that worked in that game, and only expanded upon for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
First off, the scope of the game is just bigger. While the first one took place exclusively in South America, Among Thieves, while not as wide-reaching as the subsequent sequels, took place in more locations than the first, going from the jungles of Borneo to the Himalayas. The game is also beautiful, and the set pieces were just ramped up from the original.
Nathan Drake just doing what he does best (Property of Naughty Dog/Sony)
That's not even mentioning the characters. Their character work is what truly has made Naughty Dog the special studio it is today. The main trio, Nathan, Elena, and Sully, were given even deeper characterizations this time around, with the game taking a deep dive into the darker aspects of Nate's treasure hunting. Among Thieves is also responsible for introducing us to Chloe Frazer, one of my favorite characters in a video game (I still wish to this day she was utilized more in Drake's Deception). The gameplay is solid, with the platforming, puzzle-solving, and (mediocre in my opinion) gunfights; but let's be real here, when it comes to a Naughty Dog game, it's the story that truly makes it stand out.
Nathan Drake also doing what he does best (Property of Naughty Dog/Sony)
Kingdom Hearts (PS2)
Kingdom Hearts is the reason I got a PlayStation2. Well, not exactly. It was the reason I wanted a PlayStation 2. I am a huge Disney fan, and so when I discovered this weird game that mashes up a bunch of classic Disney films, I new I needed it.When our dad decided to buy a PS2 for our family my sister and I each got to pick a game out. I think you can guess which game I got.
However, this story turns somewhat sad. I got a used copy of the game, which worked fine until I reached the second time you visit Traverse Town, the game's hub world. The game froze right before the boss battle, and did so every time I tried restarting it. So, I begged my parents to get me a new copy, which they did (love them!), and so I was finally able to continue my journey to stop the Heartless.
Donald and Goofy helping you fight while inside Monstro the Whale from Pinocchio, as usual (Property of Square-Enix/Disney)
This game just brings back so many memories for me. It was my first introduction to the world of Final Fantasy (I had no idea who all these strange characters were), which, as you can tell from this list, was a pretty big deal for me. Obviously the Disney of it all is a huge factor for me. Even to this day when I replay it I get a smile on my face when I see Donald and Goofy teaming up with Tarzan, Aladdin, and the like. And can we talk about that soundtrack? Yoko Shimomura is one of the all-time great composers in my eyes, and Kingdom Hearts is my favorite game soundtrack, ever. If you've managed to never have heard this before, you're ears are in for a treat.
The story is one of the best for me. When looking at the series as a whole (I still adore the entire series, by the way), it at least appears that Tetsuya Nomura is apparently coming up with this thing as he goes. I don't even want to go into detail about the overall plot of those games. This game is a prime example of why I think that. It is a perfectly self-contained story, but still leaves it open for sequels without the need for cliffhangers. The destruction of his home, and loss and subsequent search for his friends is so heartwarming. As Sora goes on his journey, going to different worlds and getting entangled in a plot involving the Heartless and the Princesses of Heart (those whose hearts are completely devoid of darkness), this is a prime example of a hero's journey. While not the most complex RPG, I still is very playable, and I encourage everyone to play this game, though the sequels/spin-offs (except II, which is great!) are totally up to you.
We don't talk about the Gummi Ship (Property of Square-Enix/Disney)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
I have just one word to describe A Link to the Past: magic. This is another of those games that we played with that SNES I mentioned earlier, though this game mysteriously disappeared. (Seriously, to this day no one still knows what happened to it). When I finally got to play the full game years later, I was enthralled. There's something special to me about 16-bit graphics, and this game perfectly exemplifies that. I was born after this game came out, and was two when Ocarina of Time came out, so I didn't get the chance to really experience this game as a child. By the time I seriously got into video games, the PlayStation 2 was well out, and I didn't play Ocarina of Time until the 3DS remake, so I just can't create the emotional attachmeant that so many have with that game. Don't get me wrong, that game's still a masterpiece, but I just don't associate it with the nostalgia of stepping out into Hyrule field.
One of my favorite video game memories (Property of Nintendo)
This game, however, created just that. It's said so many times, but 16-bit graphics truly are timeless, and this game is beautiful even today. I love weather effects in video games, so that famous rain even got to me. I love exploration, so getting to explore this Hyrule Field was a special experience for me. Zelda game nail the gameplay, so I don't really feel the need to go into too much detail about it here.
But let's talk about the Dark World. I somehow didn't know anything about this when I played, so stepping into this new world (as a rabbit no less), was a moment I will never forget. So many things about this game work, from the look, to the gameplay, to the story, that I could just ramble on about it. But that would be a waste of everyone's time, so just do me a favor, and play this game if you haven't already. It's playable on almost every post-SNES console (except N64 and Gamecube), so it's not a very hard game to find.
HE'S SO CUTE (Property of Nintendo)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (PC)
"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....". I still get chills every time I see this, and hearing that John Williams fanfare is something I'll never get over, and the first time seeing those words on the big screen, before The Force Awakens on opening night is one of those memories you cherish for a lifetime. Suffice to say, I'm a huge Star Wars fan, so getting to experience my own Star Wars adventure was a pretty surreal experience.
The game takes you to all-new Star Wars locations (Property of Lucasfilm/Bioware/EA)
Taking place 4,000 years before the films, Knights of the Old Republic has you play as a soldier (male or female) waking up to find out the ship your on, which is transporting Jedi Bastilla Shan, is attacked by by Darth Malark. You crash on the planet Taris, where you need to find Bastilla. What follows is an adventure that takes you all across the Star Wars galaxy, where you'll discover planets new and old, and meeting a variety of faces along the way, both friend and foe. You recruit all different characters to aid you on your mission, from a Twi'lek teenager and her Wookie companion, to an assassin droid. You even become a Jedi yourself, getting to fight with a lightsaber.
The gameplay plays very much like an old-school RPG, where you can plan your moves ahead of time before watching your hero play them out. You can choose from three different classes, and then more subclasses after starting your Jedi training. Maybe it's because I haven't played any other Star Wars games, but fighting with a lightsaber was awesome. You can also customize your party even more, by giving them certain traits and upgrades, and equipping them with whatever gear or weaponry you feel fit.
As is usual for a Bioware joint, dialogue is a main component of the experience (Property of Lucasfilm/Bioware/EA)
As this is a Bioware game, the worldbuilding is top-notch. As this takes place well before the established canon, Bioware was free to do what they wanted within this pre-exisiting universe. The Star Wars universe is so wide that it can fit any number of stories in it, and I love exploring new corners. Getting to see all new planets was such a treat, and the story, of course, is great as well. This game also has one of the most famous twists in video games, though I won't spoil it here. I will say that you may either see it coming, or have it completely blow up in front of you (like it did for me), either way, I love this game (and its sequel), and I'm hoping the EA-Disney partnership will lead to a KoTR 3.
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Well, I did it. Hopefully you stuck around me rambling about things I love. To be honest, this was hard. There are so many games that I had to leave off this list that just kill me. Games like The Last of Us, Journey, Super Mario Galaxy, Lego Marvel Superheroes, Bioshock, Super Mario World, and so many other games are amazing in their own right, but the ten games I listed just stand above the rest in my eyes.
I also made a video of me talking about why I love these games. It's way less concise than this post, and is more me gushing about these games that hold a special place in my heart. I'll try to post more videos like this, so if you enjoy it, like the video and don't forget to subscribe!
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter and Instagram. I'll see you later with some more posts! Thanks for stopping by!
Video games are known to be something to bring people together, but most of the time people are playing multiplayer games. Some of our most fond gaming memories consist of playing with friends, from Goldeneye to Super Smash Bros., and from Wii Sports to League of Legends. But something that isn't talked about as much is the single-player bonding experience. Just because someone isn't actually playing a game, doesn't mean they can't get pulled into it as well. Narrative-focused games, especially those involved with choice, can provide a great social opportunity with friends.
