Poll: Top 5 games of all time, no mean comments

[Sacman]

Heh No Thief or System Shock?
The username and avatar are quite misleading...

I do love the first two Thief games and System Shock 2 (haven't actually played the first)... but they're a bit out of mind since I haven't played them for a while. System Shock 2 is annoying to get working these days (it needs to get on GOG). The Thief games definitely need a replay in the near future.

Fair enough... I built a vintage system just to run all of my old games myself... it's top of the line for 2000... you know so I can play my boxed copied of Half-Life System Shock2 Deus Ex and such... though yeah It does need a re-release... hopefully not on Origins, since EA has the copyright... best case scenario it turns up on GoG or a different half way decent company buys it off them...

The original System Shock is freeware now... it's worth checking out if only to see a real stepping stone in the evolution of video games and to see how bad FPS storytelling is now compared to a low budget adventure FPS from 1993...<.<

 

[The Almighty Aardvark]

Aww damn, I picked Metroid Prime before I saw the last option. You can mentally add one to that option, it's a pretty solid list.

My favorite games? Hmm... I think currently my list would go something like this:

1. Shadow of the Colossus
2. Ico
3. Metroid Prime
4. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
5. Phantasy Star Online

Shadow of the Colossus tops the list because of all of the little things that makes it great (ironic on a game focusing predominantly on very big things). Unlike most games with that scale of enemies the colossi actually feel massive. It had solid gameplay (while a tad unweildly from time to time), an interesting storyline, a dark atmosphere and had an amazing art style. I'll end my praise for it now as I've done this rant way too many times.

Gameplay aside, Ico may come above SotC on my list. I actually preferred the art direction in Ico to SotC (while only marginally), and I loved how well the character's personalities were communicated despite there only being about a page of dialogue in the entire game. Their body language and interaction with each other told more than pages of dialogue could.

Metroid Prime... Okay, you're going to notice a theme here, I'm going to comment positively on all of my top games art direction, as that is incredibly important to me. So I'll leave it at that, very nice looking game. I loved the gameplay as well, the bosses were excellently done, while not quite so much as Metroid Prime 2.

Amnesia, noot quite as nice looking as previously mentioned games, but it's immersion made the game for me. Amnesia made me invite death with open arms, just so the suspense and fear would be over.

Phantasy Star Online is probably included largely out of nostalgia, I absolutely loved that game, it was relatively simple, yet still fun... and yes, it also looked very nice.

I would love to include Crash Team Racing on there, but alas there's no room. Still probably one of the games I have the most fun playing.

 

[Skoosh]

Shadow of the Colossus
-Looked beautiful, unique gameplay, fantastic atmosphere and storytelling. If you haven't played it, pick up the PS3 HD remake, well worth it.

Portal
-Hilarious, unique gameplay, perfectly balanced and crafted for a fantastic game.

Final Fantasy X
-Love the series, but this was the best for me. Gameplay was solid, story was very well done, interesting characters and aesthetics.

Pokemon Soul Silver.
-Huge fan of the whole series. Chose this since it has all the convenience of the more modern pokemon games and is the longest with 16 badges and Red at the end. White was a close second, but nostalgia gave this the boost.

Warcraft III
-Very fun RTS with the introduction of heroes, but more importantly it had hundreds of wonderful custom games. Best community I played with making the best games I've seen (DotA, TDs, mauls, Hero Wars, I could list all day).

As for your games, it's not bad, but not great. A lot of very solid games, but fairly underwhelming. Emerald was a very good game, as was ACII, but nothing that special. I really enjoyed the Jak and Daxter series, but 3 I couldn't get into. First 2 are worth playing through once, but not worth revisiting really. Same pretty much goes for Mass Effect. It was okay, but had way too many flaws to overlook. Very repetitive, planets were pointless to explore, a lot of tedious gameplay, morality system and conversations were okay, but very lacking.

Seeing a decent amount of Silent Hill 2, which I can certainly agree with. It almost beat FFX out on my list, but I've been feeling the RPGs more than horror today, so it lost out this time. Absolutely brilliant. The atmosphere, story and storytelling all superb.

 

[Olivia Faraday]

5. Chrono Trigger
4. Final Fantasy XII (yes, 12.)
3. Dragon Age 2 (yes, 2.)
2. Super Mario Bros 3.
1. Odin Sphere

Honourable Mentions: Bastion, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Tales of the Abyss, Dragon Age: Origins, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.

 

[ItsAChiaotzu]

Snap, and nostalgic high five for Jak 3, recently replayed that whole trilogy and it still knocks every modern game out of the water.

After that, probably Demon's/Dark Souls next, can't quite decide which, then in no particular order, the original Guitar Hero, Crash Team Racing, and Infamous 2.

 

[Aarquus]

My top 5 in reversological order:

5) Bioshock. Brilliant aesthetic, good gameplay that was challenging but not rage-worthy, one of the best stories in any game I've played. It was a narrative I fully enjoyed.

4) Fallout 3. Huge open world that I got submerged in for 100+ hours, tons and tons of quests and things on the side, felt like a world that was truly alive, albeit trying to kill me most of the time.

3) Halo: Reach. Whilst the campaign wasnt the best in the series, the multiplayer was so varied and fun that I'll still go on Multi Team with my friends. The Forge system was improved greatly from Halo 3, meaning average people could, and did, make really cool maps. Shame there's not that many people playing it now.

2) Mass Effect 2. The first one was RPG through-and-through, which bored me at times. The second was much better, always presenting me with multiple missions without dragging me through large maps or larger menus. A fully realised universe that gave a great sense of immersion, the characters being so much more than the one-dimensional slabs you often find in other games. The best sci-fi game, if not series, of all time.

1) Jet Set Radio Future. This game was the most fun I have ever had in my life. Beautiful cel-shaded graphics and art style, a colourful cast of characters to choose from, the maps lended themselves to exploraration and gave a great sense of freedom as I played. And of course, it had the best soundtrack of any game ever, of all time. An absolute blast and I'd still recommend picking up a copy now, despite it being all but 10 years old.

 

[scorptatious]

I've tried to think of a top five list, but it's hard to do so. My taste in games change over time and there's always at least one game I'm really into at any given time. Not to mention if there was a game I've really enjoyed I was little, there's a chance that I may not enjoy it as much as I do now. Whether it be because it hasn't aged too well or my tastes have changed.

That being said, I have to say that Shadow of the Colossus is a game that I found and still find to be absolutely amazing. And I haven't played too many games that I've enjoyed as much as it. Except maybe games like Final Fantasy IX or Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

 

[-KC-]

- Warcraft III: TFT
- Pokemon Emerald and Pokemon Crystal
- Dragon Age: Origins
- WoW: WotLK
- GTA: SA, GTA: IV
- League Of Legends

I got 6....FUCK IT I CAN'T ABANDON ANY OF THEM! (actually I got 8)

 

[Ventilator89]

I don't play a wide variety of games, so I'll just put down in my top five the ones that I love.
or/and play often. In no particular order after the first game listed....

Kotor 2... (Yes SHUT UP! I love this game!!! I know it had a REALLY confusing ending and was cut short. And I think... not sure, that obsidian only had a year to make it. But it was well done otherwise =D )

Heroes of might and magic 3 (Sadly doesn't work on my computer, it's too old D

Dungeon Keeper 2 (Really fun, haven't played Dungeon keeper 1 though.)

Kotor 1 ( For obvious reasons, but I like kotor 2 better xD )

Skyrim or Dragon age 1 ( can't think of any others. Skyrim ain't a bad game, but im bored shitless of dragon age 1. But dragon age 1 ain't bad either...)

Edit: Instead of 'skirim or Dragon age 1', I'll put Star wars battleground 2 (I think that's what it's called...) Its really fun, not that I've actually played it online or anything, but it's still fun to play with a friend or a sibling.

 

[|Sith|Eldarion]

5:Rome Total War(awesome online with skilled players and fun gameplay that's easy on the processor).
4:Twilight Princess(Great visuals, awesome puzzles and bosses, fun gadgets, and a support character with both usefulness to gameplay and an arc. This is in regards to the gamecube version, with controls that actually fricking work).
3:Mass Effect 2(Great Characters, very nice gameplay, no ponderous inventory, awesome story, satisfying ending. Plus, if you replay it, it lets you keep your upgrades, so you can skip entirely the planet scanning mechanic.
2:Halo Reach(tight gameplay, awesome forge mechanics, theater, varied online gameplay modes, significant additions and tweaks from the last game, and an entertaining campaign.)
1ragon Age:Origins/Skyrim(The ultimate tie between the best that Bioware and Bethesda have to offer. The story driven tactical RPG with interesting party members versus the 256 square mile dragon infested sandbox. I just can't choose).

 

[HerrBobo]

From OP's list, none. Well, gun to my head, Mass Effect.

My own is this (note, I'm gonna limit myself to PC, as that is all I have played in the last 12 years)

Total War- Any of them, really, but Rome is arguably the best.
Stalker- again, they are all fantastic, but I'd give it to SoC if I had to pick one.
Rise of Flight- the best flight sim since IL2.
Call of Duty 2- Could include CoD1 and MW1 here too, but CoD2 has been the standout game of the series for me. I lost interest in the series around MW2/BO.
Dawn of War 2- again, any of them could be here, but DoW2 was EPIC!

 

[Thomas Bingham]

5. Pokemon: Gold & Silver
For its place in time, the best Pokemon generation by miles.
4. Banjo-Tooie
It oozes personality
3. Paper Mario
It oozes personality *and* it's perfectly paced
2. Tales of Symphonia
I can not begin to list the number of things it does right
1. The Wind Waker
I play video games to experience things like the Wind Waker

 

[ImperialSunlight]

In no particular order and not my absolute "Best games ever" as I have none:

Dark Souls
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Final Fantasy (the first one)
Soulcalibur II

 

[Radeonx]

1. KotOR
2. Starcraft/Brood War
3. Halo 3
4. Pokemon Black/White (Was Red/Blue, but Black/White took over as the best in the series BY FAR)
5. NBA Jam (Genesis version, not the new one)

Honorable Mentions Include: Dragon Age: Origins, KotOR 2, Starcraft 2, AC 2, and Warcraft 3/Frozen Throne

 

[KnightOfHearts]

Hmmmmm top 5 eh?

Probably:

1. Vagrant Story
2. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
3. Devil May cry 3
4. Mass Effect 2
5. Kingdoms of Alumar (First day buy and I've already done 25 hours... I'm no where near being bored with it either).

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

I've tried to think of a top five list, but it's hard to do so. My taste in games change over time and there's always at least one game I'm really into at any given time.

This. I wrote a Top 10 for my blog a few years ago, and I look back on it now and I can't help but facepalm and question what the hell I was doing. Subjective opinions are tricky to deal with when they fluctuate so rapidly from day to day, week to week.

 

[Callate]

It's hard to weigh older games and their contributions to the medium, along with how enjoyable they may have been at the time, against the obvious technological shortcomings when judged against modern games. That said, I think I might have to cheat a little and name some series. With a little consideration, I think I'd choose:

Sid Meier's Civilization

Grand Theft Auto

Half-Life

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Command and Conquer

I would have a lot of runners-up, though, including things like Silent Hill 2, Mass Effect, the Ultima series, The Last Ninja, Star Control 2... And I could probably rattle on for another half a page.

 

[StashAugustine]

1) Deus Ex- Human Revolution
2) Bioshock
3) Portal
4) F.E.A.R.
5) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

I'm kinda a shooter fan, in case you couldn't tell. And I'm putting COD4 on there on the strength of the singleplayer.

 

[Raggedstar]

Of your games, Jak 3 is my fav. I personally think Jak 2 was better *points down below*, but Jak 3 was still good. Just I didn't like how for about the first 1/4 of the game I was going "...can I platform now?", bringing in Ashelin as the sudden love interest (and tossing Keira in the bin), and the story didn't hold as much weight. Did a lot of the smaller things right though, like improving the guns and eco powers, making the difficulty more balanced, HEALING. Wings were pretty neat too, though a shame you didn't use them

Now, my list...

1. Okami
2. Ratchet and Clank: A Crack In Time
3. Shadow Of The Colossus
4. Pokemon Crystal (I guess you can toss HG/SS if you count remakes)
5. Jak 2

Floating around above that is Psychonauts, Portal, Sly 2, Limbo, etc.