1. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - This was my first sandbox game (first one I liked anyways) and the only one I know of where it is possible to jump from one end of the continent to the other. Spell and skill variety were at an all time high for the series while it greatly improved on the placelessness that plagued Daggerfall while still maintaining a vastness (without Fast Travel). Combat was nothing to call home about and magicka did not regenerate, NPCs were largely stationary and mostly spoke in text. Animations were clunky, borderline goofy and Tribunal was unfortunately small. But even with all these items, the game felt so free, I could drop or sell those vital quest items, kill those essential NPCs and stack alcohol until I could carry thousands of pounds. Even the bugs and glitches in the game were fun in their own right, being from a time prior to the complicated scripting found in Oblivion, Skyrim, Falout 3, and Fallout New Vegas. It was also the only game I heavily modded for my own personal use, creating even my own NPCs with dialog trees, my own houses, items, and enemies. The Construction Set made it extremely easy, even for someone like myself.
2. Final Fantasy IX - A light-hearted tribute to the long-running series and the last of the Playstation entries. Overall, the strength of FFIX was characterization and superior pacing to FFVIII (and much better localization than FFVII). I'd dare say that Zidane is the series best protagonist, assuming one doesn't have an aversion to furries.
3. Psychonauts - The pinnacle of quirky prior to the rein of Suda51. Psychnonauts is short, but diverse experience with enough humor to satiate even the most melancholy of teenagers. From concept, to characters, to level design, the game oozes a creativity seldom lathered so thoroughly atop the entirety of the romp.
4. Minecraft - A unique experiment in simplicity, proving the value of creativity and the foolhardiness of the video games industry's obsession with graphics. Minecraft succeeds because it offers a diverse experience that ultimately the player defines. The game continues to grow, and remains a paragon of what the industry is capable of.
5. Bioshock - Atmosphere was the primary strength of Bioshock, not shooting, not characterization, not even storytelling. As a student of philosopher, I greatly appreciated the addressing and criticism of Ayn Rand within a AAA title. Even though the ending was lackluster and it ran on a diametric morality scale, the opening cinematic still gives me chills and the gameplay makes me coo with glee.
2. Final Fantasy IX - A light-hearted tribute to the long-running series and the last of the Playstation entries. Overall, the strength of FFIX was characterization and superior pacing to FFVIII (and much better localization than FFVII). I'd dare say that Zidane is the series best protagonist, assuming one doesn't have an aversion to furries.
3. Psychonauts - The pinnacle of quirky prior to the rein of Suda51. Psychnonauts is short, but diverse experience with enough humor to satiate even the most melancholy of teenagers. From concept, to characters, to level design, the game oozes a creativity seldom lathered so thoroughly atop the entirety of the romp.
4. Minecraft - A unique experiment in simplicity, proving the value of creativity and the foolhardiness of the video games industry's obsession with graphics. Minecraft succeeds because it offers a diverse experience that ultimately the player defines. The game continues to grow, and remains a paragon of what the industry is capable of.
5. Bioshock - Atmosphere was the primary strength of Bioshock, not shooting, not characterization, not even storytelling. As a student of philosopher, I greatly appreciated the addressing and criticism of Ayn Rand within a AAA title. Even though the ending was lackluster and it ran on a diametric morality scale, the opening cinematic still gives me chills and the gameplay makes me coo with glee.
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