MY TOP TEN GAMING LIST

  So with this blog,  I've decided that I would divulge what I consider as my top ten list.  Basically 10 games that I not only enjoyed,  but that shaped my gaming as a whole.  This list is just my opinion,  so I'm sure many will not agree with me.  Which is fine,  as again this is more of a personal thing.   You can also listen to me talk about this list with my friend Miguel (he also weighs in on his list) on our weekly podcast, Player Start.  It's a really awesome in depth conversation with two very experienced gamers.  Here's the link for that: Player Start Podcast E04.  So, without further ado,  here's my list!

10.) Halo - Xbox

  Halo,  one of the biggest shooter franchises out today.  It's sci fi setting, stellar controls, awesome vehicles, and varied guns set it ahead of many of the shooters available when it first released.  It single handedly put the Xbox on the map.  For me it had a different impact.

  Before Halo I had played a few shooters off and on,  Doom, Wolfenstein 3d, Goldeneye, and Perfect Dark.  While these games were all fun in their own respects and I had some very competitve moments in the latter two.  It wasn't until Halo that I truly experienced why shooters are fun.   I was exclusively into RPGs prior to this game,  I would play other games but mainly spent my gaming time dealing with turn based battles and saving the world from some megalomaniac.  However,  when I purchased my first Xbox I got Halo with it.  

   My first thoughts were how amazing the controls were,  how the guns felt and fired like they should, and the vehicles were so easy to drive.  The story was very fun to play,  it felt like only a small part of a larger universe.  Easy to get in to, and especially fun with co-op.  But the real draw was the multiplayer.  I had never experienced Lan gaming until Halo.  Heading out to a friends apartment with my Xbox, 4 Controllers, and a copy of Halo.  Having others bring the same and Tv's.  Playing till all hours of the night,  everyone cursing and mocking each other as the night went on.  This game really made me sit back and realize that this was why shooters are so fun.  For the comradery and the competitiveness that they provide.  For that I always hold a special spot for the original Halo.

9.) Ultima Online - PC

   The granddaddy of MMORPGs,  this game sucked away many an hour from me.  I know I should have been doing something else,  but I didn't care.  Too many late night trips to Minoc to empty out the mines with friends,  then off to Britain Bank to peddle my wares.   I never knew how fun crafting was until this game.

   Ultima Online appealed to me on so many levels.  The graphics were so deliciously old school, with an isometric overhead perspective.   The whole immersion of being a part of a larger world was something I (and most people) hadn't experienced before.  Having so many paths to choose from,  rather than saying you can be a Warrior, Mage, Thief, etc.   You had a maximum point allotment, and you could put that into any skill you wanted.  So you could be a Mage Miner, Warrior Thief, Bard Tailor, whatever you wanted.  If you got tired of that,  you could take the points applied in one area and start to move them into another.  Combat was skill based and simple, yet hard to master.  I personally had a Fencer with very high speed,  better DPS than overall strength (I loved both my Kryss and War Axe).  

    The housing system in this game was unique (at the time) in that it took up actual world real estate.  So not everyone had a fancy castle,   I owned a decent sized two story house before eventually leaving UO (after a near 4 year stint).  Originally,  you took the risk that when you left town.  You could get murdered by another player and all your stuff stolen.  Later, in the Second Age,  they made an alternate world called Feluccia where that would happen anywhere except towns.  Trammel was the world where you could travel around and not worry about getting murdered.  This is just barely touching into the aspects of this game,  as it was extremely ambitious for it's time.

   I've always had a love/hate relationship with MMORPGs.  But this game it was all love during my career.  The newer iterations are just plain awful,  however you can download and play for free from any free shards that are up.  They are unofficial but some truly capture the magic of the game.  One if particular I recommend is called T2A (The Second Age).  

   

8.)Assassins Creed II - Xbox 360

   Assassins Creed is one of the next gen franchises that has truly helped define platformers for the future.  The original was ambitious and tried many things that had not been done in games to date.  The free running and climbing mechanics are awesome and easy to do (they only get better as the games go along).   The story is very unique in how it represents itself.  Combat, in the first one, can take getting used to (it's all about timing).  The original was very hyped and met with mixed feelings.   Anyone put off by part 1 should really try part 2 before making an final judgement,  this is where the series really showed it's strength.

   Part 2 casts you as a different character than the 1st.  It introduces Ezio Auditore de Firenze,  the resident badass who carries into the next 3 games.  Not only did this game take what part one did and expand upon it.  It actually mastered everything from it,  turning it into a truly innovative series.  The character and settings are truly believable (the graphics helped alot).  The controls are so easy,  you can run up the side of a building with little to no effort.  Combat improved greatly,  easier to counter and even grab enemy weapons. All of Ezio's moves feel very graceful yet powerful.  The storyline really pulls you in as well,  helping sell both the Ezio and Desmonds storylines.

   For anyone new to the series,  I would always recommend beginning with part 1.  Although if you want to experience how great this series can be, and the story of one of gamings best written characters.  Start with Assassins Creed 2,  you won't be disappointed. 

7.)Suikoden II - Ps1

   Possibly one of the most underrated (by sales at least) RPGs out there,  Suikoden 2 is one of the best experiences I've ever had with an RPG.   It had nearly everything I could ask for in this genre.  Great history, diverse characters,  believable villains, and a great combat system.  However,  it did not get the sales it truly deserved. 

   Suikoden 2 began nearly after part 1.  Many of the characters you see here,  you will already know from playing the 1st one.  The battle system is very similar,  only adding in more features and making it feel more expansive.  The wars are still here but they changed how they play out,  being a bit more tactical this time around.  You still get the one on one duels from the first as well,  intact as they were (don't fix what's not broken).    During part 2,  you do get more of a impact with the story itself.  Lots of tragedy and loss this time around,  it pushed itself into a more mature storyline.

    This game also has one of the most epic battles in RPGs (Luca Blight),  which occurs in the middle of the game.  It deals with love, loss, friendship, hate, sorrow, despair, and so many human emotions.  It's like a melting pot of everything that you want in a story.  Truly, a great game and worth experiencing at least once. The only downside being that the game is extremely tough to find and very expensive due to its rarity.   The disc alone can get close to $50-$60 on ebay alone.  I guarantee it's worth every penny though.

6.)Castlevania Symphony of the Night - Ps1

   Castlevania,  a game that throughout it's life always re invents itself.  While this hasn't always been a good thing,  Symphony of the Night was one of those times where it simultaniously changed itself while staying true to its roots.  To me,  it felt like the natural progression of Simons Quest.  

   The depth of this game is truly maddening,  being jam packed full of castlevania goodness.  The game takes place in Dracula's castle.  Which is truly big on it's own,  yet doubles it by making you play through it again,  but upside down and more deadly.  The cast of enemies is massive,  bringing in all the classic enemies with a horde of new ones.  Alucard (The main character and son of Dracula) has a big list of weapons, armor, spells, pets, and items at his disposal.  Some even have unique moves associated with them, this had me become obsessed with acquiring everything this game had to offer.  The dialogue, suffered some,  but still held what I expected of a Castlevania game.  The soundtrack is very diverse and something I still listen to.  

    This game made many people who didn't know what Castlevania was take notice of it immediately.  For fans, it is considered one of the best games in that series and is often in many peoples Top Ten lists.  I thorougly enjoyed this game and recommend it to any and everyone.  You can currently pick it up on either PSN or Xbox Live Arcade for around $10.  What are you waiting for?

5.)Ninja Gaiden - Nes

   Ninja Gaiden was one of those games that really kicked your ass.  It loved doing so,  but it was also the game you didn't want to put down.  It wasn't too insanely difficult like say Battletoads,  it was hard enough to were it beat you down but you wanted more.  As you got better at it, you felt more like a badass.  

   It didn't hurt that this game was very appealing graphically.   It had a great look for its time and even sported cinematics between acts,  something at the time that was nearly unheard of.  The soundtrack was great and fit the tone of each level perfectly.   However,  it was always the challenge of this game that drew me in.  Each battle in the game could result in immediate death, either by losing all your health or plummeting to your doom.  But it was all worth it once you made it to the end and conquered the game.  

   Throughout my life,  I've revisited this game from time to time.  Attempting to remind myself what I want to strive for when it comes to creating my own games.  Ninja Gaiden will always serve as my defining platformer and continue to inspire me in further game creation.  It is worth trying out for anyone that is looking for a true challenge.

4.)Bioshock - Xbox 360

   The debate still rages on,  as to whether video games are considered as a form of art.  I've always though they were,  as art is essentially a creative form of expression.  No game out there truly sold this idea than Bioshock.  It painted a beautiful yet tragic picture of the once, mighty underwater city of Rapture, the pinnacle of humanity.

   The game opens up with your character on a plane looking over a package he received.   Soon after your plane crashes in the middle of the ocean and you are the only survivor.  You come up near a very tiny dock, where you can ride a vessel to enter the city of Rapture.  From here ensues an surreal journey through the ruins of what was a great city.  You run into its insane residents, as they have been driven mad by Adam, as they rave on like lunatics and attack you on sight.  You will also use Plasmids to give your character extra abilities like setting enemies on fire, shooting lighting from your hands, or controlling a swarm of bees.  As you move through the fallen city,  a voice from the radio guides you throughout to help you find and confront Andrew Ryan,  The visionary and leader of Rapture.   What plays out is one of the best stories in gaming and also one of the best plot twists that really spins on old video game habits.  

   This game is so immersive and truly something to behold,  truly a masterpiece.  It is easily available on PC, Xbox 360, and Ps3,  and for very low prices nowadays as the game has been out for about 4-5 years.  Would you kindly check it out today?

3.)Resident Evil 2 - Ps1

   Resident Evil really set the bar for survival horror games,  single handedly putting them on the map to all gamers.   It made all of us jump at the dog jumping through the window,  made everyone laugh at being a master of unlocking.  With all its best moments,  it pales in comparison to what its sequel brought to the table.

   Resident Evil 2 raised the bar drastically for the series.  Taking it from a small mansion to an open city, riddled with chaos and death.  It introduced us to what I consider to be the best character in the series,  Leon Kennedy,  and casts you also as Claire Redfield whos the sister of Chris from the first RE.  It brings in many classics from part 1 (re imagining some and keeping others the same), introduces new monsters, new guns, also Hunk and TOFU!!!  The dual storylines play well and really encouraged replay.  While the dialogue is like part 1,  very campy, this helps sell the game.  

   Many people are hoping for a remake of this particular game, I still hold the original in high regard.  It got me excited for future entries and really showed Resident Evil was ready to be a franchise.  So RE2 is a very important milestone for survival horror and the RE franchise in general. You can currently buy this on PSN, and it's worth a trip down retro lane.

2.)Final Fantasy VI - Snes

   Final Fantasy is a long running series that was originally Squares last chance of survival.  So the name had much more meaning than implied,  fortunate for them it became the defintive RPG series for many gamers young and old.  While it told many different stories of the years,  it was this particular tale that always stuck with me.

   FFVI casts you in a role of many diverse characters,  each unique and interesting in their own respects.  You begin the game as Terra Branford,  a brainwashed slave of the Empire with the ability to naturally cast magic.  You are sent to investigate an Esper (ancient magical being) that has been unearthed in the City of Narshe.  What ensues from here is an adventure full of love, hate, tragedy, loss, and destruction that encompasses one of the best stories I've ever experienced.  Every person in this world, big or small, felt important to the overall feel of the game.  The battles were amazing and memorable,  many bosses always stand out to me like Ultros and Atma Weapon.  The soundtrack was amazing (Nobuo always makes gold) and it even sports my favorite RPG town Zozo.  The villain Kefka, while being fairly simplistic in his motives, was also one of the best out there.  He truly just wanted to destroy everything because, well,  he could.  This game was, for me,  one of the most perfect games I've ever played.  

   This game truly needs to be experienced by anyone claiming to be either a FF fan or an RPG fan in general.  A pinnacle of what Square could accomplish when they set out to make a great game with the right team.  This game would have really been my number 1, but it was just barely beat out by another Squaresoft masterpiece.

1.)Chrono Trigger - Snes

   That masterpiece being Chrono Trigger.   Made by what was considered to be Squares dream team.  This game was truly a labor of love and can be felt in every aspect and facet of it.  The art, music, story, characters, villains, settings, and concept really push the envelope.  

   The idea of time travel has always been conceived, however in video games at that point it was barely used.  So the idea of going on an adventure through time with such a colorful cast of characters is very intriguing.  Throughout you go through many emotions while experiencing the impact of choices small people can have on the world at large.  This game takes you through 6 different eras as you find out how bleak the future is and help to change it's eventual outcome at the hands of the interstellar traveler Lavos.  The set pieces are amazing, boss battles are epic, and the music takes you away.  

   The soundtrack in this game is truly unique,  composed by Yasunori Mitsuda.  Just a sound engineer at Square before this,  CT was his very first soundtrack he had written for the company.  He toiled to put together one of the best scores I've personally ever heard,  having to deal with massive hard drive crashes and eventually being hospitalized.  He put so much of himself into this game that when he heard the ending track played during their demo of the game,  Yasunori wept hearing and seeing everything come together so beautifully.

   Chrono Trigger to me was a very impactful game.  It always sits as my favorite game,  when I was younger and now that I'm older.  It's something I will always revisit and hold dear to my heart.  If you play only one game from this list,  I highly recommend this.  It's truly amazing and worth every second of your time.

   So thanks everyone for sitting through that.  This list was written mainly as what I thought were the best influences on my gaming as a whole.  I have 100's of others I would love to list,  but these stand out the most.  Again these are my opinions,  feel free to agree or disagree with me.  I would love to hear what everyone thought or maybe what games I should have mentioned.  Thanks for reading and also check out the Player Start Podcast episode to hear Miguel and me talk about these lists so more.  Thanks!