What Are Your Top 5 Video Games?

[Soups]

If you're anything like me, you probably LOVE video games. Over the years, I've played some exceptional games, and while they're all unique in their very own way, there are a select few that hold a special place in my heart.

Those games are...

1. Pokemon Blue

Pokemon Blue isn't just the single greatest video game I've ever played, but also the first I've ever played. For me, nothing replicates the feeling of selecting my starter from the iconic trio of Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander and braving the region of Kanto. The mystery and excitement that came with encountering Pokemon for the first time will always hold a special place in my heart. With some of the most addicting game-play in any video game to date and a soundtrack for the ages (remember Lavender Town/Pokemon Tower anyone?), Pokemon Blue will forever stand the test of time.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

To say I'm a Zelda fan would be an understatement. I'm a Zelda fanatic. I've played most of the titles released to date, but I love none of them more than I do Skyward Sword. To play as the original Link and witness how the entire series came to be... it was truly unforgettable. Skyward Sword's soundtrack is one of the best in the series and I still listen to it till this day. I rarely ever cry, but the ending to Skyward Sword brought tears to my eyes and that's truly a testament of how great and powerful the game is.

3. Kingdom Hearts II

When I first heard that Disney and Square were coming together to create a video game, I laughed. I couldn't fathom how the two companies could mix and what they'd create. Little did I know that they were on the verge of creating what I consider to be one of the greatest videos game ever.

With an epic, and I mean EPIC, story, characters, levels/worlds, music, and boss fights, Kingdom Hearts II is gaming at its greatest. I've only had three videos bring tears to my eyes and Kingdom Hearts II was the first.

4. Mass Effect 3

I play video games because I enjoy them. I also play video games because it's my chance to experience the magic of storytelling. Mass Effect 3 allowed me to do just that AND influence the outcome of the story. To think that my Mass Effect 3 experience was the way it was because of the way I played Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 was jaw-dropping. Add in some of the greatest characters to ever set foot in a video game and one of the most epic stories to date and Mass Effect 3 is easily one of my favorites.

5. Red Dead Redemption

Grand Theft Auto is great because it gives you the freedom to do as you please in such a large world, typically large cities. Now take that concept and add it to Wild West and you've got Red Dead Redemption. Red Dead Redemption explore avenues that no game before it had ever quite done. You genuinely feel for Mr. Marton as you experience the journey he must take in the Wild West to save his family. With plot twist at every turn, jaw-dropping moments, and an ending for the ages... one that made me cry as well, Red Dead Redemption is one of my favorite video games of all-time.

What games are in YOUR Top 5?

[Wookie Mistake]

Hah, I'm gonna date myself with some of these, so please no comments about rocking chairs or walkers XP


In no particular order (except as I remember them)
*These games are my favorites mostly for nostalgia factor, and how much I played them in my youth*

No.1
Xenogears
https://youtu.be/QTx8iG52Ruo

Has anyone ever played xenoblade? Well the same people who made that made this game, it came out for the PSX almost 20 years ago. Turn based rpg, back in the glory days of the genre. IMO one of the best ever, yes that includes the FF series. What made this game amazing? The combat system was fun, alongside the traditional magic system, there was a combo system where you used ap to attack, either saving up ap to unleash a massive combo or using specific button combinations to use special attacks called deathblows. The story was amazing, and incredibly deep, which from everything I heard was pitched to be the FF7 story but was considered too dark, it was by far one of the most engrossing games I've ever played. Also, mechs, I mean c'mon a turn based rpg where you can call in a mech to stomp on some baddies? Sold!!!

No.2
Fire Emblem Path of Radiance
https://youtu.be/yGyEj-tzTbA

Probably my favorite sub genre of RPGs the tactical turn based. PoR was my reintroduction to the genre and tops out my actual introduction to TTB RPGs shining force, because of it's unforgiving nature. While not as brutal as say XCom: Enemy Within (which may still be considered the most difficult game to complete on max difficulty). It was still unforgiving, and I can't remember how many times I had to go back to a save in my first few go throughs, because if you lost a character they were gone for good (Yes, I've beaten the game a bunch of times). XP and promotional material was also pretty rare, which was one of the failings IMO for the 3DS games. You had to chip away at some of the baddies to make sure that you could level up lower leveled characters without them getting slaughtered. And after you've played the game, you're balancing between making sure that you can through certain stages with wasting xp on characters you know you aren't going to use.

No.3
Bust-A-Groove 2

Good grief, wth is this game? XD. It's a rhythm dance game for PSX. With some of the most sugary J-Pop tracks I have ever heard. Why you ask is this in my top 5. Because the songs were so catchy that almost 20 years later me and my friends still talk about them. In actuality it was the first game's songs that we all loved and would sometimes blast out of the radio during a long road trip. But the second game gave each character more depth, by giving them individual button combinations, as opposed to the first one where the button combinations got repetitive. That being said, it's not a great game by any means, I just had so much fun playing it.

Here's the song that was so catchy, it still sometimes gets stuck in my head
It's the english version of the song, but I'll still find myself humming it at random, and sometimes embarrassing moments.

Spoiler:

If you're a brave one, check out some of the other songs, they're ridiculously catchy.

No. 4
Final Fantasy VI

I can go on and on about why this game is the best FF game in my opinion. But I'm sure most of you have played it, and if not give it a whirl if you've got the time. I'm just going to give a couple of reasons why it was my favorite of the series. It had the deepest character roster. It introduced summons. It also introduced to me optional sidequests. You could go through the 2nd half of the game with the absolute minimum of characters, or you could spend your time finding every single one. The story is still one of the best I've ever played. From the intro where Terra goes through with her "wing men" Biggs and Wedge (a nod to Star Wars: A New Hope) to the maniacalness that is Kefka. I can't count how many times my dad told me to get off the snes and me telling him, that I needed to find a save point first, while secretly going on even though I had just saved it XD

No.5
Goldeneye64

,
Last, but definitely not least. The number of hours I've put into this game is nearly impossible for me to calculate. Me and my cousins played this game for hours and hours, and usually turned into someone crashing at the other's house on the weekends. We'd wake up the next day and go at it again. The number of hours we spent during the summer not getting any sun is a little alarming looking back but good lordy how much fun we had. It became our coin flip. Winner gets to pick what we're watching. Loser has to wash dishes. Stuff like that.

Ahh the good ole days. Welp kids, that's enough from grandpa wooks, have fun with your new-fangled doo-hickeys. It's time for me to have dinner...at 4 P.M.

[Soups]

All of those games are great selections!

[Sanctus]

You guys have great lists!

I started to write one up, but I can't pick really. Too many good ones. But I can certainly say what my current favorite game is, though there's no way I can do it justice here. It's Final Fantasy XV! It felt so strange at first. "Is this Final Fantasy?" The modern, somewhat realistic environment was a bit difficult to get used to, though I knew it would be going in. The primary mode of transportation is a car and there is no proper airship compared to past entries, just for straters--of course, of course. Then the game does what Final Fantasy always does well. The plot thickens, becoming as much devastating as it is heartwarming. I grow attached to the people and places. I actually greatly appreciate a game in which your entire party consists of men most of the time. I feel like true male bonding is not displayed enough in culture. By the middle of the game I wouldn't have it any other way. A decade of expectation paid off. Thanks Square!

[Bulbasaur]

God, I have no idea. XD Let's see what I can come up with.

5. Age of Empires III
4. Pokemon Blue
3. Civilization V
2. Pokemon Diamond
1. Guitar Hero 2

Probably something like that.

[Midnight Sun]

Hmm, this is pretty difficult, but...

5. Spyro Ripto's Rage
This is the first game I ever completed in its entirety, and I pooled so many hours playing as the titular purple dragon! However, this title stands strong, even without the nostalgia. The words were fun, the difficulty creeps were notable but not impossible to overcome, and it was a huge step up from the previous game. The characters were also enjoyable and entertaining, though it feels like they all vanished post-game cx

4. Harvest Moon: Animal Parade
I really like that this HM game had a bit more of a plot than other entries in the series, which makes it more dynamic (in my opinion). The atmosphere is pretty cheery, though there are some deeper moments, which add a good dose of realism considering the situation in-game. I'm a huge sucker for character customization, and this game does provide a very large selection of outfits and accessories for your character to wear (you can even dress your in-game children!). I couldn't finish this annotation without mentioning the cast; I really enjoyed most of the characters, and liked how they developed as I befriended them.

3. Fire Emblem Awakening
I was recommended this game, and although I knew it was good, I ended enjoying it way more than I had anticipated. As I previously mentioned, I like character customization, and really liked being able to custom-make my protag. The story was good, the gameplay was great, and the characters were amazing. I had so much fun just listening to them interact with each other during support conversations. If you haven't played it yet, GO DO IT NAO!

2. Rune Factory 4
If Pokemon didn't exist, this would be my favourite game, hands down. The combo of farm-sim and JRPG worked so well and assured that there would always be a wide variety of tasks to accomplish. The story itself is pretty solid, the twists come off as genuine surprises and keep you hooked until the end (though I did find the last area to be a bit meh, sadly). Although I didn't like the cast as much as I did with AP, most of the characters are interesting and likeable (and I REALLY enjoyed several of them, and their dynamic with each other). Though the customization isn't as in-depth as it is in other games, you can change purchase new outfits as the game progresses. Also Dylas. Just Dylas.

1. I CAN'T PICK JUST ONE POKEMON GAME, TOO MANY FAVS!
Seriously, I really do like the entire franchise as a whole. It's not too hard to lump them together, as they have similar plots. However, Platinum and Sun/Moon stand out particular. The latter is espaically notable as the story was more detailed than in previous titles, the formula was altered (providing a newish experience) and... Lillie. I really liked how she was so involved and developed as the game progressed. I also have to note Shadows of Almia, which I had a blast playing through and found to be really interesting.

Special mention does go to Persona 5, which is incredible up to the point I've reached. I can't really rank it on this list though, as I'm watching my brother play through it, instead of being in control myself. But the characters (including the dynamic they have with each other), story, and gameplay are simply brilliant. It's just... epic, simply put.

Kingdom Hearts also deserves mentioning, though I've only really played Days (and haven't yet finished, though I know how it ends). As such, despite being a fan of the story (no matter how... complicated it can get) and the lore, I can't really rank any of the titles on my list.

I also have to note Skyrim, but I found it really hard to compare it with the other titles I've played, so I couldn't really fit it in properly. It's Skyrim though, need I say more?

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns is the game I've been playing recently, and it's the first HM/SOS title in a fair while that's really pulled me in. I like the gameplay and characters more than I did in the last few games, though I wish the story was a bit more compelling.

[Sojiro]

1. The Last of Us - Naughty Dog - PS3 / PS4 (Remastered)

The Last of Us is the best game I have ever played. The graphics, story, and world built around it combine to create an incredible experience. It was the first game I played on PS4, and is probably the best I've played. The story is set in a post apocalyptic world, 20 years after a fungal infection plagues the world. Joel, the main character, escorts a young girl, Ellie, across post apocalyptic America, because she is immune to the infection. The journey involves some incredible tension, character growth, and a great soundtrack. The story is gut wrenching and heart warming and combat is do or die. I absolutely loved this game and look forward to the sequel!

2. Pokémon Emerald - Gamefreak - Game Boy Advanced

Emerald was and remains my favorite Pokémon game I have ever played. My first Pokémon game was Ruby, and I loved the story and the Pokémon of Hoenn. Emerald built on that, adding to the story by having both Team Aqua and Team Magma succeed in their plans, and added the Battle Frontier, one of my favorite features in a Pokémon game. The nostalgia alone puts Emerald on this list, and I always enjoy playing through it on my laptop during free time.

3. Persona 5 - Atlus - PS3 / PS4

Persona 5 is my first game in the Persona franchise, and it blew me away. The story follows a protagonist in Tokyo, as he builds strong relationships with amazing characters and takes on villians in the Metaverse. The game boasts one of the best soundtracks I've ever experienced and a story that follows the calendar, a format that I really liked. I've played through it twice and have just begun a third play through. It's my second favorite PS4 game I've played and I cannot wait to experience the other games of this franchise.

4. Fallout: New Vegas - Obsidian - PC / PS3 / Xbox 360

I'm a huge Fallout geek, and New Vegas was a near master piece worthy of this list. The story follows a Courier who was shot in the head and left for dead in the wake of a plot that involves who controls New Vegas - post-apocalyptic Las Vegas - in the Mojave Desert. The factions are a huge part of this game and working with them or against them with consequences that feel impacting thanks to a reputation system adds a lot to the RPG element, something Fallout 3 lacked. The Mojave is a lot of fun to explore, with some interesting locations to discover. The DLC available for New Vegas are all excellent, and are all worth playing through. I enjoyed all of them and I find it hard to determine the "weakest" or "worst" DLC.

5. Civilization V - Fireaxis - PC

Civ V is usually the first game I download in my Steam library, with hundreds of hours logged. It's a strategy game that follows your civilization through the ages of history, with different victory conditions to approach each game with. I have enjoyed hundreds of games against both AI and real life opponents, and it is one of the best time killers I know of.