7. Uncharted 1/2
I cheat! My list doesn't contain a top 50, it contains a top 51 and nobody can stop me! HAHAHA
So an explanation... Uncharted contains so many moments of awe that if I didn't put this game on my list, I would be lying to myself. Just think of the Submarine in the first game or the opening to Uncharted 2. Hell, the entire train level is just one big moment of awe. Getting to the top of the Tibetan hotel was another great moment... in that particular scene, there's a swimming pool and bar. The player can decide if he wants to skip the pool and search for the way down, or jump in for a little swim. If the player chooses to swim, they are rewarded with a little nugget of genius from Naughty Gods. Uncharted 2 also has this scene halfway through the game where the player is saved by a Tibetan man from freezing to death. Drake recovers and you're allowed to explore the village. A number of things could be done, like kicking a soccer ball to children or messing with a yak. It was a somber moment after the train levels over-the-top action, and a very special one.
It's moments like these that define the series. And considering there's so many of these moments and they're so diverse in execution, Uncharted is quite easy to define. A master of the pulp fiction genre and something relateable instead of ripoffable (is that even a word?) to Indiana Jones. And considering Indiana Jones is one of my favorite series of all time, it's no surprise Uncharted made it this far up the list.
I'd also like to add, I love Ucharted's platforming. It feels so organic and intuitive. I believe in a world where Mario and Drake can live together in peace! And maybe even Laura Croft can live there? Nope, no girls allowed!
