Final Fantasy VI:
This was the game that pretty much changed my entire outlook on gaming. Before, games were just a time-killing device. It was fun but I had no special attachment to it. After picking up FF6 from a used games shop, however, I learned that a videogame could actually be interesting. From the very opening, playing FF6 for the first time was an awesome and joyous experience that led directly to my love of RPGs.
ICO:
This is the game that woke me up to the potential of the medium. It blew other games away in terms of emotional engagement. I treasure my first time playing as something special.
Fallout 3:
Talk about a game pulling you into it's world. I spent hundreds of hours and had a blast exploring and working on my character's place in that society. That, to me, is what makes a role-playing game.
Gran Turismo:
I still vividly remember my first time playing. That first course with the Skylines, where you raced on an island. I kept losing over and over on the last turn. I finally got the braking down, won the match, and that was it for me, there was no escaping. Gran Turismo isn't even about winning, it's about improving yourself as a player, about finding the best way around a track. That really resonated with me.
Final Fantasy Tactics:
I loved the tactical gameplay so much that I spent hours and hours making sure I'd seen and done everything the game had to offer. I collected every character, every weapon, every item. Had there been more to do, I would have kept playing. On top of that, the ruthlessness of the characters was something you didn't see in videogames often, which made the storyline seem a lot more dangerous than most. One of the best games I've ever played.
