Games #50 to #41
Games #40 to #31
I'm getting close to the top 20:
#30 Suikoden II
Suikoden II has one of my favorite stories in video games, thanks to all the emotionally impacting moments that it has. I felt attached to the game's characters, which are likable and well developed. The plot is engaging from beginning to end, and has some really brilliant writing, especially regarding the dichotomy between the protagonist's and Jowy's methods to achieve their objectives, and also when the characters would come up with strategies for war. I loved recluting different characters for my army, because the sidequests that you do for them to join can be pretty memorable and touching, and tell you their backstories.
#29 Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
This is the only Ys game I've played, and I absolutely loved it. The battle system is really fast-paced, fluid, and overall highly engaging, I like that the game rewards you for knowing how to evade or block with proper timing during battles. The boss battles in this game are very well designed and require different strategies to be cleared. I also loved the island setting of the game and how, as you explore the place and discover new locations within it, you get to know more about the secrets that it hides. It is also satisfying to find castaways while exploring and to do their sidequests to know more about their personalities and get them to join your village, which they help in developing.
#28 Super Mario Galaxy 2
This game refines the Mario Galaxy formula, with levels that overall feel more complex than in the first game, and incorporate even more creative and brilliant design and puzzle ideas. I love that Yoshi returns in this game, and you can ride him in several levels designed with him in mind. The new power-ups are brilliantly implemented within the levels, I particularly enjoy the creative platforming that can be achieved by using the Cloud Mario power-up. Galaxy 2 retains the epic adventure feeling of its prequel, while also being overall more challenging. While some people disliked that they removed the Observatory hub from the first game, I like how accessing the worlds is way quicker in this game.
#27 Pokémon Platinum
My favorite Pokémon game and, honestly, I don't think it will ever be surpassed. The Sinnoh region is probably my favorite in the series, thanks to its scope, atmosphere, and the large amount of secrets that you can find in it. I love how the game contains a lot of lore regarding the origin of Pokémon and space-time, and the relationship between humans and Pokémon. The game is also brimmed with single-player content, with a whole new island to explore in the post-game, including a Battle Frontier, as well as all the optional locations that the region has for you to discover. The gym leaders and the Elite Four battles can actually be challenging, Cynthia is my favorite boss battle in the series.
#26 The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
This game gives you the freedom to explore wherever you want from the beginning, which means that you can clear the dungeons in any order, just like in the first Zelda game. I personally did not mind the item rental system, though I can see why it can be divisive among fans. This game has my favorite overworld out of the 2D Zeldas I've played, it is very well-designed and dense, with great item usage, and has a lot of stuff for you to discover in it, from treasures to hidden caves, many of which have their own mini-puzzles and challenges. The game also makes good use of the new wall-merging mechanic for exploration. The gameplay flow is fast-paced in this and it's highly satisfying to go through the overworld.
#25 Kingdom Hearts
This game is such a magical experience, filled with tons of charm and emotional moments, the climax of this game's story is one of my favorite events in the series. Seeing Sora/Donald/Goofy interact with different Disney characters, many of whom I grew up with, was something that I really loved. I also really like the relative simplicity of the plot of this game compared with its successors and how the relationship between Sora, Donald and Goofy evolves. The worlds in this game are dense and have a certain non-linearity and intricacy to them, they are not just plain corridors like those in most of the later games before KHIII. Also, Yōko Shimomura truly killed it with the soundtrack.
#24 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
The Thousand-Year Door is just a wonderful experience and is my favorite Mario RPG. I love its story, with all the memorable and funny events that it has, the humor in this game is excellent. The cast of main characters is so charming, and all have their own distinct personalities. I love that the different locations you visit during your adventure are so unconventional compared to the usual worlds you see in Mario games. The battle system in this game is also pretty good and is a great evolution of the Action-Command-based combat of the first game. I also really like all the different paper-based transformations Mario can use to overcome obstacles and solve puzzles in the overworld and dungeons.
#23 The World Ends With You
I love this game's Tokyo-based setting and its plot, which has lots of mysteries to solve and unexpected developments throughout it, so I always wanted to know what would happen next. The story is overall well-paced and it was very satisfying to see how everything unfolded. Another important aspect of the plot is the character development that the protagonist Neku goes through, which is very well executed, and I liked it a lot to see how his relationships with the other characters evolved over time. The battle system in this game is pretty unique, making good use of the DS touchscreen to execute different attack combos, which was very enjoyable for me. I also love the art style and the soundtrack of this game.
#22 Metroid Prime
This game is such an immersive experience, with a mysterious and lonely atmosphere that I really enjoyed. The level design in Metroid Prime is simply top-notch, I love how everything is interconnected, and the kind of progression that it has, where you can reach areas you couldn't before as you find more of Samus' gadgets, such as the Grapple Beam. Another one of my favorite aspects about this game is the subtle way it tells its story, as you get to know more about what happened in planet Talon IV while exploring and using your scanner, rather than having cutscenes with lots of exposition. The soundtrack in this is mostly very subtle and it really adds to the atmosphere.
#21 Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX has a story with a lot of heartwarming and memorable moments, and an amazing ending which is one of my favorites in RPGs. The cast of characters is just so charming and likable, with Vivi being my favorite Final Fantasy character. I also love the romance story between Zidane and Garnet, which is my favorite in JRPGs. This game features what is called Active Time Events, which allow you to see what the characters are doing when you get to a new town, and I love this because it fleshes out their personalities even more. The soundtrack is really good and I love the quirky art style. Of course, it must be said that this game is brimmed with side content, for example, I spent so many hours doing the Chocobo Hot and Cold game.
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