My 45-41 grouped together.
45. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3)
It's a pretty good action game on its own right but the Clank time puzzles are what made this game great to me. The only downside to the puzzles was that there were not very many. Moving multiple characters at the same time without the benefit of seeing where the future ones may be or the hassle of multitasking. There was also a good variety of gameplay, between, ratchet, clank, space, large planets and small planets. The combination of puzzle, platforming, and fighting keeps the game from getting stale. It also played well to my inexplicable taste for collecting things and is one of the few games I've come close to a platinum trophy on.
44. Final Fantasy VIII (PS)
I initially had trouble with the plot due to the switch between storylines that killed some of my motivation to play, but the story was strong and the battle system was different enough that I kept coming back to this one. Despite the controversy of the junction system and having to draw magic I had no major quarrels with the leveling or battle mechanics. Drawing magic was only as much of a problem as you let it be, if you wanted to not waste time then it became a puzzle of its own to keep just the right amount of magic on hand. It was also a welcome change to see some of the number inflation common with RPGs taken out as I felt it made it easier to see when your next level was coming. I particularily liked that there was some connection between your stats and GFs through the junction system as it introduced a new level of complexity to setting up stats other than "make the base stats higher". Any time a game gives you reason to care about its main mechanic you're in for a treat of a game.
43. Braid (PC)
I'm a sucker for time mechanics in games so a platformer where you can reverse time seemed right up my alley. What Braid did really well was actually force you to use time reversal whereas other games often give you the ability as a way to correct mistakes. Figuring out how to use which objects are affected by the reversal to your advantage adds a depth of problem solving complexity to this game that I really enjoyed. Whether you rush through or go for the full ending there is plenty of charm to keep you entertained. Add the solid 2D platforming which you can't just blindly run through and you get a high quality experience.
42. Wipeout HD (PS3)
The lower speeds aren't all that incredible, but when you speed up to rapier and then phantom, this game starts to require quick decision making and good planning for success. The campaign does a good job mixing in modes, and despite a few mistakes making time trials and speed laps too easy, does a good job of gradually ramping up the difficulty. The graphics are great and the game modes add a bunch of variety not seen in other arcade racers. In particular, zone mode lets you go beyond the dificult provided by the set speeds until you eventually lose out to how fast you're going. The main downside is occasionally some of the events seem to involve a fair bit of luck to win.
41. Final Fantasy II (GBA)
The change from the experience leveling of the first game of the series to the attribute leveling created a new experience. This type of progression seemed more natural, and without spending excessive time or gaming the system, forced you to specialize your characters while still allowing you to decide what each character does. The number of traditions kept from this game really speaks to the quality they added. From chocobos and Cid to four person teams (which to this day I miss when stuck with just 3 members) and back rows the increased depth of strategy enriches the gameplay. This game also added the strong character development which I have come to love from the series.
Primarily an RPG player but have interest in any game that will make me think.
#41: Tekken 3 (PS): It should be obvious to everyone by now... I like fighters... a lot. I was introduced to the Tekken franchise by a demo of Tekken 2 on disc that came with my PS. Tekken 3 is a remarkable entry in the franchise it introduced us to some new fighters that became part of my mains (Jin Kazama and Ling Xiaou), the pace was much faster, the endings were funny and somehow I could play 100 matches without ever getting bored.
