#3 Ico played on PS2, released 2001



This game is something special. Ico offers the total immersive package for me. The whole game plays out in one continuous interconnected location. You'll see the castle from many different angles. At many points you can see where you have been before and where you might go next. It is a beautiful place to explore. The whole place is shrouded in mystery and wonder. All the different camera angles do a great job to show off the imense scale of the castle.

There is no hud to get in the way and the save system is brilliantly integrated in the environment. Sound design is spot on. It really feels like you are there. The intriguing language only adds to the mystery. The music is beautiful yet keeps a respectful distance. Immersion is complete.

The puzzles are cleverly integrated in the environment and never get repetitive. The story is masterfully presented and, like all the best stories, keeps you hungry for more while leaving plenty of room for your imagination to fill out the rest.

The essence of the game is your relation with Yorda. Holding hands is done really well. I don't think I've ever cared more for a companion character. Every time you have to leave her behind for a bit you feel a great urgency to get back as soon as possible. When you finally do get separated you feel a great loss and find yourself completely alone in this huge empty place.

The character animation is excellent with lots of little human touches. Running around together while holding hands looks very natural. I love the hesitations from Yorda when you ask her to do a difficult jump or when she startles when you accidentally hit the wall with your sword.

Every time the end credits roll my eyes tear up and I sit there listening to the music while reflecting on the greatness I just witnessed. Ico should be required study material in any game design school, this is how you put emotion into a game. I'm going to start another play through of the excellent HD conversion right now.

List

One very Awesome Game^^ 

3. Metroid Prime (GC)

Metroid Prime is the Gamecube's only shining light. On a console where most Nintendo games were a let down compared to predecessors, this was the one example where they got it right. Metroid had been away for a while, after completely skipping the N64, but Nintendo finally decided to bring it back for the Gamecube with Retro Studios being given control. It marked a departure from the previous Metroid style with the game making a controversial move into the first person perspective. As it turned out, this was a great decision and it gave the series new life.

At the start of the game, you investigate a Space Pirate Frigate which had sent out a distress signal. The ship is eventually destroyed and an electrical surge destroys all of your suit upgrades. You then set out in pursuit of Ridley to Tallon IV, and the game sees you explore the various areas of the planet. Exploring the planet was a brilliant experience, partly because of the sense of isolation the game provides as you slowly make your way through each area alone, battling a variety of creatures as you go. It's my favourite game of its generation, I just wish that there were more games as good as this from Nintendo at the time.

#4) Metal Slug 3 (NG/PS2/Xbox/Wii/PSP/X360)

Suck it, Genji 2.

Even if I were the most composed, rational and articulate man on the planet, I would still end up sounding like a mental patient if I tried to write a serious description about this game. It's just marvelous. I'll leave it at that.

My #4 and #3

#04 Shin Megami Tensei : Digital Devil Saga Part 1(PS2): There's something in this game that makes it one of the best RPG i've ever played. Be it for the excellent music, the sadness of the Junyard, the atmosphere, the characters and the simple but deep battle system. On top of that, the story is so intriguing and the game is incredibly hard (and cheap at times). It's really one of those games that went kinda unnoticed but are nonetheless great.

Absolutely love muldhara music

#03 Xenoblade Chronicles(Wii): Yes, a recent game so high on my list. Let me explain why: this game has everything I wanted in a JRPG for a LONG time, the battle systems feels fresh and old at the same time, you have an incredibly amount of freedom in this game, the story is epic as hell and a plethora of questies to do just adds awesomness to this.

Also, the music in this game is one of the best soundtrack I've ever heard (Gaur Plains FTW) and the locations *gasp* absolutely beatiful.

Imagine this game on HD *drools*

This is going to be a REAL pain to compilate, because I'm going through once all the people have finished their lists to give an overall ranking. But I can ONLY do it if EVERYONE updates their original post.

Don't worry, I'll be going through and ranking the games and making a gamrFeed article out of it like last year. I didn't mention it yet because I didn't want people signing up just to boost a particular series, game, or system(s). If you're interested, here's last year's article (it's pretty bare bones, I wasn't intending on making it a story until I realized the hit potential on an article with "Best Games" in it haha.)

It'll be my last project before I relinquish my job as a Writer here. Want to end it on a good note. ^_^

4 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (pc)

3 - Medieval II: Total War (pc)

#3: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis/GameCube/DS)
Release Date: November 20, 1992
Last Year: #3

I still remember when I opened up that Sega Genesis on Christmas day '94 (I was six years old). My first video game system. It was like a whole new world was opened up in front of my eyes... and I'll be forever grateful to the Genesis for that. But a console without its games is just a door stopper... and as such, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was my very first game for my very first console. But nostalgia can only place a game so far, as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is one of the greatest games I have ever played in my 17 years of gaming. Tight, responsive controls, beautiful sprite graphics (man I love how the 16-bit games hold up so awesomely!), a wonderful soundtrack, and a Hedgehog with 'tude (and a two-tailed fox) showed me this wonderous world that I would play again and again. So many unforgettable moments (the first time I collected all the Chaos Emeralds and became Super Sonic. Or the first time I defeated Dr. Robotnik's gigantic robot in the Death Egg...), and so many smiles. I owe a lot to this game, and every year I'll go back and play this great game all over again. Kudos to you Sonic.

Favorite Zone Music: Metropolis Zone
Favorite Badnik: Clucker (a machine gun firing chicken robot)

3. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)

It definitely is the most hated among the Final Fantasy games, so I'm not surprised if many people here (especially Runa :P) don't understand that choice at all. Personally I think it was an excellent game.
I loved the battle system, I really enjoyed the story and liked most of the characters, and it's also one of the most beautiful looking games this gen.