I've also only played Ys VIII and Ys IX. I have Ys Origin on my Switch, but haven't played it yet. I prefer Ys VIII to IX because I like the setting, story and characters more. The secret boss is also way better and unique.

Guessed by GoOnKid

 "Iet, wiet, waai", was a phonetic sound with which we meant an easy combo for Siegfried. It's like saying "Hiss, whoosh, wham", or some other trio of 1960s Batman phrases. This even became synonymous with the character's name, like "Oh, you're playing with Iet, Wiet, Waai again". The combo is just spamming the vertical slash move. It's a classic noob tactic because with Siegfried's enormous sword, it means no one really can get close anymore and it's likely you'll win unless someone is good enough. This also worked with Nightmare, which is basically Evil Siegfried. Obviously, I played as Nightmare.

During the Dreamcast days, we had a couple of family friends, or rather, they were mostly co-workers of my parents, who came over from time to time to play some local multiplayer. These games included 'Virtua Tennis' (#43), 'South Park: Chef's Luv Shack' (yes), and this game here, 'SoulCalibur'. SoulCalibur was probably the most popular of these, because it was an amazing game. This game was so great, that the PlayStation 2 didn't seem like such a big deal and none of us got one. Really, no one.

#33

Tales of Berseria

YoY: NEW

"Birds fly because they want to fly, they don't need a reason. Even if their wings may snap and doom them to die. They don't fly for anyone's benefits, they don't fly because they were ordered to. Birds fly...because they want to fly and for no other reason!"

After Tales of Zestiria I have to admit I wasn't really expecting too much out of Berseria. Zestiria had been a fine enough game, but nowhere near the best in the series, and with Berseria being set in the same world I didn't get my hopes up too high. Now, however, it is without question my new favourite game in the entire series, overtaking Symphonia and Xillia in the process. 

Tales of Berseria is probably the darkest game in the series, with a story that has a constant undercurrent of sorrow and hopelessness running beneath the surface, and a main character who for much of the game lacks any kind of empathy towards others because of what was done to her in the past, and whose main driving motivator is to simply find, and kill the person responsible for turning her into what she has become.

Speaking of the main character, Velvet Crowe is without question the most memorable and interesting protagonist the series has ever features in my opinion. Seeing her change and develop as a person throughout the story from a caring and kind-hearted girl to a vengeful woman bent on slaughtering anyone who gets in the way of her goal gives the game its heart, and then watching as she slowly begins to find new meanings in life beyond just revenge makes her journey truly memorable. Her voice actress, Christina Vee, also does an amazing job portraying the character.

As usual, the battle system is a lot of fun, but that's more or less business as usual with Tales-games. The music by Motoi Sakuraba is great as well. Tales of Berseria was a huge positive surprise, as I definitely wasn't expecting to be as great as it was. I have many fond memories of playing various different games in the series, but Berseria has overtaken them all now.

#36 - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Nintendo Wii U

I should put this game higher on the list. 

I wasn't expecting much from this game, I thought, I'll probably like this as much as the first Xenoblade, a solid game. What I got instead was a very special game with one of my favorite worlds ever, the immersion I got out of Mira, between the crazy humans and all the fun alien species that live in it, the perfect soundtrack by Hiroyuki Sawano that sells the alien feel of the world, all the interesting side stories that made me super attached to it, the beautiful art direction that only I like, is just a fantastic experience, within its scope lie a good number of issues, like the pacing of the main story in isolation, and a lot of systems that aren't always very well explained, or fully work, but is not something that dwells much on my mind when I think of this game, I just think about all the memorable moments of the journey that is Xenoblade X, and a game that I was crazy enough to 100%.

The direction of the series most likely won't steer back to this, but I can always boot up the Wii U, let the title screen music take me back, and spend a good handful of hours again just playing around on Mira, and getting them feels all over again.

#35 - Sayonara Wild Hearts - Nintendo Switch

Idk, I have a hard time expressing into words why I love this game so much without some visual guidance, and I'm not doing a power point presentation here. But I truly adore this game.

#34 - Bayonetta 2 - Nintendo Wii U / Switch

#33 - Devil May Cry 3 - PS2 / Nintendo Switch

The best games of their series, and the second greatest character action games ever made, both games have family as their main theme too.

Bayonetta 2 is a good improvement over the original, eliminates the aggravating stuff of the original, like the instakill QTEs, the janky shoot em up sections, is more pleasing to look at with a more vibrant world and contrast, and the core gameplay is elevated by a lot of memorable set pieces, that besides the final boss, I put over the original game. The addition of Umbral Climax give an extra oomph to Bayonetta's attacks, and an overall more satisfying option than the torture moves, Also Tomorrow is Mine is fucking amazing.

Devil May Cry 3 besides one platforming section, and the boss rush, every mission is pretty good, super well paced between its story bits, when it slows down, when to throw a boss fight or the next Vergil sequence, a great combat system, and now with the Nintendo Switch version is even better thanks to the ability to free style like DMC4, and the entire weapon wheel at your disposal at any time like DMC5, it brings Dante from 3 near the level of complexity and diverse character expression that those games have, elevating an already excellent game into a more, excellenter? one.

#32

Stardew Valley (PC)

YoY: NEW

The highest ranked new game on my list this year, Stardew Valley is a title that felt nostalgic from the moment I first started it because I still remember playing the SNES version of Harvest Moon years ago. Stardew Valley is a perfect game to just unwind and relax with, as there's no real time limits to anything. You just work on whatever things you want to at your own pace. There is an overarching story to the game, but that's largely in the background, while the focus is always on developing your own farm and on the relationships between your character and the many interesting people that live in the valley.

It's the freedom to decide what you want to do that really makes Stardew Valley such a great game. Whether you like to farm, fish, explore dungeons, spend time with other people, do quests, improve your home, or a number of other things, you can make the decision for yourself, because the game doesn't force you towards anything specific. It's all up to you.

So Super Mario Galaxy and Uncharted 2 were guessed faster than I wrote them. Time for the next one.

#24: This game features an awesome campaign following three characters from three different viewpoints, and with the expansion ends with an iconic image of carrying a flag onto a rooftop.

#25:

• The true final boss of this game, as well as the final dungeon, is only accessible if the player makes the correct choices.
• You've barely just arrived at your new hometown when a murder takes place.

#24:

• The game's world is literally divided by a massive continent-spanning wall.
• Originally a Japan-only Sega Saturn game.

#22:

• A vessel was created to contain the infection.
• Radiance

No, is there a continent-spanning wall in Policenauts?