Guessed by @Darashiva

I feared Nier: Automata needed a second playthrough to really solidify itself among my favorites, yet after spending its first two years at #17, it's now moved up the list without a replay on my end. To be fair, replaying it would probably allow it to go even higher up the list, maybe I'll get around to doing that sometime.

Anyways. This is an amazing game, everyone knows that. It has some of the best character development I've ever seen in a game, some of which happens in very unexpected and unusual ways, but very believable and realistic. It has some of the best music I've ever heard period, a soundtrack I often listen to on repeat, my favorites being City Ruins, Alien Manifestation, and Bipolar Nightmare. Again, everyone knows how good the story and music are.

I feel like with how legendary this one is, I've not much to add or say about it. Similarly, I feel that maybe if I'd played it earlier, before it got its reputation, before I knew some of the ending shenanigans, I could've loved it as much as some other people do. As it was, though, I experienced it kinda like I was opening a window to this highly regarded masterpiece, it never felt "mine", just... it's Nier: Automata, it's there. And yeah, it's amazing, but I kinda wish it impacted me more on a personal level. But that I put it this high on what is a very personal list, with not much in the way of personal attachment to it, is testament to how great it really is.

Top 50 >>

#16

YoY: =        My Rating: 9.3/10

For quite a few years, Horizon Zero Dawn was my favourite open world game ever. From the moment I first played it, I absolutely loved just about everything it had to offer. The world was intriguing and beautiful, constantly pushing me to find the next secret or new location beyond the map's edge, the characters, Aloy especially, quickly hooked with their stories, and the audiovisual side was obviously top tier. I also found the gameplay a lot of fun, the feeling of constantly getting better and over time toppling more and more dangerous robots felt great. It was only this year that another open world game took its spot, and even still it remains one of my favourite games of all time.

There are, naturally, some issues with the game as well. In the main game, the conversation animation never quite works right, the mouth movements very often feeling unnatural and stilted. Fortunately, they improved the system a lot in the DLC. I also often found myself running out of inventory space, even with full upgrades, leading to quite a lot of annoying fiddling throughout the game. All of that is ultimately insignificant, though. The story, setting, the mystery surrounding the past, the characters, music, visuals, and gameplay are all wonderful. I love just spending time in the world Guerrilla Games created, and I can't wait to go back to in Forbidden West when I finally get my hands on a PS5 one of these days.

Decided to add another clue for 21 - it's not an obscure game at all.

#21
- Not sure how all those birds have survived so long, seeing as water damages them.
- If you beat 7 lots of 7, you’ll experience heavy flooding.
- Finding and keeping track of one of the collectibles can be quite a task.
- The developer, often praised for their attention to little details, made sure every level felt connected to each other, as well as the central hub. It’s not unusual to be able to see one level off in the distance when you’re playing in another.
- I don’t know why that creature suffers in water - we’ve taken him there in previous games without consequence
- Pachinko and a poison pipeline drove some gamers mad
- Three of the above clues are linked by a common feature - a feature that plays a major part in this game from a popular series.

#18
- At the file selection screen, if you slightly misspell a prominent feature of the game, it’ll net you something good.
- If you want to find everything, you’ll have to opt for the worst possible prize at one point.
- As you conquer each world, the final boss’ stage draws ever closer.
- And the location of the final stage is the same sort of location that you start the following game in.

#17
- More action oriented to its predecessor, this sort of indicated where the franchise it took its cues from was going to head in the future.
- A more linear game, less focus on puzzles, and upgrading your arsenal via points accrued in combat are some other features that differentiate it from its predecessor.
- Features more outside areas than its predecessor - a more natural environment for the variety of enemies you face.

#16
- A game that has been released on numerous consoles, I’d argue that it wasn’t until over ten years after initial release that combat felt intuitive and right thanks to the touch screen controls on one version.
- A HD version has been released, but, given the graphical style, the original still looks pretty damn good I’d say

#15 Yoshi's Woolly World
- Has this cutesy character ever been more cuddly than in this game?

#14 Super Mario 64
- So that guy is an cameraman, as well as a race official?

My list so far

This is a bit like me writing about any of my top 10 games. I'll just rip them to shreds, and can write for hours pointing out their flaws (weirdly I find it easier to criticise them than praise them), but I still think they're superb and (obviously) better than any other games I've played.

Hate to only take a guess on the two new ones with only the one hint but;

15: Yoshi’s Woolly World?

14: Super Mario 64.

Bingpot. Both correct.

So this batch has been going well. Last hint, I think, for 15 though and lets add 12.

16 - Seem like a fairly big game, especially for its time, but really it only needs to take up to 60 minutes.
Hint 2: The Super Nintendo version though, doubled the limit to 120 minutes. Guessed by drbunnig - Prince of Persia

15 - The news ticker for some reason often talks about broccoli related stuff.
Hint 2: I guess that's all that been going on if your Transport or Environmental or one of the other advisors have nothing to report.
Hint 3: With a cheat code, you can also have your own message in the news ticker. This is useless, but funny all the same.
Hint 4: There's also a cheat code that contacts "Cousin Vinnie", who offers a shady deal. If you decline however, it enables you another cheat code that rewards you with a big castle!

14 - This game is a treasure trove of cheesy oneliners.
Hint 2: The most famous one has even devolved into a meme. Guessed by UnderwaterFunktown - Lylat Wars (Star Fox 64)

13 - The American name of this game quite accurately describes what this ball does. Guessed by drbunnig - Kula World (Roll Away)

12 - Even though you are remembered as a great hero by the people and the history of the land, the spirits of the other, real, heroes continue to mock you for being nothing of the sort.

Alright hints for the next 5, lets go:

15) Ultimate End

14) Honestly should have had IV in the title

13) Both light and dark are your enemy

12) The first thing you see in this game is the character that stalked you throughout its predecessor

11) The original english voice actor for the protagonist is the one that's in everything, but they changed it for the remaster

Still one game left.

#15

-Earlier in the game, you get to decide the name of what is ultimately going to be the second boss in the final gauntlet

-Said boss is pulled from the main protagonist's mind by the villain

-For a series that has featured some quite unusual modes of transport, a moving Garden is still one of the strangest

#14 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

-One last adventure, though his wife might not be very happy about it

#13 The Last of Us

-Fireflies

#12 Dark Souls III

-Only one lord returns to fulfill his duty

#11 The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

-Takes place in the kingdom of Liberl

-Training to become a Bracer