I apologize for being gone for so long! I missed a lot of great conversation.

Since I lost about three weeks, I'll just list games #30-11:

#30 - Final Fantasy VII (PS1, 1997)
#29 - Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, 2007)
#28 - The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Xbox, 2002)
#27 - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (NS, 2023)
#26 - Ori and the Will of the Wisps (XOne, 2020)
#25 - SoulCalibur (DC, 1999)
#24 - Chrono Trigger (SNES, 1995)
#23 - Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2, 2006)
#22 - Psychonauts (Xbox, 2005)
#21 - Ico (PS2, 2001)
#20 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS, 2013)
#19 - Perfect Dark (N64, 2000)
#18- Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii, 2010)
#17- BioShock (X360, 2007)
#16 - Super Mario World (SNES, 1991)
#15 - Banjo-Kazooie (N64, 1998)
#14 - Metroid Prime (GCN, 2002)
#13 - Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES, 1990)
#12 - StarCraft (PC, 1998)
#11 - Super Metroid (SNES, 1994)

#11

Change YoY: =   My Rating: 9.5 / 10

The last game to miss my top ten, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky was my introduction to a series that would very quickly become one of my all-time favourites. I remember browsing through Steam almost a decade ago now, just looking for something new to play, when I came across Trails in the Sky. It looked like a game that might be fun to spend some time on, so I bought it on sale and began playing. About 35 hours later I had finished and found one of the best games I'd ever played, almost entirely by accident. Now, about nine years later, I've played and finished 9 games in the series, and loved every single one of them. I mean, six of them are on my top 50 games list, and I currently have two more waiting on my shelf to be played.

There isn't a single aspect of this game that I don't at the very least like. The graphics are perhaps its weakest element, owing to the game's origin as a PSP title released all the way back in 2004, so it's no surprise that they aren't quite up to modern standards. Even then, there's a definite charm to them that holds up to this day, and when everything else in the game is amazing, I can't really complain. Not that graphics have ever really been that important to me anyway. The characters and story are excellent, the fantastic English localization bringing the world alive in a way that few other games can compare, the music is the usual Nihon Falcom quality, that is to say great, and the battle system has more than enough depth to keep the player engaged throughout the running time. Trails in the Sky is an absolutely wonderful game. The story and characters hooked me and made me want to see more immediately upon finishing this game, the main character Estelle in particular is among the best protagonists in any game ever as far as I'm concerned. The gameplay never got dull or repetitive, and the world building here is amazing, showing the beginnings of what would eventually become one of the most impeccably designed fantasy worlds I've ever seen, regardless of medium. I need to replay this game soon, but I might just hold on until the remake comes out next year. And yet, even with all of this praise, this is still not the best game in the series. I'll get to that one soon. 

Let's add a new game here.

#10

• Sun and Night in Okinawan
• The first hint refers to the names of the two main protagonists
• It's almost impossible to lose the game's final battle unless you specifically go out of your way to do so
• On a pilgrimage north to an ancient ruined city
• Spira

#8

• "The night, and the dream, were long..."

I mean 8 is Bloodborne. Duh. 

**Edit** Can you tell I love fromsoft?

Correct.

#10 - A game where you explore a massive fantasy world that gives you so much choice, the story basically becomes whatever you want it to.
#9 - A game where you explore a massive fantasy world that gives you so much choice, the game basically becomes whatever you want it to.

Bonus hint: Both of these won Game of the Year at the TGAs.

This is right, yeah. Hopefully someone guesses #10, can't be too hard --

Of course 10 is FFX.

Interesting Okinawan tidbit. Spira is also a lot more islander than most FF games.

Correct. I think the meanings of their names is a nice detail.

I'll try to catch up:

Honorable mentions (in order from highest to lowest position):

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Tales of Symphonia, Bravely Second: End Layer, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Kirby and The Forgotten Land, Octopath Traveler, Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Dark Cloud 2, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, Bravely Default, 

#50 Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

3D World features very well-designed and tight levels, with a good amount of creative moments in each of them. Getting the green stars represents a good challenge in this game. The Mario cat mechanic is well-utilized, and the power-ups don't feel underused. I also loved Bowser's Fury, and that's the main reason this game made it into the top 50, I like that the levels in this part are implemented seamlessly into the open-world context and I also loved the freedom and the beach vibe of this part.

#49 Tales of Graces f

Tales of Graces f has the best battle system out of the Tales of games I've played, it is very fluid, engaging, and I really loved the way you build combos in battles. The character growth mechanics such as leveling-up Titles and equipment synthesizing through fusing old equipment are addicting and well-designed. I liked the characters and loved the interactions between them, especially those that happen through the "skits", which are optional, fully voiced, dialogues that pop-up during your adventure.

#48 Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Starts

This game turns the usual Mario plot about saving Peach on its head, and provides really fun and engaging moments throughout the story, with many charming characters and a great sense of adventure. I love the cast, which is very lovable and includes Bowser as an unexpected ally, as well as Peach, although my fave character overall was Geno (cliched choice, I know). All the characters have distinctive play-styles and the battle system is overall fun, even if kinda basic. I plan to play the remake soon.

#47 Paper Mario

This was my first Mario RPG experience, and it was a very enjoyable and memorable one. The cast is very charming and I like how each party member has unique abilities that can be used to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles in the overworld and dungeons, which are very well designed. The battle system is very fun, and the timing-based action commands make it more engaging. The art style is beautiful and the game aged very well, especially for N64 standards.

#46 ICO

This game is such a unique experience, with a very captivating and memorable atmosphere, and gameplay based on protecting Yorda from the shadows that are pursuing her within that cursed castle. The game features a level design where everything is interconnected, and it is satisfying to see how the areas in the castle are tied together; the puzzles are also well designed. The ending of the game is really really moving and memorable, it definitely makes the travel worth it.

#45 Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

This game is such a blast to play, the battle system is highly engaging and also deep, providing a lot of options that can be used to defeat enemies. The game is very challenging, every area has enemies that require different approaches to be defeated effectively, and mashing the attack button is definitely not an option here. The boss battles are incredibly memorable, my favorite was the last one. I also love the whole atmosphere of the game and Dante's personality and design.

#44 Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings/The Conquerors Expansion

This is a game that I spent countless hours playing, the gameplay loop of this is highly enjoyable and somewhat addicting to me. I love gaining resources to build my base/city, and then defend it or attack enemy bases while acquiring the ability to create increasingly powerful units and develop more technologies. I absolutely love the medieval setting, and the campaigns are very well-made and memorable, I like that they are based on historical events (even if they aren't 100% accurate).

#43 Kingdom Hearts III

In this game, Sora possesses more mobility and freedom to explore than ever before in the series. I love how expansive and fleshed-out the worlds are, and they feel more lived-in than in previous KH games. I also liked the Disney movies they chose to be featured as worlds in the game. The battle system is really fun and fluid, with several mechanics to play around with. I loved the keyblade transformations and switching keyblades on the fly. The interactions between Sora/Donald/Goofy and Disney characters are super enjoyable as always.

#42 The legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

This game is a very tight experience with fast-paced gameplay and no filler stuff that slows down the overall pacing. The overworld is very well-designed and contains a lot of secrets such as hidden caves and useful items, so exploring in this game game always feels rewarding. The level design inside the dungeons is also good, and the use of different items to progress through said dungeons and the overworld is very satisfying. The soundtrack is memorable and the sprites are ageless.

#41 Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep

Unlike most other KH games, this game features three playable characters, and you get to experience the story through each of their perspectives, all of which have great moving moments. I also think they did a great job at making each character feel different to play from the others. The combat system is very enjoyable, and you can customize your commands menu with different magics/items/abilities. The commands melding system, which allows you to combine commands to create new ones, was addicting to me.

Both correct!

No it has been guessed, took a long time though.