Nathan's Top Ten (As of Thursday, 14th August 2008)
My Top Ten Games Charts (As of Thursday, 14th August 2008)
(Note that I've decided to limit my list to Xbox 360 related ones due to it being my current console of choice. I like so many games that it's hard for me to make an accurate list. An example is that Final Fantasy VI whilst not mentioned as a favourite game is still my absolute favourite game.
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Xbox 360
1. Lost Odyssey
I honestly think that this game is the best I've played since Final Fantasy VI. And I did have high hopes after seeing, 'From the creator of Final Fantasy' proudly displayed on the larger sized box containing it's four DVDs. It's essentially felt more Final Fantasy to me than the recent efforts from Square Enix, especially after Final Fantasy XI and XII which are indeed main series games. This game's traditional turn-based battle system coupled with an amazing score of music, a colourful cast of characters, a compelling story seen through the eyes of an immortal, an innovative series of flashbacks from the immortal's past as well as the excellent use of CGI and ingame graphics give me hope for next-gen games to capture the greatness the older classics held for me. This game is completely ****ing epic. Hell, the main criticisms I've heard about it is concerning the traditional turn-based battle system. But that to me defines a good console RPG. It's a part of the damned genre.
2. Blue Dragon
Well way too easy minus the hard patch that is freely downloadable from Xbox Live, this game is my replacement for the newer Dragon Quest games. And coupled with a traditional turn-based battle system once again, it's a joy for me to play. And it's humorous. I love to laugh at things in games, regardless of how retardedly funny they might seem. Blue Dragon did that for me. My only real gripe was that song played in various boss battles. It started to grate on my nerves after a while, despite it seeming pretty cool the first couple of times.
3. Enchanted Arms
This game fills the part of me that loves messing with systems in a game. It couples a great story and visuals with the ability to obtain cores allowing you to make golems which can be used as party members giving a deal of replayability. And you can battle others online using the golems you have saved in one of your save files. It's a unique experience, and one I seem to grow fonder and fonder of.
4. Eternal Sonata
A game with more action based combat, I loved the experience, especially the soundtrack (classical music by Chopin) and vibrant visuals along with themes I seem to seldom see to such an effect in most games. And the storyline. What other RPG is based on the possible dreams of a dying 19th century composer? It was very highly enjoyable.
5. Mass Effect
This game to me is something of an anomaly. It reminds me of several older sci-fi shows that used to bore me to death only I find this game incredibly enjoyable. it was in the little details as well as in the amazing dialogue and gameplay. Like character creation for example. I found it possible to create a face that looked almost exactly like mine only with a short haircut. And then there's that emotion shown. It was fun being an asshole for one playthrough, VERY fun. I am used to expecting great things from Bioware though. I'm yet to play a game by them I didn't enjoy.
6. The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion
A game more action orientated, basically what I expect a Western RPG to be like with some expected innovations. I've been hooked on it from time to time and I doubt I'll ever see everything in the game due to it's impressive size. It was also full of some very pretty eye candy...
7. N3: Ninety-Nine Nights
This game appeals to the part of me that enjoys playing eye candy from time to time. What brings it up from that niche, is that I also love the gameplay, story and how different characters tales overlap. The downside is that apart from boss characters, the game is way too easy. You can fling common enemies like toilet paper rolls.
8. Frontlines Fuel of War
My multiplayer game of choice. It has some drones I can have fun with and includes futuristic versions of all the weapons I enjoy using in multiplayer games. Amazing graphics, sound effects that are more than realistic enough to appeal to me and nice game mechanics make it one of my most played games, and one of my top 10.
9. Grand Theft Auto IV
While the GTA games seem to excite me less and less, GTA IV does feel more complete to me than any other game in the series, and I do enjoy going on a rampage in it. My only gripe with it was how easy it was to go from any amount of cops chasing you to none. It made it seem that little bit too easy. I get the feeling I was just a little too amused by characters trying to hold onto their car as I drove it off, only to be flung off.
10. Devil may Cry 4
Because every so often I feel the need to shoot and stab the shit out of demons in environments that appeal to my senses. And the characters look cool and fashionable as they do it. I prefer Dante to Nero and I was disappointed a bit at first glance, but when I realised Dante was playable later, I was one really happy gamer. It was amazing.
Live Arcade
1. Braid
I talk about loving games that look like art when played, but I've found Braid to be the greatest game that conforms to that desire of mine. It has rock solid gameplay. Think a 2D platformer with abilities differing by level, yet all associated with time. It's really a set of puzzles to find puzzle pieces to solve a puzzle. And I mean that quite literally as puzzle pieces do have to be found and turned into a puzzle to fully complete the game. There's an interesting story that unfolds through the snippets of story and completed puzzles and also references to classic games such as Mario.
2. Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness
An RPG, and my previous favourite game in this category before playing Braid. It's a brilliant cartoon style RPG featuring characters from the Penny Arcade comic. It's got great art, sounds, character generation, story and is quite humorous. Which other game allows you to beat on enemies named Fruit ****ers? Or get them turned on with oranges that they then proceed to ****? It hadn't been done before, and I doubt it'll be done any time soon in such a commercial sense.
3. Small Arms
My Xbox 360 replacement for Super Smash Bros. Think Super Smash bros. with guns and you wouldn't be far off. Granted there's no smashes and there's health bars instead of damage percentages going up, but you can die from going off screen, you're still small characters battling on stages with interesting music and it features similar game modes. it's great fun multiplayer, especially with a nice big screen.
4. Feeding Frenzy
I don't know what it is about this game, but it's addictive. You start as a little fish and complete a stage by eating enemies, growing bigger, eating bigger enemies smaller than the bigger you and repeating until a food bar is completed signalling the end of a stage. And that's just the first mode of play which also includes some fun bonus rounds.
5. Metal Slug 3
As soon as I realised this game was available for download it started screaming my name in a sense. Just the sense that I'd played them all on the PS2 and loved them immeasurably. There's some difficulty involved and you have to work out firing patterns and maintain your composure if you want to get all that far in harder difficulty levels. And it's cartoony vibes are often quite fun. The surprise at the end of your first playthrough? Priceless.
6. Prince of Persia Classic
Think the original game with a 3D facelift and more fluid controls. It looks amazing and plays just as well as it did when it was originally released. If you've played the game then I wouldn't need to explain, if you haven't, get a copy. It's challenging, it's a classic platformer, and it's bloody fun.
7. Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
This was a surprise hit. My mate downloaded it to get at a Street Fighter 2 HD Remix beta demo, and both he and myself found that this game itself was also great fun. in some ways it seems sort of like a 3D Metal Slug to me, shoot the crap out of everything bad and rescue prisoners, and that's why I enjoyed it so much. It's kind of complicated being shot at on a slow moving raft by someone onshore, but that's what adds to the appeal.
8. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
You're a rebellious vampire out to kill your father and collect equipment and abilities along the way. It's a platformer set inside Dracula's castle and has some at times interesting dialogue between the playable character and the castle's inhabitants. It's a classic. And well worth the MP needed to purchase it.
9. Golden Axe
Yes, it's that same old Sega game. Or really the arcade version. You'll notice differences between the two if you remember them both, but most differences are cosmetic. It's a great Hack and Slash, and while a little easy after a while, it's a solid gaming experience.
10. Bomberman LIVE
Great for multiplayer. But then bomberman always was. Collect powerups, blow eachother up, it's the ultimate multiplayer game in terms of proving skill against another. And it has some crazy gamemodes and characters too.