Welcome Back!
Thanks for coming back! I hope you've been enjoying the countdown. Once again, for previous entries you can check here:
And remember, only one game per franchise! Now, let's get on with it!
80. Dragon Age: Origins - Multi
I know, I know. A lot of people don't like this game, but you know what? I do. This game took character creation and customization to the Nth level. Normally in games like this, you choose your character class or your background, and you may get a few lines here and there regarding your pre-game life, but in Dragon Age: Origins, it becomes a focal point of the adventure. Each titular Origin had it's own one to two hour mini campaign to play through, in which were choices that affected course of your entire game! With tactical combat based on the Knights of the Old Republic system, Dragon Age: Origins holds up as the best in the franchise.
79. Until Dawn - PS4
Confession time. I love scary movies. The cheesier and the more filled with useless teens getting killed in ridiculous ways, the better. So, imagine my glee when I discovered Until Dawn. One part slasher, one part choose your own adventure, Until Dawn puts you in control of 8 horny young people, trying to enjoy a weekend at the snow lodge, but things quickly go awry. Not too original, true, but the execution is fantastic. With a cast including Hayden Panettierre and that guy from Mr. Robot, the acting is top notch and the graphics are incredible, which makes the decisions that arise during gameplay that much more difficult. Playing through this game has become a Halloween tradition in the Meeple household with good reason.
78. The Mark of Kri - PS2
Why this game was not a bigger hit, I'll never know. The Mark of Kri was a stealth based combat game with one of the most unique control schemes I've ever seen. Each enemy was assigned a different button on the controller, and if you wanted to attack that enemy, you pressed that button. So simple, but SO GOOD! The animation style offered crisp, precise movement and BRUTAL kills with a charming exterior that looked like something the House of Mouse would have thought up. It's just a shame that the sequel, Rise of the Kasai, was such a disappointment. I think The Mark of Kri could have been up there with God of War when it comes to Playstation franchises.
77. Guardian Heroes - Saturn
I just want you to go on Ebay and search for the US version of Guardian Heroes for the Saturn. I'll wait. Did you find any that were less than $200?!? Of course you didn't! This game was fantastic. It had branching paths, leveling up, an insane amount of playable characters and unlockables, an unbelievable amount of on-screen enemies at once, and gameplay similar to fighting games, all in a BEAT 'EM UP! WHAT?!? Let's not forget about the Saturn Multi-Tap which let you play with SIX PLAYERS AT THE SAME TIME! This game remains the closest you could possibly get to having your own arcade beat 'em up in your house. I know games like Castle Crashers and Dragon's Crown still hold onto that tradition, but when Guardian Heroes was released, it was one of a kind.
76. Fable - Xbox
Okay, true story. When Fable came out, my girlfriend at the time called me up to hang out, and I full on told her "No, Fable just came out." I wonder why it didn't work out with her. But regardless, this game made huge strides in western RPG's. The fact that how you played determined how your character not only progressed, but also how they looked was damn near unheard of. Sure, there were QUITE A FEW broken promises and the "Plot" of the game was one of the most threadbare I've ever seen in a AAA title, but the game itself still stands out as being fantastic.
75. Dead Rising - Xbox 360
It seems almost embarrassing to admit, but this was the game that made me buy an Xbox 360. Well, that and an HD TV (damn that teeny tiny font). But beyond that, the brutal, over the top action and campy storyline and acting all made for a great game, and the promise of being able to use ANYTHING, even if it wasn't the most USEFUL of weapons, was something that was so new and refreshing to me. Getting that fake Mega Buster and shooting Nerf balls at zombies will always stand out as a great gaming memory. All in all, a great game, even if the more recent entries in the series have gone a bit off the rails.
74. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag - Multi
I don't care what you think. Assassin's Creed 4 is the BEST Assassin's Creed game! The beautiful landscape, the pirate theme, and the story! They all just work together beautifully, in a way that no other Assassin's Creed game has done before or after. I don't know why Edward Kenway didn't get any follow ups (I mean, I KIND OF do, because, you know, he's DEAD), but it seems unfair that he only gets 1 game while Ezio got, like, a million. I for one am still holding out hope that more adventures with the Kenways and the crew of the Jackdaw are somewhere on the horizon.
73. Power Stone 2 - Dreamcast
A lot of people would call this a Smash Bros. clone, but those people would be stupid. Playing more like a MOBA than anything else, and introducing super moves long before Smash Bros. Brawl, Power Stone 2 took the fun kinetic battle royale style of the first game and added more characters, more dynamic levels, and 4 player multiplayer! The lack of any kind of real single player mode keeps this title from going any higher, but still one of the greatest games of all time.
72. Dead Space - Multi
So, I was a late adopter to the Dead Space phenomenon. I didn't play the original game until the second game was announced. I initially thought it just looked like Resident Evil in space, but I don't think I could have been more wrong. The cramp, claustrophobic atmosphere, mixed with the brutal, STRATEGIC gameplay was just a wonder to behold. I mean, COME ON! Any game could have you shoot a monster in the head, but this game made you perform SURGERY on every bad guy you faced! Add in the small, worldbuilding touches they had like communications being projected in front of the character and not the player, and you had the most unique survival horror experience in a long time.
71. Mutant League Hockey - Genesis
You might look at Mutant League Hockey and think that it's an arcade style hockey game with no real gameplay value, but you have to realize that this game was built on EA's Sports' NHL system! That means all the plays, all the controls, all the strategy of those games, but you also have to deal with chainsaws, fire pits, and bribing the ref. This was a tough choice for me, as Mutant League Football is also EXCELLENT, but at the end of the day, it's got to be Mutant League Hockey. Now if only we could get a real sequel...
Alright guys, that's it for this week! Check back next week as we continue all the way down to the number 1 video game of all time!
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