Here I Go Again (On My Own...)
For those of you out there who were expecting this last week, I'm sorry. Even bloggers need a vacation, and Santa Cruz was a mellow 75 degrees, and I couldn't resist! But on to the good stuff! For a little recap:
Remember, there's only one game per franchise! Let's get to it!
40. Valkyria Chronicles - PS3
I'm going to sound like a total video game hipster, but I liked Valkyria Chronicles before it was cool. I randomly bought it used from Gamestop one day, thinking that if I hated it, I'd just return it and get my money back, but HOW COULD YOU HATE THIS GAME?!? Turn based strategy mixed with third person gameplay, and engaging story, and beautiful art direction. If you haven't played this gem, you're missing out.
39. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - PS3
Ni No Kuni was advertised as a Studio Ghibli game, and it pretty much is! Sure, the gameplay is pretty much Pokemon for Playstation, but I'm okay with that. It is addicting and scratches every single itch I've ever had for classic JRPGs, but with the slick graphical design and power of the PS3 behind it. I was disappointed by the sequel's decision to move towards an action RPG, and for that reason, I say the original Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is where it's at.
38. Bully - Multi
Yes. Bully is higher on my list than Grand Theft Auto 5. And you know what? I don't care. Pick yourself up off of the floor and listen to my reasoning. Bully takes the great outline of the GTA 3 system and puts it into a much more charming world and theme. There's just something that's very charming about this game where hijacking bikes and shooting a slingshot just appeals to me more than stealing cars and mowing down people with an uzi. I find the storyline more relatable, and at the end of the day, you need to relate to the character you're playing.
37. Persona 4 - PS2
JRPG meet life simulation game! In a weird mashup that on paper SHOULD NOT WORK, the Persona series forces players to not only battle monsters, level up, find new equipment, but you also have to balance the landmines of high school like good grades, friendships, romance, and after school jobs. Persona 5 was also a VERY strong contender for this slot, but the personality of the characters and the WICKED murder mystery aspect of Persona 4 elevate it as my favorite in the series.
36. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - PS3
So, the original Metal Gear Solid set a new precedent for blending action games with a cinematic feel. Then MGS 2 came along and turned the franchise into a bit of a joke, if I'm being honest, where players felt they spent more time WATCHING the game than playing the game. Metal Gear Solid 3 did a good job to try to right the ship, but I personally feel it wasn't until Metal Gear Solid 4 that they got the formula perfect. Improved controls, a unique camouflage system, and a story that was WEIRD AS HELL, but somehow still cool helped give us a satisfying and emotional send off to the characters we've been following since 1998... Until Phantom Pain came out...
35. Kingdom Hearts - PS2
Oh, man. The feels that happen when I play this game. Sure, you could just argue that Kingdom Hearts was the emo version of Legend of Zelda, but the core gameplay and unique mashup of worlds separates it from that moniker and turns it into its own thing. And the crazy thing is that it WORKS SO WELL. I mean, you'd never think that Goofy and Cloud Strife would ever share a screen together, but there they are, sure, Goofy's got a whole lot more BUCKLES and CHAINS attached to him than any person could actually carry, but that's just Squaresoft being Squaresoft. While Kingdom Hearts 2 is also good, the original game is where my heart still lies.
34. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Multi
So, if you know me personally, you'd know that a Call of Duty game HAD to be on here, it was just a matter of which one, and where. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has the best story, the best multiplayer suite, and the best zombie modes of the entire series, not to mention branching paths, multiple endings, and optional side missions! The controls are the sharpest they've ever been, without any gimmicky stuff like jump jets or exo suits, and guns are ALL viable. This is the ONLY Call of Duty game where I can honestly say that you can create a competitive loadout in multiplayer with EVERY GUN, provided you use the right perks and such.
33. M.U.L.E. - Atari 400
Any of you who already read my review of M.U.L.E. The Board Game probably already know what I'm going to say about this game. It's a SUPER COMPETITIVE economics game where alien settlers employ cutthroat tactics to become rich and ruin friendships. And let me tell you, Monopoly ain't got nothing on M.U.L.E. Sure, it may be more a nostalgia pick, and as evidenced by my wife and brother-in-law trying to play this game with my sister and I, it's not a game for everyone. Yes. It takes a very special kind of heartless bastard to hoard food, and raise it's prices to $200 a unit, and only sell the other players 1... But you know what? That's just M.U.L.E., baby.
32. Ultra Street Fighter 4 - Multi
Who doesn't remember the intro to Street Fighter 2 in the arcade, where you get to witness a hate crime if you don't insert coins quickly enough. Well, that game was great, but it wasn't the best. Ultra Street Fighter 4 is the GREATEST Street Fighter game of all time. Yes, yes, you Third Strike loyalists aren't wrong, your game is VERY CLOSE, but at the end of the day, the amount of characters, the balance, the Focus Attack mechanic, and just how unique the new characters are (Turkish oil wrestling, anyone?) make Ultra Street Fighter 4 the king.
31. Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life - Gamecube
Anyone who's a Harvest Moon fan will tell you that Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is the best entry in the series. The scenic beach town setting, the streamlined gameplay that remained simple, but still gave the player plenty of options for how they wanted to run their farm all added to the fun of this game. And honestly, it's small things that make this one stand out for me, like the addition of SHEEP to the series, or now having to open up your shop to sell your wares. When I think of the PERFECT Harvest Moon experience, this is the game I think of.
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