Devon's Top 15 Video Games (of My Life)

I just finished reading Game Informer's Top 200 issue, on stands now, (you can see all the different variations of the cover here) where they listed what they deemed to be the Top 200 games of all time. Now, while my own personal choices show up here and there on the list, I was really more surprised than anything to see what order Game Informer had most of these games in. Suffice to say, when their Top 3 games are all 20+ years old, I start to wonder just what the point of this list was. Did they write it for themselves, based off their own personal beliefs and ideas, or did they write the list simply to pander to the hoard of self-proclaimed gamers who buy up most of their issues? End result: I didn't personally feel like I agreed with their rankings, so naturally like any other blogger, I decided to just do my own. Now, before I start the countdown, I want to preface it by saying that YES, I know a lot of you won't agree with my rankings either, and I wouldn't expect you to. These picks are based solely on what I believe to be is the fundamental root of a gamer's enjoyment. Excitement + Time spent playing + memories. So, without further ado, I present to you oh humble reader, my personal Top 15 games I have ever played.

15. Kid Chameleon (Sega Genesis)
Kid Chameleon (known as Chameleon Kid in Japan) is a platform game released for the Mega Drive/Genesis. The premise of the game is that the main character, Kid Chameleon, can use masks to change into different characters in order to use different abilities. I remember when my cousins got a Sega Genesis one year for Christmas, and when they weren't busy playing Sonic, I was absorbed in Kid Chameleon. The game boasts over 100 levels, and had NO SAVE FEATURE. So, I think part of the reason I remember this game is that when I first started playing it, I could never get past the 10th or so level, because I'd have to stop playing. Next time, I had to start all over. I tried to leave the Sega on once so I could come back to it, but when I returned I was distraught to find the cartridge replaced with that damn Sonic. I don't remember if I ever even beat this game... but I sure as hell had fun playing it.

14. Phantasmagoria (PC)
Phantasmagoria is a CD-ROM horror-themed video game created by Sierra On-line for the DOS and Windows platforms, and later for the Sega Saturn in Japan. The game was released in 1995 and was followed by a sequel, Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh released in 1996. I'll go on the record and say it right now: I was way too damned young to be playing this game when it came out. I mean, I was 10, and the game features not only a rape, but 5 very, very graphic murder scenes. If you've played the game, you may remember how it resembled a shoddy hidden camera at times, and therefore looked quite real. I know I'll never forget the scene of the 4th wife being force fed cow innards through a funnel. The story was deep, the ending was climactic and exciting, and Phantasmagoria went in to the books as another success for Roberta Williams and the Sierra crew. Speaking of which....

13. King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder! (PC)
King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder! is a 1990 adventure game released by Sierra. Released in November 1990, it featured a significant improvement in graphics (achieved through the introduction of VGA into the series). It was also the first King's Quest installment to replace the typing user interface with a point-and-click user interface. In 1991, it was released on CD-ROM with Voice acting included. For me, it's really hard to include only a couple of the King's Quest games on my list, because they were the predominant video game played throughout my childhood. My first memory of a video game is of my entire family, at get-together or holiday, all huddled around my Uncle's IBM PC, playing the original games. As I grew up, the games were passed on to me, and by the time I was a pre-teen I had them all on a sweet 2 disc collector's edition, that included some VGA remakes of the original 2 games. King's Quest V, however, was the one that really got me excited and in to playing the games. My Uncle had bought it new, and we played it together, and that was where my love affair with the series began. It continued with...

12. King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow (PC)
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow is the sixth installment in the King's Quest series of adventure games produced by Sierra Entertainment. Written by Roberta Williams and Jane Jensen, KQVI is widely recognized as the high point in the series for its in-depth plot, landmark 3D graphic introduction movie (created by Kronos Digital Entertainment), and professional voice acting. King's Quest VI was the game that really, truly brought me in to the fold as a fan of the series. Literally from the moment you begin the game you're immersed in this beautiful world full of characters and creatures. I'll never forget the first time I came up from the beach, took a left in to town, and heard the old hobo shout "OLD LAMPS FOR NEW, OLD LAMPS... FOR NEW." If you know me, ask me to do my impression. I've been told it's quite good, haha. I spent all the free time I had playing this game (pretty sure I had to bust out a manual to finish it) and last spring I managed to get my hands on a copy for WinXP, and I breezed right through it. It was crazy how 16 years later I still remembered what to do. One thing is for sure, the team lead by Roberta and Ken Williams at Sierra helped me to become the fan of adventure games I am today.

11. Smackdown / Raw vs. Smackdown Series (Playstation)
Now, I have to start by saying that I no longer watch wrestling or play wrestling games, a decision made when the product on television went to crap, but back in the days that I did, every November meant one thing. I was getting Smackdown for my birthday. From the first Smackdown game on PSOne to the newer Raw vs. Smackdown games for X-Box and PS3, I would play these games until I couldn't keep my eyes open. I remember that some nights when I was having a hard time getting to sleep, I'd go in to the always awesome create-a-character mode, and eventually by the time I was working on my move list, I'd be ready to crash. Of all the annual series repeaters out there, I'd go so far as to say Smackdown works the hardest at always getting better. The folks at THQ listen to what their fans want, and each edition of the game is a little bit better than the last. I only wish the TV counterpart were as good.

10. Goldeneye 007 (N64)
GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console, based on the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye. I'm pretty sure Goldeneye was the first of two games I got with my Nintendo 64 (NINTENDO 64!!!!) one Christmas, and subsequently became the only First Person Shooter game I've ever enjoyed enough to finish. I've never claimed to like FPS games, but there was just something different about how Goldeneye handled itself that still to do this day makes it the only FPS I have no qualms with playing.... and that's saying a lot.

9. Final Fantasy IX (PSOne)
Final Fantasy IX is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the ninth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2000 and is the third and last numbered Final Fantasy game for Sony's PlayStation. The game introduced new features to the series, such as the "Active Time Event", "Mognet", and a revamped equipment and skill system. Of the three Final Fantasy games to come out on PSOne, this one took a turn away from humanized characters, and instead showed us a misty world, called Gaia, where the people were slightly more cartoonish and animated. The game had a fantastic plot and at the time some really eye-popping graphics. This was another game that I played for hours and hours (I believe it was 4 discs long) and in the end I definitely had a sense of accomplishment. This game is definitely on my list of PSOne games I'd like the chance to play again.

8. Dragon Age: Origins (X-Box 360)
Dragon Age: Origins (also known as Dragon Age) is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare's Edmonton studio. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2009. I just finished playing Dragon Age like a week ago, maybe two weeks ago, and I've still got the itch to play it more. Fortunately, DA:O offers 8 different story paths you can take during play, so I would have to say I will most definitely be playing it again, and again, and again. Featuring some of the best voice acting I've heard in games, an incredible land full of interesting people and astonishing creatures, and one helluva finale... Dragon Age: Origins left me excited about the future of the title, as well as wanting to spend more time with this one. I think any developer would be glad to hear that said about their game.

7. Final Fantasy VIII (PSOne)
Final Fantasy VIII is a console role-playing game released for the PlayStation in 1999 and for Windows-based personal computers in 2000. It was developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the Final Fantasy series' eighth title, doing away with magic point-based spell-casting and the first title to consistently use realistically proportioned characters. You'll be surprised to find that Final Fantasy VII isn't on this list, and you can blame Final Fantasy VIII for that. Final Fantasy VIII was the first of the titles I played, and by the time I was finished I was so spoiled by it, that I could not ever find a way to get in to FFVII. I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't ever get the hang of VII after playing VIII. So essentially, I thought FFVIII was so good that it ruined anything that came before it.

6. Fable 2 (X-Box 360)
Fable II is an action role-playing game developed by Lionhead and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360. The sequel to Fable and Fable: The Lost Chapters, it was originally announced in 2006 and released in October 2008. I can't imagine that I haven't spent more time playing this game than any other. I know it to be fact... between my two complete games, I've probably clocked in around 80 hours on this game, which to me, says a lot about the game itself. That's more than enough value for what I paid for it. Fable 2 is probably the most customizable and enjoyable adventure game out for X-Box 360. You can get married, have kids, own properties, own businesses, and even become King of the land. The story is packed and really satisfying. The graphics are gorgeous, and the gameplay itself is just plain fun.

5. Batman: Arkham Asylum (X-Box 360)
Batman: Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. The end of summer was ruled by one thing for me, and that one thing was Batman: Arkham Asylum. FINALLY a good, fun, well designed Batman game. This was something myself and I'm sure many other Batman fans had been waiting a long time for. It would be hard for me to covey my love for this game in a couple sentences, fortunately I reviewed it.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Gamecube)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the Wii and GameCube video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. I should start by saying that I own the Gamecube version of this game, and would have it no other way. I'm sure it's all fine and dandy on the Wii, but I like my Zelda from a seated position, not jumping and slashing around my living room. Twilight Princess plays a lot like Ocarina of Time, which at points makes it feel like a sequel, when in truth it's a complete stand alone game. The game was hailed by 1UP.com, CVG, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Game Informer, GamesRadar, IGN, The Washington Post and numerous other publications as the greatest Zelda game ever made, and won many Game of the Year awards, which were all deserved. It truly is a remarkable game and has one of the best stories I've ever played through, but it doesn't compare to...

3. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time (N64)
The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. Originally developed for the Nintendo 64DD peripheral, the game was instead released on a 256-megabit cartridge, which was the largest-capacity cartridge Nintendo produced at that time. Ocarina of Time has been regarded by many critics and fans as one of the greatest video games of all time, and I would have to agree. This would be the other game I got along with my Nintendo 64 that one Christmas, and from the moment I opened the box I didn't stop playing until I had finished. Thankfully I was on Christmas break and could do this! For the first time fans of the Zelda franchise were able to see and play in a completely three dimensional version of Hyrule. The game had such an interesting element, in that you could only do certain things as an adult Link, or as a child Link, and it was up to you to know when to travel in time in order to accomplish your tasks. Fans of the games are still to this day arguing over which temple was easiest or which was hardest (Water temple what?). Long story short, this was the game that revolutionized the way we played Zelda, and therefore instantly became a classic.

2. Chrono Cross (PSOne)
Chrono Cross is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Chrono Trigger, which was released in 1995 for the SNES. I never played Chrono Trigger, and I didn't care either, because for 41 minutes and 45 seconds, I was wrapped up in this game. Over the course of 3 days on Christmas break, while visiting family in Arkansas, I sat glued to the television in the spare bedroom playing this game. I stopped only to eat, sleep, and open presents. Hands down, if there were just one PSOne game I could play over, it would be this game. I'd even buy a PSOne right now to play this game again, and after writing all this, I may just do that. You play the character Serge, a teenager who gets transported to an alternate dimension where he's been dead for 10 years. The game had a total of 45 different people you could have in your party throughout the game, though you'd have to do several play-throughs to try them all. The story is long and features a lot of twists and turns. I'm pretty sure this is the only game to ever make me shed a tear. Chrono Cross has never gotten enough publicity that I was aware of. I don't know, maybe it's just me...

...and that brings me to my number one favorite game of all time, a game that truly changed my perception of video games and what they could bring to my life... and that game is....

1. Final Fantasy X (Playstation 2)
Final Fantasy X is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2. The game marks the Final Fantasy series' transition from entirely pre-rendered backdrops to fully three-dimensional areas, and is also the first in the series to feature voice acting. Final Fantasy X replaces the Active Time Battle (ATB) system with a new Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system, and uses a new leveling system called the "Sphere Grid". Set in the fantasy world of Spira, the game's story centers around a group of adventurers and their quest to defeat a rampaging monster known as "Sin". The player character is Tidus, a blitzball star who finds himself in Spira after his home city of Zanarkand is destroyed by Sin. During the game, Tidus, along with several others, aids the summoner Yuna on her pilgrimage to destroy Sin.

I don't even know where to start with this game. It's epic in every sense of the word. The story is incredible, the art design is beautiful, the characters are so life-like it's ridiculous. The cut scenes are breath taking. The action is so much fun. The Blitzball minigame is addictive and a helluva lotta fun to play. This was also the first Final Fantasy game to not feature a map for when you travel around the world. In this game, all towns and locations are linear, and you travel by foot or airship from one to the other. This allows for real time battles in the field that you actually have the option to run away from. This theme would repeat itself in Final Fantasy X-2 (the first ever direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game) as well as in Final Fantast XII. The thing that gets this game to the top of my list is hands down the story. Never in any other game have I felt as passionate about the mission I am playing as I did in this game. The revolutionized gameplay made it so easy to completely immerse yourself in the plot, and when the game's climactic finish came to a close, I felt like a chapter of MY life had just ended. It's just that good. I could go on for an hour about this game, but at this point I've already spent over 3 just writing this article.

I hope reading this makes you want to get in to gaming, or back in to gaming, or whatever. Go out and see if you can get your hands on these games if you haven't played them, since that's really the whole point of this. If you played these games, and agree, or even disagree with my assessment, please sound off in the comments and let me know. I'm interested to hear what others think about this subject. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have Assassin's Creed 2 to be playing.

Credit: GameInformer for the cover, and Wikipedia for the game intros.