My 10 Favourite Games Of All Time

 Video games have been such a massive part of my life. When I think of the different eras of my life I always attach certain games to certain memories. This is a list of my favourite games of all time. Are they necessarily the best games ever made? No. But they are games that I have played through countless times and define my gaming journey. Making this list has been nearly impossible and depending on the day this could be a completely different list. These are just in order that they were released because there is no way I could ever rank them. I love them all equally!

Pokemon Silver

I think people's favourite Pokemon is usually the one that hit them at the right age. For me it was Pokemon Silver. I had played Red previously, but only because I had an older sibling and they had Pokemon Blue, so convinced me to get Red so that they could get all the Pokemon. But then a few years later I got my lime green Gameboy Colour and a copy of Pokemon Silver and I was old enough that Pokemon made sense to me. Silver added an extra 100 Pokemon on top of the originals and these included the Legendary dogs which I loved! Also the fact that once you finish the main game you can then go to Kanto and retrace the steps of the first game was mind blowing. And fighting the character from the first game at the end was like Nick Fury showing up at the end of Iron Man! I recently bought and played through Soul Silver and that is, in my opinion, the perfect Pokemon experience.

GTA Vice City

My favourite GTA game by far! This was a generation defining game and I would spend hours just running around causing chaos. It had my favourite setting of a GTA and characters that fit perfectly into the seedy 80s Miami backdrop. Do you ever think about the fact that there is the same amount of time between the 80s and this game being released, and this game being released and now? Because I do and it terrifies me. I remember buying the massive guide for this game and collecting all the hidden packages around the city. Also the cheats! You ever put on the flying car cheat, get an army tank, point the turret backwards and keep shooting whilst driving? If not your childhood was not as good as mine. Not forgetting, of course, the radio on this game was amazing, one of my favourite playlists on Spotify is Vice City radio and honestly I think this game actually informed my taste in music that I still have today. I cannot wait to return to Vice City in GTA 6!

The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker

This will always be my favourite Zelda game and I play through it once every couple of years. I have a really distinct memory of the first time you sail out to see and the music kicks in and you get a sense of adventure that I genuinely have not felt since playing this. The game is beautiful and still looks as beautiful today! I love what they do with Zelda as a character in this game, and the fact the Link is saving his little sister as opposed to the usual 'save the princess' story. The soundtrack for this game is unmatched, whenever I hear any of the music I have a feeling of indescribable joy. I also love the sword combat. It feels so good to dodge at the right time, roll around and enemy and hit them in the back to make their armor fall off. WHERE IS THE MOTHER LOVIN' SWITCH VERSION OF THIS GAME!?

Uncharted II

Uncharted is a series I play through every year around Christmas, and that started because of Uncharted II. I remember playing the first game and liking it, so I asked for the second for Christmas the year after. I was playing the iconic opening with the train when my dad walked in and asked what the game was. I explained and then he sat next to me and watched me play through the entire thing on Christmas day! At first I thought he was just humouring me, but then I remember him asking "when does the next one come out?" And then this started the tradition of my dad watching me play Uncharted on Christmas Day every year! Now I am older and do not always get to see my dad at Christmas, but I always make sure to play through the series around that time. The second game is when I feel Naughty Dog knew they had something really special on their hands. The opening sequence is probably the best opening to a video game. Then there is the section where the city is blowing up as you are running around fighting a helicopter, and then you are fighting yetis in Napal. I will say the final boss fight is one of the most irritating boss fights ever, but the rest of the game is an absolute blast. Every Uncharted game is a good game, but Uncharted II holds a special place for me. 

Mafia II

I think Mafia II is my favourite open world, sandbox game. Let me explain why. Firstly it starts in the 40s in a fake town called Empire Bay, which is kind of the love child of every American major city. Then you go to prison for a few years and come out in the 1950s and all the map is different, all the cars are different and the music is different. There is so much good stuff to talk about in this game! Firstly I think the way you evade police in this game is smarter than any GTA game. So if the police have seen your car, you have to change the license plate or the car, if they get close enough to see you, or you get out of the car, you have to change your clothes. It is so smart and actually gives you plenty of opportunities to try new cars and outfits. The story is also really engaging and I really like the side kick character called Joe, who provides a lot of comedy. They recently did a remaster of the 3 Mafia games and what I will say is that Mafia 1 remastered is a pretty decent game, a little short, but generally fun. Mafia II was a goddamn masterpiece already so it is a prettier version of that. And Mafia 3 is one of my biggest gaming disappointments. I remember going at midnight to a game shop to get the original Mafia 3 because I was so excited and then playing it and being so confused as to why the gameplay was actually worse than the previous one! But trust me, if you havent played Mafia II, it is worth playing and still holds up against modern games.

Batman: Arkham Knight

I could honestly put any if the Arkham games on this list, I think they are really special games. I have been a DC comics fan my entire life and the Arkham series is one of my favourite interpretations of the Batman world. Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as The Joker in a video game was the dream! The Arkham series consistently gets every villain spot on, in my opinion, and presents a world that is so immersive you feel like Batman. So why Arkham Knight? Well the story mainly. I wont go into spoilers but I really fell in love with the story and felt they did justice to one of my favourite Batman comics. Also driving the Batmobile around the city, smashing through everything is a lot of fun, despite the weird tank control sections! I think Arkham Knight remains one of the best looking games I have ever played, and one of the games I have probably played through the most.

Marvel's Spider-man (PS4)

Spider-Man games were a huge part of my life since a young age. I had the nearly impossible Spider-Man Vs The Kingpin on Sega Master system. Then the Spider-man PS1 games and then of course the movie tie in games on PS2. But when I swung through the city on Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4, I realised that all these games were building towards this. Everything about this game makes you feel like Spider-Man, the combat, the exploration, the quips and the costumes are all perfect. I also love the chances they took with the story, they reinvented characters and carved out their own path with the narrative, which made it refreshing to not know what was going to happen. I did really enjoy Miles Morales and Marvel's Spider-Man 2, but the experience of playing the first game for the first time is one that could not be beaten. 

Red Dead Redemption II

Red Dead Redemption is better than GTA, there, I've said it! Arthur Morgan is one of the deepest most meaningful video game characters and Roger Clark gave one of the best acting performances ever, not just in video games, but all media. Arthur is such a complex character and my heart bleeds for him as you see him live such a tortured life and get betrayed so many times. Every character in this game is so fleshed out and real. I learned to be good at poker through this game, as during lock down I would just go to the saloon in Red Dead and play poker every day. I love the cowboy setting, I love how beautiful the map is and I love the story. This game is a perfect cowboy simulator and is so detailed that I have played through it several times and still haven't completed ever side quest and seen everything there is to see. If you haven't played it, it is currently on PS Plus so pick it up, you wont regret it!

Resident Evil II Remake

So as I mentioned previously, I am a younger sibling, so because of that I spent a lot of time watching my bother play games that I was wayyyy too young to be watching. I watched him play through the first 3 Resident Evil games when I was probably around 10 and I still have nightmares about being eaten by zombies to this day! But also I was fascinated by the idea of zombies! Then I played through 'Resident Evil 4' when I was a teenager and fell in love with the franchise. A few years ago 'Resident Evil 2: Remake' came out and I was able to experience the adrenaline fueled terror that I had felt all those years ago watching my older brother! This game is truly terrifying. At the start there is a section where you have to run through a corridor as zombies come at you from every angle and it is one of the scariest moments in a video game. Also being chased by a jacked out inspector gadget looking dude around the police station makes me squeal like a piggy every time! You could play through Leon or Claire's story, or both, since they both have their own unique paths. I have to admit towards the end I don't love the section in the lab, but the police station and the orphanage is so good that I have played through Resident Evil Remake at least 15 times! 

The Last of Us: Part II

This is one of those rare moments in gaming where as I was playing it, I knew I was playing an important part of gaming history. The Last of Us 1 is flawless, but the sequel took some chances that I feel really paid off. I wont spoil anything, especially since the series seems to be following the games story line pretty religiously, but I was blown away by the story and the chances this game took. I also think the gameplay generally is so much more advance than the first. The Last of Us 1 is a pretty simple game if you look at just the game play, but The Last of Us 2 is so much more complex. The AI of the enemies is so advance that you feel genuinely clever for outsmarting them. I have played through this story 3 times and each time I have cried at several points in the game. I have a lot of respect for this game and the themes presented in it. I hear a third game is being made and I cannot wait!

So upon writing this list I realised that I seem to gravitate towards the second game in most franchises. I really am not sure why, but for some reason sequels speak to me! Let me know what your favourite games are in the comments below! Also here are a few honourable mentions.

Honorable mentions:

Far Cry 3 - Fsr Cry games are one of the only first person shooters I really enjoy and Far Cry 3 is my favourite in the franchise.

Halo: Combat Evolved - I used to spend night after night with an old buddy of mine just playing through the campaign in co-op mode over and over again and we never got bored!

The Walking Dead (Telltale) - Lee's story is amazing and I judge anyone who doesn't cry at the end.

Star Wars: Jedi Survivor - This game not only made me feel like a Jedi, but also had one of the best twists in a video game I have seen for a while.

Max Payne - Every year I play through this game. I can now finish it in about 3 hours, but I feel pure joy every time Max flies through the air in slow motion.

Resident Evil 4 (O.G and the Remake) - The Gamecube game was one of the most fun games I have ever played and the recent remake only makes that experience better! The only reason it isn't in my top 10 is because I do prefer Resident Evil II as it is more of a survival horror. But Resident Evil 4 is goofy and weird and an absolute blast!

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