Favorite Games Ever (Besides Ninja Gaiden, Obviously)

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, NeoGAF compiled a list of the top games of generation 6 in various categories: http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1001534&page=1

Now, NG is a site with lots of annoying fanboys and ridiculous discussions, but I do tend to browse it for a good laugh. That said, surprisingly enough, I can't fault many of these choices based on user votes.

Compared to what a big gaming site or publication might go for, we get lots of love for actual great games.

Ninja Gaiden is ranked as the best action game of the generation (and DMC3 right behind it), which I absolutely agree with. Plus, games like God Hand, FEAR, and JSRF are recognized within their own genres. Also, RE4 is ranked as the overall greatest game of that generation, which I can totally get behind. Overall, it's a surprisingly solid set of lists, IMO. Sure, there are things to nitpick, but at least most stuff on there actually deserves that level of praise.

[Spark Of Spirit]

4. Shadow of the Colossus (PlayStation 2)

Give me a break. This is worse because ICO is 26th. These games are not that good, and none of the comments for them gave any reason as to their ranking. If you like them, then fine, but on a best-of list I'd like a reason beyond "magic!" as to why.

20. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Gamecube)

This should be in its place.

Otherwise I have no problem with the top 25.

However . . .

Platforming
1. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PlayStation 2)
2. Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube)
3. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PlayStation 2)
4. Psychonauts (PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox)
5. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PlayStation 2)
6. Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast, Gamecube)
7. Jak II (PlayStation 2)
8. Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PlayStation 2)
9. Jak 3 (PlayStation 2)
10. Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat (Gamecube)

What in the world happened here? If Super Mario Sunshine is the second best platformer of the generation, it must have been a pretty poor generation for platformers.

How about:

Ape Escape 3, Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory, Rayman 2: The Great Escape, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Mega Man Zero 2, Mega Man Zero 3, Ninja Five-O, Sonic Advance, or Wario Land 4?

Surely at least some of those are better than the likes of Super Mario Sunshine, Sly 2, Jak 3, Psychonauts, Jungle Beat, or Sonic Adventure 2? I'm not saying those are bad games, but none of them are what I would call the best of the generation.

[Foggle]

Ico is a pretty damn good game, actually. I'm not keen on Shadow of the Colossus, but I'm sure it's also great if you can get past the control scheme.

I find it kind of insulting that Sunshine is considered better than any Ratchet & Clank, and that Sonic Adventure 2 is considered good better than Jak 2, but eh. Their list, not mine.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Of course, it's all taste. The problem when it comes to Ueda games is that suddenly gamers get stupid in actually explaining what they like about them. I enjoyed ICO. Great game? Not quite. Good game? Yeah. Best of the generation? No way. There are too many great games for an enjoyable game that doesn't do anything perfectly to rank above them.

Out of curiosity, what would you rate as the top 25 games of the generation? If you were in charge of such a list, I mean.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I'm more surprised that FFX is the highest ranked RPG on that list. Even a lot of GAF members seemed baffled as to how that happened. In the comments, mist people seem to feel that Deus Ex should have been higher, and that if any PS2 FF game should be on the list, it should be XII,  but a lot of commenters also apparently didn't vote for the list.

I'm also surprised to see people complaining about The Wind Waker being so high. That game is amazing. It deservesto have that ranking.

At any rate, I don't agree with everything on there, but I can also hardly complain when they surprisingly got so many things right, IMO. That action games list is pretty damn spot-on, for example. I'm also pleased with FEAR being considered as both one of the best FPS games as well as one of the best horror games of that generation.

[Foggle]

I just thought Ico had some pretty sweet puzzle design, great artwork, and an interesting minimalist story. I wouldn't put it in my top 25, but I wouldn't blame someone for doing so. Can't really comment on SotC.

Out of curiosity, what would you rate as the top 25 games of the generation? If you were in charge of such a list, I mean.

Sure, as long as you do it too. I'm a biased mofo, but I'll try to be somewhat objective instead of just putting all 4 Ratchet & Clank games at the top.

1. Resident Evil 4
2. Deus Ex
3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
4. Ninja Gaiden Black
5. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
6. Metroid Prime
7. Resident Evil (Remake)
8. Max Payne
9. Silent Hill 2
10. Half-Life 2
11. Devil May Cry 3
12. Thief 2
13. Silent Hill 3
14. God Hand
15. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
16. Jak & Daxter
17. Fatal Frame 2
18. Viewtiful Joe
19. No One Lives Forever 2
20. F.E.A.R.
21. Jak 2
22. Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
23. Killer7
24. Halo
25. Ratchet & Clank

There are still quite a few notable games I haven't played from it, mind. It was a good generation.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

To be honest, I couldn't make such a list myself because I haven't played enough games from the RPG, horror, and platformer genres of that gen, so I could only really focus on action and FPS.

That said, a lot of choices seem pretty legit based on what you guys like, such as Persona 4 being ranked really high, for example. There's also MGS3 being really high, which I know is a fan favorite over here.

[Foggle]

I somehow missed the entire RPG genre, MGS3, and Yakuza 2 on the top 25 I just posted. I think GAF did a better job than me!

Honestly, that generation is just really hard to rank. Every system (including PC and handhelds) had such an excellent lineup of exclusives even before factoring in all the multiplatform stuff. It was a good time to play video games.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Out of curiosity, what would you rate as the top 25 games of the generation? If you were in charge of such a list, I mean.

Sure, as long as you do it too.

K. I'll try.

1. Resident Evil 4
2. Deus Ex
3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
4. Ninja Gaiden Black
5. Halo: Combat Evolved
6. Metroid Prime
7. Max Payne
8. Silent Hill 2
9. Half-Life 2
10. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
11. Soul Calibur
12. OutRun 2
13. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
14. God Hand
15. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
16. Viewtiful Joe
17. Devil May Cry 3
18. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
19. Garou: Mark of the Wolves
20. F.E.A.R.
21. Jet Grind Radio
22. Suikoden V
23. Killer7
24. Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
25. Persona 4

Bonus:

Platforming
1. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PlayStation 2)
2. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PlayStation 2)
3. Mega Man Zero 3 (Game Boy Advance)
4. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (PlayStation 2)
5. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PlayStation 2)
6. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Game Boy Advance)
7. Mega Man Zero 2 (Game Boy Advance)
8. Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (PlayStation 2)
9. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Game Boy Advance)
10. Jak II (PlayStation 2)

[Avaitor]

I thought most people considered Ico to be superior to Shadow of the Colossus?

I liked what I've played of Ico, but SOTC doesn't seem like my kind of game, tbh.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

The fact that both of you guys have NGB in your top 4 makes your lists automatically super credible.

And it looks like everyone can agree that, whether a personal favorite or not, RE4 does deserve to be called the best overall game of the generation.

As for SOTC, I remember back on TZ someone telling me that NG was all flash and little substance and that SOTC was one of the best action games ever. I laughed....

Yeah, needless to say, that's when I stopped taking that site seriously when it came to opinions on video games. I had already stopped taking their opinions on actual cartoons seriously long before that.

[Spark Of Spirit]

The fact that both of you guys have NGB in your top 4 makes your lists automatically super credible.

And it looks like everyone can agree that, whether a personal favorite or not, RE4 does deserve to be called the best overall game of the generation.

I was trying to make it more on achievement balanced with quality, but yeah, Resident Evil 4 really did a lot and did it well.

[Avaitor]

I don't think that I could make a list, really, but RE4 would have to be my #1, as well. It really is a one of a kind experience.

[Spark Of Spirit]

That generation also signaled the end of some classic series like Gradius and R-Type. If it wasn't for digital download I can't imagine how many more would have died off last gen.

As for SOTC, I remember back on TZ someone telling me that NG was all flash and little substance and that SOTC was one of the best action games ever. I laughed....

I remember that. I also remember he couldn't formulate a reason as to why.

I don't really miss posting there.

[Foggle]

We have the same top 4!