10 Games To Play Before You Die

[Jason Tandro]

Another list that might get taken the wrong way. This is a list of unique games that are not neccesarily the best games ever made, but are games that everyone should experience.

Based on my list which can be found here: http://www.gameolosophy.com/Games/Action/10-Games-to-Play-Before-You-Die.157645#comments


The video game industry is constantly shelling out new games. The idea evokes memories of Field of Dreams: “If you make it, they will buy it.” However there are some games that truly stand out as beacons of excellent design philosophy and create an all-around great gaming experience. These are the ten games you must play before you die.

10. Portal

Platform: PC, XBOX 360 (as part of The Orange Box).

Developers: Valve Corporation

Publishers: Valve Corporation

Released: October 2007

Portal is a gaming experiment, which has truly stands out as a genre in-and-of itself. You play yourself, the test subject of some twisted robotic design. Throughout the game you are given the ability to control a gun which shoots two sides of a portal which you use to solve puzzles. The game is not only incredible fun, but incredibly funny as the computer continues to mock you in a gallows sense of humor.

The game is short, roughly 2 to 4 hours, but this doesn't include the time you will spend screwing around (i.e. creating infinite loops, a mirror, testing how far you can catapult yourself, etc.). Portal is truly the beginning of the next generation of games.


9. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Platform: XBOX360

Developers: Bethesda Game Studios

Publishers: 2K Games, Bethesda Softworks/ZeniMax

Released: March 2006

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is not so much a game as an experience. You play a character (that you create) who has been imprisoned for reasons that are not specified. Upon being freed by the Emperor who subsequently dies, you are given a mission to protect the world, which you may or may not do. The great thing about Oblivion is that you don't have to play the main story to enjoy the game. There are countless other mission strings, including a mages guild, fighters guild, thieves guild, assassin's guild, and arena.

Aside from that, random dungeons abound throughout the world, each town has a plethora of quests for you to take on and with all this you can still decide what kind of character you want to be. The addition of two expansion packs makes this even more possible, and creates an almost unlimited replay value.

8. Kingdom Hearts

Console: PS2

Developers: Square

Publishers: Square Electronic Arts/ Disney Interactive

Released: September 2002

While I can understand a “grown-up” gamer's hesitance to play a game that is mostly Disney, fear not. This game also features a good amount of the cast of the Final Fantasy series and a gameplay style that is all its own. The story is admittedly a little campy, but that sort of lends to the charm of the game. You play as a boy named Sora who is given a magical blade shaped like a key. The function of this blade is to seal worlds safe from an encroaching shadow that has been destroying worlds one after another.

The storyline leaves something to be desired in this game, but the sheer fun of the gameplay makes up for it. There is nothing quite like being able to charge a massive horde of dozens of enemies and take them out in a few well-placed strikes (aka the Dynasty Warriors effect.) Plus which there is a bit of fun playing as some of your favorite Disney characters, including Aladdin, Jack the Pumpkin King and even a flying Peter Pan. No other game will make you say “Donald Duck kicks ass.”


7. Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete

Console: Playstation

Developers: Game Arts, Vanguard Works

Publishers: Working Designs (US Version)

Released: December 2000

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete may very well be the greatest two-dimensional RPG of all time. It is the story of a young boy, Hiro, who lives with his grandfather Gwyn. They live in a remote desert, far from society, but near an ancient ruin known as the Blue Spire. One day, while exploring it, a strange woman named Lucia appears and suddenly Hiro finds himself caught up in an adventure to help protect her from a dark being known as Zophar.

This game is a paragon of the five tenets of good RPG design. It has lovable and believable characters that make the story interesting and immersive. It has a wonderfully unique story and furthermore tells the story well. It has amazing graphics, the 2D environments and dungeons being broken up with anime cut scenes. The gameplay, especially the battle system, is fun and well-designed. And finally it has an amazing, memorable score. This game should be in every RPG lover's library.


6. Final Fantasy VII

Console: Playstation

Developers: Square

Publishers: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Released: September 1997

With all of the spin-offs, movies, animes and sequels of this game (not to mention more fanfiction stories than there are stars in the sky), it is hard to take this game seriously anymore. However, these adaptations are a testament to the fullness of the game's story and its ability to draw us into this universe. The game follows the story of an Ex-SOLDIER named Cloud Strife, who has joined a terrorist group named Avalanche whose goal is to stop the evil corporation known as Shinra. When an old nemesis named Sephiroth returns seemingly from the dead, Cloud and Avalanche have to stop him from destroying the planet.

Final Fantasy VII was described as “possibly the greatest game of all time.” Fans of Final Fantasy would mostly agree with that assessment, since no other Final Fantasy game has merited this amount of attention and excess marketing. The trick to enjoying this game is to remember that the whoredom of its franchise happened long after this masterpiece was created.


5. Metal Gear Solid

Platform: Playstation

Developers: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan

Publishers: Konami

Released: October 1998

Metal Gear Solid doesn't quite monopolize the tactical espionage genre, but it is the quintessential work of its family. You play as Solid Snake, a government agent who is trained in sneaking and survival. With the help of your back-up team, some tentative allies, and any weapon you can find, you must stop a terrorist group from launching a nuclear strike.

While Metal Gear Solid does get kind of overboard on the “nukes are bad” message, the other elements of the game more than make up for it. The cast of characters keep the story interesting and occasionally humorous. A bone-chilling score accompanies the game which plays tricks on your psyche, truly immersing you in the mindset of “me versus the world”.


4. Threads of Fate

Platform: Playstation

Developers: Square

Publishers: Square Electronic Arts

Released: July 2000

Threads of Fate might as well be underground for how many people know about it, but it is an excellent platform-RPG all the same. You play as either Rue: a mysterious boy, or Mint: a spunky girl. The choice of character changes the story, the atmosphere and the way you play the game almost entirely, so it's like having two games in one. A simple hunt for a powerful relic called the Dewprism turns into an all-out battle to save the world.

The story and gameplay are fairly simple, which is good because that means you can play it for hours on end without throwing your controller down in frustration. The majority of the game takes place in and around this one port town called Carona, and by the end of the game you feel like you know everybody there. It is a testament to the fact that good gameplay beats a lot of flash.


3. Illusion of Gaia

Platform: SNES

Developers: Quintet

Publishers: Nintendo

Released: January 1994

Illusion of Gaia is another game that sort of comes out of left field, but it is a relatively well-known member of the Terranigma trilogy (which consists of Terranigma, Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia). You play Will, a young boy from a remote port town who has a “special gift”. He is instructed by the earth spirit Gaia to stop a comet from crashing into earth.

This game has an eerie feel to it because the world (like Terranigma) is a slightly distorted version of the real world. The music does a nice job instilling that sense of tentative comfort, while reminding us that we're “not in Kansas”. The ability to transform into two alter egos-Freedan, the Dark Knight and Shadow-offers different ways to play the game, albeit it is a requirement in most dungeons. What sets this game apart is its unique story, which like the rest of the game seems at first glance to be another run of the mill adventure, but turns into so much more.

2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past

Platform: SNES

Developers: Nintendo

Publishers: Nintendo

Released: April 1992

The Legend of Zelda series also has been merchandised to death, but A Link to the Past is just the third game in the series, and arguably the best. Before Zelda had officially settled down on a style, the first two games couldn't look more different. Now all the 2D Zelda games are based upon the design that A Link to the Past set. You play (of course) as Link, a young boy who must go on a journey to save the Princess Zelda and defeat the evil wizard Gannon by traveling through the vast land of Hyrule and the mysterious dark world.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the Zelda game that truly set their dynasty in stone. Featuring an incredible score, creative characters and addicting gameplay, this Zelda game is a masterpiece.


1. Super Mario Bros. 3

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

Developers: Nintendo

Publishers: Nintendo

Released: February 1990

Super Mario Bros. is the most recognizable gaming franchise in history. There are probably well over 100 games that bear Mario's name and most of them branch off from his original platform roots. While the first two games were excellent, the third game (like A Link to the Past) is what gave this franchise its first real cling to the market. Initiating a map system, which would last through several other games, and adding the ability of flight (forever reducing the fire flower to a secondary item choice), this game was all about firsts.

Many old-school gamers recognize the sound of the teleportation whistle, and can tell you the exact benefits of using the vast variety of outfits that Mario can adorn. They can tell you what controller-breaking levels to use that handy cloud tool over and can time the picture matching game flawlessly. This is truly a game for the ages.

[Freedan]

Illusion of Gaia definitely belongs on the list, because for its time, there wasn't anything else quite like it.

It was (as far as I know), the first game to cover something like slavery (or the labour trade, as they call it) in a mature light. It never made light of the serious points of the story, like the labourers, the starving villagers, or when someone dies (the Russian Glass champion placing his pride before his life). I guess you could count Erik as the exception, with his pointless presence, interjections and bathroom humour, but he was a completely forgettable and unnecessary character.

I remember the first time I played it; my eyes were glued to the screen, because it was hard to believe what I was seeing. Usually, when I play games, I'll either be laughing, talking to myself (commenting on what's happening or what I'm doing), or something similar; playing this game, I was silent and just read the story.

[inferiare]

I'm not sure if I can agree with the notion that FF7 is the best FF game ever. It's a great game, yes, but I likes FF4-6 more. I'll add a list when I'm more coherent to do so.

[chicken]

you didnt mention terranigma

[EverPhoenix]

id have to say Lufia 2 simply has to be on that list. That has amazing music, a sweet plot line and good characters.

Just me, but id also put Pokemon on there (has to be the 2nd generation, the rest build onto the game with overwhelming detail, and the first one is just so ancient)

Grandia 2 is another, with nice graphics, story, character development and music. The dungeons arent puzzle-based, making it more linear and less confusing in the dungeons. The combat system is one of the most interesting ive seen in a game which has a separate screen for combat (ie its not real-time)

as for ff7, i prefer ff8. it was the first i played, and it left its impression. although ff7 was awesome, i think there was a lot more to the ff8 story. and it hasnt been whored to death with sequels and spinoffs

[Manibrandr System]

10. Castlevania : Symphony of the Night - Make no mistake about it, I love the Castlevania games, it's one of the few platforming game franchises I can really enjoy. This game exemplifies almost everything that has been done right with the franchise, with a new twist this time. Rondo of Blood almost makes this list, but the sheer fact that a) The SNES got shafted with a shitty port b) You don't get to play as Alucard makes it lose out ever so slightly.

9. Terranigma - The Soul Blazer trilogy is pretty impressive, but this last instalment is the cream of the crop due to the fact that the combat is very very streamlined, the controls are very responsive. There's also the great mental kick out of being able to resurrect animals and humans and watch them grow and prosper.

8. Final Fantasy 6 - Final Fantasy has always been an impressive game franchise before it hits mainstream with the comparatively mediocre Final Fantasy 7, metrosexual protagonists & antagonists, with either or both being emo gits. Quite fittingly, the series reached its crescendo right before that point with Final Fantasy 6, which had quite an impressive storytelling element for a videogame, a memorable villain which only further cemented my fear of clowns. Why this game is so far down the list is simply due to the fact that almost every single combat command is entered via menus, which is bloody tedious especially Cyan's sword skill bar. (This is probably why my favourite character of that game is Sabin.)

7. 聖剣伝説 3 - You know, it is a very tough decision to decide between this game and Secret of Mana. Secret of Mana had better storytelling, better music and cooler characters. However, when you think about it, Secret of Mana has the difficulty curve all wrong ; The beginning of the game was punishingly difficult, but as soon as you pick up a library of spells (Which are ridiculously overpowered, by the way.) the game suddenly becomes a lot easier. The tech system of charged attacks is stupid and takes way too long for it to be useful. Levelling up your weapons are only good for getting stat bonuses. 聖剣伝説 3, on the other hand, starts off easy and pretty forgiving, and then becomes progressively more challenging as the game progresses, which is good. It also gives a lot of customization options like party members, which affect which main antagonist you have to face, class changes and stat upgrades. All of them contribute to a more enjoyable gameplay experience, and this is why 聖剣伝説 3 makes the list.

6. The Legend of Zelda : A Link to the Past - The story of a boy in a green tunic named Link going around collecting items, exploring dungeons and open areas and vanquishing evil has always had a certain charm. The gameplay is solid and the experience enjoyable. While many would cite the Ocarina of Time as the best Zelda game, I would say this wins out for one simple reason : It did the whole duality of worlds thing better, it has an intrinsic connection to the gameplay as opposed to just being there as a consequence of the game's plot development.

5. Tales of Destiny : Director's Cut - The Tales of series, like most franchises and series, has a history of starting out great, getting better, then decaying and festering into blandness. Tales of Vesperia and Tales of the World : Radiant Mythology are recent guilty examples of this. They might as well just have been released as mods to Tales of the Abyss, because the combat aspect uses the exact same formula. It nearly killed my interest in the Tales of series altogether, then Tales of Hearts for the DS came along. Tales of Hearts owes its combat formula a lot to a previous game released for the PS2, which is a remake to an even older PS1 game. I am talking, of course, about tales of Destiny. The PS2 remake is the best in the series, not because of its storytelling, music or even plot, but because its battle system is everything that it should be in a game like this. It is fast-paced, chaotic and free of any bullshit constraints like tech points arbitrarily holding the pacing of the combat back. The Director's Cut version of this games wins even more points because it gives the players the option to play the game from the point of view of the the antihero, Leon.

4. Half Life 2 - Out of everything Half Life ever released, this game wins out easily because the gameplay covers almost everything that makes FPS games fun. It is long, enjoyable from start to end with an immersive narrative. While I really want to nominate the original HL1 for this spot, the whole Xen thing ruins it for me. Stupid fucking giant spider with testicles. This game might just win top spot in my heart, but there are two things that it lacks : Large scale epic fights racking 3-4 digit kill counts and out of the box multiplayer experience. (I know there are mods that fix this, but still, I am talking about right out of the box experiences.)

3. Team Fortress 2 - This latest installment/update to the Team Fortress franchise is a bit of a controversy. Many people loved it, and some hated it, preferring to stick to TFC and Fortress Forever and keeping the status quo of the gameplay formula they are used to. One thing is indisputable though, while TFC and FF are very popular amongst fans of the HL and Quake anthology games, Team Fortress 2 brings people from almost all walks of life together, even those who have never touched a video game before in their lives. The constant updates, the free TF2 weeks, the achievements and the guest passes all adds up to a superior gaming experience that everyone (Who isn't seeking compensation for their tiny dick by bragging about their scores.) can enjoy.

2. Portal - I would say something here but Yahtzee in his Orange Box review said it all. This game is fucking awesome.

1. Serious Sam : The Second Encounter - Do I even need to explain this? You + a shitload of guns and ammo + a shitload of monsters to kill + fluid movement and controls + co-op mode = Tons of endless fun. There's also an editing tool for mapping that gave birth to tons of mods and maps that makes the experience even better.

[Azure Phoenix]

rainichan wrote:

I'm not sure if I can agree with the notion that FF7 is the best FF game ever. It's a great game, yes, but I likes FF4-6 more. I'll add a list when I'm more coherent to do so.

HERECY!!!! BURN THE HERETIC!!!!!!!!

FF7 ROCKS!

btw WHY IS TERRANIGMA NOT UP THERE!!??

[gavdaman88]

I can think of a few in no order

Super metroid - SNES
Metroid prime - GCN
Zelda OOT - N64
Perfect dark - N64
Hitman blood money - PC
Guitar hero 3 - PS2
Resident evil 4 - Wii
Doom 3 - PC
Super smash bros. Melee - GCN
F zero GX - GCN

Some of my favourite games of all time right there

[inferiare]

Arashi wrote:

rainichan wrote: I'm not sure if I can agree with the notion that FF7 is the best FF game ever. It's a great game, yes, but I likes FF4-6 more. I'll add a list when I'm more coherent to do so. HERECY!!!! BURN THE HERETIC!!!!!!!! FF7 ROCKS! btw WHY IS TERRANIGMA NOT UP THERE!!??

I like FF7 just as much as the next person, and I can agree that for its time, it had the best graphics and the best music, but then everything went to hell with what I like to call the Final Fantasy 7 Retcon Wankfest Complication Compilation. Had they just stuck with Advent Children as the sequel of sorts, then I wouldn't have to call it that. The other FF games did it better, in my opinion.

[Azure Phoenix]

gavdaman88 wrote:

Super smash bros. Melee - GCN

shouldn't you be saying brawl?

[Manibrandr System]

rainichan wrote:

Arashi wrote: rainichan wrote: I'm not sure if I can agree with the notion that FF7 is the best FF game ever. It's a great game, yes, but I likes FF4-6 more. I'll add a list when I'm more coherent to do so. HERECY!!!! BURN THE HERETIC!!!!!!!! FF7 ROCKS! btw WHY IS TERRANIGMA NOT UP THERE!!?? I like FF7 just as much as the next person, and I can agree that for its time, it had the best graphics and the best music, but then everything went to hell with what I like to call the Final Fantasy 7 Retcon Wankfest Complication Compilation. Had they just stuck with Advent Children as the sequel of sorts, then I wouldn't have to call it that. The other FF games did it better, in my opinion.

I saw Advent Children, it was pretty....bad.

[psychokind]

advent children kicked ass! even for people who haven't played ff7 like me^^

[EverPhoenix]

If i were to make a list, in some half-true order:


10. Heroes of Might and Magic IV

9. Mario Kart 64

8. Diablo II

7. Super Smash Bros: Brawl

6. Pokemon Gold

5. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

4. Terranigma

3. Final Fantasy 8

2. Grandia II

1. Lufia II

[psychokind]

1. Terranigma

2. Seiken Densetsu 3 (SoM 2)

3. Morrowind

4. Gothic 1 & 2

5. Zelda - Oot

6. Zelda - Lttp

7. Secret of Mana

8. Chrono Cross

9. World of Warcraft

10. Neverwinternights 2

[Blade]

@ Psycho: Kudos for Gothic 1 & 2 !!!