I can't say that this list is in order, because I could never successfully do that. I'm also positive that I'm missing quite a few games. This is just a simple list of favorite games from my past and present, really for my own reference more than anything else.
I love BG&E. Jade is a bitchin' female protagonist. She can take down a whole damn army with nothing but a bo staff. I adored the story, I adored the gameplay, I adored the setting. Although, yes- the ending got too crazy. I like to pretend that crazy nonsense didn't go down, because the rest of this game was so incredible! It was immersive and charming and I always wanted to exist in the world they set up for me.
I wasn't expecting to love this game as much as I did. The storyline is fun, the voice acting is the best I've ever heard, and it has so much damn charm. Sure, playing as Japanese high school students solving a murder mystery sounds lame. But somehow, the crazier the plot gets, the more you want to play- which is good, considering the 100 hours one can easily pour into the game.
This game is a simple, elegant FPS. That is what I love about it. When I want to shoot things without fretting too much about cover mechanics or stealth, or inventory management, I go to my beautiful, safe HL2 haven. It's put together seamlessly, the story is great, Alyx Vance is great. I can't say too many lovely things about this damn game. I want more.
This game is fantastic. The art is so appealing that I've never gotten sick of the look, the atmosphere is well imagined, and the gameplay is simple, addictive fun, especially co-op. Minor bugs haven't bothered me at all, and I haven't beaten it yet but I can honestly say that I don't really care if the storyline is flat- it's simply thrilling to play.
I can't seem to get my fill of this game. It can get cheesey, the storyline is traditional Resident Evil stupidity, but come on! It's Leon Scott Kennedy!
I also happen to like RE5- but it can't truly qualify as one of my favorites because I only love it when I co-op with my boyfriend, and I think some of my love for the game comes from the terrible things he threatens to do to the dogs in the trainyard.
This game has a lot of sentimental value to me, because as a 12 year old girl I hadn't played too many shooters. When I picked this game up, though- I was dazzled, and I couldn't get enough of the genre. The graphics at the time amazed me, and the universal ammo system- and I know that everyone else in the world hates it- appealed to me because of all the options available to me at any given time. The story was simple, but interesting, and it was fun. I want to play the original, because I know everyone says it's exponentially better- but Invisible War shall always hold a special place in my heart.
Bioshock is pretty great. I'm a big fan of creepy, disturbing distopias in general, and the atmosphere of this game feeds right into that. The combat is pretty basic and fun, and though there's not too much about the gameplay that stands out terribly, I still love playing it. It's creepy, beautiful, and good clean scary-girl-with-giant-needle fun.
Man. Wind Waker is probably the most family-friendly, clean fun I've ever experienced without interjecting a healthy deal of sarcasm. I'm a firm believer in cell shading, cartoony art and extremely stylized looks, because they age better than any other game. The thing I loved about this game was how different it was from your typical Zelda adventure. Don't get me wrong, I love them all- this one just happens to stand out in my memory.
As a kid who played Baulder's Gate, and the sequel, and then Icewind Dale, and then Neverwinter Nights- I never stood a chance against this game. I loved every longsword-toting, dragon slaying, pocket picking minute of it. My favorite part was easily the fun, always charming and interesting character interaction. Say what you will about the blood splatter- It always adds a bit of hilarity to an otherwise serious situation.
This game was my world for a while when I was 9. The combat was interesting and pretty dynamic, because of the Elemental Field Effect system- and the game was beautiful. I revisited the game recently to discover that it's still awfully pretty. It's just nice to look at, and the cut-scenes aren't too shabby for a 10 year old game. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and though I've always preferred a few, well-developed characters to an army-sized cast, I liked a lot of them.
I wish I'd gotten more into Chrono Trigger... maybe I should pick up a copy.
I know what you're going to say, about V.A.T.S, and bugs, and janky graphics, and I just don't care. I love this game.
Ibuki. That's all I have to say about that.
Word on the street is that she's coming back in SSFIV, so I've been practicing.
