Raiden's Top Games List: 5-1

5.) Super Metroid (SNES)

Shortly after I got my SNES, I went to a local used game store looking for a few more games with the leftover money I had. On the shelf for the low price of $26.99 was Super Metroid. I liked the original so much that I decided to give it a shot, and it was well worth the price. It took me years to figure out how to do the wall jump, and once I learned that added a new dimension through the game. I went through looking for spots to use the wall jump to go to places I wasn’t supposed to yet. There are so many things to find, speed runs to attempt, searching for new and amusing boss strategies. My only complaint is that I can’t get this game on a portable device.

4.) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Playstation)

This game had me hooked as soon as I heard Dracula’s Castle for the first time. This is what action RPGs should be. A simple, but deep combat system (all of the different special attacks for your weapons), all sorts of different weapons to find, the inverted castle, Richter mode, starting stats based on how you did in the prologue, and who can forget the subpar voice acting. The opening with Richter and Dracula has so many memorable quotes. I was very excited when I first found out that you could glitch yourself outside of the castle and explore a few areas to fill in additional spots on the map. While the Playstation version wasn’t really complete (it didn’t include Maria mode, but that’s not a very big deal), it’s still one of the best games I’ve ever played.

3.) Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition (Wii)

There were several Wii games that were ruined by trying to force motion controls into a game (example: Donkey Kong Country Returns) where they weren’t really needed, but this is an excellent example of them making an amazing game that much better. The precision offered by the wiimotes, the easy way to break out the combat knife, and reloading with simple movements were all great additions. It helped smooth up the somewhat clunky controls that were used on Gamecube and Playstation 2. As far as the game itself goes (when it was first released on Gamecube), I was excited, but also skeptical. I really liked the original Resident Evil formula, and since I tend to resist change I didn’t want to get too excited for it. Capcom proved me wrong and released an outstanding game from the opening all the way to the end credits. Trying to keep Ashley alive was a fun addition, as was the shop. The attaché case was a better way of inventory management when compared to the other games in the series, though it was also a lot less realistic.

2.) Tomb Raider (Playstation 3)

I had thought that my top three games were set in stone for a long time, and no other game would make its way into that elite group. Crystal Dynamics had other plans. I’m not afraid to admit that I can’t stand the early Tomb Raider games. I really wanted to like them since I had friends talking about them all the time, and I tried, but I didn’t enjoy them. Unlimited handgun ammo, horrible AI, and Lara with her very…. questionable character design added up to me not enjoying the series. I read about the reboot and Lara’s new origin story in Game Informer (as well as much more realistic character design), and it piqued my interest. I started reading whatever I could find on various internet sites, and the more I read, the more I wanted to play it. After over a year of reading up on a game in development, my pre-order arrived. From the opening video, you could tell how much effort Crystal Dynamics had put into this. The visuals are stunning, the voice acting is superb, the intro portions did an outstanding job of helping to ease you into the game and the controls (which couldn’t get any better). Seeing Lara’s transformation from frightened person lost on an island to the hardened survivor she was at the end of the game was nothing short of amazing. Watching her apologize to a deer she had to kill for food was a touching moment, and then there was her first kill. Camilla Luddington’s performance in that scene was off the charts, and really sold a huge moment in the game, and for Lara as a character. I really hope that Square Enix decides to publish another installment in the series, and that they have Crystal Dynamics do the heavy lifting.

1.)    Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

Here it is, my favorite game ever (my wife was able to name it when I asked her, so I’ve mentioned it around the house as well). If you're on EsperNet you probably knew this was coming. I didn’t play this game until 1999 (two years after I played through Final Fantasy VII), and was blown away. The only thing I would change about it is the Operahouse sequence (like Cloud’s Past, I don’t want a 15 minute stretch in the middle of a game with very little happening.) Yes, I know the scene is supposed to be iconic, but it really slowed things down. Even that couldn’t weigh the rest of the game down. The battle system was great and with each of the 14 characters getting their own ability and backstory (some more detailed, others, like Umaro, not so much), there were a lot of different parties to choose from. The cast was great, with a lot of memorable characters, and main villains don’t get any better than Kefka. The SAND on his boots, poisoning Doma, destroying Mobliz,  and offing Gestahl and General Leo on his way to becoming one of the few villains in gaming to actually accomplish his goal of destroying the world made him the best final boss I’ve ever encountered. Kefka is psychotic and evil, and you wanted to keep playing so that you could make sure he got what was coming to him. There were so many different ways to go through the game in the world of ruin with the various cast members as you found them. There’s also the never to be solved mystery of Gogo’s true identity. I can only hope that another game comes along that I like as much as this one, but I really don’t see that happening.

And there you have it, my top 100 games. Hopefully you enjoyed it if you made it this far, and it didn't make you rage too badly.