Alex Gibson – Content Promoter & Features Writer
Metal Gear Solid
Courtesy of a demo disc that had come with a 1998 issue of Official PlayStation Magazine, I must have replayed that entry into Shadow Moses a hundred times before the full version came out. There was just nothing that rivalled the realism and production quality of MGS, and I remember being totally entranced by it. MGS has to be one of my all-time favorite games for its perfect balance of stealth gameplay, narrative and a production quality that oozes all the tension and ambiance of a triple-A Hollywood production. Oh, and let’s not forget that score. Its graphics haven’t aged well, but it’s still, in my mind, the most well-rounded game of the series.
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII is a legend so deeply etched in video gaming heritage that it represents somewhat of a sacred title to many, including me. I don’t care for the comparisons to VI and IX as better games; for me, FFVII is by far the best entry in the series. Sure, the game’s narrative has a few loose plot holes, subpar localization and the materia system perhaps makes each character a little too similar in ability, but, through its memorable characters and funky cyberpunk theme, FFVII just nails a tone and atmosphere that is so special. The score, too, is absolutely wonderful, and perfectly compliments some of my most cherished video game moments. It’s tingles on the back of the neck stuff whenever I hear it. Perhaps it’s just nostalgia, but FFVII invokes emotion in me that few other games have ever done.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Few games have I played more times over than Deus Ex: Human Revolution. It was a game that totally blindsided me, and often those are some of the best gaming experiences one can have. I love dystopian cyberpunk game environments, which is a setting we just don’t see enough of in gaming. Deus Ex: Human Revolution’s image of the a future that’s high on technology with a low standard of living is the epitome of cyberpunk, filled with bleak, gritty city environments. Superb stealth gameplay, complimented by a brilliant hybridization of first and third person, makes this RPG one of my all-time favorite games ever. Though critically acclaimed, it’s still woefully under-appreciated despite being one of last generation’s greatest achievements.
Resident Evil 2
“Resident Evil… 2.” I can still hear the eerie voice of the title screen so vividly in my mind. At the tender age of of 12 years old, Resident Evil 2 was my first experience with a video game that was more than capable of scaring the absolute crap out of you. The game’s emphasis on true survival horror, the spooky police station locale and those darn camera angles just all worked so well. Resident Evil 2 is easily my favorite entry in the series – perfectly paced, its puzzles aren’t as ridiculous as some of the later RE games, and there’s a sense of desperate urgency intertwined with the game’s slow, deliberate creation of tension and ambiance. I’ve replayed it recently too and it absolutely holds up today. It has to rank in my #7FaveGames.
Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
With Symphony of the Night, director Koji Igarashi took Castlevania in an entirely new direction, adding a perfect blend of role playing elements and level design which it made so famous that a genre (“Metroidvania”) has since been named after it. The game’s gorgeous pixel art and stunning score create a palpable tension that proved 3D gaming wasn’t everything back in the late PSOne era. I’ll confess that I only played SOTN for the first time about 5 years ago, and even despite the game’s cringeworthy voice acting, it resonated with me profoundly, which is perhaps testament to how well it’s aged as the defining title of its genre.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 is, in my opinion, comfortably the greatest game of the current generation. I’d never been a big Witcher guy previous to Wild Hunt, but ever since CD Projekt Red teased footage of their latest masterpiece, it had piqued my interest, and boy did it not disappoint. I’ve never played a game with such a wonderfully immersive environments as realized in locales such as Velen, Novigrad, Skellige and Toussaint. The game really does feel like an organic, living, breathing world, packed with an astounding amount of content and attention to detail. Finishing the last piece of DLC, Blood and Wine, I felt a sense of sadness. I just adore this world so much.
The Last Of Us
Naughty Dog’s greatest ever game? Absolutely. The Last Of Us takes all the stunning cinematic production value seen in the Uncharted series and marries it to an emotional, poignant narrative of survival and humanity. The PS3 swansong title is a game I’ve played multiple times and it never gets any less inspiring. The zombie genre might be getting long in the tooth, but The Last Of Us‘s emphasis on the characters and relationships throughout, particularly the bond between Ellie and Joel, sets it apart from other games of the genre.