Top 10 Favorite Games of the Past Decade

[Razzmatazz]

10. Grand Theft Auto 3 - PS2 - 2001



Surprised nobody has really mentioned this, I know it's a proper mainstream game and all that rubbish but damn, I played the hell out of this game back when my Dreamcast packed up and my only option was to get my money back and get a PS2 (I know, I still feel dirty). Remember vividly a friend buying this game the day it came out and spending a weekend at his with some mates, this was the first time I did an all nighter playing a game, just the fact you COULD beat up a granny with a baseball bat for 10 minutes straight brought about many hilarious moments in this game. So many little moments made it great, from not being able to drive through the Mafia area after killing their boss without getting shotgunned to shit, trying to track down an ice cream van for the garage collection missions and the great dialogue (whilst carjacking a taxi driver and the driver saying in an Indian accent "get in the back!"). Genius.

9. Ninja Gaiden - Xbox - 2004



This was the first game to get me into this whole action adventure malarkey a la God of War / Resident Evil 4/5. I picked it up based on the reviews and my lord what a game. Still remember doing the training level right up until you face that first boss with the nunchukas. In fact this game was brutal, I've played hard games before but that was back in the 90s. Didn't put me off though, Ninja Gaiden had it all. Graphics, gameplay, challenge, unlockables...I just remember spending hours and hours trying to work out how to defeat that bloody Goku fella. Come to think of it, I didn't actually get to the final battle, need to pick this back up. Additionally, didn't think the sequel was as good but then my 360 died before I could get into it properly.

8. Pikmin 2 - Gamecube - 2004



Ahhh the Duracell battery. Nintendo should have got a sponsorship deal with them to advertise this game better, as it was AWESOME yet I don't really know anyone that played it! Picked this up during my phase of collecting Gamecube games (I swear I spend more time buying games then actually playing them) and thought this game was brilliant, would spend so much time just trying to find parts to these little guys spaceship. This game felt quite SEGA like come to think of it, quirky and colourful. Been trying to find this on the Wii for months now, must have only been released in few copies, imagine it's a right blast with the Wiimote.

7. Pro Evolution Soccer 6 - PS2 - 2006



I know sports games shouldn't really feature in your favourite game lists but I must have spent a thousand hours on this game, seriously. I have the latest iteration (PES 2010) but still play this. I like to think of Pro Evo games as RPG games, the way you inherit a team of losers and develop them into world beaters by having constant battles with other teams. There are other great versions of this game but I felt this was the last of the best before they screwed PES games up on the 360/PS3. Everything on the PS2 just felt perfect, the controls, the speed, the infinite season mode (I think it is, currently on my 9th season lol), the random team selection mode, the extras (such as riding dinosaurs, I mean what football game since has had that mode!). Just think Konami haven't improved since the PS2 era in the footie sense :(

6. Timesplitters 2 - PS2 - 2001



Halo sucks. There I said it. Call of Duty leaves me feeling empty. Blasphemy I know. But seriously, ain't no FPS fucking with Timesplitters. I was brought up on Goldeneye (not literally, my parents aren't that awesome) and this game filled a hole during the 128bit era for me. Yeah so I guess the single player story mode sucked, but it was fun enough. You always had the hundreds of challenges to waste time on. I think there was one for throwing bricks or something lol. The multiplayer however, sucked weekends out of my teenage years. Seriously, Timesplitters 3 was quality too and was my first real use of Xbox Live but #2 was just classic. Setting monkeys on fire has never been so fun. And that shotgun. Beautiful.

5. Gears of War - Xbox 360 - 2006



OK. First things first, I know number 2 was superior but it was just too damn easy and the ending SUCKED. The first game however, was just awesome. The controls felt tight, it was great fun online, looked INCREDIBLE and the story was pretty good. It was also one of the only games I insisted on completing it on every difficulty. Trying to defeat RAAM at the end on Insane took so so long but when me and a friend did it, damn it felt good. I don't think I spent so much time on a game in 2 player mode since Streets of Rage. The guns felt meaty, it was just a pure injection of testosterone, I felt manly playing this game

4. Burnout 3 - Xbox - 2003



This game is fucking genius. Come to think of it, it feels like the Gears of War of racing games. Every crash felt powerful, each boost was eye watering, just had so much going for it. Controlled beautifully, had SO much to do on it too, lots of unlockable cars and courses as well as the legendary Crash mode. I would say this is the greatest racing game ever but there's another game I have probably spent more time on in recent years...

3. Outrun 2 - Arcade - 2003



I think this is only here because my local arcade had it for 30p a go rather than the usual £1. Me and a friend would spend afternoons battling it out on this game, it's such a great game and would often challenge other people when going to London. Come to think of it, sometimes it was hard to get a go on the game in London at the Trocadero even though it has quite a few of the machines. I am a bit young to have played the original in the arcade or on the Master System (although that was my first system) yet I obviously had a go on it in Shenmue 2. Outrun 2 though, was just typical addictive Sega gameplay. I got the Xbox version but nothing compared to slamming on the brakes in the cabinet and drifting with one arm on the steering wheel. A great gaming moment.

2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - Dreamcast - 2000



I never had a Playstation but I played this round a friends and had to get it for my Dreamcast. Thankfully it was a better version I don't have the faintest idea nor actually like the idea of skateboarding but this game was so much fun. The music was incredible and was where I first got into hip hop music (which is what I only really listen to now), the levels were varied, you had schools, outerspace, french parks, so much to do and unlock, in fact I think Spiderman was in this game somewhere. There was "gaps" to unlock, videos to unlock, shit, Tony Hawks has gone downhill (no pun intended). #3 and #4 were similarly good but this one was special.

1. Resident Evil 4 - Gamecube - 2005



Let's get one thing straight. I did not enjoy any of the previous Resident Evils. The controls SUCKED. I know they are clumsy and supposed to add tension. I take it that's why Project Zero and Silent Hill control similarly lamely. Either way, this game looked awesome at the time and was the ONLY game I have ever imported from the States as it came out 4 months later here in the UK. And boy was it worth it. Never has a story, graphics, gameplay, music and everything just come together so perfectly (other than Shenmue obviously). So many great moments in this game, top bosses, unlockables, Mercenaries, the Wii one is just the icing on the cake. Never played the PS2 version but this was the best use of my Gamecube by far, and so far the only game on Wii I've spent much time on. I played and completed Resident Evil 5 but it was never gonna reach the heights of #4. It changed the game. Literally. Resident Evil 4 was Super Mario 64, Resident Evil 5 was Super Mario Sunshine. Go figure.

[Clint]

--- Clint's Top 10 Games of the Decade - Pt 4 ---


I'm back bitches, and you didn't see it coming did you? Not that anyone really gives a shit, mind. But it's a Sunday night and i've got fuck all else to do.



2. Silent Hill 2 (PS2 - 2001)



Famous american movie critic Roger Ebert once made a bold statement to suggest video games will never be regarded as art. He is, of course, wrong. And totally ignorant. If there's one game I could possibly select to demonstrate the gravity of such a statement; then it's undoubtedly Silent Hill 2.

This is the only game in history where I have been utterly absorbed by the world around me. And I speak in the sense of a little world called Silent Hill.

Being a fan of the first installment back in 1999, Silent Hill was a true eye-opener to a new form of psychological horror in video games. With games like Resident Evil and Parasite Eve on the PS1, Silent Hill had to make sure it had its own thumbprint. And first impressions were most certainly key with this game. My first thoughts, other than being scared shitless, was that this game had a unique take on horror, and the atmosphere proved to be essential towards that addictive feeling of being afraid. I recall running down dark alleys and feeling uneasy with the change in camera angles. This was a nice little touch by Konami, and was the first time i'd seen the shaky camera used to such great effect. With a deep and disturbing storyline to boot; Silent Hill lived up to all expectations. And then some.

But it wasn't until 2001 that the series could really make its mark. With the additional powers that the PS2 provided, and with the blueprint already in place - Konami introduced the 2nd installment. And it proved to be something truly remarkable. I would argue Silent Hill 2 is the best game ever made for a number of reasons, but it's most definitely the best psychological horror experience on any console, anywhere. And in this industry, there's some serious competition out there. Resident Evil again comes to mind, as do Parasite Eve, Siren, Clock Tower, Bioshock, Dead Space, Fatal Frame etc. The list goes on. But what all these horror games don't have, and why Silent Hill 2 is a level above; is the symbolism and artistic elements that are in place. You see, almost everything in Silent Hill 2 that isn't a wall or floor, is symbolic towards the deep and disturbing mind of James Sunderland - the games'protagonist. Actually, i've just contradicted myself there, as just this second i've come to realise that even the floor offers a lot in the way of symbolism for James. There are a lot of holes in the floor in Silent Hill 2. Deep holes. And each time James enters a new hole - he enters a new dimension created by his warped mind. This type of symbolism is all over the game, and through a repeated playthrough, you will start to realise why all of this symbolism makes sense to the storyline.

Silent Hill 2 is not a game you will play very often. You will most definitely come back to it on occasion. But it won't give you that 'fix' you might require by playing something a bit different. There's a reason for this. And i'm sure even some of the biggest horror fans will agree. Silent Hill 2 just isn't a very fun game. It does require a great deal of killing (or running if you prefer) but that's not very fun either. Infact, theres not a single part of this game that i'd actually call fun. And this is the precise reason why Silent Hill isn't for everyone.

What the game does provide is fear. It provides a beautiful and tragic storyline. Top-notch graphics and use of sound. A heavenly soundtrack. And most important of all - it provides an experience that will draw you into this dark and twisted world in an almost trance-like state. Whenever I play Silent Hill 2, I end up feeling part of the game. I feel like James Sunderland myself. I feel his pain and I feel his confusion. It really is an experience that cannot be described until you've played it for yourself.

Indeed, the production is top-notch. This was one of the first PS2 games that I bought with my new console, and I was suprised just how good the graphics were at the time. Even to this day, it's one of the better looking PS2 games available; with sharp attention to detail and fantastic character design. The use of fog and camera filters further adds to the experience. Sound is key once more, which is what you expect with a Silent Hill game. The voice acting is impressive for the most part, but it's the sound effects that really bring the game to life. And this is why I recommend playing the game in total darkness as is provides the perfect setting for a true horror game. To give you an example of how awkward the use of sound can be - there's a section in the game where you are running around in a huge, dark open field. And out of nowhere there's this gradually increasing sound of a horse running towards you. I remember this particular incident well, as I almost shit myself at the time. But speaking of sound and not speaking of Akira Yamaoka would be a crime. This man is definitely one of the most talented video game composers around. And he has provided Silent Hill 2 with an absolute stellar soundtrack. Don't take my word for it. Go and YouTube his name along with Silent Hill. His work is fantastic. And it's fair to say that Silent Hill would not be the same without this man.

To conclude, Silent Hill 2 is a rare gem that doesn't quite get the attention it most thoroughly deserves. If you haven't played the game yet, then go and do it now. It will not beg for your pleasure, it will not ask for forgiveness, but if you allow it to take you into the deep and complex world of Silent Hill, and into the mind of James Sunderland; you will finish this game knowing full-well you have experienced something special.

And perhaps you'll agree that video games, are art.

Flawless.




To be continued.

[Clint]

Rundown of Clint's Top 10 Games of the Past Decade:


10. Dead Space (PS3/360 - 2008)
9. Fallout 3 (PS3/360/PC - 2008)
8. Final Fantasy X (PS2 - 2001)
7. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2 - 2005)
6. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (Gamecube - 2003)
5. Max Payne II: The Fall of Max Payne (PC/Xbox/PS2 - 2003)
4. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3 - 2009)
3. Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast - 2000)
2. Silent Hill 2 (PS2 - 2001)
1. Farenheit (Xbox/PC/PS2 - 2005)


Thanks for reading, friends.

[Kenny]

I knew it!!!!

[Riku Rose]

Clint?