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Ranking of Franchises - Personal Favorites

If you are like me, chances are a good portion of games you like belong to the same franchises. After all if you like one, it stands to reason you'd like more in the same vein. This is a rough ordering of my tastes from best to worst. I must have meaningfully played at least 2 games in the series for inclusion

  • God Tier-My Absolute Favorite Franchises I'll buy anything it releases at launch pretty much
  • Tier 1 - favorite franchises that I'm a bit more rational about, always have a great time with these
  • Tier 2 - Franchises I love, but I don't need to get these right at launch
  • Tier 3 - Franchises I enjoy a lot or ones that that I haven't played enough of to determine whether they belong to tier 2+
  • Tier 4 - Solid franchises, I enjoy these and will squeeze them when I have the time
  • Tier 5 - Franchises I have to be in the right mood to play
  • Tier 6 - These franchises are ok, not necessarily my thing
  • Tier 7- I don't know why I continue to buy these
  • Deponia Tier - I hate these games

Change Log:

  • July 4th 2017- After completing Breath of the Wild, I think Zelda deserves to be No.1 again. Been a very long time since a game made me feel that way. Metroid also shoots up to number 9, jumping two tiers now that I have played Super Metroid. I really should have played the series more before now.
  • November 30th 2020 - Added Yakuza (Tier 2) and Valkyria Chronicles (Tier 3) as I have now played at least 2 games in each. Promoted Castlevania to Tier 4

List items

  • God Tier- Zelda to me has always represented the most fun exploration in games. In my mind Zelda and Dark Souls and Metroid all scratch similar itches.

  • God tier- I really wrestled with this one. All of my top 3 has been my favorite at times. Final Fantasy has had at times , since I seem to keep buying systems just to play it. It has the right mix of innovation, gameplay and story for me. Every Final Fantasy is different and that makes it special.

  • God Tier- The series that made me a gamer and my original favorite. This series is what defines great gameplay to me

  • Tier 1- I never played WoW believe it or not. RTS Warcraft to me epitomizes the a fascinating tactical feeling of combat. I consider DOTA part of the Warcraft franchise, and that's my favoriet multiplayer game of all time

  • Tier 1- The perfect mix of lore, fighting game action and crazy spectacle. Franchises like Mortal Kombat are why I personally buy into the value of auteurs.

  • Tier 1- Despite its' age and when I first played DQ, this has only recently moved so high in my eyes. Dragon Quest may be beholden to traditional, but it has incredibly rich production values a ton of heart and believe it or not some of the best stories in games. Very under rated series in the West.

  • Tier 1- Sadly defunct, but this series was one of the first that really effectively imo combined action and PC adventure game story telling. Hopefully Hero-U will revive this sort of game

  • Tier 1 - This would be God tier if it weren't the direction the series went after the first. I didn't appreciate the kiddie tone the Advance games had. To me this the best in class when it comes to SRPG combat and introduced my love of the genre.

  • Tier 1- After playing Super Metroid I can safely say it belongs at least this high, probably higher. Metroid is basically everything I love about Mario and Zelda combined together. The attention to detail is incredible.

    Old rank Tier 3- I really need to dive deeper into this one. I really missed out on this at the time. Probably going to move up tiers quickly once I really dig into it.

  • Tier 1- A recent promotion based on Tokyo Mirage Sessions (which I consider basically part of this series in a way). No series in my opinion has handled relationships anything like Persona. And man this series has tons of style.

  • Tier 1- This series has been really uneven over the years, but the mechanical formula I just love. Considering how many times I've rebought these despite quibbling over the lesser entries, I clearly love this franchise. I consider X, Zero games etc as part of this series

  • Tier 2- My first taste of Adventure games and I love them. I still love these games, story telling is a little hokey after V to be considered top tier. Also been eclipsed by other series in gameplay.

  • Tier 2 -The franchise is all over the place in execution, but I love the raw ambition of it. Even if the ending wasn't what we wanted, no other series had anywhere as impressive an as MG.

  • Tier 2- There's something about the stripped down simplified nature of the SRPG gameplay I just love.

  • Tier-2- I love the fantastic sense of speed, thrashing Japanese metal and technical the F-0 games were.

  • Tier 2- My favorite Visual Novel series. Got me into the genre, always have a good time trying to solve the mystery and the constant twists.

  • Tier 2- Kinda like Mega Man, I just love how these games play. Run N Gun at its' best.

  • Tier 2- I hate myself for the way I play these games (endless save scums), but I love the character designs and the tactical combat.

  • Tier 2- Would be God Tier if there was an actual proper Sequel I could play.DD is just the perfect mix of expedition, adventure and thrilling dynamic combat to me. Love this game

  • Tier 2- I'm trash at these game, but this is in my mind the most fun fighting there is to be had in games

  • Tier 2- This might move up to Tier 1 after I finish Witcher 2. Imo this is the best in class when it comes to world building western RPG style, a nice mix of action and RPG

  • Tier 2- Just getting started with this one. Could go either way, up or down. I really like the story telling and the open neighborhood concept (as opposed to Open World)

    what needs to be seen for me is whether it gets too "samey"

  • Tier 3- Suikoden's unique mix of recruitment, political stories and occasional army vs army combat make it a very special JPRG series.

  • Tier 3- Sometimes it's the simple things that standout to me, Batman being able to glide is some of the most satisfying fast travel in games. The Brawling combat is great and I love the faithfulness to some of the best source material.

  • Tier 3- After playing Vc1 and VC4 I can definitely say this belongs. I really like this unique flavor of SRPg with its movement mechanics, WWII military theme and high production values

    opportunity to move up to Tier 2 if another game connects with me as well as those two did. But sadly the IP is likely dead.

  • Tier 3- I like the lore, aesthetic and gameplay in WC a bit better. But Starcraft is scratches a lot of the same itch for me.

  • Tier 3- The best way to play Risk as a video game imo. Hyper addictive

  • Tier 3- I'm a sucker for Nintendo fanservice given how many franchises of their I like. And hey the gameplay is pretty amusing too

  • Tier 3- I always thought the coolest part of the Star Wars universe was the ship combat. RS does this right and is about the only SW series that feels like it plays well enough to me that I'd play it even if it wasn't a Star Wars game

  • Tier 3- The best of the Indiana Jones type franchises out there imo. I feel like the best is still to come in this series, which is kinda surprising given how old it is.

  • Tier 3- Best in class in Point and Click Adventure games. If I'm going to do fetch quest puzzles, I might as well laugh too.

  • Tier 3- This is what I wanted GTA to be, less serious and lot more arcadey funstuff!

  • Tier 3- XCOm SRPG combat with D&D roleplay and fantasy cyberpunk setting? yes please!

  • Tier 3 -Dragon Age is a series that I don't think has reached its potential yet. I like camera angle and the idea that choice matter as well as the dark fantasy setting. I just hope bioware rediscovers their form for the 4th game.

  • Tier 3- Would likely be higher if it still existed. For a while I was asking myself if this was my second favorite JRPG series

  • Tier 4- These were some dang good beat 'em ups back in the day. Shame how far the series has fallen

  • Tier 4- A very zen like experience building cities. One of the few games where I'm actually proud of what I did

  • Tier 4- This could move up quick if the next game is good. I love the Old West setting and gameplay.

  • Tier 4- I probably need to think if this really belongs down here versus up higher. I really like the new XCOM games

  • tier 4- Down here mainly because I haven't a clear block of time to really tackle these properly. Strong candidate to move up.

  • Tier 4- I never thought a Jet Ski game could be so much fun

  • Tier 4- I really like the idea of undeveloped exploring exotic (to me) locales and the shooting is good.

  • Tier 4- The Sands of Time games were pretty great. A series that does backtracking right and also the Ai banter was pretty great

  • Tier 4- I prefer Metal Gear's mix of zany story and stealth, but arguably SC had better gameplay until MGSV

  • Tier 4- fantastic spectacle and really obtuse puzzles. I really only loved the first game, but have liked all of the ones I've played.

  • Tier 4- I'm a sucker for Transformers games.The cybertron games are the closest they have ever come to getting lore and gameplay right

  • Tier 4- gameplay is kinda samey and not a fan of the rubberband Ai otherwise it'd be higher. But you know what, it's a great party game and great when you are in the mood to race.

  • tier 4- Pretty fun adventure games, I love the world mythos and writing

  • Tier 4- Probably my favorite Survival Horror series

  • Tier 5-The best writing in Nintendo games. rarely do RPGs make me laugh, M&L games do it regularly. The combat is a nice mix of turnbased and timing based.

  • Tier 4 - As of 2015 I hated these games, now I've got the fever. If season 2 is strong this will move up even higher

  • Tier 4- Would be higher if more than 2 games existed I'm sure

  • Tier 4- I really liked town building recruitment/aspect these games had. Everything else was pretty done better by others. V is a misunderstood gem

  • Tier 4- Kinda weird that the Indiana Jones games are probably only the third best series of its type (uncharted and Tomb raider are better).

  • Tier 4- My favorite of the loot games. Enjoy the dakr lore and the setting

  • Tier 4- Promoted to Tier 4 after playing an Igivania

    ***old***A strong candidate to move up. Most of the ones I've played were the traditional NES one. I recently played an Igivania style one and realize I've been missing out

  • Tier 4- Mainly down here because this is a black mark on my gaming resume. I actually haven't played many of these. 1 is the only one I've sunk serious time into. I've liked what I've played so far, so this could move up a lot

  • Tier 5- I like these games but man they are hard as crap.

  • Tier 5- I enjoy these brain teasers, but I gotta be in the right mood to plow through this. The aesthetic is a bit twee, but thankfully the story telling doesn't go overboard with it

  • Tier 5- One look at this list can tell you I'm not much of a shooter person,otherwise this would be higher. Bullet time is pretty fun and I really liked the Noir stylings

  • Tier 5 -Goldeneye gave the me wrong idea about the quality of this series. These games are ok, but kind of middle of the road

  • Tier 5- Not big on survival horror but I do like Dinosaurs

  • Tier 5- the third games is just awful. Never got a chance to play the second game. I enjoyed the first a lot though

  • Tier 5- The Star Wars games are almost too much and they tend to go back to Hoth waaaay too often. But they rarely are ever a bad time

  • Tier 5- I think the M&L are better RPGs. The first couple PM games were decent fun though

  • Tier 5- I don't know if it's madden getting stale or me getting bored or Football games, but I don't feel the desire to play these games often like I used to

  • Tier 5- Xenosaga hurt me, but I'm kinda getting into these again

  • Tier 5- The very definition of a "gotta be in the mood" game. there is nothing wrong with Pac man games. I just don't want to play them that often. But when I want to, I really want to

  • Tier 5- like a lot of kinda mindless games with arcaded roots, I gotta be in the mood

  • Tier 5- I gotta be in a place mentally where I cna stand getting my ass beat. games I most enjoyed from this series were the Maximo ones

  • Tier 5- Fun games in their day. Not a lot of desire anymore to go back to them

  • Tier 5- When i was younger this was near the top, but either absence or the passage of time has cooled my interest. Not sure why

  • Tier 5- Just a really solid adventure game series. has a nice arc and it picks up steam as it goes along.

  • Tier 5- Pretty cool games, finally got to play them last year. Think I've had my fill though.

  • Tier 5- Baseball is my favorite sport, yet I rarely feel like playing video game versions of it anymore and I used to love them. Or any sports games for that matter. Consider this listing for Hockey and basketball too.

  • Tier 5- I'm not sure many of these games are actually good, but I like blasting through every few years or so

  • Tier 6- Another candidate to move up. So far this series hasn't really grabbed me and yet I feel like it should be right up my alley. I love Prince of Persia and I love historical settings and one big narrative.

  • Tier 6- Only played 2 so far, one decent one terrible.

  • Tier 6- I'm going to give this series another shot soon. I have a feeling I was too closed minded to it. I've heard them pitched as pseudo-adventure games so I might end up liking them.

  • Tier 6- I think this series and it's crazy convoluted fan lore just isn't for me.

  • tier 6- Dragon Quest Heroes kinda revealed to me how much these games would benefit from having a couple more layers to them. Fun, just too mindless.

  • Tier 6- This series is kinda all over the place stylistically. Very similar to Star Wars games in that way, Star Wars definitely benefits from having more ownership over their games

  • Tier 6- I always have appreciated Rockstar's world building, but I never felt they were that fun to play and not a fan of their storytelling either. I totally get why they are loved though

  • Tier 6- Not my thing but these games seemed alright. And easy

  • Tier 6- Perfectly fine games, Just not compelling to me

  • Tier 7- This one of those series where I don't get the appeal.To each their own I guess

  • Tier 7- In retrospect I appreciate what these games were trying to do. But they looked bad, played bad and weren't fun stories

  • Tier 7- Eh, I've played worse time wasters.

  • Tier 7- I should have never bought any of these

  • Tier 7- Eh they are alright I guess

  • Tier 7-Seemed like budget grade Professor Layton

  • Deponia Tier- F*ck Rufus

10 Comments

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sparky_buzzsaw

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sparky_buzzsaw

"Deponia tier." Hah.

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Slag

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Slag
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DevourerOfTime

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Edited By DevourerOfTime

Great list and great idea. I might steal yet another one of your list ideas.

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Eder

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Eder

Awesome list duder! Any chance you add Sonic to the list?

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morecowbell24

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morecowbell24

Interesting rankings. It's hard to gauge your taste. So many big names rest at low tiers and a lot of lesser known make it towards the top. I hope Nintendo brings back F-Zero at some point as it's also my favorite racing series.

I've never beaten a Final Fantasy game, though I've been meaning to for a long time. I think I got maybe halfway through X as a teenager, and 2/3 through VI a few years ago. Might be time for me to jump back in.

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Slag

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Slag

@morecowbell24:

Well the thing to keep in mind is that I do like the vast majority of this, really only Tier 6 down are things I'm not looking to play more of. So the big names near the bottom in many cases I still like, I just like them less than other things.

If I had to boil down my tastes, I'd say I tend to best like

  • RPGs with great stories, high production values and engaging tactical combat
  • 2d Platformers and Action games that have great controls
  • Third person Action Adventure games that have an emphasis on exploration, puzzle solving and story

I also enjoy Fighting games, racing games, Stealth, Puzzle games and Adventure games. I think I also like Dogfighting games like Ace Combat, but I don't get to play many of those.

What I don't seem to gravitate to these days MMORPGs, Sports games, Rhythm, Simulators, SHmups and First Person Shooters. I certainly like games in those genres, but most things in this list aren't them. I used to branch out more but these there are so so many new games I tend to stay in my comfort zones as I just don't have time to play other stuff.

I can see why this list might be confusing, but it makes sense to me :). Probably a lot of is a function of when I started gaming.

Jumping into Final Fantasy now as a newcomer would be interesting I think. If I were you I might just go straight to XV, FF games I've always felt are products of their era and are intended to be. While older entries are in my estimation likely better games than XV is, I do think since one of the ambitions of the series is to do new things. So you do miss part of what makes them special if you don't play them near release. You might as well take advantage of the opportunity to a fresh one while it's there, we haven't a proper new mainline entry in a very long time

Whatever you do, I hope you have fun! Good luck on your quest to 100 games! Thanks for the comment!

@eder: Hey thanks man!

Sonic is a purposeful omission on my part because I want to be fair to it. I didn't grow up playing SEGA stuff (Nintendo Kid here) so I missed out on a lot of those classic series. In fact there isn't a SEGA series on this list although I'm sure Yakuza, Shining Force, Phantasy Star, Ecco, Streets of Rage and Valkyria Chronicles once I've played at least two of any of them would place pretty well. VC will probably get on there first. I really really loved VC 1.

Sonic is one those series where I have played a quite a few of them, but I've never really "played" them if you know what I mean. I never really sat down and really dug into them for more than ten minutes at a time since I didn't own hardware that had them. I admit I'm kinda worried that it won't seem that great to me now if I really tackled the Genesis ones as time isn't always kind to old games being seen by fresh eyes. It's also a long and very varied series, so i think I'd need to play alot of them to give it a fair shake.

Green Hills Zone is one of my favorite chiptune tracks of all time though for sure.

Uncharted, Doom, Baldur's Gate/Dungeons&Dragons, Borderlands, Halo and Quake are some other ones that fall into that category of I've played these games but I haven't really played these games enough to know how I really feel about their franchises in relation to everything else.

I can say with some confidence that Sonic is probably a middle of the pack (of the above) series for me personally. But where in the middle is a big range. Somewhere between 20 and 70 most likely.

@devoureroftime:Thanks! Go for it, I'd love to see what you come up with!

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viking_funeral

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I blame Shadow of the Empire for the non-stop Hoth levels in Star Wars games. It was by far the best part of that game, and the constant praise and nostalgia for it keep people and developers returning to it. In their defense though, I can't remember playing a bad Hoth level.

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Slag

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Slag

@viking_funeral: Yeah it really was, although I did enjoy the final blow up the "not death star" mission as well. And you're right hoth missions are generally some of the better missions in SW games, it's just it gets a little old reliving and replaying the same speeder/towcable thing year after year.

TBF it always felt like Lucasarts had an impossible job, trying to appease fans who just wanted to relive the original trilogy of movies and people like myself who'd prefer to see new stuff designed with videogames in mind in the expanded universe (still salty we never got a proper Boba Fett game, though the Jango Fett one wasn't bad)

The Star Wars games always to me kinda had a disjointed feel to them (unlike say Metal gear which has one cohesive vision guiding those games) as a result.

p.s. I never played much of KotoR as by the time I had a decent PC to play it, it looked really really dated, so if I had Star Wars would probably be higher in the list.

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Eder

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Eder

Oh ok its alright its a shame you missed out and I can safely say a lot of the older Genesis games hold up very well. Good luck duder good stuff.

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morecowbell24

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morecowbell24

@slag: Thanks for clearing it up. I'm sure if I made a similar list, my taste would be somewhat confusing to others too. But if you said you liked first person shooters, I'd say we'd have pretty similar tastes.