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Dysrianism

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My favourite games from 2000-2009

This list was inspired by reading Greg Kasavin's incredibly similar list. To be fair, there's not much creativity to be had within a "best-of" style list. The numbering IS ranked but is also a nightmare because there are a few games on there that I've found incredibly hard to place. 
 
This was the period of time where I seriously got into gaming. The Gamecube was the first system I got when I started getting serious about playing games and eventually the other consoles followed. Although recently my interest in videogames had declined (I basically didn't play ANY games last year, at all), it's on the rise again and thus I have to be the nostalgic fool I am and look back to THE GLORY DAYS. Also, I love lists and statistics. They're fun. 
 
Note: I am only including one game per franchise, otherwise MGS4 would have made the cut.

HERE WE GO

List items

  • The vision Kojima had for this game is just so inspired I can't helped but be floored by it's cinematic scope. The first part of the game has some unusual pacing in that you'll be spending more time observing then interacting. However, when the game picks up momentum it becomes absolutely marvelous. The story is typical Metal Gear but far more concise then the convoluted mess of Metal Gear Solid 2, yet this conciseness does not sacrifice any amount of depth. The characters all have their own charm and the boss fights, in typical Metal Gear fashion are impressive. The thing that really makes this game for me though is the emotional resonance it had with me. The final cutscene is one of the most powerful moments I've experienced in a game, and they way it made me feel will stay with me for a long time. I feel like my opinion of the game can be summed up in the fantastic James Bond style opening; unbelievably stylish, undeniably inspired and fantastically entertaining and engaging. It does not get better then this

  • Ah, Halo. Halo was one of the first FPS games I got into, and it's the one that has had the most longevity for me. The single player campaign of Halo is without a single doubt in my mind the closest to perfection a FPS game has ever come. Bar one misfire (The Library), the campaign is superbly paced, absolutely riveting and exciting from start to finish. And the finish, oh boy. Escaping the Pillar of Autumn in the Warthog will easily go down as one of the greatest moments in any videogame. It was an incredible set-piece and one I have revisted many times. Halo just got so many things right. The graphics style was undeniably cool, the music was easily some of the most memorable in any game and the universe itself was so interesting. I feel like in trying to expand the story in the sequels they ended up taking the magic out of it; Halo's story works so well because it's so concise, it's not about the universe but just this one singular event, crashing on this strange ring. I could keep going on forever about why that campaign was amazing, but this isn't meant to be a review. Just a superbly paced, consistently interesting single player set in an interesting universe with characters you actually cared about (unlike the sequels), Halo just got so many things right. It had fantastic gameplay, but the fact it excelled in nearly every single way was what made it so special and what made it such a big deal today.

  • Resident Evil 4 once was the number 1 on this list for me. That's how close these three games are in quality. Resident Evil 4 is an amazing game, start to finish. One I have played many, many times since. No game at the time could even come close to the intensity it provided. The opening scene in the village, where all the villagers are ganging up on Leon was one of the first trailers shown for the game. At the time I thought there was no way I would ever play what I was witnessing. By the time it finally came out, there I was, running frantically from the chainsaw that had terrified me all those years ago. I couldn't believe I was playing it. On top of that, it was also absolutely amazing.

  • Pokemon was the series that got me into videogames. It will always hold a special place in my heart, yet I know it's not just nostalgia that makes these games great. Fundamentally, they're fantastic RPG's with a surprising amount of depth and a wealth of replay value. This was the second generation of Pokemon games, and Pokemon Gold will forever be ingrained in my brain as a huge part of my youth. Without a single doubt this was the game I logged the most hours on, easily spending probably 500 hours trying to do everything in that game. I don't regret any of it. Pokemon might not be the critics favourite, but this game has a surprising amount of depth, an amazing amount of things to do, unbelievable replay value and a wealth of charm. When I first beat the Elite 4 and thought it was over, I was happy that the game had turned out even better then Blue/Red. Then my mind was blown when it was revealed that I would return to the Kanto region and go through all the gyms I went through in the last game, with all of those leaders being far more skilled. Then, the ultimate fan service, battling "Ash" at the end. He was tough, but his inclusion in the game has always stuck in my head as one of the best final "bosses", so to speak. As a fan of the show as well, it made it even more rewarding. In many ways this should actually be number 1 on this list, but it's inclusion in front of the other games of this list is enough of a compliment to its quality.

  • Banjo Tooie was the first game on a console I ever really got into, and it has always remained one of my favourite games. The world was charming and funny, the characters were cool and in the end it was just a fantastically designed platformer. Even now, I'd still put it on an even ranking with the best that genre has to offer. I spent a ridiculous amount of time playing it, collecting everything I could find not for "acheivements" like so many games these days, but because I found it so incredibly engrossing from start to finish. It took over until it ended. Which was sad, because at the time I didn't want it to ever end. As a child, it was just this magical world and I wished it could have just gone on forever.

  • Bioshock isn't a game, Bioshock is a piece of art. Yeah, I know how bad that sounds but it really is true. The artistic vision for this game is just unparalleled. The universe it is set in is unique and immersive; as soon as the game started it sucked me in until the very end. The plot twist was unbelievable and the narrative itself was fantastic and leagues better then nearly all of the competiton. Bioshock just had so much to offer that I went and did absolutely everything I could in my playthrough. I went into every room in an area and took my time and I was rewarded for it; there was so much to see everywhere that I couldn't accept missing any of it. With the increased power of the modern consoles, this is one case of how it should be used. This game would not have been possible 10 years ago. And even if you argue that it could, it would not have been nearly as good without the amazing presentation values it has. Not a game, an experience. I could not recommend this enough.

  • One of the best single player shooters. It's "expansions". One of the best multiplayer shooters. Portal. One disc. Enough said.

  • This was my first next-gen game, and what a way to start. A real time sink, but one where it isn't required, it just happens because you're having too much fun. Most modern games these days last 10 or so hours, but this one just kept on giving on past the 100 point. At the time it looked unbelievable, the Dark Brotherhood quest was easily the best sidequest of all time and the game was just so much fun. I still play it occasionally, trying to finish the last Mages guild quest. Easily one of the best role-playing games out there.

  • My favourite Zelda game. The art style was incredible throughout and it has the classic Zelda game play we've all come to expect. What I loved most though was exploring this world. I, unlike many, found the sailing not to be boring at all. In fact, I'd say it's probably my favourite part of the game. That sense of adventure it added, which was also increased by the cartoonish style graphics created the perfect "fairytale", if you know what I mean by using that word. It was full of emotion, had some great laughs and continued in the Zelda tradition of having an unbelievably epic final boss fight. I won't spoil it for the unitiated but come on, IT IS INTENSE! even if the fight is easy. Then again, this whole game is easy. It doesn't matter though. This game is simply a masterpiece.

  • It saddens me a bit to see this at number 10. I remember when I finished it I thought "that is the best game ever". The story in GTA4 is amazing and one of the best you can find on the 360. Some of the choices I had to make in that game were really tough, there was a lot of gravity to them and I needed to seriously think about what I was going to do, which no other game has made me feel. So props to Rockstar for that. All over though, it's GTA; it's incredibly stylish, a bit sadistic and hilariously funny. Add to the classic formula better controls, a better shooting system, a more serious story then previous incarnations and you have something really special. Anyone with any interest in action games needs to have this in their collection.
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