My Top 10 Video Games of All-Time (as of June 2012)

These lists are really hard to put together. Every time in my life I've tried to put together my top-10 video games, I always get hung up on order, and what criteria am I using, and I eventually just scrap the entire project. But for whatever reason, I decided to knuckle down, think really hard, and put together a list of my Top 10 Favorite Video Games, so here we go.

10 - WWF: No Mercy

No Mercy is often held as the holy symbol of wrestling games, and it's hard to argue. Simple controls, huge movesets, easy character creation, and tons of match types meant it was really easy to pull some controllers out and have an evening with friends doing nothing but playing this game. Honestly, I don't think that another wrestling game will ever have the same level of both enjoyment and acceptance (No Mercy was played by people who didn't like wrestling at all) as No Mercy did, but that's how the times change. It will always be great to remember weekends spent with friends playing this game.

9 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Deus Ex has not only an awesome aesthetic to it, it also is an incredibly gripping game that truly allows you to play to your own style. If you want to sneak in and out of places undetected, you can do it. You want to go in gun's blazing, there's an option for that. You want to talk your way into places you shouldn't be in, then hack their systems from within, also an option. Also, unlike many RPG games where you are penalized (usually through money and experience) for bypassing encounters, you are rewarded equally for any method you use to settle a conflict, as long as you succeed. The shooting mechanics and cover system are also very well implemented, making this a fantastic example of how good gaming has become. The only knock on this game is that the boss fights are considerably harder, but you are provided enough tools in each fight that you can win with a little bit of patience.

8 - Diablo II

This one will probably seem controversial, but it's hard to find another game that fits into this genre that is as good or fun as Diablo II. A game where the story isn't overly important, what makes this game fun is a combination of the random nature of the game, and the fun of playing with people online. Diablo II was one of the first games that I actively played online, and I absolutely loved it. Trading gear with people, forming teams to fight bosses, and just experiencing all the vastly different environments in the game all made this one a blast no matter how often you logged in.

7 - Half-Life 2

It's hard to argue that any one game truly changed an entire genre, but that's what Half-Life 2 did to first-person shooters. Despite not having a very relatable protagonist and not having much of a story, the mechanics, graphics, and different scenarios found in Half-Life 2 would forever change how companies look at shooters. Many will say that Halo started this transition, which would be accurate, but where Halo 2 continued the same path, Half-Life 2 presented you with an environment that was every bit as deadly as your guns were, physics based puzzles, and always rewarded you for your exploration and diligence. A great game that should be played by all shooter fans.

6 - Mass Effect 2

It's not easy to make a game that is completely accessible to both shooter fans and RPG fans, but Mass Effect is quite possibly a perfect blend of the two. The Mass Effect series is probably the only full-voiced game where every action you take has actual effects on the story. Not only that, but the acting and graphics are both stellar and will often pull in you as if you were watching a movie. The game's gunplay is also very competent and provides enough of a challenge to make you strategize. A game that is riveting from beginning to end.

5 - Final Fantasy IV

I have bought Final Fantasy IV five times. Super Nintendo, Playstation, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP. And no matter which version of the game it is, I absolutely love it. Final Fantasy IV (or II as it was released on the Super Nintendo) is Final Fantasy at it's best. Each character serves a purpose, as opposed to later games where each person could fill whatever role you wanted, and as a result you become more attached to the character, as their strengths and weaknesses in battle were often also reflected in their dialogue and how they handled situations. The game's story is pretty stock, but it is told incredibly well. This also marks the series first example of the trademark, "The final boss isn't actually mentioned until halfway through the third act" reveal. This became quite common in later games. Overall, this is truly the best Final Fantasy, followed close being by Final Fantasy VI.

4 - Super Mario World

I can't think of another game that nailed the platformer concept better than Super Mario World. This is a game that learned from everything it had done in the past to become a game that shines in every regard. Upbeat and fun music, challenging levels, multiple secret paths, challenging bosses, and a huge world to explore. Super Mario World also introduced several concepts that would later become Mario staples, such as the ghost houses, the sub-fortresses, and many different environments that returned in later games, most notably Super Mario 3D Land. This is Mario at his side-scrolling best, and shouldn't be missed by anyone!

3 - Fallout 3

When I learned that they were going to take Fallout and put it into a first person shooter, I was really skeptical. Fallout was a very deep game that relied on a tactical game engine to make sure you knew that every decision you made was important, even in combat. However, those fears were quickly alleviated once I popped Fallout 3 into my Xbox 360. This game captured Fallout's universe perfectly. You truly felt like you were wandering in a wasteland, and the whole world seemed hostile. It's tough to put a finger on the feeling you get the first time you emerge from the vault and the wasteland is spread out before you, but it is truly a wonderful feeling. I never once got bored or frustrated with this game, and never felt like I was being forced to take a specific path. The game world is completely open and you can play it any way you choose, which already separates it quite far from most other games. Additionally, the game nailed one of the trademarks of the Fallout series, the futuristic 1950's aesthetic, perfectly. Also, I don't know of any other game that gives you the power (see also: is evil enough to allow you) to detonate a nuclear bomb in the middle of a city and watch it from atop a tower.

2 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Remember how many times I mentioned I bought Final Fantasy IV? I've bought Castlevania: Symphony of the Night at least 4 times: Playstation (twice, broke it once), PSP, and Xbox 360. I had never played a game quite like Symphony of the Night before this, but I think the closes game was Super Metroid. However, Symphony of the Night is much more of an RPG than Super Metroid was, where you actually gained experience to level up your stats, as well as had a pool consisting of over 1000 different pieces of equip with which you can outfit yourself. Plus, despite all this, the game still very much felt like a Castlevania game, from the excellent soundtrack to the different enemies you face, to the difficulty found in fighting the bosses. The game is also full of secret areas and even has an alternate game mode that lets you play through with Richter Belmont, basically changing it into a classic Castlevania game, removing the RPG elements completely. This is a game that that should be played at least once by everyone, because this game basically invented an entire genre, and it's the reason why games like Shadow Complex, the DS Castlevania games, Outland, and Fez exist today.

1 - Chrono Trigger

I would hope by now that seeing this game on anyone's top ten list shouldn't be surprising. I mean, it is often looked at as the the greatest Role-Playing Game of all time. It harkens back to a simpler time, when games didn't need twenty different mechanics in order to be considered "deep enough." Chrono Trigger took a very different approach, even for it's time: it tried to tell a really good story. And it succeeded at doing just that. Chrono Trigger is a great coming-of-age tale that utilized time travel. There are twists, strong character development, and a huge world to play in. Also, this is one of the only RPGs I have ever played that didn't require you to spend time leveling up your characters in order for you to be strong enough to play. Even if you move through the game fighting only when you have to, the boss fights are all possible with the right amount of patience and strategy, and that's something you don't see very often today. For it's time, the graphics also were awesome looking, having lush environments and also was one of the only turn-based RPGs where you didn't enter a special "battle scene" during combat. You almost always could see your enemies on screen (as opposed to Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest's random encounters) and you fight right where you see them. Also, this is one of the few games that uses the battlefield in combat. Many characters have area-of-effect abilities that are best used if you enemies all cluster together. Also, this game allows your characters to team up and combine their powers to unleash whole new attacks, something that was very innovative in 1995. Overall, Chrono Trigger is a game that I have visited well over 50 times, from beginning to end. It's also another game that I've bought 4 different times, because it is by far my favorite game of all time. Also, it was the first RPG that I ever beat completely on my own (I was 11), which means its going to stick with you for a long time.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little trip through a part of my brain. Got any views or opinions on this list? Leave 'em in the comments! I'd be happy to hear them.

-Justin