Wow, I've been extremely busy and terribly uninspired lately, so I have been unable to keep up with this blog. I realized while I was preparing several future posts that I never posted my favorite games 2000-2010 back in January. So I figured that I would go ahead and present those while I am still gathering information on the next blogs. I'm personally excited to be working on these lists again and intend on writing a few articles dealing with different topics and series as well. But, enough with the excuses and updates, here's my appetizer countdown until I can finish the more important stuff.
Snake's Top 10 Favorite Games 2000-2010
10. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Capcom, Fighting, 2000)
To me, this is the most entertaining fighting game of all-time, but it is also taken very seriously in the world of competitive gaming. I remember the build up of this game from its roots in X-Men: Children of the Atom to X-Men vs. Street Fighter to Marvel Superheroes vs. Street Fighter and then finally the original Marvel vs. Capcom. The cast by now was so massive and the strategy of picking a team was very in-depth and personalized to the player's style. This game in paticular blew up so fast and it seemed like everyone I knew was amazing at it. I finally caved in and put in the man-hours to train just to keep up with people at the arcade. Since I've put it down, I've seriously lost a step. That, along with the release of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 makes it doubtful that I will ever pick it up again. That's a shame, but I've got the memories and time marches on.
9. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (Naughty Dog, Action/Adventure, 2007)
There was a lot of hype (and rightly so) around Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and I felt rather strange because nobody ever really talked about the first game, which I enjoyed more. Sure, the second game's presentation is amazing, but I really think the story of the first game flowed better and was more interesting. I was honestly gripped for the entirety of Drake's Fortune. I think that it is largely forgotten because of the incredible look and promotion of the second Uncharted along with the unfortunate circumstances around the release of the first. You see, "Drake's" was a brand new title being released on a brand new system (exclusively), at a time when the Playstation 3 was untested and very expensive. It was a gamble, but it obviously paid off, as a third game in the series is set to release in the near future.
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Bioware, RPG, 2003)
This game was like a dream for me. Two of my favorite things in the world were being merged together: RPG's and Star Wars. This game absolutely didn't disappoint fans. The story is amazing, the gameplay is fun and in-depth, and you actually get to determine how the story will unfold based on your dialogue and decisions. Plus the twist in the story was so good that a new term was entered into gamer lexicon in honor of this game: The KOTOR Swerve. Used to define any mind-blowing, out-loud WTF moment in a game. There's nothing really else to say other than this was one of the most creative games I had ever played up to the time.
7. Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly (Tecmo, Survival Horror, 2003)
I'm obsessed with ghost stories and urban legends, so when I saw the first Fatal Frame game at a local rental store, I had to take it home that weekend. The whole game is centered around running around a haunted house and the only way to fight back is to be FORCED to take pictures of them from a first person perspective. "This is the coolest thing ever! Why has no one thought of this earlier?" Well, unfortunately the first Fatal Frame ran out of steam and became a little tedious. I still enjoyed the concept so much that I had to try out the second game in the series, Crimson Butterfly. WOW! This game was not only infinitely better, but actually connected to the original game. Only this time we got to explore the entire haunted village! This is the perfect game to sit around in the dark with friends and play. It is equally fun to watch as it is to play, only the one with the controller obviously will be the most stressed out. This game is arguably THE scariest game of ever and one of my favorite games I've ever played.
6. Guitar Hero 2 (Harmonix, Music, 2006)
I thought I would hate guitar hero because it detracted people from learning to play actual guitar, but I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining this party game could be. When the second installment was released in 2006, things really began heating up. Every party night had to have time split between guitar hero 2 and then halo 2. Those were some fun times.
5. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Bethesda, Action RPG, 2006)
This was one of those games that blew my mind when I first saw it. It looks amazing and is addictingly fun to play. As much as I loved Morrowind, this game is just superior. It is so much fun and I can't wait for Skyrim.
4. Final Fantasy 12 (SqaureEnix, RPG, 2006)
As with most Final Fantasy games, this is a "love it or hate it" title. I love it personally because it really opened the door for me to go back and play the Final Fantasy games that I never beat. So, in a way, I owe this game for making me a Final Fantasy nerd. I could have put Final Fantasy 10 in this spot as I really enjoyed that game and to a degree I think it is superior to 12, but I was really connected with the characters and story in this paticular FF game. Not to mention, the graphics are extremely sharp thoughout the entire game, not just cutscenes. It really was a great experience all-around.
3. Halo 2 (Bungie, FPS, 2004)
This list just wouldn't be right without a Halo game on it. Even though I like the campaign in the others better than 2, this was the game that made me buy an X-Box and an online membership. Many hours of precious sleep were lost to this game. It was not only a party game, but an online obsession. It is impossible to deny the impact this game made on the FPS genre and online gaming.
2. Mass Effect 2 (Bioware, action shooter/RPG, 2010)
The Mass Effect games are pretty much the polished up precedents set down in the KOTOR games with a kick-ass original story. When I sampled the first Mass Effect game I wasn't sure if I really cared for it or not. But, by the time Mass Effect 2 was released I was hooked. I loved the degree of variety and freedom that this game presents to the player. You can pretty much take the story where you want. I have beaten this game several times just to make sure I was completely prepared for Mass Effect 3. Oh yea, for those who don't know, your choices you make in Mass Effect 1 have an impact on events in Mass Effect 2, and then those choices will compile and will have impact on the story in Mass Effect 3. That's pretty sweet.
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater(Konami/Kojima Productions,Stealth Action,2004)
Probably my favorite game of my favorite series(as evident by my moniker), Snake Eater is chronologically the first in the series. It also added many elements to add realism such as needing to hunt and eat to maintain stamina, heal wounds to optimize performance, and customize camoflage to maximize stealth. This is probably the most entertaining of the series to play, and the story is second to none. It is so good in fact that it not only tops a list of best Metal Gear games, but has been touted as one of the top 10 video games EVER. That says alot from the gaming community (not just me being a fanboy). I remember picking this game up and immediately popping it in the PS2. It was evening when I began, and 13 hours later the sun was rising and I was victorious. One of the greatest nerd moments in my life. This absolutely has to be my favorite game 2000-2010.
Well that's it. I hope you enjoyed and I will be back soon with all new and controversial lists and articles.
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