All Time Favorite Games (and why)
by daniel_sh89 | created - 11 Jan 2015 | updated - 16 Nov 2022 | PublicNote that these are my favorite and not necessarily the best games of all time. Since I can't really compare a survival horror game with a strategy game, I decided to list them in a non-chronological order.
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Gothic II (2002 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rescued from the ruins of the temple of the sleeper, the nameless hero faces another great challenge when Beliar, one of the three gods, summons a tremendous army in the mine valley.
Stars: Renier Baaken, Michael Deckner, Sabine Mièl Fischer, Dieter Gring
Votes: 859
I wanted to start with the lesser known game first, as this is more of an acquired taste for role-playing aficionados out there. Get past the steep learning curve however, and you will find yourself a game worthy of the history books.
This game is so good that I feel it even puts many sacred cows of the genre to shame. I won't name names, but suffice to say that this game is a must have for any die hard fan of RPGs.
2. Deus Ex (2000 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
In a dark cyberpunk future where poverty, disease, oppression and terrorism are widespread, J.C. Denton, a new cybernetically-enhanced special agent, finds evidence of a massive conspiracy when his brother, also an agent, goes rogue.
Director: Warren Spector | Stars: Jay Anthony Franke, Brent Anderson, Ralph Barbagallo, Chad Bannon
Votes: 3,433
Deus Ex is as synonymous with PC gaming as Super Mario is with Nintendo. Virtually everyone and their dog knows about this game and for many good reasons too.
From accidentally predicting the 9/11 attacks on the world trade center, to a looming worldwide pandemic seemingly engineered by humans for nefarious purposes.... even if we discount the cultural impact this franchise has had on the games industry, the gameplay is nothing short of brilliant and the storytelling is on par with some of the finest works of fiction ever written or presented to the moviegoing public.
3. Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia (1999 Video Game)
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Turn-based strategy game in which the player goes through 7 different campaigns, controlling a number of heroes that command an army of creatures inspired by myth and legend.
Director: David Mullich | Stars: Catherine Battistone, Richard Epcar, Wendee Lee, Laird Macintosh
Votes: 1,356
Best Turn Based Strategy game ever devised.
4. StarCraft (1998 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In 2499 in the Koprulu sector, a ferocious collective race known as the Zerg arrives to massacre the exiled human colonies while a highly advanced race, the Protoss, intervenes to exterminate the Zerg.
Directors: Matt Samia, Mark Schwarz, Duane Stinnett, Chris Metzen, Glenn Stafford | Stars: Glynnis Talken, Michael Gough, Paul Eiding, Lani Minella
Votes: 5,502
After more than two decades, it still remains the undisputed king of RTS.
Over the years there had been many games that vied for the coveted throne of RTS, yet no one could scratch the surface of what was achieved at the time by a fledgling company with a small team of extremely talented developers.
Starcraft thus remains one of the very few games that not only defined a genre but also perfected it.
5. Diablo II (2000 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Evil has survived. Diablo, the Lord of Terror, now seeks to free his demonic brothers. The armies of the High Heavens are forbidden to interfere with Diablo's plan.
Stars: Frank Gorshin, Liana Young, James Harper, Jessica Straus
Votes: 4,723
Needs no real introduction.
6. Total Annihilation (1997 Video Game)
Action, Sci-Fi
In the distant future, humanity rules the Milky Way with help from AIs, known as the Core. They prospered in peace, however, things changed when the Core tried to enforce a "patterning" process, forcefully uploading minds to a machine.
Stars: John Patrick Lowrie, Chris Taylor
Votes: 256
One of the top 3 greatest strategy games of all time. A hit game that came literally out of nowhere and still remains a superb RTS to this very day.
7. Silent Hill 2 (2001 Video Game)
M | Drama, Horror, Mystery
After receiving a letter from his late wife, from Silent Hill, James Sunderland heads towards the town to search for her, only to come across a terrifying road of truth and redemption.
Directors: Takayuki Kobayashi, Masashi Tsuboyama | Stars: Guy Cihi, Monica Horgan, Donna Burke, David Schaufele
Votes: 7,602
Arguably the best Survival Horror game ever made and one of the best stories ever told in video game format. Combat is a bit *beep* but hey, it's supposed to be that way. Otherwise it would just be a jolly romp through easy street and that's not scary.
8. God Hand (2006 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Using the power of his new right arm, Gene must eliminate all the mobs who are so dead-set on trying to go after his God Hand.
Director: Shinji Mikami | Stars: Beng Spies, Bettina Bush, Sam Riegel, Daran Norris
Votes: 371
The best brawler ever made - Absolutely peerless in the depth of it's gameplay mechanics and really, what else do you need in a fighting game?
A lot more, as it turns out. It has an amazing soundtrack, tons of style, challenge modes, side missions and mini-games, and if you thought that was already too much, the game also has a fantastic sense of humor. It's all around the best thing you can ever wish for until aliens conquer the earth and make a better game, because let's face it, nothing we can make will ever be better than God Hand.
9. Persona 4 Golden (2012 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A group of high school students discover a hidden TV world called 'The Midnight Channel', an alternate reality infested with shadows that is being used to commit murder. After awakening to their Personas, the group decides to investigate.
Directors: Daiki Itô, Valerie Arem, Teppei Kobayashi, Atsushi Watanabe | Stars: Daisuke Namikawa, Shôtarô Morikubo, Yui Horie, Ami Koshimizu
Votes: 1,856
My first foray into the Persona series and a damn good point to start from. This game's plot managed to surprise me more than once and that's saying a lot considering I've been gaming since the early 90's.
10. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (2005 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A young Dante is opening up his Merc Agency when he receives a challenge from his twin brother Vergil. The following events exponentially shape his future and make for one hell of a party.
Director: Hideaki Itsuno | Stars: Adam D. Clark, Reuben Langdon, Larry Leong, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Votes: 3,325
This is your usual DMC affair except with a story that wasn't written by complete amateurs. The gameplay also reached a bit of a sweet spot in the franchise before combat turned into a complete cluster**** in DMC4.
11. Oni (2001 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Crime
A highly trained woman named Konoko has a mission she must complete to defeat the evil Syndicate. Use machine guns and other weapons as you try to uncover her past.
Stars: Amanda Winn Lee, Pete Stacker, Anne Bowerman, Norm Woodel
Votes: 216
A very unique title that combined hand-to-hand combat with shooting mechanics in a way that didn't completely break the game. As far as I know, the only game that managed to do that successfully. It has a ton of charm and quite a few memorable plot twists and characters.
12. Divinity: Original Sin (2014 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Two Source Hunters who devote their lives to ridding a mysterious energy known as Source from the world of Rivellon are tasked with something much larger when the fate of their world is placed into their hands.
Director: Swen Vincke | Stars: Alec Newman, Alex Tregear, Alix Wilton Regan, Andrew Wincott
Votes: 582
What if Baldur's Gate was developed by an incredibly talented European studio? well, this is what you get - a deep, well written, atmospheric and gorgeous game that completely blew away my rather lofty expectations and left me wanting so much more.
13. Wasteland 2 (2014 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Sequel to the original 1988 personal computer role-playing game Wasteland, revived by original director Brian Fargo and inXile Entertainment with the return of many key members of the ... See full summary »
Directors: Alan Pavlish, Dennis Michael Miller | Stars: Marc Graue, Rachel Robinson, Michael Ralph, Sean Chiplock
Votes: 232
A spectacular return to form for the series. Hailing from the creators of the original Wasteland, everything about this game feels incredibly high quality. From the storytelling to the combat system, it still retains that post apocalyptic vibe we all love so much.
14. Fallout 2: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game (1998 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In a post-nuclear future, the descendant of an ancient exiled hero must leave his tribe in search of the Garden of Eden Creation Kit, the last chance of survival for his people.
Director: Feargus Urquhart | Stars: Charlie Adler, Ron Perlman, Dwight Schultz, Jason Marsden
Votes: 4,191
15. Fallout (1997 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
After being sent by the overseer of his vault to search for a new water purifying chip, the player discovers the horrors of post apocalyptic America, and the threat of the Master's Army.
Director: Feargus Urquhart | Stars: Charlie Adler, Richard Dean Anderson, Jeff Bennett, Clancy Brown
Votes: 4,123
16. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Jon Irenicus, a sadistic secretive powerful mage bent on revenge, captures Gorion's ward and his/her party for a diabolical experiment.
Director: Feargus Urquhart | Stars: David Warner, Charlie Adler, Dee Bradley Baker, Michael Bell
Votes: 2,272
17. Future Cop: L.A.P.D. (1998 Video Game)
T | Action
Take control of a transforming mech in Los Angeles and clean up the crime that is running rampant throughout. Use powerful weapons to destroy anything in your way, remember...serve, protect and survive.
Stars: Shannon Finn, Roger Jackson, Jarion Monroe
Votes: 93
1998 was a very busy year in the video game industry, and having your release date be sandwiched between some of the greatest games of all time probably didn't help a whole lot. Yet despite everything, it still somehow managed to stand strong in a literal tsunami of hype that swept away lesser titles and buried them in obscurity.
There were a few reasons for this:
For starters, It has a surprisingly fun and addictive single player mode (which can be played in local co-op or 'split screen' mode with a friend), coupled together some of the best in game music I've ever heard in my life, but more importantly, it also had an incredibly unique and endlessly replayable multiplayer mode called "precinct assault", which is eerily reminiscent of early DOTA. This was chiefly the design decision that got the game noticed by folks at the time and what ultimately kept it from being a complete flop. So much so, that the game was famously quoted by the creators of DOTA as the main inspiration for their work, and by association, the entire MOBA genre as we know it today.
It's hardly a surprise then, that the game is regarded as a cult classic among gamers, myself very much included.
18. Grim Fandango (1998 Video Game)
T | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Manuel Calavera is a travel agent in The Land of the Dead who has stumbled across a ring of corruption.
Director: Tim Schafer | Stars: Tony Plana, Maria Canals-Barrera, Alan Blumenfeld, Pamela Adlon
Votes: 3,752
One of my favorite adventure games that sadly only comes as a distant second to one game that's so obscure even Imdb doesn't list it.
19. Drakan: Order of the Flame (1999 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Lani Minella | Stars: Lani Minella, Jeff McNeal
Votes: 76
How many years will it take humanity to make a dragon riding game that doesn't suck?
Zero, is the answer to that, because it was already made in 1999. Ever since then, every attempt to make a game similar to this (outside of the 2 games in the series) was met with utter failure. Get past the ancient graphics and this game is a blast from the past that packs a great storytelling punch, tons of exploration and even minor RPG elements to spice things up. Add to that two of the most likable characters in video game history, and you get yourself Drakan: Order of the Flame.
20. Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor (1999 Video Game)
T | Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Stars: Mark Arnott, Catherine Battistone, Brianne Brozey, Brye Cooper
Votes: 106
"Ever ask yourself where the lore of Heroes of Might and Magic comes from? Well, this is it.
In a somewhat cruel twist of fate, the spinoff series rocketed into success and popularity, leaving Might and Magic in the dust. Some even claim that M&M suffered because both it and Heroes of Might and Magic shared a very similar name, thus causing a lot of confusion.
Whatever the case may be, it didn't change the fact that M&M7 is my favorite game in the series and a superb Dungeon Crawler in it's own right. Sadly, games like these were quickly outcompeted by the more modern and streamlined CRPGs and consequently vanished from the industry, never to be seen again.
21. Planescape: Torment (1999 Video Game)
T | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
In the city of Sigil, the only place from which all realities of the Planescape universe can be reached, an immortal amnesiac, the Nameless One, must uncover his past, the mystery of his immortality as well as who's trying to kill him.
Stars: Michael T. Weiss, Rob Paulsen, Jennifer Hale, Sheena Easton
Votes: 2,155
The best story ever written on a piece of paper and then converted into pure digital bliss?
It certainly deserves a spot somewhere up there. This game is often touted as the third member of the "holy trinity" of RPG along with Baldur's Gate and Fallout.
22. Blade Runner (1997 Video Game)
T | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
You play a blade runner investigating a series of violent replicant crimes, only to discover far more than you bargained for.
Director: Joseph D. Kucan | Stars: Martin Azarow, Mark Benninghoffen, Warren Burton, Gwen Castaldi
Votes: 2,002
This is an astonishingly accurate depiction of the themes, atmosphere and aesthetic of the movie right down to the finest detail, taking the form of a video game. This game involved actual detective work and even multiple dialogue options that not only had a profound effect on the story but in some occasions, also altered the ending.
Suffice to say this game is one of a kind and I doubt we will ever see anything of this sort, again.
23. Undying (2001 Video Game)
M | Action, Horror, Mystery
Former soldier Patrick Galloway receives a plea for help from his old friend and former comrade in arms Jeremiah Covenant.
Director: Brady Bell | Stars: Kai Vilhelmsen, Ryan Drummond, Clive Barker, Marc Biagi
Votes: 974
Possibly the most under appreciated video game in history. Superb writing, unique gameplay elements, thick atmosphere and excellent gunplay are just a few highlights of this incredible horror FPS, the likes of which will probably never be seen again.
24. Half-Life 2 (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Dr. Freeman is taken out of stasis by his "employer" to help rid the planet of invading aliens forces known as the Combine that entered through the portals he helped create.
Director: David Speyrer | Stars: Robert Guillaume, Robert Culp, Louis Gossett Jr., Michelle Forbes
Votes: 17,554
An exceptional FPS that manages to hit all the right notes when it comes to storytelling and atmosphere in a first person shooter. It also managed to nail the horror theme so well that I was actually terrified to play through Ravenholm for quite some time.
If you knew me, you'd understand why this is such an impressive achievement.
25. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (2007 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Horror
You play as a scavenger suffering from amnesia inside the exclusion zone of a nuclear power plant in the Ukraine which exploded, creating mutants, and weird paranormal activity.
Director: Zach Hanks | Stars: Anthony Green, Aleksandr Vilkov, Anatoliy Bogush, Andrey Podubinskiy
Votes: 1,672
This is what Fallout 3 should have been - an incredibly difficult and sometimes downright sadistic game that has a thick atmosphere and deep faction politics, all set in a bizarre sandbox world where all sorts of weird *beep* happens unexpectedly.
Significantly more fleshed out than Fallout 3 and next to no annoying loading screens to keep you from exploring every nook and cranny of this vast, expansive landscape.
26. The Temple of Elemental Evil: A Classic Greyhawk Adventure (2003 Video Game)
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
In a medieval high fantasy land, a group of adventurers visits a booming town that still fears a nearby destroyed temple, dedicated to an evil deity, which now shows signs of activity again.
Director: Martin Denning
Votes: 38
What this game lacks in story, it more than makes up for in gameplay, as this has, by far, the best Turn Based combat system ever implemented in an RPG.
27. Thief: The Dark Project (1998 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Crime
Unbeknownst to him, a cynical but witty master-thief Garrett will become a key player in the secret war between the cult of builders and the cult of pagans in a medieval city where certain types of magic and advanced technology exist.
Directors: Daniel Thron, Josh Randall | Stars: Stephen Russell, Joffrey Spaulding, Terri Brosius, Daniel Thron
Votes: 729
Both it and its sequel still remain the undisputed masters of stealth as well as incredible atmosphere and storytelling akin to what you see today in games like Dark Souls. The world of Thief takes place in a similarly dystopian setting, albeit mixed with steampunk and a bit of magic, where everything went horribly wrong. The world is ruled by evil and the only way for our hero to survive is to steal from the corrupt rulers of the land.
28. Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (2001 Video Game)
M | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
You are the sole survivor of IFS Zephyr crash and the noble gnome has just passed away before your eyes after giving you a strange ring and asking to deliver it to "the boy".
Stars: Jeff Coopwood, Barry Dennen, Michael Gough, Nick Jameson
Votes: 433
Much like Troika themselves, this game had garnered far less mainstream recognition than it deserved. A damn shame considering this game is absolutely monumental and the number of different permutations and character builds you can play with is absolutely staggering. To give you an example: Dragon Age:Origins had four playable races. Arcanum on the other hand, has eleven. Though don't equate abundant quantity with a lack of quality. Arcanum certainly has plenty of that to go around, specifically in the way the developers implemented the dichotomy between technology and magic, as well as the political and moral implications of the two.
If you ever enjoyed playing Fallout, Baldur's Gate or Planescape, give this one a whirl. You won't be disappointed.
29. Alpha Centauri (1999 Video Game)
E | Sci-Fi
Crash-landing on a world orbiting Alpha Centauri, 7 colonist factions of widely differing ideology must contend for dominance not only with each other, but also with a mysterious power called "The Voice of Planet".
Director: Michael Ely | Stars: Carolyn Dahl, Yu Lu, Yuri Nesterov, Regi Davis
Votes: 270
The definitive 4x strategy game, everything else simply pales in comparison. With an in game encyclopedia that's nearly thicker than a real life encyclopedia, fully customizable units with millions of different combinations of loadouts, advanced politics and robust terraforming capabilities, you can probably see why so many consider it to be the best 4x strategy game out there.
30. Burnout Revenge (2005 Video Game)
E10+ | Family, Sport
Race and crash into opponents to earn boost and speed up heavily to take first place in this fast-paced racing game.
Votes: 755
In my opinion, the best arcade racer out there, hands down. Nothing has as much speed and destruction as this game. Add to that a ton of modes, unlockable cars and tracks, and a badass soundtrack and you have everything you need from an arcady racing game. The only bad things about this game are the interminably long loading times, but that can hardly be attributed to the game itself and more to do with the putrescent dollop of donkey spunk console that it was developed for.
31. Tomb Raider II (1997 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Lara Croft returns to set out on a quest for the mysterious Dagger of Xian. Hot on her tail are Marco Bartoli and his cult Fiamma Nera who want the dagger for themselves as it is reputed to transform its wearer into a dragon.
Stars: Judith Gibbins, Massimo Marinoni, Simon Greenall, Nathan McCree
Votes: 2,159
Probably the most complete Tomb Raiding experience before the series went down the proverbial drain. The levels were huge and the freedom to explore was the highest its ever been. Sure, you can run around and climb trees and even mountains in the modern games, but its all done via contextual button presses and requires next to zero input on the player's part. The old Tomb Raider games had nothing to do with that nonsense.
The platforming is absolutely unforgiving and requires precision and correct timing to execute perfectly. Not only that, but the series signature puzzles are back and they're far better than before. Its all around a fantastic game that makes you truly feel like you're Indiana Jones. No other game past the original trilogy even comes close to replicating that experience.
32. Twinsen's Odyssey (1997 Video Game)
K-A | Adventure
In his second adventure, Twinsen sets out to heal his injured Dinofly. Before completing this task, visitors from another planet come to Twinsun. Because of their strange behavior, our hero embarks on an epic journey to uncover the truth.
Director: Frédérick Raynal | Stars: Jodi Forrest, David Gasman, Karen Strassman
Votes: 230
One of the very few games out there that can truly be classified as "action - adventure" by old school standards. The cheesy voice acting is a minor blemish on an otherwise extraordinarily unique and memorable game.
33. Blood (1997 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Betrayed by the evil deity that he served in life (and death), Caleb rises from the grave seeking vengeance and answers.
Stars: Stephan Weyte, Jace Hall
Votes: 515
The greatest FPS ever made, even when compared to its modern contemporaries. Games like Half-Life, FEAR, Wolfenstein and even Quake, back when it was still synonymous with excellence in First Person design, are still very far from being as good as Blood. Sure, technology had advanced tremendously since the days when the Build Engine was still riding high, but Blood stands as living proof that truly great first person shooters really boil down to just a few aspects; great level design and excellent gunplay. Blood managed to do both to a degree that no other FPS could. The explosions, the burning, the screaming, the gore and gib effects, the way that weapons and movement handled and felt just right without being too over the top. The incredible sound design and atmosphere deserves its own award section for how good it was, especially when you consider how old this game really is.
Its an odd thing to say considering there are virtually no cutscenes in the game either, but that's actually a good thing. It just means they don't have to cram hours of terribly written dialogue down my throat. It also doesn't have any annoying support characters droning on and on about shit no one cares about... Blood is very straightforward and to the point. It knows exactly what it is - it distilled the essence of first-person shooters down to its atomic components. Everything that presented an obstacle to the player and distracted them from doing what they're supposed to - which is blowing cultists up with bundles of TNT, has been purposely excised with prejudice. Lastly, Stephan Weyte's incredible voice acting and one liners are the icing on the cake that elevates Blood from a flawless masterpiece, to downright perfection.
34. FreeSpace 2 (1999 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
32 years have passed since the events of Descent: Freespace. A rebellion is threatening the stability the galactic Terran-Vasudan alliance while a mysterious portal to a Shivan-infested nebula is discovered.
Stars: Robert Loggia, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, Jason Scott
Votes: 272
Hands down, the best space sim ever made. The battles in this game had an unprecedented scale to them that was simply unmatched at the time - a fact that still remains true to this very day. Battles could have gargantuan, star destroyer sized spaceships and dozens of fighters all fighting simultaneously in a wonderfully chaotic battlefield, which was further enhanced by one of the finest soundtracks ever composed for a game of this caliber.
The only down side is that the story, while incredibly well written, is sadly incomplete. The game ends on a cliff-hanger that hints at a sequel that will likely never see the light of day.
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