Board 8 > Leonhart Ranks 124 User Nominated Games: Part 2

(+) Yeah! (+)

Mega Mana posted...

I also maintain that Subspace Emissary was a fun ride.

Brawl is my favorite Smash game, mostly for Subspace Emissary
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28. Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutors Path (Axl_Rose_85)


"Prosecutor's Path" is the subtitle that the fan translation gave the game, but I think it's a good one, all things considered, so I'll acknowledge it here! I suppose I should begin by discussing the fan translation. Overall, I think it's solid where it counts. In terms of procedural details and plot points, everything is clear. I don't recall there being a time when I didn't understand what was going on or what was being said. In the spirit of Ace Attorney, they give a valiant effort in some of the names (Sebastian Debeste being the prime example), although in others, it feels like they just ran out of ideas and the result was a boring name (like John Marsh). I think the humor suffers compared to other games in the series, but they're not professional writers, so I can give them a pass on that.

As for the game itself, Ace Attorney Investigations 2 improves upon the original in nearly every way (except for the soundtrack). The first game felt like they were playing it safe and just trying to figure out what they wanted to do with the new format, and then they went big with the sequel. And when I say big, I mean it. This game is long by the standards of the series (Only Spirit of Justice is longer, and it has one more case). It's one of the potential drawbacks because it can really drag if you find yourself not digging a case (like E2-2 for me). When it works, it makes everything feel appropriately grandiose. It has the best intro case in the series. You know right away the game's not messing around when it throws a presidential assassination plot at you in the very first case of the game. Then Ace Attorney Investigations 2 probably has my favorite non-epic case in E2-3, where it tackles one of the seminal pieces of series lore. Part of my love for that case is that it fulfilled one of my longstanding wishes for the series, but it's just a really strong case overall. The epic case falters a lot in the first half and suffers from poor pacing, but once it gets going in the second half, it's fantastic.

The first Ace Attorney Investigations game happened to be a game with Miles Edgeworth in it, while the sequel is actually focuses on him and gives him some real character growth, which is impressive considering he was already perhaps the most well developed and complex character in the series. The main conflict is a deeply personal one for him, which I won't get into because of spoiler reasons since it should be experienced rather than told, but suffice it to say that the subtitle for the game is appropriate considering the subject matter. Edgeworth makes some uncharacteristic and unexpected decisions along the way, and I think it results in a poignant journey culminating in a very satisfying resolution in the epilogue.

As far as the other characters go, many of them from the first game return, Kay and Gumshoe included, of course. There are some more cameos from previous games this time around, but I think they were a little more discerning and didn't just go straight for the predictable ones (although there are a couple of those, too). Ace Attorney Investigations also introduces a bunch of new characters, such as a female judge and the most incompetent attorney in the series. I think my favorite new character was Ray Shields, a defense attorney who knew Edgeworth's father. He's the impetus and the mouthpiece for a lot of the personal conflict that arises for Edgeworth in this game, but he's also overall really charming and just plain likable. The villains are hit or miss. There are a couple of top tier ones, but also a couple of outright duds. In a cast this big, they can't all be winners, but the ones who matter are good, which is what you want. I don't think this game is quite in the tier with the very best of the series, but it's close.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite non-epic Ace Attorney case?
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2-3 obviously
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AAI2 sucks club rep

Best non-epic case probably 3-3? 3-4 is up there too. Other contenders would probably be 5-3 and 5-6.
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Favourite non-epic case is E1-4.

As for Smash

64 and Melee: Yoshi
Brawl: Toon Link, Sonic (half lols half serious), Wario
Wii U: In order, Shulk, Sonic (purely serious here), Bayonetta
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Favorite non-epic is probably 3-4.
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I think 3-4 should count as part of 3-5 IMO
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NFUN posted...

I think 3-4 should count as part of 3-5 IMO

No
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27. Tales of Symphonia (Team Rocket Elite)


Tales of Symphonia was one of Board 8's original "Flavor of the Month" games (Remember Heroic Mario rotating Lloyd, Kratos, and Zelos in and out of his #1 character spot? Those were the days). At the very least, I think it was the first one that I latched onto personally. Since it is a Tales game, it's got its fair share of problems. Its "action" scenes can be unbelievably cheesy, like enemies standing still for ten seconds as Lloyd's Demon Fang slowly travels along the ground to hit them. It's got some of the worst dungeons I've ever encountered in an RPG, Ymir Forest and Latheon Gorge being the worst offenders. Despite all that, Tales of Symphonia has a certain irresistible charm to it for me, even after all these years. One of these days, user SaveEstelle will understand that charm or die trying...!

First of all, it has one of my favorite playable casts in a JRPG. Lloyd's a complete idiot in many ways, but he's got a good heart and always wants to do what he can to save everyone, perhaps to an unrealistic and unreasonable degree sometimes because he can't always save everyone. Kratos is the stereotypical mysterious cool dude who knows more than he lets on, but he pulls it off well. I could go on and on with each one, but I won't. The characters can be cliched at times, but they've got such great cast chemistry (further enhanced by the Skits). I just love seeing them interact with one another, whether it's a serious moment or a comical one. I've even warmed up to Colette over time. My personal favorite is Presea, who introduced me to the emotionless doll girl trope. I thought she was excellent from the moment she was introduced, and her character arc is really endearing. Plus, she has some of the best unintentional humor due to the fact that she takes everything so seriously ("My ribbon...does not spin"). One of my favorite little touches in Symphonia is the fact that it has an affection system, where your choices have a value attached to them to each party member. There are several scenes that can play out differently depending on who you have the most affection points with, and it's not limited to just female romantic interests. If you want to have a bromance with Zelos, you're more than welcome to do so. It's a really cool system that I wish more games used like that.

Tales of Symphonia's plot feels a bit derivative of Final Fantasy X for the first stretch of the game, but it gradually opens up and becomes its own thing as it goes on. Oddly enough, my favorite scene might be one that's technically non-canon. I won't go into spoilers, but it's the consequence in the next dungeon of choosing Kratos at Flanoir. It's just a really bittersweet moment for reasons that are obvious if you've played the game. I think Symphonia does a good job of balancing comedy with drama. It never goes too strong with one or the other. It's got a really fun soundtrack that does a good job of setting the appropriate mood for a scene. Maybe some other Tales game will supplant it as my favorite in the future, but I'll always have fond memories of Symphonia.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite cast in a video game?
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I want to say Life is Strange

Bioshock Infinite is up there
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That gif makes me shiver
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pjbasis posted...

That gif makes me shiver

it's that mesmerizing and irresistible charm
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NFUN posted...

I think 3-4 should count as part of 3-5 IMO

3-4 definitely stands alone more than 5-4.
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26. Shadow Hearts: Covenant (Axl_Rose_85)


This game might as well be subtitled "The Yuri Hyuga Owns People's Faces Show," because that's what he does for most of the game, often literally! His first appearance in the game is him wrecking a room full of soldiers to protect a girl...followed by him unceremoniously dumping her onto the floor and walking out as pictured in the GIF above. Covenant is interesting because it's actually a follow up on the first game's bad ending rather than the good one. At the same time, the atmosphere is lighter with a lot more jovial banter among the party. Speaking of the party, Covenant features a truly eccentric group, like the pro wrestler who makes a weapon out of any large blunt object he can find. You also have an old man named Gepetto who fights with--you guessed it--a puppet. There's also the highly intelligent wolf dog who takes on sneaking missions on the side. On top of that, you also have a historical(ly inaccurate) figure join your party, so you've got it all! One of the neat little things about Shadow Hearts in general is that it's set in the middle of real history (World War I, in this case), although obviously, it puts some twists of its own on it.

The battle system in Covenant is a big step up from the original. Yuri has more fusion forms than ever, and they make it a little more manageable to switch between them mid-battle if you want to this time around. It's also not a traditional turn-based system anymore, although it still uses the Judgment Ring, but it allows you to customize it a bit, too. There's even an Auto Ring if you just don't want to mess with it at all, so Covenant is generally much more accommodating than the first game. In battles, there are different types of attacks, and depending on how you play it, you can start combos that the other party members can build onto with their turns. It's super fun, but it also makes the game pretty easy at times. It's one of those weird games where random battles are harder than boss fights because the combo system can be easily exploited against bosses if there's only a single target on the screen.

One of the best things about Covenant is that it has some really great setpieces with Yuri. The dude is just so cool in every way, and the game is set up to put that on full display. He's the star of the first two Shadow Hearts games through and through. I liked the story here in general. It does a lot of interesting things, although it doesn't always work. The final boss in particular fell a little flat for me. The ending was really great though, so that made up for it. But like I said, the real draw is seeing Yuri own faces left and right. The main reason I haven't been interested in playing From the New World is because he's no longer the protagonist. The series just doesn't feel like it'd be as good without him, and based on the general reception to the game, it wasn't! Seriously, if you're tired of the "typical" JRPG hero (whatever your definition of "typical" may be), give Shadow Hearts a whirl because Yuri will probably be a pleasant surprise for you.

Bonus Question: Who is your favorite video game protagonist?
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And that's another tier down!

Im a lawyer. I live for needless procedures.

26. Shadow Hearts: Covenant (Axl_Rose_85)
27. Tales of Symphonia (Team Rocket Elite)
28. Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutors Path (Axl_Rose_85)
29. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Anagram)
30. Final Fantasy Tactics (SaveEstelle)
31. NieR (tazzyboyishere)
32. Kingdom Hearts (NBIceman)
33. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice (Dragon66116)
34. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Anagram)
35. Persona 5 (greengravy294)
36. Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (Raka_Putra)
37. Bomberman 64 (Janus5k)
38. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (Drakeryn)
39. Assassins Creed II (Johnbobb)
40. Final Fantasy IX (Eerieka)
41. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Snake555555555)

I like the sound of that Dashing young lawyer flying fabulously.

42. ESPN Extreme Games (LeonhartFour)
43. Sonic Mania (handsomeboy2012)
44. Umineko no Naku Koro ni (Drakeryn)
45. Final Fantasy XIII (Robazoid)
46. Shadow Hearts (tazzyboyishere)
47. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Shonen_Bat)
48. Trails in the Sky: First Chapter (Robazoid)
49. Final Fantasy VI (Eerieka)
50. Jak II (tazzyboyishere)
51. Persona 3 (pyresword)
52. Steins;Gate (Mac Arrowny)
53. Xenogears (SaveEstelle)
54. Portal 2 (banananor)
55. GoldenEye 007 (Pirateking2000)
56. Chess (Xeybozn)
57. Kirbys Dream Course (Janus5k)
58. Shadow of the Colossus (pyresword)
59. Paper Mario (NBIceman)
60. Tales of the Abyss (NBIceman)
61. Mega Man 2 (LOLIAmAnAlt)

Thanks to you, I am saddled with unnecessaryfeelings.

62. Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Raka_Putra)
63. Tetris Plus (LeonhartFour)
64. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (Janus5k)
65. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (Dragon66116)
66. Super Smash Bros. (Anagram)
67. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (Axl_Rose_85)
68. Viewtiful Joe (kateee)
69. Four Square (Pirateking2000)
70. Assassins Creed: Brotherhood (Johnbobb)
71. Super Mario 64 (Pirateking2000)
72. The Last of Us (Dragon66116)
73. Super Mario Bros. (pjbasis)
74. Persona 4: Dancing All Night (Janus5k)
75. Skee-Ball (WhiteLens)
76. Mass Effect: Andromeda (kateee)
77. Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Mac Arrowny)
78. Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days (tazzyboyishere)
79. The Bouncer (LeonhartFour)
80. VVVVVV (NFUN)
81. The Simpsons (WhiteLens)
82. Chrono Cross (pjbasis)

Why cant we have a normal, straightforward killing in this country once in a while?!

83. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Axl_Rose_85)
84. Mega Man 3 (Shonen_Bat)
85. Rock-Paper-Scissors (Xeybozn)
86. Super Paper Mario (pyresword)
87. Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (kateee)
88. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (pyresword)
89. inFAMOUS (pjbasis)
90. Steins;Gate 0 (pyresword)
91. Mega Man 5 (tazzyboyishere)
92. Sharks and Minnows (LeonhartFour)
93. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (pjbasis)
94. Bomberman Generations (NBIceman)
95. Animal Crossing (AxemRedRanger)
96. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Snake5555555555)
97. Metroid Prime (Mac Arrowny)
98. Portal (handsomeboy2012)
99. Jak 3 (Johnbobb)
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Maybe I shouldnt be saying thisBut he definitely did it. Murder. At least once. Maybe twice.

100. Super Metroid (kateee)
101. Pokemon Snap (Anagram)
102. Wii Sports (handsomeboy2012)
103. Sonic Adventure 2 (Johnbobb)
104. Connect Four (WhiteLens)
105. The Floor is Lava (Xeybozn)
106. Life is Strange (Robazoid)
107. Scrabble (Raka_Putra)
108. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (pjbasis)
109. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (Dragon66116)
110. Vagrant Story (Mac Arrowny)
111. Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City (AxemRedRanger)
112. Sonic Spinball (Drakeryn)
113. Donkey Kong 64 (AxemRedRanger)
114. The Simpsons: Barts Nightmare (Robazoid)
115. Hide-and-Seek (Xeybozn)
116. Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (AxemRedRanger)

You look like I did after I mistakenly took a swig of Worcestershire sauce.

117. Charades (Raka_Putra)
118. Star Fox Adventures (NBIceman)
119. Musashi Samurai Legend (AxemRedRanger)
120. Tic-Tac-Toe (Xeybozn)
121. Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (handsomeboy2012)
122. Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (Axl_Rose_85)
123. Shaq Fu (handsomeboy2012)
124. Monopoly (WhiteLens)
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Let's end this page so we can get the EXCITING NEWS at the top of the next one
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Okay, time for a SPECIAL CONTEST! As you can tell, there are only 25 games remaining. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to guess what order they will come in on the list.

The point system will be as follows: You get one point for every position you are away from the correct spot. For example, if you guessed a game at 25th and it's 25th, you get 0 points. If you guessed it at 24th, that's 1 point. If you guessed it at 1st, that's 24 points. The goal is to have the fewest points.

And the prize for winning is a video game of your choice (max value $60; sorry, I'm not buying you some ultra rare collector's edition)! I'll give everyone a day or so to come up with their lists. You can post them directly in this topic, or if you don't want anyone stealing your answers, you can PM them to me.

The remaining games:

Team Rocket Elite:
1. Persona 4
2. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
3. Skies of Arcadia
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Robazoid:
1. Clannad

Johnbobb:
1. Sonic Generations

Mac Arrowny:
1. Mega Man X

WalkingWiki:
1. Mass Effect 2

Eerieka:
1. Final Fantasy VII
2. Final Fantasy VIII
3. Final Fantasy X

Shonen_Bat:
1. Super Mario Galaxy
2. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
3. Kirby Super Star

Snake5555555555:
1. Metal Gear Solid

Kateee:
1. Super Mario World

NFUN:
1. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
2. Super Mario Bros. 3

SaveEstelle:
1. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End
2. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
3. Mass Effect 3

Dragon66116:
1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Raka_Putra:
1. Kingdom Hearts II

LeonhartFour:
1. Super Street Fighter II

Janus5k:
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

Good luck!
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I swear you've posted a top ten before but maybe I'm thinking of SaveEstelle. Either way I'm not going to win so here's something I threw together in five minutes!

1- Final Fantasy VIII
2- Final Fantasy VII
3- Persona 4
4- Mass Effect 2
5- Final Fantasy X
6- Phoenix Wright: Act Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
7- Kingdom Hearts II
8- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
9- Skies of Arcadia
10- Clannad
11- Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
12- Mass Effect 3
13- Super Mario Galaxy
14- Metal Gear Solid
15- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
16- Super Mario World
17- Kirby Super Star
18- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
19- Super Mario Bros 3
20- Super Street Fighter II
21- Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
22- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time
23- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
24- Mega Man X
25- Sonic Generations
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I've done a couple of favorite games lists before, but I don't post them that often. I did a top 30 a couple of years ago for when I turned 30, and I think that was the last one I did.
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I humbly accept this task.

the only thing i know about some of these is that Leon has mentioned liking them before.

1.Final Fantasy VIII
2.Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
3.Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
4.Mass Effect 3
5.Final Fantasy X
6.Persona 4
7.Final Fantasy VII
8.Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
9.Skies of Arcadia
10.Super Mario Bros. 3
11.Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
12.Mass Effect 2
13.Super Mario World
14.Mega Man X
15.Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
16.Metal Gear Solid
17.Kingdom Hearts II
18.Kirby Super Star
19.Sonic Generations
20.Super Street Fighter II
21.Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
22.Super Mario Galaxy
23.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
24.Clannad
25.Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End

oh man. Ill take a crack at this tomorrow morning
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1. Final Fantasy VIII
2. Final Fantasy X
3. Metal Gear Solid 3
4. Donkey Kong Country 2
5. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
6. Mass Effect 3
7. Final Fantasy VII
8. Skies of Arcadia
9. Persona 4
10. Super Mario Bros. 3
11. R&C: A Crack In Time
12. Metal Gear Solid
13. Mass Effect 2
14. Uncharted 2
15. Kingdom Hearts II
16. Mega Man X
17. Clannad
18. Sonic Generations
19. Super Mario World
20. Kirby Super Star
21. Uncharted 4
22. Super Street Fighter II
23. Trails in the Sky SC
24. TMNT IV: Turtles in Time
25. Super Mario Galaxy

incidentally if I win I'm forfeiting my prize to second place unless I somehow beat Mass Effect before this list concludes
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LeonhartFour posted...

Who is your favorite video game protagonist?

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/357273262822370292/1CDA21090A47280093708C05F7BACE32FF7C43E6/

Was there ever any doubt?
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1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
2. Final Fantasy VIII
3. Persona 4
4. Mass Effect 3
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
7. Mega Man X
8. Super Mario Bros. 3
9. Final Fantasy VII
10. Kirby Super Star
11. Final Fantasy X
12. Super Mario World
13. Skies of Arcadia
14. Metal Gear Solid
15. Kingdom Hearts II
16. Mass Effect 2
17. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
18. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
19. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
20. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End
21. Sonic Generations
22. Clannad
23. Super Street Fighter II
24. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
---

1. Final Fantasy VIII
2. Final Fantasy X
3. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
4. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations
5. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
6. Mass Effect 3
7. Super Mario Galaxy
8. Skies of Arcadia
9. Super Mario Bros. 3
10. Final Fantasy VII
11. Persona 4
12. Super Mario World
13. Mass Effect 2
14. Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time
15. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
16. Mega Man X
17. Kingdom Hearts II
18. Clannad
19. Kirby Super Star
20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
21. Sonic Generations
22. Metal Gear Solid
23. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
24. Super Street Fighter II
25. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Feel pretty good about that top 2 but I expect I'll go off the rails early enough that it won't matter. I remember you did that 30 for 30 for 30 thing a year or two ago but I don't remember very much of it.
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Janus5k posted...

incidentally if I win I'm forfeiting my prize to second place unless I somehow beat Mass Effect before this list concludes

better get crackin'
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1. Final Fantasy X
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
3. Final Fantasy VIII
4. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
5. Final Fantasy VII
6. Mass Effect 3
7. Persona 4
8. Skies of Arcadia
9. Mass Effect 2
10. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
11. Metal Gear Solid
12. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
13. Super Mario Bros. 3
14. Kirby Super Star
15. Sonic Generations
16. Super Mario Galaxy
17. Clannad
18. Super Street Fighter II
19. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
20. Super Mario World
21. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
22. Mega Man X
23. Kingdom Hearts II
24. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
25. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End

this was tough...
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bump for more LISTS
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1. Final Fantasy X
2. Final Fantasy VIII
3. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
5. Final Fantasy VII
6. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Skies of Arcadia
9. Super Mario Galaxy
10. Persona 4
11. Kingdom Hearts II
12. Metal Gear Solid
13. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
14. Super Mario Bros. 3
15. Mass Effect 3
16. Kirby Super Star
17. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
18. Mega Man X
19. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
20. Super Street Fighter II
21. Super Mario World
22. Sonic Generations
23. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End
24. Clannad
25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

Probably totally wrong!
---

Alright let's give this a shot.

1. Final Fantasy X
2. Skies of Arcadia
3. Final Fantasy VIII
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
5. Mass Effect 2
6. Final Fantasy VII
7. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
8. Persona 4
9. Metal Gear Solid
10. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
11. Kingdom Hearts II
12. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
13. Mass Effect 3
14. Super Mario Galaxy
15. Sonic Generations
16. Super Mario World
17. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End
18. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
19. Super Mario Bros. 3
20. Super Street Fighter II
21. Kirby Super Star
22. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
23. Clannad
24. Mega Man X
25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

That's tough. If you told me "list 25 games Leon really likes" I probably could have gotten like 20/25 of these, but I'm not confident in how you feel about them in relation to each other to order them properly.
---

Probably not going to do any writeups today, so get those lists in!
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Eh...

1. Final Fantasy VIII
2. Skies of Arcadia
3. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
4. Final Fantasy X
5. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulation
6. Final Fantasy VII
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
9. Metal Gear Solid
10. Kingdom Hearts II
11. Persona 4
12. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
13. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
14. Super Mario Galaxy
15. Mass Effect 3
16. Super Mario World
17. Clannad
18. Sonic Generations
19. Super Mario Bros. 3
20. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
21. Super Street Fighter II
22. Mega Man X
23. Kirby Super Star
24. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
25. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End
---

Ymir Forest isn't bad at all if you know to just use the Sorceror's Ring if there are butterflies above the thing.

1. Final Fantasy VIII
2. Final Fantasy X
3. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
4. Super Mario Galaxy
5. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
6. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations
7. Mass Effect 3
8. Skies of Arcadia
9. Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time
10. Final Fantasy VII
11. Super Mario Bros. 3
12. Persona 4
13. Super Mario World
14. Mass Effect 2
15. Mega Man X
16. Kingdom Hearts II
17. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
18. Kirby Super Star
19. Metal Gear Solid
20. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
21. Sonic Generations
22. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
23. Super Street Fighter II
24. Clannad
25. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
---

1. Final Fantasy VIII
2. Skies of Arcadia
3. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
4. Final Fantasy X
5. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations
6. Kingdom Hearts II
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Final Fantasy VII
9. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
10. Super Mario Galaxy
11. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
12. Super Mario Bros. 3
13. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End
14. Persona 4
15. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest
16. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
17. Mega Man X
18. Mass Effect 3
19. Sonic Generations
20. Super Mario World
21. Clannad
22. Kirby Super Star
23. Metal Gear Solid
24. Super Street Fighter II
25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
---

AxemRedRanger posted...

Ymir Forest isn't bad at all if you know to just use the Sorceror's Ring if there are butterflies above the thing.

Ymir Forest will always suck. Even if you know what you're doing, that place is still super tedious.
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Still some time left!
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Hmm...
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1. Final Fantasy VIII
2. Final Fantasy X
3. Metal Gear Solid 3
4. Donkey Kong Country 2
5. Final Fantasy VII
6. Persona 4
7. Ace Attorney 3
8. Mass Effect 2
9. Uncharted 2
10. Super Mario Bros. 3
11. Ratchet & Clank 3
12. Sonic Generations
13. Skies of Arcadia
14. Kirby Super Star
15. Uncharted 4
16. Super Mario World
17. Metal Gear Solid
18. Super Mario Galaxy
19. Mass Effect 3
20. Kingdom Hearts II
21. TMNTIV
22. Trails in the Sky SC
23. Mega Man X
24. Super Street Fighter II
25. Clannad
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Oh no now I am more invested in checking on this topic to see if my list is correct or win up to sixty dollars in prizes.

Damn your marketing tactics and promotional material.
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I'm not gonna try with a list because my guess would be very bad and I wouldn't even know where to begin. I'm just gonna say Clannad (it is good but not great) is already waaaaay too high in what otherwise seems like a solid Top 25.

Good luck to everyone else though.

It's too bad SaveEstelle isn't on the board these days. He could've used his insider information as former roommate to post a perfect list!
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Mobilezoid posted...

It's too bad SaveEstelle isn't on the board these days. He could've used his insider information as former roommate to post a perfect list!

I mean it's not like we sat on the couch and did top 25 lists every night
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We'll start back up tomorrow afternoon sometime, probably.
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I'll see if I can get to make a list later.
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LeonhartFour posted...

Mobilezoid posted...

It's too bad SaveEstelle isn't on the board these days. He could've used his insider information as former roommate to post a perfect list!

I mean it's not like we sat on the couch and did top 25 lists every night

what!?
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Well of course not every night. Only most nights.
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last call for LISTS
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25. Clannad (Robazoid)


Like with Steins;Gate, it's difficult to judge Clannad as a video game properly since I saw the anime first. The anime is one of my absolute favorites, with a cast that manages to tug at my heartstrings at every turn. I don't know much of anything that has ever gotten me so emotional that often. It still gets me even on re-watches. My feelings about the game are a bit more complicated. If I had to sum up my experience with it as a visual novel in a single word, it would be "exhausting." I am not the type of person who generally likes to do everything in a game unless there's extra story or character development involved. With a visual novel, that's literally the entire game, so I feel more inclined to try to see all the scenes and get all the dialogue. With Clannad, that's a massive undertaking. According to Steam, my final playtime was 168 hours. Now some of that was the game just idling without me playing because I fell asleep or something (not an uncommon occurrence for me when I'm playing visual novels), but nevertheless, there's a ton of stuff in this game. I tried to do it all without a guide, too, but that eventually proved to be too much. I caved in to the pressure, but I finished the whole thing, so all's well that ends well!

Now I understand why many people say the visual novel version is better than the anime adaptation most of the time when it comes to stuff like this. The formats allow for different things. As a game, Clannad can be much more expansive (as I've already noted) since it's not restricted by a time limit or an episode count. I enjoyed finding all the new content that didn't make it into the anime. At the same time, the visual novel is a bit more suggestive, although thankfully, it never gets explicit since Key wanted this game to be more family friendly. In the anime, Tomoya is this shy dude who comes across as nervous about making any sort of physical contact with girls, but he's making out with girls left and right in the visual novel, even Nagisa! Of course, with a visual novel, you have to use your imagination most of the time to fill in the action since the characters are usually just talking heads with the occasional illustration thrown in here and there. I think this is where the anime has a leg up on the visual novel for me. Being able to actually see it all acted out in motion results in a more emotionally powerful and satisfying experience for me, even if it means some corners have to be cut here and there. I suppose I'm also that guy who generally likes movie adaptations of books, too, so maybe I'm outside the norm here!

Anyway, I didn't intend for this entire writeup to be a comparison between the game and the anime, so let's segue into other stuff! I like Tomoya a lot as a protagonist. I enjoy his journey from an unmotivated, antisocial delinquent to someone who learns to care about others and goes out of his way to help them through a littany of problems. He goes through his own trials along the way, too, and watching him struggle through them was bittersweet in many ways. As far as the girls go, Kotomi is just the best. I think her quirks and eccentricities are great. I'd say the resolution to her arc was really poignant, but that applies to pretty much all of them, even Fuuko. One of Clannad's strongest points is that it can make you care about virtually every character to some extent. Part of that has to be attributed to its fantastic soundtrack, which is nearly always good at setting the proper mood for a scene. I don't know when I'll play the game again, but it's a wonderful journey however you choose to experience it.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite visual novel?

pjbasis off to a good start with an exact hit, although a few others were only one spot off!
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darn already losing
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