Board 8 > Board 8's Top 20 PS3 Games - The Results

(+) Yeah! (+)

UC3 my beloved <3

Noice! Loving that Catherine top ten finish!

Uncharted 2 really is going to demolish the competition huh

Not sure what's left, there are only 4 that I can see as locks

Uncharted 4 better be high if 3 can do this good

3 is super fun though, even if the story is executed kinda shaky

I think ND had some cool ideas with UC3 but it didn't come together properly. With a better script and characters not disappearing for large stretches it would probably have been received a lot better. It also had a weird controversy where the aiming reticule needed a patch to be moved as intended (I think it was fixed after a couple of weeks, maybe even a few days, but it soured a lot of people who reviewed it or played it at launch).

I think the encounter design took a big step up from 2; lots of verticality and different ways to take them on (difficulty was also pretty high even on Normal in the desert and hallucination battles).

Cruisin' for a Bruisin or whatever it's called might be the best Uncharted chapter. So good despite being technically filler.

#7. Dark Souls (2011)
Total Points: 24
List Appearances: 6
First Place Votes: 3
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/e/e448e1db.jpg

Writeup taken from X360 list and provided by tazzyboyishere
Dark Souls is my favorite video game of all time. I dont think any amount of words I write down could express just how critical and informative this video game has been for me. I played it, for the first time, during a very difficult time in my life, and had a rough go with it. The gameplay was punishing, the level design felt confusing, and the amount of systems at play was quite overwhelming, yet something about it stuck enough for me to beat it, albeit with a ton of help online. I dont think it was my favorite game at this point, pretty far from it, actually.

I stepped away from the game to play other things, but for whatever reason, I couldnt stop thinking about Dark Souls. I watched all kinds of YouTube videos, began to read up on the lore and theorycrafting, and eventually found myself returning to the game with a new character. On my second playthrough, it hit.

Dark Souls is, in many ways, a challenging game. Not only in its mechanical requirement of players, but also in its highly oppressive atmosphere and cleverly cryptic level and world structure. Theres an embarrassing wing of the fandom that put a ton of stock into that first challenge, and I feel that can lead to new players having their curiosity stunted when engaging with the other, more fascinating aspects of the game. That isnt to say the games difficulty isnt capable of being fascinating, just that there is far more worth engaging than infamous battles like Should Dark Souls have an easy mode? or Should Dark Souls have a pause?.

For me though, Dark Souls is all about its atmosphere. The setting of Lordran as this once-prosperous land, succumbed to the folly of its most influential leaders and barely maintaining even a semblance of a land worth saving. There are so few areas which feel truly safe in Dark Souls, and even a place like Firelink Shrine has a graveyard of enemies next to your base. Its made even less safe by a midgame twist, depending on whether or not you pursued one of the NPC quests. Similar to that lack of safety is also the ongoing use of verticality in its theming. Te deeper into Lordran you go, the more grotesque and apocalyptic the world and its inhabitants become. Meanwhile, the highest peak of the land is the glorious Anor Londo, home of they very gods who started the Age of Fire. It gives you a good understanding of how Lordran was structured, and also likely why it would eventually corrupt in the way it did.

I could probably talk about this game for hours, and I dont want to bloat this writeup with too many wholly personal anecdotes, but theres a pretty decent throughline to how I saw video games prior to playing Dark Souls, and how I see them now. In many ways, it restored passion into a hobby which, at the time, had sunk almost entirely into blind Nintendo fanaticism and nothing else. It helped that I was reading Berserk around this time as well, and was getting more interested in dark fantasy as a whole. Regardless, Dark Souls is a life changing experience, and so few games can claim to achieve that.

Yeah coupled with Sink or Swim right after, some peak gaming right there

Dark Souls way too low but that's some really impressive average (guess it did better in the X360)

Yeah fairly sure Uncharted 2 will get first place by a lot.

I forgot to do this. I am sorry dark souls fans

#6. Tales of Graces f (2010)
Total Points: 24
List Appearances: 8
First Place Votes: 2
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/5415bc39.jpg

Writeup provided by NBIceman
Graces is a bit of an odd duck as far as the Tales series goes. Not so much so that it cant be quickly and easily identified as being part of the franchise, of course - the skits are there, the combat is action-packed with fighters yelling out move names constantly, Motoi Sakuraba is doing Motoi Sakuraba things, and we can dress up a cast of vibrant characters in costumes that run the full gamut from cool to silly to unapologetic fanservice. But its enough to be notable. Its paced very differently from most Tales games in ways that are difficult to explain. It relies heavily on friendship is power themes that the series largely eschews. The weirdest thing of all, though? Theres a pretty wide consensus on it among the fanbase. That NEVER happens in this franchise. Look at any Board 8 topic regarding any Tales entry and youll see it spawn a spirited, multi-page debate on whether Abyss is the worst or best game of all time, or whether Zestirias music makes up for the fact that the game is an abomination, or whether Arise is an encouraging step forward for the series or something unrecognizable. And then theres Graces f. Ask a hundred players about it and the overwhelming majority will tell you that its a milquetoast, tropey plot wrapped in a pleasant watercolor aesthetic that just so happens to include an absolutely superlative battle system.

The story here is structured in a somewhat unique way in that it begins with a short Child Arc that functions as a prologue; as the name implies, it establishes the main characters in their younger years as they form some relationships and go through a tragedy together that forms the bulk of the plot in the main Adult arc. Its a bit clunky, both in a ludic and narrative sense, but works quite well as an introduction. We also get a Future Arc, which is where the f in the title comes from and is mostly an attempt to tie up a few loose ends. As stated previously, the story is unfortunately the games biggest weakness. Its not BAD, really. Its just substantially more cliched and told through substantially more trope-laden characters than one can usually expect from the Tales series. Even folks who like it will tell you that its just charming in a schmaltzy Saturday-morning-cartoon kind of way, and nobody will try to argue that its one of the games strengths.

The one aspect that you might see some disagreement on is the cast of party members. Ive seen plenty of opinions that its the best in the series, alongside plenty of players that hate everyone. Personally, I see where both sides are coming from for the most part. The Lhant trio has chemistry, for the most part, with plenty of fun interactions between them, but theyre consistently bogged down by obnoxious behavior and considerable missed opportunities, not to mention some absolutely horrid visual designs. Malik and Richard are delightful and can make a hell of a trolling duo when they get the chance, but one of them has too little plot relevance and the other one has way too much despite the precious little time he actually spends with the party. Pascal and Sophie are the best offerings. They do the best job of playing off each other and everyone else while also being entertaining as individuals, and as the games real main character in my mind, Sophie has the most satisfying development and comes the closest to being a more typical Tales character. Even then, though, I can completely understand how Pascal might rub some people the wrong way, and if youre not into the emotionless girl discovers her heart thing, Sophie aint gonna do much for you, either.

But that battle system, man. That battle system. Even as a traditionalist that tends to prefer the seriess usual TP framework in a vacuum, I dont know if theyll ever top the Graces combat. See, heres the incredibly deep secret to fighting in a JRPG: the fun part is hitting things with a stick. Graces understood this, and so made everything about its gameplay in service of hitting things with a stick better. Find an enemy weakness? You can hit it with your stick more before you have to rest. Get perfect timing on a dodge? You can do more stick hitting, and the enemy is more vulnerable for it. Did your stick hit critically? That gets you more stick hits, and for a few seconds, the enemy cant use their own stick to hit you back. And if you hit enough enemies with enough sticks, you get extra Titles, which teach you more ways to hit. Yes, Im making this sound incredibly stupid, but I mean it as a compliment. Graces developed a clear vision of what makes battles enjoyable, streamlined it, and put it in a form that feels unbelievably fluid and smooth. Simple to comprehend, tough to master. It encourages not only aggressive offense, but aggressive defense as well, because they both build upon the other, and theres a heavy risk/reward balance to all of it. On higher difficulties, it only takes a few good smacks to put you down, but its also perfectly possible to dash around the field without getting hit at all if your reflexes are good enough. You can even dodge Mystic Artes, then counter them with a combo that gives you a free one of your own! Fights in Graces feel exciting and satisfying from the most epic bosses down to the most banal of normal encounters. Youll be finding favorite combos and experimenting with others from early on right down to the end as you continue to discover different properties on the Artes at your disposal. And perhaps the most impressive part is that this is true for every playable character. No sluggish mages here that make you feel like youre trying to run underwater when you pilot them. Once you get used to the way their options chain together (for example, spells cast quicker if you do a stick-hitting combo first), you can make every character a swift and efficient bringer of destruction, and have fun doing it. It honestly feels closer to combat in a fighting game than a JRPG at times in terms of how you have to approach it.

So while I certainly have my problems with this game, one compliment that I can pay it without any reservation is that I have more fun playing it on a minute-to-minute basis than I do most titles in its genre, not just its franchise. Its writing weaknesses may preclude me from calling it a truly great game, but thats my critical side speaking, as I can also admit that even the cheese can be enjoyable. If the name doesnt make it obvious enough, Tales of Graces is a relentlessly earnest and optimistic game, and its not ashamed of it. If you can appreciate that for what it is, or at least look past it enough that it doesnt overwhelm the awesome fights, youll have a great time. I played a LOT of RPGs on the PS3, and Id still consider Graces one of its best.

Huh.

Also these point totals seem quite low for as high as we are!

Oh wow didn't expect Graces f all the way almost entering the top 5. Hope I can get the Remaster at some point, I only got until a bit after beating the Child Arc, but was quite enjoying it

Xillia >> Graces

MacArrowny posted...

Xillia >> Graces

yeah on bizzaroworld

21-30!

1. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds - 15 (6)
2. Final Fantasy XIII - 14 (7)
3. Red Dead Redemption - 13 (5) [1]
4. Tales of Xillia - 12 (6)
5. Grand Theft Auto V - 12 (5)
6. Infamous 2 - 12 (5)
7. Tokyo Jungle - 11 (4) [1]
8. Journey - 10 (6)
9. Sonic Generations - 9 (6)
10. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time - 9 (5)

tazzyboyishere posted...

The one aspect that you might see some disagreement on is the cast of party members. Ive seen plenty of opinions that its the best in the series, alongside plenty of players that hate everyone.

I'm a bit in the middle. Sophie, Pascal, Richard, and Malik are all amazing IMO. While the Lhant trio kinda sucks though they're usually okay. I'd take Symphonia's cast as the best, but Graces is probably 2nd best all things considered.

LightningStrikes posted...

Huh.

Also these point totals seem quite low for as high as we are!

I think it's some combination of:

• PS3 isn't popular on this website because we're OldFAQs.
• PS3 is generally not as good or popular as PS1, 2, & 4.
• Modern consoles tend to have more high tier games, which means more LFF.
• The lines between which console and even which generation each game "belongs" to becomes blurred which leads to more weird LFF. For example, IMO Grand Theft Auto V should be on a Top 20 PS3 Games list but others might think that it's a Gen 8 game.
• People might be getting burned out on these lists?

I thought I loved the PS3 but then I sat down to make my list and I think I was indifferent about mostly everything below my +4s lol

Even though it has my favorite game ever, this is just one of the weaker console generations IMO

Well, seeing that its not on the main countdown now, Ill say that I did get Journey on Steam and play through it.

Quite a funthough of course, very shortgame. Really good visuals and aesthetic, and a captivating mood. For something as short as it is, I do question its replay value, but I liked it quite a bit for what it was.

#5. Demons Souls (2009)
Total Points: 26
List Appearances: 10
First Place Votes: 2
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/0502c810.jpg

Writeup provided by tazzyboyishere
Its no secret that Demons Souls was basically a throwaway project at one point. From Software saw it as failure when handing it over to be directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, who used this perception to get away with a lot of shit he otherwise wouldnt have been able to do with a game. The result was nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. While its predecessor, Dark Souls, gets most of the credit for shaping the wider trends, it would be unfair to disrespect how transformative Demons Souls was back in 2009.

Playing Demons Souls for the first time was a weird experience. Taking queues from 3D action games and dungeon-crawlers, two genres I had somewhat limited experience with, there really wasnt anything quite like it. I remember narrowly making it through the tutorial only to be crushed by a massive beast, something I was fully aware would happen. I spent the next few hours of my life struggling through the first actual level, in a loop of dying which would almost certainly cause me to lose patience today. When I eventually beat Phalanx, I thought for sure I ruled at this game. Only to then get immediately stuck on the next level.

Demons Souls is a hard game, at many times breaching that unfair territory, but doing so in clever ways to assist you in learning the many rules of its world, as well as to convey its story and themes. The cruelty and hopelessness of this dying kingdom weighs heavily on the player, descending through a variety of horrid locales. The Tower of Latria and Valley of Defilement in particular convey just how depraved this world has become. So little of this is done through actual cutscenes or character dialogue, and rather told via context of the environment and player actions.

There is so much to dig into with Demons Souls, and working to convey that into a small writeup is really a losing battle, much like the game itself. Its one of those games that you really just need to play in order to understand why so many people put themselves through this brand of torture. Even then, it still might not click. But when it does click? Well thats why these games have become so immortalized. As shitty as the fanbases deplorables are (true for any fanbase, really), this game and its predecessors have helped me connect with people in a completely new way. In spite of how dire the material is, there is a sort of beauty in the shared experiences of others who willingly suffer through this imperfect game.

If it werent for some fairly critical gameplay issues which lead to more frustration for the sake of frustration in my opinion (inventory limits, experimental systems that arent interesting or fun, MANY questionable combat encounters, the Maneaters, etc.), this would be up there with Dark Souls as one of my favorite video games of all time. Its just such a fucking cool game. As-is, though, its merely a masterpiece, which is the dumbest thing I think I could say. This series is so fucking good. I love Miyazaki so much.

#4. Valkyria Chronicles (2008)
Total Points: 33
List Appearances: 11
First Place Votes: 4
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/878ba04d.jpg

Writeup provided by Kotetsu534
https://i.imgur.com/ILbTEvO.jpeg

If I had to pick two words to describe Valkyria Chronicles they would be 'beautiful' and 'creative'. If I had to pick a third and fourth they would be 'earnest' and 'elegiac.' The beauty is obvious - it's filled with bright and colourful anime-style cel-shaded graphics, using effects to make it look like a series of sketch drawings. The creativity is foremost in its genre mix of map and turn-based SRPG with a fully realised 3D world where you play your turns out in real-time. It's a melodramatic anime-style game with a very simple structure. The elegiac feeling comes from the narrative's focus on what's lost in war - but I can't help that reflect, on a meta-level, that VC was a ambitious, bold, home console effort from Sega early in the HD era, and it didn't achieve what they might have hoped.

The player accesses VC through a book interface - clicking on each 'panel' to watch scenes, read exchanges, or play missions in order. It's set in a altered-but-unmistakably-WWII scenario, with it's narrator introducing it as the story of how a tiny nation (Gallia - introduced with a picturesque town straight from the Low Countries) could best a military giant (the Empire). And that's the course of the story, with some deviation into the Valkyria-legend layered on top, some gigatanks to blow up, and a smattering of anime cliches. Where VC's story is more unorthodox is in its protagonist Welkin Gunther, who is a credibly nerdy and eccentric sort who would never have willingly chosen military command but has it thrown on him (due partly to his dad's reputation) and turns out to be pretty good at. The thread in the story where he learns how to build and lead a team out of the rag-tag bunch of Squad 7 frames his character and gives the story momentum. I also enjoyed his love story with Alicia, which becomes more prominent in the later chapters; it's uplifting, they're nice characters, I enjoy asaccharine love-in. The writing isn't exceptional, but it has its moments, especially when the Squad 7 characters reflect on why they're at war and disagree with each other. The script has to balance a gamut of tonal shifts as the player goes from scene to scene, and I think it about pulls it off. Avoiding spoilers, it doesn't shy away from the horrors of war or persecution.

But we're here for the game. There aren't a ton of games that try to mix full fledged 'tactical' play with 3D real-time action, and there certainly weren't many around on consoles in 2008. It works so naturally you quickly wonder why it's so rare - jumping into the 2D sketched map into the colourful 3D world is seamless and joins together very different genres in way that's compelling. The first couple of missions are essentially increasing complex tutorials, showing you how to move around, shoot enemies, take cover, move your tanks, and advance on enemy camps. But within a couple of hours there's some real challenge introduced, and you need to reach a fairly good level of proficiency to advance. There's one notorious difficulty spike which almost certainly wouldn't get released today, but which I found quite exciting, even if it's objectively quite poor design to throw so much at the player in one mission. Where VC's mission design excels is keeping its creativity up - you very rarely feel like you're just playing the same mission again; each one has its own setting or gimmick, often using environmental effects like desert, night, forest etc. to add some new mechanic you have to deal with.

At its core, of course, its an RPG. But mercifully not an overly complex one - you get experience and you go level up units back at HQ between missions (most of your units' power comes from a grade shared by the entire class, so you can happily switch units around to try others out without underpowering yourself), you give them better weapons and buy upgrades for your tanks etc. There are other systems to use like 'orders' (which can power up your units in different ways), different types of ammunition, plus one major level up for each class that unlocks a new ability. There are of course some broken combinations out there - part of the fun of any RPG is trying to figure out how to abuse the systems. The characters that make up Squad 7 are the typical mix of misfits and the competent, and you'll be upset if your favourite gets caught overextended and killed. I especially liked the Skies of Arcadia cameos (Vyse and Aika).

No comment on Valkyria Chronicles would be complete without underlining just how beautiful this game looks and sounds. The intro movie opens up by drawing a picture then showing it come to life - there's no effort to hide how the magic happens; Sega knew they'd pulled off something special. The early HD era was notorious for bid budget releases coming with a drab colour palette ranging all the way from grey to brown, so VC was even more stunning in its time. It's not just the gorgeous backdrops that bring the towns and fields to life that I love either; the main characters are drawn in a clean anime style that I find very appealing, with just a bit more detail than is the norm. Welkin's been my avatar on PSN for over 10 years now. And for my money, this is one of Hitoshi Sakimoto's best soundtracks. While he brings many of his classic melodies, the liberal use of harsh brash and sombre strings give it a fitting military feel, while still feeling wistful and melancholic. I doubt VC could have hit me as strongly as it did if the presentation and style was average.

There are a few quibbles I have with it. First, the balance between classes is way off: scouts are too mobile and therefore overpowered; worse, the 'ranking' system is entirely based on completing missions in the minimum turns, which means that A-ranks more or less require the player to ignore a lot units and focus on abusing Scouts. Second, the game plays too slowly: there's a lot of animation cuts during turns (which adds a lot of character, but do you need to see the same fist pump on every enemy kill?); sitting through the enemy going through a host of turns can easily take 3 - 5 minutes and could've used a skip or fast forward function. If it had a gone little further away from 'anime' tropes and characterisation the story could have landed bigger punches.

But these are minor blemishes. It's a great game, and thrillingly unique (and packed with content - a couple of DLC packs, on top of several sidequests which flesh out key characters, mean there's well over 30 unique missions). It blew me away in 2008 and I've championed it since. I think its stand out achievement is that every element serves a singular vision: the storybook form, a mix of enough strategy with enough real-time action, the graphical style, the music, levelling up units together, enough risk to let the player feel some danger. A tone that happily shifts from the slapstick to the melodramatic to the sombre. It doesn't ask you to take it too seriously, but if you go with it, you might not forget it.

The intro:
https://youtu.be/sJPhasMsayI?si=hihBqFNsuA-LLJXO

A beautfiful and sad instrumental ending song:
https://youtu.be/k9Ac8nhBSDo?si=Xrqk5nlY7zfIw795

ZenOfThunder posted...

I thought I loved the PS3 but then I sat down to make my list and I think I was indifferent about mostly everything below my +4s lol

This

VectorAgent posted...

Well, seeing that its not on the main countdown now, Ill say that I did get Journey on Steam and play through it.

Quite a funthough of course, very shortgame. Really good visuals and aesthetic, and a captivating mood. For something as short as it is, I do question its replay value, but I liked it quite a bit for what it was.

Did you get to have another person join you?

I worry that is just unlikely to be part of the game anymore when it was a really cool aspect of it when it was popular.

Hell yeah Valkyria Chronicles. Best PS3 game.

I don't think it leaned into anime too much at all. For me the game was just enough anime-- and I actually greatly prefer the JP Voice Acting for that reason (also because a few of my favorite characters like Maximilian and Edy sound way better in JP). Now VC2 definitely leaned harder into it and that was to its detriment, but I like some mild anime tropes, which is what I feel the game has.

VC is definitely anime, but it was good anime. It wasn't until two when it got into the embarrassing anime stuff.

For me, VC definitely has a lot of "smaller details" that make a huge difference in its overall quality, which is largely why VC4 and 2 didn't quite measure up. The cast, the sound effects, the bios. There's something about it that can't be replicated.

That's surprisingly high imo. (Haven't played it, so not saying it shouldn't be!)

Top 3 is fairly obvious now, couldn't quite figure top 4 because I didn't think of this.

Maniac64 posted...
VectorAgent posted...

Did you get to have another person join you?

I worry that is just unlikely to be part of the game anymore when it was a really cool aspect of it when it was popular.

I did, in fact! I was also skeptical as to the chances of that happening, but not long after I got the mountain itself, somebody showed up and we stuck together the rest of the way. There was one area on the mountain where you have to get up some stairs while the wind periodically pushes you back down them, and you have to be quick and then move into an area off to the side so the wind doesnt get you.

I managed to get up those steps after a couple of times, but the other player kept getting blown back down. I waited until they made it, and we kept on our way. At the end, it was the two of us walking into the light together, gradually fading as we went farther and farther, and that made for a cool ending.

I took some screenshots of all this as I played, if I remember to then Ill share some a bit later after I get home today.

#3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)
Total Points: 39
List Appearances: 12
First Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/c2fa4f88.jpg

Writeup provided by ctesjbuvf
Metal Gear Solid 4 serves as the grand finale to a beyond fantastic series where we have basically every relevant character alive returning to have their stories wrapped up. I still remember being blown away the first time I saw Old Snake knowing that this would be his final stand. The game delivered on the ending to the story of the legendary Solid Snake in a way that was perhaps not what you expected the whole time playing it.

The settings are all great and pay homage to each of the previous games in the series. The game has a lot more weapons than previously, allowing you to play through the game however you like. You can have it as a stealth game but you can also turn it into a pure shooter, since you can buy ammunition from Dreblin at any point of the game very cheaply. Its a nice possibility to have, in particular on subsequent playthroughs, as the replay value is as great as always. The OctoCamo is a decent element. Perhaps it was their way of lessening the time spent in menus that MGS3 was criticized for.

The mission briefings are a cool addition to me. The boss fights are almost all very good, in particular the last one. The story of Snake himself is the main focus, but the stories of Raiden, Otacon and Sunny also deserve a lot of praise, its just an epic finale with everyone returning, even characters you would not have guessed to have such an impact on the overall story.

The game took the world by storm but the high opinion we once had did not stand the test of time as looking back while no longer being affected by the sheer shock of the many story conclusions has made people see some flaws. You can see MGS4 going from threatening to make the final in one contest on this site to immediately going out six years later. I recognize some of it but it doesnt ruin my experience the slightest. I most recently played the game in 2021 and it hit the feels in all the same ways and even some new ways in addition.

The game has an imbalance of cutscenes and gameplays at times, in particular noted in the lack of gameplay in act III and V. This is fair and while I personally dont mind it, not all cutscenes had to be as long as they are, they drag out a decent bit. Otacon and Naomi are the biggest offenders in this, whether they share a cutscene or not. The fights themselves are great, but from a story perspective, some of the BB Corps fights feel a bit forced because they wanted to have them appear one per act, Crying Wolf being the biggest offender in that area despite being an excellent boss fight. Drebin explaining their backstories can also be a bit of a drag, especially because theyre not really that different.

Then theres the whole nanomachines thing, which can easily feel like the games way of giving a reason for something it cant really explain itself out of. It gets too confusing at times and leaves us with some loose ends surrounding a handful of characters. I dont think there is a clear consensus yet of what Ocelot is actually doing himself in this game among the community for one thing, but Im giving Kojima a lot of credit because he thinks a lot about these things. I will say that if the game could blow you away once then it did a lot of things right and isnt bad. I think all the Metal Gear Solid games are masterpieces and they are all in the conversation when it comes to the best.

On top of being a game I could pick up any day and have a blast with in various different ways, the game had some all time moments. I mentioned the send off to Snake being one. I dont even think I would have minded the original ending planned for Snake and Otacon too much when Kojima was fixated on the Nicola and Bart story, because I trust it would have been delivered well. Something that hit me so much more when I played it recently was Raidens ending. I was crying through the whole sequence despite not having been that affected the first time but I guess thats me being older.

The very best moment though is the final boss fight against Liquid Ocelot. It might very well be the best boss fight in the entire franchise and it deserves to be in the debate for best boss fight in gaming as a whole. It is perfect in every way. Its very enjoyable to play and serves as the perfect ending to the series as you go through the other three games. The soundtrack helps make the impact even greater. I love that it becomes more and more Ocelot as you continue and that hes the most dangerous when there is no longer any Liquid in him. Its a perfect detail that he ends his life giving the same message to Snake that he gave to Big Boss all that time ago. Perfect ending for the series best non-playable character. I said perfect so many times this paragraph because thats how good this scene is.

Awes9me! Glad to hear you got to experience that. I really think it adds stufto the game

Here are two screenshots from the end of my buddy and me:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/35f9930e.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/0584d096.jpg

#2. The Last of Us (2013)
Total Points: 40
List Appearances: 13
First Place Votes: 3
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/3b6d30fb.jpg

Writeup provided by Snake5555555555
Nothing but the pure culmination of a gaming era, The Last of Us will forever hold a place in my heart as one of the greatest games of all time. Combining all of Naughty Dogs past experience, various gaming trends built up from Resident Evil 4 onwards, and pushing video game storytelling to lauded heights, the game is a masterclass in emotional resonance, technical execution, and immersive world-building. Hauntingly beautiful throughout, its fungal-covered, overgrown apocalyptic-shattered locations set the stage for an emotional gamut of experiences that range from tender moments of connection to gut-wrenching loss. Joel & Ellie here are two of the most well-realized characters in gaming, Joels gruff exterior and Ellie's sharp wit form a counterbalance that feels grounded, relatable, and human. As they travel together, you see the layers of their personalities unfold, Joels stoic resilience, Ellies brashness softened by vulnerability, and the slow, subtle formation of a bond that transcends the mission theyre on, until they are nearly an inseparable duo, full of even love for each other. The gameplay itself, while thrilling and often nerve-wracking, is designed to heighten the emotional stakes. Every fight, every sequence, and every encounter with the infected or violent people is a reminder that Joel and Ellies survival is never guaranteed. Its a deft mix of survival horror, third-person shooting, and stealth mechanics, where every action, whether its a brutal confrontation or a quiet moment of hiding, feels weighted by the dire circumstances they face. The close-quarters combat is visceral, with every punch and blow feeling like a direct reflection of the emotional and physical toll the world has taken on these characters. It encourages strategy, planning, and prep, again, the culmination of a whole eras worth of learning how to make compelling video games. From its harrowing moments to its horrific, bittersweet conclusion, The Last of Us is a profound exploration of love, sacrifice, and survival. Its narrative forces players to grapple with difficult questions about morality, the cost of survival, and the lengths one is willing to go to protect the people they care about, and every replay is a reminder of why this game means so much to me and remains one of the greatest PS3 essentials.

Still gotta play Last of Us.

#1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)
Total Points: 55
List Appearances: 19
First Place Votes: 2
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/23c7d764.jpg

Writeup provided by ctesjbuvf
A lot of times we have seen a new IP of great potential but noticeable flaws released early in a consoles lifespan that is followed by a sequel that takes the formula and absolutely nails it. Uncharted 2 is that sequel.It significantly improves on what the first game set out to do and gave us out of the greatest games ever made.

The vastly improved gameplay is obviously the biggest improvement but that alone would not have taken a solid first entry and turned it into a masterpiece. The settings and set pieces are also much better than previously, some of them in particular being peak gaming (well get back to the iconic train section in a bit). The pacing is likely fantastic. The balance between climbing sections, action packed shooting sections and cutscenes is so fine that youre hooked to the game from start to finish with no exception despite it not being that story-heavy a game.

Nathan Drake is also a perfect main character for the game and full credit to Nolan North for his performance voicing him. His banter is so good regardless of what character is accompanying him. Even if Drake is alone and talking to himself the dialogue is perfect. Thats really the main reason why there is never a dull moment. Drakes banter works so well at keeping the player attached and entertained no matter what the current setting is.

One thing the other games do better is the simple thing of having more screen time for Sully, who is the best side character and who has the best chemistry with Drake, even if theyre all good. The third entry realizes this and has much more Sully so its not really a big deal. If I had to find out point of criticism I would look at the villain. Now that not a specialty of the Uncharted series and neither are final boss fights. Still, Flynn is no exception. Hes pretty terrible and Lazarevic is hardly any better. The ending is also weird because it seems to paint a picture of good and evil in a way too simple manner with Flynn implying Drake is too good hearted to kill him despite having murdered like a 1000 men to get to that point. Thats somewhat of a disconnect.

It doesnt really do anything negative to the enjoyment though, because the narrative is straight up fantastic. The intro section works incredibly well and really keeps you wondering how in the world Drake got himself into that situation, and youre not disappointed when you then reach that part about halfway through the game. Locomotion is not only the best chapter in the game, its among the best set pieces in gaming and Drake himself creating the explosion to blow the train off the track really cements that whole section as a top gaming moment in a top tier game.

UC2's combination of consistent pacing, witty banter between appealing characters, cool locations and set dressing, and stirring music are acknowledged as influential, but there are very few games that have ever combined them together as well as it did. Pretty natural #1 for the console, even over TLOU.

Surprised MGS4 did as well as it did - almost #2. Definitely think it's more flawed than the other 4 in the top 5, although Acts 1 and 2 were incredible - don't think I'd ever been as absorbed for so long in sequences without loading screens as I was while sneaking through them on Hard/Extreme.

Will observe VC got the most 1st place votes!

ya go my UC2

Being exclusive definitely provided a benefit, Demon's Souls wouldn't outrank Dark Souls otherwise. (Demon's Souls is fantastic however, so not really a problem)

Dare I say, I couldn't have hoped for a better top 5, and the order of them is also just about perfect. I haven't played TLOU, so it was the only one off my list, but I was certain it would be top 2, so yay.

Curious where Assassin's Creed II and IV landed

UC2 rules

Uncharted 2 had me super skeptical after Uncharted 1 but it's a worthy winner. Still not a favorite game by any stretch, but it's actually good and I did give it +3 or +2 here

Thanks for running these as always, tc

wallmasterz posted...

Thanks for running these as always, tc

This. Thanks Tazzy!

Yeah thanks as always. I didn't help with any write ups this time except with some reposts but I do still think this is the best running topic series on the board today.

Thanks as always to all participants! Wii will be up either tomorrow or Tuesday. I'll try to have Total Stats up by tomorrow night

Never submitted a list but correct top 2. Excellent job.