Phantasm's 47 Favorite Games
Reordered and revamped my favorites list. Each game has a short description of why it's one of my favorites. I have a self-imposed rule to only include a single game from a franchise (otherwise this list would be full of Zelda and Metroid). I know I break that rule by having two Mario games, but it was really hard to pick between the two of them, they were both very impactful to me during my childhood. One's a 2D platformer and the other's a 3D platformer so I'll justify it that way. There's 47 games listed, but I hope to eventually round it up to 50 by finding 5 more games that deeply impacted me as I work through my backlog.
47 Games
After the series' failed reboot, the concept of a fifth game in the series to tie up loose ends was a pipedream. Yet, it was a pipedream that came true, and I think that's a big reason why this is my favorite game. The combat is also addicting, and it has some of the best storytelling in the series. It was immensely satisfying and heartbreaking seeing the tale of Dante and Vergil come to a satisfying conclusion despite all the odds against it.
1
Twilight Princess definitely has some low points and I think that the Wolf transformation is a bit of a failed experiment. Despite that, however, there's a lot of qualities to it that make it stand out as my favorite Zelda. I think it has the best narrative, best world design, best combat and some of the best dungeons in the series. I love it's somber tone, which contrasts with the usual Zelda silliness in a way that actually feels complimentary. It's everything I adore about the series in one package. Even if it's not completely perfect, I still love it.
2
Doom Eternal has some of the most satisfying, blood-pumping, adrenaline-inducing combat out of any game I've played. It has an expansive arsenal of weapons that always serve some type of use in combat, and rewards mastering them all. I love it's art direction and the sheer scale of its environments, its industrial metal soundtrack, and the over-the-top enemy designs. I can always come back to it and get what feels like a fresh and exciting challenge.
3
Pure magic. It takes the narrative of the original game in an interesting new direction, and expands the scale of the world in a way that makes it feel incredibly realistic. We get more insight into the already well-written and beloved cast thanks to it's outstanding dialogue and new character moments. The combat is immensely fun and satisfying once you get the hang of it. I cannot wait for the rest of the remake to be finished (and ported to PC).
4
My breakthrough fighting game where I was able to finally learn and appreciate the genre as a whole. I've accomplished a lot in Strive, placed high in numerous tournaments, and even contributed a lot to the community by writing counterstrategy articles on Dustloop, a wiki dedicated to Guilty Gear and other Arc System Works games. Nagoriyuki is one of my favorite characters of all time now, thanks to the bond I feel like I share with him after spending thousands of hours together. This is probably the video game I've spent the most amount of time in.
5
Before Reload, Persona 3 FES was already one of my favorite games of all time, and Reload manages to be a direct upgrade in regards to almost everything I loved about the original. The new opportunities to bond with the cast, the gorgeous animations, the breath-taking UI, and the quality of life changes all supplement one of my favorite RPGs of all time. Persona 3 never fails to make me emotional, and it's finale was one of the only times a video game has ever made me cry.
6
It's taken a while to get to where it needs to be, but in its current state, Cyberpunk 2077 is incredible. The sheer scale of its world and the depth of its worldbuilding is mindblowing. It offers so many ways to engage with its myriad of stealth and combat sequences as well as manipulate the world around you. It also has a rich narrative that is further enhanced the more you engage with the game itself. It's more than deserving of the criticism it has received, but at the same time, I was absolutely floored by how much I loved it once the devs finished putting in the work to make it the best it could be.
7
An experience unlike anything I ever have or ever will play, one that truly can only be enjoyed once. It has the most enjoyable exploration gameplay I've ever experienced. Once you come to understand the game's mysteries and what you need to do to finish it, you can never enjoy it the same way ever again, and I love it for that. I'm being especially vague here, because it's a game that I truly believe everyone needs to play blindly at some point in their life. It is unforgettable.
8
An incredibly satisfying RPG in it's own right, but most of the appeal of this game for me comes from its protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga. I haven't been able to stop thinking about Ichiban ever since I first played it, and I think he's become my favorite video game character of all time. His boundless optimism, charisma, loyalty, and ability to see the good in everyone are extremely admirable and endearing traits. He carries the game's fantastic story on his shoulders with his head held high. I love Ichiban to death. A phenomenal protagonist in every regard. (The game's also really great too).
9
The first video game I ever played, and will always have a special place in my heart. To this day, it's still an all-around brilliant platformer with tight controls and a bright and joyful aesthetic that I can never get enough of. I'll always be grateful to this game for introducing me to the medium, and I'll always enjoy playing it because of how wonderfully its designed.
10
Of all the games in the Metal Gear series, I found that 3 Subsistence has the best balance of fun and satisfying stealth gameplay as well as a memorable, entertaining, and moving story with great characters. It's more straightforward than most of Kojima's works, but it's a non-stop thrill ride almost the whole way through.
11
An excellent RPG with great presentation and a narrative whose themes I was able to greatly relate to. It has a tremendously endearing cast of characters with a very effective story structure, and I greatly admire how it ties its narrative themes with the game's combat as well. It's big reveal and ending sequences are sickening, soul crushing, uplifting and extremely impactful, in that order. Its art style and overall aesthetic is also extremely appealing to me. I adore it.
12
A textbook sequel that expands on everything that was great about the first game and truly realizes the potential of it's gameplay and structure. The puzzle design is brilliant, and the story is masterfully crafted with some of the wittiest and genuinely funny dialog I've experienced in all of video games.
13
Picking my favorite Metroid game is difficult because of how consistent in quality the series is. It may be recency bias on my part, but Dread I feel like strikes the best balance between gameplay, world design, and narrative. It definitely has the best combat in the series for me, as well as one of the most challenging and satisfying to defeat final bosses I've ever come across.
14
The Hotline Miami games singlehandedly developed a majority of my taste in media. The trance-like gameplay loop is extremely addictive. The story (despite how most feel) is executed brilliantly and very well-told. Their vibes are on point, and their amazing soundtracks introduced me to the genre of synthwave as well as one of my all time favorite musicians, Carpenter Brut.
15
It's not one of the most challenging or heart-racing platformers out there, but Mario Galaxy is a game that I've always been immensely fond of. It never fails to make me smile thanks to the vibrancy of its aesthetic and music, as well as its satisfying controls and physics. It's a joy to play no matter how much I come back to it.
16
As a Wario Land enjoyer, I had been eagerly anticipating and supporting the development of Pizza Tower for years, and it absolutely delivered on all fronts. It's a fantastically zany and fast-paced platformer with a unique 90s cartoon-inspired artstyle and absolutely groovy music. It borrows heavily from Wario Land, but it absolutely has it's own voice and stands out loud and proud as one of my all-time favorite indie titles.
17
I have a lot of nostalgic attachment to Wario Land 4. It's core gameplay remains very satisfying to this day, and while it's not the longest or most challenging game I've ever played, it's style has yet to really be matched, even by those who take great inspiration from it. I long for the days when Wario was macho and cool, and not just funny fart man.
18
While I've played other survival horror games with overall tighter design and more enemy variety, Alan Wake II stands out with it's unique approach to level design as well as some of the best presentation I've seen in any video game I've ever played. It's narrative themes also really hit a personal spot for me even though the story is told without the least bit of subtlety. The game is just filled with passion and sincerity, and it completely and totally won me over.
19
Mother 3 lives up to the hype in every regard. It tells a truly beautiful and tear-jerking story with a unique balance of comedy and tragedy. The fan-translation goes above and beyond to communicate the game's bizarre atmosphere and lovable characters. It's a true labor of love made with earnest sincerity.
20
Furi is an immensely satisfying challenge to overcome. It's combination of bullet hell and melee combat is excellent. The dialogue is well-written and extremely memorable thanks to the game's phenomenal voice actors. It also has one of my all-time favorite art directions and soundtracks in a video game. I absolutely adore it's entire aesthetic and its a major source of creative inspiration for me.
21
Hi-Fi Rush takes the amazing combat of character action games like Devil May Cry and combines it with rhythm game elements, creating one of the most exhilarating and satisfying combat systems I have ever experienced. I do wish the game took more inspiration from heavy metal as opposed to pop rock, but the soundtrack is still a great listen and compliments the combat extremely well.
22
Each Pikmin game has qualities that make them great, but Pikmin 4 is a culmination of all of those qualities. It takes the best elements from every Pikmin game and combines them to create the ultimate, ideal Pikmin experience. I've only played through the game once but if I'm ever in a Pikmin mood in the future, I feel like this is the Pikmin game I'll end up revisiting the most.
23
Left 4 Dead 2 is almost perfectly designed. The chaotic nature of the gameplay creates an intense adrenaline rush no matter how many times you play it. The enemies constantly put you on edge since they can ambush you at any moment. Coupled with the game's extensive amount of mods thanks to the Steam Workshop, it's endlessly replayable and almost impossible not to have a good time with it.
24
One of the most well-told science fiction stories I've ever experienced that isn't a part of some massive saga. It has a large and consistently likeable cast of characters. It's unique blend of an adventure game and tactics RPG works out stupendously well, and it's artstyle is absolutely gorgeous. I really need to check out more Vanillaware games.
25
Captures everything that I love about survival horror. It's design is tight and really forces you to consider just about every action you take. I loved navigating the mansion and memorizing its layout. It's atmosphere remains on point with how unnerving it is. Consistently surprising and always a great time.
26
The original Phoenix Wright trilogy is filled with hilarious and thrilling stories that challenge your ability to pay attention to the fine details of its narratives. Some cases are definitely on the slower side and are very much low points, but as a whole, these games are fantastic, with loveable characters and plenty of over-the-top twists that rarely fail to be entertaining.
27
A game that just oozes charm with its characters and well-written narrative, complimented with excellent third person shooter gameplay. A testament to why Masahiro Sakurai should develop more games besides Smash. I really hope this doesn't stay locked on the 3DS forever.
28
Umineko starts off almost painfully slow, but as the events of the story kick off, it quickly becomes one of the most wild rides you could possibly go on. It's a truly mindbending story that is thrilling and heartbreaking. It directly challenges its audience in unique ways and stepping up to meet that challenge is extremely rewarding.
29
Tremendously unique story and characters, with very satisfying action combat. It can be a bit of a slow burn, especially considering the multiple playthroughs required to reach the true end, but it's completely and totally worth it. It has one of the best, most emotional endings to any video game I've ever played.
30
Signalis wears its inspirations on its sleeves, but that's exactly why I love it. It takes the the tight design, enemy variety, and resource management of Resident Evil and mashes it with the cryptic, theme-rich storytelling and haunting atmosphere of Silent Hill, while still managing to stand out with it's low-poly visuals and it's unique cinematic direction.
31
The way Silent Hill 2 tells it's story will have it always occupying a space in your brain. Almost every single element of the game is tied to the narrative in some way, and it's incredibly satisfying deciphering the symbolism and connecting all of the dots of this haunting tragedy of guilt and repentance. It's atmosphere and world are suffocating and immersive in ways that haven't been replicated in any other game I've played.
32
Chrono Trigger to me is the posterchild for JRPGs. It's got it all: a tremendous and well-paced plot with extensive worldbuilding and charming characters, flashy and fun combat, and an absolutely incredible soundtrack. There's also so many fantastic events that you can discover that change the course of the narrative, which has several different endings depending on your actions. The fact that all of this was done in a game that came out in 1995 on the Super Nintendo is bafflingly remarkable.
33
Batman is one of my favorite super heroes and fictional characters of all-time. Arkham City is a textbook sequel to Arkham Asylum, an already great Batman game in it's own right, and expands the core experience of Asylum without bloating it. It's an all-around excellent Batman adventure without any compromises to its quality. It's Rocksteady at their peak.
34
Metallica is my favorite band, and this is a rhythm game all about them. You can play the vast majority of their discography, and in all embarrassing honesty, playing along with the models of the band members elicited genuinely strong feelings of happiness for me.
35
Spider-Man's my favorite super hero and one of my all-time favorite fictional characters. This game gets everything about the character right, from the way he's portrayed to the way he controls. It's a great adaptation of Spider-Man and his world, and the story manages to impress even if you can see twists coming from a mile away with minimal knowledge of the character's mythos. If only those Mary Jane missions weren't there...
36
It's a fully customizable Guitar Hero. Not only can you import every single song from each and every Guitar Hero and Rock Band game ever made, but it still has extensive community support to this day. It may lack the rock/heavy metal music aesthetics and funny character models from Guitar Hero, but it has its most important elements while being completely free. You just can't beat that.
37
I have nothing but respect for the clear and enormous amount of passion that went into what I feel like is a celebration of video games. So many characters, stages, and music from so many different franchises comes together in a game that's (usually) fun to boot up with friends and have a good time. I just wish the online wasn't so terrible.
38
I've never played anything quite like Death Stranding, and aside from it's upcoming sequel, I doubt I ever will. Despite how it looks, it's gameplay manages to challenge you in surprising ways, while also being a calming and almost therapeutic experience. It's story and world have that Kojima flair and cheesiness that you either love or hate (I love it). Can't wait for the sequel.
39
Immensely satisfying dungeon crawling and turn-based combat with an excellent artstyle that borrows heavily from Mike Mignola, one of my favorite artists of all time. It's mechanics allow for unique strategizing and decision making. There's a constant and foreboding atmosphere that only gets stronger the more you play. It's modding support also lends itself greatly to the game's longevity and replayability.
40
It's difficult to talk about what makes OneShot great without spoiling that very aspect. The most I can say is that it goes to great lengths to establish a meaningful emotional connection between the player and the protagonist Niko, and it absolutely succeeds in my eyes. By the game's end, I was in tears.
41
Ghost Trick takes a really simple idea for a game mechanic and runs with it to create something truly impressive and memorable. It also tells a story that is endearing, surprising, and optimistic. It's so easy to pick this game up and enjoy it.
42
Punch-Out's characters are so over-the-top and cartoonish that it's almost impossible not to be won over by them. The gameplay itself is simple in concept, but also satisfying, addicting, and a real challenge.
43
An easy to get into adventure game with brilliant writing that even after so many years, remains hilarious, witty, and charming. It really captures an unmatched sense of childlike wonder, but it's sense of humor makes it appealing for people of all ages.
44
It takes a little time to get invested in it, but once The Somnium Files has its hooks in you, it does not let go and remains captivating to the very end. It has a well crafted and executed mystery and its characters, while a little off-putting at first, are eventually fleshed out tremendously well and you really grow to care about them as the game goes on.
45
A visual novel with a unique gimmick and an excellent message about the strength of community and what it means to be there for people when they need help in dire times. It's a comfy and sobering read with a really neat approach to worldbuilding and very memorable characters.
46
I don't feel the way about Team Fortress 2 as I did years ago, but I just cannot deny the impact this game had on my late teens and early twenties. I long for the days of when it was regularly getting updates, when you could enjoy its chaotic gameplay and hilarious characters without fear of bots preventing you from having any fun whatsoever. Aside from Guilty Gear Strive, this is the game I've put the most amount of hours in, and I'll always have a fondness for when the game was at its peak.
47
DrJeans
1 month ago