Horizon Zero Dawn. Thought it looked stupid in the advertisements and wound up falling in love with it.

God of War 4. Best plot of any GOW game so far...

Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Played both this and the expansions through twice. I truly wish they would remaster the first two.

Pokemon Red original: All I wanted for Christmas in 1999 and I got it. I used to stay up late with a clipon gameboy flashlight under my covers in case my parents checked on me. My first intro to RPG's.

Final Fantasy 7: Never defeated sephiroth in the final fight, or the emerald weapon. Got that Golden Chocobo though.

For Honor: This truly was thrilling game. It was Mortal Kombat with a full 360 aspect. Customizing your fighters was one of my favorite parts. Toxic Gamers constantly barraging everyone with hateful messages chased me away from this game.

If you won, you were cheating. If you lost you were of course trash.

Call of Duty Black Ops 2: I broke up with my then (2011) girl friend of two years. I was the person that broke it off so I wasn't wallowing too much, but I did feel guilty even though it was ultimately the best thing for both of us. With two 24 hour shifts and 5 days off every week (Fire Department schedule), I had nothing but time on my hands. I got so good at PvP that I started strictly playing with "Sticks and Stones" weapons. The crossbow, the ballistics knives and my personal favorite, the Tomahawk. My absolute favorite moment was when I got the game winning kill with a tomahawk. Showing it in slow motion while the opposing team cussed me out was a high I'll be chasing for the rest of my life.

Monster Rancher 2: This game is one of the most underrated of all time in my humble opinion. If you never played it was a PlayStation 1 Game similar to Pokémon with a interesting spin. I'll let Wikipedia explain...

"Besides the monster types you can unlock from the beginning, there are many more which you can raise. There are three different ways in which to unlock new monster types for raising: plot events, expedition, and errantry. The most common way these new monsters are given to you is by the gain of an item, which when used to combine monsters, will produce this new type. After that happens, CDs will now be allowed to produce monsters of that type."

... I wish Nintendo would just port the damn game to American Switch already.

Ghosts of Tsushima: The gameplay was fantastic but the story was beautiful. The ending broke my heart and left me wondering if I made the right decision for a whole day after.

GTA 5: Performing multI-faceted heists with a couple of bros over headsets was some of the most fun I've ever had with online gameplay. Talking smack on each other, coordinating vehicles with the squads colors (Black and Green), hunting down players that blew up your boys jet, all of it was a blast.

The only one of these I could put in order would be Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Best game, best RPG,

and best storyline(s) of any game I have ever played.

The following  are Reapers top 10 favorite/recommended games in no particular order.

1st up has to be Hollow Knight. Shout out to Team cherry because little guys on the block pack a punch! This game is seriously phenomenal! Reaper thought they hit the pinnacle of side scrolling exploration action adventure with zero mission, but then Hollow Knight shows up and somehow tops it. Everything about this game is incredible! The characters, the artwork, the esthetic, its truly a unique and memorable gaming experience.  And it's hard! Get that hand holding bs out of Reapers face and get good! Reaper likes that the game does apologize for its difficulty. Those saw blades were everywhere... everywhere... What was Reaper saying? Oh yes, Hollow Knight is a must play! In fact, go get Hollow Knight right now. Its super cheap and worth every penny! Go! Go now! Seriously stop reading this if you have not played Hollow Knight and go play the game. Reaper will still be here when you get back. Get going, go! ….................….........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

You back? Cool. No worries. You can thank Reaper later. Right now, you have to go online and spend a week catching up on all the Hollow Knight lore, secrets, and theories you missed.  By the by if Hollow Knight ever makes it into Smash, its over for all of you. And Speaking of Smash...

2nd Unless you live under a rock 20,000 leagues under the sea you already know of the awesomeness that is Super Smash Bros Ultimate. My goodness it's like the gift that keeps on giving! If you have ever been to a smash tournament, you know the hype level is through the roof compared to most other tournaments. But as fun as 3 stock 1 vs 1 final destination can be, when it's played for its intended purpose, as a party game that really takes it up to 11. Get six friends on a couch, (or several because of social distancing) and watch the good time's role. Head to Hyrule Temple and fight it out for half an hour. Go to Ice Mountain push your opponent into the mouth of a waiting fish. Go nuts! Turn items on high! Play with guns only. Or turn on just pokeballs!  Make a smashsketball map! Have a super-giant match! Go to the giant settings and turn on big mushrooms metal boxes and lightning. (Reapers personal favorite party mode) Play 3 vs 3 or 2 vs 2 vs 2. Smash + friends is an instant fun switch (pun intended)

3rd  Back in its day nothing hit quite like Star Fox 64. If you played this growing up Reaper is betting you can quote at least the 1st levels from memory. Though this game is short, straightforward and to the point, the character interaction, aspect of rewarding increasing skill and memorization, and overall immersiveness of this game, gives it unlimited replay value. This game is timeless! If you have an hour and a half to spare and you have an N64 lying around go ahead and play through star fox 64. You’ll be glad you did. But in case its been a while here’s a friendly reminder. Do a barrel roll!

4th Next up is Paper Mario: The Thousand - Year Door. Doesn't that just sound like a great title? Now if you haven't played any of the Paper Mario games, you're missing out. These games are funny, unique, and quite different from the typical Mario experience. (Not that there's anything wrong with the typical Mario experience just trying to help those who are unaware grasp the game concept) And in Reapers opinion The Thousand-Year Door is the best of the bunch. (Reaper has not yet played Origami King) The writing is downright charming with memorable characters, cool super moves, and great pacing. Reaper highly recommends this game to anyone who might have passed it over by chance. Or any paper Mario for that matter! (But not Sticker Star. We don’t speak of Sticker Star)

5th  You guys knew this one was coming. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. Is it a perfect game? No. Is it a true master piece? Yes! This game takes all the typical structure of Zelda and turned it on its head and still somehow managed to bring us all the legendary adventure we all love and then some! Did anyone else feel like a speck when the map opened up and you’re like, you mean this area that we’ve been roughing it in for the past couple of days is just a dot so small you can't even find it on the world map!?!  What about spending weeks without any really objective because you simply MUST find out what's at the top of every cliff you pass by? There were so many times Reaper was playing through this game and was think man this is truly fun! Reaper can't wait for Breath of the Wild 2!!!

6th  Next up is going to have to be The Legend of Zelda Marjora’s Mask. Yes that’s right two helpings of Zelda. It had to be done. Majora’s mask is truly the darkest themed legend of Zelda to date and Reaper loves it! The mystery, the themes, the intensity, the constant threat of impending doom is simply masterfully done! In Reapers opinions it takes a mature mind to grasp all the undertones present throughout the game. One of the major ones being the cycle of grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. If you haven't played this game since reaching adulthood, Reaper recommends giving it another go. It might touch your heart on a deeper level than your carefree younger self could comprehend. Also if you want even more Majora’s mask goodness head to the Prose bookstore and check out The Boy and the Bartender Chronicles, the only short story book on Prose based on the events of the game! (*Achievement Unlocked! Shameless plug Achieved!*)

7th  So theres going big and there going Big. And when it comes to Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, they definitely went big with a capital B. Reaper has been hunting monsters for 7 generations, and has yet to see a “deluxe” release as dynamic as the one from Tri to Ultimate. Reaper knows this is somewhat controversial in the community but Reaper happened to enjoy the underwater combat. Nothing really gives that feeling of tenacity during a hunt, when the monster you’ve been fighting tries to flee into the water and without missing a beat you dive in after it! Thought to be completely honest Reaper is not sure which monster hunter deserves to be on the list? Tri provided the best online experience; Double cross was the largest by far world was a gamechanger etc etc. The important thing is Reaper had to put monster hunter on here. Reapers currently playing throughMonster Hunter Rise and loving it! If any of you Proser happen to see Reaper out on the hunt, be sure to say hi! Fellow hunters out there know that monster hunting isn't just an occupation, it’s a way of life!

8th You’ll never see this one coming...  That right Reapers gotta give it to Person 5! This game is so freaking good! As soon as you're off the home screen your blasted with awesome artwork and sound tracks which will be present thought-out the game. Just look at the art in the transition scenes, the loading screens, even the freakin menu! They really went above and beyond to give the phantom thieves an aesthetic that’s present in every aspect of the game. The voice acting is great, the characters are fun and memorable, and the freedom is borderline overwhelming.  With such a story driven game you might be thinking you could be satisfied watching a let's play of this (and there a certainly some good ones out their) But Reaper highly recommends taking off your own mask and becoming a phantom thief! Reaper has not played Person 5 Royal (The deluxe/definitive addition) yet though definitely plans to do so. Last note, the battle victory transition scene is flawless! Easily the best in the business. If you can find a better one then please tell Reaper so he can go pay his respects!

9th  Lets talk The Legend of Dragoon. Reaper is guessing there are a good portion of you who have no idea what this game is. Reaper weeps for your childhood. This game was revolutionary! In its day it was basically in its own league. The combat was so unique, fun, and interactive and the story was amazing! Plus the game was four discs long! Four! Not sequels or DLC or updates the game was four disks long! That’s insane! Reaper has never seen the likes before or since. And yes, Reaper understands technology has changed and blah blah blah but if nothing else this is just a testimate to how ambitious and ahead of its time this game project was. There have been rumors floating around about a possible remake in the near future. Reaper certainly hopes this is true.

10th Now last but not least, especially considering this list is in no particular order let's talk about Nier Automata. Reapers not sure if this classifies as a hidden gem but this one certainly doesn't get the noise it deserves.  This is one of those games where you might glace at the cover and say, “Nah this seems a bit too niche, probably won't satisfy my pallet.”  To you Reaper say less talking more playing Neir Automata! This game. No seriously this game! You’ll feel feelings playing this game. Just... just play the game. Do the world a favor and play this game. Play it all the way through. Unlock all the endings. This is not just some completionist  mantra. If you want to get the most out of Neir Automata (and you want to get the most out of Neir Automata) play through the game with the different characters till you get all the ending. Your soul will thank you. What's this? You don’t have a soul? No worries! After playing through Nier Automata you’ll grow a brand new one! Just one word of advice. Turn the setting to normal or easy during the tutorial then switch it to whatever you want once you can save the game. Your gonna want to take Reaper's word on this one. 

A soul may or may not be generated after playing Nier Automata. A soul is a manifestation of emotion, personality, mind, thoughts and feelings and might be interpreted differently for some readers. Thought the writers of Nier Automata seem to believe a machine is capable of cultivating a soul there is no guarantee that the same is true for whom or whatever happens to be reading this message.  An individual currently betting or selling their soul, tearing their soul into fragments and storing them in magical artifacts in an attempt to achieve immortality, or using them to craft cool weapons out of everyday objects may or may not experience growth in damaged or removed soul area upon completion of this game. D-Reaper is not an official spokesperson for Neir Automata and cannot be held responsible if any or all of the mentioned effects occur.

And that’s that. Reaper is happy to share his list of favorite/recommended games but admits this list is fluid and might change if Reaper is asked again a few weeks from now.  That being the case Reaper must give some honorable mentions to Metroid Prime Echos, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn, Kingdom Hearts 2, Xenoblade Chronicles, Bastion, Banjo Tooie, Sonic Adventures 2 Battle, Orcarina of Time, Twilight Princes, Oracle of Ages, (Please do a remake!)  Skies of Arcadia, Tales of Symphonia, Finale Fantasy 7, Zero mission, God of War, and Undertales. And lastly Reaper knows that you did not stop reading to go get a copy of Hollow Knight and for that shame on you! Now that we have reached the end take yourself along with the shame that Reaper has now placed upon you, to your game vendor of choice and purchase Hollow Knight. You’ll be glad you did!

This is not necessarily in order, and it was hard to pick for sure, but these are my top ten favorite games of all time:

1. Super Mario Brothers 3

Super Mario Brothers was the first game I ever played, and as much as I loved it, Super Mario Brothers 3 takes the top spot as my favorite Mario game. This game has so many unique worlds and power ups, the music is awesome, and it even has options for how to play (Want to use the warp whistles to take out Bowser first, then return to the other levels? Go for it!). Still a fun game to this day.

2. Sonic Gems Collection

I remember playing Sonic for the first time at my cousin’s house when he got a Sega Genesis, and the speed, improved graphics over the original Nintendo, and coolness of Sonic blew me away. I still like Mario, but once I got a Genesis of my own, Sonic took the top spot for favorite gaming character. To this day I am still a fan - even with some of the hit or miss games in the franchise, I have found something to enjoy in all of the Sonic games I have played. I chose the Sonic Gems Collection from the Nintendo Gamecube because Sonic CD and Sonic Triple Trouble are my favorites of the classics, which I didn’t actually get to play back in the 90s.

3. River City Ransom

One of the deepest, best beat em ups of all time. A lengthy adventure with RPG elements, you won’t win this one without powering up. The game is great solo, but playing with a friend makes the game even more fun. Confession: I have only beaten the Dragon Twins by inputting my save game password over and over again to refill my health.

4. Resident Evil 4

The original Resident Evil games on the Playstation made me a fan of survival horror games. I am currently loving 7 and very hyped for the upcoming Village game, but 4 is my franchise favorite for reinvigorating my interest in the series, and making the stress of surviving perilous situations in a game fun.

5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

Metal Gear Solid on the original Playstation was the game that proved being an adult gamer was ok. At the time it felt like playing an interactive movie, and David Hayter’s voice performance as Solid Snake blew me away. This was the point of my life when the seeds were planted for me wanting to become a voice actor, a dream I would not fully acknowledge until much later. I have enjoyed all the Metal Gear Solid games (although I have to still finish Portable Ops). My favorite all around entry is the special edition of the third game, which had what I believe was the best story in the franchise.

6. Silent Hill 2

Resident Evil got me into survival horror games, but Silent Hill was the series that disturbed me the most. There’s just something about exploring a cursed town that messes with your head that is appealing to me. The second game in the series had the best plot in my opinion, and to this day all the psychological touches still haunt me. I wish this game would be remade for modern consoles like Resident Evil 2 and 3 were.

7. NHL ’94

I’m not a huge sports fan, and my knowledge of sports is minimal. But when I was a teenager, I enjoyed playing sports games with my Dad on the Sega Genesis. Hockey games were my favorite sports games to play, and hockey was likely the virtual sport I was the best at. I still play some virtual hockey on modern consoles, but NHL ’94 was a happy piece of my childhood, so it takes the spot here on my top ten.

8. Operation Warcade

As a child of the 90s, virtual reality sounded like the coolest thing ever. Now that VR is readily available, I can say it isn’t quite as unreal as I imagined as a child, but it is still a mind blowing, immersive, incredibly fun experience. My favorite Playstation VR games to play are Astro Bot, Operation Warcade, Rez Infinite, and Resident Evil 7 in VR mode. Operation Warcade is not the most impressive of the VR offerings, but it is the one I enjoy playing the most. The game is a rail shooter that plays like a classic arcade game, complete with goofy fun (there is a weapon that pulls enemies towards you, and you can fling them at other enemies). I hope to see VR games in general continue to grow more as the technology develops.

9. Final Fantasy XV

It may not be the best Final Fantasy game, and it definitely has its share of flaws. However, Noctis, Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis are one of my favorite teams I have ever gone on an adventure with. I felt like I went on an amazing journey after completing the game, and the acting from the characters was top notch. I got to meet Ray Chase (Noctis) and Robbie Daymond (Prompto) at the first anime convention I ever attended, and the interactions my family and I had with the actors cemented my desire to be an actor as well.

10. Persona 5

It may be #10 on this list, but Persona 5 is likely my favorite video game of all time. We played this one after a Final Fantasy XV fan group recommended it, and it amazed our whole family. The style, characters, music, story, and palaces are all incredible, and we have had the pleasure of meeting several voice actors from this game as well, including Max Mittleman (Ryuji), Erica Lindbeck (Futaba), Robbie Daymond (Akechi), the Subway Announcer (Ray Chase), and recently we virtually met Cassandra Lee Morris (Morgana) and Cherami Leigh (Makoto) via Colorworld Books. One of my favorite themes of the game is that everything you do in life matters and can improve your skills. The game definitely has disturbing themes and does not pull punches from the start, but it is a must play for anyone that loves games with amazing stories.

I hope you enjoyed my list and reasonings behind it. There are more games I wish I could have added, but at this moment these are my top ten favorite games of all time.

The first five are in order, the rest are not.

1. Portal 2 - I hadn’t played the first Portal, but that in no way hampered my enjoyment of the game. Before playing the main campaign, I did about a quarter of the co-op levels with my brother, and we enjoyed it, but when we tried the story mode for the first time, we were blown away. Right out the gate we were wowed by its story and methods. When we were kids, we always tried to do different things to see if the game or NPCs reacted to our actions. When we were kids, we didn’t quite understand video games, and so expected way too much from them. After years of playing video games, Portal 2 was the first that delivered on our child-hood expectations. I don’t leave the room when the NPC asks and he reacts to it! Never had I witnessed such immersive writing!

2. The Stanley Parable - This also is a game that realized my fantasy of what a video game could be or do. Play this game.

3. Bioshock 1 - The atmosphere, setting, combat, and the story. And the good-guy ending.

4. Chivalry 2 (Beta) - I played the first Chivalry, liked it, but I jumped into it too late, so there wasn’t enough player population to continue with it. I was lucky enough to get an Alpha Key for Chivalry 2, and it’s awwwwwsome. (Pre-orders are available.)

5. Half-Life - Do you know how old this game is? Can you imagine how surprising the ending was to me, playing it seventeen years after its initial release? I only played it so that I could get it out of the way before playing Half-Life 2 for the first time.

6. Counter-Strike 1.6 - Lots of LAN games with my Dad and brother.

7. Half-Life 2 - Burning zombies is the best sound in any video game.

8. Left 4 Dead 2 - !!!!!!!!!!!!!

9. Team Fortress 2 - My favorite part is the official comics and videos.

10. Half-Life Alyx - Don’t have VR yet, but I know this game goes here.

Games appeal to me the most when their stories tell better tales than books. So think of this list as the best books I’ve ever had the honour of living in. (I tried to keep it in order but after the 3rd one, there were too many games that couldn’t be compared or put on a scale). Anyhoo:

Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New world

Its the 2nd of the two Symphonia games and, not gonna lie, there’s some sentimental value for me on this one. But I stand by the thought that anyone who loves a good fantasy story (or who loves a good story and doesn’t mind the fantasy) would love this game. I’d never known true story telling until I played this masterpiece; never known true world-building either. Typically, in fantasy stories, the characters aren’t necessarily that relatable. I don’t know what it’s like to save a princess or to stop an evil overlord from destroying a world, but I do know what loneliness feels like, and sacrifice—choosing what’s right over what you want, being the odd one out, and, dare I say, ROMANCE.

Tales games in general know how to attack you in the feels, but this one happened to be the one that knew how to emotionally resonate with me. It also probably plays a major part in why my imagination might seem as endless as it is. This game is a gorgeous, rollercoaster of adventure that I wish got the recognition it deserves.

P.S. You don’t have to be into anime to enjoy this game. Picture it like a more emotion-driven version of final fantasy games. (And with better story, in my opinion)

Naruto Storm 3

(I’m biased, I know)

The only reason this isn’t my first favourite game is because it’s my favourite anime and has an unfair advantage. It’s really not a game that everyone will enjoy, unless you’ve watched or read or played the other Naruto games. But all I’ll say... is I have never known the fear of walking in the e.x.c.r.u.c.i.a.t.i.n.g.l.y. slow shoes of a blissful pregnant woman, until this.

Persona 5

Honestly, I don’t even know where to start. As @D_Reaper mentioned, the aesthetic of this game is just an international treasure and boy do they make it fun to steal treasure. This game is every artist’s dream. It’s art on art on art. The soundtrack has music producers wiping tears from their eyes. The animation is too detailed for words, the story— *chokes up*. This entire game is so impossibly perfect and flawless and [chef’s kiss] that I feel unqualified to even talk about it; to even begin to try and capture its beauty in my mere mortal words. There. Aren’t. Enough. Words. To express how breathtaking and phenomenal this game truly is.

I cannot!

*dramatically faints

Tales of Xillia 1 and 2

More Tales games = more feels. So many feels, so many dynamic characters. So many cool map locations. Such unique, interweaving plotlines! Collectively, these games have made me scream out loud more times than I could count. The 1st game has two main characters, which means you get to play it twice with different perspectives (similar to Nier Automata).

The second game has a Choices-Matter system, and we all know how PAINFUL. Choices-Matter games can be! If you don’t know what those are like, picture reading a book or watching a movie where the character’s wellbeing relies solely on how properly you can make a choice in a designated amount of time.

I kid you not, in one of these two games they casually throw in an optional side plot at you that gives you about as much storytelling shock-value as some marvel movies. EXCEPT IT’S A SIDE PLOT!!!

Xillia is a true adventure game through and through. There are experiences from these games that I cannot un-see or un-feel or ever forget, and if I had my own copy, I would be replaying it right now.

Kingdom Hearts 2

(Haven’t played 3 yet, but it will probably be on this list once I do)

*fangirling

This review is mainly for those who don’t know what Kingdom Hearts is, because I think in the gaming community, it’s pretty self-explanatory. But basically:

Kingdom Hearts is the ultimately Disney movie. The magic of Disney is this game. As in, if you like Mickey Mouse, and Stitch and Tinker Bell and Jack Sparrow and Disney characters on a whole, you will get to see, and talk, and fight with and against them all in this game. They are true, authentic versions of their movie selves. As in, for the most part, the same voice actors you know and love from Disney movies are in this game. As in, please. Play. This game. And when I say this game, I mean all of them.

Undertale

There’s a fine line between hilarious fun and psychological trauma apparently, who knew?

Detroit Become Human

If Detroit was a book, it would be the type to make you race words to turn pages like three lives depended on it.

Choices have never mattered more.

I did not come out unscathed, nor do I know of anyone who has—on their first playthrough anyway. And if you have the heart for it, then this game practically begs for you to suffer through more than one playthrough. The story follows three very different android individuals who have all given me very different types of intense stress! I didn’t even know there were different types of stress.

It got to the point where, during this one scene, I had to pause the game and call my non-gamer, IRL, mom—at work—and ask her what to do (she was also fairly invested in this game). Despite all this, it’s stress I don’t regret.

Out of all of my top 10, this game would probably appeal to non-gamers the most. And if you’ve watched Grey’s Anatomy, then you’ll have someone to look forward to.

Spider-Man (PS4)

Speaks for itself.

(Also Spider-Man is my favourite superhero so I’m biased)

Life is Strange

Another game that left a mark. Choices matter here too, except this game doesn’t often rush you to make a decision, because it doesn’t have to. THEIR CHOICES ARE HARD!!!!! There’s a beautifully calming (and misleading) Lo-Fi soundtrack to accompany you on your tough journey through the authentic, post-secondary, art student experience. Did I mention you have powers?

OneShot

I’m not exactly sure if this one belongs in my top 10 but it made a very lasting impact for such an underrated game. You play as an adorable cat child in a dying world. Your job: to deliver a Sun, as the chosen one. But it is not. By any means. Your typical ‘chosen one’ story. There’s really no preparing for what this game has in store. And what happens in OneShot doesn’t stay in OneShot.

Keep in mind I chose my top 10 based on story, so let’s not get offended as I share my Honorable Mentions (based on general experience and fun):

Smash Bros! Jet Set Radio Future, Nier Automata, The Last Guardian, Tales of Abyss, Persona 4, Phoenix Wright games, Danganronpa games, Genshin Impact, Tales of Vesperia, Tales of the Borderlands, Final Fantasy 4 and 7, Dust an Elysian Tail, Deemo, and Osu!