Board 8 > Top 42 Games of the Decade

(+) Yeah! (+)

And up

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12. Bleed
20. Celeste
23. Tales from the Borderlands
26. Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies
32. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
40. Bastion

^ pretty legit, haven't played the rest yet.

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Was a bit too busy today today to finish out the list like I wanted to, so I'll just post two writeups in the dead of night to take a break before the Top 5. Seems like a smart idea.

7. Nier

Nier's popularity has been almost entirely supplemented by the frankly baffling success of Nier Automata, which is a shame because Nier is amazing. It's not a perfect game by any means - half the sidequests are garbage, the combat is simplistic, there's one or two major plot holes in the story, and there's a little bit of jank to all the animations that comes from being a low-budget game.

All of that led to Nier reviewing fairly poorly on release, but honestly? It barely mattered to me during the course of my playthrough. Nier surprised the hell out of me with how much heart it has and the degree of emotion it can instill in the player. NIer's writing, voice work, and story are all fantastic, and some of the scenes and plot beats are burned into my brain with how much they affected me at the time. A big part of this is the music, which is my personal favorite game soundtrack of all time. It's so freaking good and the game absolutely would not be the same without it.

Here's one tidbit about Nier Automata's development: it got made because Platinum specifically wanted to work on a Nier game. Square let them pick any franchise they wanted to make a spinoff of and they chose Nier of all things because they liked the original game so much. Much like Deadly Premonition, I think the fact that this game built up a fanbase that cared about it to that degree - despite the game being written off by the mainstream critics and selling poorly on release - shows that it's something special. It's not for everyone, but for me it was one of the defining games of the decade.

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decent list

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6. Undertale

Hey...guys...Para just posted an Undertale writeup in his topic...it's like 2 full posts long...go read that one instead!

Okay, okay, I'll add my two cents. I'd had Undertale recommended to me by people whose opinions I trusted, and I still had no idea what I was getting into. I wasn't SUPER big on the game until I reached the very end of my first playthrough, where everything started to click. The humor (which had been hit or miss beforehand) started working, and the fact that I had been treating this like a normal RPG when it very clearly was not came back to haunt me. Undertale is a relentlessly clever game, with charming characters, simplistic-yet-fun gameplay, fantastic music, and some incredible setpieces, but more than anything else its strength lies in how it makes the player look at themselves and their own actions. I think Undertale does player choice in game better than any other game there is - never have my actions felt as impactful or important.

It's almost a shame that Undertale has gotten so popular. I think the game works best when you go in with zero expectations or even an idea of what the game is trying to be, and that's kind of hard considering it took over the internet for half a year. And here I am making it worse with this writeup! Avert your eyes!

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Undertale's great! I feel like there's so many ways to approach talking about it. I didn't mention in my writeup that I did know the game's "schtick" before playing it, which did influence the way I played it, but it didn't really feel like it impacted my experience too much. Even so, I do really wonder about the experience I missed having where I didn't know what was coming at the end.

I've thought about getting the original Nier and just... haven't. One day, though!

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Nier > Automata

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KamikazePotato posted...

Rising music is so good. RULES OF NATURE is the one that god memed but every song is top tier. I'm partial to *Insert Final Boss*'s second-to-last theme, where the lyrics directly tell you to stop thinking and wait to be told what to do. It's social commentary just as subtle as what the rest of the MGS series has!

that is the best song yes

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KamikazePotato posted...

I think the game works best when you go in with zero expectations or even an idea of what the game is trying to be, and that's kind of hard considering it took over the internet for half a year.

I definitely agree with this, based on my experience with Undertale during that half-year period. There's certainly plenty of individual aspects to like about Undertale, but it ultimately proved to be less than the sum of its parts for me, and it hasn't really stuck with me the way it has with so many others. I can't help feeling my experience would have been different if I hadn't known about Undertale's schtick beforehand.

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I don't know that I'll ever play Undertale but I never read writeups of stuff I haven't played so i can keep it as fresh as possible if i do play it.

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Nier is an incredible game.

hell it's incredible before the game even starts. The Kaine speech before you even get to the title screen is soooooo good. So many little things in the game are so good (and even foreshadow where it's going) even before touching the bigger things. The addition of the Lunar Tear on the title screen after completing Route D is just so emotionally powerful for what is just a small detail. And the game is full of things like that.

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WEISS YOU DUMBASS

c

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The Nier opening lines are amazing

Also forgot to add this to the opening post of 'games that might be here but I didn't get to yet' - Death Stranding. Waiting for the PC version, pretty sure I'll like it based off of what I've heard.

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5. The House in Fata Morgana

I can't imagine any potential Visual Novel being better than this one. It's hard for me to describe why this is such an amazing experience, because it's 100% story based and I don't want to spoil anything. To keep things vague, it starts with you awakening in an empty, ancient manor, with no idea of who you are, and are greeted by an eerie maid who shows you past events that took place in the manor. The initial hook sucks you in immediately and keeps you there with fantastic writing, haunting music, and beautiful artwork. It sets expectations and continuously exceeds them with stellar execution and interesting twists.

The prose is sometimes a bit wordy and...that's all I got as far as complaints go. It's a drop in the bucket compared to all the positives. I can't overstate how much of an emotional reaction this game gave me - it's potentially the biggest any piece of media ever has. If you like Visual Novels, this one is required reading. If you care about stories in games, this one is required playing. I'm hesitant to recommend to the degree I am, as I'm well aware of how overhyping something can shape perspectives, but if you get even half the experience out of Fata Morgana that I did then it will have been well worth your time.

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4. Nier Automata

What do you do when you take Nier's emotional storytelling, mix in some AI existentialism, and add in a dash of 'competently made gameplay', and you get Nier Automata. I'm a huge sucker for stories about AI - especially from the perspective of AI - and I love Yoko Taro's brand of crazy, so this was right up my alley. The story doesn't reach as many emotional heights as Nier 1 does (although Route C matches it in quality, god damn), but that's due to it being of a more introspective nature. I find myself immersed deeply in Nier Automata's world and spent a lot of out-of-game time thinking about it. The music is very good too, and the gameplay retains the unique variety of NIer 1 while removing the jank. This game somehow managed to meet my expectations that were already really high considering the pedigree.

So that's the cliffnotes version of why I like this game, so I'm gonna take a moment to talk about how this game exists. Seriously, what the fuck? Nier 1 was a cult following JRPG with bad reviews and bad sales, doomed to obscurity. When one of my friends texted me that a Nier sequel was being developed by Platinum, I did not believe him. Then this game released, IN THE SAME MONTH AS BREATH OF THE WILD AND HORIZON ZERO DAWN, carved out its own popularity through word of mouth, and has now sold 4 goddamn million copies. What timeline am I in right now?

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3. Dark Souls

Dark Souls was less of a shock to my system than it was for some people, as I'd played Demon's Souls coming in, but it still an event. Everyone in my friends group picked up Dark Souls and we spent a month playing it together and watching each other's progress and character types. That alone would make it notable for me, but I also just really love Dark Souls! The combination of exploration, careful skill-based combat, and a difficulty curve that was challenging but not impossible, all makes Dark Souls one of my favorite games to play. I think I've replayed it more than any other game I've ever played, with the exception of maybe Pokemon RBY when I was a kid with infinite time. Fighting a tough opponent gives you this unmatched combination of adrenaline and satisfaction that no other developer has been able to recreate.

The atmosphere is stellar too, and works perfectly with the gameplay. Dark Souls' world doesn't pat you on the back or hype you up (unless someone is lying to you). It tells you that things are messed up, and you, the insignificant upstart, should probably turn back. Enemies can do as much damage to you as you do to them, bosses tower over you, and death is never the end of the struggle. All that makes it even more satisfying when you make progress, inch by inch.

Of course by this point I've gotten too used to the game's mechanics and can run around with no clothes on knifing everything to death, but hey, those first few playthroughs are really serious!

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Nier Automata's Route C is a masterpiece and an all-timer. It'll stick with me probably forever and is my enduring memory of Automata. The intro (let's call it the actual start to the title display - which itself may be the greatest instance of a title splash) to the route would be a strong contender for "greatest sequence in video games." It was one hell of a start and it never failed to deliver. 9Ss's journey through it is nothing short of a masterpiece. I knew I was in for something special from the very start when you have The Tower (Quiet) playing during the very first stretch of gameplay of the route. To say nothing of the preceding routes and sidequests!

Dark Souls is another great one. I've now completed Dark Souls 2 so my series ranking is at: Bloodborne > Dark Souls > Dark Souls 2 but they're all stellar. I was very late to the party on it, only playing it in the last year after I was blown away by Bloodborne and my sparks of interest that had existed for years turned into a full blown "must play" feeling. The combat is really solid and Artorias remains a contender for my favorite Soulsborne boss with Ornstein and Smough not that far behind. The learning curve is great and it's extremely fulfilling as you feel yourself improve not necessarily by leveling but just by gaining a greater understanding of the enemy, its moveset, and your own resources.

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xp1337 posted...

Nier Automata's Route C is a masterpiece and an all-timer. It'll stick with me probably forever and is my enduring memory of Automata. The intro (let's call it the actual start to the title display - which itself may be the greatest instance of a title splash) to the route would be a strong contender for "greatest sequence in video games." It was one hell of a start and it never failed to deliver. 9Ss's journey through it is nothing short of a masterpiece. I knew I was in for something special from the very start when you have The Tower (Quiet) playing during the very first stretch of gameplay of the route. To say nothing of the preceding routes and sidequests!

Dark Souls is another great one. I've now completed Dark Souls 2 so my series ranking is at: Bloodborne > Dark Souls > Dark Souls 2 but they're all stellar. I was very late to the party on it, only playing it in the last year after I was blown away by Bloodborne and my sparks of interest that had existed for years turned into a full blown "must play" feeling. The combat is really solid and Artorias remains a contender for my favorite Soulsborne boss with Ornstein and Smough not that far behind. The learning curve is great and it's extremely fulfilling as you feel yourself improve not necessarily by leveling but just by gaining a greater understanding of the enemy, its moveset, and your own resources.

Every part of this post is hyperbolic, and all of it is 100% correct.

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hahaha

The Automata section did feel a bit over-the-top even to me but I meant everything I said!

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Up

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2. Xenoblade Chronicles

I consider Xenoblade Chronicles to be the 'ultimate' modern JRPG. That's not to say its perfect - the gameplay gets old by the end of the game and overall the game has some pacing issues. At the same time, it just feels...complete. The story starts, progresses, and ends all in a satisfying way. The characters are memorable without being caricatures. The environments are beautiful, and so is the music. Its tone is decidedly shonen anime but is still written smartly enough to be taken seriously, letting you invest your emotions and get hyped without having to roll your eyes at times.

And maybe most of all, it's not embarrassing. The older I get, the more I find myself having to ignore certain elements of JRPGs to fully enjoy them. As time has passed, the quality of stories in gaming overall has risen substantially while the quality of stories in JRPGs...kind of hasn't. The melodrama (which I'm all for) in small doses can be taken too far, the writing can be stilted, and the anime weirdness can get a bit too much. Xenoblade takes the emotions that this genre made you feel when you were younger and transplants them into a modernized, non-embarassing game that feels like the natural endgame of what JRPGs are supposed to be. It baffles me that Xenoblade 2 was the follow-up to this.

Also, I absolutely can't wait for the Switch version because it'll let me take in the atmosphere and environments in something above 480p. Absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes JRPGs.

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Xenoblade was mostly really good, but I don't think I've ever hated the final few hours of a game as much as that one

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Panthera posted...

Xenoblade was mostly really good, but I don't think I've ever hated the final few hours of a game as much as that one

Oh hey, this is my feeling about another Xeno game!

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I was all-in on Xenoblade's ending, so I can't vouch for that opinion.

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1. Bloodborne

Bloodborne feels like a game specifically tailored to my tastes. Let's run down the list:

-Gothic horror setting and aesthetic
-Dark Souls gameplay with a focus on fast-paced action
-Atmospheric exploration interspersed with bursts of adrenaline
-Eldritch horror

There's not really a point in me making a big list of all the reasons why I love this game, because it can be summed up as 'everything'. Bloodborne is one of the most perfect experiences I've ever had in media - everything is so immaculately crafted and memorable. There's some flaws but I genuinely had to think for a while before I remembered any (fuck you, Micolash). I'm kind of scared to replay this game because I know that the second runthrough can't possibly live up to the original. The fact that we'll never get a Bloodborne 2 would be a tragedy except that I don't think they could improve on what they already did.

Now that I'm sufficiently overhyped this game, you should go play it. And remember to fear the old blood.

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https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/looneytunes/images/e/e1/All.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150313020828

1. Bloodborne
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Dark Souls
4. Nier Automata
5. The House in Fata Morgana
6. Undertale
7. Nier
8. The Last of Us
9. Deadly Premonition
10. Metal Gear Rising
11. Tales of Berseria
12. Bleed / Bleed 2
13. Fallout: New Vegas
14. Dishonored 2
15. Alien: Isolation
16. Torment: Tides of Numenara
17. Pyre
18. CrossCode
19. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
20. Celeste
21. Dragon Age: Inquisition
22. Umineko no Naku Koro ni
23. Tales from the Borderlands
24. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
25. Monaco: What's Yours is Mine
26. Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies
27. Fallout 4
28. Virtues Last Reward
29. Anatomy
30. Mass Effect 2
31. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
32. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
33. Rune Factory 4
34. Doki Doki Literature Club
35. Batman: Arkham City
36. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
37. Tomb Raider 2013 / Rise / Shadow
38. Sleeping Dogs
39. Until Dawn
40. Bastion
41. A Plague Tale: Innocence
42. 999 / Zero Time Dilemma

Thanks to everyone who read through this topic about yet another B8 list.

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Thanks for doing this.
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I've played some Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but neither of them felt as fun to play as Demon's Souls for whatever reason.

Funny that a couple people mentioned good kid characters in Berseria and Automata. I wasn't a fan of Laphicet or 9S at all - 9S is the main reason Automata wasn't a GotY contender for me.

Kinda funny how dark and serious most of this list is. Guess you're not into fun bright colors?
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I like 9S, but he's the weak link of the main characters, in my opinion.

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Oh yeah, Laphi and 9s were easily the weakest of their games' casts

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Strong disagree on both those opinions! 9S and Laphicet are two of my favorite characters.

I think theres plenty of 'colorful' games on my list, although my preference does tend more towards darker games.

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Garbage list.

Kidding just very different gaming tastes.

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Bloodborne is a great choice for #1. Such an incredible game. I had always had some interest in the Soulsborne games but didn't enter until Bloodborne because from an atmosphere standpoint it looked the most intriguing and boy did it not disappoint. The combat is incredible and I just love the flow you can get into. I enjoyed it so much I immediately went on to platinum it which meant 3 different playthroughs and not only did I feel like I was still learning things even on that 3rd playthrough both gameplay and lore/storywise but I changed up which weapon I was using each time and it made for a different experience each time. Shoutouts to the Rakuyo which was my weapon of choice on the third playthrough and my favorite of all the ones I used. (Threaded Cane/Blades of Mercy -> Burial Blade -> Rakuyo) Combat with it was just so damn fluid and I loved every moment of it.

So many great areas in the game as well that just ooze atmosphere. Yharnam is an incredible starting area, Cathedral Ward is such a good area, and the DLC is just incredible but special shoutouts to the Research Ward which may have been my favorite area for the atmosphere it exuded. Nightmare Frontier can go to hell though. >_>

And of course the boss fights. So many memorable ones. Learning Ebrietas was pretty close to the right amount of frustrating but fun and then of course you have the trio of Gerhman, Lady Maria, and Orphan of Kos which are all top-tier fights for a variety of reasons. It doesn't hurt that the music for all 3 of those fights is great too. Though best song goes to the Laurence fight IMO.

"Dear oh dear... what was it? The Hunt, the blood, or the horrible dream? Oh, it doesn't matter. It always comes down to the Hunter's helper to clean up these sorts of messes. Tonight, Gerhman joins the hunt."

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KamikazePotato posted...

The fact that we'll never get a Bloodborne 2 would be a tragedy except that I don't think they could improve on what they already did.

I feel similar, because bloodborne is already the most complete perfect package to exist. It doesn't need anything else!

Besides a rerelease on every future Sony console, that is.

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Yeah I kept my writeups short because I wanted a more quick and to the point topic than the novels I usually write, but if I wanted to write a dissertation on all the good parts of Bloodborne I easily could.

Life, the PS5 being backwards compatible is cool but 95% of the reason I'm happy about it is because it gives Bloodborne a longer shelf life.

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Nice list.

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Thanks for the list it was a good read