10) Fire Emblem Fates
Fire Emblem is a series that I’d only ever heard of up until a few years back, when I decided to purchase Fire Emblem Awakening. I absolutely adored the game, so I was extremely eager for the next installment, Fates. I grabbed up a copy of Fates on day one, and never looked back since. It is my favorite Fire Emblem to the extreme, and I’ve got over two hundred hours clocked across its three campaigns.
Fates offers almost anything you’d ever want from a Fire Emblem game. Gorgeous visuals, memorable characters, engaging tactical gameplay, addictive grinding loop, endless customization, and one heck of a soundtrack (quality AND quantity). The writing is hit-or-miss occasionally, and the plot is somewhat cliched, but that hardly holds Fates back when everything else is so amazing.
9) Rise of the Tomb Raider
2013’s Tomb Raider reboot was one of the first games I picked up upon buying a PS4 in 2016. I loved every second of it, and was eager to engage in even more Lara Croft action. Thankfully, this sequel had just recently released, so I bought it in a heartbeat and dove in. The last thing I expected was for the game to contain the same feel of the original, but improve upon the already solid formula in every way imaginable.
This game’s storyline is exactly what you’d expect from a globe-trotting adventure, but it’s so well-acted (Camilla Luddington nails it as Lara) and beautifully visualized that it truly stands as a memorable plot. The game is a blast to play, but knows when to pull back for a thought-provoking puzzle or somber moment. It’s brutal and visceral, but not overly indulgent in shock value (as its predecessor occasionally was). The shooting mechanics are great, as is the exploration and foraging. An overall incredible experience.
8) Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil is a venerable classic series well-known for providing all manner of spooks and scares in tense, subdued scenarios. So…what happens when you shake up the formula by instead focusing on all-out, crazy, nonsensical, Hollywood blockbuster action, and leave the shambling corpses as set dressing? Apparently, you get one of the most consistently enjoyable and engaging co-op video games ever created!
RE6 is one of the most unabashedly ridiculous games that I’ve ever played, and if you go into it with a thrill-seeking, fun-loving attitude, you’ll have a blast. It’s got some of the best 3rd person shooting controls of all time, combined with an energetic soundtrack, strong acting performances, and a plethora of optional game modes and unlockable extras. There’s a surprising amount of heart to the story too, and I’d be doing the game a disservice if I didn’t mention just how outrageously gorgeous the game looks, even by today’s standards.
7) Valkyria Chronicles
I didn’t know what I was getting into when I stumbled upon this game, only that it was a tactical strategy game with heavy anime influence. I’m glad I went into it with such blind expectations, however, because Valkyria Chronicles took me by surprise and swept me off my feet. It’s exactly what it advertised itself as, but also so much more. This is a relatively niche game, so you most likely haven’t played it. Please do!
Valkyria Chronicles puts you in command of a squad of zany soldiers as you storm across the battlefields of a fictional Europe to beat back the evil empire’s forces. What starts as simple (if also strategic) shooting game affair, quickly explodes into a surprisingly thorough, unwavering, and emotionally draining retelling of World War 2 through an anime-tinted lens. This game holds nothing back, between its sobering depiction of war cruelty, incredible action set pieces, bombastic orchestral soundtrack, and devastating losses of allies. You will cry.
6) Kid Icarus Uprising
Kid Icarus was a staple of the halcyon days of the NES, but then the series went dormant for decades. Finally, it unleashed itself upon the world in the form of a sequel for the 3DS that drastically evolved the gameplay of the original from a side scrolling platformer to a 3rd person shooter. This was a launch title for the 3DS, and it my opinion, it set the bar to heights unreached by any other 3DS game to follow over the handheld’s next seven years.
Control problems always arise in discussions with this game, but I never found any issues AND I’m a lefty. Flight levels and ground combat are both thrilling and engaging, and the highly customizable difficulty slider ensures anyone can play this game to completion. The wide selection of weapons and bonus unlockable add nearly endless replayability. And, obviously, the game’s standout feature is the characters. The game has full voice acting throughout, and it is hilarious, endearing, and heartbreaking over and over again. A standout game.
5) A Hat in Time
I’m extremely thankful for the continual rise of indie games over the past few years (games created by independent developers). The humble beginnings of Super Meat Boy and Fez have led to new classics like Shovel Knight and Shantae. This, in turn, leads us to my bid for the best indie game yet developed, which would be A Hat in Time. Taking cues from old 3d collect-a-thons, A Hat in Time blows the competition away.
This game is bright, colorful, and bubbly, but don’t let that exterior fool you. This is a highly addictive and entertaining platformer, with a wide range of movement options and some truly amazing level designs. The game is also chock-full of funny dialogue, secret easter eggs, and surprisingly dark(ly humorous) twists. The bosses are all exceptional. Plus, it’s a blast to speedrun. In fact, I may or may not be the 434th fastest player in the world. Just saying.
4) Nioh 2
This game was almost singlehandedly my saving grace during the pandemic. It released in mid-March of 2020, and was just what I needed to get through the weeks and weeks of staying indoors. I’d played the original game (which is a Dark Souls inspired action game with a focus on looting and customizing loadouts) and thoroughly enjoyed it, but it certainly wasn’t Top 10 material. I was expecting a game of similar quality…and was instead blown away.
Let me start by addressing just how good Nioh 2’s storyline is. The first game’s was simple but effective. Nioh 2’s is genuinely incredible, and presented in a much more enjoyable manner. The character’s are truly memorable, and the final moments brought a tear to my eye. On top of just a good story, though, Nioh 2 brings the same excellent gameplay from the original but refined to the extreme, a staggeringly good soundtrack, beautiful visuals (and an amazing character creator), and endless addictive gameplay.
3) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
I heard about how amazing this game was going to be before I started playing. I mean, it holds the record for game with the most Game of the Year awards, on top of hundreds of other accolades. Frankly, I bought it just because it looked like a solid action-adventure RPG, but I did have above average expectations going in. Witcher 3 blew those expectations out of the water, and then some. To call this the greatest game ever made is really not an exaggeration.
It’s almost unfathomable to think of how difficult it must have been to design this game. It’s got lengthy, full-voiced side quests spread across a world so huge it could take over a hundred hours to explore every little secret (and it DID take me over a hundred). It’s got thoughtful combat encounters involving potions, oils, and magical abilities. It’s got a heavy emphasis on story, with a plot line and characters so richly written they feel real. It’s got one of the most notoriously intricate optional minigames of all time in the form of Gwent. Truly, this is a one-of-a-kind game.
2) Xenoblade Chronicles X
To attempt to not spoil the number one pick on this list (as futile as it may be), I’ll simply say that I was very much looking forward to this game releasing. However, for some reason or another, it just didn’t click with me when I first tried to play it, and I gave up after about ten hours. At a guess, I’d have to say my brain just couldn’t handle the game’s innumerous intricacies. I picked it up again a few years ago, and haven’t looked back. This game is, unquestionably, the greatest open world game of all time.
The game is gorgeous, and each distinctly realized biome is so rich in landscapes and details that it begs to be explored. Thankfully, with the aid of your trusty robo-mech (and not a single invisible wall), you can explore every single inch of the planet of Mira. You are rewarded for doing so as well, with bountiful secret items and hidden bosses. The combat is intensely deep but oh-so rewarding. The side quests are the best in any video game, managing to be mechanically and morally deep in equal measure. It’s got a hi-tech, pulse-pounding soundtrack, solid voice acting, and an intriguing story. This is a game you don’t want to miss, and reason alone to pick up a Wii U.
1) Xenoblade Chronicles
I mean, how could I not put the single greatest JRPG ever created in my number one spot? I certainly wouldn’t have put four hundred hours into a game that I felt was lacking in any regard. Thankfully, Xenoblade Chronicles is perfect (as realistically perfect as anything can be, at any rate). I still remember the day I picked this game up off the shelf at GameStop, back in 2011, because the front and back cover looked cool. What a monumental decision that was.
Xenoblade has it all, to the point where I’d basically need a whole article to break it all down (hmm…). The visuals are amazing for a Wii game, and even greater on the recent Switch remaster. The gameplay is fast paced but tactical, a rarity for a JRPG like this. Exploring each new huge level is amazing, and the backdrop of the world is so unique, no other game has replicated it. The soundtrack is the stuff of legends, and the all British voice cast lend the game incredible talent and a style all it’s on. To top it all off, the plot is indescribably good, with emotional reveals, shocking twists, intense action, and realistic development in equal measure. In short, perfect.
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 