My Top 15 Video Games by Peter Ho
My Top 15 Video Games This book is about my top fifteen favorite video games I grew up playing. I have a countdown for these fifteen video games. Each pages provides information about the gameplay, visual, sound and most importantly, my opinion about these video games. I included information about the gameplay pictures, what platform it is on, the publisher, developer of the game and average score it received from game reviewers. Each games have its own illustration that depict the characters and the world they live in. The illustrations was inspired by my cousin, Khoa Ho and his minimalist designs.
15
D
estiny took a risk and wanted to introduce us to a massive online first person shooter
game. Although a lot of people gave it bad reviews, they are still playing Destiny. Why?
Platform PC, PS3, XBox 360, XboxOne, Playstation 4
Because the formula works. Destiny set in the 28th century, a post apocalyptic future. The only known survivor on Earth are those who are save by the travelor. Mankind tries to repopulate
Genre
and reconstruct from the collapse. Players
Action role-playing,
get to choose from three different class like a
first-person shooter
MMO from warlock, titan and hunter, and three different race. Each class have different set of
Publisher
skills and special ability. The gameplay is fun
Activision
allowing players to tune their characters with different upgradable weapons and armor. Players
Developer
can choose to go solo or gather group of friends
Bungie
to finish bounty missions and campaign. Destiny offer challenging dungeons and raids that is
Metacritic 77
rewarding at the end. I had a blast with my family and friends in these dungeons strategizing how we should approach a boss. The only flaw is the lack of story but the game makes up for the intense gameplay and upgrade perks.
“ Even with its stumbles, the initial release of Destiny is a colossal achievement in interactive design, integrating a number of differing genre elements into a smart and unified whole.� - Game Informer
Destiny
14
I
have played a lot of racing great racing games throughout my like Gran Turismo, Forza and
Need For Speed but none of them was as fun as Mario Kart Double Dash. To me, this was the
Platform Nintendo GameCube
peak of the Mario Kart franchise. The reason why I enjoyed this racing game more than real car simulation games is because its a game
Genre
that allow players to pick up items and use it
Racing
against their opponent. Mario Kart allow players to choose their favorite Nintendo characters
Publisher
and race each other in Karts. It features item
Nintendo
boxes players can pick up that gives a random item to use to gain some advantage in the race.
Developer Nintendo EAD
That is one of the fun part about Mario Kart, because it is fun to hit other players to sabotage their chances to win. A cool new feature in this
Metacritic 96
installment is having two players in one kart to help each other out where one is the driver and one handles the item. The multiplayer is fun and I had a lot of fun memories playing with my friends and family. The maps is beautiful, fourplayer versus is a blast.
“ Pure, exhilarating glee will envelop your soul, demanding that you keep playing just one more game into the wee hours of the morning. It’s that good.” - Electronic Gaming Monthly
Mario Kart Double Dash
13
U
ncharted 2 is one of PS3 best exclusive release. This game made me feel what it is
like to be Indiana Jones with acrobatic jumps, rock climbing, and rope swinging. The game tells
Platform PS3
a fantastic story, puzzle problems, and gunplay. This is easily one of my favorite title release from the Playstation. The story takes place a year after
Genre
the first Uncharted, and it begins with Nate and
Third-Person Action
a couple thieves trying to find Marco Polo’s lost treasure fleet. Things didn’t turn out the way they
Publisher
plan and the big adventure begin. The story is
Sony Computer
good overall with strong character development.
Entertainment
I enjoyed the little things like the random humor of the characters conversation. The gameplay is
Developer Naughty Dog Software
fast pace and when the ground starts breaking, the experience is exhilarating, thrilling and I never found myself bored. It’s easily to get lost
Metacritic
when you’re running from a bridge collapsing
96
while someone is shooting at you. The details of the cutscene is strikingly unbelievable. I think Uncharted 2 is the complete package with a pure joy campaign, clever puzzle, and satisfying adventure.
“Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the most polished, most intense and most entertaining pieces of software out on the market.” - Hardcore Gamer
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
12
R
ockstar is best known for Grand Theft Auto. Red Dead Redemption is another
masterpiece that they produce that show Rockstar uncanny ability to mirror society
Platform PS3, XBox 360
that issues racism, immigration, and personal freedoms are ingrained in American society. Red Dead Redemption moved forward to the
Genre Action-adventure
Wild West and puts players in the shoes of John Marston. He is a former outlaw that found his past catching up to him and he is trying to fight
Publisher Rockstar Games
for his future. The game takes place between the U.S. and Mexico. This game to me is one of Rockstar masterpiece. They took a new height
Developer Rockstar San Diego
creating one fo the most fun, gorgious, deepest game around. From horse riding, pistol draw, free roam, online makes this game replayable
Metacritic 95
and very joyful. The single player and multiplayer mode is excellent and the details is one of the most thoughtout. The missions and story is memorable. I think this game handles the horse control really well. The only complaint I have is that I did not want it to end.
“ Red Dead Redemption is a truly epic resuscitation of the Western theme in games. It’s also easily the best gunslinging game we’ve ever played.” - Official Xbox Magazine UK
Red Dead Redemption
11
M
ario is the most recognizable icon in video games. There are hundreds of Mario title
out there but Super Mario Bros makes it on my top 15 video games. Super Mario Bros was the
Platform
first Mario game I picked up when I was a kid.
Gameboy Color, Nes
It’s been reissued and remastered many times so it has never really gone away. The experience
Genre Platform
have not worn out all these years and there’s always a reason to play whether it’s to beat your own score, time or discover new secrets after 30
Publisher
years. To me, this was a great masterpiece with
Nintendo
great level structure, iconic soundtrack, sound and hidden secrets. After beating the game after
Developer Nintendo
many years, I find myself coming back one more time to run through the dangerous obstacles, collecting coins and grabbing power-ups. Mario
Metacritic 90
is the first game I played that displayed acrobatic double-jumps, power-ups and the first to game to make me feeling frustrated after failing a level over and over. But after beating the hard level felt rewarding. This was the first game to challenge me and hasn’t worn out its welcome. Nothing beats the classic.
“ Super Mario Bros. was, is, and will always be one of gaming’s great masterpieces, and its availability on any additional format is a good thing.” - NintendoLife
Super Mario Bros.
10
E
pic is what I’ll tell people if they ask me about this game. Batman Arkham City not only
triumph its predecessor that won game of the year, Arkham Asylum but it blows it out of the
Platform PC, PS3, XBox 360, Wii U, OSX
water. “The best superhero game ever “ is one of the best game ever in my opinion. Rocksteady gave us an epic scale of Arkham City, allowing us to leap, glide, glive and grabble across the
Genre Action-adventure
playground of the city. I truly feel like Batman when I play Arkham City. The endless combos of moves, and gadgets made me feel like a badass
Publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
after I take down 20-50 enemies at the same time. Not only is the action is good, but the story as well. They combined the humanity of the Animated Series, darkness of Frank Miller and
Developer
the risk of Christopher Nolan into one to make
Rocksteady
one of the best game ever. There are moments where I squeal like a fanboy and moments of
Metacritic 96
awe. Arkham City have tons of unexpecting moments where I had to sit back and absorb what just happen. This game contain 20-40 hours of extra contents after you beat it and there’s much more to admire but little space to describe this game.
“ The voice acting, the challenges, the amazing opening, the unbelievable ending and the feeling of being the Dark Knight -- these are the things that standout looking back.” - IGN
Batman Arkham City
09
N
intendo breaking title that deserves all the hype it has gotten. Ocarina of Time is
easily the best in the series. The game follow a young boy name Link who wakes up behind
Platform Nintendo 64, GameCube
the Mysterious Lost Woods and he eventually embarks himself in an epic journey to rescue Princess Zelda. Players will explore dungions,
Genre Action-adventure
villages, heart of a volcano, bottom of lake and magical forest. The details is amazing every corner you turn. I’ve spent hundred of hours just
Publisher
exploring the villages and talking to inhabitants,
Nintendo
solving puzzles, and look for hidden items. The graphics at the time was beautiful. Ocarina of
Developer
Time takes basic gameplay and story ideas
Nintendo
and make its own unique experience. It is a understatement to say the game is huge because
Metacritic
there are new places to discover in every corner.
99
As soon as you start exploring in this vast world, you’ll soon to realize that you’re in for a treat. I think whoever who haven’t play this game should do themself a favor and pick this game up. This game lands number 9 on my list.
“ Call us crazy, but when the final version of Zelda 64 arrived in the IGN64 offices, we stopped working, locked ourselves into a room with a big-screen TV and a surround system and played 17 hours straight.” - IGN
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
08
D
ragons, troll, magic, vampire, and werewolves are some of the contents that is
packed in this huge game. Skyrim is a rare and one of the best role-playing games ever made.
Platform PC, PS3, XBox 360
There are millions of things to do in Skyrim. There is always one more quest to do, and one more undiscover area to trace, one more skills
Genre
to increase and one more ore to grind. Skyrim is
Action role-playing
one of my favorite because it feels like a second life I am controlling. Every decisions effects the
Publisher Bethesda Softworks
world of Skyrim. If I kill a villager, they won’t come back. I could approach quests in many ways and it does effect things around me. The
Developer
game revolves the players character in effort to
Bethesda Softworks
defeat a dragon that prophesied to destroy the world. It sets two hundred years after the events
Metacritic 94
of Oblivion. This game is one of my favorite of all time because it offers a thrilling freedom of choice, amazing graphics and beautiful soundtrack. The game is rewarding and the random encounters makes it like seems real. The world is huge with staggering contents that gives me reason to return and play it again and again.
“ No other game I know of operates with this many moving parts to create such an immense world filled with this much choice in how you engage its excellent, endless fiction. “ - Giant Bomb
Skyrim
07
P
okémon yellow is easily one of my favorite handheld game of all time. This was the
game that introduce me into the role-playing genre and brought a lot of great childhood
Platform
memories. The goal of Pokémon Yellow was to
Gameboy Color
catch them all and become a pokemon master. You start off as a kid name Ash, who dreams of
Genre Role-playing
being a pokemon master, and you travel around town battling other pokemon trainer and Gym master with your pokemon you’ve captured and
Publisher
trained. You battle those Gym Master until you
Nintendo
gather enough badges necessary to go to the pokemon league to become a Pokémon Master.
Developer
The game mirror the cartoon. There were two
Game Freak
other version, Blue and Red. Yellow to me was the most special because Pikachu follows you in
Metacritic
Yellow and you grow a bond with pikachu from
92
start. The game was easy to pick up but at the time, it was super hard but rewarding when you beat the game. It is addicting and will always have a special place in my heart. It open the gate to other video games for me and lands number 7 on my list.
“ In the late 90s, Nintendo struck gold. Fuzzy, yellow, electricity-producing gold, to be precise” - RPGfan
Pokemon Yellow
06
D
angerous and unpredictable is what this game gives us. The Last of Us introduce us
an post-apocalyptic world that draws a question to what is there worth living. The Last of Us is
Platform
the last best thing of a generation for video
PS3, PS4
games that release on the PS3. The game is focus on two characters, Joel and Ellie. Joel is
Genre Action-adventure, Surival horror
a tired survivor trying to find his purpose after society collapse two decade ago. Joel find himself trying to help a little girl name Ellie to cross the remain of the United State. You see a
Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment
powerful character development between the two and the interplay between the two is the highlight of the adventure. The voice acting is superb, the graphic is arguably the best of this
Developer Naughty Dog
generation that makes the event seems real. Every little details is mind-boggling and creative throughout. There are different approach you
Metacritic 95
can make in different situation and it is satisfying to come up with crazy idea. I could go all out rambo or play safe and stealth through the game. The campaign was worth playing it through multiple time.
“ A masterpiece that breaks the self imposed barriers of gaming narrative and ensnares the player with intelligent gameplay and brilliant A.I.� - SpazioGames
The Last of Us
05
T
his is the best Metal Gear Solid in the series and it is the reason why I bought the PS2
back in 2004. After 20-24 hours experiencing the playthrough for the first time, there was
Platform PS2, PS3, Xbox360
a fuzzy feeling inside. My heart melt from the strong storyline of Metal Gear Solid 3. The story revolves around Snake and his complex
Genre Action Adventure, Stealth
relationship with a woman known as Boss. The story takes place in the wake of a Cuban missile crisis that involve Snake to a Russian specialist,
Publisher Hideo Kojima
someone who made a weapon that could disrupt a standoff between the United State and Soviet Union. Metal Gear soundtrack, voice acting,
Developer Hideo Kojima Motoyuki Yoshioka
graphic and cinematic was in a league of its own during that time. I find myself lost in the jungle full of criters I can kill to eat to survive the harsh environment. The gameplay offers variety of
Metacritic
tactical opportunity to approach the enemies.
91
You can swim underwater, climb trees, crawl in the tall grass to hide from danger. Metal Gear Solid 3 setting of the game is believable and it is one of the most memorable game I’ve ever played.
“ Metal Gear Solid 3 is a great achievement, one that fans of the series will love and vividly remember long after most of 2004’s other games are forgotten.” - Gamestop
Metal Gear Solid 3
04
G
rand Theft Auto V represent a huge refinement that everything the previous
GTA games brought us. It is one of the best games ever made. For me, GTA highlighted
Platform PC, PS3, XBox 360, Xbox One, PS4
some of my favorite moments in a video game. There were moments where I am driving a ATV out of a cargo plane and skydiving like a daredevil. There were moments where I’m
Genre
minding my own business and witness a standoff
Open world action-adventure
between cops and robbers. I could go on forever and talk about my experience playing GTA. The
Publisher Rockstar Games
world of GTA is abundance of such moments that makes the city feel like the real world where anything can happen. This game gives
Developer
you tremendous freedom to explore and it tells
Rockstar North
thrilling stories you would see in movies. There are three protagonist in GTAV and the character
Metacritic 97
development made the narrative strong. No other games comes close to the size, details and intelligence of GTA. The world is beautiful and the gameplay is unlimited. GTAV ranks fourth on my list.
“ The world of GTA is undeniably a masterpiece and has set a very high bar for sandbox gaming...” - Canadian Online Gamers
Grand Theft Auto V
03
M
assive multiplayer online are a different animal of video games. It is designed to
make you addicted and spend the most possible time on it. The king of MMO is the World of
Platform
Warcraft. World of Warcraft is a MMO that I
PC, OSX
have been playing for years since 2005. There are millions of subscriber that are still playing
Genre MMORPG
today since release. World of Warcraft is a online game that players take role with their created avatar and explore a virtual world full of mystery,
Publisher Blizzard Entertainment
and endless adventures. Each players has their own specific skills that makes them special. Players can join others, make their own group
Developer Blizzard Entertainment
and work together to accomplish different task in the World of Warcraft. Role-playing is up to the players and they choose how they want
Metacritic
to construct a historic background with their
93
character. The landscape is beautiful and the gameplay is super friendly. Player versus player is competitive and fun. I’ve spent hundreds of hours grinding in warcraft and countless times I tried to quit but it always suck me back me back into its world. The addiction is real and that is why it lands my third favorite game of all time.
“This game has kept me glued to the screen longer than any other MMORPG and that’s down to the fun factor” - Shockwave
World of Warcraft
02
M
ass Effect is one of my favorite video games of the past decade. Bioware took
this trilogy and brought this roleplaying genre into a new cinematic height. The story is deep,
Platform PC, PS3, XBox 360
with intense character development, which would appeal to all roleplaying genre fans out there. The game allow the gamers to make their
Genre RPG Shooter
own choices that would effect the outcome of the story in a sandbox-style. The shooting and combat system in the third person view is
Publisher Electronic Arts
outstanding. The soundtrack, sound, graphics, voice acting, direction is way ahead of its competitor. This game is a must buy for owners
Developer Bioware
that own a Xbox360, PS3 and a PC. At the end of the day, Mass Effect is a game that I enjoy playing from the beginning to end. I grew a
Metacritic 96
special bond with some of the characters in Mass Effect. It is one of those rare games that you can restart from the beginning and find something new that you miss the first play through. Mass Effect is one of the best sci-fi out to date.
“A tear comes to my eyes as I think about how best to express the pure joy this game brings� - Shockwave
Mass Effect
01
T
here are two kinds of gamers out there: those who played Halo on the Xbox and
those who haven’t. For those gamers who haven’t play Halo yet, my recommendation is
Platform
very high because they are missing out big time
XBox 360, Xbox One
on what is arguably the best first person shooter of this generation. This was the game that
Genre First Person Shooter
introduce me to competitive gaming. It was one of the first to introduce LAN party and console online gaming. I always get an adrenaline rush
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
when I play against other players online. Losing is one of the worst feeling when you play this game and the most satisfying when you win
Developer
a close game or dominate the other team.
Bungie/343
Halo revolutionize the genre with its controls, AI, physics,vehicle integration, graphics and
Metacritic 98
gameplay. I find myself lost in the world for hundred of hours playing the campaign, online, and creating my own forge map. I had the best memories playing this game with my friends and family. This game was a no brainer to pick as my favorite game of all time. Halo will forever stand as my number 1.
“ Simply put, Halo is by far the greatest first-person shooter the console world has seen to date...Nothing I say can prepare you for this game.” - Game Informer
Halo
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