The Battleground Video Game Finalé

[Benji]

Wasn't the name taken from one of Big Boss' alias'?

If you mean Plisken, then no, not as far as I'm aware. It was just a nod to Snake Plissken from Escape From LA. Iroquois Plisken translates into Snake somehow, if I remember right, so you could attach the name to Big Boss, since he was Naked Snake, but eh.

Eh I'm probably just getting mixed up, I've played all three but end up getting antsy so read the spoilers on the net and can't be bothered finishing because of it

[ROC]

I would agree and yet disagree with the sentiment that GTA VC is overrated. As far as improvements go, yes, it's overrated. But it probably has the most enthralling story of the three PS2-era (as Kaney put it) GTA games. So, umm...yeah that was confusing.

[Kaney]

(as Kaney put it)

Ack. I forgot there was XBox versions, but you know what I meant. Next-Gen, whatever.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Snake Eater is great, so glad to see it here.

I liked the feel of Vice City but like all GTA games it feels too 'lonely'.

I'm VERY surprised the Pro Evo was so low as every other person seemed to be giving it muchos votes.

Still CHampionship Manager is top ten so something's going right...

[Toe]

Halo 2, to me, was not nearly as good as the first. The first game was a surprise, and it was just a great game. Except for visuals, the second game was roughly the same as the first, and all the hype surrounding the game made it feel like a letdown.

GTA: Vice City is the best in the series, in my opinion. Better story, great city design, good controls and it had the one thing that easily seperates it from the others - atmosphere. It made me feel like I was in the 80's, it was just an amazing experience.

[Benji]

Metal Gear Solid

Released: 1998

Original Console: PlayStation

The number ten position, and in my opinion one of the most deserving of its placing (heck, even a little higher), the first game in the Metal Gear universe for quite some time and it changed the spy/action genre as we knew it. It spawned off a series of sequels, extras, fanfics and caused such a ruckus that I refused to play it because I knew it would not live up to the hype. In 2000 I finally repented and bought it, an exquisite game made all the more brilliant because I waited. The graphics weren't half bad either.

Position: 10th

Final Fantasy X

Released: 2001

Original Console: PlayStation2

This game is my most conflicted of all time, to some people it is the 'return to form' since FF7, for me, FF9 was far superior, nonetheless, the story and battle system made a nice change. Finally here was a game willing to accept women and men playing equal parts in the grand scheme of things, everything was tied up quite nicely (but I still loved X-2 for it's battle system). I wouldn't say it belongs in the top 10 but it does belong on this list.

Position: 9th

WWF No Mercy

Released: 2000

Original Console: Nintendo 64

Shocking as this is, I've never actually played this game, at the time I was too much of a PlayStation fanboy to really accept another consoles games, but I'm guessing from how much people declare their love from it that it was a pretty fantastic game..

Position: 8th

James Bond: Goldeneye 007

Released: 1997

Original Console: Nintendo 64

As I mentioned above, I was a PlayStation fanboy, but this game... this was too special to ignore, so much so that I almost bought an N64 JUST to play this game. As with most instances for me in games like this, multiplayer is where the game comes into its own and the sequel (Rogue Agent) is even superior to this game.

Position: 7th

Super Mario Bros 3

Released: 1988

Original Console: NES/Famicom

If there is a more replayable game out there I want to play it because then I'll have two games that have never EVER got even slightly old. For its time this was a pretty long game, it had some brilliant levels, some powers that just... well... who do you know that can fly with a fucking raccoon tail? Or wear a frog suit and still look stylish? 'Nuff said.

Position: 6th

[NobBe Nobbs]

I'm torn.

Goldeneye came in seventh, rightly, and you had good things to say about it. However, you said that "Rogue Agent" was superior to Goldeneye, which I can't help disagreeing vociferously with. The only thing Rogue Agent had over Goldeneye was the improved graphics. That's it - in every other department Goldeneye sticks a proximity mine to Rogue Agent's ass and let's them run.

[Kaney]

WWF No Mercy

Released: 2000

Original Console: Nintendo 64

Shocking as this is, I've never actually played this game, at the time I was too much of a PlayStation fanboy to really accept another consoles games, but I'm guessing from how much people declare their love from it that it was a pretty fantastic game..

I have played it, but I didn't like it. I sucked at it, but it didn't really seem all that special to me :\

Goldeneye is still one of the best FPS shooters ever though.

[Thatz]

I'm torn.

Goldeneye came in seventh, rightly, and you had good things to say about it. However, you said that "Rogue Agent" was superior to Goldeneye, which I can't help disagreeing vociferously with. The only thing Rogue Agent had over Goldeneye was the improved graphics. That's it - in every other department Goldeneye sticks a proximity mine to Rogue Agent's ass and let's them run.

[lanky316]

I'm another one who waited years before playing MGS due to the fact the 'rents refused to pay out on a new console while my current one [a mega drive] was in perfectly good shape (bloody pathetic...). That said I will never forget the first time I encountered Psycho Mantis and was completly blown away. Not many games have had that sort of effect before or since.

Mario Brothers 3 > almost every other game ouit there however.

[Pesci]

You're right, lanky, which is why I put all 10 points on it.

Annoyed to see it finishing so low. >_>

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Awesome to see FFX make it into the top ten. Number one for me, at least it got a good position. I quite agree with all the other additions too, although I never was a major fan of Goldeneye for some reason.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Psycho Mantis could read your memory card you know...That was pretty special...As was using the other port so he couldn't read your mind....

And Mario ever looked stylish?

[Guest Booker T & The MG's]

I hope the CM/Football Manager series wins, no game comes close to the amount of hours/days/weeks I've spent playing that game.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I hope the CM/Football Manager series wins, no game comes close to the amount of hours/days/weeks I've spent playing that game.

I think it'll definitely end up top 3 thinking back to the votes I saw...

[Benji]

I got sick of researching stuff so I decided to cheap out and end it the way it carried on, so sue me

Chrono Trigger

Released: 1995

Original Console: SNES

The outside contestant to this race, on reputation this game doesn't belong here, but on gameplay it really does. I've only ever played this on import briefly so I don't have much to say, makes me sad

Position: 5th

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Released: 2004

Original Console: PlayStation2

I'm genuinely glad this isn't number one, I got very worried early on as it was so high. Now let me explain, I owe this forum to this very game, it was fantastic, series and future game changing, but this game seems to run on reputation. It's a game I got bored of, but can come back to, it's a game that is best for a muck about but has great gameplay and storyline. It is an all-round game to be enjoyed by all of legal age, but it is by no means the best game ever played. It deserves its top five placing, but I can mention quite a few games that I personally would prefer above it.

Position: 4th

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Released: 1998

Original Console: Nintendo 64

The first 3D Legend of Zelda game, innovative gameplay, and general all round brilliance, many consider it the best game of all time (let's just outright say it, Kliq likely thinks this). It was the first N64 game that made me stand up and pay attention (ignoring Goldeneye, that was a multiplayer thing and you all know how I feel about them) and it really made me yearn for the console, when someone as intently betrothed to PlayStation as I was adores a game you know it's something special. If one game in the future is remade, I do hope it is this one as, despite my lack of voting for it, it is one fantastic game that could be redone in a million different ways without compromising it's excellence.

Position: 3rd

Championship Manager/Football Manager Series

Released: 1992

Original Console: PC

Addictive. That's one word to describe this game. "Just one more match, get to the halfway point of the season", by the time you realise it, you've won the championship, lost out in the cup final and mentally shagged the chairmans wife and it's morning. A game that improves slightly on each new release, the split between Sports Interactive and Eidos just meant we had double the choice and excellence. Most faithful to the game chose Football Manager, those not knowing better kept the 'name' game. One thing I'll NEVER forget about this game, 2006 season in CM 01/02, Ole Gunnar Soljaskaer and Alan Shearer at Leicester in Division 1 (now the Championship) and a total goal tally of 179 between them. Unrealistic? Maybe. Fun? You bet you're £6m record breaking transfer fee it was.

Position: 2nd

Final Fantasy VII

Released: 1997

Original Console: PlayStation

Sorry, were you expecting something else? I don't care what you say, this is THE game. Yes, I cavort and caper over how superior FF9 is to this gem, but at the end of the day I have to say one thing. This game fucking rocks. The story is typical Final Fantasy without alienating the audience of the casual gamer, the characters are so emotionally involved, not one fails to play a role. The battle system, while unconventionally stupid, made for an attractive prospect, people had roles but you built them how you wanted. Who else had Red XIII as their black mage while Vincent was your long range power backup mixing in a little magic?

An enthralling game is an enthralling game, moan and bitching is innevitable, but to me, no game will ever come close to being as talked about, as addictively fun, as phenomenally succesful (critically and commercially) and as plain fucking excellent as Final Fantasy VII, good to see people aren't swung by those anti-game gamers (that's not a shot at all of you before you moan, I can accept that some dislike it).

Position: 1st

Well, that's it for this year, I might change the month in 2006, but for now this is the end, coming up for December is "The Battleground Character Awards", as if you didn't see it coming. Until my next post, game on.

Wow that was cheesey.

Edited November 14, 2005 by Benjirino~!

[probablyoliver]

FFVII number one? I'm shocked.

Good list, although a little predictable. I don't really like the top 5. I never played Chono Trigger, GTA is good (nay, amazing) first time round, but I can never get into it again. I never really liked Ocarina of Time, maybe because I caught on years later, but I was never a huge fan. I'm not a footie fan, and FF was predictable.

Good list though.

Thanks.

[kliq]

FF #1?

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

*hurls popcorn and beverages at Benji*

[Clawson]

Anybody who didn't see FFVII coming in first is either blind or stupid...or both.

[Ace]

That was a well deserving list.

Shocked Goldeneye didn't make top 5 but I totally agree with FF7 at #1