Leftwich's Top 100 Games of All Time

[Maynard]

madden 2005 was horrible with the glitches online.

yeah it was shit. i liked 03 because it was the first year it was online for ps2...and of course the first year for the mm room

[JBregz]

There has to be a Metal Gear on this list...HAS TO.

[hackett]

madden 2005 was horrible with the glitches online.

Wasn't 05 the year of the quicksand glitch?

[Bomberooski]

There has to be a Metal Gear on this list...HAS TO.

Totally agree. But will their be more than just one in the top 10???

[Leftwich]

9

Resident Evil 2



Platform: Playstation and N64

Alright guys the next game of my top ten is not only one of the best horror games of all time but one of the first games to be played from two different perspectives. Believe it or not this game is fourteen years old now and it is still one of the scariest games out there. Sure it’s not scary like a mind bending horror movie but the characters and times it makes you jump still scare the crap out of me. I’ve beaten this game numerous times but its always one of those games I’ll always go back to for the gameplay, story and just all around good time I have.



Like I said, Resident Evil 2 is a survival horror game and probably the finest example of the genre. It is the sequel to the immensely successful game, Resident Evil or Biohazard as it’s known in Japan. The story somewhat alludes to the events that happened at the Mansion outside of Raccoon City but this time you are in Raccoon City just a few months after the outbreak hit the city limits. The whole outbreak was caused by the T-Virus, which is a biological weapon developed by Umbrella Corporation. Umbrella Corporation is a pharmaceutical company that uses pharmaceuticals as a front for their genetic engineering operations. The T-Virus mutated anyone it came in contact with by changing them into mindless zombies hell-bent on destruction. The game is interesting because you can play as two different characters. Leon Kennedy, who also made an appearance as the main protagonist in Resident Evil 4, who is a rookie cop who was just trying to go to his first day of work in Raccoon City. On the other hand we have Claire Redfield, sister of Chris Redfield who was the main protagonist along side Jill Valentine in the first Resident Evil. All she is doing is looking for Chris but got a bit more than she bargained for when she arrives in Raccoon City. Their first stop is at the Raccoon City PD, more happens just before this but for those of you who haven’t played I don’t want to spoil it for you. They are looking for shelter but soon find that even the police station is overrun by zombies. It’s a recurring theme in this game, everything you think is safe really isn’t. As they find out that there is nothing left for them in Raccoon City they decide to look for any known survivors and get the hell out of dodge. But as luck would have it, it’s a lot harder than just leaving the city. The story is pretty long for both characters and there are a lot of surprises and scary moments along the way. If you’re a fan of the series you’ll make sure to stop and read the notes and files and you’ll also see some allusions to the first Resident Evil as well. Resident Evil 2 has a top notch story and can be very tense at times but the real beauty of the game is once you beat it you feel like you’ve really done something and even more so if you do it with both characters so you can really see the full spectrum of the game. I warn you now, there is limited ammo, save points, one hit kills and some seriously cheesy battles but it is all worth it and a hell of a lot of fun.



The gameplay of Resident Evil 2 is very dated by today’s standards but at the time it was smooth, responsive and a hell of a lot of fun. The meat and potatoes of the gameplay is obviously survival, gunplay and solving numerous puzzles. I may have already said it but ammo and saving is limited and it adds to the tension of the game. It wouldn’t be a survival horror game if they gave you a shit ton of ammo and autosaving. During gameplay you can check the status of your character two ways. If you’ve been roughed up by Zombies or Lickers you will notice a limp in your walk or a heartbeat monitor flashing danger or moderate. It becomes a strategy to find as much first aid spray or herbs to keep your character in tip top shape but at times it gets difficult to find them. Your best bet is to carry the bare necessities and stock everything in the crates at the save room. Ink ribbons are what you use to save at typewriters, I understand that this game is a survival horror but even on hard the ink ribbons aren’t hard to come by but ammo sure as hell is. Countless times I’ve run out of ammo and had my knife and most of those times I just ran away from zombies because my knifing skills suck. Like I said you need to stick to the bare essentials because you only have so much room to work with. Even on normal difficulty the game does get challenging. As the game wears on you will meet stronger enemies and bosses that will cause you to rage like no other but with a good strategy you can come out on top. Not only can you play as Claire and Leon but for both characters you will meet two more support characters. I think I can get away with saying they’re Ada Wong and Sherry who I can’t remember her last name. Both of these characters play differently than the main characters but it is refreshing although especially with Sherry it can get frustrating because she’s a child. Before I forget about this one thing, I always hated the tank controls. I hated that your character took forever to move in any direction but it is something you get used to and at some times it works to your advantage. The puzzles this game including were frustrating but in a good way. When this game came out it was in the infancy of the Internet becoming massively popular so I had to figure out for myself how to solve them. Some are easier than others like collecting an emblem and placing it in a mantle to get a key while others are shutting off drainage pipes in a certain order. The latter of the two becomes difficult when you can’t remember what the order is supposed to be.



Resident Evil 1,2 and 3 pretty much ran on the same type of graphics. The only way I can put it is that the backgrounds were 3D… like you couldn’t really interact with them and if there was something on a table it would be lighter than the background so it was easy to see. It worked well for Capcom due to the fact that they could spend more time on character models. Speaking of the character models, they looked great even for a Playstation game. Sure some zombie models were recycled and blood looks polygonal but this game came out in 1998 and they were pushing the limits with what they had. Some of the monsters look gruesome and the FMV cut scenes look very good as well; Very good and detailed work by the developers. In it’s entirety the whole city looks incredible from the Raccoon City Police Department to the underwater sewers and Umbrella facilities. The whole artistic approach of this game is to give the gamer a sense of chaos and Armageddon while also not trying to stimulate too much of the visual sense because the atmosphere the music and sounds set is absolutely amazing. The background music completely immerses you in the game. The sinister sounds of the instruments cooperate perfectly to the faint moans of a zombie looking for a snack. Even the sound of a burning fire really pleases the senses. The voice acting is subpar but in such a heavily Japanese inspired and developed game, I can cut them some slack. Resident Evil 2 does a good job of letting gameplay, story, graphics and sound working together harmoniously to create an eerie and edge of your seat kind of game.



Hands down Resident Evil 2 did everything right and went above and beyond the CALL OF DUTY to make an incredible game. When it came out it was an instant classic and improved on absolutely everything from the first game to almost make the perfect game. It’s seen updates and re releases but nothing will beat the first time I played this game in my bedroom with the lights out and the sound turned up. Watch the video below and relive the nostalgia.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEVEwO5YAj0"]PlayStation 1 :: Resident Evil 2 Gameplay #2 [Leon] - YouTube[/ame]

[Leftwich]

Oh if you guys think i need to redeem myself after Madden 05 then you can fuck off. Like i told Maynard this is my fucking list faggots.

[Leftwich]

8

Extreme Sports with The Berenstain Bears



Platform: Gameboy Color

Wow this game blew me away from the first second I played it. Before I played this I thought Tony Hawk was the most extreme game I’d ever played but after getting this game for my Gameboy Color I was taken back. Sit back and enjoy my 8th greatest game of all time.



The Berenstain Bears is a series of books by Stan and Jan Berenstain. It’s about the growing up of the young bears in the house of the older bears. Rape, murder and stealing are common themes in the books but Stan and Jan took it to the EXTREME when they brought the plundering bears to the Gameboy Color. First off the game features extreme events such as sledding, kayaking, biking and skateboarding. I don’t know about you but when I think about extreme sports, sledding is at the top of my list. But what makes these events so extreme are the bears. These bears are the definition of extreme, they’re so extreme that they wear helmets not because of the safety but to contain the most extremeness in their head as possible. You’ll be amazed at how extreme this gets and you feel less extreme when all you can do is watch from your screen as these bears do the most extreme things you’ve ever seen. EXTREME! This game is so extreme that every event looks exactly the same. The snowboarding is like extreme kayaking but with white instead of extreme blue. Before you start an extreme event you have the option of choosing between extreme brother bear or tubular to the max sister bear. It doesn’t matter who you pick because they’re both more extreme than you’ll ever be and I will bet on that. So what does that mean? They don’t race any different but it does give you a chance to play through the game again as the other sibling but I think that may be too extreme for some of you. The graphics are extreme. They may not be the best graphics you’ve ever seen but the Gameboy is not extreme enough to contain the extremeness of this game. Not ever current consoles could do the extreme graphics justice. Have I ever played this game before? No, no I have not, I am not extreme or cool enough to even allow my fingers to portray the extreme awesomeness this game contains.



If you think you are extreme enough to meet the challenge of Extreme Sports with the Berenstain Bears then try this game on for size. I personally don’t think any of you are extreme enough to play this game but if you are still unsure of how extreme this game is then watch the video below.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWiD4qFEyLw"]Extreme Sports With The Berenstain Bears- Championship - YouTube[/ame]

 

April Fools

[Goober]

Berenstain Bears were awesome back in the day.

Waiting for Bioshock...number one?

[LOOMiS]

I think 8 is a little high for Extreme Sports with Berenstain Bears. As extreme as it is, I wouldn't put it any higher than 19, probably right between Legend of Zelda and Tony Hawk 2.

[Leftwich]

I think 8 is a little high for Extreme Sports with Berenstain Bears. As extreme as it is, I wouldn't put it any higher than 19, probably right between Legend of Zelda and Tony Hawk 2.

Good call. Maybe when i do a revised list next year I'll make sure to do that.

[Champ]

Metal Gear Solid?

[Raidersabc123]

Extreme

[Leftwich]

I swear to god if you guys ask me if Metal Gear Solid is on this list i will cut your balls of. You'll find out!

[JBregz]

MGS?

[Leftwich]

8

Call of Duty 4



Platforms: PS3/Xbox 360/PC/Wii

You know there was a time when the skies of a multiplayer game weren’t filled with osprey gunners, harriers, predator missiles and care packages. There was a simpler time with maps that are instant classics and balanced guns and gameplay. Those days are long gone but can be fondly remembered by looking back at this game. The eighth greatest game of all time is Call of Duty 4. This is the pinnacle of first person shooters but at some point in the near future I think it will be unseated but based on the current format this company is following its not gonna be a Call of Duty game. Sit back and enjoy the game that started a multiplayer phenomenon.



Call of Duty 4 did something that no other first person shooter could do. With the exception of Halo, Call of Duty 4 sold consoles and Xbox Live subscriptions better than any game before it could. Before I go on about this game I want to thank all the people who made this game so damn fun online: Champ (as integratedbus), Rudi, KGB (I’m Kamping!), Point Blank, J Hen, T-Shirt Ninja Zach, Sliz, Bonesmahoney (are you ok?), Rush and many more. The most important of all is Stealthshot, been my buddy on COD since the first and most of our time spent on there is him yelling at me for getting in his way. One last thing before I go into something else. I remember actually getting this game. I didn’t pre-order it because I had to go to the Smithsonian Art Gallery for class and I left right in the middle of it and got on the metro back to my car. I stopped at a Best Buy in DC and got like their last copy. Apparently the nation’s capital wants to kill some mother fuckers online. I really could have went without telling you all that but hell I figured I might as well, to at least fill some space.


All Ghillied Up Bitches

Before I dive into the part that was everyone’s favorite, multiplayer, I want to at least take a few sentences and talk about the badassery that was the single player campaign. First off you take control of multiple characters throughout the entirety of the campaign. Your main man is Sergeant John McTavish, also known as Soap. You are joined by one of the greatest characters in gaming history, Captain John Price and his right hand man Gaz. Luckily for you the game lets you get your feet wet by running through a kind of shooting range call the Killing House. If you complete it in a certain amount of time you get an achievement as well for you achievement whores. After that the game literally lets you get your feet wet by invading a cargo ship. I guess the developers wanted to contrast different graphical capabilities of this game because the cargo ship level is absolutely gorgeous. The campaign is one of the finest in any first person shooter I’ve ever played, albeit it’s kind of short compared to numerous other campaigns but I’ve never played one with as many OMG moments as COD4. Also at the end of the campaign there is a part that I won’t spoil for you but if you have any heart at all you will feel helpless. I do want to say one thing and its not very spoilerific if you ask me. “All Ghillied Up” is hands down the greatest mission/level in any game ever. I am a huge history guy and seeing Pripyat in all its glory is amazing. Not only the history aspect but the gameplay and what you have to do in that mission create such an aura of tension that can’t be outdone by any game. Personally I think the campaign does a very good job of mixing cinematic elements and gameplay. There is a perfect mixture of both and really leaves a good taste in your mouth after you are done. Also if you are an achievement whore you can collect the entire enemy Intel. One last thing, this is the first game I got to play as an AC-130, how many other fucking games can say that?



Now the moment you guys have all been waiting for; Multiplayer. Call of Duty 4 had the absolute perfect multiplayer ever made. Like I said in my opening It was perfectly balanced and the glitches that existed in Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 were non existent. Sure you could get out of maps like Crossfire but it really didn’t give you a tactical advantage and the process you have to take just to get out of the map wasn’t worth it and you’d likely get shot in the back. Speaking of Crossfire, this game had some of the best maps….no no no no wait, this game had THE BEST MAPS OF ALL TIME. Maps like Ambush, Backlot, Bloc, Bog, Crash (arguably the best map ever), Pipeline, Overgrown and many more. I think if I had to choose I’d say Crash, Shipment or Strike were my favorite maps but it’s really hard to decide because they were all so great. Showdown was lame though. But simply put the developers took a lot of time to make great maps but I think they took more time on refining gunplay. Fortunately there were no overpowered guns in this game and they all seemed like they had their strong points and weak points but nothing too dramatic so it was a fair fight no matter what gun you had. I used to call the Scorpion the stapler gun. Just thought I should put that out there. My personal favorite gun in the game was the G36C; I spent countless hours trying to get the headshots so I could get it in all gold. The gun selection was numerous and was varied so you could really play the game to your strengths if you went in there with the right load out. Perks were great in this game although people often bitched about Martyrdom and Stopping Power but if you were a really good player you knew how to take people out who had those perks. The game types were numerous as well and I was not a COD player before COD4 so things like headquarters, domination and search and destroy were like opening Christmas presents every time. I seriously must have logged a few weeks worth of gameplay into this game and honestly don’t think there will be a multiplayer experience like this one in quite some time. Sure I have purchased MW2, Black Ops (which is my second favorite COD) and MW3 but none of them even hold a candle next to this one. I mean all you had were 3 killstreaks, UAV, Airstrike and Helicopter. What really killed COD was adding the cheesiest fucking killstreaks to the point where some games are unplayable.



Finally the graphics for this game were out of this world at least for the time. I was used to games like Halo 3 with their cartoony approach to multiplayer and campaign but when I dove into the campaign for the first time I was breathless. I’ll admit Battlefield 3 is by far the most beautiful multiplayer game I’ve played but at the time COD4 came out I was jizzing over these graphics every time I played the game. The campaign graphics are a little better than multiplayer but its nothing incredibly noticeable. Explosions, gun fire and voice acting are great in this game as well. Captain Price’s voice is instantly recognizable by me and gamers alike. Even in the newer Call of Duty games they have great voice acting so at least they have that going for them.



I know a lot of you are really appalled by Call of Duty since MW2 and MW3 came out but there was a time that everyone loved this game and thought it was the best multiplayer experience. Watch the video below and remind yourself that simpler is always better.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktcLGzLifd8"]Call of Duty 4 walkthrough - All Ghillied Up - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BZTGPVJDyM&feature=related"]Call of Duty 4 - Online Multiplayer [HD] - YouTube[/ame]