Throughout an entire gaming career, many video games come and go quite frequently. Sometimes you find that gem you can spend 1000 hours on, then spend $60 on a AAA game that turns out to be bad. Such is the nature of gaming, it is always evolving. Fortunately for us, we have a large number of machines to play.
Console or PC, it doesn’t matter. We all enjoy games at the end of the day. Personally, I’m primarily a PC gamer, although I do have an Xbox One. I play occasionally with my friends/family. However, I have owned almost every console since the Playstation 1, except for a few older games on this list.
I will review my 10 favorite video games of all time. I’ll also include some additional details, like the release date, in case someone needs more info to get it.
10. rust
Release year: 2018 (Left Early Access)
In many ways, Rust says a lot about my gaming habits, as I love survival games with tough worlds. Rust has to be one of the most brutal worlds in gaming history, anyone will kill you for some seeds.
Note: I only play alone. It’s very difficult, but that’s what I enjoy.
It happened a few times where the game just crashed at the most important moments, losing key items or resources due to this being demotivating and the reason I don’t play often anymore.
After 572 hours, I still haven’t shot down a tank or a helicopter. I also haven’t researched more than one of the bolt action and assault rifles. I have never fully experienced endgame, maybe if performance/optimization is increased I can start playing again!
9. Battlefield 4
Release year: 2013
Battlefield 4 was the one that made me switch from Call of Duty, and I have mixed feelings. At the time I paid £110 for the base game + Premium and while the game is in great shape right now, the first year was awful. Incredibly bad netcode allowed for frequent kills from seemingly impossible angles. Weapon balance favored one or two weapons, making the other 30-40 obsolete and the DLC maps never had players.
Years later, DICE did an amazing job of bringing it up to par. It now stands on its own as a great first-person shooter, the best Battlefield game since Bad Company 2.
After 547 hours of playtime, I’m “quitting” because I feel like I accomplished everything with most tasks and weapons mastered. I do recommend getting BF4 though if you want a fun first person shooter!
8. The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
Release year: 2006
Almost 13 years old now, Oblivion stands tall as an epic game. Its graphics are incredible, as is the level of depth in almost every aspect of the game. It seems there is always something hidden nearby for you to find.
Story-wise, Oblivion focuses on the Daedric part of The Elder Scrolls world, which is pretty impressive. When you’re a little kid, you find things like gates of oblivion Pretty impressive.
I bought it back and installed some mods, but the clumsiness hasn’t aged well. However, for what it provided me in my youth, Oblivion well deserves its place on this list!
7. League of Legends
Release year: At least 1000+
You can’t tell how many hours you’ve put in, but I think I’ve played around 1500 ARAM, 200 ranked, 300 bot games and 200 normal. I estimate this to be around 1000-1500 hours. It’s worth it!
League of Legends is a free game that every gamer should try, even if it doesn’t seem like something you can get into. There is a reason why it has been one of the most played games of all time. No money required at all, if you joined today you would be on an equal footing as someone who has paid £1000 over a 5 year career.
Although there is a small variety of maps, each game is still new and unique. Riot Games does a great job of updating it, with regular events and monthly patches.
6. Age of Empires 2
Release year:
Age of Empires 2 is a resource management, city building and warfare game. Start in the dark ages with nothing more than a small settlement, expand to the Imperial Age and produce hundreds of soldiers.
Even though I’m the worst RTS fan in the world, I love Age of Empires 2. Maybe it’s the art style, but it’s so immersive when you build your own city, as well as the battles that follow. .
Competitively, I’m absolutely horrendous. Most players can get to the Iron Age even before he researches for the Stone Age. However, that doesn’t take away from the fun!
5. minecraft
Release year: 2011
So I haven’t played much Minecraft in the last 2 years or so. I tend to log in and out of running a private server for myself and my friends. However, I have been playing the Xbox One version with my son, like split screen from him. When you play for so long with people like Modify however, it is difficult to go back to the original game modes.
Having said that, Minecraft is a game that everyone should enjoy once. While it lacks adrenaline, a fast-paced game, it offers much more. Hours can be spent building, gathering and hunting. A whole weekend can be wasted in complete peace and serenity.
Just don’t start modifying, or your family will never see you again…
4. darkened
Release year: 1999
Okay, so let’s go way back now. Most gamers have a very, very old game that they still like to revisit. Set in a post-apocalypse world, vampires have forced humanity into hiding. Now known as Slayers, they wield powerful weapons and armor (from guns to swords) and seek to take back their world.
For me, the way the drops work is funny. Killing bosses, red mobs, and other creatures in the hope that they will drop something cool. Even if they don’t, you can sell them at a market while you go to sleep.
Okay, so let’s go way back now. Most gamers have a very, very old game that they still like to revisit. Unfortunately for me, Darkeden turns out to be a massive pay2win game. Private servers pop up from time to time, but without rich Brazilians paying thousands for OP items, they always go down.
Darkeden 2 is currently launching in Korea and I really hope it comes to the West!
3. The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Release year: 2011
Despite being almost 8 years old now, Skyrim is still one of the best RPGs in the world, if not the best. In my opinion, no other fantasy world compares to the scale and beauty of this entry. I originally played it on the PS3 and put way too many hours into it.
Years later, my friend gave it to me for PC. While I haven’t played the Steam version much (already modified the first version a friend gave me), I paid for it 3 times in total.
Being able to create such a deep character, explore the world full of hostilities, or just kill some dragons, Skyrim is pretty epic.
2. Pokemon LeafGreen
Release year: 2004
One of the first Pokémon games I played, the other is Gold and the TCG version. Leaf Green is on another level though, there is so much content and the pacing allows it to stretch over a long period of time. Running or cycling is the fastest way to travel and even then, it takes a while. So instead of just pushing the story forward, you really create a bond with your Pokémon and the world around you.
I played Pokémon Sapphire, then Pokémon X, and finally Pokémon Let’s Go, but none of them compare to Leaf Green in my opinion. I still have my old cartridge, although I don’t have a device to launch it 🙁
1. Halo: Combat Evolved
Release year: 2001
What a masterpiece, Halo CE is an amazing video game that still holds its own today. remastered version. This game had it all; epic theme songs, varied enemies, a badass main character, tons of weaponry, beautiful maps. For the year 2001, it really was exceptional for its time.
Halo CE spawned so much success that it now has a large number of video games based on the Halo universe. Playing as a Spartan is very satisfying and offers an explanation as to why a character can take so many direct hits (because Spartans have shields).
Every great game starts fast and ends strong, Halo CE’s ending is one of the most memorable in gaming history!