10. The Witcher
This game honestly surprised me. It started out slow and dull, with references to a book series I never heard about. I bought it during a sale on Gog.com and I was thoroughly disgusted with the game. I didnt touch it for about 6 months and during a small amount of curiosity, I tried playing the game again. I played past the initial introduction to the game and was immediately hooked.
The game is extremely well written and features thrilling rpg combat. The well written characters and plotline an obvious indication of the literary background. That and the author was personally attatched to the project.
It was an amazing game, and I stayed up until 5AM to see the ending because I was so hooked. Needless to say the ending was extremely satisfying. The only reason it's #10 was because I only recently completed it.
9. Jedi Outcast
This game is a perfect representation of everything I loved about Star Wars. Thrilling lightsaber combat, a good and entertaining storyline with interesting characters, a well developed universe. With all that and amazing multiplayer, it truly is my favorite Star Wars game. Surpassing Kotor and Battlefront 2 any day of the week.
8. Max Payne 2
I should probably state that the original Max Payne was arguably a better game. But I enjoyed this title slightly more.
Why? Because of how fulfilling it was as a sequel and how well developed the characters became as a result. Mona Sax was significantly more developed then her one sided femme fatal villian. Vladimir Lem was more interesting then his "enemy of my enemy is my friend" portrayal, etc. It took the characters you liked from the original game and made them even more interesting.
That and it was consistently good. Max Payne had slight dips in quality here and there, but the second game was paced considerably well.
7. Tomb Raider 2
Tomb Raider 2 and 3 were some of the first games I ever owned on my PS1 as a kid, and I attribute them to my love of puzzles and adventure games in general.
Tomb Raider 2 edges out slightly more however. Simply because it wasn't as unforgiving in difficulty, plus it's environments were slightly more interesting. Going to the wreck of a sunken ship for instance.
6. Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage
The first game I ever completed 100%. Simply because all of it's content was sublime. I loved all the maps, all the sidequests, all the gem collection etc. It was masterfully designed and my personal contender for Insomniac's magnum opus. Since then I compare every Insomniac title to this game.
5. Grim Fandango
One of my first adventure games, and it was a perfectly researched stylized piece.
Really I could say all the things I absolutely adored about this game, but I'd just be stating the obvious. Any one of it's features could be lauded as an indication of the greatest adventure game of all time.
4. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen
Blood Omen is one of those games I always try and replay just to see if my nostalgia has waned in some way, or that I can find something I dont like about it. Needless to say it hasnt happened yet. It's a legendary title that was one of the first games I could safely say had "great voice acting" as one of it's best features.
The protagonist, an unlikeable bastard named Kain, becomes the sympathetic anti-heroic vampire hero that is going through the game seeking his own independence and yet never gaining it until the end.
3. Morrowind
Morrowind is one of the most replayable titles I own. It's a game I can play when I'm exhausted for something good to play, and enjoy a brand new adventure in a fantasy world I'm already used to.
2. Deus Ex
I dont think I could say anything about Deus Ex that hasnt already been said, it's an amazing title that was well beyond it's time.
1. Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines
To put it into perspective, when Yahtzee nerdgasms over Silent Hill 2, I tend to think of him replacing "Silent Hill 2" with this game, and I immediately understand where he's coming from.
It takes a lot to be my favorite game, this is it hands down. I firmly believe VtM:B should be placed in a museum along with Troika's other games. Because it's a very under appreciated, underrated title that is an utter masterpiece.
The game's world is ultra stylized and adapted from White Wolf's WoD, but Troika did a lot of very interesting things with it. It's populated by very interesting and highly memorable characters, all very well voice acted. The storyline is marvelous and it's pacing is amazing.
Truly VtM:B is the only title in my collection I can call "perfect". The only possible downside is it's bugs, which is explained by Troika closing down shortly after. Thankfully once it's port to the Alien Swarm version of Source is complete that will all become a bad dream, and it will be solidified as a legend with a sordid history.
