I thought long and hard about what my first editorial/opinion post for digitalsomething would be about. I wasn’t sure if I should just dive right in and start attacking certain beloved game franchises that I hate dearly, or warm up to the site with a more positive piece glorifying a game like PS3’s Uncharted: Drakes Fortune (amazing in all aspects, go buy it now! ~Full review pending).

As a devoted writer/blogger for the site I plan on taking one simple approach to my future posts, to be blatantly truthful, entertaining, and of course hopefully striking up controversy to stem up some heated debates.

So alas, I decided the best way to start off would be creating my own personalized list of the best damned video games ever made. Now just glancing at this list you will notice I do not necessarily favor next-gen graphics or even certain systems –despite the abundance of PSOne games. Simply put, I rated these games on the memories and experiences that they gave me in my life. I figured this above all else, this would tell and explain who I am as a gamer, and the qualities and standards I expect as one, in a more interesting way then to just sit down and write you my likes and dislikes.

Without further ado:

(1) Suikoden II: Developed by Konami and released in 1999, Suikoden II remains at the very top of my list for a myriad of reasons. First of all, I was a huge fan of the original game that was released three years prior. Not only is this game a direct sequel, but if you had your memory card with your last game save from the first Suikoden, then you could import information over to Suikoden II. This is particularly awesome because the game takes place only three years after the original storyline and many of the same characters cross over into the new story arc. Sweet, I know.

But let me digress, RPG’s are my number one gaming genre, and have been so since the very original Final Fantasy on the NES. Suikoden II did so many things differently from all the other RPG’s I had played to that point, that to not place it at the top of my list would be a slap in the face to Konami.

So what made it so different? Well just like the original, there was a beefy optional 108 characters one could recruit and add to your kingdom. That’s right a kingdom! No lame limit of six to nine potential characters to recruit (well you could travel with six in your party, but have the majority of the rest to pick to travel with you) thus you had almost limitless character parties to develop and level up. The storyline itself is probably the best ongoing storyline in gaming history. Riddled with betrayal and politics, the game was ahead of its time when it came to a more adult oriented storyline. The battle system was strong, and even the mini-games like the duals and epic army battles were a blast and welcomed change of pace. It was also one of the first gaming franchises that offer you multiple endings, depending on if anyone from your army died during the game play and how many people you recruited.

All in all, if you never had a chance to play through this amazing game, hop onto eBay and drop a cool 300 bucks on a copy, its well wroth your time. Of course, I would highly recommend playing the first game and getting all 108 stars of destiny and then importing the saved data into the sequel!


2.) Final Fantasy III/VI: Released in 1994 through the always amazing Square (Now Square Enix) for the SNES system. What can I say about the gem of a game that you don’t already know? I mean if your on this site then you must be a solid gamer, and every gamer I have ever known has played this amazing piece of gaming history, and if you haven’t? Well then, you should take this little piece of advice to heart. Delete your digitalsomething account and go hide in the corner for thirty minutes as a personal disciplinary action for being that much of a lamer.

No, I’m serious! If I were Matt –who subsequently created and runs this masterpiece of a site- I would make playing and beating this game a requirement before being allowed into this online community. Okay –maybe you shouldn’t delete your account- we need you, but definitely sit the remaining half an hour in a time-out. Once that’s up, go out and by the game, it’s been released a few different times on both GBA and PSOne. You’ll be subjected to an amazingly epic story, which of course is easily explained as being “well ahead of its time”, an awesome fighting system, with an even better magic system that allows you to develop and create your favorite characters abilities through these amazing little creatures known as Espers. Let’s not forget about all the characters that you get to know on your journey, my favorites are but not limited to: Locke, Sabin, Tera, and Shadow. Kefka is also by far one of the coolest and most sadistic villains I’ve ever had the pleasure of destroying.


3.) Final Fantasy VII: Another Square Enix game that was released for the Sony Playstation in 1997. This one really needs no introduction, as it is easily one of the most beloved games in the history of gaming. An awe-inspiring story with well developed characters, beautiful musical score, and probably the single most amazing villain ever created, only further maddens the ear shrieking cries of FFVII fan boys begging for a next-gen remake.


4.) Suikoden: Konami released the first of this epic franchise in 1996. I remembered when I first popped this amazing piece of gaming history into my Playstation that I knew right away this was going to something of the likes I had never played before. There are certain parts of my gaming history that will always stick with an avid gamer, and when you’re stuck in that damn castle and that flesh eating virus kills your best friend Gremio, personally is a perfect example of one that will stick with me forever. I was heartbroken, and being younger and not the elitist gamer I am today, I was unaware of the multiple endings to the game. When I found out if you recruited all 108 stars of destiny you could actually save Gremio, oh so many years later, I waited and waited until I finally got my hands on another copy, and replayed through that game with nothing more in mind then rewriting my own history. This time saving that damn Germio and getting the best ending possible. (This was only about three years ago, so you can see the everlasting affect it had on me.) Much like Suikoden II, the original has all the same qualities, including the awesome political driven storyline, and multiple battle engines. Must play for any RPG lover.


5.) Chrono Trigger: Another Square Enix game that was released for the SNES August 22nd, 1995. I know I have said it a lot in this article, but much like the four aforementioned games above it, Chrono Trigger was ahead of its time. And all great games should be, otherwise they shouldn’t be granted on an “all-time” greatest games list. Chrono Trigger was groundbreaking with the complex time-traveling storyline that unfolds and the ability to have thirteen potential endings. Lets not forget this is the first time the New Game + session that allows you to replay the game over again with all the same levels you finished the game with the first time. This allows you to face the games end boss at an earlier time then your first time through, and allowing you to get the different endings. Once again, if you haven’t played this gem, then hunt it down, it was remade for the PSOne, and although it suffers serious lag and loading times, its still well worth a play through, if not three or thirteen times more.

That wraps up my top five. As you notice not one “Next-Gen” game was even considered for this list, and I stand by my choices. The only one I would have possibly considered is Uncharted: Drakes Fortune for PS3, due to its ability to bridge the gap of the gaming world and epic movie-like experience. Drake was an amazing game, but in the end I don’t think it will hold the emotional connection that the above games do. These games will follow me around for the rest of my life, and will always be what I hold every other game up to in comparison. They truly are the very best.