The VGC Top 100 Best Games of All Time, #100-91 - News
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 04 May 2009 / 150,299 Views
Welcome, all you readers, to the one list to rule them all: the Top 100 Video Games of All Time, as selected by the readers and forumgoers of VGChartz. There are always going to be issues with lists like this one; you could make one ten times this size and still miss out on a lot of truly great games. That said, this list will serve as an interesting window into the tastes of our readership, and the kind of game enjoyed by people who enjoy looking at video game sales.
Let's begin.
100. Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 is considered by many people to be among the scariest games ever made, with no limit on the chills that one may get when experiencing it. As James Sunderland journeys into a town where nobody wants to go, players will be treated to the sort of sights and sounds that text would fail to convey: the only way to know is to play it. Silent Hill 2 is especially notable in that, nearly a decade later, it is no less scary than when it came out, and can still be used to separate the men from the boys. Or, if you prefer, if can be used to separate the men from the men who cry like children whenever Pyramid Head enters the scene.
Platforms: PS2, Xbox
99. Portal
Portal may be one of the most rigorously original, focused, and well-designed games to ever come out of a studio known for games that push the boundaries of genre classification and video game narrative. Take a gun that can make a portal between any two points, add one faceless protagonist given personality by action rather than by narrative, and toss in a heaping helping of some of the best, funniest, and most morbid writing in the business. What you end up with is a game which permeated the consciousness of the internet like few others, giving birth to memetic forms that live on to this day and still standing alone in terms of design. Portal is short, but there is no other game like it, which is pretty unique on a list like this one.
Platforms: PC, 360, PS3
98. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Where Portal stands alone because of its uniqueness, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn makes it mark as the ultimate realization of a very specific type of game. Fire Emblem is not one of Nintendo's bigger series, but those who play it often hold it up as the apotheosis of all turn-based strategy video games, and Radiant Dawn is often held as the apotheosis of Fire Emblem. Building on the world set up in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn expands on its predecessor with new tiers of character upgrades, some of the best writing in the genre, and an even higher difficulty than has become the hallmark of the series. The power of Fire Emblem comes in how it takes a system which has existed for nearly as long as Nintendo has been making video games, hones it to a razor's edge, and does not make any apologies. Radiant Dawn does all of this and more, standing far above the competition in the eyes of its fans.
Platform: Wii
97. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
One cannot have a conversation about Western-developed role-playing video games without mentioning BioWare, and BioWare is not going to come up in any conversation without Baldur's Gate II being mentioned at least once. It has become synonymous with its genre in many people's minds, and for good reason: a strong argument could be made that it is still the most complete, best-written RPG ever. Baldur's Gate II takes the trappings of the Forgotten Realms and then goes absolutely berserk with them, carving out a niche for itself and its storytelling that comes as close to replicating the Dungeons and Dragons experience as any game has ever managed. There is almost no limit to what you can do, who you can interact with, or how you can affect the world around you. It is a game in which you can believe that anything is possible, and that is something that has burned itself into people's memories since the title's release.
Platform: PC
96. Sonic the Hedgehog
Can you say fast? Sonic can. Sonic's entire persona, the entire concept behind his character, is built on being fast, cool, and completely unique. His uniqueness hasn't held up as much over the years, but Sonic's initial outing for the Genesis/Megadrive set the tone for a series that built itself on the spectacle of speed and a kind of thrill that a certain other video game mascot just didn't provide. Some say Sonic has fallen from grace in recent years, but looking back on this game, a game that changed the way we looked at what platformers could be, is an easy way to remember what made him great in the first place. Sonic the Hedgehog is a game that oozes personality from every orifice, engineered to be so cool that it still feels genuine nearly twenty years later.
Platform: Mega Drive/Genesis
95. Paper Mario
It's hard to imagine the kind of thought process that resulted in Paper Mario, but I wish they could replicate that creativity more often. Paper Mario's fun from a mechanical standpoint comes from its quirky gameplay, where action commands can make your attacks pop out in really big ways, but the heart of the game lies in its distinctive style and its sense of humor and its almost strangely well-written script. Paper Mario never takes itself very seriously, but it adheres to a consistent logic that makes the experience of the game cohesive beyond reproach. It's often thought of as an introduction to its genre, an RPG for beginners, but Paper Mario sets itself apart with its craftsmanship, demanding its place next to the big boys.
Platform: N64
94. Kingdom Hearts
What more to say about Kingdom Hearts? Quite a lot, in fact. The first game was met with skepticism and trepidation, perhaps understandably so: to many gamers Square-Enix and Disney didn't sound like a good combination, at first. I mean, how do you reconcile the untouchable coolness of Sephiroth with a summoned version of Bambi? Yet that is exactly what Kingdom Hearts did, and in so doing it captured the hearts and minds of many, many people. Its level design was visually rich and reminiscent of the films that inspired it, the voice acting was top notch, and the narrative was as frank and honest and unassuming as you could ask for. Square-Enix had a lot of material to work with in this game, and they did their best to live up to it with character appearances to put a smile on any fan's face and boss fights that are still among the most impressive ever devised. Has there been any other game where you could fight Cloud and Squall simultaneously before going off to duke it out with Maleficent? No, and it's that kind of realized potential that made Kingdom Hearts great.
Platform: PS2
93. Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross had more expectations riding on it than any game should ever have. As the sequel to the venerable Chrono Trigger, it was expected to be just as witty, just as endearing, just as fun, just as memorable - with an extra helping of everything, thanks. It says a lot, then, that for many people it not only met those expectations, it surpassed its predecessor on all fronts. Chrono Cross is a game that takes the concept of dimensional parallelism and runs with it, so much so that many people find it difficult to keep up. The expanded cast, much more intricate and detailed plot line, and thematic exploration of concepts only touched on in Chrono Trigger, all lent themselves to a package which was everything that people had asked for. Still, amongst all of this, the most persistently affecting and enjoyable part of the game is its soundtrack, often hailed as Yasunori Mitsuda's best. Regardless of one's opinions on the rest of the title, it's almost impossible to listen to a song like "Scars of Time" without appreciating the level of craftsmanship that went into Chrono Cross. It is, perhaps, more divisive than its predecessor, but those who love the game love it immensely.
Platform: PS
92. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
The third entry in the Elder Scrolls saga has established itself firmly as the preeminent open world sandbox role-playing game, wherein you may go anywhere and do anything. It's true that there is a primary quest to be undertaken, and the beginning and end for many adventurers will ring alike, but the entire point of this game is in how you can establish the path by which you traverse the world. You can do almost anything you can imagine, and there are no arbitrary limitations placed on you concerning your motive or the severity of the actions you can take. You change the world around you through your actions, creating a game in which every playthrough may be completely unique, and for a game this size that is an incredible idea. Many RPGs ask the question, "How will you proceed?", but Morrowind in particular prefers to ask, "What do you want to do?" When you want to play the sneaky, thieving assassin with no interest whatsoever in saving the world, that's okay. If you're a knight of a forgotten holy order, that's okay too. In fact, you are encouraged to craft your own identity, to forge your own unique path, to force the world to react to you. "Change things!" the game demands, and many people still find this siren's song too sweet to resist.
Platforms: PC, Xbox
91. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Depending on who you ask, Metal Gear Solid 2 is either the cruelest practical joke in the history of the medium or one of the most brilliant examples of postmodern game design ever created. In many ways, there isn't enough that can be said about the game: this was arguably the most technically impressive piece of software at the time of its release, with visuals that would continue to impress newcomers for years, single-handedly establishing the Playstation 2 as a piece of technology to be reckoned with. Metal Gear Solid 2 is more than just a showpiece, though: it is also a game that set out to subvert the expectation of a public that demanded a sequel to Metal Gear Solid, a game that knew exactly what it was and knew how to play to its own strengths. If it has to be summed up in two words, Sons of Liberty is a roller coaster, full of dips and spins that constantly throw the player for a loop and manage to leave expectations shattered. The primary protagonist is not Solid Snake, the player is left unsure how the story they experience is related to the larger Metal Gear narrative, and the game itself seems eerily aware of the person playing it, and the way in which they assume the game operates. Metal Gear Solid 2 breaks every rule in the book at least twice, and the best part of it is how it makes you reconsider the logic of the game you're playing.
Platform: PS2
The VGC Top 100 Best Games of All Time is solely based on votes by our members.
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I hope Half-life 1 or DEUS EX are number 1. But they probably never played it.
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Chrono Cross was a good game, but not NEARLY as good as Chrono Trigger. That should definitely place a bit higher than the aforementioned Chrono game.
MGS2 doesn't belong any where near this list. I don't say this about many games, but I hate that game. What an over hyped steaming pill of .....
Nice opening, but I thought some of these games would be shown from 50-41 at least.
Chrono Cross? Seriously?
BG2 is only 97 ???? What a shame
Baldur's Gate 2 definitely deserves to be higher. I guess not enough people have played it around here, though.
Nice start to the list!
Love that Fire Emblem, I was totally addict as I didn't finish with whole character to max out their level. My opinion, it have higher re-play value.
Since when is Sephiroth cool? Much less, untouchably so?
Mama's boy.
about chrono cross: "it surpassed its predecessor on all fronts."
Ehhh, I don't think so.
MGS 2 is suppose to be way higher.
Silent Hill 2 and Chrono Cross made the list? You gotta be kidding me...
And Paper Mario at #95? LOL ok... whatever....
I have to say, i thought MGS2 would be a little higher than 91, i was expecting all 4 MGS games to be in the top 50-60. The top 15 for MGS and MGS3 i hope. I have a feeling a Zelda game will make the top 3.
In my personal list SH 2 is at 1st place
I can't wait to see the rest.
mgs2 is by far the best game in the series, its troubling that mgs3, easily the weakest link in the franchise due to its watered down narrative will probably place higher than mgs2.
The credibility of this list will be inversely proportional to how high Final Fantasy 7 places.
I'm expecting a lot of golden oldies to be near the top judging from that start.
A good start, with Morrowind on the list.
That little logo you have for this whole thing better mean FFVII is gonna be #1!
Honestly though, if MGS4 and FFVII don't make the top ten you guys are nuts.
Great list, thanks Khuutra.
If this is 91-100... i still have lots of great games to play apparently
I don't remember this poll. Anyway, I hope I'll only see Civ2 when we reach top 20, or else I be really disapointed with humanity.
Baldur's gate II should be higher, it might not be perfect gameplay wise, but some of the writing in it was the best.
some of those are too good to be in the 100-91 list
If this is the quality of games 91-100 ..... : O
Mgs2 would be in my top 20. I also though Chrono cross would be way higher. Meh anyway, it's not MY list ;D
Aw come on cheese_man, this is just for fun. The team of writers and editors is completely separate from the sales tracking team, so they're not slowing each other down.
Normally I hate these lists too. This is the first time I've ever been excited for one, just because I know a bunch of the wackjobs here who voted for their favorite stupid games that I don't understand.
Just stick to game sales plz VG chartz
Sonic should not be so down. :'(
Great games in 100-91 cant wait for 90-81
Portal, second to last? what kind of games are in the remaining top 90?
and chrono cross that low too...
paper mario n64 is a bad RPG only 2characters to a party at a time mario RPG gives 3 and its a snes game........
Silent Hill 2 is frightening
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
I WANTED RCT ON THE LIST!!! ;_;
Hopefully 1-10 are all Mario games. :-)
So 95 games are better than Sonic the Hedgehog then? You learn something new every day.
odd to see radiant down up there(not that is wasn't a great game, just doesn't seem like a game that would be on this list)
papermario should be much higher
thank god radiant dawn made the list. It is my favorite wii game even though that is not saying a lot at this time, it is still an awesome game everyone should play.
Hyruken; new games rarely, if ever, win these things. Expect some blast from the past to take the top pos. Perhaps some SNES game, who knows?
Well, that's 10 games down, 90 to go. I'm fully expecting Brett to be the number 1 game, though!
Seriously, though, I'm already happy with the way things are going. While some of these games may not be my cup of tea, I can see why others would consider them good.
Cool, I've played 2 of these games. But I only finished Baldur's Gate II. I suppose the KH games probably have some right to be in a top 100, but I don't see it myself.
I'll be disappointed if KH2 beats out KH on this list.
As long as Xenogears is number 2 on the list and the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is number 1 i'm happy.
@Hyruken
This was all determined by forum votes. So you'll have to wait until another list to tell us how we're all raging Sony fanboys.
A lot of the mods come across as raging Sony fanboys so will be interesting to see how this turns out! ;)
(50p on MGS4 getting number one)
@ Kos-mos - MGS4 is considered by many the best in the series (including myself), so it is no surprise that it would be higher in the chart than MGS2.
MGS2 certainly deserves higher than 91/100 no doubt about that. In my book, it is the third best game i ever played after parts 4 and 3 of MGS series.
Anyway, good job VGChartz, this should be an interesting chart :)
BG II. Number 97? Really? This list officially doesn't matter to me...
Hopefully kingdom hearts ii will be higher.
Yay for Radiant Dawn!
For those of you who are bad mouthing it, it's presence might have something to do with the fact that the first post in the thread started off with it as one of their top 5. I think it thoroughly deserves to come in the top 100 though. I still think it's the best straight-up sequel I've ever played - it complements Path of Radiance perfectly. Good list so far.
Sadly, I know that Intellivision will not have any entries on this list; even the Atari 2600 may get over looked.
VGC should put the flame shield on......I always found these top 100 lists to be retarded, generally 20-90 are all interchangeable and will be debated heavily.
If Metal Gear Solid 4 is above Metal Gear Solid 2, something is wrong. I mean wrong as in bad, strange, unbeliveable, chaotic, chaos, the mighty lord GOD.
Either it should be on 1-10 or not on the list at all.
I Hope to see Nox (the rpg), Crash Badicoot 1-2-3, Myst 1-2-3-4, Monkey Island 1-2-3, Metal Gear Solid 1-2-3-4.
MGS2 and paper mario in the ending of this list? What is this list based on? Who's opinion
Gotta say I already doubt how good this list will be at all if Portal is so far back.
Metal Gear Solid was the first game in the series I played and it almost killed the franchise to me. The confusing plot, the endless chatting in the radio, and the non-sense ending was too much.
Sonic should be higher.
I can't wait for the rest of the list. I'm hoping that all five of the games I voted for make it onto the list.
SoTC will be in 1-50....If not, then damn.
Well, we best see some Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy X love. But much later on in the top 10. That is my dream.
hmmmm i fear for banjo kazooie
I hope SMB3 beats Ocarina. DON'T LET ME DOWN VGCHARTZ USERS. You'll break my fragile heart for good this time.
And I want one Katamari game, any one, to be anywhere in the top 100. That is my dream. That is my cause.
@Naum: Do you really think the Ocarina of Time won't be in the top ten? If not first? ;)
@Naum
that's the only thing I'm really worried about, that newer games will be overrepresented in the top ten because they are fresh in people's minds. But as long as we can have a top 5 without anything from this gen I'll be happy.
I have a strange feeling tht all the top 10 will be games from this gen..
@Zkuq: This is the thread: http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=61288
1, 2 and 3 will be Ocarina, MGS4 and FF7 (not in that order)
HOW DARE VGC USERS PLACE BG2 SO LOW!!!!
1 final fantasy VII ?
man that game is way overrated.
Silent Hill 2 is a big disappointment!!!A top 20 for me or even higher!
OK NEXT
How is that a scene from Silent Hill 3? Looks like Silent Hill 2 to me.
Yup Chrono Cross is by far my favorite game of all time, with kingdom hearts in second place.
Yeah you're excused zexen_lowe. Top 5 is good enough for me. Thanks for responding to my letter so quickly.
(Oh man this list is gonna get even crazier.)
Some amazing games it the bottom 10.
@Zlejedi- Yeah, I think that might be the case. There will also be a strong Zelda pressence I'd say.
I have a bad feeling top 20 will be bunch of Mario, GTA and Halo
Top 100 List should be based on game hits on VGChartz.
I agree with the guy who said Chrono Cross should be higher.... like #4896 that would be more fitting.
What an insane 100-91. This part of the list could have been #10-#1 and it still would have been respectable.
The list is more of a listing than A RANKING... if thats the objective then im down with that..
Chosen by the readers? We, the registered users? How come I missed this (as well as many other things :P)?
Anyway, wasn't Silent Hill released on PC as well? Well, a Director's Cut or something was, I think. And apparently MGS2: Substance is taken as a different game than SoL since MGS2 was, according to this, only released on PS2?
Too many great games at the end of the list. Mainly I'm worried about Baldur's Gate II and MGS2 but I'd say Silent Hill 2 should probably be a bit higher too. Well, truth be told, I haven't played it, but it seems like a game that has earned its reputation (and pretty often I'm not too far off).
85 is surprising, given some of the games it beat. =/
But you guys will find out more in a few days. :P
dam i really must play that Baldurs gate game again...it rocks so much <3
slaps self
I just realized I can check out the staff forums and see the full list!
What MGS2 now not in the top 20
What Silent hill 2 now not in the top 50
What KH2..wha.........
No need to see the rest, am done
Crap ... Sonic should be in the top 20 atleast ... Damn you anti sega bitches
Nintendo go very far, two titles, two most wanted!
Good, this thing.
It's sad that whenever there's a list of this kind, people will always say stuff like "This game should be much higher", "Where's this game?", and "I don't care about this list because of this and that". Since we all got to vote, this list is what the VGC community actually thinks. Can't get more fair than that, right?
Me, I'm glad Portal made the list. Like really glad. Myself, I think it's the best game ever made. I can see how other would not agree with me on that point though, and that's why I'm glad it made the list.
It will be interesting to see how the list turns out towards the end.
cool, look forward to the rest :-)
to Faxanadu : hum... I'm sure you voted for ...Faxanadu? ^^
lol i forgot to vote in that one. Doesn't matter. Too many good games it'd be hard to decide.
there were better fire emblem games that this one. I cannot explain why this game here exept that you're a fanboys of this game
Individual taste is individual.
Portal is criminally low (or high, depending on how you look at it) on this list. I'm glad to see Kingdom Hearts make the cut, and a decent start overall.
If Shadow of the Colossus doesn't end up at or near the top of this list I'll be very disappointed with the VGC community.
Awesome work Khuutra!
I can tell you all that the list is awesome! Stay tuned.
Lol, read through Chrono Cross.
Is supossedly surpassed it's predecessor on all fronts xD, but i'm expecting Trigger to be in the top 10...
Kinda weird xD
Rubang, I put Suikoden II, FF Tactics, Persona 4 and Shadow of the Colossus over it (I put Portal as 5th). Am I excused? :P
