One of the more difficult things I’ve ever been asked is to sum up my top 11 games over the past 11 years in a single paragraph. Can you even imagine trying to sum up a game in a single paragraph, let alone, all the things you like about the game? It’s not like people don’t do it every day but, damn, it’s an exercise in judgment. One theme across every single game on this list is the primary attribute for a game to really make it into my favorites list, emotional resonance. The games on this list offer me more than just cheap thrills, frustration or fun. Deep down, if I feel for the characters, the narrative, or something along those lines, it makes my list. This top 11 list is a list of games that resonated with me on a seriously emotional level. They aren’t ranked though, they’re just the best eleven games I’ve played over the past eleven years.
Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
Mass Effect 2 was originally on this list but I think my love of ME2 is heavily influenced by ME1 and since ME1 came out in 2007, we’re going with Dragon Age: Origins. Dragon Age: Origins was a response to Bioware being picked up by EA and no longer being published by Atari, therefore losing the Dungeons and Dragons license. DA:O was Bioware’s first original fantasy intellectual property and one I absolutely adored. Blending both old school computer RPG elements and modern niceties, Dragon Age: Origins engaged me in a way that I hadn’t felt for almost a decade when I played Baldur’s Gate 2. Bioware knocks the character interactions out of the park, as well as dialogue options.
To The Moon (2011)
Good lord this game made me sad. I’ve also never bothered my girlfriend so much about a game I’ve played as much as To The Moon. It didn’t take very long to beat, but in that time I went on an emotional journey that I wasn’t prepared for. The characters are endearing at first but once you start learning why they’re there and what they’re doing, it’s just tragic. The entire game just broke me to pieces. Soundtrack is pretty darn good too.
A Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC (2011)
I came across Trails in the Sky after doing some deep diving in search of some long-form JRPGs to play on the system. This game takes a long time to pick up and I lost interest several times leading up to the last two chapters but once the game clicked, I didn’t want to put it down. The combat is nothing to write home about, the dialogue is wordy and some of it completely unnecessary. But after I beat it, I was hooked. I was devastated after finding out that the sequel wouldn’t be released in North America. It would, eventually, but at the time there weren’t any plans. I was devastated.
Persona 4 Golden (2012)
Persona 4 is a JRPG with a small-town murder mystery theme that spirals pretty far out of control. I felt so much while playing this game and connecting with the characters, their ambitions and where they’re at in their lives. It’s a common theme in JRPGs to have the high points in the beginning and at the end, Persona 4’s high points are everything in between. Persona 4 Golden not only spins the typical JRPG game cycle for a loop but it does it very well. With the exception of the dungeon design, Persona 4 Golden is almost a perfect game to me.
Shin Megami Tensei IV (2013)
Definitely not the last JRPG on this list but for sure the last Atlus JRPG on this list. Shin Megami Tensei games have me gripped on an atmospheric level. It’s focused more on the dungeon crawling and offers no life sim elements. It leans heavily on learning enemies strengths and weaknesses. SMT IV broke its own formula by having you enter the world in an already apocalyptic state and did such a good job of gradually letting you into the world. I always hit a part in SMT games where I just want to power through and beat it because I’m so enthralled with what it’s offering. SMT IV made me feel that way pretty early on and is definitely my favorite SMT title.
Risk of Rain (2013)
Alright, there’s always an exception to prove the rule. This game offers me almost nothing on an emotional level. But Risk of Rain has kept me entertained for hours on multiple platforms and might have one of the most fitting soundtracks in the history of gaming. The soundtrack, written by the brilliant Chris Christodoulou, fits Risk of Rain’s mood so well that they feel seamlessly connected. I can’t imagine playing this game muted. I’m not big into roguelikes but Risk of Rain had me from the beginning and I just keep playing.
The Last of Us (2013)
This is probably in a lot of top 10 lists. I hate the Uncharted games. But Naughty Dog really grabbed me with The Last of Us. Obviously, this game really wants to make you feel for the characters. That aside, the world building was best in class for an action game and the dark themes throughout the game made it stick with me. I’m not sure this game needs a sequel but I would definitely love to explore more stories told in this universe. Truly master class in narrative design and world building.
Night in the Woods (2017)
Mood. Night in the Woods tells a relatable story about a college aged girl who has anxiety and is probably coming home for good. More importantly, it’s finding your place in the world and taking stock. Or maybe it’s something entirely different but it doesn’t matter because it was so damn good. The soundtrack to this game is incredible and the characters, their interactions with each other and the small little world felt so alive. Seriously, this game is good.
Persona 5 (2017)
Honestly, you could copy a lot of what I’m saying about Persona 4 and attribute it to Persona 5. Atlus is really into perfecting this style of game and Persona 5 fixes the dungeon design issue I had with Persona 4. The cast of characters leaves a little to be desired though. I’m very excited for Persona 5 Royal and I hope that they’re able to make the cast fit in together a little better. The cast of characters in Persona 5 don’t feel like friends, at least not in the same way the cast of Persona 4 Golden did. Still, an exceptionally well done JRPG.
What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)
I wasn’t thrilled with the story in this game. However, what really made me fall in love with this game is how closely the narrative is tied to the gameplay. It seemed like a boring walking sim at first but as I peeled the onion, so to speak, I found brilliant layers of game design matching narrative. A beautifully written story told through the players actions. I would argue this is one of the most important games ever created. You’d be doing yourself a huge disservice by not playing What Remains of Edith Finch.
God of War (2018)
I didn’t see this coming when it was launching. I thought the game looked really good but wasn’t convinced despite the praise it was getting. There’s an emotional journey in this game that really shines the more you play through the game. I managed to 100% the game because I loved the world so much and the combat was just smooth as butter. Sometimes I struggle with concepts in action games, it’s hard to play one with a lot of moving parts and actually utilize each action given. I never struggled with using every action concept they introduced to me in God of War. God of War is next level with its gameplay, narrative and dialogue.
