Best posts made by Brannox

After reading the EZA Desire Index thread, I thought I would take the initiative and create the thread about where we stand with our desire index. Here's what I was thinking: We each give our own index of games. From those, a communal list, which will be listed in this specific post will be the "Master Index" of our game desires. After a lot of life, this thread has now taken on a different look than how it started. So just leave a list and see where your games appear! Please note: I retain the right to determine any Unannounced game's inclusion to the Master Index on a case by case basis.

As it stands, the FINAL STANDINGS for the EZA Forum Desire Index is as follows:

NINETEEN Total Entries and 91 Games:

Seventeen Entries:

1. Cyberpunk 2077

Fifteen Entries

2. The Last of Us Part II

Thirteen Entries:

3. Resident Evil 2 Remake
4. Kingdom Hearts III
5. Ghost of Tsushima

Twelve Entries:

6. Final Fantasy VII: Remake

Eleven Entries:

7. Dreams
8. Death Stranding

Ten Entries:

9. Control
10. Beyond Good & Evil 2

Nine Entries:

11. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
12. Devil May Cry 5
13. Shenmue III

Seven Entries:

14. Metroid Prime 4

Six Entries:

15. Anthem
16. Halo: Infinite

Five entries:

17. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
18. Gears 5
19. Metro: Exodus

Four entries:

20. The Elder Scrolls VI
21. DOOM: Eternal
22. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
23. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
24. Judgment
25. Wolfenstein: Youngblood
26. Babylon’s Fall
27. Bayonetta 3
28. Skull & Bones

Three entries:

29. Metal Wolf Chaos XD
30. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
31. Catherine: Full Body
32. Team Sonic Racing
33. The Outer Worlds
34. Gears Tactics
35. Onimusha: Warlords
36. Man of Medan
37. Crackdown 3
38. Jump Force

Two entries:

39. Ooblets
40. Trails of Cold Steel 3
41. Psychonauts 2
42. Biomutant
43. Ace Combat 7
44. Project Re: Fantasy
45. Shin Megami Tensei V
46. Pokemon for Switch
47. CTR: Nitro Fueled
48. Age of Empires IV
49. Days Gone
50. Rage 2
51. Nioh 2
52. Starfield
53. Trials Rising

One entry:

54. Brave Earth: Prologue
55. Battlefleet: Gothic Armada 2
56. Trials of Cold Steel 4
57. Playdead's Project
58. 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim
59. Rocksteady's Project
60. Etrian Odyssey Nexus
61. Ion Maiden
62. Yoshii's: Crafted World
63. Blackroom
64. Gran Blue Fantasy Project Re: Link
65. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition
66. Somerville
67. Gears Pop
68. Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
69. Phoenix Point
70. The Pathless
71. Daemon X Machina
72. Battletoads for Xbox One
73. Code Vein
74. My Friend Pedro
75. Sukeban's Project
76. Shin Yakuza
77. System Shock: Remake
78. Desperados
79. The Last Night
80. MediEval Remake
81. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
82. Dragon: Marked for Death
83. The Sinking City
84. In the Valley of Gods
85. Total War: Three Kingdoms
86. The Artful Escape
87. Carrion
88. WiLD
89. Hellpoint
90. UnDungeon
91. Age of Wonders: Planetfall

Ok. This is without a doubt going to be the stopgap for Mr. Huber on contract formulation. But in all seriousness, this shouldn't be a divisive thing to anyone in the community. To all those out there who are upset or as I have read in this thread, those threatening unsubs and support pulls please keep this in mind: EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING about the entirety of this situation is 100% FUN AND GAMES. The betting special is a game, the contract is about a game, the stream is of a game. And ALL of it is in good FUN, whether it is at Mr. Huber's expense or those here in the community that can't take a joke. Do I like the trolling, or any trolling for that matter? Not really. Do I believe Mr. Bosman has no honor? For the most part. But at the end of the day, in no way should anybody be upset at this situation. I MUST give credit to Mr. Bosman for his undeniable expert level skill in weaseling his way out of a bet and to that I end I can only applaud. That and the fact he can do it with a completely straight face. HOWEVER, in the spirit of good fun I just wanted to throw out there: I SO hope Mr. Huber permanently keeps possession of the Schlosser Cup (I hope that's how it's spelled). So at PSX, Mr. Huber needs a contract where someone from Easy Allies must be physically present in the same room as Mr. Bosman to witness him doing something he absolutely DESPISES. Doesn't need to, nor should it be, another LTTP stream, but if there is something that Mr. Bosman doesn't like for whatever reason, it gives the bets weight, which makes them pointless to have to begin with (Thus why I believe he has no honor). Another potential could be to tarnish something Mr. Bosman holds dear, like him disparaging Tetris in some way, or forcing him to break media blackout on a game could be a good (although not necessarily as satisfying for us) way to really irk him. Sorry for such a long comment so allow me to end, once again in the name of good fun to say: All of us "Stupid Huber fans" really can't wait to see Mr. Bosman truly get undone in some way. At least we're all Allies and we can agree that Video Games, and EZA are all awesome. Thanks for reading.

This thread has been a real good read. Allow me to leave a few responses to common themes instead of tagging 10 people:

I was part of another forum for a good bit of time until serious toxicity started to become more rampant. I took a break from that forum for about a month but then I decided to dip my toes back in as it were. I then shortly afterwards found a thread that was quite profane and sentiment was HIGHLY opinionated in being ANTI the very group the forum was a part of. At that point, I decided to leave that community except for the people I became friends with beforehand. I don't ever want to deal with those kinds of people.

As for EZA Twitch chat, I can't ever catch livestreams that interest me live, so I watch the archives via Twitch. And when I do, the chat is ALWAYS closed. This is more to focus on the Allies, but a small part of not having the best experiences. But from what I remember, it isn't terrible on average, just incorrigible during major events.

As for being here on the forums, this and the Community Comments video is where I interact with others on a somewhat consistent basis. Even then, that video is just a way to say what the month has meant to me and move on, but I really enjoy listening to my fellow Allies' thoughts about whatever they decided to post about for that month (Spoilers: I'm SO SORRY for May's video).

While my reputation for a couple of people has been a maniacal overlord forcing people to kill their babies, I stand by that being a great avenue to learn about people's tastes and I enjoyed reading the conversations that took place there.

In terms of others' opinions, I try to be as open as I can. To provide a couple of examples, the Community threads that are currently sitting in the Hall of Fame subforum are my favorite, as the conversations there were civil, fun, and I got to learn, read and see the passion we all have for whatever was being discussed. Another is this year's E3 conference ranking. Personally, I feel Nintendo had the best and Bethesda the worst. And I'm POSITIVE there is complete disagreement about that. That's cool! I love talking about that kind of thing, so I HOPE people disagree with me about that stuff, as it provides excellent talking points and because out here off of the computer I don't have an avenue to discuss gaming, this place is a wonderful outlet.

With that being said, there have been very few times I HAVE gotten into disagreement here that has proceeded beyond what I hope for ("I don't like [my interest here]!" "Oh, why?" [sees reasons] "Ok, here is why your points, WHICH ARE VALID AND I AM NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU, don't bother me as much or why I FEEL they are actually positives.") After my response, there is IMMEDIATELY one to some effect of "You're wrong/that opinion is garbage/what you think doesn't matter." Even when I try to stay level headed, in the split-moment of feeling attacked, I want to believe in the best of others, not having to defend myself. If there IS an escalation, I try to simultaneously de-escalate any tempers while clearing any potential confusion that has occurred.

That only stings when there is a break down of being clear: I NEVER try to change another's opinion, only know what's different from mine, why, and understand it. If I see something I disagree with, if it's minor or I'm COMPLETELY against it, my response is the same: I respectfully disagree. The MOMENT ANYONE claims, at any time for any reason a person's OPINION is wrong, and any other colorful word you want to place here, THAT is a personal attack, gets nowhere productive, becomes the catalyst for the incendiary cesspools of hate that is unwelcome, and above all else targets the person who says the opinion is bad as someone not worth interacting with.

Yes, over the course of my time in this forum, I have come to recognize some as people I'm not sure I would interact with well, but I try to be polite, courteous, and 1/2 of the brand: respectful. Disagreement is a given, but its how we choose to act in the moment someone disagrees with us that makes us examples to follow, or the very trolls we despise.

I love it here. This forum 99% of the time I've been here has had nothing but positive returns. Even though my interaction may be small, it is nonetheless the kind I have wanted.

So whether you think I'm alright, have no opinion of me, don't like me for whatever reason, or outright hate my guts, Love and Respect to one and all

I am thoroughly surprised FF IX beat out Majora's Mask. I thought FOR SURE it would be the other way around...

In any event, in regards to Majora's Mask it is the one game on my list that I did not play, but it IS the one game I want to. Of all the Zeldas that I haven't, none call to me like Majora's Mask (For reference, I've only played Wind Waker [Like it a lot] and A Link to the Past [It's... fine]) Because I've never owned an N64 (due to circumstances that still aggravate me to this day) and me resolute in not buying a system for a single game, no exceptions (Sorry 3DS), this and Ocarina will forever sit atop the pile of shame.

As for Final Fantasy IX, this is the most recent Final Fantasy I've played for the first time. When it was rereleased for the PS4, I downloaded it and after some time, I finally got around to playing. I've been averse to playing games based off others' praise (Final Fantasy VI burned me pretty bad) and the style of the game never really spoke to me, but I decided to give it a shot.

And I'm happy I did.

Whlie the reliance on stealing is an annoyance, and the story REALLY gets away from itself down the stretch, FF IX is not only a solid FF game, but personally speaking, the best game to come out of 2000. I enjoy Tetra Master and some scenes are really captivating (Like when arriving at Freya's home and the burning of Alexandria).

FF IX, in my personal FF rankings, now sits in between the "Love" and "Like" categories. (For reference, said rankings are: 7, 10, 12, 4 | 1, 9 | 15, 2 | 6 | 8, 13 with not having played 3, 5, 11, and 14).

As a quick overall summary of my list:

1.) Final Fantasy IX
2.) Pokemon Gold/Silver
3.) Spyro: Year of the Dragon
4.) Crash Bash
HM.) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

You know it's coming so here we go: Shout-outs to: @Exist-2-Inspire, @Sazime, @tokeeffe9, @Enzo88, @jipostus, @Crepe, @naltmank, @Ringedwithtile, @FF7Cloud, @TokyoSlim, @Lotias, @SunPraiser, @Hidz, @A7X458, @ACardAttack, and @Sheria for lauding Final Fantasy IX!

And finally, I always wanted to end my last summary post with a massive thank you to @Axel for putting these together and the work that goes into them. You do a fantastic job!

Now, I can't wait for the next one! (Which most likely will be the 2018 list)

Just seeing this thread I wanted to add my two (or twenty) cents on the subject:

While new people and topics are welcome, personally speaking, it's about what this place offers and how each person values.

Yes, I spend a vast majority of my time in the Gaming section (sometimes hopping into Shows for a couple of things like keeping Trailer Jones updated and talking about the newest Top 10 or Hall of Greats), I only really will post for three reasons:

1.) Updates and curation - If I create a post, (especially ones with lists), I want to make sure I stay on top of it, keep it up to date, and see if anyone really comments on what I have to say. Kill Your Babies, Selective Creation, Desire Index, Madness Brackets.... these things help me interact more, plus I try to bring something fun (At least I hope they are...).

2.) Community efforts - Things like the GOTY threads (shoutout to @Axel), top characters, etc. Things that I want to participate in and see the outcomes of. I also consider the E3 threads I make along these lines, because it's that special time of year we can talk what we hope for, and what happens.

3.) Personally interesting topics - These are the fewest because most topics I've posted about before have been done multiple times, and its kind of pointless to revisit them. Things like "Favorite Achievements/Trophies", "Rank the games in your favorite series", and very particular specific game threads (and only then if I've already played said games. God of War and Horizon come to mind). The reason why I stay out of "What are you playing?" and "That's News" topic is it being much too broad. If they were a little more focused, I might jump in.

While I may not post everyday, I always come here at least once to see if either anything new has been posted/created OR if I got a response for anything I've posted/updated.

On the subject of what to do to entice people? Outside of putting out shoutouts in things such as the Monthly Q&A, Community Showcase, and Cup of Jones, there isn't anything. These forums have been here now almost three years and at this point, while (speaking only for me), I'll continue from time to time to do things like having the Desire Index in the CS, or make mention of the Kill Your Babies/E3 threads, I have no expectation my small little calls saying this place is great is going to sway anyone.

BUT.

I like what we have. This is not to mean to be exclusionary. I just feel that the people who post here, WANT to be here, and those who don't no longer frequent. Sure, as I just mentioned, only occupying a specific spot here does limit my exposure, and subsequently introduce bias, but in this ENTIRE forums history, I had ONE bad interaction. ONE. And with a poster who I don't see around here anymore (and I wasn't the only one to have issues with said person). My point: To (and for) me, this has been 99.99% positive and honestly? That makes this place comfortable. We all pretty much have a good idea of who we all are from what, where, and how we post.

Most of the Allies won't come here. There's no incentive, and they're too busy. As Jones has said SEVERAL times via Cup of Jones: This place was primarily built for us to congregate, not them, AND it ties what the Allies want to do. And they want to focus on their work with shows, streams, and coverage.

To conclude: While it would be great for new faces and topic ideas to show, we've got a good thing here. If anyone has read all of this, thanks a ton. Sorry for the wall of text.

Love & Respect

Good lord, leave for a couple of hours and come back to find chaos...

Vincent Valentine - AWESOME!!!!! It's endlessly funny that he was just on the cusp of the list because of error. THANK YOU to whomever made the catch! As evidenced by me placing him second overall, I really find Vincent fascinating. I won't drone on and on about why I love him so, but the bio given is a nice summation of his chronology in Final Fantasy VII. He's super cool. @SabotageTheTruth The highest of fives.

Tali'Zorah - Much like Wrex, Tali was such a highlight of Mass Effect, but not just 1, but over the entire trilogy. I loved how she transitioned from a Quarian on her pilgrimage to being probably one the, if not most important, of her species. Being able to romance her in ME 2 was something that was well receieved by me, because of the three female squadmates in the first game, I enjoyed her more, so having that evolve into 2 was worth it. Also, if you Renegade the hell out of 3, the end of her story arc is utterly heartbreaking. Tali was the most... for lack of a proper term... innocent of all the squad. My thanks to @Brandon_Reister and @Musou-Tensei for liking her enough to make your lists.

Sarah Kerrigan - Never played StarCraft, but I've had a little of her backstory explained to me and if I A.) Played on PC and B.) Played strategy games in general, I would probably pick up StarCraft to really experience how she came to be. She seems to be a fascinating case study of how affecting a bad decision can be.

Also, @Exist-2-Inspire , don't sweat it. You're doing a great job!

And the vote is OVER! With a resounding 13-3 decision...

Okami is THE game above them all, winning for a third time!

I always have wanted to thank everyone for every bit of participation, from a one-time kill to being involved the whole way through.

But this thanks is simply for sticking with these. It's been a real treat to get to know you through your tastes and interests and over the past year, I have truly enjoyed seeing the diverse thoughts. From die hard Zelda and Persona fans, the always predictable various stances on Final Fantasy, the.... polite.... disagreement in regards to Pokemon, the opinions on what games are worthy in being the best across many categories... this has been fun.

While I will no longer do SC or KYB! threads simply because I'm tapped out of ideas, if anyone else wants wants to make them, I look forward to being a killer... wait... that comes off wrong... nevermind.

I'll still pop up here and there through the forums, but this long-winded thing is just to say:

I have really appreciated the interaction.

See ya in other threads!

@michemagius After reading the previous 25-30 ish posts I wanted to respond in saying that it bums me out you feel you shouldn't post about something you love here. I read and thoroughly enjoyed your posts and I can clearly tell Pokemon is your game series, above all others. Your passion shows, and it is appreciated.

To add my personal input about Pokemon, I dropped out after gen 4 because it introduced many changes I really didn't like, so the first three gens are the ones for me. I'm not a competitive player and I rarely go back through those campaigns any more, but I still enjoy them when I do.

To your point about Final Fantasy not meshing with you, speaking as my favorite franchise, I totally get that. There are entries that are in my top 10-15 games of all time. And there are some I can't stand. But I completely agree with your point and it's because of that why I like the series so much: There is almost something for everyone. And as you touched on, the same is applicable for Pokemon.

I understand the feeling of not doing so great reading someone's personal criticisms of something you hold dear. But, it shouldn't dissuade you from continuing to champion what you care about. I love Uncharted. Some people here hate it. I'm not into Zelda. I don't think I've met a community (or members of a community) that are more passionate about the franchise, and specific entries of said franchise, than here.

And that's cool. I will sit here and state: I do find the Legend of Zelda, for the most part, interesting.

Did I just potentially invite several comments questioning this, a couple at least negative? Sure. But that's my personal opinion. I respect the love and adulation, the defense and reasoning, the fervor and importance any given property has with each person. Much like yourself with Pokemon.

Which brings me to the thing I am in absolute agreement with you the most on: Simply because I may not like something in no way is indicative of SOMEONE ELSE'S talents in game creation and as a result whether or not they are "bad developers." I don't make games. Having read up some on what people put themselves through, I never want to. People who put themselves through Hell to make something which at the very least will be decent to someone WILL, 100%, be shat on because the game doesn't mesh with those criticizing it.

So The Legend of Zelda isn't for me. And spoilers, of the three Oct. 27 games, Super Mario Odyssey is the one that's unappealing. But in absolutely no way does that mean the teams who create those experiences are bad developers. Far from it. I would argue Nintendo is one of the best with its stable of talent in creating unique games that, as far as I have seen, never fail on a technical level.

In conclusion, whether you do decide to cease discussing Pokemon, I appreciate the dedication you have for it and am happy to have read as much as I have of your knowledge on it. My apologies also for the long post as well. Personal opinion based declarative statements presented as fact do that to me from time to time.

Love and Respect, and have a wonderful day.

Today's editorial was the single most important one in EZA's history to date. I really hope it won't be forgotten.

First, on Shovel Knight, I really love how in an age of many games needing to be as realistic as possible, Yacht Club went retro, and captured it better than most I've seen try. I'm very curious what their next project will be once they put aside the IP for awhile. Also, I still think it's funny I called completely forgetting to add a major title in my top five predictions and was right about it being GOTY.

However, as for Wolfenstein, this was the ONLY game that I felt was great (everything else being good to meh, which I'll get to in a moment). I LOVE the no-apologies take on violence and was completely surprised by how much I really liked the story. I felt it dragged a little bit and by the time you go underwater is when I felt it was becoming a little too wrapped up in itself, but the overall campaign was fun. I especially enjoyed how the choice you make in the beginning changed the story and it was really interesting to see the differences.

As is my custom, I just want to shout out all those who also voted for it so high fives to @Sazime, @A7X458, @Faaip, @bard91, @iboshow, @Axel, @TheOtherJohnP, @Fridge-man, @SunPraiser, @NeoCweeny, @PepeElToro805, and special shoutout to @bam541, @CJTreader, @jipostus, and @Hidz

As for my list, it's reflective on how 2014 just wasn't my year:

1.) Wolfenstein: The New Order
2.) Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!
3.) Destiny
4.) Sunset Overdrive
HM.) Titanfall
HM.) Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

I forgot about Titanfall when I sent my list in, but thankfully it wouldn't have mattered anyway. As I said earlier, Wolfenstein was the only "great" game for me. Borderlands was alright but nothing special. I've already commented about Destiny at its entry. Sunset Overdrive, while funny with wacky weaponry Insomniac is known for, had a little bit too much fourth wall breaking and suffers a massive pet peeve of mine: Once you complete the story, you can't start a new one unless you create a new profile. So it falls to the "Fun, but never playing" bin with Crackdown. As for Titanfall, it's strictly multiplayer, and I got it on the promise of friends playing with me. Of course, that fell through and playing it just isn't fun for me. And finally for CoD, I bought it because I enjoyed the Xbox opener for that year's E3 and along with the Master Chief Collection and Sunset Overdrive, gave me something to play when I bought my Xbox One.

And finally, another massive thank you to @Axel for putting this together! These are always fun, regardless if I played anything of note and I'm looking forward to the next one if you choose to keep doing these!

Great lists everyone!

And now we have OUR CHAMPION!!!

After a 13-10 vote, 6.) Mass Effect 2 emerges victorious! Let's take a look at all the games it beat to get here:

11.) Madden 2003
3.) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
10.) The Last of Us
1.) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2.) Super Mario Galaxy
11.) Portal 2

Quite an impressive list of games! And let's not forgot its last opponent, Portal 2, as it had an excellent run as well, but fell 3 votes short.

......

......

Wanna do another one?

And we have our winner! In a dominating 9-2 decision, the Greatest Video Game Character of All Time as voted by you (from an outsourced bracket of course)...

Samus Aran!

Looking back, her path to glory was an interesting one. As a reminder, here's who she defeated to stand alone:

Chun-Li
Raiden (Mortal Kombat)
Luigi
Mega Man
Bayonetta
and now Glados

On a final note, thank you to every person who voted and/or commented! I greatly appreciate you choosing to participate and humor me in seeing what the collective voting would be. Until the next thread!

While I get why many consider this their favorite of the franchise, I prefer others more (The reboot, Tools of Destruction, and the original), but that doesn't mean I'm not very high on it (hence my second place vote). The franchise may have had quite a few games before this, but the PS3 is where it really hit its stride. There's so much about this game I love:

• The juggling of multiple antagonists between Vorselon, Nefarious, and eventually Azimuth.
• While I enjoy the dynamic between the titular two the best when they're together, this proved each can have unique and engaging gameplay and scenarios independent of one another.
• The exploration of each system, flying to planets to find puzzling platform sections for Gold Bolts, Zoni, and side quests from NPCs, is freeing. There are so many planets across the franchise I really enjoy, but it's nice not having a linear path to explore every now and then.
• The story is really solid, seeing Clank come into his own, how his origins was more than coming off the assembly line in the first game, and the heartbreaking fate of Orvus. Plus, again, Nefarious.

Sadly, this would also be the last really good/great game of the series for awhile with the weird experiments that were All 4 One and Full Frontal Assault. Thankfully Into the Nexus and the Reboot proved the formula is still fantastic.

Overall, this is a great game, and if it wasn't for My Blaster Runs Hot, I would have the Platinum. I'm VERY excited for Rift Apart, and I'm eagerly going back to another full series replay heading into its release (If they would give a release date. But I'm happier waiting as long as they continue taking their time and put out a fantastic game).

As always, shoutouts to @DemonPirate, @NeoCweeny, @Sazime, @Nimbat1003, @JDINCINERATOR, and @Capnbobamous!

Simply put, DOOM: Eternal is great and surprisingly there's a LOT more to it than I thought there would be. While the reboot was proudly about getting you into the fight immediately, its pretty linear in its level design, and letting what narrative is there be limited to codex entries made it feel like the franchise was coming back, but was setting up for more, which is what Eternal would be.

How Eternal just expands on its predecessor in every way, going above and beyond, is staggering. Levels feeling more open with a greater emphasis on verticality and momentum (Hello meat hook) really drills into you on staying on the move. Granted, the demons themselves do a great enough job doing that on their own. I actually really like the juggle of deciding what to use with what you need between health, armor, and ammo. Although even on lesser difficulties it's still a challenge, which can make the latter few environments feels more and more like a slog, ESPECIALLY the bosses.

But the gamey aspects are just delightful; the secrets like the cheat codes being floppy disks and the awesome records of the music you can listen to is a nice touch. Speaking of which, the Fortress of DOOM is perhaps the most unexpected but still delightful surprise. Running around a hub that's a love letter to the Slayer, DOOM, and the greater id history is, to use a Huber-ism, so cozy. A prison of demons to test your skills any time, a portal to launch you back to environments you've been to, and his room.... So. Freaking. Cool.

And speaking of the music, it RULES. I love just rocking out while slaughtering any demon that crosses my path. While I don't fully understand the technical details about the controversy, it's a bummer there was a falling out between Mick Gordon and id. It stands out to me because of how good the score is, but whatever the reason it's a shame. Real solid stuff.

Initially it was third on my list before switching it with a game I think has a chance to be in our top five because said game had tech issues the first time I played it, but when I got my Series X, ran flawlessly on another runback. Still being my fourth place vote, Eternal is very good.

However, I do have some things I wish weren't in the game: By going all out on a very complicated story, it didn't feel truly necessary to not only contextualize why you're doing what you're doing (DOOM has never really been that way), but there are a LOT of cutscenes. Which is very surprising as the reboot had like, four or five in the whole game. Here, it feels like there's at least two or three PER MISSION. A lot of the lore and background is still in Codex pages and in the descriptions of everything from weapons to demons, but still, it's a bit of world building.

&$#^. The. Maruder. I HATE those guys. Now, I like how there is an optimal weapon or strategy for most of the demons, but these guys are the WORST. Between them and taking on Tyrants or Barons of Hell, give me the big boys. Also, the Archvile can suck it too. Aaaahhhhhh they make everything so much more complicated.

Something else that Eternal could've done without is Battlemode. I like the idea, but it's fundamental design is kind of broken if you're the Slayer and going up against a coordinated duo of demons, as the Demons could easily outwit one player. The one time I tried it, I was lucky in going up against a couple of Marauders that didn't appear to know each other. The map had a teleporter DIRECTLY behind the spawn points, and in a game that is best of SEVEN rounds, I would spawn, turn around, go through the teleporter, and unload and not ONCE did the other two players realize where I came from every time. Not a good map and by focusing all my attention on one person who was desperately running away, it was clear I wasn't going to take enough damage from one person while the other was doing his best to escape. Battlemode needs players who LOVE it for it to both thrive and be interesting, otherwise, it doesn't provide the variety the campaign offers with the various combinations of demons.

While not really a part of the initial package, I do want to briefly touch on the DLC: The Ancient Gods. Part 1 is massively difficult, but still doable and a little uninspired with where it goes only until the very, VERY end. Part 2 tones it down on the challenge just a little, but goes BONKERS with the story, and it's actually incredibly important to the overall DOOM universe, which is WEIRD. But each introduces a mechanic not found anywhere else in the other DLC OR the main campaign, which is kind of off.

All told, I enjoyed my time with DOOM: Eternal, but I'm curious as to what id is going to do next. Mechanically, they have the FPS genre refined in a pure sense, but it stumps me how they'll top this. And as I said a couple of games above, shoutout to the crossover fan art with Animal Crossing!

Speaking of shoutouts, I won't tag everybody who voted for it because that's a lot of names and I don't want to clog up anyone's notifications, but high-five to all my fellow Slayers who voted for DOOM: Eternal!

Following the template in order:

Brandon Gann
South East of the U.S.
I'm currently a grad student pursuing a master's in Mass Communications
Non gaming hobbies include anything Star Wars, I throughly enjoy playing pool/billiards (whichever you prefer to call it) and listening to music.
Console History - Inherited my father's NES, owned my own Playstation One when I was 5, Had a Gameboy Color, Advance, Advance SP, was given a PS2 for Christmas, given a GameCube the next year. Currently own: PS2, DS, PSP, Xbox 360, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox One, PS4.
Champion of: Final Fantasy VII as it is my favorite game, but there are so many more games I really enjoy.
PSN: Phoenix-Flyer_7 (I've never went online except to access PS Store)
Not a streamer
XBL: LocustHunter17
Twitch: Same as here! Brannox (But again, I don't stream. Only there for chat).
Twitter: @GamesGann
Username info: I'm a big Kingdom Hearts fan so I gave my first name a modified Organization XIII treatment.

If there is anything any Ally wishes to know or just wants to say "Hi!" please send along a message here, in Twitch chat, over Twitter, or on Xbox Live (the last one is the least dependable but I don't want to hinder any avenue for contact).

Ok, lets just rip off this duct tape shall we? X-D

@SabotageTheTruth If I remember correctly, after a healthy chat about that, it was decided that, while nonsensical to normal logic, it was and is and will continue to be, a vaild reason for playing. As far as outrage, let's just say that 1.) We all learn from each other and try to understand other people's views. 2.) That was a HUGE list you killed from, not a PSP list in which there is a far more narrow focus. 3.) Bioshock dying doesn't phase me. Killing off Crisis Core does (How my heart hurts you wretched hive of scum and villainy :-) ). And 4.) Really appreciate the exaggeration. That's really funny. And you forgot to say you were being blacklisted off the Internet :joy:

@BlazingBahamut This is such a blast. Hurts every time when I game I like dies, but that comes with the territory.

@TokyoSlim Now you know how I feel! And YOU'RE the one who killed off MY top contender!! ;-)

NOW onto the main portion of the post:

After surprising kills and forever-lasting blood feuds beginning (KIDDING!!), we've got our final two, and like most of the time, there between two entries no one really saw coming:

Jeanne d'Are
Ys Seven

Please vote for the one you want to win by clicking the link below. I'm giving this 24 hours, so the winner will be decided at 1 p.m. EST tomorrow (Sunday). Thanks to everyone who kills and posts! You make this a lot of fun!..... Even though SOME of you (not naming names :-P ) are just crazy.

http://www.strawpoll.me/11434160

This is going to be long so I would like to apologize in advance.

I did NOT have a great day today, so my thoughts may be skewed, and this when we first see Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Nintendo Switch for the first time. I will post my thoughts on those in the other thread. But on to the four recent entries.

I am STUNNED all four are so low. Carrying expectations into lists such as these is indeed folly, but I couldn't help myself thinking some games would be really up there. Vice City, GoldenEye, and Resident Evil are thought FOR SURE would be top 20 entries EASY. I don't like GTA or Resident Evil in general and my experience with Goldeneye is incredibly minimal, so my thoughts are non-existent. But it is Kingdom Hearts I wish to discuss.

I did not know much about this game for a long while after it released. I was turned on to it overhearing some classmates on the playground as it were discussing a strategy about some tasks you need to do in Wonderland. I asked what they were talking about, and they told me: Kingdom Hearts. I little while later, I was in a Wal-Mart and remembered them talking about it. It was $20, had Disney characters on the cover and the guy on it was holding a key FOR A SWORD. Now my 5th/6th grade mind was BLOWN.

As evidenced by the info above, this is my third entry and not only that, the second where I have the highest vote. You can clearly tell what kind of games I like. I find the fusion of Final Fantasy and Disney to be BRILLIANT (albeit ludicrous, but c'mon, that's part of the fun!). I can't tell you how much this game means to me, though, you can clearly see I have five others in just so slightly higher regard.

I'll never forget I COMPLETELY screwed up my first playthrough (Didn't get far into Monstro before I backed out, went to Halloween Town instead of Atlantica, and couldn't defeat the Oogie Manor with a Level 43 Sora who chose a staff and sacrificed the sword and answered the questions for a slow level up.) That's different now :joy:

For a long time, I preferred the second over the original. Now, there's something about KH One that I like more. I can't put my finger on it. As I said above, story wise, II has the best sequence and better worlds, but maybe its the keyblade roster, or nostalgia for that sense of wonder. Or it could be that Olympus Coliseum, the FIRST iteration, is my favorite overall KH world because of the tournaments.

EDIT: Also, super bummed that it fell SO SHORT of the top 50. Oh well. And a massive shout-out to @Lotias , @Inustar , @Exist-2-Inspire , and @FF7Cloud . Yous good people :-D

God I love this game.

I have no thoughts on the Walking Dead beyond knowing why the ending is considered great. I respect it and I don't need to play the game to grasp its importance.

But onto DOOM:

This is a fantastic game. My fourth entry on this list, it is also my lowest (so far. Maybe?). Depending on who in my family is asked, there are claims that this was my first ever video game (I disagree with them, but whatever :-D ). I love the chapter system and E1M1 is so iconic for me. Even though its so simple, I have played that level so many times in my life, I know that level front to back and both secrets. To the above points, I prefer DOOM II, so I expect it to be coming later, but I prefer that because of weapons, level design, and (while not much), there is a coherent story. OG DOOM, though, legitimately is one of the few games that have contributed to my identity as a gamer. Long live Doom Guy.

@Sentinel-Beach, @TokyoSlim, @NCartwright15, @tokeeffe9, @TechnoRage1127, @Inustar, @SabotageTheTruth, I'm incredibly happy to find a group of people with similar tastes. Everybody rocks ;-)

VIII placed higher than Tactics? WOW. IT PLACED HIGHER THAN VI?!?! WHAT?!? This list is something else. I just said yesterday I did not like VIII because its story wasn't well executed (again, for me) and the junction system was a pain in the ass. Also, I failed to touch on the leveling mechanic made it to where it became incredibly imbalanced. I can't process this. I thought VI placing 26th was the biggest shock. Nope. This is INCREDIBLE. But it's clear: While there may not be as much love (quantity of votes) for VIII, those that do place it incredibly high.

As for Half-Life 2, it seems appropriate that it show up. In relation to the rest of the list, 22 seems about right ;-)

Good grief this list.........

Ooooooooooookkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk get ready for this lengthy post:

First, I'll go in order of the games listed with my thoughts and/or experiences. Second, some comments on the small little details that make this list so special. Third some final thoughts about this thread overall, fourth shout-outs, and finally, my 30 games (with two slight changes I will point out). And here. We. Go.

I absolutely can not stand Shadow of the Colossus. Next to Final Fantasy VI, it is the most recent game to burn me. What I mean by this is taking a leap of faith and finding it at least not liking it. But for SotC, I absolutely couldn't stand my time with it, and it all comes down to two factors: Controls and Argo.

The controls made the game really difficult to play. So much so, that by the fourth or fifth Colossus, I was sick of the game. Also, I was coming off Ico, which I think I said over 800 posts ago, but allow me to say now just in case: It was an escort mission with a useless counterpart. While figuring out how to take down each Colossus is a puzzle in an of themselves, it was a tiresome hassle navigating, and hanging onto, said Colossi to take them down.

Now for Argo. I hate that horse. It seemed every time I needed to get anywhere, the beast kept getting in my way. I want to go right? Nope, he's going left. I want to get on? Nope, it takes jumping four or five times to hop up. And you know what? I said good riddance at the bridge.

Please do not misinterpret; I have no problems with either game's story and SotC's story does have that tragic element I find appealing, but alas, I don't see it as great as many do. It was a completely frustrating experience to force myself through, desperate to find the appeal so many have before me. So caught up in The Last Guardian hype was I, that I really wanted to give those two games a chance and get into them as much as some of you do. I just couldn't. I haven't played either since, and if I could, I would unload my copy and be done with them.

Clearly, this is probably the most vocal I have been, and probably will be, about a game I dislike so much. I knew it would place so high. And I know that I'm most likely the only one in the entire community that feels this way. I'm not afraid of the spiral of silence and I'm sure at the very least one of you will take offense, which is not my intention. I just hope at least reads this portion and takes away the moral: Don't go in on a game because it's good for everyone else - It may disappoint you in the end.

As for the Last of Us, I am the complete polar opposite. To this day, I don't think I've ever played a game that has brought out a viscerally draining moment in gaming (If you've played it, you know I'm talking about Winter).

This game has three WTF moments, all centered around character deaths. Without spoiling it, you should know what those deaths are but the one at the beginning is a "Did they REALLY go there?!" WTF; the one in the middle was a "Oh, come on! Really?" WTF; and the one at the end was simply "WTF just happend?" Speaking of the ending, I also don't believe I've ever had two minds and left with a sense of utter ambiguity.

I don't like horror games and I don't consider this one (even though it does have several such elements) simply because there isn't enough of that scare factor here for me. I won't gush about story because being #2 on this list is evident to how much it is loved, but I WILL say that before Uncharted 4's release, this was my favorite Naughty Dog game, hands down.

And to think, I haven't played a second of multiplayer (I don't go online on Sony systems).

As is my custom in this thread, I want to salute everyone who likes the same as I do, simply because I want to show appreciation that I'm not alone in my interests. So for the final time in this thread, I want to thank and shout out to: :clap: @jsackel, @DeweyDecibel, @Karu, @tokeeffe9, @Joetown, @Haru17, @Lotias, @Browarr, @naltmank, @Faaip, @TokyoSlim, @Divinity, @Alex840, and @Sentinel-Beach. :clap:

As for the community's #1 game: I've said it before and I'll say it again: Never played it, therefore I can't speak to it. But I recognize it's impact. I mean look at that top line! HOLY COW! Over 400 points, 20 total votes from 44 lists (Almost half!!), and count'em FOUR first place votes!! With so much wide-spread love, respect, adulation, nostalgia, and revolutionary clout the game has, I agree it should be #1. Also, remember what Mr. Jones said in the last Cup of Jones. Methinks he would love this list.

Now for those small details: OoT was the only game to receive the details I just mentioned, but also the majority of the top 30 come from either the 90s, or are more recent entries. This leads me to believe 1.) We love those from our childhood/formulative years and 2.) We recognize great game design when we see it.

Huh. Resident Evil 4 didn't make the cut. Neither did DOOM II. Also kind of sad no Ratchet & Clank, God of War, Left 4 Dead, OR Resistence made it. And I'm positive I'm missing other obvious ones.

And yes, we sure as hell love a damn good story. ;-)

This thread was/is completely awesome. It's been a long time, but now we've got a complete compendium archived about games we love that all of us recognize are great that we should try or at the very least talk about.

I'll be another voice to thank @Exist-2-Inspire again for the work of this project. Ever since you first proposed the idea after watching Cup of Jones, I've been onboard, and allow me to say this was/is 1000000% worth it. As far as future projects, they would be cool as well, but personally speaking, I don't think I could contribute like I have done here. I'm a one-trick pony and that trick be games! :-D

@Axel I would like to know the answers to your questions myself, but I believe I burned the possibility of those bridges just a minute ago :laughing:

I have nine entries. I've played 33. I like 24. I'm interested in trying five. Now for my list. The one change is switching Gears or War and its sequel. Thankfully, it didn't place, so it doesn't affect the list. My two regrets are not initially placing this year's DOOM on the list, so I'm slotting it after Gears of War (new placement) and the first gen Pokemon at #30. This means my intial #30, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, will be left off the following entirely (Just think everything after Gears 1 one place higher) Oh well.

Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy X
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
The Last of Us
DOOM II
Kingdom Hearts
Gears of War 2
Mass Effect
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
Resistance: Fall of Man
Portal 2
Left 4 Dead
DOOM (1993)
Star Wars Battlefront (2015)
Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
Kingdom Hearts II
Final Fantasy XII
God of War
Ratchet & Clank (2016)
Mass Effect 2
Gears of War
DOOM (2016)
Batman: Arkham City
Spyro: The Dragon
Sly 2: Band of Thieves
Batman: Arkham Knight
Destiny (with ALL Expansions)
God of War II
Tomb Raider (2013)
Dishonored

I have so enjoyed all of the conversations I've read and been a part of here. Thanks for reading!!!

Love & Respect <3 <3