82. Bloodborne
Souls games became a power house franchise and I bet Sony was feeling dumb that they let what was an exclusive go multiplatform. This lead to Sony funding an offshoot which is basically a more action oriented souls like game. Like all souls games the level design is incredible, the combat the best in the series, excellent bosses and a memorable location. The Victorian era setting really made it stand out against the more fantasy souls worlds. Now personally I like the fantasy, while BBs world was very impressive it kind of all started to blend together. The main reason I don’t hold BB as high as other souls games is the loss of a lot of the variety in builds you can make, still this allowed BB to focus on the action.
The shit just got real moment happens rather early in this game when you battle father Gascoinge, an epic one on one battle where the boss goes into rage mode which has him turn into a werewolf. It showcased how much more fast paced the combat would be for the rest of the game. I loved the usual collection of odd NPCs, oh and the terrifying gigantic lovecraftian monster that is found around the world. I also spent a bunch of time doing the optional chalice dungeons which randomizes levels and boss battles, including a bunch of exclusive ones. Bloodborne is easily one of the PS4s best games.
81. Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco Tides of Time
I doubt there is a more trippy game series on this list than Ecco the Dolphin. This is about a time traveling dolphin that battles aliens who come to destroy earth, how can you not love that premise. Back in the day I reneted a lot of games from a local store and thats where I fell in love with Ecco the Dolphin. I still remember the first time I started up the game and you are in a bay with your fellow dolphins just living the life, jumping and doing flips. Controlling ecco felt like a dream, the graphics stunning for its time and the music, oh god that incredible music. But nothing happened... I talked to everyone, so whats next. Eventually I simply jumped high and boom, alien abduction! And then your adventure begins into the depths of the sea. The sea creeps me out a lot, I am not into diving and the thought of weird shit being in darkness below you is terrifying, Ecco is like diving into your worst sea nightmares. The first area are some caverns where you have to solve push block puzzles while constantly going for air pockets while battling bad fish. Then you come across this giant octopus which for whatever reason just scared the crap out of me as a kid.
But I kept pushing, and kept renting the game. I have always loved puzzles, action and exploration; Ecco gives all of those in spades. Nothing controls like Ecco does, it's a joy to jet through the ocean and use his skills to solve the mysteries of the deep and atlantis. I remember being blown away at meeting a blue whale, the sense of scale was tremendous. The final level takes place in the alien mothership where you fight knock off Xenomorphs and a gigantic alien head final boss. Ecco is easily one of the best Genesis games and I was so hooked that when the sequel hit I made sure that I put it on my list of games I wanted to own.
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A few years after the first came this excellent sequel that now takes Ecco through time. All the same elements of the first game is there and now there is the addition of these 3D time portal levels that play kind of like a sonic bonus level. There are new abillities including in certain levels the ability to morph into other sea creatures. But the best part of this sequel is the variety in environments due to the awesome time traveling story line. The best level has Ecco travel into the furture where floating beds of water hover over mountains and you must jump from one floating water bed to another. There are more aliens, prehistoric sea creatures, dinosaurs even, this game is so damn cool. Many years later a dreamcast sequel hit which sort of took the same concept and made it 3D. That game was a tad too clunky but it had some crazy almost zelda like levels and recreated the floating sea in incredible 3D graphics. This series needs to come back, the day I see a new Ecco is the day Sega of old returns.
The first 20 spots are done! So what do you think? Surprising? Exactly as expected?
Lets do some tidbits on what I have so far. Not one Nintendo game on the list yet. The publisher leader is so far Sega with seven games. The most represented console is PS3 with 5 games, Saturn was second with 4 games. I've already have a nice mix of genres with the most being of course action adventure games but I have a few puzzle games, some beat em ups, RPGs, shooters.
The real genuine surprise was that Resident Evil 3 was also in this grouping. I don't like any of the old school RE games, so I have a real hard time judging their quality, but I always thought that was pretty well regarded All things considered. Definitely thought any mainstream RE game would be higher, except for maybe some of the later action ones.
Nintendo dominating the top twenty?
Coming soon, slicing up babies, blood showers, and lots of friendship.
80. Dead Space 1 and 2
RE4 changed third person shooters forever, since its release the over the shoulder aiming became very popular with big time action games. Many fans of RE were left wondering what happened to the horror aspects. Dead Space swooped on in to fill that void, create a horror themed game with the mechanics and action of RE4, the result is a horror game classic and the start of a short lived but great series. Dead Space takes the Alien concept of being on a dead ship filled with alien monsters and builds an increidble game around it. The ship itself opens up slowly like like a metroid map almost, it's done in a way where there isnt really much exploring, you are being pushed forward but the way the ship keeps opening up to the player gives the feel of exploring a huge ship. Visceral studios nailed the atmosphere and did what RE was failing to do, create a location that puts fear into the player while still delivering an action title.
Make no mistake Dead Space is an action game, it is not some old school survival horror game. I loved the big hook of needed to dismember the enemies with your weapons rather than doing the usual bullet weak spots. Now you have to aim at limbs that come out of all kinds of directions. Who doesn't love shooting a metal saw out and seeing a monster split in half, its awesome. There were cool space floating segments where you had to solve simple puzzles, a few good boss battles and generally a well paced game that was very lengthy. Dead Space is a great video game from top to bottom but like most great franchises the sequel out classes it in nearly every way.
Dead Space 2 is one of the best third person shooters ever made. Its still creepy but it sort of does away with the whole explore a big ship concept and instead goes the more RE4 route of just taking you on a roller coaster of hell. Better weapons, better skills, better enemies, better setpieces, better bosses, more variety, its brilliant. The part that stays with me the most though is entering a child nursery that has been infected with this alien shit. i dont't know about you but creepy baby rooms are scary. It's even scarier when there are killer alien psycho babies!!!! That section was nuts, killing babies! Dead Space 2 is an honerary action RE game to me, we can throw out RE6 and put this one in it's place.
79. Blood Omen Legacy of Kain
Vay Victus!
This one holds a special place in my heart as it is the first PS1 game I personally owned. I had a saturn, my brother thankfully got a PS1, I thought I had the better console, that lasted all of 4 months until Resident Evil hit and I knew I made a horrible mistake. My brother was moving out so I wanted a PS of my own, come holiday time I was gifted one and the first game I got was Legacy of Kain. I subscribed to the magazine Gamefan (amazing magazine) and they had a cover story on this crazy vampire game that looked like a Zelda title. A mature giant sized Zelda game, hell yes I am so in. It was also the first PS game I got that came in a jewel case, before it PS1 was using giant plastic boxes (I still have my brothers OG Resident Evil 1 box). Back then CG cutscenes were still the most prolific way games told stories and Kain had some of the best I have ever seen at the time.
What really set it apart from any other was the incredible voice acting and writing, the best in the business at the time. Simon Templeman voiced Kain who was the games narrator allowing you to hear the inner thoughts of a man turned vampire and the thirst for power that came with it. Something as simple as the description of the abilities and items were done in such an eloquent and descriptive way, like a macabre Shakespearen play. The world was so rich in character, I play so many games these days that throw out names and locations and its all noise, I forget them as soon as the system turns off. Kain had a way world building that made every scene and location memorable. Nosgoth, the necromancer Mortanius, Vorador, Malek, the pillars and so much more are engraved in my mind because of how rich this world was.
The gameplay was fun, it was no Zelda but it's still a great top down action RPG. The load times were too frequent and some dungeons wore out their welcome but overall I greatly enjoyed playing it. The lenth truly made it feel like an epic, the world is large, lots of great story beats keeps the action moving along. It was challenging too at times, combat while a bit stiff was chalneging and required a good mastery of all of Kain's skills and weapons. They just don't make them like this anymore, such a great original world, compelling characters, and a fictional history that makes you want to stay and live in this world. Plus it was so damn cool, pressing a button and having blood fly from the throats of victims right into Kain's mouth never got old, and it refilled your health so it served a purpose. This is one of the key games that defined that magical era when games were becoming multifaceted products, not just a series of levels to play through. Part of me wants a sequel done in this top down style, shame it's the only one like it in the series.
Any guesses as to whats coming in the next ten spots?
LOTS of Sonic.
Dead Space 1 and 2 were such fantastic games, loved them both.
As for what’s coming up next probably more classics that should be rated higher or lower depending on your point of view. 
Given the clue of friendship though I’m going to guess that it may be some Mortal Kombat games.
Slightly bummed that Dead Space 1 and 2 were squeezed into one entry, but reading it and 🤔🤔🤔 thinking about it it makes sense. If I had to squeeze my 25+ years of gaming into one list I’d probably do the same at some point too. 👍 Looking forward to more!
78. Kingdom Hearts 2
Growing up in south florida meant Disney World was just a few hours away. A lot of my childhood was spent in the happiest place on earth, my dad had a collection of every single Disney animated film so I knew Disney inside and out. So when Square announced they were making an action RPG focused on traveling to Disney movies with a mix of Final Fantasy characters I was super excited. Kingdom Hearts was a fun game that used the Disney license so well with levels in many of the classics. The gameplay was a bit rough though, the combat stiff and simplistic, the whole thing could be improved. And Kingdom Hearts 2 did just that, expanding combat, creating a far more in depth gummi ship, better bosses and a great selection of Disney themed worlds. Lion King was there! You can be a lion and fight Scar along side Simba, how cool is that.
The collection of worlds is the best in the series. Nightmare Before Christmas, Pirates, Tron, Mulan, and the big four of the early 90s. Now for some reason the level design took a big hit, a lot of these worlds consisted of small flat areas which is a shame. The focus was absolutely the combat and it became a good to great combat system, further amplified by critical mode in final mix which makes this one of the best action RPG combat systems around. Needed to customize Sora with the right equipment and skills is a must on critical. The star of the show are the amazing boss battles especially against the optional ones which all have their own themes and tactics. Who would have though a silly Disney game could make a game that requires skill and planning.
But what I love most about KH2 in particular is how bonkers the game is, crazy ideas happening at all times. Crazy japanese game design is seen all over, it is a game philospohy I rarely see these days. It's a game unafriad to try simplistic mini games from Tron light cycles, to flying around the magic carpet in Aladdin, or singing along to Under the Sea in the Little Mermaid world. The gummi ship expanded greatly and I spent a lot of time finishing every mission, its a fun diversion. This felt like Square at the top of their game, wild production values, epic cutscenes and a game that always surprises. I am currently in the middle of KH3, the levels are so much more improved and combat has way to many new additions which I think is detracting from the skill based combat of 2. I think when KH3 gets a critical mode it will join KH2 in this list.
Great music? Trippy underwater exploration? Yet you won't play Endless Ocean! That game is such a zen experience you'll trip yourself it you get deep enough into it.
I really need to play every game on this list, except Kingdom Hearts 2. I did begin Dead Space, but it didn't stick. So maybe I can skip that, too.
77. Mortal Kombat 1, 2 and 9
I had some big obessions growing up and in terms of video games for a time Mortal Kombat rivaled any obession I had. I was like 9 when Mortal Kombat hit, video games were cute little games with cartoon characters, I wanted more. I was at the age where I wanted to see the edgy stuff, it also didnt help that my dad would watch Arnold, Stallone and Van Damme movies with me. So around the school playground I would hear talk about this arcade game where you see people rip off heads or tear out a heart, I was extremely intrigued, what is this magical game. One day I was at a local arcade and I saw it, graphics I could not believe, they were real people fighting and the blood so realistic. I watched the arcade demo reel play, the character bios would flash across the screen, cool as hell shit like a thunder god, a dude with a metal plate in his face and two badass ninjas. I was in love, I need this game at home so I could play to my hearts content.
Mortal Kombat 1 was massive key game for my childhood because it was the game I used most to defend my position as a Genesis owner versus those damn SNES kids. Our lunch ours were filled with debates on what was better, once I got Motral Kombat on Genesis with the blood code I had one of the best arguments. SNES is for kids (says a 9 year old) Genesis lets you see the full fatalities, I was never more proud to be fanboy. ABACABB, I will never forget the blood code and I know every fatality by heart. I played Mortal Kombat 1 to death and honestly I don't even think it was that good, it was cheap with its CPU battles. Goro was annoying as hell but I learned how to beat them and some how I got lots of satisfaction playing it. But I wanted more and Midway gave us more almost right away with the much improved sequel.
I don't think I was ever has hyped for a game as I was with Mortal Kombat 2. When I found an arcade that had MK2 I would go by many times just to play and imagine what it will be like on my Genesis. The marketing campaign of MK2 was the biggest in gaming at the time. Posters of the blue logo obscured by dark clouds and lightning where all over the gaming magazines. Mortal Tuesday!!!! A day I would obsess over, I would open up a maagzine just to stare at the ad and dream of finally owning MK2. Mortal Tuesday came and I made sure I had great grades and could buy a game for my reward, and so I had it day one and what I game it was. The roster was so much more interesting, new comers like Baraka, Milenna and Kitana stood out. Reptile and Shang Tsung were playable from the start, two big characters from the first that are finally playable, so cool. The color pallet was much brighter so it made the blood and fatalities stand out more. What a huge expansion to the fatalities, two per character, stage fatalities and bonus finishes with friendship and babalities. To me beating this game was about seeing every possible finishing move, not just completing the story mode
Part of the appeal of MK are the secrets, remember no internet back then so all these secrets were shared by school gossip or reading magazines. Who was the Toasty guy, what did it mean. Who is peaking through the trees in the background? Stories of a super mysterious hidden third character that was all black. This is what made the lore and exploration of the game so intriguing, because at its core MK is a really basic fighter, not that great. But dressed up with fnatastically creative characters and a deep story that continues from one game to the next and now you have something that builds brand loyalty. Scorpion has alway been my guy, "get over here" and "come here", the harpoon move is the best in fighting games. Fuck Sub-zero and all you losers who think he is better, lol.
Then there was the movie, cartoons and MK3, I consumed it all. Something happend with MK3 though, perhaps it was the loss of Scorpion in the bease game but it never connected with me. I do recall being pissed that PS1 got MK3 but Saturn did not but my patience paid off because Saturn got Ultimate MK3 when it hit. Still by then MK craze was dying down and I was kind of done with it after 3, I skipped MK4 entirely.
My love for MK was on hold. I would play the occasional side game like Mythologies Sub Zero (awful) and the surprisingly good Shalon Monks game. I tried one of those PS2 era MK games, Armageddon I think. The story was too bloated, tons of characters I didn't care for and the semi 3D fighting engine was not great, it also sucked for fatalities. MK vs DC was the low point, they were grasping at straws at that point. A drastic change was coming, a soft reboot which brought me back into the fold. Mortal Kombat 9 brought back the orginal cast from the first three games, back to 2D combat, classic and new fatalities brought to life in stunning details. Every level recreated and this game would have a story mode that would tell the story of the fan favorite first three games, I loved the story mode. It also helped that for the first time MK had a fantastic fighting engine, finally it felt like a proper fighting game, it felt balanced and deep. The online modes were well done with a mode that felt as if you were in the arcade waiting your turn. It had the massive graveyard of secrets to unlock which I loved. The game was PACKED with kontent. Mortal Kombat 9 is the best MK game for taking it all back to basics, giving us all our favorites and turning the old school gameplay into a modern fighting game worth playing.
Honestly I'm not sure which exact Mortal Kombat games I've played, but I assume it was 1-3. Played them on computer, and wowee did they look incredible. They always felt a bit shallow compared to Tekken 3 (which I played after them, anyway), but they looked so good it didn't matter! The film was hilarious, too.
And yes, the best time for edgy, mature content is when you're a child. 
You should have heeded it’s warning now a pox will be put on this list forevermore.