Favorite video games of all time: 80-71

By Jeff

If you missed the earlier installments, you can find 90-81 here, and 100-91 here.

The game "Dishonored" is not going to appear on this list. I'm only about 30 minutes in. But if the rest of the game is as cool as the first 30 minutes, then it would definitely make the top 100, and probably the top 50. The character was a protector of the empress, whom is assassinated by some shady people who disappear after killing her, leaving the main character to take the fall. It's a first-person game, but you aren't mowing people down with fully automatic guns, you are sneaking around and maybe slicing them up with a sword.

That's what is so cool so far. You could play without killing anyone and just knocking them out, or you can chop their heads off. The choice is yours. In my prison escape I killed a few because I screwed up the non-lethal attack. And then there was another guy I meant to shoot with a sleeping dart, but used an incendiary dart by accident. He burned and died... Oops.

Anyway, my point is you won't see it on this current list, but if I were to make this list in a month, it would be.

80: Timesplitters (PS2) - If you're looking for an awesome storyline, this game is NOT for you. There is no story. You go through different time periods and get some kind of artifact and then escape to another portal. I have no idea what the artifacts do or why I'm getting them. I just know it's a blast trying to get through these levels as fast as possible so you can play as more different/crazy characters in multi-player.

While the storyline is non-existent, the gameplay is solid and multiplayer is incredible. The diverse characters (fishbowl for a head, Elvis, etc.) and some really cool weapons make it a unique game that I have spent many hours with.

79: Super Marios Bros. (NES) - If you're talking about innovative and changing the video game as we know it, this game is No. 1. Is there a gamer in the world who has not played this game? It's actually hard to review because everyone has played it and loves it. I'm sorry it's not higher. Maybe it's bitterness because I have never been able to beat it in under 5 minutes. I'm pretty sure Josh has...

78: LA Noire (PS3/XBox 360) - We go from the most old school game on the list to one with one of the greatest technological innovations in gaming. Obviously a PS3/XBox 360 game is going to have good graphics, but this is the first game I played where the characters really resembled the actors lending their voices to the game. Their lips also match what they're saying! It blew my mind. Then I read that the game developers actually sat the actors in a room with multiple cameras and taped them reading the lines. They they transfered it to digital, making it more realistic. It's also a vital aspect of the game because you have to read people and determine if they are lying or not. It's really cool!

Technology aside, "LA Noire" is a great change of pace in the open world environment popularized by "Grand Theft Auto". Instead of breaking the law and killing people, you are a detective solving crimes. It gets a little redundent, and I wish you have a little more freedom as to when you go fista cuffs and when you shoot the bad guys, but overall the game keeps you interested with great gameplay and a cool story.

77: Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball (SNES) - While technology in "LA Noire" helped make the game special, I love games like "Griffey", where there isn't any innovative technology to be had! You can't throw specific kind of pitches, just fast or slow. I don't think there is any skill or wayto hit the ball that determines a home run or a ground out to the pitcher. It really is a simple game, and it's great. Try and figure out the themes that all the teams use for their rosters since they didn't have the licensing to actually have the players' names other than Griffey's. There is a team of presidents, Detroit's roster is made up of Motown stars, etc.

It is the first baseball game to have the home run derby game mode. I'm pretty sure I have Mike's copy and never gave it back...

76: WWF No Mercy (N64) - Sure, the graphics are outdated today, but this is arguably the best wresting game ever. I was a huge wrestling fan growing up. The most important thing to pro wrestling is not the actual action, but the story lines behind it. You have to really like or hate the personalities to enjoy the show. "No Mercy" was the first wrestling game to actually attempt to convey story lines in the game's campaign. Looking back, the stories are not great, but at least the creators tried.

As for the gameplay, it is amazing how well it holds up today. The match could be going great for you. Your power grapples are working, you're building toward that finisher, and then your opponents hits you with a counter out of nowhere. Now you are the one being pounded and you find yourself running outside the ring as your opponent has "Special" and wants to Rock Bottom your ass.

75. Baldurs Gate (PC) - Who knew "Dungeons and Dragons" could be so much fun? Seriously, this game is based on the Forgotten Realms, which is related to the world of "Dungeons and Dragons".

Nerdiness aside, this game allows the player to choose the path of evil or good to complete the game. It it like "Diablo" but with a whole group and a little more freedom.

74: Pacman (NES) - I'd like this game a whole lot more if it ever ended.

73: Mortal Kombat 3 (Sega Genesis, SNES) - It's amazing all the improvements that were made between this and the first game. Graphics, gameplay, characters and pretty much every aspect of the game. It took the gore to a whole new level with the "Animalities". I never had a clue how to do all those cool finishing moves, but they looked awesome when people destroyed me with them!

72: Aliens vs. Predator (Arcade) - First, there is no such thing as a bad "Aliens vs. Predator" anything. Ever. Second, just look at all the chaos that is going on in this game. the action is non-stop and so were the quarters whenever I found arcades that housed this gem. Third, it gave me hope that if the Predator race did exist, I could befriend them like the humans in this game did!

71: Blades of Steel (NES) - Who cares that it doesn't have real NHL teams and players? Not me. This was such a drastic upgrade over the only other hockey game I knew of at the time ("Ice Hockey"). In "Ice Hockey" you select between fat players who are strong and slow, medium players who are average at everything, and skinny guys who are fast but get killed. Really, the most exciting part of the game was the zamboni. Then you play "Blades of Steel" and it's a whole new world. It was as realistic as NES got. It had fights that were not just two players close together making weird noises. Of course, it also had play continue like nothing happened after fights. Oh well...