20. God of War Ragnarok (2022)

I went into this game a little nervous that it wouldn’t be able to reach the highs of the first game from a story perspective, and I was pleasantly surprised. The first game’s story still speaks to me more, but there’s plenty of universe building and betrayal and epic battles and heartbreaking dad moments to be found in Ragnarok. And the combat is greatly improved over the first game, with far more special moves, enemy types, and even a new weapon.

19. Star Wars: Battlefront (2004)

Here it is, my favorite Star Wars game with a bullet. Words can’t even express the pure joy I felt playing this game as a kid, absolutely destroying some rebel scum with my snow trooper on Hoth. Conquest mode got better in the sequel, but I still prefer not having hero characters to play. Sure, the enemy AI would feel right at home in a Dynasty Warriors game, but that’s part of the fun!

18. Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001)

This is another game that would probably rank in my top 10 most played games. Throughout high school, pretty much every Friday night with my friends ended with a several-hour-long Smash session. Melee was always our game of choice — even after Brawl came out. The GameCube controller just fits the style of this game perfectly, and there really isn’t a single dud on the playable character roster.

17. Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)

I don’t want to rewrite history and ignore what was one of the worst-performing, most disappointing launches of any game I’ve ever played. But once CD Projekt Red (mostly) got their act together and this game was actually playable, it was worth the wait. It has a story full of depth, there’s a ton of build craft variety in how you tackle the missions and combat scenarios, and the characters and setting really immerse you in Night City.

16. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)

The first 3D Zelda game is my pick for best in the series, which I know is also a pretty common pick. This game just contains so much personality and wonder, even a cynic like me gets caught up in it. “Z-targeting” was a cool new feature and the titular Ocarina of Time creates fun new ways to solve puzzles — and beautiful music.

15. Final Fantasy VII (1997)

I know FF VII is sitting pretty high at the 15 spot, but it’s actually not my highest-ranked Final Fantasy game. What a tease! It’s certainly the game that comes up most often when talking about the best Final Fantasy games, and while its narrative, lead characters, and villain are all incredibly memorable, my top pick has a better combat system (for my tastes, at least) and arguably even better cast of characters and story.

14. Super Mario 64 (1996)

Super Mario 64 blew my mind when it first released. Not only were the 3D graphics a completely new way of playing a Mario game, but there were so many things to do and see in the game — so many secrets to uncover. The platforming and graphics haven’t aged all that well, but this was still a defining gaming experience for me that few have topped.

13. Ghost of Tsushima (2020)

All you need to do is look at screenshots to see that Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most beautiful games ever made. Its sense of color and immersion are unmatched, with the best particle effects I’ve ever seen in a game. Add in combat and stealth systems with a ton of customizability and a landscape worth exploring, and it’s no wonder this game skyrocketed to one of my favorites ever.

12. Journey (2012)

In my 2012 Game of the Year post, I recalled my experience playing Journey with a completely random stranger. I won’t retell the whole thing here, but it pretty well sums up why Journey is a special game, with a truly unique take on multiplayer. I’ll never forget those moments for the rest of my life.

11. Portal 2 (2011)

After playing the first Portal, I didn’t think we’d even get a second one. But boy I’m glad we did, because the sequel improves on the mechanics in major ways, and introduces another fantastic villain in Wheatley, voiced by the brilliant Stephen Merchant. And heck, J.K. Simmons’ Cave Johnson is a pretty damn good character, too. What a fun game that can make GLaDOS one of the good guys… kind of.

Check out the next page for my top 10 games of all time!