Favourite Games

Some time ago, my brother made a post about his favourite games of all time. I've wanted to make a similar post since.

I've been playing a variety of games since I was very young, and they've had an incredible impact on my personality and outlook on things.  I'm a very story oriented individual when it comes to most games.  I really like to see things from the player character's perspective, have situations with believable reactions, and see other characters that evoke actual feeling, understanding or general empathy in some way. If I get attached to a character, the game is doing at least one thing right.

Mass Effect 1&2 (RANK 5)
I've always been a fan of space settings, watching old Star Trek and Stargate SG1 shows when I was younger might have encouraged that. Mass Effect creates a unique space setting, with a lot of detailed backstory and lore for the different races, planets, and future tech. I originally played Mass Effect 2 first, which was also a great game, but going back and playing the original really filled in the story for me. The facial expressions and general movement of the characters is also impressive, especially for how well the games run on poor computers. It's a nice change to see really nice graphics/animations after playing an extending session of Fallout: New Vegas.

World of Warcraft (RANK 4)
Though I no longer play the game, and no longer have any interest to do so, World of Warcraft was incredibly successful as a game and had a lot of potential at the start. With my gaming experience expanded since the time I played this game, I can say it probably wouldn't impress me the same way if I started playing now. Regardless, the game was the first MMORPG I encountered and I remember being amazed at the size of the world; on my first character the game really seemed incredible. Starting as Night Elves, my friend and I ran around exploring instead of questing. The game certainly isn't difficult, and is even less so now, but I have fond memories of charging straight into Lake Al'Ameth and running away from the mobs 5 levels higher than us.
Near the end of my WoW run, I primarily spent my time seeking out world PvP.  I found it more exciting and unpredictable than the instanced battlegrounds that had been introduced. I never really got into raiding, however, which is the primary aspect of the endgame. My sister still plays this game, so I frequently hear about the direction it's taking. A lot of the changes seem more disappointing than anything else, but I haven't played recently enough to judge accurately.
Even now, though, this music still gets to me.

Planescape: Torment (RANK 3)
Planescape: Torment was released in 1999, and thus the graphics are quite outdated, but I was recommended this game by a friend with pretty good taste and decided to look into it anyway. Probably the best decision I've made this year, no understatement. I was completely blown away by the story of this game; I stopped playing all other games until I had completed this one. This game places priority on dialogue rather than combat, which is an aspect I greatly approve of.  The theme was a bit dark, and I was surprised at how creepy a few key points in the story managed to seem with their limited graphics. The writing and music were both amazing. Some of the dialogue was so well done that I remember long, exact quotes easily; the final segment of the game in particular had one of the most intense and perfectly timed lines I have seen in any form of media ever.

Fallout: New Vegas (RANK 2)
If there's an RPG I will never get bored of, it's Fallout: New Vegas. Pretty much the same graphically as Fallout 3, I greatly enjoyed both games but New Vegas has a bit of a higher appeal to me.  That's not to say that Fallout 3 has it's moments of superiority, but in general, the New Vegas atmosphere is a bit more fun. The companion characters are more in depth, particularly Boone and Arcade. The DLCs, particularly Lonesome Road, really add to the depth of the player character and his or her actions on the world in general.  I will admit that the primary questline feels less personal in New Vegas, but it still gives the feeling of importance. Honestly, I'm quite enthralled by the post-apocalyptic setting. Fallout does an excellent job of seeming just realistic enough to let the player feel the desolation of the world mixed with the New Vegas strip's vice-filled philosophy. I've played the game through six times now, and I'm quite a bit into the game on a seventh character, and I still discover new things each time. With the modding community adding even more content and customization, this game really just won't get old to me. [Excepting the possibility of a new Fallout game, perhaps.] This game places higher on my list than Planescape only because of it's replay value.

Team Fortress 2 (RANK 1)
Predictably my favourite game, I've just passed the 3000 hour mark for time spent in this game. TF2 is the first online fps game I really got involved with. Character development and story is usually such a big importance for me to spend a lot of time in a game, but when someone showed me the Meet the Class videos I absolutely had to play the game. It was a good introduction to the fps genre to me; the character personality and silliness of the game was very appealing, and the experience allows me to pick up other fps games at significantly less disadvantage. There's no other fps game where you can run at another player with a saw and yell, "I REQUIRE ASSISTANCE" with voice commands.
The amount of friends I've made through this game is a strong reason I keep playing. I've had the game for more than a year and a half, and I've known some of my online friends for over a year because of this game, several of which I talk to very frequently still. Valve does a pretty good job keeping the game updated and interesting, and it's even free-to-play, now.
This is the only game I've gotten into a competitive scene for, which has been another great experience. Though playing in pubs can be fun, it's exciting to play for a team where everyone is actively working together and communicating efficiently.
Also, hats.

So those are pretty much my favourite games.  Honourable mentions include: Fable, The Civilization series, Master of Orion II, Warcraft III, and Dragon Age: Origins.

"Throughout history, men have worn hats as a way of showing how much better they are than other men. "I buy hats," a behatted man seems to say. "I am better than you!"" -Classless Update; TF2