Lunar's Top 100 Games - Episode V
Games #60-51
If you're still reading this pre-amble instead of hopping straight into the games, I want to say that I appreciate you, and I hope you like my games.
Anyway, let's get into it!
The Games
60. Marvel's Spider-Man

Spider-Man wasn't a game I was particularly excited for, I didn't watch much pre-release coverage, and while I like Spider-Man, I'm not a huge superhero fan. But, the night before this game came out I had an awful time, and was feeling very mentally unwell.
So, the day Marvel's Spider-Man released, I took off of work, and drove to GameStop to pick up a new game for my Playstation 4, and ended up accidentally driving home with the brand new release.
I spent my entire day on my best friend's couch, playing Spider-Man while he and his boyfriend were at work. And, god, I couldn't stop. They got home and said "Are you hungry?" and I said "I'm so hungry, I forgot to eat lunch" without taking my eyes off the TV.
I don't know if Marvel's Spider-Man would've hit to so hard if I wasn't in a bad place emotionally, but the game helped cheer me up, and I will always appreciate it for that.
Miles Morales and Spider-Man 2 could also occupy this spot on the list, I love all 3 games, but I thought the anecdote about the first game made for better reading.
59. Dark Souls 2

The "black sheep" of the series, Dark Souls 2 will always be special to me. It introduced so many things to the formula, but it changed "too much" from Dark Souls 1 to be considered "good" by so many fans.
I love Dark Souls 2 though, it has some blunders, sure, but Scholar of the First Sin fixed most of those (and introduced a few others, whoops). We have been left with an excellent game, with an excellent (unfortunately flawed) co-op system, that probably has the best story in the series.
Dark Souls 2 excels at being non-linear, playing the most like a traditional Metroidvania. The amount of build variety is also excellent, even if the power scaling can make you feel a bit weak at times. However, if you engage with the systems the game provides (NPC summons and multiplayer) it can shore up those weaknesses. Don't let the mind virus get you, you do not need to solo Souls bosses for them to count.
58. Phantasy Star Universe

Okay, I know the offline campaign isn't particularly good. And I know that the mechanics aren't particularly compelling. And I sure do know that this game is a pale imitation of Phantasy Star Online. But, I love it, so here it is.
In the offline campaign you play as Ethan Waber, a teenager who gets caught up in an alien invasion of the starship he lives on. It's a fine enough campaign, but the real reason PSU is on my list is the online multiplayer.
The Xbox 360 Era had me missing Phantasy Star Online, but it gave me Phantasy Star Universe, and even then I knew it was not as good. Despite that I sunk hundreds of hours into it with my friends, and I will forever cherish those memories. I wouldn't recommend going back to it these days, though.
57. Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage

One of the greatest 3D platformers of all time, Spyro 2 brought me a lot of joy as a kid. The Playstation era of Spyro was incredible, but 2 was my standout favorite.
Playing as the little dragon who could, Spyro 2 has you facing off against the dinosaur Ripto and his minions, as they try to take over the world. Ripto's Rage introduces most of the recurring characters to the franchise, like Hunter and Elora, and they are a great addition to the cast.
The voice acting is campy, but it was the 90's, and this was a kids' game. There are a bunch of levels, fun stuff to collect, and insanely fun cheats to play around with (big head mode, anyone?)
56. Final Fantasy V

Final Fantasy V is one of those games you either love or hate, and I will go on the record as loving it!
Rocking one of the best soundtracks in the series, and my favorite iteration of the job system, Final Fantasy V is an incredible experience. You set out as Butz (in the original Japanese translation, and gosh darn I will not switch to Bartz) and make some friends, and eventually try to unravel the grand conspiracy behind the elements failing.
Excellent turn based combat, and the modularity of the job system, definitely keep me coming back for more.
55. Pokemon Black/White 2

It is debatable whether Pokemon or Final Fantasy is my favorite franchise, but honestly I could've had more of both games on this list, I refrained. Pokemon White 2 is an incredible game though.
Objectively I think Gen 5 is the best the series has ever been, although it's not my favorite. I think Black/White 2 refined the formula from Black/White in a way that is more appealing to most audiences. You get to travel the US (kind of), collect Pokemon from all sorts of regions, and continue the story from the first games nicely.
You don't need to play Black/White to play 2, honestly many people prefer 2, and I do highly recommend giving Gen 5 a shot.
54. Metal Gear Solid 3

Kojima is responsible for so many things, and one of the greatest is Metal Gear Solid 3. An incredible prequel to Metal Gear Solid, you get to watch the original Snake figure things out, in the thick Russian jungle.
The gameplay contains pretty excellent stealth sequences, and enough freedom to play how you like. Guns ablaze? Silent murder? Non-lethal? Whatever feels right at the time? The game affords you that choice.
The plot to the Metal Gear Solid franchise can seem a bit difficult to understand at first, but MGS3 is a great starting point, and one of the most fun games I've ever played.
53. Guild Wars 2

This episode's second MMO inclusion, Guild Wars 2 means a lot to me. I played it fairly heavily for a decade after it released, and only really slowed down because I had kids.
The combat is probably best in class for MMOs, only held back by some legacy actions on some classes, and the lack of viable build variety that exists. Yes, every class is viable, but the open world combat is difficult enough once you start getting into the expansion content that you need a somewhat focused build to succeed.
The world of Tyria is vast and the story is great, and every expansion adds something excellent. The mounts that Path of Fire introduce are industry changing, even forcing World of Warcraft to step up their game.
Guild Wars 2's base game is free to play, and honestly I couldn't recommend any other MMO to a new MMO player more than this one.
52. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Ezio comes back in his second iteration. He's more mature, and now he needs to fight his greatest enemy yet. The Pope!
You heard me right, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is all about exploring Rome, infiltrating the Vatican, and killing the hell out of one Pope. All with your regular Assassin's Creed trappings. Oh, and I guess Desmond does some stuff too, outside of the Animus.
It's just Assassin's Creed II but better, and that's enough for me!
51. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Many people would put this game at #1 on their lists, so how did it manage to get so low on mine? The answer? Every game on this list is legitimately excellent (except for a couple, shh).
The Witcher 3 really brought The Witcher franchise into the mainstream. The open world is gorgeous, the storylines are incredible (including the side quests), and the gameplay is still deliberate like earlier entries but a lot more accessible.
If you want to play one of the objectively best RPGs ever written, you need to try the Witcher 3. However, if you're a sicko like me, you may find that another game in the franchise suits you a bit more…
Outro
After this week we are half way through this series! That's crazy to me. To everyone who has been reading along this entire time, I truly thank you. I do this all for you.
If you've read this far you're probably very cool, and should join my Discord and chat with the incredible community! Every month we have two games to play as a community, sort of like a book club! It's called the Lunar League, and July's games are Mega Man X, and Shadow Hearts! Come on in!
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