Another Top 10

Okay, so nobody reads this. That's fine, that's fine...but still I feel the need to post SOMEthing. Anything. So, here we go. My 10 Most Memorable Playstation games of all time. Enjoy. And if you disagree...well...you're wrong. What can I say?

10) Ape Escape
Truly a unique game. I mean, you catch super-intelligent monkeys! Not to mention that this showed off Sony's new (at the time) Dual Shock controller by implementing a unique control scheme. Whether you're whacking monkeys with a stick, hula-hooping, or commanding an R/C car, Ape Escape was just fun to play. Oh, and I did I mention Monkey Boxing?

9) Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
One of my early Playstation purchases. Though crude by today's standards, the graphics in this game gave a very gritty underworld vibe to feudal Japan. Jumping from building to building was never so fun. And when you tricked those stupid guards with some poisoned food, you couldn't help but giggle a little as you jumped in for the kill. Toss in some cool ninja weapons (grappling hooks, anybody?), slick stealthy moves, and a spifferiffic soundtrack, and you've got yourself one gem of a game.

8) Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Very...odd. With a quirky, post-apocalyptic setting, the only thing weirder than Oddworld were the Oddworld inhabitants themselves. You assume the role of Abe, whose race has been enslaved to run the dangerous factories of Rupture Farms. Possessing enemy Sligs and carrying on conversations with fellow Mudokons provided the player with hours of screwing around. Oh, and assuming the role of the Mudokon Savior. If you're into that sort of thing.

7) Legend of Mana
A control freak's dream come true. Want to create your own swords from scratch? Have at it. Want to conjure your own custom spells? Make Merlin proud. Legend of Mana offered the player endless customization options. Though there were many intriguing story elements, the true meat of this game came in the form of perfecting that piece of equipment or maxing out your pet Chobin Hood's stats. The soundtrack, which includes a Swedish main theme, is masterfully done (it IS Square, after all...). With the entire game set in a world that looks like a watercolor painting, Legend of Mana is a treat for the brain as well as the eyes.

6) Mega Man Legends
I know that a million gamers out there would tear me to shreds for even considering this game, but it holds a special little place in my memory. If you drop the idea of even trying to connect this game to any other Mega Man game, it's a very nice standalone game. Heck, they could have named this something else entirely and left the Blue Bomber out of the equation and the game probably would have fared better. Anyhow, it's a nice 3D platformer/3rd person shooter. Give it a whirl sometime.

5)Final Fantasy VIII
Once again, a game that's loved by few and hated by many. I've never been too disappointed in a Final Fantasy game, and the eighth installment is no exception. Sure I found the Guardian Forces and junctioning to be a bit of a hassle, but Triple Triad made everything better. Yes, a sidequest of this game involved a collectable card game. Once again, this Square gem had a nice soundtrack and beautiful cutscenes. The story wasn't half bad, either.

4)Final Fantasy IX
I got an uneasy feeling when I put this one down. Not quite sure why...this was another Final Fantasy that had a nicely divided fan reaction. Many praised the game for the return to classic FF elements, but some felt the game was too shallow. I agree that seeing a medieval FF again was a treat, but I also feel that the game was entirely too easy. As per the usual, the story was involved and the characters were incredibly well done. In fact, I'd say IX has characters that rank near the top of best FF characters of all time. I mean...VIVI!

3) Chrono Cross
I drooled all over the place when I first played this game. Never had I enjoyed such an RPG. Raised on traditional SNES RPG fare (Final Fantasies, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound), this departure from the norm sent my brain a giggling. With something in the neighborhood of 40 characters, tons of possible story paths, and a unique magic system, Chrono Cross blew my mind. Unfortunately, the huge cast of characters means little time for character development (for the most part). Of course, you can't talk about Chrono Cross without mentioning the soundtrack - Yasunori Mitsuda has succeeded in creating quite possibly my favorite video game soundtrack of all time. It's a perfect lineup of breezy town tunes and epic boss battle themes. The track, Ravine Cleft Dimension, is probably the most relaxing melody of all time.

2) Final Fantasy VII
Eh, a cop out. Now's the time that I specify that this is a list of games that were most MEMORABLE. Not necessarily best. In fact, I think Final Fantasy VII is a tad overrated. It's an absolutely amazing game, but I don't know if I'd say it's the ultimate game. Darn close, but not quite there. Anyway, there's no point talking about this game - who doesn't know about this amazing masterpiece? Great characters, great story, great graphics, great music...great everything! Oh, and greatest iteration of Cid in any FF! AND there's a Yuffie!

1) Final Fantasy Tactics
Oh man. I cannot even begin to explain how much I love this game. Perhaps it's the character customization...or perhaps it's the more strategic style of this game. Heck, it could be the fact that I can command an entire herd of Chocobo to fry the enemy with meteors. Regardless of why, this game is my absolute favorite Playstation game. Never has a Final Fantasy story been so well-written. Poor translation aside, there's not much to complain about in this game. On a side note, my love for this game is directly opposite the hatred I hold for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Do not ask why. Just know.

You know...something about that list doesn't seem quite right. Perhaps it's the lack of the Spyro or Crash Bandicoot series. Ah well. Maybe I should lump the Final Fantasies together as a series and plug in Spyro and Crash. Or Bust-a-Groove. Eh, anyway...it was a rough list. That being said, here are some honorable mentions: Bust-a-Grooves, Spyro series, Crash Bandicoot series, Thousand Arms, SaGa Frontier 2. Probably others.

The Playstation had a myriad of classic games. The PS2 was no different. PS3? I've yet to be impressed. Here's hoping Sony pulls their head out of their...bums...and gets back on track.