My Top 10 Games Featured on the GameFAQs.com Game of the Decade List

Hey all, and welcome to another video game listing. In fact, this is the same listing I did 10 years ago, but with the last decade rather than the one before. Can you believe that I've had this website for almost a decade??! I can't!

I wrote this exact same article nearly 10 years ago, to read it click here.

So, another decade, another GameFAQs poll tournament. Despite certain articles I've written suggesting otherwise, I do still have a lot of time for GameFAQs and love participating in their tournaments. I'm intrigued to know what will win this tournament. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask won it last time. My guess? Either The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

So these are, to me, my 10 favourite games of the 128 that have been put down for the tournament. Let's go!

#10: South Park: The Stick of Truth

Available On: PC, PS3, PS4, XBox 360, XBox One, Nintendo Switch

Original Release: 2014

My Rating: ****1/4 stars

Just as an aside, this was the last game I thoroughly played on my XBox 360 before I moved on to the Playstation 4.

For me, this game is terribly underrated. I had so much fun playing it, for me it's one of the funniest games ever created. If you're a South Park fan, and you love RPG games, it's a MUST play. It looks and feels like South Park, and the combat system, while takes a lot of inspiration from Final Fantasy X, is solid. It truly was a spectacular game.

#9: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Available On: PC, PS Vita, Playstation 4, Nintendo 3DS

Original Release: 2012

My Rating: ****1/4 stars

I first heard about the Zero Escape games probably about 2 or 3 years ago. I saw the trailer for the first game (Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors) and pencilled it as a game I wanted to play at some point. I actually only played through the games back in December of last year.

I'm telling you now - get the Nonary Games. It's available on PC or PS4. The games are simply incredible when it comes to storytelling, plot twists and keeping you on your toes.

When it comes to individual titles in the series, Virtue's Last Reward is arguably the most famous of the trilogy, but for me, "999" is a better game. That takes nothing away from this title, it's a solid title and well worth your time. The puzzles are intricately detailed and, as stated above, the story is fantastic. My advice however would be to play them in order, although they are an experience individually too.

#8: The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series

Available On: PC, Playstation 3, PS Vita, Playstation 4, XBox 360, XBox One, Nintendo Switch

Original Release: 2012

My Rating: ****1/4 stars

This is another game that took me longer to finish than it should. All the Walking Dead video games by Telltale Games are fantastic but unfortunately they couldn't improve on the first series. The story between Lee and Clementine is so beautiful, you forget these are fictional characters. It almost feels real, responding to Clementine's difficult questions during this apocalyptic zombie world. It's a shame that Telltale Games probably won't be making any more games, because I truly don't know if they made a bad game, sure there's some that are better than others, and perhaps none better than this first season of Walking Dead, but they really did know how to work this multichoice narrative style of gaming.

#7: Heavy Rain

Available On: PC, Playstation 3, Playstation 4

Original Release: 2010

My Rating: ****1/2 stars

I'll confess to never having a PS3, in that one generation of gaming I changed my allegiances to the XBox 360. There was always one game that was, at the time, a PS3 exclusive that I always wanted to play, and that was Heavy Rain. It wasn't until it was bundled with Beyond Two Souls and put on PS4 that I finally got to play this absolute gem. When it comes to doing a game in the style of a movie, this game really, for me, is the first to do the narrative drama perfectly. The visuals are stunning for 2010, the music is incredibly fully of suspense, the characters are well acted and animated and, of course, the choices you make were difficult to make and lead to some brilliant plot twists. Heavy Rain truly pioneered this genre and the game still plays brilliantly today.

#6: Resident Evil 7

Available On: PC, Playstation 4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch

Original Release: 2017

My Rating: ****1/2 stars

I've reviewed this game for this website, you can view it here.

Resident Evil 7 returned the series to its roots and boy it delivered well. The game really did go above and beyond grossing us out and making us feel tense again. It had been such a long time since we had those feelings and it was so good. Sure, the game, as it goes on, gets less nervy but in fairness most horror games fall into that trap. I genuinely didn't see the plot twist coming at the end of the game and all the characters played their parts very well. It's well worth your time if you want a fantastic horror game on the modern consoles.

#5: Grand Theft Auto V

Available On: PC, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, XBox 360, XBox One

Original Release: 2013

My Rating: ****1/2 stars

I can imagine some people being surprised that this game "only" got to #5 in my list considering how popular it is. Don't get me wrong this is a blockbuster title and an instant classic. My main issue with this game is that I truly don't think that Rockstar have really elevated the series since San Andreas. That takes nothing away by how damn good it is, but I can honestly say that this game doesn't add much more than the PS2 era games. That all being said it's an absolutely brilliant game, and the best thing about it for me is the three main characters, and, of course, particularly Trevor Phillips, who has become one of the best video game characters of all time. The dialogue, atmosphere and tensions between the three characters is truly a joy to watch and is the main reason why the game is so good. Heists are a big ball of joy too, and some of the side missions are hilarious.

#4: Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Available On: Nintendo DS

Original Release: 2010

My Rating: ****1/2 stars

For me, this is THE most complete Pokemon game ever made. I always loved Pokemon Gold and Silver on the Game Boy Color, and loved how it was the only games in the series that allowed you to go to two different locations and get a total of 16 gym badges. I loved the day and night system and it was back in the days where adding 100 new Pokemon or so felt like a big deal. So when it got the remake treatment, I wasn't disappointed. It's still the only Pokemon games that allow you to traverse between two places and get those badges. Also the final battle of the game (as in, the REAL final battle) feels just as epic as it did the first time. The visuals really did make the most of the power of the DS at the time. Simply for me, this is the ultimate Pokemon experience and you must play it if you haven't before and you like what the games have to offer.

#3: Resident Evil 2

Available On: PC, Playstation 4, XBox One

Original Release: 2019

My Rating: ****1/2 stars

For a very long time I wished for a Resi 2 Remake. The original back in 1998 was a truly incredible experience for so many people that I really felt that it could do with a modern touch. And while it falls ever so short of the original in my eyes, this is by far the best Resident Evil game since Resident Evil 4. It's a truly amazing experience, the gameplay so damn slick, the monsters are truly horrifying, the attention to detail in the gore is incredible, specifically when you take out the zombies limb by limb. Tyrant, otherwise known as Mr X is as terrifying as he was back in the day. William Birkin's transformations are so well done. The main thing that lets the game down is the serious lack of a proper "B" campaign for Leon and Claire, they were so good in the original and were a serious afterthought in the Remake. Otherwise, this is the best modern Resident Evil experience we have today and I implore you to play it.

#2: Portal 2

Available On: PC, Playstation 3, XBox 360

Original Release: 2011

My Rating: ****3/4 stars

I've reviewed this game, to read it click here.

Over the past 9 years, two games came out in 2011 that, for me, were truly incredible gaming experiences. At the time I wasn't sure what I preferred, and after a lot of deliberation, I went with Portal 2. Over time my feelings have changed, but that doesn't take anything away from how amazing this game is.

Portal 2 is truly a game you must play before you die. It's gutwrenchingly funny, clever, with excellent plot twists and some of the best puzzles any video game has to offer. It improves on the original in every way possible and delivers a 6-8 hour masterpiece. It's such a damn shame that Valve haven't brought this classic to PS4 because I'd totally buy it for my modern system. Thankfully I have it on my PC to play whenever I boot this damn thing up. Seriously play this game. I mean it!

#1: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Available On: PC, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, XBox 360, XBox One, Nintendo Switch

Original Release: 2011

My Rating: ****3/4 stars

As I stated above, two amazing games came out in 2011 and they're both amazing in so many different ways. I used to say I preferred Portal 2 to Skyrim but now I honestly don't know how true that is. Skyrim has aged like a fine wine (so has Portal 2 but... anyway), and still for me is the ultimate modern RPG experience. Sure there are those who will say that the game was improved by The Witcher 3, but I just don't agree. For me, Skyrim just feels so good, it's close to perfection. I love the stories, the side quests, the levelling up system, the excellent characters but above all, I absolutely love the province that is Skyrim itself. It's such a wonderful place to be, I love the snowy mountains, certain cities in the game, and how this Dragonborn makes such a difference to this part of the world of Tamriel. For me it's simply one of the best games of all time, and the best gaming experience, for me, in the last decade.

Well I hope you enjoyed the list. I'm sure you'll disagree with certain entries and be distraught that some of your favourite games didn't make the cut. What for you are the best games of the last 10 years? Comment below. Until next time, stay safe, take care and see you soon!

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

My Top 100 Favourite Music Videos: #94

#94: "stevie" - Kasabian
Release Date: 2014
Director: Ninian Doff
Fun Fact: The song was originally called "kid" but they changed it to "stevie" to give the kid identity, but to still maintain the gender ambiguity of the story behind the lyrics.

Only the one video from last year. The only video really to be honest that stood out to me as a true high quality video with a great story. And the video really reminds me of the video game Portal, which is one of the strongest reasons for me liking it.

Basically this little boy was seemingly raised since birth in a dark, gloomy science lab. He's tested daily, given pills, and made to do exercise. When a bright red light is flashed in his eyes he's been systematically trained to raise his hands above his head.

Eventually he starts to realise he doesn't want to be tested anymore. The rest of the video I'll leave for you to watch. It's just a great video, in my opinion the best of last year and definitely worth watching if you missed it somehow last year.

Note: This is the first and last video from the year 2014 in this list.

Here's the video for your enjoyment!

 

Click here to see #93 on the list or here for #95!

My Top 50 Favourite Video Game Villains: The Winner + more

Here we are. At the end. 50 days. 50 villains. I hope you've enjoyed the list!

Here's from #50, to #2, in my favourite video game villains:

• #50 - Ogre (Tekken 3 series)
• #49 - Tom Nook (Animal Crossing series)
• #48 - The Tank (Left 4 Dead series)
• #47 - Akuma (Street Fighter series)
• #46 - Ba'Gamnan (Final Fantasy XII)
• #45 - Mr. X (Streets of Rage series)
• #44 - The Director (Manhunt)
• #43 - Tiny Tiger (Crash Bandicoot series)
• #42 - Goldman (House of the Dead series)
• #41 - Bryan Fury (Tekken series)
• #40 - Blue (Pokemon series)
• #39 - The Ghosts (Pac-Man series)
• #38 - Lisa Trevor (Resident Evil)
• #37 - Knuckles (Sonic 3)
• #36 - Dr Zomboss (Plants vs Zombies series)
• #35 - Scissorman (Clock Tower series)
• #34 - Seifer (Final Fantasy VIII)
• #33 - Walter Sullivan (Silent Hill 4: The Room)
• #32 - Black (Gunstar Heroes series)
• #31 - G. Ceara (Super Monaco GP)
• #30 - Dr Fetus (Super Meat Boy)
• #29 - Giovanni (Pokemon series)
• #28 - Creeper (Minecraft)
• #27 - Nemesis (Resident Evil 3)
• #26 - Mankar Camoran (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)
• #25 - Dr Robotnik (Sonic the Hedgehog series)
• #24 - Zachary Comstock (Bioshock Infinite)
• #23 - Heihachi Mishima (Tekken series)
• #22 - Dormin (Shadows of the Colossus)
• #21 - William Birkin (Resident Evil 2)
• #20 - Shao Kahn (Mortal Kombat series)
• #19 - Wario (Super Mario series)
• #18 - Krauser (Resident Evil 4)
• #17 - Catalina (Grand Theft Auto series)
• #16 - M. Bison (Street Fighter series)
• #15 - Seymour (Final Fantasy X)
• #14 - Calypso (Twisted Metal series)
• #13 - Frank Fontaine (Bioshock)
• #12 - Clement (The House of the Dead: Overkill)
• #11 - Barthandelus (Final Fantasy XIII)
• #10 - Pyramid Head (Silent Hill 2)
• #9 - Lloyd ( The Legend of Dragoon)
• #8 - Kuja (Final Fantasy IX)
• #7 - Neo Cortex (Crash Bandicoot series)
• #6 - Wheatley (Portal 2)
• #5 - Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
• #4 - Officer Tenpenny (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas)
• #3 - GLaDOS (Portal series)
• #2 - Kefka (Final Fantasy VI)

So! Who's #1? It is...

Note: There are possible spoilers in each entry so avoid them if you don't want to ruin any storylines.

#1: Albert Wesker

Other Names: None
Debut Game and Year: Resident Evil (1996)
Famous Quote?: ""Every day, humans come one step closer to self-destruction... I'm not destroying the world... I'm saving it..."
Other Appearances: Resident Evil Code Veronica, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 5, other spinoff titles

Yes, it may not be a surprise but my all time favourite villain is Albert Wesker. I just love everything about him. Believe it or not, I was surprised that Wesker was the main villain at the end of RE1. I never saw the plot twist coming. Sure, I was quite young when playing RE1, but still.

But the biggest surprise for me was when Wesker, out of nowhere, was in Code Veronica. That scene, on his return, solidified for me how amazing this guy was. I never read online rumours when I played Code Veronica, so had no idea about Wesker being back from the dead. It caught me by surprise and I absolutely loved it.

Then was the fight between Chris and Wesker. At the time, I was in awe of how good a fight scene it was. Looking back it sucks, but still, the feeling I had never faded away. I actually found myself wanting Wesker to win, which is funny.

Seeing Wesker in RE4 was fun. Running things in the background, making his own little piece of the cake in the game. It was just like him, the power hungry, manipulative piece of shit. But still, I loved him.

And then there was Resident Evil 5. The end of Wesker. I just can't put into words how much I love Wesker in this game. Everything he does turns to gold. His movements, his attire, his backstabbing of even his own comrades. His fighting Chris and Sheva at the same time, kicking both their asses to the ground.

But best are the quotes. Wesker is a quote machine in this game and everything he says just oozes badass. I can't put into words how much I loved Wesker in Resi 5.

But then... the end. The end of Wesker was absolutely terrible. His transformation into monster, his yelling of "CHWWISSSS" at the helicopter, being killed by the dreaded rocket launcher... just awful. It was the only flaw in, to me, the perfect video game villain.

Wesker will always be my favourite video game villain. He grew as I grew, into an adult. His character twisted and turned in ways I never expected in a video game. And the best thing Capcom can do with Wesker, is to keep him dead. Never bring him back. It'll be a big mistake. Let people remember the legacy of Wesker, as one of the finest character creations in video game history. And thank you, Capcom, for making him, into my favourite video game villain.

So Wesker, this trophy is for you!

Thank you for joining me, in my countdown of favourite video game villains. It's been a blast. Before I wrap up, I thought I'd make this interesting timeline and line chart for you...

So as you can see, from 1990 to 2011 there was at least one villainous entry in my list. 

Here's the line chart...

It's hard to see, so click it to see it properly. There were four years where there were four entries, and they were 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2001.

I was going to break down the consoles and stuff but it got a little complicated... and it's getting late!

Anyway, thank you so much for joining me for this. Comment below for your comments. Tell me who your favourite villain is on this list, or off this list! All the best and take care!

See other parts of this listing!

#50 - #41 | #40 - #31 | #30 - #21 | #20 - #11 | #10 - #2 | #1 + More

Other entries you might want to read:
Big News Regarding My DJing - Personal Blog
The Metal Hour Show (20/1/14) - DJ Show
The Transformations of William Birkin - Article

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

My Top 50 Favourite Video Game Villains: #10 to #2

So. Here we are. The Top 10. Well, #10 to #2 anyway. We're almost there. Let's continue!

Note: There are possible spoilers in each entry so avoid them if you don't want to ruin any storylines.

#10: Pyramid Head

Other Names: Red Pyramid, Bogeyman, James
Debut Game and Year: Silent Hill 2 (2001)
Famous Quote?: None
Other Appearances: Silent Hill: The Arcade, New International Track & Field, Silent Hill: Downpour, Silent Hill: Book of Memories

My favourite stalker in all of video gaming history is Pyramid Head. Everything is amazing about this guy. First he's scary as hell. That pyramid helmet is just ridiculous. He walks incredibly creepily. That sword/large knife is insane. He's just one scary mother.

But underneath his appearance is his significance to the plot of Silent Hill 2. SH2, one of the best video game storylines of all time (in my opinion), has so much imagery and physical metaphors, and Pyramid Head is one of the biggest ones. James, the main character, practically created Silent Hill 2's complete setting and monsters. And they all have some significance to his mental health. Pyramid Head is the part of James that feels he deserves to be tortured and killed for his murder of his wife. Pyramid Head kills Maria over and over again throughout the game. Maria, who looks a lot like his wife Mary. So that's the purpose of Pyramid Head. Both his appearance and his significance to the game are immense. And he's just one hell of a badass monster.

#9: Lloyd

Other Names: None
Debut Game and Year: The Legend of Dragoon (1999)
Famous Quote?: "I am the one who torched your home to the ground. I am the one who deprived your friend of his life. And I hold the Moon Gem and the Moon Dagger in my hands! You abhor me, don't you?"
Other Appearances: None

While The Legend of Dragoon isn't the most original RPG, and its set of characters are quite bland and generic at times, Lloyd saves the game for the most part. Once again, his character isn't terribly original, but it's the swagger he has and his coldness that makes him stand apart. He has some badass quotes too. And, what can I say, I have a thing for characters with a plan and a determination to succeed in doing that plan. Of course, Lloyd, in the end, isn't a bad guy as he was deceived and used to deliver a utopia requested by the main villain of the game, Melhbu Frahma, but, 75% of the bad things that happen in the game, especially the death of Lavitz, one of the best "pure good guys" in video game history, really make you seethe this guy.

#8: Kuja

Other Names: None
Debut Game and Year: Final Fantasy IX (2000)
Famous Quote?: "What comedy! Zidane, isn't it hilarious!? I'll die just like the black mages I so despise! I single-handedly brought chaos unto Gaia, but in the end, I'm nothing but a worthless doll! ... I won't let it happen. I won't... I won't let this world exist without me!"
Other Appearances: Dissidia: Final Fantasy

So the previous entry, Lloyd from The Legend of Dragoon got in so high because of his cool looks and the way he presents himself. Kuja's appearance has always been his downfall in my opinion. He just doesn't look like a big threat to the party. But... his actions, his quotes, and everything else about him screams of awesome. From causing a war between loving family nations, to creating a mass army, destroying countless towns and an entire planet. Kuja is a man of action. And he does it all, laughing and calmly reciting poetic lines like Shakespeare. I just love Kuja so so much, and of course, the main villain from my favourite video game of all time has to be high on my list right?

#7: Neo Cortex

Other Names: Dr Neo Cortex, Doctor Neo Periwinkle Cortex, Cortex
Debut Game and Year: Crash Bandicoot (1996)
Famous Quote?: "You fool! Do you think I'm unaware of this situation? If we don't have any friends left on the surface, then we need to find... an enemy..." - Crash Bandicoot 2
Other Appearances: Every Crash game since

I love Cortex so much. I don't know what it is about him. His banter with Crash is fantastic. And I suppose, unlike Dr Robotnik before him, he shows so much personality. I'd like to think that Megamind, the evil villain of the movie, was based on Cortex. He's just so dastardly yet lovable at the same time. I love a villain who has a silly side to him, and Cortex is king of the silly evil bad guys in video game history.

#6: Wheatley

Other Names: Intelligence Dampening Sphere
Debut Game and Year: Portal 2 (2011)
Famous Quote?: "Now who's a moron?! Could a moron PUNCH! YOU! INTO! THIS! PIT?! HUH?! COULD A MORON DO THAT?!" - turning bad
Other Appearances: None

SPOILERS! I was so torn on whether or not to put Wheatley in this list of video game villains. Firstly because, in itself, it's a plot spoiler if you've not got far enough into the game that you find out that he's the real main villain of Portal 2. And secondly, because, well, he's not a bad guy. He's just an incredibly stupid, dumb robot who, through circumstances, becomes the most powerful robot in the laboratory, and misuses his power due to his lack of intelligence.

Wheatley is a fascinating character on so many levels. Firstly, he's just one of the funniest characters in video game history. You literally are laughing probably once a minute when he's on screen. Stephen Merchant does an absolutely fascinating job, one worth an Oscar for, playing Wheatley. And secondly, such a simple storyline is used to perfection - give power to the wrong people means they abuse that power. But the battle between Chell and Wheatley unfolds tremendously well, and while you do want to beat him up at the end of the game, you really have fallen in love by that point with one of the most fantastic characters of all time.

#5: Sephiroth

Other Names: None
Debut Game and Year: Final Fantasy VII (1997)
Famous Quote?: "Only death awaits you all, but do not fear. For it is through death that a new spirit energy is born. Soon, you will live again as a part of me." - Sephiroth, coldly talking whilst slaughtering Tseng
Other Appearances: Before Crisis, Crisis Core, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Well. What to say? That hasn't been said before? One of the most popular characters in video game history. The most famous villain of all Final Fantasy. And does he deserve these accolades? One hundred percent yes.

While there is another FF villain I prefer (more on one of the entries to come), Sephiroth is the ultimate villain. He ticks all the boxes. He looks badass. He fights like a badass. He's a tough nut to kill. He is so cool, so calm, yet so evil, killing important characters in the game, and summoning a huge meteor to destroy the planet. He just is the epitome of villains really. You spend the entire time chasing him (even if it's not really him but Jenova, but, that's another story for a different day), to finally put an end to him and his plans, that when you finally get to him, you just don't know what to feel. Getting to finally do battle with Sephiroth was, and still is, one of the most exciting moments in video game history. Adrenaline runs like water. Sephiroth is just an amazing, in every sense of the word.

#4: Officer Tenpenny

Other Names: Frank Tenpenny
Debut Game and Year: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
Famous Quote?: "I can shit on you from such a height, you'll think God himself took a crap on you!" - When Tenpenny reveals he's part of C.R.A.S.H.
Other Appearances: None

God I hate this guy. He's such a prick. And not even a lovable prick. Right from the beginning of the game, when he reveals himself as a crooked cop, messing you about, you hate him then. But when it's revealed how he's linked with the death of CJ's mum, and with the drug dealings around San Andreas, and using you to do his dirty dealings, you just hate him much much more. And he's there, getting high, ordering you to do more of his dirty laundry, all you want to do is kill him there and then. He's really one of those bad guys that you just can't wait to kill, and, while CJ doesn't kill him directly, seeing the end of Officer Tenpenny is a sweet sweet piece of justice.

#3: GLaDOS

Other Names: Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System
Debut Game and Year: Portal (2007)
Famous Quote?: "We both said a lot of things that you're going to regret, but I think we can put our differences behind us, for science... you monster..." - when reawakening in Portal 2
Other Appearances: Portal 2

Haha, who doesn't love GLaDOS? One of the most loved villains in video game history. And for so many justifiable reasons. There's no denying her evil and cold ways of using your character. Getting a "buzz" from testing you over and over again in more and more difficult tests, trying so hard to kill you off, but at the same time, not wanting you to die because you're the only thing she has left to work with in the lab. Her role in Portal 1 is great, because you think the voice is just a computer for the majority of the game, before it's revealed to be an intelligence robot. And in Portal 2, because you killed her, and passed all the tests, she gets resurrected and puts you through it all over again. She's just an amazing villain, and also, one of the funniest villains in video game history (even if Wheatley is funnier). Her one-liners are some of the best of all time, she's so quick and calculated in her venomous retorts to your character, you can't help but laugh. GLaDOS is just so so awesome and I love her.

#2: Kefka

Other Names: Kefka Palazzo, Cefca Palazzo
Debut Game and Year: Final Fantasy VI (1994)
Famous Quote?: "Hee, hee! Nothing can beat the sweet music of hundreds of voices screaming in unison!" - when poisoning the rivers of Doma
Other Appearances: Dissidia Final Fantasy, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Kefka got to #1 in my Favourite Final Fantasy Characters list but in this list he's runner up. What villain do I possibly love more than Kefka? Find out tomorrow...

#2 or #1 it doesn't matter. Kefka is one of the most evil and sickeningly horrible villains of all time. Think The Joker crossed with a clown. That's Kefka. He's probably the only villain in Final Fantasy history to actually destroy the world and achieve Godhood. It takes a regrouping of your party after being separated across the globe to take him down. So what does he do that's so cold and evil? He manipulates Terra, the main character (debatable), in killing 50 soldiers. For a test. Then he sets a castle on fire (only for it to be able to be buried underground), then poisons the rivers in another castle (Doma), killing all the soldiers, and their families who lived there. Then he turns on his allies, and murders General Leo by stomping all over his vulnerable body into the ground, laughing. He gets all the power in the world, and chucks his old boss, Emperor Gestahl, off the side of a floating island. He then, destroys the world, to a point that is barely resembles its old self. And for kicks, after destroying the world, any attempts citizens have on rebuilding their town or village, he strikes it down again with his magic. He's just evil and, and, I love him. Killing Kefka is worth the ride, not to mention his final battle sequence to look at is incredibly impressive, especially for 1994. And who can't get enough of this laugh?!

So, here we are. 1 character left to reveal. Who is it? Comment below if you want to guess. Otherwise, find out tomorrow!

See other parts of this listing!

#50 - #41 | #40 - #31 | #30 - #21 | #20 - #11 | #10 - #2 | #1 + More

Other entries you might want to read:
Big News Regarding My DJing - Personal Blog
The Metal Hour Show (20/1/14) - DJ Show
The Transformations of William Birkin - Article

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

Game Review: Portal 2

Portal 2 is an incredible experience that tests your brain whilst being gut-wrenchingly funny at the same time.

Portal 2 was released a few months ago, and is the sequel to the multi award winning game from 2007 by Valve. The original game, initially part of The Orange Box (which included three Half Life games and another game called Team Fortress) was a very short but detailed FPS/puzzle hybrid that was considered more as a demo than a real game by the creators. However with its excellent and original game mechanics and its underlying storyline where you slowly figure out that everything is not quite as it seems at Aperture Science, was met with such strong praise by critics and even more so by fans that Valve probably felt forced to make a sequel. The ending of Portal was definitely open to interpretation to what happens next, and the questions of how the hell things came to pass in the original game definitely left fans wanting more. So Valve responded to the plea of fans in a way only they can – update the original Portal game to have an extended ending where Chell, the main character, gets dragged away by bots and to build an alternative reality game where players can start to piece some of the story together. The alternative reality game eventually leads to the official announcement of Portal 2 in the late spring of 2010. Plans were for the game to be released before the end of year, but it got postponed to the April of this year.

Before I talk about the sequel let me explain the game mechanics of Portal, in the event you’re not familiar with them. Portal, as explained earlier, is a first-person shooter merged into a puzzle game. It’s a truly unique experience, in the respect that instead of shooting bullets out of your gun, you’re shooting portals. And the purpose isn’t to kill people or aliens, but to use your portal gun to manoeuvre through level after level. If you shoot a portal at a wall, you can go through that portal and end up somewhere else. Later on in the game you get a dual portal gun, and from that point onwards your gun’s purpose is to shoot one portal in one place, and another to a location you can’t reach easily, to walk through the first portal and you come out of the other. This innovative game mechanic, which also combines the laws of physics to fly through portals, gain speed, and therefore gain air for long distances, became the staple of the game. Other elements are large cubes, which are predominantly used to put on buttons (usually further in a level) and also laser beams which activate switches for advancements into a level. There are enemies later on, which take on the form of turrets, which you can pick up or use your portal gun to dispose of. These all form Portal 1’s gameplay, which was a distinctive practice, yet a very short game.

So what’s changed in Aperture Science? And what of GLaDOS, the AI behind all the testing in the original game? What have Valve done to improve on Portal 1, is the game any longer than the original? How much of the gameplay from the original features in the sequel? Portal 2, unlike the original, has two gameplay modes, the single player game and the multiplayer game. I’ll talk about the single player mode first, which starts off an unidentified amount of time after the first game. Chell finds herself in the middle of what is insinuated as a potentially apocalyptic situation, where she finds herself ‘training’ how to deal with such extreme cirumstances. The training is basically simple tests not too dissimilar to the ones from the beginning of Portal 1. In fact, the first room you smash through is an exact replica of the room you start in, in the original game, albeit much older, worn out and with mould and nature growing through the walls. If you’re familiar with the original game, you’ll find this a nice welcome back to the series, but also becoming easily aware of the fact that, this time, things have changed. Aperture Science, with GLaDOS gone, has definitely had better days.

From the beginning of the single player mode, you find yourself attached to a little circular bot with a blue eye named Wheatley, who is very nervous and extremely comical. Wheatley, who is voiced by the fantastic Stephen Merchant from Extras, does an absolute astonishing job on his voice acting debut. Wheatley is basically your guide through certain segments of the beginning of the game, providing you with very funny moments, advice and storyline progression along the way. It doesn’t take long before you’re reunited with GLaDOS again, and to avoid spoilers, I’m not going to talk about how that coming together takes place. I will say however, it’s quite the reintroduction into the game. There are a few other characters later on in the game, which mostly have minor interaction with the player, that are all voiced well, whether it’s a human or a bot. It’s difficult to explain any other part of the storyline without spoiling anything, pretty much everything that happens in the game is a follow up of what happened prior, so all I’ll say is that the total storyline product is fantastic, one of the best told stories of recent times, and you’ll definitely enjoy the ride.

Portal guns, rainbow cubes and lasers. That's some party.

There are a few subtle tweaks to the gameplay, most notably being silhouettes where you have placed portals. I never thought about that as being a weakness in the original game, but this delicate touch shows that Valve have thought about even the slightest of shortcomings from Portal 1. Another example is that your cube, which is gray but has blue hues on its centre parts now lights in yellow if it’s placed on a button. As I said these simple improvements were not really a hindrance on the first game, but its inclusion is so subtle and welcome it really does show how much effort has been put into the game so that it’s an improved experience.

As well as the game mechanics from the original more elements have been added to the game to flesh it out, once you’re reunited with GLaDOS you start using a secondary cube, this cube changes the direction of a light beam (the original cube merely stops the beam) which adds a new layer of puzzle making.

Another added feature are the aerial faith plates – where you are literally flipped in the air to another side of the room. Multiple faith plates are used sometimes, where you flip in one direction, then another, and then another. You can portal mid air and get to new areas this way.

In the second half of the game you start using even more added features, most prominently the three gels; Repulsion, Propulsion and Conversion. Respectively the blue Repulsion gel lets you bounce across its surface, and the greater height you fall onto it, the higher you’ll bounce off it. The orange Propulsion gel let’s you run across it at high speeds, giving you a nice lift if you go over a ramp, and so on. Finally the white Conversion gel is spreadable across most surfaces, and you can place portals on this gel regardless of where it is spread, so if you have a surface that can’t be portalled (is that a word?) on, spray this gel on it and you can now place that portal on that surface. These three gels make up the second half of the game, and adds much variety to the gameplay.

The last major feature are the Excursion Funnels that are added to the last quarter of the game. These funnels, which can be reversed, let you travel through them across the entire terrain if portalled (I’m telling you, that word will be in the dictionary soon) elsewhere. The combination of the funnels and the gels add even more complexities to the game, which ante up the enjoyment factor immensely.

To your left is McDonalds, to your right is Burger King...

I haven’t really talked much about Portal 2 on a visual level. The graphics are great; I mean they’re not the most polished graphics in the world, but the art direction and the designs are definitely up there with the best. In the early parts of the game you see that Lab Rat’s artwork is still scrawled all over the walls and these drawings continue to add intrigue to the series as well as look good. The fact that some of the early levels are exact replicas or at least similar to the original levels of the first game adds nostalgia, and the fact that these test chambers are rusting and wearing out definitely adds to the game visually. Without spoilers once again, one thing I’ll say is that you’re not contained to these test chambers for too long, and the levels change as you get further in the game. These new areas and new designs are also designed very well.

We spoke of the voice actors and their incredible job earlier, but the sound production in general is top notch. The original Portal is not a game renowned for its fantastic music (apart from the track “Still Alive) but Valve need to be commended for both the original and the sequel for their production. No, there is no soundtrack full of excellent rock or pop tracks or anything like that, but the ambient music more than adds to the atmosphere in Portal 1 and continues to in Portal 2. There are many hidden Lab Rat dens, similar to those in Portal 1, and the music changes ominously when you find them. There are also small clips of music when you use the propulsion and repulsion gels, as well as the aerial faith plates, and these small clips of music add to the dynamic instruments you’re using, a more than welcome addition to the game.

I haven’t really spoken much of the multiplayer game. Pressure was put on Valve to make a multiplayer experience with Portal and they have delivered very well here. The developers claim that half the game is the single player mode and the other half the multiplayer but that’s not quite true, you can complete the single player mode in a good 8 to 10 hours of gameplay, where as the multiplayer takes a good 3 or 4 hours. Multiplayer puts you in the position of two robots, specifically designed by GLaDOS to be able to go through tests that are deemed far too difficult for humans to do. So instead of putting one human through the gauntlet, she puts two bots through, and worst case scenario is that they fail and GLaDOS simply can rebuild them to start again. That’s the basic synopsis of multiplayer mode, although there is a nice little reward at the end. Multiplayer is pretty much what you would expect it to be, two players with their own set of portals, going through a level. It feels more like Portal 1 than Portal 2, as the levels, especially in the beginning, are relatively short and sweet (where as Portal 2’s maps get quite long towards the end). They do get quite difficult later on, where timing is at the essence of both player’s to get the job done. The intention with multiplayer mode was to give you an experience where you communicate with the person you’re working with without the use of a microphone, particularly online. The idea is that your robots can’t speak to each other, so you and your partner shouldn’t either. They can communicate however, with the use of their body language. For instance, you can use the D-Pad to pinpoint a section of the map for your partner to ‘look’ at. Another thing you can do is set a 3 second timer, to help you do a task at the same time. These actions, while they feel relatively old school (and you can’t help but want to use the microphone if you have an annoying player you’re partnering online), make an experience that is actually in today’s modern technology world, feels different. The two bots also have charming personalities, and you can get your bots to hug each other, high five, dance, or you can be cheeky and place a portal underneath them and kill them comically. It’s all in good fun and GLaDOS also takes part, usually in a disapproving way once in a while.

You just can't help hurting your partner in Co-op mode. That's what happens when he steals your last Rolo though.

Portal 2 is an absolutely amazing experience. For me, it’s one of the best games ever created. "Portal was a test bed. Portal 2 is a game", Doug Lombardi told us. He wasn’t wrong. Portal 2 is a game that can compete with anything in terms of its overall value. It’s charming, it’s fun, it’s laugh-out-loud funny, it’s got a story made from gold, and it’s got one of the best character sets in video game history. The learning curve is spot on, and while some of the puzzles are challenging, they’re never off-putting. I wouldn’t say the game is flawless but it’s as close to flawless as they come. Some nitpicky issues are that there are a quite a lot of loading screens and while they don’t deter from the game too much, they’re frequent enough to note. Other than that they could have probably had some form of online leaderboard or possibly a bit more online play, maybe in a competitive competition, but these once again are possible additions in the future and don’t make the game any worse as a lack of inclusion.

I’m serious when I say; Merchant deserves every video game voice acting award available for his role as Wheatley. There’s so much passion, so much comedy, so much character put into the role that it’s stands out so well. Fans came into this game drooling over the idea of seeing GLaDOS again, what with Ellen McLain doing such a great job in the first game; Stephen Merchant and Wheatley steal the show. All the characters are great and they all have fantastic one liners, some of the best one liners in video game history I’d say, and all the characters can be funny at some point but as I say, Merchant steals the show and deserves the most praise.

To wrap up, Portal 2 is the game of 2011. It’s one of the best games ever made. It’s just an incredible experience that tests your brain whilst being gut-wrenchingly funny at the same time. It's that funny. And that’s all we want in a game right? To be tested mentally, and to feel like you’ve come away from a video game smiling. And you will with Portal 2, it’s just a game that’s more than worth smiling over. I started working on this website just over a year ago and I give Portal 2 an unprecedented review rating, in terms of this website alone.

Rating: ****3/4 stars