10 Games to Play Before You Die

by Micah Rodney, Jul 5, 2008

The 10 games that you must experience before you run out of continues.

The video game industry is constantly shelling out new games. The idea evokes memories of Field of Dreams: “If you make it, they will buy it.” However there are some games that truly stand out as beacons of excellent design philosophy and create an all-around great gaming experience. These are the ten games you must play before you die.

Portal
Platform: XBOX 360 (as part of The Orange Box).

Developers: Valve Corporation

Publishers: Valve Corporation

Released: October 2007

Portal is a gaming experiment, which has truly stands out as a genre in-and-of itself. You play yourself, the test subject of some twisted robotic design. Throughout the game you are given the ability to control a gun which shoots two sides of a portal which you use to solve puzzles. The game is not only incredible fun, but incredibly funny as the computer continues to mock you in a gallows sense of humor.

The game is short, roughly 2 to 4 hours, but this doesn't include the time you will spend screwing around (i.e. creating infinite loops, a mirror, testing how far you can catapult yourself, etc.). Portal is truly the beginning of the next generation of games.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Platform: XBOX360

Developers: Bethesda Game Studios

Publishers: 2K Games, Bethesda Softworks/ZeniMax

Released: March 2006

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is not so much a game as an experience. You play a character (that you create) who has been imprisoned for reasons that are not specified. Upon being freed by the Emperor who subsequently dies, you are given a mission to protect the world, which you may or may not do. The great thing about Oblivion is that you don't have to play the main story to enjoy the game. There are countless other mission strings, including a mages guild, fighters guild, thieves guild, assassin's guild, and arena.

Aside from that, random dungeons abound throughout the world, each town has a plethora of quests for you to take on and with all this you can still decide what kind of character you want to be. The addition of two expansion packs makes this even more possible, and creates an almost unlimited replay value.
Kingdom Hearts
Console: PS2

Developers: Square

Publishers: Square Electronic Arts/ Disney Interactive

Released: September 2002

While I can understand a “grown-up” gamer's hesitance to play a game that is mostly Disney, fear not. This game also features a good amount of the cast of the Final Fantasy series and a gameplay style that is all its own. The story is admittedly a little campy, but that sort of lends to the charm of the game. You play as a boy named Sora who is given a magical blade shaped like a key. The function of this blade is to seal worlds safe from an encroaching shadow that has been destroying worlds one after another.

The storyline leaves something to be desired in this game, but the sheer fun of the gameplay makes up for it. There is nothing quite like being able to charge a massive horde of dozens of enemies and take them out in a few well-placed strikes (aka the Dynasty Warriors effect.) Plus which there is a bit of fun playing as some of your favorite Disney characters, including Aladdin, Jack the Pumpkin King and even a flying Peter Pan. No other game will make you say “Donald Duck kicks ass.”
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete
Console: Playstation

Developers: Game Arts, Vanguard Works

Publishers: Working Designs (US Version)

Released: December 2000

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete may very well be the greatest two-dimensional RPG of all time. It is the story of a young boy, Hiro, who lives with his grandfather Gwyn. They live in a remote desert, far from society, but near an ancient ruin known as the Blue Spire. One day, while exploring it, a strange woman named Lucia appears and suddenly Hiro finds himself caught up in an adventure to help protect her from a dark being known as Zophar.

This game is a paragon of the five tenets of good RPG design. It has lovable and believable characters that make the story interesting and immersive. It has a wonderfully unique story and furthermore tells the story well. It has amazing graphics, the 2D environments and dungeons being broken up with anime cut scenes. The gameplay, especially the battle system, is fun and well-designed. And finally it has an amazing, memorable score. This game should be in every RPG lover's library.
Final Fantasy VII
Console: Playstation

Developers: Square

Publishers: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Released: September 1997

With all of the spin-offs, movies, animes and sequels of this game (not to mention more fanfiction stories than there are stars in the sky), it is hard to take this game seriously anymore. However, these adaptations are a testament to the fullness of the game's story and its ability to draw us into this universe. The game follows the story of an Ex-SOLDIER named Cloud Strife, who has joined a terrorist group named Avalanche whose goal is to stop the evil corporation known as Shinra. When an old nemesis named Sephiroth returns seemingly from the dead, Cloud and Avalanche have to stop him from destroying the planet.

Final Fantasy VII was described as “possibly the greatest game of all time.” Fans of Final Fantasy would mostly agree with that assessment, since no other Final Fantasy game has merited this amount of attention and excess marketing. The trick to enjoying this game is to remember that the whoredom of its franchise happened long after this masterpiece was created.
Metal Gear Solid
Platform: Playstation

Developers: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan

Publishers: Konami

Released: October 1998

Metal Gear Solid doesn't quite monopolize the tactical espionage genre, but it is the quintessential work of its family. You play as Solid Snake, a government agent who is trained in sneaking and survival. With the help of your back-up team, some tentative allies, and any weapon you can find, you must stop a terrorist group from launching a nuclear strike.

While Metal Gear Solid does get kind of overboard on the “nukes are bad” message, the other elements of the game more than make up for it. The cast of characters keep the story interesting and occasionally humorous. A bone-chilling score accompanies the game which plays tricks on your psyche, truly immersing you in the mindset of “me versus the world”.
Threads of Fate
Platform: Playstation

Developers: Square

Publishers: Square Electronic Arts

Released: July 2000

Threads of Fate might as well be underground for how many people know about it, but it is an excellent platform-RPG all the same. You play as either Rue: a mysterious boy, or Mint: a spunky girl. The choice of character changes the story, the atmosphere and the way you play the game almost entirely, so it's like having two games in one. A simple hunt for a powerful relic called the Dewprism turns into an all-out battle to save the world.

The story and gameplay are fairly simple, which is good because that means you can play it for hours on end without throwing your controller down in frustration. The majority of the game takes place in and around this one port town called Carona, and by the end of the game you feel like you know everybody there. It is a testament to the fact that good gameplay beats a lot of flash.
Illusion of Gaia
Platform: SNES

Developers: Quintet

Publishers: Nintendo

Released: January 1994

Illusion of Gaia is another game that sort of comes out of left field, but it is a relatively well-known member of the Terranigma trilogy (which consists of Terranigma, Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia). You play Will, a young boy from a remote port town who has a “special gift”. He is instructed by the earth spirit Gaia to stop a comet from crashing into earth.

This game has an eerie feel to it because the world (like Terranigma) is a slightly distorted version of the real world. The music does a nice job instilling that sense of tentative comfort, while reminding us that we're “not in Kansas”. The ability to transform into two alter egos-Freedan, the Dark Knight and Shadow-offers different ways to play the game, albeit it is a requirement in most dungeons. What sets this game apart is its unique story, which like the rest of the game seems at first glance to be another run of the mill adventure, but turns into so much more.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past
Platform: SNES

Developers: Nintendo

Publishers: Nintendo

Released: April 1992

The Legend of Zelda series also has been merchandised to death, but A Link to the Past is just the third game in the series, and arguably the best. Before Zelda had officially settled down on a style, the first two games couldn't look more different. Now all the 2D Zelda games are based upon the design that A Link to the Past set. You play (of course) as Link, a young boy who must go on a journey to save the Princess Zelda and defeat the evil wizard Gannon by traveling through the vast land of Hyrule and the mysterious dark world.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the Zelda game that truly set their dynasty in stone. Featuring an incredible score, creative characters and addicting gameplay, this Zelda game is a masterpiece.
Super Mario Bros. 3
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

Developers: Nintendo

Publishers: Nintendo

Released: February 1990

Super Mario Bros. is the most recognizable gaming franchise in history. There are probably well over 100 games that bear Mario's name and most of them branch off from his original platform roots. While the first two games were excellent, the third game (like A Link to the Past) is what gave this franchise its first real cling to the market. Initiating a map system, which would last through several other games, and adding the ability of flight (forever reducing the fire flower to a secondary item choice), this game was all about firsts.

Many old-school gamers recognize the sound of the teleportation whistle, and can tell you the exact benefits of using the vast variety of outfits that Mario can adorn. They can tell you what controller-breaking levels to use that handy cloud tool over and can time the picture matching game flawlessly. This is truly a game for the ages.