24 - I've been debating back and forth. Honestly, even though I've already listed it, I would be doing a great disservice not to say Super Metroid. It was the greatest Metroidvania in my life for decades.
23 - The Hades series. The portraits of the characters go so very hard, and the environs and enemies remind me of what Supergiant Games already began to hone in on in Transistor and Bastion, both gorgeous and visually evocative titles whose presentation and tight gameplay made them instant classics.
Open mouthed shark with head out of the water looking like it's gasping in pain
A rare image of a shark that just stood on a piece of Lego
Super Metroid
So glad Ulti has your back.
if you used a messenger bag instead of a backpack in high school you’re a trans woman now
1 LIKE = 1 VIDEO GAME ANSWER 1 - Very first video game. 2 - Your favorite character. 3 - A game that is underrated. 4 - Your guilty pleasure game. 5 - Game character you feel you are most like (or wish you were). 6 - Most annoying character. 7 - Favorite game couple. 8 - Best soundtrack. 9 - Saddest game scene. 10 - Best gameplay. 11 - Gaming system of choice. 12 - A game everyone should play. 13 - A game you've played more than five times. 14 - Current (or most recent) gaming wallpaper. 15 - Post a screenshot from the game you're playing right now. 16 - Game with the best cut scenes. 17 - Favorite antagonist. 18 - Favorite protagonist. 19 - Picture of a game setting you wish you lived in. 20 - Favorite genre. 21 - Game with the best story. 22 - A game sequel which disappointed you. 23 - Game you think had the best graphics or art style. 24 - Favorite classic game. 25 - A game you plan on playing. 26 - Best voice acting. 27 - Most epic scene ever. 28 - Favorite game developer. 29 - A game you thought you wouldn't like, but ended up loving. 30 - Your favorite game of all time.
I shall answer these over the weekend.
22 - Silksong. This title did so many things beautifully. I love this game, the sequel to an absolute masterpiece, alas, it was over-tuned. This is a game that I cannot recommend to friends. It very much suffers from not having play-testers attempting this without years of muscle memory.
21 - Radiant Historia. The time travel plot in this JRPG was cerebral and fun. The twist that you weren't the only one meddling with the timeline added a welcome wrinkle, keeping me guessing who it could be for a long while. The true timeline was satisfying, with each alternate thoughtfully crafted.
20 - Metroidvanias. I adore the feeling of unlocking new tools and paths in this style of game. They do a wondrous job of demonstrating the need for upgrades before they come along, and, done correctly, make for worlds that feel lush and connected. Sequence breaking feels especially fun in these.
A diver in a stylized coral reef, swimming near a whale shark and a reef shark. A screenshot from ABZÛ.
19 - The gorgeous setting of ABZÛ represents a Solarpunk world with vast, thriving oceans. I would love to live in a world where the Earth was respected, free to swim amongst the many amazing creatures of the deep.
18 - Aside from Samus, who was my overall character pick and would readily take this spot, Celes Cher from Final Fantasy 6 is hardcore. She recognizes that she is working for an evil fascist empire and gives up her station and freedom to defect and become an instrumental part of the resistance.
17 - Kefka Palazzo. You get to watch as this warped man makes increasingly bigger and more unhinged plays at power, culminating in murdering a worthy adversary-turned-ally, then usurping the power of all those above him. Your victory against him is pyrrhic in nature, only coming after his triumph.
16 - Day of the Tentacle. The cut scenes were ridiculous in all of the very best ways. 11/10
A trash can person standing in a town made of trash. A sign reads Tin Alley. A screenshot from Kingdoms of the Dump.
15 - Kingdoms of the Dump is a charming RPG which wears its inspirations on its sleeve. An absolutely grand adventure!
14 - Mechwarrior series. I've got an Atlas plastered across my monitors for the giddy feeling it gives me to look at that big ol' skull of theirs.
13 - Super Metroid. Speed running is great fun, and there are some fantastic ROM hacks of this one out there, such as Metroid Redesign, which breathe even more life into this classic.
12 - Look Outside. This haunting and yet hopeful title made me reconsider horror, a genre that never appealed to me. Its approach to what it means to be human in the face of cosmic horror is astounding.
11 - PC. I'm a Steam girlie all the way.
10 - Hollow Knight. This metroidvania dethroned Super Metroid for me despite years of nostalgia for a true masterpiece. It struck a fantastic balance of difficulty and style.
9 - The baby Metroid's sacrifice in Super Metroid. I screamed.
8 - A tie between Hollow Knight and Final Fantasy 6. HK has masterful use of leitmotif by Larkin to tell parts of the story that are left vague and unanswered, whereas FF6 represents Uematsu's full utilization of the SNES sound chip's capabilities in one of his most cohesive bodies of work.
7 - Chell and GLaDOS. Toxic yuri my beloved.
6 - Daisy in the Mario Kart titles. The, "HI I'M DAISY" line grates at my soul even though I love her design and other depictions of her.
5 - Madeline from Celeste. I feel like it took me a long while to come to terms with all parts of myself and to fully come out of my shell. Having done so I finally feel like a complete person and like I can achieve so much more.
4 - Dragonsweeper (web browser). This game is a great way to kill time and I always shoot for a full clear.
3 - Radiant Historia. The battle mechanics of this game were so good that I'm shocked I haven't seen more games utilize them.
2 - Samus Aran. Absolute badass.
1 - Adventures in the Magic Kingdom (1990, Nintendo Entertainment System). During my early childhood we had an NES and an SNES. This is my earliest gaming memory, mostly for the racing section.