Britton Video Games Top 10 Playstation Games

Here’s my top 10 PlayStation games from the last 20 years. I made this list so that readers can get a good idea of the type of gamer I am. Probably the hardest thing I will ever write due to how difficult it is to look back on 20 years of gaming and only choose 10 games. I’ve decided to only include one game from each franchise, just to avoid a certain popular RPG franchise from appearing over and over again.

I enjoy exploring in video games, and Rook Island is the most visually stunning location I have ever explored. The scenery was incredible, and so was everything else. Vaas is one of the greatest villains in gaming history. The gameplay and leveling-up system were excellent and rewarding, the crafting system was unique, and the freedom to play the way you like was brilliant. Traveling via hang glider or quad bike was also a nice change. Far Cry 3 players will never forget the ‘Kick the Hornet’s Nest’ mission, and the game, in general, because not only is it the best in the series, but it’s also one of the greatest open-world first-person shooters ever made.

You can’t have a top 10 games list without mentioning Grand Theft Auto. While I enjoyed all of the GTA games, GTA: San Andreas stands out as the most memorable and groundbreaking. No one will ever forget Grove Street, possibly the most iconic home in gaming. The map was bigger and better than its predecessors, with a perfect combination of city life, mountains, deserts, and ocean. I never grew tired of climbing Mount Chiliad, hitting the casinos, or using the jetpack cheat. Officer Tenpenny was also extremely memorable due to being voiced by Samuel L. Jackson. GTA: San Andreas often tops the lists of the best PlayStation 2 games, something you won’t hear me complaining about.

Some games are made for single-player, some for multiplayer. WWF Smackdown 2: Know Your Role is definitely a multiplayer game. While I had a hard time choosing between Smackdown 2 and TimeSplitters 2, I went for Smackdown because you could play multiplayer without split screens. Being a WWE fan growing up, this game had a massive part in my childhood. Having friends over and playing hardcore matches and Royal Rumbles was the best. The ‘Create a Character’ mode was a significant improvement over the first Smackdown, and I spent countless hours perfecting my moveset and entrance. WWE games have gone downhill these days, but I will always remember Smackdown 2: Know Your Role for being the greatest multiplayer game of my childhood.

One of the greatest stories ever written surprises me, considering how few developers continue one story over countless games. Metal Gear Solid is the master of this. I had a hard time choosing between Metal Gear Solid 4 and Snake Eater, but I went with Guns of the Patriots due to how many characters appeared from previous Metal Gear Solid games. Seeing an old Solid Snake fight against old enemies such as Revolver Ocelot and Vamp, while also battling new foes, showcased how far the series has come. It features characters from each of its predecessors, adding depth to an already brilliant story, accompanied by great gameplay, fantastic voice acting, and memorable boss battles. Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots brought an extremely satisfying conclusion to one of the best stories ever made.

Another open-world game makes the list. RPGs are my favorite, and Oblivion is one of the best RPGs ever made. It marked a turning point in the Elder Scrolls series, making a very successful debut on the Playstation. While Skyrim was enjoyable and perhaps more popular, Oblivion came first, providing a totally new gaming experience at the time and showcasing the power of the Playstation 3. The deep open world was filled with life. Creating your own character and choosing a class and weapon type was challenging but fun. The tough difficulty persisted throughout, making it all the more enjoyable. The sheer number of missions was overwhelming, leaving you spoiled for choice like a kid in a candy shop. Exploring Cyrodiil was extremely satisfying and rewarding. Fighting in the coliseum and joining the Thieves Guild were particular highlights for me. Voiceovers by Patrick Stewart and Sean Bean added to the overall quality of the game, a standard that Bethesda Game Studios haven’t quite matched since.

RPG is my favorite genre, but racing games are among my least favorite. I was never a big fan of the Gran Turismo and Formula 1 games growing up. Racing the same tracks repeatedly with similar cars never quite satisfied my needs. Previous Burnout games also suffered from the same problems. So when Burnout Paradise came along, I almost looked the other way, something I’m glad I didn’t do. Open-world racing changed my opinion on racing games. Not being limited to tracks, I found myself spending countless hours exploring, discovering faster and more dangerous routes during races. The amount of content in the game also helped, something most racing games lack. The multiplayer challenges were a particular highlight, requiring teamwork to complete stunts that were both difficult and rewarding. I also enjoy the more recent Need For Speed games, but Burnout Paradise is far superior to any other racing game I’ve played.

A turning point in multiplayer gaming, before online gaming, split-screen was the main way of playing with friends, with titles like Halo, Medal of Honor, and Timesplitters being among the best. That was until Call of Duty: Modern Warfare came out, marking the greatest online game I have ever played. Each map was memorable, providing a great balance of tactics, stealth, and chaos. The level-up system is also the best I have seen in a video game, offering great perks and weapon customizations. Having five different classes allowed you to switch styles during the game, keeping things fresh each time you played. More recent Call of Duty games are mediocre at best, with everything being over the top. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare provides a perfect balance of weapons, game modes, customization, rewards, multiplayer, and single-player experience — something the Call of Duty series will likely never achieve again.

Devil May Cry was the original plan for Resident Evil 4. Imagine if that had happened. Resident Evil 4 would never have existed (a horrible thought), and Resident Evil 5 & 6 (not so horrible thoughts). Thankfully, the developers made Devil May Cry its own series. However, what the developers did was remove the zombies, something Resident Evil is mostly known for. Despite this big risk, Resident Evil 4 managed to amaze with its great action, memorable boss battles, and the greatest opening level in gaming history. Instead of scary zombies, we had even scarier men with chainsaws, giant fishes, massive trolls, and Verdugo, who can’t be killed with bullets. Big Cheese, Ramon Salazar, and Jack Krauser were three memorable bosses, and to make things even harder, you had to fight all of these while protecting Ashley, who is the most defenseless and useless character ever. Guns, action, and scares made Resident Evil 4 the best in the series, as well as one of the best third-person shooters ever made.

My number one game from the past 20 years. If I didn’t limit this list to one game per franchise, then Final Fantasy 7, 9, and 10 would probably have been my top 3 games. Even though all Final Fantasy games (apart from XIII 1, 2 & 3) are great, I went with 9 because, in my opinion, it builds on its already impressive predecessors. The main character isn’t your typical hero for once, but instead, a thief with dual daggers instead of a massive sword. Vivi is the coolest-looking mage in any game ever, and every time I think of a mage, I think of him. Each member of your party is unique, especially Quina, and the open world is visually stunning. On top of this, you have 4 players in battle instead of 3, stunning cutscenes, memorable villains, great mini-games, and an epic story. Final Fantasy IX’s graphics and in-game content pushed PlayStation 1 to its limit. It did the same with my childhood, spending countless hours finding the best weapons, Tetra cards, and hidden monsters. I wouldn’t change a thing in Final Fantasy IX. It isn’t the most popular Final Fantasy game, making it a hidden gem in gaming. A gem that I will forever cherish.

And there we go, my top 10 Playstation games. Thanks for reading. Please like, share, and comment with your own top 10 games. Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter X @rhysbritton.