| Derek Heemsbergen's Top 10 |
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10) Suikoden III 9) Xenosaga Ep. III: Also Sprach Zarathustra 6) Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions 4) Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 3) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 2) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 The games on my list aren't just quality titles from a critical perspective; they all resonated with me in ways that extended beyond gameplay. Suikoden III's Trinity Sight system is my ideal storytelling device, taking several strong subplots and weaving them together into a cohesive, multilayered narrative. As a teen, Phantasy Star Online connected me with distant friends in ways I never thought possible. Final Fantasy Tactics will always remind me of rainy summer days spent strategizing and outfitting my troops. Digital Devil Saga's complex, mature story left such an impression on me that it inspired me to get my first and only tattoo, the Twister Atma. The final month of Persona 3 has the most gripping atmosphere I've ever experienced in a game, while Persona 4 refined the gameplay of its predecessor into near-perfection. Finally, despite its flaws, the game that affected me the most in the past decade is surprisingly... an MMORPG. My six-year journey with Final Fantasy XI has created more memories than I can count, both good and bad, but my adventures as a Bard-turned-Dragoon-turned-Puppetmaster in Vana'diel will remain unforgettable. |