What Are The Best Games Of This Generation?

Does it make the cut?

A recent post on Neogaf got me thinking about my favorite games from this generation. I was surprised at how difficult it turned out to be. I struggled to narrow my extensive list of quality titles down to five. I'm still not sure I'm completely happy with my list.

The problem? I left off a number of games I played for days. What is the best way to determine a top 5 list? 

The main problem is this: I can distinguish between games/movies I love and games/movies that are expertly crafted/well-made. They don't always have to be mutually exclusive, yet sometimes they are. Let's look at the original Pirates of the Caribbean. I absolutely love watching that movie. I could watch it many times and still enjoy it. With that being said, I'm fully able to recognize that it's not the greatest movie ever made. It's not even the greatest movie I've ever seen, personally. But how does one weight enjoyment v.s. quality?

Oscar worthy? No. Great popcorn flick? Absolutely.

So we are left to decide how best to rank games. I've come to believe top games should be both fun and well-made. The difficulty arises when you have a game you played far more than any others, but it may not be the most polished game out there. There are two games I spent more hours playing this generation than any other: Skyrim and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.

If reviewing those games though, they would not be at the top of my list. Both have their own set of technical issues and shortcomings; however, the fun factor was enough to keep me playing for hours on end. When it comes time to rank my favorite games, do I go by play time or how I would review each game? I ended up asking myself this question: if you could only have played 5 games from this generation, what would they be?

Couldn't have a top 5 list without it.

With this new qualifier, Skyrim, Journey, and Heavy Rain earn immediate spots. The latter two made me feel certain emotions I never have before while playing a video game. Heavy Rain will stick with me forever because of the choices I made to impact the story, whereas I'll never forget Journey because of the almost-spiritual experience it evokes. Skyrim earns its immediate spot because no game has ever pulled me into its world more. Within a few hours of starting the game, I wanted to go everywhere and explore as much as possible. 

After that, it gets more tricky. I'm still leaving off a number of incredibly fun games and a wide selection of polished games as well. One spot is almost assuredly going to Infamous 2 or Batman Arkham City. I platinumed both titles and enjoyed every minute of each.

The final spot? I'm still left with the entire Uncharted series, Red Dead Redemption, the Mass Effect series, Portal 2, Far Cry 3, Dishonored, the Call of Duty series and Super Mario Galaxy. Wow. That's no easy task. I can't imagine having missed any of those games this past generation. I'm narrowing it down to Uncharted 2, Red Dead Redemption, and Mass Effect 2 because they each had polish, amazing stories, and incredible gameplay. Truth be told, you can't go wrong with any of them, but I will have to say Uncharted 2 by an ever so slight margin. 

Takes the final spot in my top 5.

I'll leave you with my top 10 here (just because I have to give these other games recognition somehow). 

1. Journey
2. Skyrim
3. Batman Arkham City
4. Heavy Rain
5. Uncharted 2
6. Mass Effect 2
7. Red Dead Redemption
8. Infamous 2
9. Portal 2
10. Modern Warfare 2

What are your favorite games from this generation? Is it as hard for you as it was for me? 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Review

From time to time I will post my reviews of various movies, video games, books, etc... So for my first review, I'm reviewing Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

The sequel to the surprise hit, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, is as good, if not better, than its predecessor in every way. Everyone's favorite pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, is in deep trouble because of a debt he owes to the mysterious Davy Jones. Without giving too much away, both Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan get swept up into the adventure as well. You'll also meet up with Commodore Norrington, Bootstrap Bill, and a couple of new character's as well. There is another character who makes a surprise appearance which I couldn't possibly give away (If you really want to know who it is just look at the cast for the 1st and 2nd movie).

I must confess that I didn't even see the first film until a year or so after its release. It was one of those movies that I wanted to go see, but I never really got around to it. After seeing the first movie, I was completely blown away. I definitely regret not watching it in theaters. It was such a great movie, combining so many different elements to create a really "fun" picture. I was so eagerly awaiting this movie that I actually feared that I would have a big letdown. I need not have worried becuase everything you loved about the first film returns in heavy doses: more Jack, more action, creepier baddies, and a very intriguing plot. Those thinking of watching Dead Man's Chest without having seen Curse of the Black Pearl shouldn't even bother. Many of the movie's funniest moments come when characters make reference to events that took place in first film.

Some have criticized Pirates' length. Coming in right at 2 1/2 hours, the film is fairly lenghty; however, I feel the length is just right. The movie flowed at a very good pace, providing a nice combinination of action, drama, and comedy. So many movies these days end so quickly that you feel cheated after it's over, even if it is a good movie. Leaving the theather after Pirates feels quite satisfying. That being said, by no means will you leave the theater without begging for more. The conclusion of Dead Man's Chest will leave even the most casual fan stunned. Needless to say, this cliff-hanger ending will have everyone rushing off to see Pirates 3 next Summer. Dead Man's Chest will take you on one heck of a ride, a long one at that, and leave everyone screaming for more. Most of my favorite movies are what many call "epic." I don't really see Pirates of the Caribbean as epic, but looking at the overall story does create a bit of an "epic" feel. These movies are just so "fun" that both are among my favorite movies of all-time.