The Essentials Megalist

[Malakie Torsade]

Sticky k?? gosu, etc


Not mega yet, but will get there.

If you have any suggestions (additional games, better formating, better web site to link to, etc) or corrections, post here or PM me. I will finish up the links later unless someone suggests something better than Gamerankings.com to link to. The reason I choose that site is that it has tons of info and links that would be very useful for someone researching the game.

EDIT : 2nd update - Sorry took so long, been busy lately (read : lazy as shit.) If you don't think a game belongs, if I missed one, or if you have other corrections/suggestions, let me know.

Also, I changed Ace Combat to be a Flight Action as well as adding/changing some things from feedback in this thread.

Playstation 2

* Action *
- Devil May Cry 3
- God of War
- God of War 2
- Grand Theft Auto 3
- Grand Theft Auto : Vice City
- Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas
- Killer 7
- Maximo: Ghosts to Glory
- Prince of Persia : Sands of Time (In order)
- Prince of Persia : Warrior Within (In order)
- Prince of Persia : Two Thrones (in order)
- Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando
- Yakuza

* Adventure *
- Okami

* Dance *
- DDR: Extreme - Japanese version (IMPORT)
- In the Groove (IMPORT)

* Fighting *
- Capcom vs SNK 2
- Guilty Gear X2
- Soul Calibur 3
- Street Fighter 15th Anniversary Collection
- Street Fighter Alpha Anthology
- Vampire: the Darkstalkers Collection (Import)

* Flight Action *
- Ace Combat 4


* Puzzle *
- Katamari Damacy
- ICO
- Shadow of the Colossus

* Rhythm *
- Guitar Hero 2

* RPG *
- .hack//G.U. Volume 1 - Rebirth
- .hack//G.U. Volume 2 - Reminisce
- Atelier Iris 2
- Ar tonelico
- Disgaea : Hour of Darkness
- Disgaea 2 : Cursed Memories
- Dragon Quest 8
- Final Fantasy X
- Final Fantasy XII
- Growlanser Generations
- Kingdom Hearts
- Kingdom Hearts 2
- Odin Sphere
- Shadow Hearts: Covenant
- Summoner 2
- Tales of the Abyss
- Valkyrie Profile 2
- Wild Arms Alter Code F

* Shooter *
- Rez
- Gradius V
- R-type Final

* Sports *
- SSX Tricky
- Pro Evolution Soccer 6

* Survival Horror *
- Fatal Frame
- Fatal Frame 3
- Resident Evil 4
- Silent Hill 2
- Silent Hill 4

X-Box

* Action *
- Beyond Good & Evil
- Dynasty Warriors 4
- Ninja Gaiden: Black
- Psychonauts
- Shenmue 2

* Adventure *
- Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth

* Racing *
- Burnout Takedown

* Real Time Strategy *
- Kingdom Under Fire : Heroes

* RPG *
- Jade Empire
- Knights of the Old Republic 1

* Shooter *
- Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
- Halo
- Halo 2
- Panzer Dragoon Orta

* Sports *
- Deathrow

* Survival Horror *
- Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams
- Silent Hill 4: The Room

X-Box 360

* Action *
- Crackdown
- Dead Rising
- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

* Adventure *
- Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

* Racing *
- Burnout Revenge
- Forza 2

* RPG *
- Enchanted Arms

* Rythm *
- Guitar Hero 2

* Shooter *
- Gears of War
- Geometry Wars : Retro Evolved
- Rainbow Six: Las Vegas
- Alien Hominid HD

* Stealth *
- Splinter Cell: Double Agent

* Sports *
- Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis

X-Box Live Arcade

* Action *
- Castlevania: Syphony of the Night

* Board Games *
- Uno

* Fighting *
- Street Fighter 2 Hyper Fighting

* Parlor *
- Pinball FX

[Aulirophile]

Should multi-platform games only be listed under, or have a note appended, on the console they were better on? PS2 is a great console, but since GoW is about HD graphics and awesome sound, playing it on anything but the 360 feels wrong. Obviously it won't always be clear cut, but still.

Also, needs Sean's RPG list from the "I think I missed some great RPGs" thread.

[Sean]

Major correction sir - Ace Combat is *FLIGHT ACTION* and don't you dare ever lump it in with those vile and boring sims.

[Sean]

You need Okami in there for some Zelda-esque Action/Adventure.

[Hateyou]

Where is Dragon Quest 8? Valkyrie Profile 2?

Disgaea 1 and 2 should be under a tactics RPG category, it's so different than normal RPGs imo. I'd also put Growlanser Generations under there too. One of the funnest tactics games I've played, anyone I've talked with who has played it agrees.

You need a racing category too, wtf?

[Krauz]

If Altercode F makes the list, Shadow Hearts 2 should damn sure be up there

[Millie]

The problem with any list like this is that you need to establish some framework. What do you mean by "essentials?" How is "essentials" different from a simple list of your favorite games in each category? Would "essentials" mean, say, the top 10 games in each category that you must try before all others? The top 5? The top 20?

Define what it is you're trying to do, and then set out to do it. Just some constructive criticism. Sorry! I'll shut up now.

[Nakilos]

It would seem to be a list of things that are worth playing, so it could be fairly large. Top 10s or 20s get too much into the realm of subjectivity in terms of where things stack up, and I think a megalist would be good if only to curb the reoccuring threads which pop up of essentials and have it be more of a "these games are pretty good" general reference type of thing.

And that being said, almost through Digital Devil Saga and holy crap, this is one of the most enjoyable games I've played in some time and I'm looking forward to the second now.

[Ham n Cheese]

Yakuza is cool, hardly an essential.

[RiskyChris]

If you don't mind imports, under Rhythm please add DDR: Extreme, Japanese version, and In The Groove. Both should satisfy the dance freak.

On that note, my stomach has grown from all this forum lurking and UO macroing, so I'm off to dig out my metal pads and pop in some DDR.

[Malakie Torsade]

Originally Posted by Hateyou

You need a racing category too, wtf?

Originally Posted by Millie

The problem with any list like this is that you need to establish some framework.

http://www.fohguild.org/forums/other...ation-2-a.html



In a nutshell, these are the games that, overall, are loved by gamers AND that have aged well. If it is a love it or hate it game, it doesn't belong. If you loved the game 10 years ago but now find it so-so, it doesn't belong. An example of a PC game that would make the list is Fallout 1. An example of a game that would not fit is Oblivion (IMO) because, even though I personally love the game, it is very much under the love-it-or-hate-it category (please don't turn this into an Oblivion flame/praisefest, thanks!)

Is everyone going to agree with the list? No chance in hell. The purpose of the list is to give someone a good start on finding games that they "need" to play for that system/genre. It will also (hopefully) put a stop to the "What games do I need for X system" threads.

Originally Posted by RiskyChris

If you don't mind imports

Imports are fine, but please note them. I will make sure to mark them as such on the list so anyone who doesn't want to bother with importing can just skip them.

If you have additional suggestions or want to dispute a game that is up, please post in the original thread for that system if possible as it is 100 times easier for me to keep up with.

PS : The list will change. If a game needs to go up or come down and is discussed under the appropriate thread, I'll change it. For the time being, if someone suggests a game that I've not played but noone argues it being put up, I'll post it. This is why I encourage repeating games even if they are already on the list. If 10 people say a game needs to go but only 2 say it's essential, it's getting ditched.

PPS : There is a good chance I'll break the categories up into smaller categories if needed... Action will almost certainly be split.

[WillzZz]

Gran Turismo 4 is probably the only decent driving game on the console. Add Soul Calibur 3 to Fighting, and lump Disgaea 2 with Disgaea 1 (It's Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories, if it matters). Add Dragon Quest 8 for sure.

[Szlia]

Originally Posted by Ham n Cheese

Yakuza is cool, hardly an essential.

It is part of an extremely tiny group of games that one could call "sociological games", along with both Shenmue and San Andreas, mixing gaming elements with documentary. They are all essentials in my book.

[shattuck]

personally, i would do the "in order" thing with god of war as well. there were a lot of elements added to god of war 2 that, if you were to play it first and then try playing 1, would make 1 seem a little less fun because it lacks them.

[Malakie Torsade]

Bumping this as editing it doesn't seem to push it back up. I added X-box, X-box 360, XBLA games as well as changing some things due to feedback in this thread.