Top 5 Games - All Time Favorites

An unimportant list of geeky importance

In an age where we seem to be getting more and more GOTY contenders released on a monthly basis, I'd be interested to know what five games make peoples all time favourites list and importantly, why?

To kick start the post, here are my top five games and why (in no particular order).
*Compiling this list was actually harder than I imagined, as trying to remember all of the games I'd played over the years and which I enjoyed the most.

It might strike some people that there aren't any Nintendo games on this list, as usually, they are high on peoples favourites, and it's quite a simple reason - although I've had the occasional Nintendo console over the years, I've never really given the games the time they deserve.

Mass Effect 2

Ah, Mass Effect 2, how I love you.

The characters, the story, the world, the gameplay was all perfect in my eyes. The trilogy was great, didn't finish as well as it could of, but the less the better.

I was invested in all of the characters and seeing out of all of their respective side quests to earn their full loyalty.

I don't tend to go back and replay games very often (as I always get a tad addicted on my initial playthrough and tire myself out), but ME2 I have replayed several times. Usually with the premise to choose different outcomes, and always picking the same ones every time.

Assassins Creed 2

I loved the first Assassins Creed, I remember buying it on boxing day the year it came out and proceeding to spend the next playing it all day.

So when they announced and brought out the second one, I was already hooked.

Cool main protagonist? check.
Cool setting and time period? check.
A cast of interesting figures from history? check.
Improvements made from the first game? check.

It has also been remastered which is usually a plus point, however, it hasn't gone down as one of the best remasters available which some rather comical graphical glitches.

Spyro the Dragon

The first game I can remember playing and still absolutely love to this day. With the recent news around the Reignited Trilogy coming out in September, I'm just a little bit giddy.

I mean who doesn't love being a sassy purple dragon that goes around headbutting bizarre creatures? And the PLEASURE in nutting those infuriating blue thieves! I hate them and that 'ner, nene, ner ner'

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

For me, the first game I really remember ever properly exploring off the beaten track. I still remember first loading it up, heading up to the Los Santos hills and looking over the fields and sunset, before promptly stealing a tractor and going on a little bit of a rampage.

It is still a game I could pick and play now, and still enjoy just as much. Granted, graphically it hasn't aged particularly well but it was a PS2 game so I can forgive it, and the camera isn't the most helpful at times.

It still beats Skyrim in one important (?) aspect - you can play it on your mobile, which is about one of the only devices that Skyrim hasn't been made playable on yet.

Horizon: Zero Dawn

I tried to think of a game from the current generation that really stuck out to me as something I loved playing, but also was a little bit different, and every time Horizon came to mind.

The gameplay wasn't massively outside of your standard open-world RPG affair, but it's the main character Aloy and the lore of the world that truly drew me in and absorbed as much of the world as I could during my playthrough.

Special mention as well to robot dinosaurs, because they are awesome, and some of the names to are rather funky - Thunderjaw for one.

Notable mentions:

Uncharted series, Dragon Age: Origins, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Football Manager (too many hours spent on this game over the years), Elder Scrolls Skyrim.