The best videogame franchises all time

[skobei]

objectively -> (fun / art / gameplay / solid gameplay / well made difficulty / originality / level design / story / quality / timeless / influence / infinity replay / duration / innovation / balance / dialog / music / characters / mental health / perfection / elevate your soul / without dead times / no buggy animations / no bug combat...)

Doom
Metroid
Castlevania
Resident evil
Half-life
Stalker
Megaman
Deus Ex
Simcity
Diablo
StarCraft
Shinobi
F-Zero
Legacy Of Kain
Commandos
Mirror's Edge

Now you know what you must to play. Perfection. Art. No online. No clone content. Infinite gameplay.

[Electric Cupcake]

Either Zelda or Final Fantasy

[Crazy Tiger]

Publicado originalmente por crunchyfrog:

Publicado originalmente por J4MESOX4D:

In terms of quality, consistency and longevity; I'd say Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne. Some franchises have one or two masterpieces but then one, or a few stinkers like Commandos, Deus Ex and Splinter Cell.

Yeah that's the thing that makes choices like this a problem for me.

I can't honestly look at a whole series when there's problems and only one or two greats. Of course, the degree of "stink" is also a factor.

True. Though subjectivity will always come around the corner, which already starts with the individual games.

OP lists Half-Life, Stalker and Resident Evil. Three franchises where I tried multiple games and none of them appealled to me, for example.

[crunchyfrog]

Publicado originalmente por Crazy Tiger:

Publicado originalmente por crunchyfrog:

Yeah that's the thing that makes choices like this a problem for me.

I can't honestly look at a whole series when there's problems and only one or two greats. Of course, the degree of "stink" is also a factor.

True. Though subjectivity will always come around the corner, which already starts with the individual games.

OP lists Half-Life, Stalker and Resident Evil. Three franchises where I tried multiple games and none of them appealled to me, for example.

Amen. It's always subjectivity in taste.

One of my oldest friends cannot stand the Beatles - I love them to the extent they were a major reason I went to uni to learn audio engineering.

I have a very broad range in tastes as far as gaming goes, which is why I have so many of them. I like them enough to keep playing them for years. But I cannot stand beat em ups at all. I still occasionally try them to see if I'm missing something but they never ever do anything for me.

[Armorip]

The list you've shared highlights some of the most iconic and influential video game franchises of all time. These games are widely celebrated for their craftsmanship, creativity, and lasting impact on gaming culture. Here’s a brief analysis of each game series and why they fit the criteria you’ve outlined:

### 1. **Doom**
- **Legacy**: One of the pioneers of the first-person shooter (FPS) genre. Known for its fast-paced action, memorable music, and groundbreaking 3D engine.
- **Perfection**: Highly influential, with its timeless mechanics and visceral combat. It set the bar for FPS design.

### 2. **Metroid**
- **Innovation**: Introduced the "Metroidvania" style, blending exploration, action, and puzzle-solving. Known for its atmospheric design and non-linear gameplay.
- **Timelessness**: The series has remained fresh across generations, thanks to its focus on exploration and discovery.

### 3. **Castlevania**
- **Art and Design**: A mix of gothic visuals, tight platforming mechanics, and memorable music. "Symphony of the Night" remains a landmark in 2D action-adventure.
- **Replayability**: Many fans continue to return to the series for its challenging gameplay and deep secrets.

### 4. **Resident Evil**
- **Story and Atmosphere**: Revolutionary for survival horror, blending tense atmospheres with intense action and puzzle-solving. The series’ ability to evolve with each iteration while maintaining its core elements is commendable.
- **Gameplay**: The balance of horror and action makes it both thrilling and replayable.

### 5. **Half-Life**
- **Storytelling**: Half-Life was groundbreaking for integrating story within gameplay seamlessly. The combination of physics-based puzzles, AI, and intense action set a high standard.
- **Impact**: It influenced modern FPS games, particularly with its innovative mechanics and narrative style.

### 6. **S.T.A.L.K.E.R.**
- **Atmosphere and Originality**: A unique blend of open-world survival horror with a focus on exploration and atmosphere. Its setting in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone offers a haunting experience.
- **Replayability**: Its dynamic world, filled with anomalies and dangerous enemies, keeps players coming back for more.

### 7. **Mega Man**
- **Challenging Design**: Known for its tight platforming mechanics and boss battles, Mega Man is a cornerstone of challenging, yet rewarding gameplay.
- **Legacy**: Despite being a classic, its design and gameplay mechanics have stood the test of time.

### 8. **Deus Ex**
- **Story and Choice**: A masterclass in narrative-driven RPGs, offering a deep, branching story with meaningful player choices. It innovated the cyberpunk genre in gaming.
- **Replayability**: Multiple ways to approach problems and a rich, detailed world make it endlessly replayable.

### 9. **SimCity**
- **Innovation and Depth**: A pioneer of city-building games, SimCity set the stage for future simulation games with its open-ended design and complex systems.
- **Replayability**: Endless possibilities for building and managing cities keep players engaged.

### 10. **Diablo**
- **Gameplay Loop**: The action-RPG elements, combined with loot-driven progression, create an addictive gameplay loop.
- **Influence**: Diablo inspired a whole sub-genre of action RPGs, and its impact on games like "Path of Exile" is still seen today.

### 11. **StarCraft**
- **Balanced Design**: One of the best real-time strategy games ever made, with a perfectly balanced set of factions and a deep, engaging storyline.
- **Multiplayer**: While it doesn’t fit the "no online" criteria, its multiplayer and esports influence are undeniable.

### 12. **Shinobi**
- **Combat and Design**: Known for its smooth action and ninja-themed gameplay, Shinobi games offer a unique take on platformers.
- **Replayability**: Tight controls and fast-paced combat make it a rewarding experience each time you play.

### 13. **F-Zero**
- **Speed and Innovation**: F-Zero’s high-speed racing and futuristic design made it a unique experience on the SNES and beyond. Its tight handling and fast-paced races are still unmatched in many ways.
- **Replayability**: Competitive racing and thrilling track designs make it an enduring classic.

### 14. **Legacy of Kain**
- **Story and Characters**: Known for its dark narrative and memorable characters, particularly the relationship between Kain and Raziel.
- **Atmosphere**: The series combines deep storytelling with intricate puzzle-solving and action, offering a unique experience in action-adventure games.

### 15. **Commandos**
- **Tactical Gameplay**: A classic tactical strategy series, known for its methodical, puzzle-like approach to missions. It requires patience, planning, and strategic thinking.
- **Challenge**: The difficulty and careful planning required for missions give the series great depth and replayability.

### 16. **Mirror's Edge**
- **Innovation and Design**: A unique first-person platformer with a focus on parkour. Its minimalist design and fluid movement set it apart from traditional FPS games.
- **Art and Flow**: Mirror’s Edge is all about seamless, fast-paced parkour, offering a fresh perspective on platforming.

### Why These Franchises Matter
Each of these franchises offers **unique experiences**, whether it's through innovative gameplay mechanics, deep narratives, or challenging difficulty. They also stand the test of time, offering **infinite replayability** due to well-crafted gameplay loops, solid design, and a strong community of fans.

While some of the franchises may have shifted to online gameplay or received sequels that aren't as celebrated as the original, they still represent the **pinnacle of game design** and have influenced countless other games and genres. The fact that these franchises maintain their relevance after so many years shows their **timeless appeal**.

If you haven’t played them yet, these titles are indeed a perfect place to dive deep into the world of **perfectly crafted games**.

[Darkwave Dahlia]

Doom I & II.

Straight fire. Modding squad’s been killing it for years with endless mods. Better, bigger, bolder every time. Wanna vibe for a quick sesh or no-life it for hours? Doom’s got your back.

[Patchy (sick)]

No touhou? 3:

[SilverPigtail]

In terms of quality, Metal Gear Solid 3 broke my mind when I first played it.

[crunchyfrog]

Publicado originalmente por SilverPigtail:

In terms of quality, Metal Gear Solid 3 broke my mind when I first played it.

Good point there.

I've been around since the dawn of gaming, but there was a time when I slightly went off gaming a bit - during the late 80s and early 90s as I was busy with other things mostly.

But I got back into gaming heavily when the PS1 came out. I felt things were moving on nicely and there were games that scratched the itch again.

And when I first tried out Metal Gear Solid - wow, that blew my mind too. Not so much instantly for it's gameplay which ad some neat features. But more when you realised that the box itself had a radio frequency you could use, and the fight where you have to plug the controller into the second port and he read back other Konami games off your memory card - that was clever.

[tyrs]

story

go read a book and leave the games alone

every cent invested in "story" is a cent not invested in gameplay

examples of the best games of all time are: factorio, minecraft, skyrim, tetris, monopoly, civilization and such, everything with """story"" and cutscenes are just glorified visual novels, yes including soypunk2077, yes that bg3 junk too, yes even your deus ex is just a visual novel with 0 gameplay value.

read my lips: video G A M E S

games are meant to be PLAYED, not READ or WATCHED, period

wait, do you mean i bought my ps5 to...

read interactive novels and watch cutscenes, yes

but a game can have both a good story and good gameplay...

it could've better gameplay if they fired their ""writers" and hired more GAMEPLAY designers

but my favorite influencer says...

nope

talk to me if you want to know more about how you're being tricked into thinking that watching witcher 3, RDR and GTA5 makes you a gamer (pro tip: it doesn't)

[crunchyfrog]

Publicado originalmente por tyrs:

story

go read a book and leave the games alone

every cent invested in "story" is a cent not invested in gameplay

examples of the best games of all time are: factorio, minecraft, skyrim, tetris, monopoly, civilization and such, everything with """story"" and cutscenes are just glorified visual novels, yes including soypunk2077, yes that bg3 junk too, yes even your deus ex is just a visual novel with 0 gameplay value.

read my lips: video G A M E S

games are meant to be PLAYED, not READ or WATCHED, period

wait, do you mean i bought my ps5 to...

read interactive novels and watch cutscenes, yes

but a game can have both a good story and good gameplay...

it could've better gameplay if they fired their ""writers" and hired more GAMEPLAY designers

but my favorite influencer says...

nope

talk to me if you want to know more about how you're being tricked into thinking that watching witcher 3, RDR and GTA5 makes you a gamer (pro tip: it doesn't)

That's not even remotely true.

It isn't an either/or situation. They don't decide to spend money on one thing and not another at all.

You can not like games that are purely story framed or have that as their foundation. That's fine. But don't assert things that just do not happen in the industry.

Nobody goes "oh you've written or spent too much time on the story so we can't do the gameplay". Not least of which because they aren't a simultaneous thing in development. Things are created by different departments or employees (depending on size) at different stages.

[76561199237092713]

System Shock 2 and i dont care what anyone says, this thing is still the gold standard.

[Seraphita]

Publicado originalmente por crunchyfrog:

That's not even remotely true.

It isn't an either/or situation. They don't decide to spend money on one thing and not another at all.

You can not like games that are purely story framed or have that as their foundation. That's fine. But don't assert things that just do not happen in the industry.

Nobody goes "oh you've written or spent too much time on the story so we can't do the gameplay". Not least of which because they aren't a simultaneous thing in development. Things are created by different departments or employees (depending on size) at different stages.

I think you're honestly wasting your time, here. He probably never played RPGs in his life. My best memories in gaming have been great JRPGs myself. It's not everyone's favorite genre but it's definitely a game genre. He's just insulting players...

In my case, I'll add less known franchises like Wild Arms, Growlansers, Atelier Iris, Ar Tonelico, Xenosaga. Then we have Tales of series, Pokemon obviously. (I could mention many RPGs but some "franchises" only had one or two games so yeah.)

[crunchyfrog]

Publicado originalmente por Seraphita:

Publicado originalmente por crunchyfrog:

That's not even remotely true.

It isn't an either/or situation. They don't decide to spend money on one thing and not another at all.

You can not like games that are purely story framed or have that as their foundation. That's fine. But don't assert things that just do not happen in the industry.

Nobody goes "oh you've written or spent too much time on the story so we can't do the gameplay". Not least of which because they aren't a simultaneous thing in development. Things are created by different departments or employees (depending on size) at different stages.

I think you're honestly wasting your time, here. He probably never played RPGs in his life. My best memories in gaming have been great JRPGs myself. It's not everyone's favorite genre but it's definitely a game genre. He's just insulting players... :ftired:

In my case, I'll add less known franchises like Wild Arms, Growlansers, Atelier Iris, Ar Tonelico, Xenosaga. Then we have Tales of series, Pokemon obviously. (I could mention many RPGs but some "franchises" only had one or two games so yeah. >.>

Thing is, I might be. But I don't answer just to address the person who's posting. I answer so everyone reading - now and in future can see it. When people make claims that are just factually incorrect, I tend to respond and correct because myths tend to propogate.

[Seraphita]

Publicado originalmente por crunchyfrog:

Thing is, I might be. But I don't answer just to address the person who's posting. I answer so everyone reading - now and in future can see it. When people make claims that are just factually incorrect, I tend to respond and correct because myths tend to propogate.

Fair enough. A game with a good story gets me involved in the game more than without. It can give a storm of emotions. Feelings that are ever so important to me when I play a game. If I can feel the character's anger through a battle, I will use it to win.

Even sad moments can lead us to feel empathy for a character or turn into a force to fight an enemy that hurt us in heartbreaking ways. Those who don't understand these feelings do not see the games the way they are meant to be seen, in my opinion.

Not everyone will feel the same, of course, but story does matter in many games. Learning to appreciate those feelings does not make us "fake gamers". Clearly, he is not gaming to explore emotions but he shouldn't go around insulting those who do.

[crunchyfrog]

Publicado originalmente por Seraphita:

Publicado originalmente por crunchyfrog:

Thing is, I might be. But I don't answer just to address the person who's posting. I answer so everyone reading - now and in future can see it. When people make claims that are just factually incorrect, I tend to respond and correct because myths tend to propogate.

Fair enough. A game with a good story gets me involved in the game more than without. It can give a storm of emotions. Feelings that are ever so important to me when I play a game. If I can feel the character's anger through a battle, I will use it to win.

Even sad moments can lead us to feel empathy for a character or turn into a force to fight an enemy that hurt us in heartbreaking ways. Those who don't understand these feelings do not see the games the way they are meant to be seen, in my opinion.

Not everyone will feel the same, obviously. But story DOES matter to many games. Learning to appreciate those feelings does not make us "fake gamers". Clearly, he is not gaming to explore emotions but he shouldn't go around insulting those who do.

Yup, too true.

I just wish people would be more honest with themselves. I would guess that the person just doesn't like story driven games, or perhaps associates them with something like visual novels or something.

That's fine and all but they make the common mistake or making up falsehoods to justify their tastes. They really don't need to do that of course - just SAY "I don't like that".

I have a wide taste in games and have been around since the dawn of Pong. I got bitten by the bug instantly and have had a lucky old time of it from having a friend who owned their own computer store (so I had access to loads of computers back in the day) to writing for gaming magazines.

Yet despite these wide tastes in lots of games, I cannot stand beat em ups. They just do absolutely nothing for me in any way. Don't know why and I try them from time to time to see if things have changed. It hasn't yet. But I don't need to make up stories about WHY I don't like them.

HOnestly if we can be more honest with ourselves we'd be more happy :)