AC's Top 50 Video Games
by AwaitingAndrew | created - 01 May 2014 | updated - 2 weeks ago | Public- Genres
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1. The Last of Us (2013 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
In a hostile, post-pandemic world, Joel and Ellie, brought together by desperate circumstances, must rely on each other to survive a brutal journey across what remains of the United States.
Directors: Neil Druckmann, Bruce Straley | Stars: Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, Hana Hayes, Jeffrey Pierce
Votes: 76,200
By far my greatest gaming experience ever. I'm convinced that the scene with the giraffe won't ever be matched in a video game for me.
UPDATE 12/2019: Having just played this through a second time in anticipation of TLOU Part II I can confirm all of the above to be true. The giraffe sequence is a cinematic masterpiece, from the visuals to the music composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, and the context of the sequence that finds Ellie in a dark place mentally after the previous events that is then brightened up by seeing these magnificent creatures for the first time in her life... *chefs kiss*.
2. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After being tracked down by Harry Flynn, Nathan Drake goes on a quest for Marco Polo's lost fleet. However when things take an unexpected turn for the worst, Drake must rely on those closest to him in order to find the Cintomani Stone.
Directors: Amy Hennig, Bruce Straley | Stars: Nolan North, Emily Rose, Claudia Black, Richard McGonagle
Votes: 28,301
the train sequence... chills.
3. Pokémon Silver Version (1999 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Role playing game for the Game Boy Color, introducing the second generation of Pokémon, where you are on a quest to master Pokémon battling.
Director: Satoshi Tajiri
Votes: 1,248
Red and Yellow got me started, but Silver was always my favorite. To give you a sense of how regularly I played this game growing up, my cartridge has a peanut butter stain on it.
4. Kingdom Hearts (2002 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Family
When his world is destroyed and his friends mysteriously disappear, a young boy named Sora is thrust into a quest to find his missing friends and prevent the armies of darkness from destroying many other worlds.
Director: Tetsuya Nomura | Stars: Miyu Irino, Mamoru Miyano, Risa Uchida, Kôichi Yamadera
Votes: 7,903
FINALLY got to play this thanks to KH HD 1.5 Remix being released for the PS3. I'd been wanting to play this for over 10 years but didn't own a PS2. Didn't disappoint at all. Incredible.
5. NHL 2005 (2004 Video Game)
E | Sport
EA Sports bringest the latest in the NHL series to dominate the gaming industry for hockey fans, including new features such as: open ice control, total player awareness and an all new skating engine.
Stars: Jim Hughson, Markus Näslund, Craig Simpson
Votes: 96
EA's NHL games aren't perfect, but I've spent thousands more hours on each one of them than any other game. I'm not gonna separate these... 2005 isn't necessarily the best one (it's certainly not the current ones though), but I can't tell you how many years I spent on this one before finally moving on. Other than 2005, the one I had the most fun with was probably 14.
6. Mass Effect 3 (2012 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
Earth is under attack by a monstrous race of gigantic living ships known as the Reapers. Even if Commander Shepard could unite all surviving species in the galaxy, only a miracle could save them. Then again, Shepard did come back from the dead.
Director: Casey Hudson | Stars: Jennifer Hale, Mark Meer, Kimberly Brooks, Raphael Sbarge
Votes: 16,904
Obviously with the DLC ending which is incredible. Thankfully I never got stuck with the original conclusion.
7. Batman: Arkham City (2011 Video Game)
T | Action, Crime, Mystery
When part of Gotham is turned into a private reserve for criminals known as Arkham City, all hell is sure to break loose, and the Dark Knight is the only one who can stop it.
Director: Sefton Hill | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, David Kaye, Carlos Alazraqui
Votes: 34,929
8. Rock Band 2 (2008 Video Game)
T | Music
Simulating the experience of performing in a band, Rock Band 2 allows up to four players to use remotes modeled after microphones, guitars, bass guitars, and drums to engage with their favourite songs.
Stars: Beastie Boys, David Bowie, Electric Six, Fleetwood Mac
Votes: 353
I played this for years. The ultimate party video game in high school.
9. Super Mario Galaxy (2007 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Family
When Princess Peach is abducted as part of Bowser's galaxy creation scheme, stalwart plumber Mario must leap to her rescue, with the help of new celestial friends and powers.
Director: Yoshiaki Koizumi | Stars: Charles Martinet, Kenny James, Samantha Kelly, Mercedes Rose
Votes: 6,204
Haven't played the 2nd, will someday... maybe.
10. BioShock Infinite (2013 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
A man is sent to the flying city of Columbia to find a missing girl. However, upon arrival he discovers that the city, its people, and his objective are all not what they seem.
Director: Ken Levine | Stars: Troy Baker, Courtnee Draper, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Laura Bailey
Votes: 22,177
I actually did a final project in a college course on the religion presented in this game and got an A.
11. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Drama
Thrown back into the dangerous underworld he'd tried to leave behind, Nathan Drake must decide what he's willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves.
Directors: Neil Druckmann, Bruce Straley | Stars: Nolan North, Troy Baker, Richard McGonagle, Emily Rose
Votes: 36,090
12. Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
After a shadowy black ops team kidnaps several scientists security manager Adam Jensen was sworn to protect, he must harness the power of his new-found cybernetic augmentations to save their lives.
Directors: Jean-François Dugas, Blade Zavier | Stars: Elias Toufexis, Stephen Shellen, Andreas Apergis, Michelle Boback
Votes: 5,914
13. Dead Space 2 (2011 Video Game)
M | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Set three years after the events of the first, Isaac Clarke's fight against a new Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl, a space station above Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Stars: Gunner Wright, Tanya Clarke, Sonita Henry, Curt Cornelius
Votes: 7,286
14. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (2012 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Adventure, Family
King Mickey and Yen Sid prepare for an impending threat by putting Sora and Riku through the Mark of Mastery exam.
Director: Tetsuya Nomura | Stars: Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, Ben Diskin, Richard Epcar
Votes: 1,036
Unpopular opinion but this is the second best game in the Kingdom Hearts series. Literally the one thing preventing this game from getting a 10 is having the cartoonish spirits by your side instead of Donald and Goofy. I mean c'mon, you go to Notre Dame Cathedral early in the game, there's no coming down from that. (This is to also suggest everything ahead of this on this list is a 10 or rounded 10.)
15. The Last of Us: Part II (2020 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
Five years after the events of The Last of Us, Ellie embarks on another journey through a post-apocalyptic America on a mission of vengeance against a mysterious militia.
Directors: Neil Druckmann, Kurt Margenau, Anthony Newman | Stars: Ashley Johnson, Troy Baker, Derek Phillips, Jeffrey Pierce
Votes: 42,067
Though it’s ultimately not a perfect story, the graphics and gameplay (and accessibility options) are quite literally perfect. The terror aspect is up immensely from the first game, and I was on the edge for about three hours straight with Ellie at one point. It was nearly impossible for me to put the game down playing as her. Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog actually do a great job to have the player see both sides of the coin by its conclusion. It’s an incredible look at grief, PTSD, understanding, and forgiveness.
16. Pokémon: Red Version (1996 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Play as a young Pokémon trainer trying to catch all 150 Pokémon.
Director: Satoshi Tajiri
Votes: 2,893
17. Kingdom Hearts II (2005 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Adventure, Family
Sora and friends face mysterious new enemies as they continue their journey to save all worlds, and find Riku and King Mickey.
Director: Tetsuya Nomura | Stars: Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, Hayden Panettiere, Jesse McCartney
Votes: 7,614
When the game was ending, I was like "eh it was pretty good." AND THEN THE *SPOILER* ACTUAL ENDING WITH THE NOTE FROM KAIRI AND THE REUNION AND I ALMOST CRIED.
18. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Drama
The story of Cal Kestis continues in STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor, a galaxy-spanning, third-person, action-adventure game.
Director: Stig Asmussen | Stars: Cameron Monaghan, Debra Wilson, Noshir Dalal, Tina Ivlev
Votes: 4,860
An absolutely phenomenal 10/10 story, but there were some bugs and annoyances that prevent me from giving the game as a whole a 10. Still unquestionably the best Star Wars game I've ever played.
19. Ghost of Tsushima (2020 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
Set in 1274 on the Tsushima Island, the last samurai, Jin Sakai, must master a new fighting style, the way of the Ghost, to defeat the Mongol forces and fight for the freedom and independence of Japan.
Director: Nate Fox | Stars: Daisuke Tsuji, Eric Steinberg, Sumalee Montano, Patrick Gallagher
Votes: 15,155
Phew. Sucker Punch essentially takes the best aspects of the Assassin’s Creed concept and brings them to the era of the Samurai with a great story. So close with TLOU2 for my Game of the Year.
20. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Treasure hunter Nathan Drake embarks on a quest in search of the Atlantis of the Sands while battling an ancient, sinister organization.
Directors: Amy Hennig, Justin Richmond | Stars: Nolan North, Richard McGonagle, Emily Rose, Claudia Black
Votes: 24,759
I had this in my top 5 initially and then it was #6 for years until I replayed it immediately after replaying Uncharted 2. The gameplay that invites hand-to-hand combat often is less fun in the sequel, the young Nate sequence is tedious, and some of these puzzles make no sense. Otherwise still a fantastic game.
21. Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
The Andromeda Initiative sets a course for a new galaxy, hoping to find a new home for the species of the Milky Way.
Directors: Mac Walters, Sam McGlynn | Stars: Fryda Wolff, Tom Taylorson, Jules de Jongh, Nyasha Hatendi
Votes: 5,944
This game is a few bugs and loading issues away from being even higher on this list. Took me too long to play it because I heard it was disappointing, but it exceeded my expectations.
22. Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009 Video Game)
T | Action, Crime, Mystery
Batman battles his archenemy, the Joker, who instigates an elaborate plot to seize control of Arkham Asylum, trap Batman inside with many of his incarcerated foes, and threaten Gotham City with hidden bombs.
Director: Sefton Hill | Stars: Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, Tom Kane
Votes: 31,503
23. Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001 Video Game)
T | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Smash Bros. installment for the GameCube with fast-paced, highly competitive and technical gameplay of realtime chess and hype using various Nintendo characters, with simple controls yet deep mechanics.
Director: Masahiro Sakurai | Stars: Dean Harrington, Charles Martinet, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Kazumi Totaka
Votes: 3,506
24. Spider-Man (2018 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
When a new villain threatens New York City, Peter Parker and Spider-Man's worlds collide. To save the city and those he loves, he must rise up and be greater.
Director: Ryan Smith | Stars: Yuri Lowenthal, Tara Platt, Travis Willingham, William Salyers
Votes: 29,464
25. Assassin's Creed II (2009 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, History
Desmond Miles is trained to become a modern-day Assassin through the resurrected memories of ancestor Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who uncovers a massive Templar conspiracy in Renaissance Italy leading to the new Pope.
Directors: Sylvain Bernard, Shea Wageman | Stars: Roger Craig Smith, Kristen Bell, Nolan North, Fred Tatasciore
Votes: 25,867
26. God of War (2018 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
After wiping out the gods of Mount Olympus, Kratos moves on to the frigid lands of Scandinavia, where he and his son must embark on an odyssey across a dangerous world of gods and monsters.
Director: Cory Barlog | Stars: Christopher Judge, Sunny Suljic, Jeremy Davies, Danielle Bisutti
Votes: 37,523
27. Kingdom Hearts III (2019 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Adventure, Family
Believing light and darkness must remain in balance, Master Xehanort seeks to spark war against the "tyranny of light" to restore equilibrium.
Directors: Tetsuya Nomura, Tai Yasue, Masaru Oka | Stars: Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, Alyson Stoner, Jason Dohring
Votes: 2,467
28. BioShock 2 (2010 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Horror
In 1968, the first successfully-bonded Big Daddy is reawakened to save his Little Sister from the clutches of Rapture's new leader, Sofia Lamb.
Directors: Jordan Thomas, Michael Csurics | Stars: Fenella Woolgar, Doug Boyd, Anne Bobby, Sarah Bolger
Votes: 10,660
29. Super Smash Bros. (1999 Video Game)
E | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Mario, Link, Samus and everybody's favorite Nintendo characters battle it out in a no-holds-barred tournament.
Director: Masahiro Sakurai | Stars: Charles Martinet, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Kazumi Totaka, Makiko Ômoto
Votes: 2,491
30. Titanfall 2 (2016 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
At the edge of the Frontier, a Titan and a common footsoldier are unexpectedly thrown together in a desperate attempt to prevent a catastrophic event.
Director: Steve Fukuda | Stars: Matthew Mercer, Glenn Steinbaum, Fred Tatasciore, JB Blanc
Votes: 4,763
31. God of War III (2010 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Armed with his deadly double-chained blades, Kratos must take on Greek mythology's darkest creatures to destroy Olympus and the mighty Zeus himself.
Director: Stig Asmussen | Stars: George Ball, Adrienne Barbeau, Susanne Blakeslee, Clancy Brown
Votes: 12,910
32. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Treasure hunter Nathan Drake, embarks in the adventure of his life searching for the legendary treasure, El Dorado while fighting a group of mercenaries.
Director: Amy Hennig | Stars: Nolan North, Emily Rose, Richard McGonagle, Simon Templeman
Votes: 22,954
33. Dynasty Warriors 4 (2003 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
This entry in the Dynasty Warriors series includes more characters, a more robust story mode, and an encyclopedia of all the characters, major and minor, in this game based upon The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Director: Akihiro Suzuki | Stars: Yasunori Masutani, Masaya Onosaka, Hirohiko Kakegawa, Yukimasa Kishino
Votes: 209
34. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (2010 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, History
Desmond Miles continues to travel the memories of Ezio Auditore, bringing him to turn-of-the-century Rome with Ezio rebuilding the assassin order to bring down the tyrannical Borgia rule.
Director: Sylvain Bernard | Stars: Roger Craig Smith, Kristen Bell, Nolan North, Fred Tatasciore
Votes: 17,398
35. Gone Home (2013 Video Game)
M | Drama, Mystery
A woman returns home after a long absence. She finds it ominously empty. In an attempt to find out where her parents and sister are, she goes through their things. What she discovers will shock her and fascinate her.
Directors: Steve Gaynor, Johnnemann Nordhagen, Karla Zimonja | Stars: Sarah Grayson, Sarah Elmaleh
Votes: 1,997
36. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003 Video Game)
E | Action, Family, Fantasy
In this GameCube installment of Mario Kart, Mario, Luigi and friends race together in teams of two with all new special items specifically designed for certain characters.
Directors: Daiji Imai, Yasuyuki Oyagi | Stars: Charles Martinet, Deanna Mustard, Scott Burns, Jen Taylor
Votes: 2,170
37. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, History
A video game where you play as sailor, privateer and assassin Edward Kenway exploring on and around the islands in the Caribbean Sea during the early 17th century.
Director: Ashraf Ismail | Stars: Stuart Martin, Ralph Ineson, Kate Fleetwood, Sarah Greene
Votes: 19,723
38. BioShock (2007 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Horror
In 1960, a lone survivor of a plane crash named Jack discovers an abandoned underwater utopia, only to find out that the mystery behind its creation is much more sinister than he first believed.
Director: Ken Levine | Stars: John Ahlin, Greg Baldwin, Jane Beller, Susanne Blakeslee
Votes: 22,025
39. Warriors Orochi (2007 Video Game)
T | Action, Fantasy, History
Director: Minoru Honda | Stars: Yasunori Masutani, Masaya Onosaka, Hirohiko Kakegawa, Yukimasa Kishino
Votes: 128
40. Pokémon Sapphire Version (2002 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Family
In the third-generation Pokémon game, the player roams the Hôen region of the Pokémon world in hopes of catching all 350+ species of Pokémon and becoming a Pokémon Master.
Directors: Jun'ichi Masuda, Satoshi Tajiri
Votes: 1,011
41. inFamous 2 (2011 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After the Beast destroys Empire City, Cole MacGrath flees to the city of New Marais to search for a scientist, who could upgrade his powers.
Directors: Nate Fox, Sean Stanek | Stars: Eric Ladin, Caleb Moody, Dawn Olivieri, Michael Ensign
Votes: 3,244
42. Portal (2007 Video Game)
T | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
A test subject wakes up in a scientific facility controlled by a sadistic artificial intelligence and must escape with the help of the only instrument she has--a gun that makes portals.
Stars: Ellen McLain, Mike Patton, Alesia Glidewell, Jeep Barnett
Votes: 14,428
43. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (2010 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Adventure, Family
Ten years before Sora held the Keyblade, three young Keyblade wielders bound by friendship, face being torn apart by the sinister monsters terrorizing other worlds and the manipulative mastermind behind them.
Director: Tetsuya Nomura | Stars: Jason Dohring, Willa Holland, Jesse McCartney, Leonard Nimoy
Votes: 1,793
44. Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A game based on the Star Wars Universe, taking place across multiple eras of the franchise.
Directors: Hez Chorba, Bernd Diemer, Tom Keegan, Sam McGlynn | Stars: Adam Howden, Adam James, Al Doyle, Alana Maria
Votes: 8,040
45. SSX on Tour (2005 Video Game)
E10+ | Sport
SSX on Tour (2005), installment in the SSX franchise. New mountains. New riders. New fun.
Stars: Alistair Abell, Tony Alcantar, Maria Dimou, Michael Dobson
Votes: 189
46. NCAA Basketball 10 (2009 Video Game)
E | Sport
Stars: Blake Griffin, Gus Johnson, Brad Nessler, Bill Raftery
Votes: 12
47. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Marvel Comics' greatest superheroes must band together to uncover the mystery behind Doctor Doom's blatant attack on S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
Director: Glenn Amonitti | Stars: Adrienne Barbeau, April Stewart, Beau Weaver, Cam Clarke
Votes: 2,282
48. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (2001 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A remake of 'Sonic Adventure 2' for the Nintendo Gamecube.
Director: Takashi Iizuka | Star: Ryan Drummond
Votes: 110
49. Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (2003 Video Game)
E | Action, Family, Fantasy
Fly with Harry Potter to practice the wizarding world's top sport at Hogwarts, then move on to the Quidditch World Cup!
Stars: Tom Attenborough, Ben Macleod, Benjamin Stone, George Banks
Votes: 460
50. Assassin's Creed: Revelations (2011 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, History
Ezio travels to Constantinople, at the peak of the Ottoman Empire to discover the truth behind his Ancestor, Altair, which will help him retrieve a powerful weapon hidden within Masyaf, the ancient assassins' fortress.
Director: Alexandre Amancio | Stars: Roger Craig Smith, Cas Anvar, Nolan North, John de Lancie
Votes: 14,544
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