Oh, I have plenty of games that I love next to Pokemon. But I could probably go on forever if I listed too many of them, so to keep it (somewhat) short, I'll go ahead and list five of my absolute favorite games below, and give a rundown on why I like them so much. These are in no particular order, and while Pokemon would be included among them usually, this list specifies games
other than Pokemon. We'll save that ramble for a more fitting time.
Ratchet & Clank: This was one of the earliest set of titles I ever played in my childhood besides Pokemon. It was also the thing that got me into Sci-Fi and sparked a small fascination with space. I've played every main series game and I could probably find a million different reasons to gush over this series. But to keep it simple, I love the exploration and fast-paced combat of the games. I love all the different planets and their unique atmospheres (not to mention most of them have amazing soundtracks to go with them). I love the characters and the wacky weaponry. The humor is well done, too, especially when I was at the age to understand those subtle jokes that went over my head as a kid.
Mega Man: And by this, I mean basically
all iterations of Mega Man; original series, X, Zero, ZX, Legends, Battle Network, Star Force. Each of them had something unique to them that made them a blast to play. I'll admit I'm god-awful at platforming in most cases, so it took me forever to beat many of the early titles of the series. Battle Network and Star Force are the ones I can proudly boast that I'm good at, and they are probably my favorite iterations of the blue bomber. And like many of my favorite game series, they have a spectacular soundtrack in just about every game.
Demons Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne: I list all of these in the same category because they are all by the same developer, and all play in very much the same way. However, each of them have their own personalities and unique settings that separates them from one-another. If anyone is familiar with any of these titles, one thing you'll know about them is that they aren't easy. Far from easy, in fact. The common enemies in these games can kill you if you're careless, and don't even get me started on the many bosses of the games. But the challenge makes it engaging. So do the environments. It's almost always quiet, with music only playing for the boss encounters (and yes, the music is just superb). But the game also doesn't spoon-feed you any story or exposition. In order to find out the lore, you have to speak to the NPC Characters or read the item descriptions, or even just speculate on what happened based on what the areas look like. I can't really summarize why they're great without going on forever...but I'll admit they aren't for everyone. It's something you have to try for yourself before you make any judgement.
Oddworld (Abe's Oddysee and Exodus): A dark, humorous, stylized 2D puzzle platformer. These games encourage you to avoid hostile enemies by sneaking around them or possessing them (an ability that Abe, the main character,
possesses...badum-tsh). Any hostile will kill you in one hit in this game, so you have to play smart. You also have the option to rescue other members of your kind from danger and slavery. The music in this game is also good, and they build an ambiance to really immerse you into the game depending on the kind of area you're in. I played these games to death when I was about 13. They really absorbed me just because they were so unique. If you're interested in a funny, engaging, and bizarre experience, I'd suggest looking into these games. But just like the above, they might not be for everyone.
Undertale: This...okay, this game probably needs absolutely no introduction or explanation whatsoever. I'm pretty sure anyone who uses the internet and lives in the modern day knows what Undertale is. But I might as well make a quick statement about it. It's brilliant. I found it on a whim in early October, when it hadn't gotten to the height of its popularity just yet, but I decided to play it after seeing a YouTuber named Cryaotic play it. Needless to say, it was really moving. Well-written dialogue, simple but fun game play, the moral choice, the humor, and the music...I don't have words to describe my love for this games soundtrack. I'll admit that I enjoyed the first half of this game much more than the second half (Alphys and Mettaton were a little annoying for me, constantly slowing down the game with their interruptions), with my favorite area in the whole game being Waterfall. And I'll admit...I've played the Genocide Route more times than the Pacifist Route, to the point where beating both Undyne and Sans prove no challenge to me...I'm cruel, I know.
And that's that. Sorry if I rambled way too long, but I can talk about video games (or just games in general) for hours on end for so many reasons. But I'll leave it with those five for now
