By Rick Warren / Gfn2112

Well, here we are. The big one. I've thought a lot about this list, as it was a real pain to narrow it down to only five games. I had to cut out so many titles that I love in order to find my absolute favorites. This list feels right to me, though, and I think I'm ready to release it. 

​It should be obvious, but this is my personal ranking and mine alone. Games you love may or may not be here. You may agree with my list or you may think that none of these games deserve to be on it. That's okay. I feel like it's important for me to be honest, both for myself and for anyone who reads this Top 5. This will probably be the longest one that I ever make, as I'll be telling you my personal experience with every game on the list. If you have the time to read my lengthy explanations, you should be able to get an idea of what these games mean to me...

​By Rick Warren / Gfn2112

When Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite was revealed last year, I was thrilled. I had enjoyed Marvel vs. Capcom 3 for years, and I was ready to see what a new Marvel vs. Capcom game would look like. The trailer seemed to be giving me everything I wanted, with Captain Marvel leading the brand new roster. I couldn't wait to play the game. Soon, though, disappointing news trickled out. Trailers, press releases and roster announcements failed to impress me. Ultimately, the same can be said for the entire game that I just spent my weekend playing. If you would have told me Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite would be what an MvC game would look like in 2017, I would have been disappointed.  Read below to find out why.

By Rick Warren / Gfn2112

With the success of Castlevania, Netflix has proven that they understand how to get video game adaptations right. For most games, going the route of a series as opposed to a movie makes sense; it allows for character development and world-building that couldn't happen in the length of movie. Additionally, going the animated route like Castlevania allows for action and characters that can be more accurate to the games (plus it helps with budget constraints). The same voice actors from the games can fill their roles again, and the people behind the source material can have bigger roles. Following parts of this formula is why Castlevania succeeded. With a Netflix series for both Assassin's Creed and The Witcher on the way, the age of good video game adaptations may finally be here. ​

​By Rick Warren / Gfn2112

As I'm sure every gamer knows, Destiny 2 recently made its console release (and arrives on PC in October). It's a legitimately great game that I had the pleasure of reviewing, and you can find a link to that review in the comments down below. In it, I mentioned one of the problems I had with the sequel: Ikora Rey and Commander Zavala. These Warlock and Titan Vanguards, despite time in the spotlight, remained as unlikable as they were in the original Destiny. The only moments where they came through as even remotely interesting were their interactions with each other (and even more so with everyone's favorite Hunter, Cayde-6). They both need better writing and more of a personality to become characters I care about. If Cayde had died in Destiny 2, I would have been heartbroken. If Ikora or Zavala were killed, though? I don't imagine I'd care. That's a problem, and it will only get bigger as time goes on and these characters continue to remain flat. There's a way to fix this issue, though: make them the stars of their own spinoff game. Show us their backstories. Let them interact. Plus, Cayde can be there too, which instantly makes things better. Essentially, what I'm asking for is something that a large portion of the Destiny community would likely jump at: I think that Bungie should hold off on a proper Destiny 3 for now, and instead give us a prequel to the series that focuses on the same vanguards that shaped it. 

​By Rick Warren / Gfn2112

When the original Destiny was revealed, I was thrilled. I had been waiting for Bungie to start a new series since finishing their work on Halo, and the original showing for the game was amazing. I constantly searched for new details online and I pre-ordered the game's special ghost edition. When it came, I covered my walls and shelves with the themed items. It looked like a game that would define a generation... but sadly, that did not happen. The great storytelling that Bungie was known for was entirely nonexistent, and so much of the world was left unexplored. Any bit of interesting story in the base game came in the form of collectible cards that could only be viewed outside of the game itself. Destiny was also advertised as a vast universe with four different planets to explore, but ultimately these planets only had one tiny location that could be fully traversed in minutes. This led to the game's biggest issue of all: a lack of content. Every one of the small areas was beaten to death, with strikes and campaign missions often playing out in the same exact place, just in reverse. Further, there was nothing to actually do in these open worlds other than finding collectibles. It made the already grindy process of getting better gear feel even more repetitive. Aside from the first raid, it took Bungie an entire year to deliver content worthy of the great shooting mechanics they had built. For many, it was too little too late.

​By Rick Warren / Gfn2112

This week I'll be counting down a list of games that really caught me by surprise. Whether it was because of similar games that came before failing to deliver, the unease that comes from a reboot or me simply jumping into a new series, all of these titles caught me off guard. These unexpected gems were experiences I'll remember forever, and I want to share this list of games because of that. 

​By Rick Warren / gfn2112

Since we just passed the two year anniversary of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, I figured it would be a good time for me to take on the challenge of analyzing this critically praised yet controversial game. This isn't going to be a review; everything to be said on that front has been by someone at this point. Instead I'm going to be taking another look at the game, both with a clear head and the added knowledge of the Konami/Kojima situation. When I finished my original playthrough, I was more frustrated and confused than I ever have been with a video game. Maybe you were, too. Hopefully, this will bring some form of closure for myself and fellow Metal Gear Solid fans. ​

​By Rick Warren / gfn2112

Before I start this list, I'd like to clarify a few things. First, this is my personal top 5, so it won't match up with everyone's. If a game that is widely seen as disappointing isn't on the list *cough No Man's Sky cough*, it's probably because I wasn't as disappointed by it/didn't have the same expectations. The other important note is that this isn't a list of bad games. Realistically, every game on this list was mediocre or good (some were even great). Rather, they're games that either fell short of the greatness that came before, or games that I personally overhyped. 

Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 

The recent reveals of Insomniac's Spider-Man and the Square Enix Avengers project, its clear that Marvel is planning to make a big return to the gaming industry. They've talked about working with many other talented studios as well, so we have no clue exactly what games are coming from who. This top 5 list will contain some dream Marvel games that I would love to see get made.