5 Favorite Game Franchises

[Jedi]

I figured i'd ask this "daring" question to see what franchises people on this forum value, be it for nostalgia, tons of fun, or just really liking a franchise etc. I'll go first and we can go from there!

1. Ogre Battle

More along the lines of SRPG, Ogre Battle is a franchise that is only 3 games big (One on the SNES, one on the 64 and one on the Wonderswan), unless you count Tactics Ogre (which plays entirely different), the game play is somewhat hard to describe, as you have various units, that have up to 5 characters in them and can be placed in any 9 spaces in a box of 3 spaces for front, mid and back row, they move on a large map in RTS style,  when two armies meet they fight it out, depending on the characters, classes, and positioning changes how many attacks and what kind of attacks they do in combat, along with the fact that you, don't pick who they hit, you merely suggest the groups focus in combat. 

The game boasts quite a few alternate pathways depending on varying factors including your own choices, so no two playthroughs are likely going to be the same, this combined with the unique gameplay that I merely briefly touched on, makes these game stand out to me as my favorite series. Sadly only a few games have attempted to emulate its style to varying success, Yu-Gi-Oh the Falsebound Kingdom was ok, and while people call it Ogre Battle like, Soul Nomad doesn't really have any close similarities in the long run. 

The stories more focus on how your MC deals with the world, the central plotline is kind of weird, but it works for what it needs to do, Tactics Ogre took a much more serious attempt on the Ogre story telling. 

Its also named after a song by the band Queen, they do have a song called Ogre Battle and another titled March of the Black Queen (the title of the SNES game). 

2. The Legend of Heroes

This franchise has tons of games, Falcom is the creator of these, you may have heard a few of the subseries in it, Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel, these games boast some of the best story telling i've ever seen in an RPG franchise, and has tons of continuity, awesome characters, great music, not to mention its stellar freeflowing combat, which is impressive for something turn based, you have tons of options and playstyles available to you.  

Even the NPCs are super interesting, their dialog also changing after every event, and continually growing as characters as well. I'd say more but I wouldn't dare rob you of the awesomeness of this series. 

PS: Crossbell games and more need to be localized lol. 

3. Sonic The Hedgehog 

Been playing the series since I was 3 years old and played Sonic 2 with my Mother, while we played stuff like Contra and Mario 3 as well [which are some of my favorite games of all time still] This series has stuck through with me as one of my absolute favorites. the Thrill the Speed, the characters to an extent. Theres always a good feeling when you're learning a stage so you can blaze through them again, beating your old times. While the series has stumbled a few times, its never been afraid to experiment, I believe Mania & 2017 (since the Colors and Generations team is on it) will be very solid.

4. Final Fantasy 

 

Final Fantasy: A series I have loved since I played Final Fantasy 4, which remains my favorite, no matter how different they are from each other I just find something to love in each installment. I've played 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10-2, 13 and have enjoyed all of those (well except maybe 3). It ranks up here due to its huge vareity of characters, plots, gameplay styles and the excellent time I've had with them. Still need to get 15 at some point, and play 12. 

5. Super Smash Brothers

A series including pretty much my entire childhood of Nintendo + a few others from other companies now that were also involved in my childhood, this game series boasts tons of action, fun, brutal competitive, or just goofiness, and it all depends on who you play with, and how you play, the freedom with which these games can be approached is nothing to scoff at, with tons of references, attention to detail, amazing music, tons of characters from gaming history, surprisingly deep mechanics, Smash is a game where you can just have a blast regardless of how you play.

Honorable Mentions: Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, Megaman X, Ys, Warriors, FE, and many many more.

 

Edited February 20, 2017 by Jedi

[euklyd]

Shoutouts to The World Ends with You; if it were a series it would be on here for sure.

1. Super Smash Bros

Easily my favorite series; these are the games that ruin other games for me. I can't count the number of times I've said to myself, "man this new game I got is fun and all, but I'd rather be playing Smash tbh." It helps that I've met a bunch of great people going to Smash tournaments, and is one of the few games where I have a real drive to improve and better my skill within the game.

2. Final Fantasy Tactics
(+Tactics Ogre if you want to count it)

My favored style of SRPG by a longshot. Much more interesting character building than FE, and a lot less vulnerable to getting screwed by levelups. The unit-by-unit turn system is more enjoyable to me, and having actual skills/magic rather than just an array of weapons is very nice. The Quest system of Tactics Advance and Tactics A2 is also a nice way to do non-main storyline quests, even if it is fairly standard.

3. Legend of Zelda

One of the few series I've played and enjoyed every installment (that I've played, which is a lot but not all). Everyone knows LoZ, what is there to say?

4. Golden Sun

I feel weird putting this since it's basically one and a half games (GS + TLA are basically a single game, and DD is functionally incomplete without a sequel). The world and overall setting are like, actually really good, especially for a GBA game, and the maps + puzzles are quite charming. I also really like the Djinn/class/psynergy system.

(This competes with Legend of Heroes, but tbh I've only played Trails in the Sky so putting that would be even less fair.)

5. Pajama Sam

I don't think enough can be said about this series of cerebral, philosophical games, with their rich visual novel puzzler format, alongside stellar worldbuilding and character development. Imagine if Ace Attorney and Umineko had a child, and that child banged Xenoblade, and you might have something approaching Pajama Sam. So basically, Spy Fox or Freddi Fish.

(Like seriously, check out the BAMF you play as. This game is a true classic, underrated af.)

Edited February 20, 2017 by Euklyd

[MediocreLee]

4 minutes ago, Euklyd said:

Shoutouts to The World Ends with You; if it were a series it would be on here for sure.

I concur.  Also my personal shoutouts to Ghost Trick and Phantom Dust.

1. Suikoden

This series has fantastic writing, characters, and lore and on top of that most of the games have great gameplay (sorry, III and IV).  I also have so much nostalgia for this series since I played it as a kid and it created a lasting impression on me so much that I sought out the games that I've missed and bought them despite the price *cough*SuikodenII*cough*.  And it's also pretty refreshing for a JRPG to centralize itself around a story that isn't completely about saving the world.  Rather, it's about ending conflicts and wars in the best way possible.

2. Marvel vs. Capcom

I grew up playing a lot of fighting games, even to the point that I used to compete in some fighting games a few years back.  Marvel vs. Capcom pits some of my favorite superheroes and video game characters together and it was always really appealing and fun to see all of these characters interact with each other when they normally wouldn't.  The flashy gameplay is always fantastic to see as well, I know a lot of people don't like it but it's all about personal preference.  I mean, how great is it to see Phoenix Wright fight alongside the Phoenix with Strider Hiryu as backup?  That sounds awesome.

3. Ace Attorney

I never thought that a visual novel/game about being a lawyer could be so great, but I honestly loved it since the first time I played the first game.  Ace Attorney's wacky, yet sometimes serious writing and humor will always get to me.  The music and sprite work is so fantastic and beautiful.  So many of the characters are memorable and the cases and stories that go along with the cases are things that I would think about for months after playing the games.  While the most recent game wasn't my favorite, I did like how they made Apollo more important and interesting, even though it kinda seemed forced.  I also like to think that Ghost Trick and the Ace Attorney world are one and the same.

4. Persona

The Persona has taught me some life lessons that I wouldn't have learned otherwise and that's thanks to the wonderful writing, great story, and characters that all impacted me.  Persona 2: Innocent Sin and 3, in particular, are my favorites of the series and both of those had a fairly melancholic tone to them that resonated with me at the times I played those games.

5. Fire Emblem

To no surprise, Fire Emblem has been a great franchise for me as a gamer.  So many colorful characters, stories, and moments within this franchise has made me love it even more.  Not to mention that the revival of the franchise has gotten me closer to some people in my life.  Also I love the art for the games, especially Cipher, and the music is always a big plus for me.

[blah the Prussian]

Also a shout out to TWEWY. I WISH I could put it on here, as that would mean it got a sequel, but alas.

1. Paradox games. I love Paradox Interactive, and their four history simulation franchises- Crusader Kings, about the Middle Ages, Europa Universalis, about the ages of exploration and Revolution, Victoria, about the Victorian era and WWI, and Hearts of Iron, about WWII, should be taken together. In fact, in one of my favorite things about them, you can take a game from Crusader Kings all the way to Hearts of Iron, allowing you to simulate an alternate history of humanity from the rise of Charlemagne to the Cold War. It kicks ass.

2. Metal Gear Solid. I love it. 3 is my favorite, because I think it has the tightest feel, and it feels like you're actually on a mission, but they all kick ass. 3 also has my favorite cutscene in video game history. The story can get confusing at times (2, looking at you) but the gameplay is some of the most perfect I've ever played in the later installments. It's a game based entirely around the style of gameplay, and it works well basically without exception.

3. Legend of Zelda. It's Zelda. I love it. I love the sense of exploration, and, speaking as someone who has played all Zelda games with the exception of the first two, I love all the games. I also resent the idea that linearity makes a game bad, so I like Skyward Sword, although Majora's Mask is my favorite. That's set to change, though, with Breath of the Wild about to release.

4. Pokemon. This series was the first game I ever fell in love with. Nothing can or will beat my first playthrough, but Pokemon is on this list for being by far the most replayable series I've ever played. There are so many different Pokemon and team combinations, and the different styles of each Pokemon means that each playthrough is genuinely different.

5. Civilization. While Paradox makes my favorite strategy games, Civilization was my first strategy series. Yes, it is as addictive as everyone says. I don't think it's a good simulation of history, but damn if it isn't fun to play. 4 is probably my all time favorite for the sheer amount of differing scenarios, but hopefully 6 will top that.

[Roflolxp54]

1. Fire Emblem

The characters pretty much sell the game for me.

2. Senran Kagura

Once again, the characters. It also stands out for being aimed at a male audience but having a cast of only female protagonists; the few male characters present only have supporting roles at most.

3. Super Smash Bros.

Seeing characters from various Nintendo franchises and then some duke it out is good fun.

4. Team Fortress 2

Pretty much the only shooter game I'd actively play. It's pretty fun and looks comical compared to the usual FPS games.

5. Pokemon

Classic Nintendo franchise for me. I haven't been playing it as much but I try to follow sometimes.

Edited February 20, 2017 by Roflolxp54

[Batter the Beast]

1. Guilty Gear

Super fun and stylish anime fighter with tons of rock references, mechanics that add a lot of freedom to playstyles, amazing soundtracks, passable story, and some of the most unique characters in any fighter. What's not to love?

 

2. Monster Hunter

A series that I've come to love in the past few years and frankly its most of what I spend my free time on nowadays. All the weapons are fun as hell to play Hunting Horn and Lance/Gunlance for life, and while grinding for parts is a big aspect, you have to attack certain parts of a monster to get certain parts and that along with an in depth item system and counterplay against a lot of monsters makes an experience that can easily drain hours from your life before you realize it. Also, passive skills being attached to armor skills is an amazing concept and makes upgrading to a new armor set a more interesting experience than just getting more defense for upgrading. I could honestly go on about this series for days. It does have its flaws though, a lot of monster AI is stupid and will do things like charge at a far away place to attack you since it's basically a moving hitbox while charging.

 

3. Super Smash Bros

Freeform fighter that's fun casually and competitively. Game balance kinda sucks in all games as bottom tiers stand no chance against top tiers, but the mobility of most characters alongside an interesting anti-combo mechanic in DI makes for a frantic game that really keeps you on your toes and forces you to constantly think about every option, even while getting comboed.

 

4. Castlevania

Both Classicvania and Metroidvania games are incredible. Classicvania has an interesting mechanic in that your main weapon comes out slow as hell but has really good reach, meaning that while you can hit enemies coming to you if you press the button early enough, you can't just mash and win. You have to really think about how to approach each room, and predict enemy patterns for a well placed whip strike. It's surprisingly fun, although platforming sections can get frustrating due to instant death being the common punishment for even small failures. Modern Metroidvanias are incredible, and have a wide variety of different attack types to use throughout the game through the different weapon types. Also, backdash and land cancelling are super cool mechanics that make the already freeform combat even faster and allows the player to overcome the evident endlag on a lot of weapons. I do like SotN, but I like it as a speedrun game due to the vast amount of movement options at the player's disposal. The difficulty curve is all over the place and kinda prevents me from saying its my favorite as a whole package. Lords of Shadow is pretty decent as well, but not nearly as good as most of the other Castlevania games.

 

5. Mega Man

A character that controls easily along with complicated individual stage mechanics is a staple of any good platforming game, and Mega Man is no exception. While some stage gimmicks are outright dumber than others and can get really frustrating, a lot are clearly well thought out and make the player learn on the fly so that subsequent playthroughs are way easier through the stage. The ability to take boss powers and the RPS system for beating bosses with other boss weapons is an interesting concept, and the fact that the player can choose any of the available stages to start from makes a lot of people's first experiences with each game unique, and casually, a lot of players have wildly different ways that they approach the game once they're experienced enough. Some weapons are lame and some are overpowered, but they make the game a lot more interesting than if the standard buster was the only option. The sequel series are neat, but as an overall series and taking each game into account, the original series has the highest quantity of good games, although I like Mega Man X more than any of the classic games

 

Honorable Mentions: Fire Emblem, Kirby, Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Zelda, Tekken, and some others I definitely forgot about

[Magical CC]

Super Robot Taisen

 

Tales of

 

Fire Emblem

 

Persona

 

Pokemon

 

Sorry but Final Fantasy was never my friend.

Edited February 20, 2017 by Magical CC

[Ycine]

Monster Hunter

The title is self explanatory. But seriously, I find that the game has the most balance between challenge and fun. Especially now that we have the Hunting Style and Hunting Skills wich really is refreshing and are just amazingly fun to try out. Also, I like the design a lot. The Monsters are just so well done and keep getting better with time, the armor/weapon's design (generally because some of them are just... tasteless) and the gameplay. Learning your weapon, discovering a zone, learning about the items, understanding the Monster's moves, adapting to the new mechanics, cooperating with people, customization and theory crafting. It has all. So yeah, number one franchise in my heart.

Fire Emblem

Ah Fire Emblem. This series developped my taste in Heroic Fantasy and Tactical RPG. Before FE, I have played Advance Wars and it was so much fun. It was my first strategic game and I had a blast with it. As for the RPG part, Pokemon was my introduction to this world but I'll talk about it a little bit later. Out of nowhere I found FE7. It has Strategy (such as in Advance Wars) and RPG mechanics (such as in Pokemon) and it just completely amazed me ! The graphics, so pretty, so well animated and so colorfull. I found the music so alluring and even today some theme are stuck in my head. The gameplay, so demanding, so frustrating, so gratifying ! Also, the Characters, it wasn't « mindless » Soldier or Pokemon it was « real » people and I found it so cool it grabed me in.

Dragon Age

Having developped a taste in Heroic Fantasy with Fire Emblem, Dragon Quest, Baldur's Gate and Sacred and RPGs because of most of the titles cited before. How come I'd say no to this series ? It was a great experience to me. I guess what I like is the world of Thedas who completely allures me to no end. The politics, the civilizations, religion and culture, the way of magic, the history and the characters. This, the background of the game, I found it so interesting, so fascinating and so confusing. All of this wrapping around a story of saving the country, intriguing characters and the gameplay with a mix of RPGs, Strategy, Real Time Action  and with lots of builds to tries out and stories to see. I'm sold.

Borderlands

It's so over the top that I think I will never see something so close to the summit. I discover Borderlands out of nowhere too. I'm not really fond of FPS (though I like to play some) but Borderlands changed me. The mix between FPS and RPG is something I'd never thought would fit. I was so wrong, the gameplay is just top notch. The weapons system, the elemental system, the classes, it's balanced, fun to play and you can share it to your heart's content with friends ! It's also important that I notify the characters, the overall humor of the series and the brutality of its world that just gives it a damn good cache. Liked it more than I have thought.

Pokemon

My debut in the world of RPG. I don't know what to say about it. It's Pokemon after all. The adventure, the Pokemon, the infinite possibilities (combining item, moves, pokemons, skills), the still growing world of Pokemon and the PvP experience. This series is just a blast to me and to many Pokefans.

 

Special mention to Versus Fighting games and many Action/Adventure but mostly Action games out there.

[Magical Glace]

1. The Legend of Zelda

2. Dragon Quest

3. Fire Emblem

4. Touhou Project

5. Pokémon

Yeah, I'm boring.

[epilepsyduck]

I'm not gonna go into detail on this, but here are my faves in no particular order:

• Ogre Battle/Tactics Ogre
• Final Fantasy
• The Legend of Zelda
• Fire Emblem
• Castlevania

[Carnation]

Professor Layton - My comfort food series. I started the first game not really being all that into puzzle games and by the time I finished it, I was charmed. The Layton series is so relaxing and wonderfully atmospheric. This series provided a lot of positivity and peacefulness to my life just when I needed it the most. I've replayed nearly all of the games so many times it's almost embarrassing.

Ace Attorney - The original trilogy has remained as my favorite part of the franchise, as I haven't been quite as fond of the series' more recent games. I still have a lot of love for these games and especially for their fun characters. I desperately hope Dai Gyakuten Saiban gets localized, because I think a complete chance of scenery might do some good - if not for the series, then at least for me. I'm getting kind of tired of Phoenix, as much as I like him...

Zero Escape - 999's true ending path blew my mind when I played it for the first time, and I tend to cite it as my favorite game of all time. Each game has been a tremendously entertaining and memorable ride, with their flaws and all. Puzzles, crazy plot twists, everyone sounding like a walking encyclopedia, distressing life-or-death situations followed by moments of levity and a cast full of surprisingly charming characters...

I think this series is the most fun I've ever had with video games. 

Fire Emblem - When I'm solving puzzles in, say Layton games, I feel relaxed and focused at the same time. Playing Fire Emblem makes me feel like that, which is probably the biggest reason why I like the series so much. Playing FE is like the ultimate stress relief for me. Memorable and colorful casts, wonderful music and pretty aesthetics have also helped me to grow fonder of the series.

I'm actually not sure what the fifth would be! Maybe Megami Tensei, even though I've only scratched the surface with the whole franchise (I've finished Persona 3 & 4, almost beaten Shin Megami Tensei IV, and have played a bit of SMTIII, Digital Devil Saga and Devil Survivor Overclocked). Even so, I've very much enjoyed its more atmospheric entries and the sheer variety of styles within the series makes it seem rather inviting. The soundtracks are excellent too.

[Anacybele]

1. Fire Emblem - Mainly because I love Tellius more than anything I've ever played, but I enjoyed Sacred Stones and Fates a lot too. :)

2. The Legend of Zelda - So many Zelda games are really good it's crazy. Skyward Sword is my current favorite game of all time that's not Fire Emblem.

3. Super Mario - Well, more like Luigi-centered games. lol But I love a lot of regular Mario games too, like the Galaxy titles, 3D World, Super Mario World, and Paper Mario.

4. Smash Bros. - Best fighting game!

5. Pokemon - I may not enjoy it as much as the other big Nintendo guns, but it's fun!

Honorable mentions are Roller Coaster Tycoon, Bejeweled, and Kid Icarus (even if I only played one game in that third one).

[EricaofRenais]

I am not going to list them in any real order since it honestly depends on my mood what is my favorite on any day, so here are my top five.

The Legend of Zelda: the first game series I ever got into 

Fire Emblem: I fell in love with box art of Sacred stones and have been a fan ever since

Shin Megami Tensei: I started with vi and got into the spin offs as well I love being able to have so many choices in a game

Xenoblade Chronicles: I really love the open worlds and stories of these games and the first one is in my top 3 games for my Wii and my top ten game list

Bayonetta: this is about the only shooter I really have gotten into I love the action and story line and I really hope that there will be another game

[Loki Laufeyson]

10 hours ago, Magical CC said:

Sorry but Final Fantasy was never my friend.

I feel this.

Legend of Zelda : Ive been playing Zelda for 30 years and im not gonna stop playing it. Its been for the long haul. It will likely always be my number one favorite game franchise.

Fire Emblem: Well duh. I just really enjoy all the different ways to play these games.

Castlevania: While i do not follow this franchise AS loyally as the others on this list, i have been a fan since...well the NES era. I loved it even more when it went into the Metroidvania direction with SotN.

Animal Crossing: Fucken love that shit. Its so relaxing. I dont see it as a collecathon like so many others, but as a little world to escape to. I legit get attached to the villagers, and really love the decorating portions of it. The only stinker in the series, imo, was Lets Go to the City/City Folk.

Paper Mario:  This franchise is fun as hell, but lately, its been a bit of a stinker. :( but the first three installments were bomb shit and i love them to pieces. I truly hope that the games will be like that again eventually.

[Zapp Branniglenn]

Order is really dependent on my mood, and the honorable mentions could also easily make top 5 for the same reason. This is somewhat hard for me because most of my favorite games are part of no franchise or exist in a franchise with numerous sub-par titles.

1. Legend of Zelda: What needs to be said? Consistently quality games that are satisfying to 100%. Ocarina of Time is the game I cite as having turned me into a gamer. I'm also a rare defender of Zelda 2. I've beaten them all except the multiplayer games, CD-I, and Oracles of Ages/Seasons. 

2. Fallout: I don't normally get the urge to replay games for reasons other than challenge runs. But I have to physically keep myself away from my computer at least once a year to avoid sinking several dozen hours into these games. New Vegas in particular is one of my favorite games of all time. Every Fallout is a buggy mess, but I'll always appreciate them.

3. Resident Evil: Playing Resident Evil as a kid started as a test of courage, and now I've played more of these games than I should be proud to admit. I know the first game like the back of my hand, it's remake is the best example of a remake I can think of, and I will always heap praises upon 4. I must admit that I'm waiting on playing 7 despite all the good things I've heard. I don't think my computer can run it well, and I heard rumors of a Switch port. RE5 is the most entertaining co-op experience you will have as goofy cutscenes and over the top gameplay serve as rewarding incentives to keep playing.

4. Fire Emblem: I've a lot of history with this series. But I've grown up considerably in terms of standards and my recent replays have been rough on my interpretations for the GBA series. But I've shared my love of these games with some of my best friends so I never doubt their appeal. The only time that I may have booted this series from my top 5 would have been after finishing Shadow Dragon. But the 3DS series gives me a lot of hope for future titles, and even the mobile game is good.

5. Kirby: I'm behind on the last three kirby games, but I enjoyed every one that I've played. Innovative, cute, fun to play.

Honorable mentions: 3D Mario, Mario RPGs, Dark Souls, Mega Man/Mega Man X, Mother, Pokemon, Smash Bros., Dead Rising, and Ratchet and Clank

[Nobody]

1. Fire Emblem

I like the fire emblem gameplay. It makes me think, and it's very different from other SRPGs. Figuring out how to beat a challenging map without anyone dying is really fun, for exemple.

2. Souls

That is, Demon's Souls, the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne. Challeging, fun games, that offer a lot to the player, and that are quite replayable. These games have amazing worlds as well.

3. Pokemon

First game series i've played. The main games are really fun, and competitive pokemon is also nice.

4. Zelda

I love the sort of puzzle zelda games offer. Zelda dungeons are probably the best dungeons in games.

5. Shin Megami Tensei

Nice gameplay, nice stories, nice lore, nice writting. Demon Fusion is fun.

 

Edited February 21, 2017 by Nobody

[Acacia Sgt]

In no particular order... well, except alphabetically...

Ace Combat

Ever since I first saw Macross/Robotech as a kid, I had gained a fascination towards mechas and aircraft. And Ace Combat was among the first aircraft video games I came to see and own. 04 was my first AC game, and I liked it. Admitedly, I was only like about 11 when I first played it, so I had to let an uncle pass some of the parts I would get stuck/scared with. Though I've mostly only played the PS2 games and Infinity, I still think it's a great series. Strangereal is quite the fascinating world, too similar yet too different from Earth. It's quite ironic on the whole, since I'm actually scared so much of heights and being in a real airplane. Oh well, I'll still have my fictional aircraft.

Crash Bandicoot

Ah, Crash. My first videogame ever. I first met and played this series back when I was 5. An aunt owned a PSX and tons of videogames, and the Crash games were among them. I had quite the blast with it throughout my childhood. It's a shame that after the PSX Crash has been through turbulent times (though what I've seen of the N. Sane Trilogy, it seems that at least this remake/revival is off to a good start), but personally, I actually don't harbor that much hard feelings over it. I have played some of them and liked them. Then again, I haven't really played stuff like the Mutant duology, so... eh...

Fire Emblem

Well, might as well. Like countless others, I first met Fire Emblem through Super Smash Bros Melee. I didn't thought much of it back then, though Marth had already become the character I used the most. Then, some time later, I got the chance to play Blazing Blade... and I liked it. It's been a great time, with this series. Well, I do like strategy. And other aspects like the music and stuff. Despite the state the series is currently in, and the state of the fanbase, I don't let it bother me too much. I just simply enjoy Fire Emblem. Nothing more, nothing less.

Spyro the Dragon

To me, Spyro and Crash go hand in hand. Or claw and paw, if you will. Also thanks to my aunt's PSX, I first met Spyro around the same time I did Crash. Another staple of my childhood, I enjoyed the Spyro games. As with Crash, Spyro never was the same after the PSX, and also I did got to play some of the later games, and did liked them as well. I also don't have much of a negative say to them. Though, again, haven't really tried the newest ones of Spyro either.

Super Robot Wars

Now this... oh this... if I were to really try to rank my fvorite series (a hard task, since I'm not good at judging things), SRW definitely takes a place in the Top 5. Top 3, maybe. I just LIKE SO MUCH this series. As I mentioned before, I gained a fascination with mechas as a kid. And when I eventually discovered SRW, it was just so... intriguing. It has lots of things that I like. Mechas, crossovers, strategy. I like the music, I like the stories, the character interactions, the almost endless possibilities each SRW brings! The only sad thing is that since the series is done through mechas taken from many anime series, many which have not been released outside Japan and even then there's the problem of liscencing costs, it means it's been almost mostly a Japan-only (or at most, East Asia) series (barring a few exceptions, since those didn't had any pre-existing liscenced material). Not that it actually stops me, or diminish my enjoyment of them. I've imported several of them, and know enough Japanese to play. Stuff like the stories I simply look online through translated Story Guides. I would even dare say it. As far as SRPG games go, I prefer this over Fire Emblem.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Acacia Sgt

[saisymbolic]

Third through fifth place do not get details because I'm lazy.

1. Vampire: the Masquerade

Technically, it's a franchise. It had two games. Still, I couldn't put anything above this game, despite the "franchise" have only two titles. In a few words: this game was an accidental masterpiece. As a matter of fact, this video sums up just about everything I love about this game

Spoiler

 

2. Megami Tensei

I'm not talking about Persona, either, though it would be a lie if I said I didn't like them. But, one thing I've always liked and preferred about the Megami Tensei franchise over Persona is that MT is unafraid of making their stories as bleak or as cruel as possible—infuriating difficulty; the world ending with little or no hope of recovery; friends betraying you and not rejoining you; innocents dying or getting turned into demons for no reason; sympathetic characters dying with no hopes of ever coming back. The MT franchise does not backpedal on their decisions or coddle you. To earn your happy ending, you will indeed have to sacrifice everything you have and may have loved in order to get it.

3. Dynasty Warriors/Samurai Warriors/Warriors Orochi

4. Ace Attorney

5. Dot Hack

Edited February 21, 2017 by saisymbolic
grammar

[Hasnbaakoajsbakaiaja]

1. Persona

2. Mother/Earthbound

3.Fire Emblem

4.Paper Mario(The first 3)

5. Professor Layton

[MarioKirby]

No particular order:

Fire Emblem, Kirby, Persona, Legend of Zelda, Ace Attorney; with honorable mentions to Mario and Professor Layton.

[Locke087]

1. The Legend of Zelda 

I love Zelda.. I love puzzles, I love adventure, I love the combat, I love the bosses, I love the dungeons, Majora's Mask is my favorite game of all time, there is just nothing on this Earth that gets me more hyped than Zelda. My interest in many series has wained and rised throughout the years but my interest in Zelda is constant (as long as it's not a multiplayer spin-off, normal spin-off, or a 2-D game not in the style of ALTTP/ALBW  the only two really good ones, imo).

2. Fire Emblem

My relationship with the series has been rocky but I love it anyways, there's entries I loved, there's entries I hated and over time I come to appreciate them all for what they are even Shadow Dragon. It really is just kind of my comfort food it's something I know, it's something I'm good at, it is something I enjoy playing, I just like it's style.

3. Bioshock 

I may like the first one several times more than the other entries, but I will continue to this day to defend the second game as it was really enjoyable from a gameplay perspective (better than the first) and Bioshock Infinite isn't too bad either it's not quite as fun as the first two but it still fun and frankly better than the bulk of shooters released. I just really love the theming and the story telling of the Bioshock series, also the combat is really good.

4. Halo (1-Reach)

Halo may be dead to me now but I cannot deny the effect it's had on me, Halo 1 - Reach mean a lot to me as a whole and quite literally changed my life (let's say my career path was heavily influenced by my days  matchmaking line Forger in Reach, I am now a programmer and also looking into the game industry).  From it's incredible local & online multiplayer, to its awesome campaigns, Halo was truly a hallmark of the industry during its glory days.

5. Mass Effect 

Honestly this just as easily been any of the other Honorable mentions as I don't love this series that much more than any of the other ones I mentioned. But it's incredible characters and fun combat really stick out to me I always enjoy the games I might pick up the new one as well.

 Honorable Mentions:  Prince of Persia, Mega Man/X/ZX, Paper Mario, Pokémon, KOTOR, Fallout, Metroid, and 3D Mario Plaformers.

Just some notes:  I would put the Mother series if it wasn't for the fact that I only really love Mother 3, Earthbound is just okay and I have zero plans to ever play 1, Okami is technically a franchise but even as much as I like the DS game I feel kind of guilty putting it as a "franchise I love".  Also all of team ICO's games are technically connected but I would be cheating if I called them a franchise, though I'd be lying if I wasn't tempted to do it anyways. 

Edited February 21, 2017 by Locke087

[Zera]

In no particular order...
Sin & Punishment
First game was good despite awkward controls, second game was simply god-tier. Where's the third?
Bangai-O
Delicious missile-exploding action. Lots of crazy stages, and powerful levels editors.
Advance Wars
Delicious turn-based strategy. Lots of unique units and terrain to think about. Needs a 3DS release.
Kirby
Kirby games are always clean fun, and I use them to balance the harder games I play.
Metroid
Basically futuristic Zelda. Missile Tanks are a better reward for exploration than rupees. Shame Nintendo killed it.

TBH, I probably could've put Mario or Zelda on this list, but whatever.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

1. Tales of
2. Fire Emblem
3. Shin Megami Tensei (Devil Survivor > Persona > main games)
4. Sim City
5. Age of Empires

 

honorable mentions:

• Super Smash Bros (excluding SSB4)
• Project X Zone
• Kirby
• XCOM

[Iris]

I've noticed a trend in my 'favorite' series that they tend to be completed side series (besides Fire Emblem). I suppose that it has to do with the fact that with no new entries, they aren't likely to displease me.

Fire Emblem: I don't think I really need to explain this one, the fact that I've made an account here is pretty self explanatory, since my other series generally don't get that honor.

Devil Survivor (Shin Megami Tensei Spinoff): What's that? A SMT spinoff that's not Persona? Devil Survivor is a terrific SPRG. I've played a couple of Persona and main series SMT games, but I'm not really into jRPGs anymore, and dislike grinding. . . but in a strategy setup? 7 days to save the world and your friends? Sounds like a blast. The only turnoff for me is that Atlus needs to develop games with female protagonists, but hey, you have to work with what you got.

Chrono Series: Chrono Cross is one of my favorite games of all time, and has my favorite sound track for a video game. I'm biased because I played Cross before Trigger, so I prefer the former, and I have to admit that Chrono Trigger had to grow on me, but I like it plenty now. Trigger is a masterpiece as everyone will attest to, and I argue that Cross is almost as meaningful as well. Terrific art for a pre 2000s game, beautiful music, would play again. Too bad we'll never see another addition to the series.

Final Fantasy Tactics: I admit I haven't played the first one (I will soon, I promise), but I absolutely adored FFTA for the GBA in my adolescence, and the DS sequel was also pretty fun as well. In hindsight, I kind of dislike the main series games for being kind of boring, too much grinding, or for the one's with interesting stories, they were simply too hard. FF is important to think of when considering the jRPG genre, and I also played Dragon Quest, which I semi-enjoyed, but I disliked the lack of writing. I digress, FFT is a spinoff series done right, and I wish they created a FFT 3DS game, but I suppose Squareenix prefers to focus their efforts on more profitable franchises, like the main series or Bravely Default.

Summon Night - Swordcraft Story: Terrific set of GBA games (there are three of them). I found the writing to be surprisingly in-depth, characterization was good, gameplay was simple but fun, I loved all the characters. . . overall, nothing to complain about! I would recommend this spinoff of the main series to anyone---I recently got to play a main series game, but it seemed too much like a traditional jRPG to me.

- - -

Honorable Mentions: there are a lot of franchises I've enjoyed, but when it comes down to it, if I don't enjoy the majority of the games offered, then it probably doesn't deserve to be in the top 5. Good examples include me enjoying TLZ: The Minish Cap, or Kirby: The Amazing Mirror but then I realize I don't love all the games in the series like that. Or there are series that I think had a few really good entries at one point, but then some of the newer incarnations made me lose interest (Harvest Moon/Rune Factory) or good series but doesn't quite make my list (Golden Sun).
- Pokemon: Used to love the series, now I'm incredibly neutral. I really enjoy fan games for it, though.
- Atelier: I enjoyed the DS game Atelier: Annie, and have played a bit of the other games, but it doesn't quite have that star factor to make the top 5.
- The Sims: The Sims 2 is the best Sims game, hands down. I hated Sims 4 at first, but it's starting to grow on me . . .
- Ace Attorney: I love, love, love the original trilogy, which I re-bought for my iPhone. All the new stuff sucks, especially anything after Ace Attorney 4. Probably has to do with the fact that the original writer hasn't been writing for any of the newer games. :'(

Edited February 21, 2017 by Iris

[Res]

On 2/20/2017 at 4:26 PM, saisymbolic said:

Third through fifth place do not get details because I'm lazy.

1. Vampire: the Masquerade

As a matter of fact, this video sums up just about everything I love about this game

Just watching the opening minutes of that video was enough to send chills up my spine again!

I don't think I can list it as one of my five since Masquerade was all I played... it'd be up there otherwise, though.

1. Dragon Quest

The series that manages to tease more emotions from me than any other. Eminently playable games with fun designs, music and great little stories.

 2. Ace Attorney

I love it all - including the latest installments (Apollo Justice is one of my favourite video game characters, period). 

3. Fire Emblem

I agree that the characters really make it - some of the character writing is better developed than in games where the entire focus is on the characters.

4. Knights of the Old Republic

I used to be heavily into Star Wars, and KotOR 1 was everything I wanted from the universe. Then KotOR 2 came along with an unfinished story, but better characters and better writing. 

5. Baldur's Gate

I haven't played a game series yet that comes close to having the epic scope of the BG series. 

Honorable mentions: The Sims, Picross 3D, Professor Layton