And now for a couple of games that are completely different!

35. Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator (PC)
      This is probably the most seriously under rated game I have ever played, and it's a shame the game didn't get more attention. It came out really buggy, but even though the company went under, still the developers put the time in to patch and fix the game even though there was no semblance of business incentive to do so. It was plagued with some pretty bad bugs do to it being rushed, a couple of which could make it unplayable prior to the patches. But smurf it, they fixed it.


      The setting of Septerra core is one of the most unique I have seen in a game, taking place in a world where the continents exists as a series of land masses connected in layers, each 'shell' as they are called basically acting as it's own city state of sorts. The plot focus on The Chosen, those who live on the upper most Shell, trying to force ably fulfill the Prophecy of Marduk and open on the core, leading the Chosen to the Kingdom of Heavan. Maya and the party she picks up along the way are fighting against them and all the damage their plans are causing to the people of the world.


      The characters and story are all wonderful, and it features one of RPG's only female protagonists. And she is awesome. This girl is like, a feminists wet dream with how well written she is, and lacking the typical female stereotypes. The cast is varies, and you are left with no party member feeling useless. Even unique dialogue and options depending on who you have, some characters even allowing access to certain things you otherwise couldn't have if they weren't with your party.


      The magic system was fun, allowing you to combine 2-3 spells at a time to get a variety of effects, taking multiple characters turns to pull it off. The battle system is very well thought out, and allows for a lot of strategies to be employed, though as well made as it is it ends up being the games biggest weakness. The combat of this game can go very slow, even by RPG standards. You see, each character has a time meter, and three sections. Basically, you gain access to a different set of abilities for each rank you are at, so you can end up waiting with nothing happening on screen for noticeable stretches of time. If slow battle systems bug you, this would definitely get irritable, and is what keeps me from ranking this game higher. Yes, it really can be that slow.


      If you can look past a the speed, however, give this game a shot. It's on over at GOG games, though I warn you the method to get it running on Vista or higher with windows isn't guaranteed to work. (Nothing illegal or system damaging mind you. ). I admit this is a huge downside, but I find myself able to forgive it because of how great the game was put together.

?34. Heavy Rain (PS3)
      Wow this game is intense. It has some of gaming's most uncomfortable scenes, and I mean that in the best way possible. This is another one though that's really hard to write about, because the entire motivating factor to play is the story and characters. The game play is... differnt. I'm sure a lot of you probably know about it, but it's mostly quick time events mixed in with some point and click style adventure. The only real comparisons you can even make game-play wise is to that of a Visual Novel with QT events and some point and click adventure.

      If that concept isn't to alienating for you, the game has a lot of absolutely stunning visuals, and a rather dark and
twisted story. Learning about all the characters and events involved in this game are fantastic, and there is a variety of different endings, some of which you'll get if you fail and get killed in some of the characters stories, as it follows around four different character plots to reach the end.

      This game is from a studio who really do make a kind of game you don't find any one else doing, and they do a good job at it. Here's hoping Beyond: Two Souls turns out just as good!