Thanks everyone for the amazing response to this video, especially to those of you who've taken the time to share your own stories. I've been reading through them and there are so many inspiring anecdotes and so much insightful critique. Keep 'em coming! And thanks for being such an awesome community -Rob
The first game i thought of that would define me was 9, i was so happy that was the first thing on the list, the emotion in that game was real, its imo the greatest game of all time
The 7 games that define me for various reasons are 1.Pong I was amazed by it. 2. Legend of Zelda I played it with my friend Nasir. 3.Donkey Kong Table Top for hours and hours 4. Legend of Zelda Link 2 The Past My speed run was fierce 5. Super Mario Brother 2 Princess was useful. Who knew? 6.Resident Evil my foray into adult gaming and my body was ready 7. Final Fantasy 7. It helped me through the depressing realization I was an adult who needed to adult.
Rob, this video really was a god damn master piece. Might be the best, most beautiful, and most inspiring video you've put out yet. With your own stories, how games can define us and change us and how games can also enlighten us about the world and make us want to change it for the better.
This video sums up the reasons why I love PlayStation Access, and in particular, the Friday Features. Rob, I could listen to you talk about games and about life in general, all day long. You’re an amazing writer and an amazing storyteller, that much is clear. But it goes so far beyond that. For those of us who have watched for years now, it’s been great hearing about your life, your family, your experiences. I’m so sorry you’ve had a rough time lately. I shed a tear as I listened about when you played Dear Esther. The fact that you can talk about mental health struggles in front of a million people is truly inspiring. I’m certain that you gave a glimmer of hope to some people who needed just that,...at just that moment. Kind regards
Gaming has helped me with my depression, even more so recently. I had a break down at work today, wasn't fun at all. But after getting home and watching this video, I felt better, especially after reading the comments. Makes me realise I'm not alone.
Try to get your endorphins up with physical exercise. Don't sleep too much and try to eat food that's not too fatty. One cause of depression is stagnation. Playing games to relieve stress is great, it should be moderate. Hope this helps a bit.
I'm glad this video helped you feel better. Gaming can do wonderful things. Just know that whatever it is you're going through that you're not alone. No matter how you feel or what's going on things get better. Keep gaming and remember "Life's not out to get you"
Tomb Raider (1996): Where gaming began for me. I got my first ps1 in 1998 an this was the game I chose. I was 11, terrified of the bears, mummies and what ever was around that corner when the creepy music kicked in. But i loved every second. Lara was (an still is) my hero. The reboot doesn't come close for me. Final Fantasy VIII: Even though I probably prefer VII now VIII was the one that made me interested in JRPGs. I saw the trailer for the first time and I was blown away, the visuals, the music, i'll never forget my first play through in Christmas 2000. I loved the story, and wished I could be in Balamb Garden too! As someone becoming a teen I felt I could relate to the characters, I loved Rinoa. Metal Gear Solid: For similar reasons to Rob, MGS told a story on a movie level. An instead of fighting you hid, it was such a new experience. I probably would never have bought it, my cousin gave it to my brother to play. The torture scene which decided Meryls fate amazed me. Multiple endings weren't a thing back then. I failed in the torture an for my 1st whole play through i was like 'nah they won't kill her surely!' Final Fantasy X: I gave the summer of 2002 to that game an I don't regret it for a second. I adored the characters (yes even Tidus) and the story. I was the most beautiful thing I ever saw and the ending made me cry, no game managed to do that before then. I was so invested. Spyro the Dragon: because in both childhood an adulthood, sometimes all you need is to collect gems and burn gnorc butts to put a smile on your face! Uncharted 4: Probably PS4s ultimate experience. I was so drawn in to this game. I needed to know what was going to happen next. The scenes between Elena and Nate feel so real. The Last Guardian: This game.. even though the controls and camera can break your heart it moved me more than any game ever has. Trico wasn't a game character for me. He was real. An I wanted to protect him. The same way he protected me. I've played it several times and I still cry at each playthrough. The music alone makes me feel emotional. I am an animal lover and I'm so grateful for this game. My post is long. No one might read it. But ive played video games for the last 20 years of my life and they have done so much for me. I hope the next 20 years will be the same. Thank you Rob and Playstation Access for your videos!
Bit of true talk here for a sec. I struggle terribly in my life with various mental illnesses. The impact it has had on my life has been horrific at times and it's something I rarely discuss. Your video moved me today Rob. I've been a fan of the channel for a long while and, with danger perhaps of sounding a touch melodramatic, I think it's fair to say the playstation access team has helped me immensely to cope with my illness. You're a constant source of joy in my life, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for that
I'm here with you too. I'm 42 and I've played since I was 4. Gaming has helped me and inspired me my entire life and it only gets better. I can say that I started with an Atari 2600
Btw. my personal top 7 defining list is: Beyond good and evil Half Life 2 Mass Effect 1 Morrowind Knights of the old republic Sentinel, Descendants in time Spyro 2 - Ripto's Rage!
Hi Rob im a big fan of yours i watch your vids every week. I must admit when i heard u have been struggling with your mental health it brought a tear to my eye. Its somthing i struggle with myself and ive found gaming is the best thing for it. I hope this video helps other people in the same situation and just remember u have a lot of people who u have never met that love what u do.
I can really relate to it too. I'm afraid of the dark months of January and February but knowing that KH3 will finally come out really is a shining light to me
This video really helped me. Thank you PlayStation Access team and people commenting! I've been having a relapse recently after doing 2 years of therapy for my life-long battle with depression. Video games have always been a major help with my therapy. My list of 7 games which define me are: 1. Tales of Destiny (A gift my late grandma bought me💓) 2. Chronotrigger ( First JRPG I ever played and also got me addicted to the JRPG genre) 3. Silent Hill 3 (First game to make me so scared I couldn't sleep--and I was already an adult) 4. Lost Planet 2 (First time I made friends on PSN) 5. Resident Evil 2 (First game I ever beat without saving and completed 100%) 6. Final Fantasy VII (First time I cried when a character was killed) 7. Persona 4 (First game to make me feel like the game's characters were my real friends)
I feel this is one of the best episodes in this series, so honest in ways that many of us can relate. Well done! Also I want to add that binge watching Rob's videos is what got me through some of my darkest hours, when I was waiting and praying for medication to work so I don't loose my mind completely. Not sure if it's the voice, the structure, the humor, the content or all of it together but I'm really grateful they were there. Thank you.
1. Horizon: Zero Dawn 2. The Last of Us 3. Final Fantasy XIII (my first in the series...the reason why I started playing the series) 4. Super Mario Bros. for the NES (not Sony, but got me started in gaming) 5. Doom, the Original (played in our school computer labs on the network instead of typing) 6. Resident Evil (scared the s*** out of me on PS1) 7. The Elder Scrolls Series
Rob, you just outdone yourself again! This is by far the best video you have created, not because it's about games, but because it humanises your experiences as a gamer. As you spoke about your experiences I could almost see them. Obviously you don't know me from adam, but let's just say your taste in games is 90% the same as mine and the things you spoke about in this video are very relatable to me and my experiences. From one 30something to another, well done and keep them coming!
I gotta say that I wasn't expecting such an open and relatable telling of poignant moments in your life Rob (I don't know why... the title should have tipped me off!) but I'm 38 and I'm smack bang in that phase of memories feeling more and more out of reach... I'm currently listening to music from my teen years and it's painting a picture that I could only see in a blurry black and white previously but now it's full-on colour... also, I can relate to the mental health struggles too... depression, anxiety and PTSD... video games are *the* thing that help me escape it all... being a character... being someone else... in a fantastical world of whimsy and adventure is therapy for me. I hope that you are doing better these days Rob... there are times when British melancholy is the tonic though and Dear Esther is perfect at it. Here's my list (not all PS4 originally or now, sorry that's kinda breaking the rules maybe): *Myst (didn't have a clue when I first played it at my brother's place as a youngster but it really opened my eyes to a new genre of game... something more serious and enveloping than the colourful platformers I'd grown up with) *Ecco The Dolphin (freaked me out as a child... and those feelings are still with me... the soundtrack alone is enough to unlock them now... cool but strange story... a game that only my brother could help me with... replayed so many times too) *Final Fantasy VII (I love IX as much as you do Rob but it was by hearing a friend talk about FFVII and showing me the intro CGI that I desperately wanted a PS1 of my own... it began a period of time where loneliness was beaten aside for hours and hours... even whole weekends when the only time I stopped playing was for toilet breaks and the bloke from Dominos Pizza... I'd think about the game and its story during the times at work when I wasn't playing it... this turned gaming from casual to full-on hobby) *Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (classic platformer with bags of humour that was a joy to play from start to finish... found in a bargain basket in Woolworths... best cheap impulse buy ever) *Broken Sword (my first taste of independence whilst flat-sitting for my brother during a time between finishing 6th form and starting my first full-time job... I loved the cartoon-style graphics and just wasting those summer days without any adults to tell me off) The Sims 2 (my first experience of a life simulator and a franchise that I've become obsessed with... the ability to create characters and build homes plus living life where dreams come true, instead of my real one where dreams were shattered, was just so much fun and has helped me in so many other ways) *Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (my brother surprised me with this game when I had my Megadrive... a console that was purely mine... and I was desperate to play a Sonic game... me and my friends would play as Sonic characters outside in the local woods with our own stories... it was such a bonding experience during a time of being bullied by the other kids at school... again, I remember the soundtrack so well...) Sorry for the epic length of my comment... thanks if you've read this far... I wanted to be as open as you were Rob... a happy trip down memory lane 🙄
Rob that was beautiful and hearing you talk about mental health was wonderful. You have so many relatable game preferences and challenges that I often feel we are the same person. I've become inspired and sure maybe no one will see this now two days later, but this is helpful for me. Here's my list though. 1. Super Mario Bros. 3 - the first video game I ever played. It blew my mind. I was so bad, absolutely awful, but I definitely had a great time with my cousins in learning what Nintendo was, what Mario was and the existence of these amazing machines. 2. Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past - the first video game I ever owned (both it and my SNES still work 26 years later). Again I was so awful at this but my dad and my mom were really engaged with me on it. My dad would even tell me if he beat a boss or figured out something so that we could play and have great experiences. My mom delighted at the sound effects coming from the game. It was a great family moment with my video games. 3. Chrono Trigger - This game may have not been my first JRPG, but it solidified my love for the genre and ultimately my favorite video game, still going strong, 22 years later. I'll never not enjoy this game and maybe someday I'll actually beat it on the SNES lol. 4. Halo - My first true multiplayer experiences with FPS. I actually got good at it and I had a blast playing with friends on several screens with our mini-LAN connection. This was also the last time I would play a multiplayer game outside of the occasional co-op with women I dated. I miss it but I have definitely moved on from it. 5. Knights of the Old Republic: This was the best gaming experience I ever had with my little brother. He was still young and impressionable and we traded playthroughs. We had a blast through the story and he learned a lot of reading through it and we were swept away by the emotional highs and lows of the game. It was the last time we would play a game together before he got his own system. However, it was one of our best times ever and the most brotherly we felt. 6. GTA: San Andreas: Some people really like 4 and 5, but for me this will be the best one. As a matter of fact, for most people of color this is the best one due to being a Black protagonist in such a huge game that had a ton of Black and Latinx characters. Everyone I know has fond memories of this game and the amount of customization and stupid things you could do. They put so much in and my brother bought it twice. I think it's his favorite, but for me I reflect and realize it's the best sandbox. 7. The Witcher 3: This was the game that made me buy a system (PS4). Along with your love for it Rob (and Hollie, Dave and Nate's), I had to play this game. And I had a blast. I was going through a rough depression and it really helped me get out of it so that I could have a great experience and really enjoy the hell out the game. Since then, I've had a wonderful time on the PS4 playing all the exclusives and short experiences. It's brought me back.
Damn! I forgot about Knights of the Old Republic! So good. My father introduced me to Star Wars so young I can't even remember the first time I saw them, and KOTOR was just "I'm IN Star Wars!? I make the decisions? I could go on but seriouly I went through every choice in that game on I forgot how many play throughs.
After watching pretty much everything access has ever published, I can safely say this is probably their most well written, powerful and inspiring videos they have ever made. Well done Rob and well done team.
Hi Rob, Always appreciate your honesty and openess in these Friday Features. The Uni part in particlular struck a chord with me as I've struggled with mental health issues since A Level. Going to uni was a big step that unfortunately didn't work out for me, resulting in me returning home early. Grinding away at an office job since then has really improved my perspective on life though funnily enough! It's made me appreciate the rest of the world more and makes me feel like I'm missing out on some golden opportunities! Thinking about giving Uni another go! Back to games though I'd say Mass Effect 2, Halo 3, Deus Ex Human Revolution, MGS V, MW2, BF3 and Pokèmon Emerald are what I'd have on my list. These games have helped me through some tough, depressing times and given me an opportunity to wind down with my friends. I'll always cherish the times spent on Halo 3 capturing Flags with my mates in the Warthog and playing silly custom games :)! All the best for you and yours! Love the videos and know that you really do cheer people up!
Theenigmaticpotato damn I excluded ME2 from my picks but ME2 really made me a better person in a lot of ways and helped me build relationships with a lot more people, so thanks for that and great choices!
This is by far my favorite Friday feature so far! Rob did such a great job describing the importance of these games in his life! I think this is a wonderful topic because it allows us to look past the review scores and what we think we should place in our favorite games and instead we can look through it all to see the games that were most important to us for our own personal reasons! I will attempt to list mine below! 1. Super Smash Brothers Melee (the memories I have playing this game throughout high school sleepovers with friends I cannot seem to track down these days are simply some of the best childhood memories I have!) 2. Metroid Prime (I will never forget the feeling of seeing this game for the first time at one of my best friends birthday parties! Never have I connected with a game so immediately as with Metroid Prime. The solitude and the atmosphere still remain unmatched to this day!) 3. Crash Team Racing (This game has brought me and my brother together more than any other game I can think of. We would play CTR racing in any spare moment we could and I have vivid memories of long, nighttime play sessions while my parents were at conferences or meetings. This very well could have been the game that brought my brother and I into the gaming world together!) 4. Metroid Fusion (I vividly remember playing and beating this game many times throughout the years on long family vacation trips. This is by far my favorite handheld game of any generation and one of the only games I would continually just beat over and over again. It actually got to the point that I would play this game so much that I would fall asleep after playing it all day and dream about it.) 5. Alan Wake (My absolute favorite aspect of games is the atmospheres that they create for you to exist in while you play and Alan Wake absolutely nailed the atmosphere. The concept of a "third-person flashlight game" may sound odd on paper - put it turned out to be one of the most unique gaming experience I have had to date! . . . also being lost in the forest at night made for some amazing vibes - the closest you could come to playing a Steven King novel!) 6. Metal Gear Solid (I don't know what I can even say about this game that has not already been said - it is simply a masterpiece and no other game I can think of has introduced so many concepts into gaming as Kojima did with this game LONG LIVE PSYCHO MANTIS!) 7. The Beginner's Guide (This spot could have gone to any number of fantastic "walking simulators" such as: Dear Esther, Everyone's Gone to the Rapture, The Stanley Parable or Edith Finch but I simply had to give it to The Beginner's Guide because of the emotional rollercoaster it put me through. Everything in this game makes you FEEL - from the serene house cleaning scene to the suicidal test chamber to the lonely walks in the woods - but nothing else in gaming has shocked me more than the ending of this game. I have never felt more uncomfortable and shocked than this ending and it was an absolutely masterful experience! Anyway - thanks for encouraging me to take a walk through memory lane Rob! And thanks to anyone who read this far into my ramblings!
aceofbass95 I couldn’t agree more! I thought it did an excellent job at showcasing some great new concepts and the heart and passion that developers had for the Thriller genre!
The beginners guide could have been in my top 7 because its so unassumingly brutal. Its also one of the most theory friendly and interperetable works of art this generation. I just wish more people knew about it.
I loved this! The way you talked about Kingdom Hearts nearly made me tear up (I had to stop myself because I'm at work). Anyways, adding my seven because WHY NOT 1. The Tomb Raider reboot - Lara's journey helped me through sexual assault & the crippling loneliness of living in a city far away from your family. She helped me find a role model that told me I could be strong despite adversity and she was the inspiration that finally got me to focus on health and fitness. Her compassion and strength has given me someone to look up to in times I needed it most. Also, I identify with her because I'm really close to my dad. And yes, I even liked the Alicia Vikander movie. 2. Kingdom Hearts Series- First games I ever fully beat and really committed to. First series I ever cared about. Inspired me to write more, be more creative, and the music helps me focus whenever I need it. 3. Nier Automata - It made me think about what it means to be human and it helped me believe in the capacity to change who you are and what your purpose is if your life isn't currently matching up to it. Nier Automata's music has also gotten me writing again. 4. Legend of Zelda Series - honestly they're just fun and they are always beautiful, relaxing worlds that I can get lost in. 5. Horizon Zero Dawn - Aloy, like Lara, is another protagonist I really identify with. I love her ability to be strong and compassionate and willing to help anyone who needs it. I also love the gameplay where you really have to think through a fight before you start it. The message is important too, and something we need to hear in our current society. The ending made me tear up. 6. Final Fantasy X - Rikku helped me become okay with being a fun, quirky, energetic girl who was still highly capable. She was my first "favorite character", and is still someone I love to this day. 7. Drakan: The Ancient's Gates - It was the first game I ever got to play that had a female protagonist, and she really gave me someone to look up to at an age where I needed that. Also she inspired the creation of a character I still write to this day. Also, when you use the invulnerability code its hella fun - and you can fly on a dragon! Honestly this game was way ahead of its time and I'd love to see a remake for current gen systems. Oops that got long
Drakan!! I loved both the PC game and the console sequel. I really wish someone would go back and pick up that IP and remaster it into a PS4 game. An early female protagonist, and having a freaking DRAGON you can RIDE...who wouldn't love that? Plus I liked the way they created puzzles where you have to have the dragon's help to figure it out or get past things. Such a great game.
The gaming community is one I'm proud to be a part of because we all come together for a thousand different reasons. I'm off to Canada for four weeks soon and i'm dreading being away from my family and friends for so long. But i've got a list of Vita games that are ready to be completed so they will keep me company for sure. But in regards to 7 games that define me as a person! En garde! 1 .) Golden Axe - First "high" fantasy game I played as a kid on the sega mega drive. What a game, three different characters with their own brand of magic? Amazing! 2 .) Halo - This game brought me firmly into wanting my own X-BOX and after months of wearing down my parents I secured one at Christmas. What a game from soundtrack to story, and placing a Perfect sticky grenade on my mates face from the other side of the platform... ahh magical 3 .) KOTOR - As a few other people have mentioned what an amazing game and it's one that I revisit after all those years and still really enjoy it.... meat bag! 4 .) Final Fantasy X - Oh sweet sweet nostalgia. To my shame it was the second FF game that i played and I have it on my vita! yay 5 .) Bioshock - I Played this whilst staying at my girlfriends dorm at Wolverhampton university. I wasn't supposed to be on site so I stayed behind closed doors for weeks playing through this amazing game. And the bioshock collection.. an excuse to revisit them all, even infinity which I also love (don't hate me!) 6 .) Everybody has gone to the rapture - Evoked feelings in me that I didn't even realise existed. Now got an ISA fund for my countryside house 7 .) World of warcraft, Been playing on and off since the burning crusade and it's got me through thick and thin and I have no doubt will continue to do so Much love everybody
I really love these videos Rob, it takes a lot to open up, especially on this big a platform, and the way you describe these games and how they make you feel really resonates. You can tell a lot of time and passion went into your script this week and I thank you for being so open. You're definitely one of the few people on RU-vid I see as 100% honest and love hearing what you have to say, mainly because its what I feel/want to say, but can't put it into words. Thanks for all the great videos Rob, and also to the rest of the Access team. Makes me proud to be a PlayStation owner. Ben
Rob is so relateable :) It's comforting to hear him talk about ups and downs, about being different throughout life, how it goes on as you change over time and how games help us. It's not always fun, but it's something you can't experience anywhere else.
Thanks for sharing that Rob. Was genuinely touched that you opened up about being helped through a low point by games. A game that means a lot to me personally is Lego Harry Potter. A weird one right? Until playing this with my partner, she hated gaming because it was a "boys club". Now she and I have regular gaming nights with everything from Gang Beasts to Battlefront!
This video hit me in the feels. You have lent this channel a personality all through these years. You should make a playlist of your fav videos, the ones closest to your heart. That would be awesome
Games have helped me with my depression and anxiety, they have introduced me to other worlds and have helped me escape my life for however short a time. I never had any friends or ever had a girlfriend so living vicariously through games was the only way for me to experience these things in some way, I never had anyone to talk to about games so I’m glad I can come here and leave this comment for someone to read. If you are reading this Thank you and I hope that games bring you as much help and happiness that they’ve brought me. These are my 7: 1. The Witcher 2 & The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt GOTY 2. The Last Of Us 3. The Elder Scrolls IV:Oblivion & V: Skyrim 4. Resident Evil Series 5. The Legend of Zelda Series 6. Fallout 3, NV, 4 7. Assassin’s Creed Series
Okay, so I'm usually part of the "silent" YT community, pushing the like button only when a video deeply pleases me, and almost never commenting, but this one is special. The concept of this video echoes in me with one habit I have : introducing myself and talking about my life through medias I love. It's a concept I can totally get into soooo... Number 1 : Pokémon. Obviously, I'm a fan of the serie. I've been catching Pokémons since the Red version came out, and I'm still doing it to this day. But 2 of the Pokémon games are more important to me than just that. The first one is the Gold/Silver/Crystal version which, in a way I could hardly explain, has driven many of my choices and even my everyday life, for a very, very long time. The second one would definitely be Diamond version, for all the time I spent in this game, all the memories I keep from it. I spent so much time in this game I nearly consider some of the characters (which are old-fashioned 2D pixel sprites) as good old friends, like I really shared a part of my life with these people virtually always repeating the same dialogues, but not in my mind. Number 2 : Castlevania : Curse of Darkness. I've spent so many hours in this game, I just love it. The ambiance of this game, the feeling I have when playing it, it just remains the same after all those years. It's probably the only game from my past I can still play today without thinking "Why did I love this game ? It wasn't really that good !". Playing it today feels as it always did (to me, at least). It is the only game I'd really want a remastered version, just to see how good it could be with modern gen graphics. Although I would be terrified at the thought that they could have changed something that will make the game too much different from the original. Number 3 : Arctic Thunder. I know it's not even a good game after all, and I don't have any specific feeling for this game, outside from that : It might be the only thing I had in common with my older brother. My brother and I are very different, almost radically opposed on all things. For years, I have wished I could be more like him. I admired his strength, his courage, his aptitude to make people smile, even in the hardest situations. Everybody loved him while I was a complete enigma to my whole family so, yeah, I must admit I was a bit jealous. But this game was the only thing uniting us, the only thing we both liked, allowing us to share some time together. Thinking about it now, I think THAT was the only reason I liked this game : because it made me feel like we were not so different. Number 4 : Kingdom Hearts. The whole serie, I just love it. The universe, the story, the characters and, of course, the sound track. Everything in this serie is just perfect, and the feelings (because it's all about feelings) it transpires always echoe with my very own heart, transporting me right into this magical world. Some quotes from these games have become part of my life philosophy and my pocket watch, which is the only accessory I always bear, has one of these lines forever engraved on it. Number 5 : Dragon Quest Monster : Joker. The only game I've been fond enough to play competitive multiplayer and tournaments (and I wasn't bad at it). Untill my little brother, who was really young at that time, accidentally erased my save. I remember this day, the anger and deception I felt at this moment, and the terrible things I told him out of rage, and I've regreted ever since that day. That game, that story, is the very reason I swore I would never hurt him again like I did in this moment. Number 6 : Minecraft. I'm not really a fan of Minecraft, I don't especially love this game, It's just that I used to play it when I first entered university. You know, like Rob told about the way you're thrown into lonely life afar from your family and all the things you've always known. Well, my first year at university was attending the first year of medical studies. It was a very hard year, I struggled for month of hard work and complete days of study just to end up miserably failing. It was a year of absolute loneliness for me, and video games helped me relax when I was bored of studying. At this time I had a crappy PC on which the only game that could run was unmodded Minecraft, and a bad Internet access that didn't allow multiplayer. So I played in solo, often in creative, sometimes in survival and I can still remember how this game reflected perfectly my loneliness, echoing to how much I was lost, alone in this almost infinite universe, as an exact metaphor of my everyday life by that time. Number 7 : Final Fantasy XV. I loved this game, its world, story, characters. The whole plot is about a young man crossing through this border between teenage life and adulthood, having to face his doubts and fears, which is exactly what I'm going through right now. Confronting the delusions of having your childhood dreams shattered as you discover what a grown-up's life is, but still, keep going forward, for your objectives, your ideals and, although mine is probably not as tragic as Prince Noctis's is, having to fulfill your destiny. Also, this game revived my wish of traveling around the world some more, and definitely made me feel for his characters and cry with them. This is it, I don't know if anyone would have the courage to read this whole novel of a comment, if so, thank you for your attention and time. Sorry for the length of this, I just wanted to open my heart, just as Rob did in the video.
Hearing you Rob talking about dear esther reminded me of my passion to music. It's incredible to have something to sink yourself to when you are down, struggling with mental health.... That connection to a game, a song, a painting or whatever it is that moves you is just incredible, it gives you shelter and company for a moment, something to immerse yourself into and don't feel alone. To anyone reading, fuel your passions, they can sometimes be life changing.
1. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King 2. Kingdom Hearts 3. Kingdom Hearts II 4. Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground 5. Persona 4 6. Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core 7. Final Fantasy XV
1. Dragon Age: Origins (my first foray into the open world rpg, just edges out the others in the series, I do a replay of this series once/twice a year) 2. Mass Effect 3 (god I hate having to choose a favorite from a great series of games, Mass Effect truely furthered my love for Bioware) 3. Heavy Rain (I don't think I've ever been so invested in a story and it's characters, something quanticdream seem to do so well) 4. Yakuza 3 (the first game of this series that I played, picked it up in CEX and thought I'd give it a go I wasn't really expecting much but wow how wrong was I, played all of them since and haven't been disappointed) 5. L.A. Noire (the era, the minute details...) 6. Sleeping Dogs (truely amazing game, one of my favourite lead characters, an unexpectedly emotional game) 7. LEGO Harry Potter (whenever a pick me up is needed this game is always guaranteed to put a smile on my face)
My PlayStation list (though I mostly had Nintendo games in my earlier childhood.) 1. Xenosaga 2. Kingdom Hearts 3. Jak & Daxter 4. Final Fantasy 10 5. Star Ocean 3 6. Kingdom Hearts 2 7. Final Fantasy 10-2
I was going to comment on how much I appreciated Rob sincere honesty in this video, something we so rarely get on youtube, but then he mentioned the Redwall books so now all I can think about is Martin the Warrior! I lived for those books! Marlfox! Marlfox! Marlfox!
Oh Christ this was emotional. Hands down best Friday Feature yet. My 7 would be: 1.) Resident Evil - first Playstation game I remember, didn't sleep for the next ten years, still have nightmares, regret nothing. 2.) Diablo - playing with my mum, who did not play games but understood that seven year old me would never get past the butcher alone. 3.) Suikoden - my favourite game ever, ever. It felt so epic as a kid. My dad traded into to blockbuster and it became so expensive I thought I'd never get to play it again until my husband bought me an original copy for Christmas fifteen years later. 4.) Mass effect 2 - I could have picked any of the mass effect games, but two is my favourite. When I was finding uni really tough, being able to be hard-faced, warrior Femshep was a way of having power when I felt very small. 5.) Persona 3 FES - first and only game I have ever played entirely through the night because it was so good I actually couldn't put it down. 6.) Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - it was the first time a game ever made me cry. I didn't cry when Aeris died, or when Gremio died, or when Legion died but the futility of the journey through this game hit me like a ton of bricks. 7.) FFX - being a woman, I always felt a little bit ashamed of liking video games - but I was able to walk up the aisle to the theme to FFX to a man who loved games as much as I did and I've never once felt ashamed since.
This was brilliant, Rob! Thank you for sharing! Been struggling a lot myself with depressed feelings and anxiety lately, so it's nice to know we're not alone.
Love this video Rob. Made me look back at all the years I've dedicated to my love for video games. I've made a list as well: 1. Final Fantasy Tactics - Introduced me to PlayStation and the amazing series 2. Super Mario RPG - First game I can remember playing, also is the first game I 100% completed on my own 3. Diddy Kong Racing - My dad and I bonded over this game until I got too good and started beating him at it 4. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Got me my childhood best friend still to this day 5. Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life - First game to make me cry and think about a game as more than digital media 6. Paper Mario - First game I became obsessed with, second game I completed 100%, still my favorite N64 title 7. The Sims - A game my mum and I bonded over and that introduced me to the simulation genre
First of all, great job, these videos are my favorite part of this channel. I can't speak for everybody but in my eyes the Friday Feature is always, without fail, a triple-threat for people who have interest in games: authentic, funny and relatable. So I appreciate everyone involved with the making of these videos (and of the channel overall). Now, I don't think I can compare the games in order of importance or relevance, so I'm going to do it chronologically: 1st; Super Metroid (the first game I ever played in the first console I ever owned, the SNES, great atmosphere and design overall, being only 7 at the time I was not able to fully appreciate how well crafted the game was, which I discovered several years later by re-playing it, but nevertheless I will never forget how I felt when exploring a virtual world for the first time, this was not only new but also one of the best sensations I had ever experienced at that point of my life, which can be unlikely when it comes to first times. I guess I was just lucky that my first gaming experience was with one of the best games ever made). 2nd; Super Mario World (I don't need to say a lot about this one, it was just the most fun I ever had with a videogame, my go-to game of choice for the SNES era, I kept coming back to it for 5 years, until I sold the console). 3rd; NBA Hang Time (by the time I was in the later stages of my 7th year of life, in the end of 1996, I discovered one of my biggest passions; basketball, so it was only logical that I would bring it closer to my other recently found passion for gaming. Unlike most 90's kids, my first contact with a basketball game didn't happen with NBA Jam, but rather with its very similar successor, so to this day it hold a special place in my memories). 4th; Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (entries 1 through 3 are less than 1 year apart because that was the year I discovered games, after that point my memory of games who left a lasting impression on me starts to spread out a bit. RE3 was my first Playstation game - mainly because I didn't have one back then so I could only play in my cousin's house - and my first contact with the RE series so it was definitely remarkable, it was an entirely new sensation associated with gaming, the type of adrenaline rush only the original trilogy of RE could ever give me and even though 1 and 2 are probably better, it was 3 that gave me the unforgettable first impression of one of the true game changing series in the survival horror genre). 5th; Counter-Strike (the first CS was another one of those game-changers for me, not only because of the gaming experience but also because it had big social implications for me, for the first time I played a videogame competitively, I used to spend hours on end in LAN houses - aka LAN gaming centers - competing and trash-talking with a bunch of strangers, and some friends, over a game that was truly a huge phenomenon where I lived in my early teenage years. Today I'm not much into competitive gaming anymore but in those days...oh boy, that was the closest thing to an actual addiction I have ever experienced). 6th; GTA: San Andreas (another example of the combination of two passions, in the early 2000's I was very much into the Hip-Hop culture in its entirety, so when GTA: SA came out it felt like the game I had been waiting for my entire life and the fact that it was such a good game with such a vast open world full of possibilities to release some of my teenager's frustration-filled-rage in a non-destructive way also helped). 7th; Elder Scroll V: Skyrim (I'm not gonna lie, I was never very interested in the whole RPG genre of gaming, but Skyrim completely changed all of that. Exploring a world with so much detail and backstory was truly amazing for me, for the first time I found myself completely committed to discovering as much as I could of a virtual environment, that combined with a very intuitive leveling system got me hooked for hundreds of hours and to this day is the game I go back to when I don't have any new games and just wanna pass the time). Honorable Mentions: Battlefield 1942 and Medal of Honor (learned more about the WW II with these games than in school, plus Saving Private Ryan was one of my favorite movies and MoH is based on it), San Francisco Rush (most fun I ever had with a racing game), GoldenEye 007 (great memories and a ton of hours spent playing it), Far Cry 3 (the story and game-play got me hooked when I first played it, plus it has one of the best antagonists in videogame history), Mega Man X (my second favorite game as a kid, only behind SMW), Dino Crisis (Resident Evil with dinosaurs, do I need to say more?), Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues (not a great game, but I was a huge Jurassic Park fan when it came out). I know probably nobody is gonna read all that, but for some reason this video made want to share some stuff.
1. *Crash Bandicoot* (First game I've ever played.) 2. *Spyro the Dragon* (Introduction to, arguably, my favorite trilogy in gaming. Super nostalgic.) 3. *Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy* (One of my favorite games to this day. Naughty Dog's best game.) 4. *God of War II* (My introduction to the hack-and-slash genre, and the game I've replayed the most times.) 5. *Devil May Cry 3* (Best game I've ever played. Unmatched even 13 years later.) 6. *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt* (Reignited my faith in an industry that appeared to be going downhill.) 7. *Okami* (Played it for the first time about 2 years ago. Showed me that, after all this time, I can still find new games to add to my list of favorites.) Honorable mentions: anything Pokemon (doesn't count because this is about PlayStation ^^). Plus, the Ratchet and Sly games on the PS2. And Uncharted 2. And a bunch of other games. Goddammit.
1. FFVIII - I was very much like Squall during my adolescent years. When he said to Quistis something like:"I don't like having friends because their problems become my problems." Or when he rushed into space to "save/be with" Rinoa. I knew it was certain death for both of us, but I did not care. I remember running towards the hatch, my whole body was tense, as if made of stone, I was gripping the controller, thinking:"Run faster, no time left, faster! Get there!" Almost not breathing the whole time. 2. Morrowind - First taste of openworld, brilliant story, lore, the curiosity of discovering and the looting of course. 3. MGS - For Snake, Psycho Mantis (the controller bit) and Sniper Wolf (I felt genuinly awful for killing her. That feeling you would have if you had a friend, smiliar as you, except from a different country. Great person, loving, strong, smart, but then war between your respective countries would start and you would end up fighting each other. I was left with the feeling that this should not have happened. She should not have died. World is a lesser place without her.)
What a wonderful video Rob. I rarely comment on things but I really wanted to echo many of the statements already on here. I'm sorry you've recently had a tough time of it but as I'm sure you know, mental illness is far more common than many would like to believe. That you have realised something is up and been brave enough to address it is the biggest step. On a side note I think it's incredibly admirable to have shared it on this video, it may well have given someone else the courage to talk about their problems with someone, and it certainly helps take away the stigma. Personally I would like you to know you have brought me and I'm sure many thousands of your subscribers untold hours of joy and happiness through your brilliantly witty Friday features and more. I hope you're on the mend mate.
Hi Rob, I have Aspergers and M.E. Games for me, give me an escape. For me the seven games I would choose, are the following: 1. The Witcher 3. I'm a fantasy fan, and for me this ticks all the boxes. My all time favourite game. 2. Skyrim. When I became ill with M.E in 2011. This was the game I got for Christmas. Played it through seven times. 3. Metal Gear Solid 3, Snake Eater. In my humble opinion, the best espionage game ever. Plus the climatic scene against, The Boss made me cry. 4. Everyone's Gone To The Rapture. Incredible storytelling, that got me hooked. I genuinely cared about the villagers in the story. 5. Batman, Arkham Asylum. I can remember the first time I managed to do an unencumbered group of takedowns, without being hit. Really felt like Batman. 6. Tenchu. The first ever game I played on a PS1, which I shared with my brother. 7. Fifa. The tournaments that I had against my brother, on variations of the game.
Nice Autism-joke relating to the "bad Mass Effect face animations" shitstorm going crazy a few months ago all over the internet, telling everyone all over the internet that Mass Effect is the worst game ever made :D (I have seen waaay way worse games over the years and ME was not good but also not bad) and ridiculing Mass Effect in all videos that this game "can only be played by Aspergers and Autist patients because of the unbearable facial animations" (animations which looked completely normal actual gen, and not bad compared to many other games). Well I am sorry if you really have Aspergers and the Mass Effect comment wasn`t meant as a joke........
This is my favorite Friday feature that you’ve done. In no particular order: 1. Titanfall 2. Holy crap has that story stuck with me. 2. The Call of Duty series. My parents, siblings, and I would always play team deathmatch together. It brings back a lot of memories, since we are all grown up now and my parents recently split up. 3. The Halo series. I never owned and Xbox, but I’ve played through every Halo game up to Halo 4 playing coop with a friend on Legendary. Lots of fun knights. 4. Kingdom Hearts games. A big part of my youth. 5. Skyrim. I bought it on PS3, PC, and recently got it the VR version for PS4 and it still feels like there is so much I haven’t explored. 6. Soul Edge. My dad and I used to play that together all the time. It’s one of the only games I remember him completing. 7. The Army Men games on the PSOne. Dad and I played through a bunch of those games when I was growing up.
I always love your videos Rob, and this one was particularly good. It was your Friday Features that brought me to Access, and led me to buy a PS4. Yep, you can claim that one! Anyway, here’s my list: 1. Final Fantasy 7 - my first ever PlayStation game, and the beginning of a decades long love affair with the series. 2. Baldur’s Gate - it’s just brilliant 3. Age of Empires 2 - so many hours of LAN parties with that one! 4. Horizon Zero Dawn - my first game on PS4 after a misguided few years on Xbox. Also my first platinum trophy. 5. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 - if there were trophies back then I’d definitely have got the platinum. Such a great game! 6. Fallout 3 - my first open world RPG. I played this pretty much every night while studying for my degree, as a reward for having done some work on my essays. 7. Super Smash Bros. Melee - this was the game me and my friends would play endlessly in our teenage years.
Rob, you just made me well up over your story about IX. I felt that in my core. I remember that day too, walking in to EB after months of following articles in the magazines. I’ve played great games since, perhaps greater, but something about IX gets me emotional. I can’t think of any game that quite made me feel that way, before or since. Also, I swear you are the male version of me, because I agree with pretty much everything on your list.
Don't know who would care but... 1The Witcher 3, was my first game on my PS4, that i got only 1 year ago, and it was everything i wanted and more, it's just a great game. 2 The Last of Us, never thought i could get emocional from a simple frase, the ending showed me how much i care and love videogames. 3 Oddworld: Abes Exodus, my favorite ps1 game, one of the only ones i had, i love the esthetic, it's just so cool and bizarre to me. 4 DBZ BT3 or NSUN 5, anime fighting games, i just love them, and love to play with friends. 5 Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the first game i actually finished, made me a fan o Zelda for ever. 6 Okami, a ps2 must play for everyone, so beautiful and interesting, it deserves more praise than it got. 7 Finally DMC 3, the first "hard" game i played to the end, and absolutely loved, the music blew me away.
This video is beautiful. It shows the brilliant and wonderful effect video games can have on our lives. Thanks you very much Rob for sharing these personal stories with us of how video games have influenced your life. Thank you Rob and thank you video games!
1. Kingdom Hearts.. still get chills listening to that songs.. the series were my emotional journey. 2. Final Fantasy X.. gosh.. that love story.. T_T 3. Chrono Trigger.. another emotional journey.. was crying like a bij with the ending
1. Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside (PC): My first vivid memory of games. 2. Ratatouille (PS2): First game I ever finished on my own. 3. Uncharted 3 (PS3): My first experience with a truly cinematic game. 4. Street Legal (PC): First memorable experience with an open world. 5. Bully (PS2): First Rockstar game. I felt so mature. 6. The Sims 3 (PC): The game equivalent of a high school sweetheart 7. Lone Survivor: Director's Cut (PS3): My first willing exposure to a horror game.
1. Final Fantasy 15: Because it reminded me of my Friends and the relationship I have with them. 2. Uncharted 4: Because I love adventuring and traveling the world. 3. Oxenfree: Because I love uncovering mysteries and often think about what would happen if I was in such a situation 4. Night in the Woods: Because I am an awkward childish person in the body of an adult man.
I know right! The Belgariad et al. Love David Gemmell too. The Shannara Chronicles were amazing also. You should read Patrick Rothfuss- The Name of the Wind. Cheers!
I'm severely agoraphobic and can't leave my house, and have major anxiety and shyness, so I find myself gravitating towards games that let me slip into the shoes of a character that can go on adventures and be confident in striding through places unknown, and battling things that who knows where they originate. So my list would be Dragon Age Origins, The Elder Scrolls, of course What Remains of Edith Finch, Halo 3, Mass Effect series, Metro Last Light, Witcher 3, and the Divinity series of games (The Dragon Knight saga, Original Sin).
Rob, I'm a bit late to the party on this, but thank you so much for making this. Your entry on Edith Finch painted a picture that illustrates the human experience in an extremely relateable way. Great job, I really love this channel and the work that you and all the team does every week.
1. Kingdom Hearts - My mom introduced me to the series at a very young age (age 3, I’m 17 now) and ever since then I was hooked up, the atmosphere of the various Disney worlds, the memorable Disney characters, and an epic story of Sora, the chosen wielder of the Keyblade. This entire series is about the value of friendship because in life you won’t get far without the support of your friends. 2. God of War (2018) - This game always makes me think of the relationship I have with my dad, since Kratos has a son, he teaches him about how the world can be unforgiving and this one line in the story that he says to Atreus, “close your heart to their desperation, close your heart to their suffering.” As the story progresses the become closer and closer to each other than ever, and I feel that way with my dad, as I get older I become more and more close to my dad, and that I value him more than everything I do. 3. The Last Of Us - Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a viral infection turned most of the population into zombie-like creatures. Joel, a man who lost his daughter 20 years ago from being shot by military because they thought she was infected. Ellie, a young girl born 6 years after the cordeceps hit (I dunno how to spell that word and I’m not gonna bother trying) and finds Joel who she forms a father-daughter relationship with, she was also bitten by what are known as “runners” but somehow the cordeceps have somehow mutated and had become immune to the infection, and is the secret to finding the cure. This story is about survival and love. Survival because the world is full things that might bring you down but you get back up, because it’s survival of the fittest. Love because there are people who you will meet and form a bond with and will be there when times are rough, the value of family and trusting one another is key to life.
Wow, I was very surprised with this Friday Feature. That's not to say that I don't usually enjoy them, but here I am, in the midst of my usual early-morning Saturday routine (breakfast in hand), getting surprisingly touched by how introspective this latest video is. I never really considered myself to be someone who uses games as a form of 'meditation' or 'escape' but I actually do. Living in Japan, so far away from the comfort of the UK, it occasionally throws up its share of unique problems, which can be isolating. In those times, I'll often throw on a game to lose myself, or just as means to talk to my friends in a party. Great comments everyone, it's heartening to see such earnestness!
@James Really?! Small world! We should become PSN buddies! It's not often I can get people within a similar time-zone @matthewyesitis I'm in Japan. In general, everything is great, but the time chasm between Asia and Europe is one of the few negatives.
I've recently started playing GTA Online with some friends, but anything halfway decent with co-op, I will be inclined to play. It's more a case of finding someone willing to join. The likes of Destiny 2 I've abandoned, because my real-life friend refused to play it, haha!
I've been enjoying these videos for quite some time now. I enjoy the humor in each one and through them I have discovered hidden gems that I wouldn't have heard about otherwise. However, this is the first video that actually made me get emotional, not only because it resonated so well with me but also because I've had to recently set aside gaming for other matters in life and therefore have been feeling like a part of me is missing because of it. It also didn't help that you had the kingdom hearts theme playing, which in my opinion is one of the most emotion provoking songs ever. So I wanted to thank you for these videos as they are the only gateway I have now to a gigantic aspect of me that i've had as long as I can remember. Clearly I'm a tad late to comment, which speaks to how much I've had to let go of gaming. Here are my 7 games that define me (which I won't be able to eloquently express as you did) Disclaimer : I am not a playstation exclusive kind of guy so these games will be from different companies. 1) Super Mario World : Definitely in the top 2 of my all time favorite mario games (always a toss up with super mario bros. 3), this game started my gaming career. This is the first game that I can recollect playing. I've revisited it many times and can honestly say I will never grow tired of it 2) Crystal Warriors : This little gem may have been missed by a lot of people. It was on the Sega Game Gear. Just like you Rob, I am enamored with JRPGs and this is the game that introduced me into that world. It was something different than the usual platformers and I couldn't believe there was whole different type of gaming I was unaware of. Now while it is possible that I may have gotten into RPGs without this game, I am fairly certain that my love for the genre would not have bees as great as it is now. 3) Final Fantasy VI : While on the topic of JRPGs this is the first game I ever played that had such an engaging cast of characters and storyline. This is the first game where I felt connected to the characters and was so immersed into the story where I might have shed a tear when the world of ruin scene took place. This game pretty much said "It's ok to get emotional while playing video games". And since then the story was always the most important part of the game for me. It became more important than gameplay and graphics. Not always something necessary for me to play a game but I can never turn down a good story. 4) Grand Theft Auto : Vice City : Or should I say the fact that "Billie Jean" was one of the songs on it. I had already intended on purchasing a PS2 but never had the urge or reason to pull the trigger. One particular day though, me and my brother were hanging out at home and for some bizarre reason I had a hankering to listen to "Billie Jean". We didn't have a CD that had it (lol CD), my brother then said in a joking/non-joking way that I could go buy a PS2 and the game to listen to it. Not knowing I was going to buy one anyways I agreed and since I wasn't 17 at the time he had to come with me in order for me to do so. I didn't have an original playstation so this was my first one and it opened me up to a different world of JRPGs I had never heard about even from the original playstation. I was so grateful for backwards compatibility (something I'd like to see again). The hankering for some good tunes was the catalyst for me becoming a playstation fan which allowed me to not show favoritism for any consoles. 5) Resident Evil V : Although I had been very familiar with online co-op by the time I got to this game, I never knew how connected one could be with someone who isn't even next to you. I played this game with my brother. We hadn't played games together much since we lived in separate places at the time and we didn't have the same games as we have different gaming tastes. However, we both ere huge fans of the series and we decided to play it together from start to finish. It felt like we were games again on the couch. I cherished that game because of it and we began to play other online co-op games because of that. 6) Child of Light : During the course of me playing this game, my life took an unexpected turn. I found myself lost and alone with no one to vent to. This game allowed me to escape reality and made me learn how to be happy with just being by myself. The soundtrack was also something that let me heal as it was very tranquil 7) The Last of Us : Before this game came out I had been questioning the quality of the gaming industry as a whole. I felt like there wasn't anything original anymore. Every game was a shooter and if it wasnt then it had a multiplayer aspect shoe horned into it. This game restored my faith in the industry. It made me realize that I could somehow navigate the sea of the mediocre and find a true gem. And that true gems didn't necessarily have to be hard to find. Well thank you to anyone who decided to read this long post, and thanks again Rob for inspiring me to get off a lot off my chest. It was very therapeutic.
despite I only played 2 out of this 7 games, I can say this is the best Friday feature Rob has ever done, it's masterfully written, it gets more and more depressing and dark as the video goes, just like life usually is. This is definitely the most personal friday feature ever done, and it just made me feel better by listening you talk a little bit about your journey through life and the struggles you had to endure, you're an amazing writter Rob keep cheering up the thousands of viewers every Friday. Thank you!
1. Kingdom Hearts (the whole series) 2. Spyro (mainly the second one) 3. Okami 4. FF7 5. Halo 3/Reach 6. Horizon Zero dawn - a very recent one for me, I played it at the best time in my life. Felt like it gave me purpose again in a way.Much like you said, I was going through a frenzy of just finishing games but this took me out of that and i spent so many hours just enjoying this world and story so much!! it let me take some time and reevaluate things. 7. Assassin's Creed There are some more, but these instantly came to mind.
1. Red Alert 2 (first game I can really remember playing) 2. Pokémon FireRed (first handheld game, GBA game, RPG) 3. Super Smash Bros. Melee (first console game, many upon many lovely hours of multiplayer with my younger brothers) 4. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (first Final Fantasy, started a love for the series, and first time I ever cried a little during a video game) 5. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (first western RPG, also started a deep love for the series, resurged my love for reading (fantasy books), so fully feel what you're saying about this Rob!) 6. Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix (on PS3, first game I played through fully with a girlfriend at my side, and it's just a jewel when it comes to enchantment factor) 7. Undertale (amazing experience, I cannot urge anyone enough to GO PLAY THIS GAME!) Also, amazing video, Rob! Thanks so much for this, keep it up! :D
FFVII, Baldur's Gate, WoW, Shadow runner 2 and Fallout 3.. All had big impacts on my life, not the best I've played but the most important to who I've become.
1: Pokemon Sapphire Version (The first game I ever played that I didn't have to share with my brothers!) 2: Mario Kart DS (So much swearing and insults but easily one of my favourite games) 3: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Darkness (I prefer Explorers of the Sky but this is the game I got instead of Pokemon Diamond when my big bro got Pokemon Pearl... a year or two later I got Platinum so I was set though!) 4: Need for Speed Underground 2 (My favourite racing game of all time!) 5: Minecraft (5 quinquadrillion hours of my life -wasted- playing with 1x1x1m blocks... no regrets) 6: Lego Star Wars (or any Lego game in general!) 7: Final Fantasy XV (played it for literally 300+ hours)
I didn't expect me to comment but this was an emotional video and I thank you for your humble honesty about yourself in front of so many viewers. I can somewhat relate regarding my well-being early this year. Anyway you're a great storyteller ;) 1. Mario Bros. - First ever owned game on the Famicom. 2. Street Fighter 1&2 - Good memories inserting coins in Tokyo game arcades. 3. Resident Evil 1&2 - My Playstation era with never before seen cinematics has begun for me. Also my first horror title. 4. Final Fantasy XIII - First ever RPG. The OST... Played FFVII right after. 5. Counterstrike 1.5 - First ever online-game and making friends I still know today. 6. Guild Wars - First ever MMO. Being baffled by the 55hp Monk concept. 7. Dark Souls Trilogy - Overcoming hardships.
1. Pokemon Silver. My first game ever and i lived on it. 2. Final fantasy IX. My mum bought this for herself but couldnt complete it, i evantually did! 3. Crash 3. I remember the secret levels! 4. Gun. Such a underated ps2 game but its the original red dead! 5. Call of duty world at war. Remember running home from school and playing online with friends every night! 6. Skyrim. The game that changed my gaming tastes. I spent far too much time on this game (got the platinum twice) 7. Dark Souls. After skyrim this filled a void. Couldnt beat the gargoyles for ages but i persevered and after that it was my new love. Honorable mention for the punisher on ps2. That game was crazy brutal!
I'll do these in order of when I played them and the console I played it on. Also, thank you for sharing these stories Rob. I've been struggling for the last several years as well and Playstation Access has certainly played a role in helping me get through it. I know it probably just feels like a job sometimes but you guys really do help people just by making them feel like they have someone there for them. Thanks a lot for that. 1. Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo 2. Pokemon Red Version for the Game Boy 3. Golden Sun for the Gameboy Advance 4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PS2 5. Kingdom Hearts for the PS2 6. Skyrim for the Xbox 360 7. The Witcher 3 for the PS4 Honourable Mention: Red Dead Redemption (PS2), Persona 5 (PS4), Assassins Creed Origins (PS4) and Dragon Quest 11 (PS4) I could list so many more but that would kind of defeat the purpose of the top 7 list. I feel like every game I've played over the years has shaped me in some way. I'm very selective about the games I play so I don't play a lot of them. When I do play one I get heavily invested in it.
In chronological order I think it'd have to be Street Fighter II Champions' edition I spent ages at my cousins' house playing before I got a Megadrive some years later where I learned about the joy of gaming. Dhalsim and Chun Li forever ! 2) Streets of Rage II which I also played with them for hours and which introduced me to the wonderful and strong Blaze Fielding 3) Pandemonium and Virtua Fighter which I often played at my best friends house on her sister's Dreamcast and which left an indelible memory on me. 4) Final Fantasy VIII One of my first PSX games and my first FF the intro blew me away and I felt very much like you did with IX. Then I got into the story and loved it , I was an introverted and depressed teenager and Squall and his story resonated with me. I had a crush on Rinoa and was so happy to see her story through , I learned about love and friendship from that game and felt as though the characters were really my school friends. 5) Tenchu II Such an amazing game I got as a birthday present I remember vividly picking it up from the shop and painstakingly learning to go through it and enjoying the story. And what story it was , I loved the characters and their relationship, the "Save Princess Kiku" mission and Ayame's ending are some of my favourite most moving gaming moments. It's also one of the first games in English I played that had dialogue I could understand through working on my English as it's not my first language 6 ) Baldur's Gate II What a wonderful game I played for years and still play. It helped me through troubled teenage years, bullying and depression as I roamed the Sword Coast , had adventures with my party and became an archmage. 7) Tosd up between Legend of Legaia and Legend of Dragoon which I played back to back I think or very close together. Their stories really moved me , the gameplay was awesome and the graphics beautiful. I've rarely felt like I had a party bond as strong with game characters or that I knew the game worlds so well through extensive play and dialogue. And with all those games reading gaming magazines,manuals and playing at those games,writing fanfiction etc was a big part of my enjoyment and a transformative experience in my life. Honourable mention for Pokemon Red which I was the perfect age (11) to discover with my Bulbasaur and which played deeply into my love of collecting,having pets and looking after them and going on adventures. I've played every generation of Pokemon and still enjoy it today.
1) know it’s not a PlayStation game, but I love BOTW 2)Skyrim, helped me when I was lonely 3)BioShock, got it three days ago, and I like the era it’s set in 4)Batman Arkham, for emotional reasons 5)Final Fantasy XV, I love the characters I’ll let you know if I think of any others, but these are just off the top of my head, I think that’s all of them
1: Kingdom Hearts (all Games of the Series). I love Disney, i love Final Fantasy and i love complex Stories. So perfect Game for me. 2: Final Fantasy 7: My First RPG and i play it every Year. 3: Spider-Man for PS4. Yes it is only a few Weeks out. But i'm a great Spidey Fan. And the game gives Spider-Man great respect. So me too. 4: Crash Bandicoot (Original Series and the Remakes). Through them I started to like tricky games. 5: Spyro. Spyro took half my childhood. 6: Medievil: It kindled my love for crazy horror 7: Devil May Cry 4. My first Devil May Cry and I love this series full of blood and coolnes.
1- Legend of Legaia (it was the first RPG I played and it was mind melting) 2- Final Fantasy VIII (first FF I played and it made me realize I will never outgrow gaming) 3- Pro Evolution Soccer (countless hours with my friends, we still play it on the psx) 4- The Last of Us (No need for words) 5- Horizon Zero Dawn (First game I played on the PS4, it will stay with me forever) 6- God of War (I never really liked action games until I met Kratos) 7- NiEr Automata (Awesomeness to the max, incredible story, characters, battles, just awesome)
Having suddenly and unexpectedly arrived in my late 30’s, this one really got to me. Mental health struggles, wife and kid, wow; it’s scarily familiar. My games would have to be: Super Mario Bros. 2, Toejam & Earl, Final Fantasy VIII, Black, the inFamous series, and the Uncharted series. At various points in my life, these games have either had a profound effect on me, or simply showed me just how far video games can go as an art form. Thanks for the video. It was great.
1. Metal Gear Solid. Also made me realize that this wasn't an ordinary hobby, it would be something for life. 2. Tekken 3, made me love the fighting game genre and to this day is the series i have more hours playing. 3. FF VIII, i just played it at the right time. 4. The Last of Us. Made me realize how far the story telling in games have gone. 5. The Witcher 3. Just the single best game i ever played. 6. Hellblade. Senua's journey is something that made me change completely my mind about mental illness and how hard it is for the people that struggle with that. 7. Uncharted 4. It triggers so many memories that i have with my brother.
Aaaaw Metal Gear Solid...... I remember being with an old youth friend of mine in his living room, while it was a very strong snowstorm outside (yes back in the 90ies we had a working weather-engine, with clouds in the sky and occasional rain and snow and stuff). His mother was cooking a fine dinner for us after telling us that she can`t drive me home this evening because of the snowstorm and I have to stay overnight (on that couch in the same room with the PlayStation and the TV).... and suddenly my old youth friend took out that Metal Gear Solid Shadow Moses Demo. That evening was UNFORGETTABLE!!!! I have never before seen a game like this, with so many discussions and interesting talks and radio talks and mysterious bosses and much much more....
Hellblade is a special game. I can't think of a more psychologically demanding game outside of straight up horror. It's definitely not for everybody but it's worth everybody's attention to check out at least.
I've dived with sharks and they couldn't care less about the humans in the sea with them. They're pretty chill and I think they get horrible PR and are terribly treated when caught for food. Honestly I was more threatened by wild dolphins than sharks
first of all I want to thank the Playstation Access team for producing all these brilliant videos consistently for years. I believe I started following this channel around the time I got my PS4 at launch. You guys are absolutely brilliant !!! Rather than picking 7 games, I wish to talk about one particular game series that affected me quite a lot. My brother and I had quite a huge age gap, and our interest are totally different. He went off to study in college, then followed by university (in another country) shortly afterwards while I was still in primary school. 7 years later he returned home, and we barely had anything to talk about. One day he saw me playing Winning Eleven 2001 (PES) on my Playstation 1, and I offered him to join me to play coop against the AI. As someone who was never into football and don't play much video games, he was strangely addicted to the game. It's quite amazing that we've now played PES all the way from PS1 to PS4 together, and PES remains the only game he played in these past 15-16 years. We now talk a bit more than before and still had very different interest, but the moment we held the controller in our hands we just understand what each other will do on the pitch without speaking a single word. Every once in a while I will knock on his door and ask him "want to play PES for a short while ?", he will reply something like "ok just 5 matches" ..... which will become 8-10 matches easily. Lastly Rob, remember the best is yet to come !!! I gonna quote something you said in one of your Friday features a while back. "Grown ups, hang in there. We'll be retired one day then we can do 12 hour gaming marathons all over again".
1. Rampage World Tour- this is the only game that me and my step-father both enjoy together (he is more into sports games), this was both my first game i played on a console and that me and my step-father both can sit down and play together. We even went on my b-day to go and see the movie that is how much we both played that game. 6.Oblivion- for pretty much the same reasons as you rob but it was also my first rpg that i ever played, now i can not get enough of the elder scrolls and other rpgs too 5.Bioshock 1&2- these two where my first mature games that i bought with my own money, which i can say was my start to being more mature. 4.Silent Hill- It helped me conquer my fears in middle and high school, both in the game and in real life. It gave me the courage to stand up tp bullies, and to get over fear of speaking to people and so on. If Harry could go throw hell, then i could stand up to my own hell. 3. Persona 4- was my first jrpg, and it also help with my communication skills. I was a shy kid growing up, and so when i played persona 4 for the first time it got me to be more open to others, both families and friends. To see the problems of the characters in the game got me to talk more, and want to know more about the people around me. 2.Dark souls- I am going to art school because of this game, this was my introduction to video games being art to. It is a stunning game to look at even now since it got remastered, it still can make me stop to look at things. Like the building to the texter of the bricks, this game really got me in to art (and to have some challenge here and there). 1. Jak and Daxter- where rampage was my first console game ,it was still and arcade game. Jak and Daxter wad my first story based game, that got me my love for single player games/stories. To collecting my first power cell, to spending a week to get across lava canyon, to the surprise twist in the game. I loved it and was the game that made me continue gaming, it really was a make or break moment for me when i played it. I was so glad it made me into the gamer i am today.
Hi Rob, it's been said many times by other commenters but thank you so much for such an open and personal video. It was really very moving. I don't usually leave comments on RU-vid videos but I'll give my 7 in no real order (some of which aren't PlayStation games. Sorry!). Long post incoming: 1. Super Mario World - Either this or Donkey Kong Country would have been the first game I played. I remember playing it with my dad in the two player mode, and he'd always have to donate extra lives to me due to my total inexperience. Also I absolutely loved Yoshi. 2. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time - Again, childhood memories as well as the fact that it stoked a love of adventure games. The amount of freedom available to the player was amazing to me. I loved having that whole world at my feet. I'm naturally very curious so it really appealed to the explorer in me which, nowadays is very well catered for by the likes of Skyrim and Fallout. There was a span of a good few years between starting and finishing this game. 3. Okami - An amazing game and probably the first point at which I realised the importance of soundtrack in games and other media. This and Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch are my two contenders for best video game soundtrack. 4. Burnout Paradise - The first game I played which had trophy support. Gave me my first platinum and began (for better or worse) an almost obsessive attitude towards trophies. 5. Catherine - An imaginative and unique game, the platinum for which I consider my greatest gaming achievement. A real perseverance story. I remember sinking hours into trying to finish the randomised Babel Towers, including the glitched one which is (almost) impossible to beat in single-player mode, which meant I had to use two controllers and control both characters to climb the tower in Pairs mode. I was seeing moving blocks when I closed my eyes! I also really loved the confessional mechanic between stages where you got to see the percentage of people who gave each answer. 6. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - The series in general really. I don't know, but it's not impossible that I started studying law at school and then at uni off the back of this game... 7. Yakuza 5 - Another one representing a series really, but 5 is my favourite from the ones I've played. The series has a huge amount going for it. Interesting story, likeable characters huge amounts of side content of an incredible variety, and a great balance in terms of the game's tone. The main game is usually quite short (I think I finished Yakuza 4 in a couple of hours on a bare bones run once) but there's so much to do that it really suits me as a player who treats side content as equally as important as the main line if not more important. Getting that red 100% completion total after doing absolutely everything was immensely satisfying. Honourable Mentions other than those I mention when talking about other titles: Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life; Mass Effect Trilogy; Ether One; Link's Awakening; Soul Calibur II; AC series (Black Flag to pick one); To the Moon.
This has to be one of the best videos I’ve ever watched on RU-vid. So much passion, interest, great description and the personal touch made this video so great to watch. Thank you for sharing.
I know I'm late to the party, but I wanted to add something 1. Dragon Age series. Dragon Age: Origins was my first platinum. I love the depth of the storytelling. 2. Mass Effect 2. Ah, I could make this list just Bioware RPGs. While the original Mass Effect was awesome there is something special about Mass Effect 2. The loyalty missions added so much depth to the characters, as you got to get to know their backstories as you are helping them with their personal problems. Also, no Mako. 3. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I love Skyrim, but that game was my introduction to the series and I have never looked back. 4. Fallout New Vegas. Similarly to Oblivion this was my introduction to Fallout. This game is so bright and full of life, more than you would think for the apocalypse. 5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Donkey Kong 64. These games were my childhood, growing up on the N64, these two games were the only non racing games we had and I played them a lot. I will always think of them fondly. 6. Sly 2: Band of Thieves. When me and my brother first got our PS2 this was the game we got. I loved it, I loved the characters, and I loved the stealth aspects of the game. It may not have had the most intricate of stealth systems. There was something so satisfying about sneaking behind enemies, knocking them up in the air, and slamming them on the ground. 7. Radiata Stories. One of Square Enix's lesser known RPGs on the PS2. I love this game, I love the soundtrack it's amazing. I like how when you are walking through the game world you can see, and potentially avoid random battles because the enemies show up on the screen. This was my first JRPG, and it's the reason I know that Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy exist. I owe it a lot.
This is lovely Rob. Yes I'm gulity for those posts on Twitter lol. For me the games that I think define me in no order are: Final Fantasy 8, Mass Effect 3, Final Fantasy X2, Broken Sword, Persona 3, Tales of Symphonia and Yakuza 0.
Completely agree with you about Dear Esther - it was a similar experience for me. Played it on the back of Life is Strange, though, so I cried for about a week!
This is the best video on this channel. For a moment this wasn’t a Friday feature, but someone opening up their heart. As if we were sat in the same room reflecting on life. Wasn’t expecting to be moved, but I was.
As many other said already, Rob is very good at sharing his personal game related story’s from his life. This makes this channel so alive and friendly, that after it, most other game channels looks very dry and robot like Top 10’s. Thank you Rob for sharing that things with us
1. Black & White - I absolutely loved this game and have only good memories about it. 2. Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis - also a favourite from my childhood. I just replayed it recently and it is still great. 3. Red Dead Redemption - it was one of the first games I played on PS3 and it was amazing. 4. Battlefield 3 - I invested hundreds of hours in this game and I really loved it, esspecially because the community was so great. There were lots of tutorials and fun videos to watch. It was perfect. 5. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim: Just amazing. It really showed me how good an open world can be. I had so many great advantures, because nearly every dungeon is special. 6. Kingdom Hearts: The best game I played on PS 2. I just bought the remaster for PS4 and hope to get the platinum soon. 7. God of War: Because I got so addicted to it, even though I thought with me now working 40 hours a week, I was not longer able to be so addicted to a game. It is just great.
Man, I didn't come here for haunting prose about the march of time, but you sure nailed it. I'm not much of a gamer, but I've sunk myself into FFXV to contend with my mother's sickness. I don't know the relationship between those two, but I've never played a game so long before, and I know that's why.
I love this video! I feel like you've given us a personal look into the person you were and the man you've grown up into, through our shared love for video games. Thank you for sharing this with us. Oh, and here's my list: 1. Kingdom Hearts. One of the first games I had on the PS2. I had my sister beside me throughout my playthroughs, and every victory or death was a shared experience. Really reminds me of how she's been my backseat gamer since our Sega Genesis all up to PS2 era. (She left for uni and I was in high school for our PS3 era) 2. Harvest Moon Back to Nature: played this together with my sister. Spent a long time on dial-up internet looking up guides on the internet for character schedules and their likes/dislikes. 3. Tales of Eternia: my first JRPG. I got my Playstation in 1998, and the hype around FFVII had died down, while the hype for FFVIII hadn't built up among my friends. 4. Metal Gear Solid 3: played this from start to finish at my best friend's house after school. We played many games at his house throughout middle school, but this must be the one we spent longest with. It's the one game that reminds me the most of those days. Also EVA. 5. Tekken 5: the one fighting game I can play. My two best friends and I would play this after school, trash talking and teaching each other in equal measure. 6. Assassin's Creed Revelations: the scene towards the end where Altair, Ezio, and Desmond are in the same scene really struck me, and got me thinking about the nature of time and how events in our life are interconnected 7. this is cheating, but I can't decide between The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls. I was completely emotionally invested in the characters from both games.
I know everyone else has already said it but man it’s just kinda refreshing to hear you talk about how the games actually effected you rather then just gameplay or stuff like that thanks for giving us a glimpse into you as a person Rob
1: *ISS Pro'98* - (G.[footbal game] O.A.T & it introduce me to *Metal Gear Solid* in the form of a demo). 2: *Metal Gear Solid* - (There was so many things going on in this game that I had never before experienced, from movie quality story, to rats roaming around, complex characters I actually cared about. It was fantastic). 3: *Gta: Vice City* - (All my friends finished it but I refused to play theirs as I wanted to play with fresh eyes at Christmas). 4: *Red Dead Redemption* - (From riding through scorching, empty deserts as the sun goes down to José Gonzales' strings from 'Far Away' belting out across the Mexican wilderness...Perfection!) 5: *Tony Hawk: Pro Skater 3* - (asked for it on PS1, woke up Christmas morning to find a shiny new PS2 & this masterpiece wrapped on top of it. Christmas songs replaced with punk rock...bliss!) 6: *The Last of Us* - (An incredible game & story. It really made me think about how great it could be to have a daughter). 7: *Driver PS1* - (So many hours spent driving around like all the best car chase movies. *Still* no game has ever come as close to perfecting the right balance between over steering/weighty muscle car & Aggressive cops with Dukes of Hazard style AI).
My first game was Doom, my uncle played it , but my granpa did't let me watch him play, so, when she did let me play, i was amazed, so cool! Onimusha 2, samurais, swords, demons, super powers, sooooo cool, played all four of then after. Spyro was the first game i was stucked, my first frustation with dificulty Final Fantasy for me is something special, when I played 7 for the first time, I was amazed by the world, the story, the characters, everything the game presented, it was something completely different, and that I simply fell in love; an important part of my life, I played when I was sad, happy, melancholy, pensive, nervous, when I wanted to forget the problems, I get tears in my eyes when I start to analyze how important this franchise is for me, for telling us a little about your life! Sorry for the long comment, I love the channel!
Amazing video Rob and very inspiring. The comments section is one of the kindest I've ever seen. 1. Castlevania: It's music and horror theme started a love affair for my favorite series ever. 2. Fatal Frame: Played this nightmare in the dark to cure my fear of darkness. Taught me to face my fears. 3. Lunar Silver Star Story: It was an amazing, warm, coming of age story that just made me feel better. Years later I introduced my wife to it and she loved it too. 4. Kingdom Hearts: The first game my mother would want to come up and watch me play. 5. Halo: My brother had moved out and we didn't spend a lot of time anymore. This game started a tradition of playing co-op together that has lasted to this day. 5.Persona 2: It showed me that RPGs could be different than medieval/steampunk fantasy. 6. Nier Autamata: This one made me realize that gaming still had fresh ideas when I was starting to doubt there would be many left. 7. Castlevania Sotn: I just love this one for so many reasons I can't fit here.
Rob I think you would really appreciate Night in the Woods! It is at the top of my ”emotional games list”. Dear esther, journey and edith finch are all amongst top five of mine. But Night in the Woods hit me even harder. Nitw is the anthem of the pain of leaving home and existing in the void between adult and child.