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Hey Guys! I’m Graydon. I’ve been gaming my entire life, having grown up in a primarily PlayStation household. My earliest memories include playing games like Team Buddies and Jedi Power Battles with my dad on our PS1. As I got older, I transitioned into single-player classics like Spyro the Dragon, Rayman, and even Final Fantasy 8. We eventually got a Dreamcast which introduced me to games like Sonic Heroes and my personal favorite, 101 Dalmatians:. My game-heavy childhood ultimately led to my first personal console, the Nintendo Wii, for Christmas 2006. I fell in love with Wii Bowling, Just Dance, Animal Crossing: City Folk, and some other games which I’ll mention in my Top 10. As the years progressed I eventually purchased myself an Xbox 360, after years of begging my parents, to no avail. I began my “mature” career with a game that would soon become one of my all-time faves, Call of Duty: Black Ops. I was thrust into the world of shooters and blood and thought-provoking narratives, and I never looked back. Fast forward to present day, where my room is full of every PlayStation console (including a Vita), my Xbox 360 and One X, a Wii, Wii U, and even my trusty Dreamcast, still kickin’. All I need is a Switch and some VR, and I’ll be fancy living. Of course, I’ve got a PC, too, for those little indies that developers refuse to port. As for my gaming tastes, I enjoy a little of every genre. You’ll most frequently catch me playing action adventure games like Assassin’s Creed (my favorite of all time) or shooters like COD or Battlefront. That doesn’t mean I can’t kick some ass in Injustice or leave suckers eating my dust in Forza. I find myself to be pretty versatile; whether or not that means I’m any good, remains to be seen.
Below is a little Top 10 of my favorite games of all time, in no apparent order. I love these babies equally, as my list certainly extends past a mere 10. Enjoy!
  • Thomas Was Alone (2012) – One of the most unique games I’ve ever played, Thomas Was Alone taught me how to cry over a rectangle. I wasn’t just crying because of the story, though. This platformer will frustrate you, and make you think. I was constantly questioning myself as to why I cared about these shapes’ plight, but Thomas Was Alone’s gameplay was so riveting that I never considered giving up. Even the DLC is fantastic and adds more to the already heartwarming narrative.
  • Gone Home (2013) – I’ve said for many years that Gone Home is my favorite game of all time. As well as being the first game that ever made me cry, this short exploration title about a girl unraveling her sister’s hidden secret made me ponder my actions for days to come. I get a lot of hate for calling Gone Home a 10 out of 10. But it really needs to be experienced firsthand in order to understand that praise.
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) – This was the first shooter I played on Xbox, and it got me into online multiplayer. The first Black Ops had an incredible story with memorable characters (and quotes: “The numbers, Mason!”), and its zombie’s mode was sheer brilliance. I’ll never forget running around with my M16’s flamethrower attachment on Summit, or driving an RC-XD straight across Nuketown for a quick and easy spawn kill. The BLOPS franchise has dwindled through the years, but I’m hopeful for the impending fourth installment.
  • Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006) – Spider-Man is my favorite superhero of all time, and there have been some stellar video games about him in the past. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Spider-Man 3 on the Wii (those web-swinging mechanics!), and even this year’s game by Insomniac are all on my list. But the best Marvel game of all time is undoubtedly Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Top-down action, RPG mechanics, and a thrilling story with a massive cast made for the game of my childhood.
  • BioShock Infinite (2013) – I was not a fan of the BioShock franchise until Infinite. I just don’t do well with dark, spooky games, especially when they take place in 60’s-era underwater cities. Infinite, however, takes place in the beautiful floating city of Columbia, and while the action is frantic and entertaining, the story is absolutely mind-bending, and that keeps me going back to replay it every so often.
  • Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (2010) – The best game in the Assassin’s Creed series, Brotherhood combines a vibrant game world with an unforgettable story (both past and present day), and adds a fair amount of new features to the franchise. Connor may be my favorite assassin, but Ezio’s penultimate tale is simply unmatched.
  • Dishonored (2012) – Let it be known I am not a fan of stealth games. They make me anxious and I tend to give up easily. However, Dishonored literally changed the game for me in terms of stealth, and I am still surprised by how much fun I had from start to finish. Not to mention Corvo’s design is badass and his abilities are a delight to mess around with.
  • Portal 2 (2011) – The original Portal ushered in a new era of puzzle games. But Portal 2 took that gameplay, added an exquisite layer of beauty to the graphics, and mixed in some more depth to the pure evil hidden beneath Aperture Science. The big baddie GLaDOS became our companion for half the game, providing some unforgettable one-liners and leading us to a damn-near tear-jerking finale that I’ll always hold dear in my heart.
  • Saints Row: The Third (2011) – The first online co-op game I’ve ever experienced, Saints Row: The Third blew me and my friend DJ’s minds. From the vast open world to the ridiculous weaponry, to the eclectic cast of misfits, we found ourselves going back to Steelport again and again just to screw around with…everything! Lest we forget the insane missions, and what that game did with background music! BRB, I gotta go play it again.
  • Dead Island (2011) – This is probably the most questionable pick on my list, as many people were underwhelmed with this game and aren’t crying over the sequel’s backburner status…like I am. Dead Island, to me, is the definitive open-world zombie game, and having an immersive first-person perspective just made it a lot more exciting. For some reason, I didn’t find myself too scared to play Dead Island (I wish I could say the same for Dying Light), as the island setting added a more lighthearted tone to the gory brutality. Now, where’s that sequel?
As you may have noticed, my taste in games can be a little odd. I challenge you to find anyone else who says Spider-Man 3 is one of their favorite games. No, you liked Spider-Man 2. I’m actually talking about Spider-Man 3. That being said, I guess that’s why I love writing about games so much. My views are, frankly, controversial among my friends and family. For starters, I hate Ocarina of Time. Just putting that out there. I don’t hate Zelda as a franchise, but I strongly dislike what’s arguably the most beloved installment. But I’m also really passionate about games many feel suck. Case in point, I really loved Detroit. Sue me. That’s just how I am. Really, though, I love being critical, and I love having a good time when I sit down to play a game. I’m fairly laid back, but when I hate a game, I really hate a game. So hopefully I don’t scare you away with the things I say, and we’ll get along just fine. Thanks for reading my dating profile – I mean, my little gaming autobiography – and welcome to Los Harrow!

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