What Is Your Favorite Video Game Series/Franchises And Why?

[oldgamerz]

This is a link to a thread about your favorite games of all time, it's related but not exact.
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,1843.45.html

I have a bunch of game series that I enjoy, too many to list everything though

1: The Sims Series: (reason) fun life simulator create virtual people, live in a virtual world with other virtual people, and control what they do with their life. best explained as a girl playing with Barbie dolls in a computerized world.


2: Call Of Duty Series (reason) A bot coop single player or arena multiplayer first person shooter series,  where you fight along side other computer controlled bots or other players as soldiers in a war like setting. You use real life weapons in a re-enactment of real war battles in history in some games. and in others? in a make believe war that never happened. but was a scare of the time the game was made up.

3: EA Sports PGA Tour Series (reason) damn I love this series, it's a relaxing golf simulation series, but vary challenging for new players, hard to master, but once you are hooked you are hooked for life, I prefer the games for the PS2 PS3 and Xbox and Xbox360, but I also have and enjoy the PlayStation 1 games as well and least the SEGA genesis games.

4: EA Sports NHL series (reason) primarily any NHL game made in the 5th and 6th generation fun hockey simulation game series

5: Doom series (reason) Great FPS series where you fight hordes of monsters and other demons in a quest all alone to destroy them and save the world.

6: Duke Nukem games (reason) Most of the games in this franchise are platforming games, but my favorite is Duke Nukem 3D.

7: Gran Turismo series (reason) Fun Racing simulation that has tons or real life cars to buy more than any other racing sim I know of on the video game market today

[shawndude82]

Lunar  -  There's only two game (for now) in the series, but they were my introduction into anime with their cutscenes.  And both the stories are just so enjoyable.

Metal Gear Solid  -  I have told my friends that if I ever get amnesia, to let me play this series first thing.  The plot twists, the commentary on political wars, and Snake's voice...  The stealth is fun, too.

Tales series  -  Anime you can play.  I'll give you some games are much better than others, true for most franchises though.

I'll also throw in Final Fantasy.  Even though I make no secret how much I loathed XV, it has enough gems to still warrant my hope that it can redeem itself.

[kamikazekeeg]

Legend of Zelda - I've gone into more depth on why the series is both nostalgic and emotionally important to me, but the games themselves appeal to me for the adventure and exploration, it's just the perfect game formula whether it's 2D or 3D or whether it's a more semi-open world like Ocarina or full free exploration like Breath of the Wild.

Fallout (Bethesda Era) - Fallout is much the same, it just has more depth in the world when exploring, finding secrets, it's a first person shooter...technically...and it's just a world you can dump a lot of time into and then spend even more time modding the crap out of.  It's just a shame they botched things so bad with Fallout 76 and I don't expect to see a Fallout 5 for a very long time.

Soulsbornekiro - This is stretching things a little bit, since they aren't all one series, but they are so similar to each other, they are practically a series because so much of what you do in one game can transfer over to the next game, they just have different themes and some of their own mechanics, with Sekiro being the most distinct.  The gameplay is just so good and exploring these weird, dark, worlds is very interesting and engaging, never knowing what is behind the next corner.

[chexmixbreath]

I’ll second the Metal Gear franchise. The mainline games are all worth playing.

The Legend of Zelda too. I can do without Zelda II though.

I always feel basic when I say this, but all the 3D mainline Grand Theft Auto games are stone cold classics and some of my favorite games I’ve ever played.

[stealthrush]

Mega Man - One of the first home console video games I've ever played as a kid, I would wait in anticipation for next installment on NES back in the day. I stuck with the series from the original classic, X series, various spin-offs, although I've barley played any game in Battle Network series.

Street Fighter - Growing up playing arcade games such as World Heroes, Samurai Shodown, one of my earliest memory playing this classic using a plastic stool so I can reach the control and see the screen! I would read various video game magazines when my parents went to the supermarket about the latest game, and move-set commands, and combo sequences. I stuck with the series playing all the integrations for years to come.

Bomberman - Timeless classic I enjoy playing with friends on home consoles, handheld, and even arcade (Irem developed game). From tournament mode & co-up story mode I find myself coming back often. I played plenty spin-off for various of systems that were all worthwhile over the years.
 
The King of Fighters - Despite playing a few on arcade cabinets years ago, I was nowhere near a fan of the franchise as I am today. Around the time XIII was released I decided to play the game properly and dive into the lore. It's really Street Fighter on crack! Went back and re-visited games, even pre-ordered XIV and enjoyed them. Looking forward to XV!

Galerians - There's only two games in the series but this science-fiction horror survival game series drew me into it's world entirely. Taking inspiration from films such as Dark City, Scanners, Akira, and others, having a distinct art-style and gripping story that comes to a complete end in ASH.

[turf]

There’s a few franchises that I’m always down with.
Super Mario (mostly 2D mainline games, but the 3D games are great too)
Mario Kart (they’re all great)
Red Dead Revolver/Redemption (We really need more cowboy games)
Mega Man (the mainline and X games)

I’m sure there’s more, but that’ll do for now.

[astralsoul]

EarthBound/Mother - EarthBound is my favorite game of all time, Mother 3 is an amazing and worthy sequel, and Mother/EarthBound Beginnings is a cool look at how the series began. No other series has reached the level of charm for me. It is immeasurable how much I connected with these games and it's sad that we'll likely never see another official sequel. But at least we have 3 amazing games.

Donkey Kong Country - I'm a huge platformer fan and as much as I like Mario, Donkey Kong is really where it's at for me. I cannot even express how much of a joy these games are to me. I replay 1-3 every year in one back to back sitting because they're just so comforting to play, and I know them better than almost any other game in existence. The two newer sequels are amazing as well although they don't have the same feel the originals do.

Crash Bandicoot - Just as DKC is the peak of 2D platforming for me personally, Crash represents platforming timelessness in 3D. Yes the levels are linear and play more like a 2D game, but just like DKC the gameplay is top notch and I revisit these games often and they are such a comfort to play. I absolutely love the characters and world they built as well. Crash is one of my favorite gaming icons of all time.

Mario - As I've said I'm a huge platforming game fan, and what is platforming without Mario? Not every game is a masterpiece in this series but they're all good. Super Mario 64 is one of my favorite games of all time, right up there with Earthbound, DKC2, and Crash Bandicoot 2. Mario games are often creative and easy to play, making them the perfect game to replay when you don't know what else to play.

Zelda - I mean it's Zelda. It's Nintendo's masterpiece series. Every game in the series is good, most are great, and some are masterpieces. Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, Links Awakening and Breath of the Wild are all in my top 30 games of all time. They are ridiculously influential, memorable, creative and endlessly replayable.

Final Fantasy - Although I don't love the series as a whole quite like I used to, it has however had a huge impact on me. Most of the games in the series I love, not a fan of some of the newer entries, but the first dozen really stick out to me. FF9 is up there with some of my favorite games of all time.

Souls - Despite repeatedly trying to get into this series I couldn't get into it due to its extremely high learning curve and difficulty. Fast forward to 2019 and I give Dark Souls one last try. And somehow I manage to make it through after 60+ hours in the min campaign, 100+ hours after getting every trophy on PS4. Something about the game finally captured me after so many years and despite it's ridiculously stressful gameplay, I ended up falling in love with the entire series.

Resident Evil - This series once represented some of the best gaming experiences in existence but like Final Fantasy, some of the newer entries have caused me to lose some interest in the series as a whole. I still replay a lot of the earlier entries from time to time as RE4 and the remake of the original RE are 2 of my favorite games of all time.

Elder Scrolls - These are the games that showed me what open world game design was all about. Before I played Morrowind in 2002 I could only dream of a game with a giant world and deep lore where you could go anywhere and do anything. This series is those dean's, realized.

[kashell]

Mega Man/Mega Man X: Classic, timeless gameplay. It's my go to franchise when I just need a break from longer games. I usually go through Mega Man X4 once a year.

Tales of: Ever since randomly purchasing Tales of Destiny years ago, the series has really captivated me. The characters, worlds, combat systems, and overall "anime" settings give a cozy feeling that no other RPG franchise can duplicate. I'm still holding onto a sliver of hope that games like Destiny 2, Rebirth and the remake of Destiny will get translated.

Kirby: Kirby games are the remedy for feeling down. It's hard to stay mad when you see all of the bright colors and cuteness that Kirby's world offers.

SaGa: As of late, I find this series to be my favorite. SaGa Frontier is my favorite game of all time and most of the games I've played in the series are enjoyable in their own right. Even Unlimited Saga with all of its flaws has a tiny bit of appeal.

Breath of Fire: My first RPG was Breath of Fire and two of my favorite games of all time (Breath of Fire III and Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter) are in this series.

Valkyrie Profile: This series is divine!

[seether]

Pokemon because in 1996 having an adventure across a region with multiple towns and routes and caves and bodies of water filled with NPCs and 151 different types of creatures, all in a game played on a handheld with a 2.6 inch screen, all experienced as a child - at the time - was mindmeltingly good and to this day the nostalgia is strong.

[chexmixbreath]

Pokemon because in 1996 having an adventure across a region with multiple towns and routes and caves and bodies of water filled with NPCs and 151 different types of creatures, all in a game played on a handheld with a 2.6 inch screen, all experienced as a child - at the time - was mindmeltingly good and to this day the nostalgia is strong.

Unless you were living in Japan as a child at the time, you did not experience Pokemon in 1996. It came to the states two years later, but it wasn't even until around summer/fall 1999 that it became a mainstream phenomenon in the US.

[telekill]

Uncharted - My main reason for this being my favorite series is that I simply love adventure. I grew up on the likes of Ducktales and Indiana Jones; both known for adventure and seeking mystery. Then I moved on to Tomb Raider. Uncharted was just the natural progression. Then you add on the great characters and fun adventures with the addicting melee combat (loved pulling enemies over edges) and I found that there may never be a game that meets the fun and excitement I had with this series.

Ninja Turtles 8-16 bit - I've been a Ninja Turtles fan since the start. I loved the NES and 16bit iterations and can't wait for the upcoming Shredder's Revenge that's very much looking to be in the same vein. The arcade beat'em up style of gameplay that they had was just pure bliss to play through. Then add in your friends to play with you and it was fantastic co-op action.

Jurassic Park Sega Games and PS1 LW - Pretty specific on this series, but I've been a JP fan since the start. The Genesis game is probably still the best adaptation of the movie but the other Sega offerings for Game Gear and Sega CD also had a great amount of charm and fun. While I wasn't a fan of the Genesis Lost World game, the PS1 and Saturn release was fantastic and felt very much in the same vein as the first Genesis game where you could be the dinosaurs as well.

Tomb Raider Series - The 3D adventuring that this game provided had never been seen before (talking of the first), and I got hooked really quick. When the license got moved to Crystal Dynamics, I was skeptical but after the crap show that Angel of Darkness was, I was willing to give them a shot. Luckily, they delivered twice. They rebooted the series on PS2 with the Legend and Anniversary and then rebooted again on PS3 with what is the modern version of the series. Fantastic series and I applaud Crystal Dynamics for bringing the series back from the brink.

Shenmue - While I don't have an end to the story yet, I loved the Shenmue games. They were graphical masterpieces back when the first launched. After that though, the story was engaging. You genuinely cared about the characters and wanted to see Ryo succeed in his vengeance against Lan Di. I jumped on the Kickstarter for the 3rd the night it opened and pledged at the $100 level to get my name in the credits. Happy to see the game was done really well. It felt like a Dreamcast game with better graphics. I only wish they hadn't added in the stamina bar.

Resident Evil - I really only enjoyed the numbered games from 0-5, Code Veronica and the Outbreak spinoff games. I enjoyed the main characters Chris and Jill with the story arc of them vs Wesker. I also enjoyed the transition to action as I've never been one for straight horror. As the series always had a bit of exploration and action too it, when it went for more towards horror with the more recent RE7 and went first person, the series had fallen out of what I enjoyed most from the series.

[oldgamerz]

Pokemon because in 1996 having an adventure across a region with multiple towns and routes and caves and bodies of water filled with NPCs and 151 different types of creatures, all in a game played on a handheld with a 2.6 inch screen, all experienced as a child - at the time - was mindmeltingly good and to this day the nostalgia is strong.

Unless you were living in Japan as a child at the time, you did not experience Pokemon in 1996. It came to the states two years later, but it wasn't even until around summer/fall 1999 that it became a mainstream phenomenon in the US.

October 5, 1999
Original release date:
NA: September 28, 1998. AU: October 23, 1998. EU: October 5, 1999.

make that 1999 since @Seether once claimed to be living in the United Kingdom,

anyway Pokémon is also my most favorite Turn Based RPG game, even though I don't have them in my collection. I love the Pokémon series but I don't like too many handhelds. for one they cost too much money, but I do have a high value used Pokémon game for GameCube but it has a drift problem.

[burningdoom]

King's Field - It's just so unique. There's nothing else like King's Field. Shadow Tower is similar, but different enough to set it apart. And Dark Souls, I've tried, but it's combat and level-up system are entire worlds apart. I love the emphasis on exploration. The open-world. The digging for lore. And the first-person RPG combat. The eerie soundtrack certainly helps set up the mood for the game, too.

The Elder Scrolls - Massive open-world, yet so incredibly detailed as well. The games in this series are always a breath-taking world to get lost in for months at a time as you explore, quest, and build your character inside a virtual world for you to play with. It's been too long since we've had an entry in the series.

Metroid - Moreso the 2D entries than the 3D ones, but I do enjoy those as well. My love for Metroidvania began with Super Metroid, which I still consider the greatest single game ever made. And I've loved every subsequent entry in the series (besides Hunters and Federation Force, of course).

Dungeons & Dragons Hack-n-Slash RPGS - Think stuff like Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, D&D Heroes, and Neverwinter Nights. I love the bash and loot style of these games. Building your character higher and higher, and finding all that rare gear to make them even more bad-ass.

The Legend of Zelda - Mostly the 2D entries, but I have to say that Breath of the Wild was pretty damn amazing, too. I've been in love with the series since the original on the NES back in the 80s. Love the high-adventure feel, the exploration, and the light puzzle-solving. And the item-usage is very cool, too, almost Metroidvania in it's implementation in opening new parts of the map.

Castlevania - Specifically the Metroidvania entries. Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow, Dawn of Sorrow, Harmony of Dissonance, and Portrait of Ruin. As I've mentioned, I'm a big Metroidvania guy. And these are defining entries for the genre. The music, the atmosphere, the exploration, the character progression; it all blends beautifully.

Super Mario Bros. - The first Super Mario Bros. on NES is what made me a gamer. Countless hours spend traversing the Mushroom Kingdom as a kid. And I loved SMB 2 & 3, Super Mario World, and Super Mario Land 2 just as much as the series progressed through my childhood. I've played many Mario games since, as well. Mario is platforming perfected.

Dishonored - I'm not normally a stealth gamer. But this series is something special. The atmosphere it's industrial/steam-punk world is top of the line. You really feel like you're in a living, breathing world. And the powers, especially the way you traverse the world, is so satisfying.

Bionic Commando - Unfortunately not much of a franchise anymore. I hope one day it returns. But the unique platforming mixed with run-n-gun gameplay is done perfectly, IMO. I adore the NES entry. The 2 Game Boy entries, while not as polished, were still fun. The Xbox 360 remake of the NES entry and it's sequel were perfect examples of how to push 8-bit games into the modern age. And the Xbox 360/PS3 reboot was an underrated gem of a game.

Resident Evil - The zombie ones. Resident Evil 1, 2, 3, Zero, and Code Veronica, and their remakes. You see, I'm a HUGE horror movie fan, and zombie movies are my favorite kind of horror movies. So the zombie-centric REs are right up my fanboy alley. The atmosphere, gore, George Romero style zombies, and crazy science-created monsters feel like something over-the-top and nuts just like an 80s horror film. Love it.

I kicked around including Contra, but honestly, it's really the first NES entry I'm so in love with. The others in the series are good, don't get me wrong, but I don't have that same love for it that I do the original NES entry.

[wartoy]

Disgaea -  I love this very deep strategy rpg with over the top special attacks and quirky humor. What really attracted me to this game was how many different types of characters you can have and large parties to take into battles. And the music and level design are great also.

Ace Combat - Being able to unlock so many  realistic aircraft and weaponry is awesome, with a in depth story and boss battles that makes this series a must play imo.

Resident Evil - my favorite survival horror series (Silent Hill a close second) Code Veronica is my #1 but loved 1,2,3, zero and revelations so many memories playing these games. Tank controls were just fine in fact I miss them.

Forza - amazing racing simulator tons of cars and tracks it's  the only way I'll ever be able to drive these cars but at least when I crash I won't be dead.

Battlefield/Battlefield  Bad Company - my favorite first-person shooters excellent gameplay and better online with large open battles. I hate the C.O.D rat maze maps.

Oblivion/Skyrim - I was totally addicted to this series pumped hundreds of hours into them who wouldn't want to go anywhere and do anything you wish? sign me up!

Legacy of Kain/Soul Reaver - huge story to unravel it's was the most rememberable storyline ever epic!

[PaleManInBlack]

Resident Evil - One of my favourite survival horror series, although not my favourite series in terms of horror. I'm also talking about the originals; pre Re4. Everything from the exploration of the levels which are connected and feel real, the atmosphere, the b-movie like plot lines with crazy monsters and zombies, and the survival aspect of gameplay which requires the player to pay attention to supplies.

Silent Hill - Without a doubt my favourite horror series, at least in regard to 1 - 3. It frequently uses my favourite type of horror; psychological, instead of just relying on jump scares and gore. Exploring the town of Silent Hill, with that immense feeling of claustrophobia and the anxiety of what's waiting in the fog, creating fantastic tension and atmosphere. The interesting plot lines, like 1 and 3's cult mystery (I have a fascination with cults, like why they do what they do lol) so this really drew me in, as well as 2's beautiful story of self-redemption. Also, the music, HOLY CRAP the music is so good, I could listen to 'Theme of Laura' and 'Promise' until the end of time.