My Top 10 Video Game Series

In no particular order-

1. God Of War
I'm a huge fan of Greek mythology so I find it exciting that Santa Monica Studios has taken prominent figures within literature and adapted a story about the gods and heroes with a twist.  The main character Kratos may be one-dimensional but the world, game play, weapons, story, and score are diverse, not to mention the graphics are to die for.

 2. Mass Effect
This game made me fall in love with RPG's (role playing games). Bioware has to be one of my favorite developers out there: they created a world where every choice matters, the characters are three-dimensional, and the story is rich with themes and a well-developed plot. Most RPG's tend to progress slowly, but since this is a third-person action RPG it moves much faster yet still has 30 plus hours of gameplay BEFORE the DLC (downloadable content). The gameplay is excellent, the score is beautiful and the replay value is extremely high. I love all the classes you can choose from as well as all the armor and weapons. Everything you do in Mass Effect 1 carries over to each continuation of the story. 

 3. Metal Gear Solid
Konami has created an excellent stealth action game. If you are looking for a game with story-- look no further. There are so many twists, turns, and government conspiracies it can be a little overwhelming. What I love about this game besides the game-play, musical score, and weapons is the character development. Throughout the series you watch a group of characters evolve: they are some of the most in-depth characters in a video game series. 

 4. Devil May Cry
It's important to note that this series greatly influenced the God Of War series in terms of game-play and level design. That being said, Capcom developed one of the most over the top, action packed videogame series out there. You play as Dante-- a half human, half demon protagonist-- who fights for humanity. The weapons and abilities are a blast and the overall battles, story, and dialogue are over the top. The third game is my personal favorite, but all the games have an excellent pace from beginning to end. 

 5. Ratchet & Clank
Insomniac has created a series with so much imagination, yet pays tribute to the classic platforming style of game-play (aka the Mario games). Not to mention it's clever and funny. I love the back story of the characters as well as how they have evolved throughout the series. The game play is solid, the weapons are innovative-- i.e the Groovitron that forces your enemies to start dancing against their will while you pelt them with missiles-- and the replay value is high.  

 6. Fable
This series was created by Lionhead studios and initiated my interest in RPG's. There is tons to do in this world, from buying property to working to having a family, and of course the main quest. This game caters to your play style. You can choose from using guns, swords, cross bows, and magic. If you want to use a combination of all of them go ahead. The game play is strong, the score is beautiful, and the replay value is high. 

 7. Sly Cooper
This series was created by Sucker Punch. I am very proud of this studio; the fact they can go from the Sly Cooper series to the Infamous series shows diversity. The bosses and level design are unique and fun. I like that you can play as Sly: a stealthy master thief, Bentley: the brains and the gadget genius, and Murray: the muscle. This is an action/stealth/platforming game series with a fun story, developed characters, and challenging but entertaining game-play.
  

8. Assassin's Creed 

The Assassin's Creed series was created by Ubisoft Montreal. The score for these games are amazing. Every game raises the bar higher and higher. Ubisoft listens to their fans and improves upon what the previous game lacked. The story is intense and in-depth with so many twists and turns you are constantly on your toes. There is so much variety in game play and exploration. The characters are solid and the replay value is high. This is one third-person stealth-action game you don't want to miss.

 9. Grand Theft Auto

This series was created by Rockstar studios. It continues to push the boundaries for video games. This series is meant for adults; with that said there is always some type of organized crime to be a part of. Rockstar has mastered making their main characters three dimensional. There is so much to do in these games: you can eat, go to clubs, play pool, go bowling, go on dates, buy tons of new weapons and clothes. Every character you meet in these games is unique. The consumer release music is excellent and diverse. The radio stations and TV shows are hilarious. The replay value is high and the game play is rock solid.

 10. Uncharted
When Naughty Dog Studios-- the creators of the Jak and Daxter kids series-- released the first of the Uncharted games as an exclusive for the Playstation 3, I don't think they knew what a successful and special series this would become. This modern day tribute to Indiana Jones is complete with love-interests, a quirky sidekick, villains, and even monsters.  The story is gripping and entertaining, accented by witty dialogue and a charming lead in Nathan Drake.  Besides that, the game-play is challenging: a third-person blended with platforming and puzzles.  And a diverse weapons selection always helps.  Did I mention the gorgeous graphics?!  If you own a PS3 this is a MUST BUY, otherwise you should buy a PS3 just to play this series.  Can't for the third one to be released this year!

 Honorable Mentions-

 Dead Space

 Gears Of War

 Prince Of Persia

Resident Evil

Jak & Daxter 

The Heart's Lucid Dream

Can you hear me…I can’t see you.

I’m surrounded by the cold anguish

of this post-mortem world.

Crisp air lingers all around me,

cutting at my warmth like a mad man.

A graveyard’s choir echoes through the streets,

covering everything in its path,

a molasses of silent shrieks.

Your scent coats my every thought.

Your silhouette paints itself through my entire being.

The mystery of you drips on my mind like a broken faucet,

cursing me to ache always in ecstasy for you.

My faceless phantom…

Where are you?

I see your eyes through the cracks of the hallow branches.

Your locks can’t cover the smile in your eyes as they find mine,

caressing me into complete stillness.

My heart beats to your every movement.

Everything around us dissipates like ashes in wind.

Though my soul belongs to the Divine Maker,

you alone hold my heart.

You make my existence original.

Time, can’t comprehend the reasons why I love you.

Saltwater consumes my eyes, I know our time is ending.

Apart from you I drift along aimlessly in a decaying darkness,

that plagues my labyrinth of solitude.

I’d spend a thousand years as a poor peasant admiring you as my queen,

than be without your presence. 

a Room With a View

January 14, 1995, 9:45pm-- a night I will never forget. Today is the 16 year anniversary of the car accident that nearly claimed my life.  My sister had just dropped my friend off at his parents' house so I decided to ride shotgun but forgot to buckle up in the process. We were heading home when the car went over an invisible patch of ice covered in the newly fallen snow. The vehicle hydroplaned, hitting the opposite curve, bursting two of the tires and sending us spiraling out of control down a hill. At the bottom was the river.  Fortunately (if you could even call it fortune), we went head-on into a tree instead, preventing the potential of the car breaking through the ice and sinking into the freezing water. Everything seemed to slow down as I tried to brace myself for the impact... but you can never quite prepare your body for that kind of trauma.

First, as I neglected to use my seat belt, my head hit the windshield, the glass cutting away half the skin on the right side of my forehead to the bone as well as cutting my right eyelid in half.  My jaw was fractured.  Had I not had braces-- and I was set to have them removed the next day-- I would have lost all my bottom teeth.  Actually, they were dangling loose in my mouth held only by the brace wire.  To add to the pain, my knees were through the dashboard.

Everything went black.

The first time I regained consciousness, I woke up to my sister screaming and shaking me, then I passed out shortly after. The second time was as the paramedics pried my knees out of the dashboard and put me onto a stretcher-- I passed out again.

Sixteen years later and I still remember the pain.

I regained consciousness in the ambulance; my head was throbbing: it felt like I had just woken up from a dream within a dream... except on my forehead it felt as if someone was extinguishing a cigar into my skin over and over again while my brain was slowly being pressed in a vice.

This was the moment panic washed over me.

All I could taste was iron. As I put my hand into my mouth to feel around, my left eye (the only working eye) caught a glimpse of my hand: it was black and crusted, the result of old blood drying and new coats of blood being applied. I could see only red out of my right eye, like I was looking through a red lens. My knees felt like they had been beaten with a crowbar; my mouth was so swollen I could barely fit my fingers in it yet all I felt was random teeth and wire.

As I processed all of this, the paramedics cut off layers of my clothing, trying to assess the damage. Because I was so cold, it was at that moment I fully recognized what was going on around me. my mind was racing-- this was surreal.  Had the pain not been overly abundant I would have seriously considered the idea that my current situation was simply an all too real nightmare. Eventually the paramedics started to cover me in blankets, yet all I could feel was the warmth leaving my trembling body.

Before I realized how much time had passed, the back doors of the ambulance swung open and I was pushed into the hospital through a maze of hallways. Staring up at the ceiling, I watched as section after section of lights passed over me.  Suddenly, my stepfather appeared at my side, tears in his eyes. I could see my sister in the background covered in scratches and bruises but other than that she, thankfully, looked fine. The nurses prevented my stepfather from following because I needed a cat scan.

While the machine rotated around my head the nurse tried to make me stand but it was futile so I sat down.  At that moment I felt warm water running down my head.  Only it wasn't water.  My bandages gave way from all of the movement, causing blood to pour down my face.  I looked at the nurse; she looked at me.  Her terrified screams brought a swarm of people into the room to stop the bleeding.  The next thing I knew I was being carted down more hallways.

It was at this moment, throughout all of the trauma, that I felt the presence of God the strongest.  By then I was so numb I felt no pain and consequently, no fear.  Instead, I was slowly slipping outside away from my body.  Though I can't explain why I conceded, I then acknowledged that I was about to die. Everything moved in slow motion again, and as I passed my stepfather and sister in the hallway I wondered if this was the last time I would see them.  I can still see the expressions on their faces.

And then I prayed.

I didn't beg, I didn't bargain, I didn't plea with God to save me.  I simply told God: "my life is in Your hands. It's up to you what you want to do with it."

Once again, everything went black.

The following day I opened my eyes to discover I was alive. Although my face was wrapped in so much bandage that I could barely see, I was alive.  Against sound medical advice, I frantically began removing the covering over my right eye, and this time I begged God.  I begged that both my eyes worked so I could look out the window and see the day.

The sunset that day was beautiful.