I find that I am a huge sucker for games that take place in dystopic times and societies. It makes amorality the norm, challenging the player’s sense of ethics in a world where authority doesn’t much care. Films like Planet of the Apes or BladeRunner always brought about a surrealistic wonder that was intoxicating. Mix-in conspiracy-like mysteries, and you’ve piqued my curiosity up to the level of obsession.

What makes plots and settings like this so compelling, though? The ‘mystery rationale’ formula worked for the X-Files for years, too, without having to rely on unclarified futuristic environments. I suppose it has to do with the human attraction to the unknown and unexplained; stories like these pose questions that are nothing short of maddening to answer, and it’s in our nature to want to try and rationalize everything that doesn’t make sense.

It’s genius, really; who would have thought that confusing and infuriating the mind of a player would endear them so much to a game?

-Mike Mann

I know that there are literally thousands of games, but I’d be damned if a single one of those reviewers is able to recall at least one moment of greatness from all their nominees. I submit this unto you; these lists are a group effort and, therefore, a scandalously sly ploy to please a little bit of everybody in their target audience. You’re being hoodwinked, really – especially if the ubiquitous Final Fantasy VII: Circle Jerk of the Fad-Guzzlers makes it anywhere into the top fifty. Fifty! Gah, that’s still too many. The true best games of all time should be numbered in the single digits as the original harbingers of all the recycled elements reaped from their legacies.

That being said, I’m going to embark on a list of my own – The Ten Greatest Games of All Time. I won’t be naming them for their popularity or their initial wow-factors, but for their staying power, overall refinement, and innovation. This list is bound to upset most younger gamers, but unlike those silly sites out for your subscriptions, I’m not in it for the farts and sunshine bestowed by your collective smiles.

I’ll be adding one game to the list weekly, beginning with…

This platformer from the early 90′s was one of the first games that attempted to mimic a movie’s level of immersion. On the surface it appeared as a standard side-scroller, but it was actually a literal work of art. Through thoughtful, expressionistic art direction and subtle gameplay design choices – such as the lack of a HUD – Another World (or Out of this World, in the US) made you feel like you had traveled to this barren alien landscape yourself, unnervingly alone and overwhelmingly vulnerable.

The game made no attempt to feed you narrative; like a good writer, Eric Chahi – the creator – chose to show, and not tell. Utilizing 2D-vector rotoscoped animation and graphics to create life-like movement and impressive, minimalistic cinematics (one of the first games besides Karateka to even have cinematics), Another World left you to wonder at your surroundings, as helplessly lost as the game’s protagonist. Aliens spoke in alien tongues, and even your ally – an alien, himself – communicated with you using basic hand-signals. Not only did this introduce an element of realism, but it placed you in the moment.

Another World was also famous for its unforgiving “die until you figure it out” game mechanic, which wasn’t uncommon during the time of its release. Still, you almost needed to be gifted with clairvoyance to deal with certain situations, but the beauty of this – in the end – is the reward of the magnificent visual narrative that closes one chapter of the game and opens the next. Simply put, you were playing through a movie, and once you got all the game’s challenges down-pat, you could run through it in less than an hour like some suave film editor, giggling at the artistic cornucopia playing out at your fingertips.

Its ability to suck you in and tell a story without so much as a written prologue is what puts Another World at the gates of this list. It’s nothing short of cinematic perfection, and it sets a precedent closely followed by such games as Half-Life 2 and Portal.

A remastered Collector’s Edition of Another World was released within the last year, introducing heightened resolution options and even enhanced background graphics. It’s beautiful, and only helps to showcase this classic in an even more favorable light. I suggest you check out the demo, and consider purchasing this gem of gaming history yourself.

 -Mike Mann