Weekend Open Forum: What's your favorite video game franchise?

[David Matthews]

I have a confession to make. I actually like Mass Effect: Andromeda... there I said it.

In fact, my favorite video game franchise of all time is the Mass Effect series. As a sci-fi nerd, I can't help but to be drawn into Bioware's epic action RPG saga with its mixture of tight controls, intense and varied combat, and that incredible, branching story that forces you to make some truly heart wrenching choices.

The original Mass Effect trilogy tells the story of an impending mass extinction event on a galactic scale while we as Commander Shepard must do everything we can to prevent it. Along the way, you meet up with an eclectic bunch of humans and aliens that each have their own culture and backstory. The world building was actually one of my favorite parts of Mass Effect. Bioware did an excellent job personalizing each specific alien species and making them seem like a real culture. While the bulk of the Mass Effect lore is centered on humans, asari, krogan, turians, salarians, and quarians, even some of the "lesser known" races such as the elcor and hanar are brilliantly fleshed out in their own way

As you may be aware, while the original Mass Effect trilogy is hailed as some of Bioware's best work, the followup, Mass Effect: Andromeda didn't fare so well. Kotaku has a well written article on the story behind Andromeda's troubled development, but suffice it to say; quirky animations, wooden character development, and the lack of real story impact sunk what could have been another hit.

And yet... I still like the game. The story is pretty good once you get into it and the freedom in combat is exhilarating. Then again, I'm a Mass Effect fanboy.

That leads into this weekend's open forum. What is your favorite video game franchise of all? What franchise could you play 100 times and still thoroughly enjoy it? Let us know in the comments below.

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[davislane1]

The multiplayer side of the SOCOM series on Playstation 2. Everything else is a distant second.

 

[domyz]

Just went to check what was this game, are you Kidding me hahaha

 

[psycros]

Hmm..probably Civilization with runner-ups being Rainbow Six and Street Fighter. Civ is #1 because I still play Civ 4 all the time. I chose the others because they have the most games in their respective lines that I've enjoyed.

 

[Nero7]

Ugh mass effect of all things... then again it was the ME3 ending that got EA voted for worst company.

 

[Prosercunus]

It was Diablo for the longest time until Diablo 3. I would say The Witcher series .

 

[Panda218]

The Devil May Cry series is by far my favorite to date. I was blown away by the most recent DMC reboot they did and would highly recommend it during a steam sale

 

[veLa]

Counter-Strike, no doubt.

I played CS:Source at a near-professional level, and still play CS:GO at the amateur level.

 

[Nitrotoxin]

Witcher!!!

 

[Raytrace3D]

Minesweeper... That franchise has been around for decades!

 

[hahahanoobs]

Battlefield.
But not BF1, because it's trash.

 

[EClyde]

Doom or GTA

 

[wONKEyeYEs]

PORTAL and esp PORTAL2 for the multi-player.
What we need now is PORTAL3 MMO!

 

[DDG4005]

Mass Effect (minus Andromeda since I have not played it).

 

[mcborge]

The Elder Scrolls.

 

[m4a4]

I'll say Halo. I've enjoyed every one of them (the first one the most though)

 

[Evernessince]

Ugh mass effect of all things... then again it was the ME3 ending that got EA voted for worst company.

It really was the ending you wish you could forget. I've never played a game where it made the previous entries seem so pointless. For a game that prided itself on choice, the ending of the third where your previous decisions were supposed to matter the most, were taken and boiled down to 3 different colors and ultimately the same thing.

For best game Franchise I would nominate the Witcher and then Civilization and then Bioshock.

 

[Versutus]

Diablo (Diablo 3 included), Desperados/Commandos, Football Manager, Deus Ex.

 

[erdavila]

Assassin's Creed!

 

[Kenrick]

Starcraft series
final fantasy series

 

[Squid Surprise]

Heroes of Might and Magic.... 3 was by far the best, but 2 was pretty good as well... after 3DO went kaput, the series changed, and while decent, wasn't quite the same...

Civilization was awesome - I still play 5 (6 isn't working for me - don't like the new tech progression) and Elder Scrolls is sweet - also still playing 4 (I never took to Skyrim either, guess I'm not hip enough for the newest games!).

Can't forget Hardball - I think I played that series longer than any other sports series.... well, maybe Fifa....

Lastly - and just for the nostalgia - I have to call out Wing Commander... best space sim of all time, and there were TONS of games - not just WC I-V, but Armada, Privateer and more...

 

[Skjorn]

Half-Life just goes completely ignored now lol. Just bring out HL3 already so we talk about biggest franchise disappointments. Hl3 or Andromeda?

My fav series was GTA up until 5. GTA IV is still my favorite. Anyone could play on the same playing fields. Not having to play 500 hours to earn a rocket launcher is what I miss.

 

[OcelotRex]

The Elder Scrolls.

Tough to beat that one, especially if you throw Fallout 3 and 4 (Elder Scrolls with Guns) in there as well.

 

[ypsylon]

Mass Effect junkie (well Andromeda needs fair bit of glossing over) and then UFO (or X-COM how it was branded in US), Europa Universalis gets 3rd.

I don't recall others. 99% of titles which were released with more than 1 sequel went down the hill like that - :snapfingers: - perfect example: Civilization. Played years out of my life with 1&2, 3 was poor so-so, 4 was horrible, 5 was abomination and I don't care about future versions.

 

[Nobina]

GTA was my fav since I was a kid. Since then I don't play much but all GTA games were good IMO.