34. God of War Franchise
Over time Kratos has become a modern personification and mascot of the Sony brand. Originally conceived as an experimentation lite on story, God of War grew into a critical and commercial powerhouse. Revenge may be the only persistent theme but when the execution allows you to graphically annihilate Greek Gods it transcends itself into an epic spectacle. Upon God of War 3s release some criticized the tonal change towards Kratos character towards the finale. I felt it was a bold decision that humanized the character at a pivotal story point where it was demanded. Santa Monica also had the gaul to end the franchise with the only logical conclusion from defeating Zeus; self sacrifice. Krato obtained vengeance, let him finally live peacefully in death.
33. Grand Theft Auto IV
IGN claimed this game as having an Oscar worthy story upon release. That is some hefty praise although Im not sure if I would entirely agree. Make no mistake about it, GTA IV is an exhilarating story of a foreignerjumping ship to America in an attempt to escape crime yet finding even more, all the while going from rags to riches. There are also more whimsical and erratic characters as one would expect from a Grand Theft Auto game. It also contains an absolutely preposterously awesome final mission that has you hijacking helicopters in mid-air. As the list will soon show I personally think theres better within the franchise, but Grand Theft Auto 4 is still near the top.
32. Catherine
Here is a game so odd and different I wasnt even sure if I wanted to play it. Catherine is a game where adultery offenders have to survive their lives through nightmarish dreams when sleeping. Its mostly a vehicle for the puzzle gameplay but still has relevance. At certain points you will enter a confessional booth and have various questions thrown at you gauging your insecurity, sex drive, desires, and more. Its all a part of the brilliant central story of Vincent who has cheated on his fiance Katherine with Catherine, a scantily clad seductress who visits the bar at night. The game weighs in all these role playing aspects and more to provide one of the most creative experience in years. The story contains twists and turns even giving you multiple endings based on your actions. Will you get a good lover ending or a bad lover variant ending?