From Valve, the creators of Half-Life, Portal was packaged along with Half-Life 2, Episode One & Two, and Team Fortress 2 in “The Orange Box”, a five-in-one deal for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. It’s a must-have, in my opinion, no matter which system you use. Half-Life 2 is one of the greatest games ever created and Team Fortress 2 is fun, but Portal is an experience like no other. It’s short, yes, but short games have never bothered me as long as they’re well-made.

In Portal, you play a human test subject for a series of experiments conducted by a company called Aperture Science. Each experiment requires you to use a “portal gun” to, obviously, create portals. You use these portals to carry out various tasks, and all the while you’re led by a computer-generated AI called GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System). GLaDOS is one of the best video game characters ever, hands down. Which is amazing, really, considering that she’s a machine. She probably has more quotable lines than any other video game character in the history of video games, and they’re all delivered in a monotone robotic voice, which just makes them funnier.

Each test chamber in Portal is essentially one huge puzzle that you have to solve. Each puzzle is harder than the last, and you’re introduced to a variety of methods of solving them, including using items such as the Companion Cube, which fans have made a character out of in its own right. The atmosphere of the game is pretty creepy. You’re all alone in the building, which is evident by the empty observation rooms you see in each test chamber. All alone except for GLaDOS, that is, and the fact that she keeps malfunctioning and spouting out weird nonsense adds to the creepy factor.

Basically, Portal is extremely entertaining. I’m hoping for a sequel, or at least another Valve game with the portal gun as a main weapon. That’s the least they can do after teasing us so. If you play it, be prepared to want more when you’re finished, and don’t forget: the cake is a lie (you knew it was coming ).

If you’re going to play this game, I highly recommend that you get someone, a friend or someone you’re close to, to watch you. Not only does having someone else in the room make the scariness easier to bear, but it’s super fun to have two people reacting at once to a game like Silent Hill. The simultaneous screams, clings, and “holy shit!”s are priceless. Plus, if you’re like me and you enjoy speculating about the story of the game while you’re playing it, it’s nice to have someone to discuss things and theorize with. Also, watching a game like Silent Hill can be just as fun as playing it. I know this from experience.

I played SH2 with my boyfriend-and-best-friend-in-one, Adam, watching the whole time. We huddled together under a blanket in a room devoid of light except for the TV screen. It became almost a cinematic experience for him. He would beg me to play SH2 so he could find out what happened next. One of the highlights of the game happened at a point when I, as the main character, had to run down the deserted, foggy streets of Silent Hill. Suddenly, monsters started flying out at me from seemingly nowhere! It was pretty freaky but also slightly humorous, so Adam began to sing “The Man On The Flying Trapeze”. All the while, the monsters continued to fly in what I could now see was very trapeze-like fashion. It certainly lightened the mood.

Anyway, all that aside… Whether you’re playing by yourself or with a friend, you’ll most likely enjoy Silent Hill 2. I might have to edit my “top ten” list to fit this one in somewhere because it’s easily one of my favorite games ever. It’s survival horror at its best, from the creepy atmosphere to the disturbing monsters to the interesting characters and involving story. You really can’t get any better.

1. Final Fantasy VI
I’ve been a long-time Final Fantasy fan, but my favorite game in the series remains the first one I ever played. It was known as Final Fantasy III in the US back when it was released for the SNES. Maybe I’m biased because it was one of my first video games in general and I get all nostalgic when I think about it, but FFVI was truly like no other gaming experience anyone had had at the time. It revolutionized the RPG genre, and with an involving story and endearing characters, it’s unforgettable.

2. Chrono Trigger
Squaresoft really knew their stuff when it came to RPGs in the early days of console gaming. Chrono Trigger is a great game, it’s as simple as that. The time-traveling concept is fun. The battle system, which was complex and required thinking on your toes, was unlike anything else at the time. The characters, each from their own different time period, were unique, interesting, and fun to get to know. My personal favorite has always been the chivalrous knight, Frog. I’d love to see a Nintendo DS port of this game. Hopefully someone from Square Enix is reading this blog right now (yeah, right) and takes note. Please? For a die-hard fan?

3. Resident Evil 4
I played this game during a stagnant period when I had almost given up on gaming altogether because I could find nothing that pulled me in — no combination of captivating storyline, interesting characters, and awesome gameplay. Resident Evil 4 finally gave me that, along with hope that maybe future games would take some notes from it. I still love the old RE games, but I think RE4 took the series in the right direction for a new generation of gaming. The older ones are still fun to play, but RE4 is fun in a new way. I love the third-person shooter style, I love Leon, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next RE title.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
I have really fond memories of this game. I played this game in turns with two of my cousins during one unforgettable summer spent indoors hooked on Zelda. Everything about it is just perfect. I don’t want to say much for fear that I’ll ramble on forever about the wonder that is Ocarina of Time. It’s filled with different lands, adventure, action, puzzles, and maybe a little romance if you want to look at it that way. It’s my favorite in the Zelda series, which is already chock full of fantastic games. It’s a classic.

5. Super Mario Bros. 3
It’s the first video game I ever played, and it’s still my favorite of the SMB games. The thing about SMB games is that, even now, they’re just fun. You have a blast playing them. SMB3 was especially fun because it had so much stuff to it. Full of different worlds, secret items, bonus levels, mini-games, and SUITS!, you can never really get bored with it. At least, I didn’t when I played it over and over again all those years ago. If by chance you haven’t played it, get the GBA port version because it has improved graphics and a better ending plus tons of extra content.

6. Super Metroid
This was another one of the earliest games I played, and I was addicted to it. I remember it being very, very hard, but I never gave up because I wanted so badly to keep playing. I couldn’t get enough of it. The thing that most stood out to me (and still does) about the game is its atmosphere. The dark, ever-changing alien environments and the distinct music created a world that I wanted to keep delving into. It’s a game in which you’re encouraged to explore every nook and cranny, and you actually want to. It isn’t tedious at all. You’re truly interested in the world that the developers have created, and that’s a sign of a good game.

7. Psychonauts
It was voted “Best Game No One’s Played” at ign.com, so I feel that it’s my job to spread the love. Play Psychonauts! If you like platformers — hell, if you like video games, then play it! You won’t be disappointed. Psychonauts combines artistic graphics, fun gameplay, memorable characters, and humor to make for an incredible game. The storyline is interesting and unique. As a Psychonaut, you actually enter and explore people’s brains, each of which is different. You’ll enter the minds of an ex-army sergeant, a hip disco diva, and even some crazed psychopaths, among others. Some of the dialogue is laugh-out-loud hilarious, but coming from the mind of Tim Schafer, that’s no surprise. The voice acting is great too. It’s almost like an interactive animated movie. An awesome, quirky one.

8. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
I love all the MGS games, and it was hard to pick which one should go on this list, but with all the innovativeness of MGS3 I decided it was most worthy. The gameplay is awesome. You have to survive in the wilderness while battling various enemies. Each new area is interesting, and it’s always fun to discover new ways to get through them. Of course, we’re also introduced to an ensemble of oddball villains, each more fun to kill than the last, and the story is as intriguing as always. Oh, and Solid Snake can be half-naked if you want him to. That’s a plus, right?

9. Legend of Mana
In my opinion, this game is terribly underrated. I’ve played it over and over again, not just because it has good replay value, but because I love the story so much that it’s equivalent to my favorite book — I can read it numerous times and still get something out of it every time. The artwork in all the Mana games is breathtaking, and LoM is no exception. The soundtrack is beautiful and really adds to the atmosphere of the game. It has a full cast of colorful, interesting characters and several storylines that you can leave and come back to whenever you want. There’s so much to do, from normal questing to creating your own weapons, musical instruments, and golems in the workshop to growing produce and raising pets to fight alongside you. Maybe it’s just me being a girl, but the magical, fairy tale-like quality of the game pulls me in. Plus, it has cute sprites!

10. Silent Hill 2
It’s the first Silent Hill game I played on my own (I watched my brother play the first one) and it’s my favorite of the series so far. I don’t mind the cult stuff in the other games, but one of my favorite things about SH2 is that it focuses on James’ plight and leaves the cult out of it. It’s the most similar to Jacob’s Ladder, the movie the creators’ were influenced by while developing the games. As far as survival horror goes, it doesn’t get much better than SH2, in my opinion. Creepy atmosphere, highly disturbing monsters, crazy supporting characters, an intriguing story, and lots of Pyramid Head. You don’t know if James is insane or not (and neither does he) since everyone else seems to be. Play it with the lights on or be brave and turn them off — either way, don’t miss this game!

Honorable mentions: Animal Crossing: Wild World; Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic; Half-Life 2; Parasite Eve; Jak series; Final Fantasies IV, V, VII, VIII, and IX; Skies of Arcadia; Secret of Mana; God of War; Ico; Shadow of the Colossus; World of Warcraft; Guild Wars; Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney; Heavenly Sword; Portal; Uncharted; The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess; Civilization IV

• I’m a nineteen-year-old girl named Alyssa.
• I’ve been gaming since I was really young. I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I do know that I wasn’t in school yet. The first game I can remember playing is Super Mario Bros. 3 on the SNES.
• I love to play games of all shapes and sizes. Whether it’s on the PC or a console, whether it’s RPG or FPS, action/adventure or strategy, I’ll play it. And then I’ll write about it!