I agree with the consensus that gaming is highly subjective. I don't think that a "best game" exists because people choose their own favorites and have their own reasons. "Best" implies that it is 100% well-regarded and that will just never happen.

OoT is not my personal favorite of all time, but I did love it. I also loved Majora's Mask to a lesser extent. I liked Wind Waker more than both, but I think you'll be hearing the most praise for one or both of the N64 titles... because that's just how today works I guess. I'm not arguing, I'll hold fast to my own opinions.

Try Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates for the DS... you woudn't think it but I found it to be an incredibly well-written game, and the ending is still one of the only game endings that had me choked up. The main kid has his mom die (not a spoiler, as you find out at the start of the game), and has a lot of other horrible things happen to him throughout the story, but the ending's really touching. 

WillisTron1

No one here has mentioned To The Moon, so I'll go ahead and say it: I played this game a couple days ago and literally bawled my eyes out at the end. It was hands down the saddest and most touching game I've ever played. It wasn't just the end that got me; numerous parts of the game were cry-worthy. This game was more of an interactive story--all it required were the arrow keys and maybe a click every so often, but really it was perfect at what it tried to do. It achieved everything it strived for. And I was, and am, beyond touched by the story.

Highly, highly recommend.

the last of us was the only game to make me feel anything for a game character. it definitely tugged on my heart, and almost made me cry.krayzieE99

I was largely unaffected until maybe a few years ago where I became inspired to develop my own stories. Since then, I started listening to details and try to immerse myself into the story and relate to the characters. Alot of games have got to me lately:

Metal Gear Solid 3,4

Heavy Rain

Silent Hill Shattered Memories

Mass Effect series

Skyward Sword

Walking Dead

Fire Emblem Awakening

Last of Us

thetravman

I never cried but I was really sad when roboy on chrono trigger was getting beat up by the other robotsTheKingIAm

I think whenever a game is so praised, there are going to be lots of people who simply don't feel that way.  I'm not saying that HL2 is above all other games, but it's one of the better games I've played for sure.  I thought Alyx was a great character.  As for the comparison to Elizabeth, I really like Elizabeth, but I think Alyx is better (but to be fair Alyx had 3 games).

One flaw in Half Life 2 though is that after the first hour the progression slows down a bit for about another hour, but if you can get past that, the game just keeps getting better.

drekula2

definitely play the orange box.

two of my friends, one a jrpg fan in korea and a nintendo fan in america, both said they hate FPS games.  i recommended them the half life 2 series and they both loved it so much they played them all in succession in one week.

drekula2