Top Ten Best Fifth Entries

It's the day after America's Independence Day, so that means it's July 5th. What better time and excuse to use today's date as the inspiration for a top ten list! This time, we'll be checking out the ten best fifth entries in some of gaming's most prolific franchises. From Halo to Final Fantasy, this list should name some of your favorites! After you've read SuperPhillip Central's list, feel free to shout out any games that are missing from this top ten. For now, let's get on to the list!

10) Halo 5: Guardians (XB1)

After Halo 4's online community seemingly evaporated into nothing, 343 Industries had to step it up with Halo 5: Guardians. The developer did just that, offering a Halo game that features some of the most satisfying combat the series has ever seen, as well as a story that sees Master Chief going AWOL while being pursued by Spartan Locke and his team to bring him back. The multiplayer saw the removal of Halo 4's unlocking of weapons, and instead went back to a weapon loadout at the start of each match, then allowing players to pick up other weapons that spawn on the various maps. While not the best Halo game to ever be created, Halo 5: Guardians was overall a step in the right direction for the franchise.

9) Resident Evil 5 (Multi)

Excluding the social commentary on how racist Resident Evil 5 was or wasn't, the game featured new improvements such as cooperative play either locally or online, the ability to upgrade weapons from the inventory menu rather than heading to a shopkeeper like in Resident Evil 4, and speaking of an inventory menu, Resident Evil 5's had nine slots for each character, and it didn't matter what the size of a given item or weapon was. Throw in a story that saw protagonist Chris Redfield confronting his past and the always fun Mercenaries side-mode, and you had a Resident Evil game that was an exciting third-person shooter.

8) Gran Turismo 5 (PS3)

The gaming world's ultimate driving simulator returned with Gran Turismo 5, the greatest selling PlayStation 3 exclusive to date. Those sales weren't just because of the pedigree of the series. The fifth installment actually had lots to celebrate and enjoy, including online races for up to 16 players, more than 1,000 cars, over 25 locales and locations, over 70 unique raceways, night racing, vehicle damage, and for a first in the series, the licenses of NASCAR, Super GT, and the World Rally Championship were included. There was so much content to be found in Gran Turismo 5, and quality content at that, that it would not be surprising if most players haven't even seen most of it multiple years after its initial release.

7) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Multi)

Past Metal Gear Solid games saw a good deal of open-ended-ness as to how the player could tackle getting through a given room or corridor. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain blew the door off in terms of open-ended-ness, offering an open world to explore, to sneak through, and to complete missions in. This open nature of the game also allowed players to choose the order of their missions, making it so they could play the game in the order that best suited them while still being able to understand the story. The seemingly endless amount of ways one could tackle a mission was and still is astonishingly impressive. Even with its obvious shortcomings, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain remains a wonderful entry in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, and a nice sendoff from the real life Big Boss, Hideo Kojima.

6) Mega Man 5 (NES)

By the fifth game in a series, especially when they are all released on the same platform, things can feel a little bit like the series is going through the motions. Certainly, it could be said that the NES games of the Mega Man series felt just like that. However, while the freshness of the franchise wasn't still there by the fifth installment, Mega Man 5 was still a highly rewarding and entertaining game. The formula remained the same: defeat eight Robot Masters, take their weapons, and use them to defeat normal enemies and bosses alike. Returning to completed levels was possible in order to collect the letters "M-E-G-A-M-A-N-V" which would unlock Mega Man's new bird buddy Beat to be used in battle. With impressive level design, tight controls, and more enemies to blast than you can shake Proto Man's shield at, Mega Man 5 on the NES remains a fantastic entry in the long-running series of the Blue Bomber.

5) Final Fantasy V (SNES)

The fifth entry in the Final Fantasy franchise didn't hit the west until much later after its initial release. It wasn't until its arrival as part of the Final Fantasy Anthology for the PlayStation that us westerners finally got a chance to play this remarkable entry in the Final Fantasy franchise. Final Fantasy V introduced a much loved and cherished system into the series, the job system, allowing party members to assume different jobs allowing them to learn specific skills and abilities. Mastering jobs was incredibly rewarding, and it granted lots of replay value and longevity for players. All that goodness was great for tackling the worldwide threat that was the sinister Exdeath. Final Fantasy V wasn't the strongest 16-bit entry in the series, but it is still very much worth playing.

4) Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (Multi)

The first entry in the Dragon Quest series to hit the Super Famicom (also the first to not reach western shores immediately), Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride was a remarkable entry in the Dragon Quest series and a great step forward for JRPGs in general. The basic combat of the franchise was prevalent, but what was interesting was the ability to recruit monsters to your hero's cause, a gameplay mechanic that would spread into future installments and spin-offs of the series, as well as inspiring other franchises like a little known series called Pokemon. Dragon Quest V also sported an intriguing take on its plot, having the player join the hero from his birth all the way to him getting married-- a 30+ year ride. Dragon Quest V wasn't just an amazing fifth installment of the series, it was also simply one of the best Dragon Quest games ever created.

3) Mario Kart DS (DS)

Mario Kart is a colossal kart racing franchise, and it seldom fails to deliver high octane racing action with items to mess over the competition with and delightful tracks. Mario Kart DS was a big step forward for Nintendo, as it was one of the company's first online offerings. While not all of the tracks were available for online play, the fun of racing randoms as well as friends online in speedy spectacles was a total blast. Mario Kart DS also saw the first official inclusion of sixteen retro tracks from past Mario Kart games along with its collection of sixteen new tracks. Alongside this was a mode that boggles the mind why it wasn't included in future Mario Kart games: Mission Mode. It all equaled a Mario Kart entry that was packed with content for both single player and multiplayer mayhem.

2) Grand Theft Auto V (Multi)

Containing one of the most enjoyable open world sandboxes in gaming history, Grand Theft Auto V continues to sell even multiple years after its original release. The newest installment of the Grand Theft Auto series saw notable improvements to the gunplay, controls, and driving of the franchise, things that fans and critics alike had harped on in past entries. The three character system opened up the story to be seen in different perspectives, and how these three characters' tales did interweave and complement one another was well done. Los Santos itself was absolutely a dream to explore, filled to the brim with stunning detail. The other half of the GTA V package, GTA Online, offered sandbox exploration for dozens of strangers and friends to enjoy, as well as heists and other fun modes. Grand Theft Auto V is a deep, involved game that no doubt deserves all of the sales it has and continues to get.

1) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, 3DS)

While not having a number five attached to its name, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the fifth mainline installment of The Legend of Zelda series. I wondered if I really needed to explain myself for choosing Ocarina of Time as the best fifth entry ever created in gaming due to the fact that it's a game that a lot of people have as their favorite game of all time. With its memorable characters, exciting story, well designed dungeons and puzzles, amazing and revolutionary gameplay, and masterful music, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remains a fabulous Zelda game and not only that, but it remains one of the best made and most cherished games of all time. And this is most definitely for very good reasons.

Top Ten PlayStation 3 Exclusives

This past Sunday SuperPhillip Central listed our favorite ten Xbox 360 exclusives. (Yes, yes. Get your "The Xbox 360 HAS ten worthwhile exclusives?!" comments out of the way here and now.) To cap off the work week we are now going to list what we consider the ten best PlayStation 3 exclusives, whether first or third party. The PS3 is without a doubt our favorite HD system of this past generation. It was actually quite difficult to come up with an order and list of games that we could agree on. Nonetheless, we have arrived at a finalized list of terrific PlayStation 3 exclusives so far. Obviously the PS3 isn't leaving the marketplace any time soon and it will get future classics like new titles such as Gran Turismo 6, The Last of Us, and Puppeteer, to name a few. Regardless, here's what we like most of the PS3's wide range of exclusive games that are currently out.

10) God of War III

God of War III launched in 2010 with lots of fanfare. It was the final game in the original story of the God of War trilogy with Kratos and the Titans climbing up Mount Olympus to finally take down Zeus once and for all. The game contained the same combo-based combat that fans of the series have grown accustomed to, and while some might yearn for something different, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The added power of the PlayStation 3 made for some incredibly awesome action scenes, such as the battle with Poseidon early in the game (expect a detailed description of this fight in a later edition of Best Boss Battles in Gaming History) or pursuing the swift Hermes in an elaborate platforming chase segment. God of War III might not be the best in the trilogy (we rank God of War I and II higher), but it certainly is an epic conclusion to Kratos' saga.

9) inFAMOUS 2

inFAMOUS 2 took Cole MacGrath to a higher level with even more electrifying open world sandbox gameplay, parkour-like platforming, and high-powered superhero (or villain) antics. Everything was bigger and arguably better than the game's predecessor. The addition of user-generated content made for some strong replay-ability within Sucker Punch's open world setting. Perhaps our only gripes with the game comes from the weaker pacing inFAMOUS 2 struggles with as well as a less-than-optimal camera for melee combat. Nonetheless, these problems don't ruin the game. It's with inFAMOUS 2 that our expectations for the PlayStation 4's inFAMOUS: Second Son are so high. Whether or not Sucker Punch can live up to them is an answer we won't get for another six months or so.

8) PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

When this next game was first announced, many dismissed it as simply another Super Smash Bros. clone. SuperPhillip Central leaned towards that line of thinking, but actually trying out PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale for ourselves, the two series are different enough to both have a place in the marketplace. Rather than knocking opponents out of the arena or making them lose their health to score K.O.s, Battle Royale had  Supers that were earned through connecting attacks on opponents. Unleashing a Super and making contact with it meant you scored a point. The roster was full of both familiar first and third party characters such as Uncharted's Nathan Drake, God of War's Kratos, Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, and even Ape Escape's Spike. Earning points to gain levels for each character meant you were always unlocking something new, whether it be victory themes, backgrounds, poses, and alternate costumes. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale may be a Smash Bros. clone, but it's a really good one. Note: We know that this game is also on Vita, but console-wise it's exclusive to the PS3.

7) Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Much like God of War III was the end of a trilogy, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time marked the end of the Future trilogy, containing Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty, and this game. A Crack in Time began with Ratchet and Clank being separated from one another. However, Clank wasn't totally defenseless as he had a special time scepter that could not only attack foes, but it could be used on time pads to create holograms of Clank's past maneuvers. This cool trick was used to solve many of the game's brain busters. A Crack in Time also featured space exploration, albeit on a level plane, where Ratchet could explore optional moons and compete in combat. We look fondly back at Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time as it really was the last honestly excellent Ratchet & Clank game.

6) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Once again enter the shoes of Solid Snake-- well, an older version at least-- as he once again goes on a mission to save the world as we know it. Well, as we WILL know it, as this game takes place in a not-so-distant future. Anyway, the traditional stealth-action gameplay consisting of moving around enemy-infested areas without being spotted and utilizing close quarters combat to take out those who wish to intercept you was all present and accounted for with this much anticipated sequel. New features included the Psyche Meter, which could make it quite difficult to aim if Snake was seriously stressed out, as well as the CamoSuit that allowed Snake to blend in with his surroundings a la the camouflage in Snake Eater. Metal Gear Solid veterans would even get to revisit an old haunt in fantastic fashion with Guns of the Patriots. While we'll always have a soft spot for the original MGS and MGS3 as our favorites, Metal Gear Solid 4 is still a worthy installment in the popular stealth-action series.

5) Killzone 2 

We are all familiar with the rather infamous tech demo that was shown to onlookers at E3 2005. While the final game did not look as lovely or as graphically intense, what PlayStation 3 owners got to enjoy was still an incredibly fast and fluid first-person shooter with tons of fierce weaponry and vehicles to mow down the Helghast forces with sensational efficiency. Many members of the press and gamers too seem to always be fascinated with first-person shooters. Not just this, but they're always looking for that so-called "Halo-killer." Killzone 2 was not that, but the game did make it known that it was the premier first-person shooter on the PlayStation 3. We eagerly anticipate more news on the PlayStation 4's Killzone: Shadow Fall, even though we definitely show symptoms of FPS fatigue. That just shows how remarkable a franchise Killzone is.

4) Journey

We hate to speak in overly emotional terms, as we're freaking talking about video games here and not the Mona Lisa. However, Journey evoked such interesting feelings from us, such as wonder and awe. Exploring a giant sandy wonderland made us feel so minuscule in comparison. The game allowed for multiplayer, but the catch was that you could not voice chat or communicate greatly with your online partner. Despite not knowing the anonymous helpers that were assisting us in our adventure across the desert, we found ourselves getting a bit of an attachment to each and every one and a sense of companionship. Journey would later come in retail form alongside thatgamecompany's other PlayStation Store projects, Fl0w and Flower in a $29.99 collection. There's a reason we picked Journey as the PS3 Game of 2012 at our end of year awards show, and these are but some of the reasons why.

3) Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Level-5 and famed animation studio Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke) teamed up to create one of the most beautiful games we've ever witnessed. We don't say this with a lot of hyperbole either. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a glorious-looking game. It not only looks nice but it absolutely plays like a dream. Players took the role of Oliver, a peppy 13 year-old boy who recently lost his mother. No sooner than it seemed that this incident occurred that a stuffed animal came to life and transported the two to another world. There the true fun began with traditional RPG activities such as exploring monster-filled dungeons, initiating battles with Oliver or one of his many Familiars, and visiting towns to converse with the locals. When one says that the JRPG is in a state of decline, we confidently scoff and point them to such games like Ni no Kuni and Xenoblade Chronicles.

2) LittleBigPlanet 2

Listed as our favorite new I.P. of the past generation, LittleBigPlanet didn't really come into its own until the superior sequel, LittleBigPlanet 2. Not only did the sequel have much more in the way of creator options (you didn't even need to make platforming levels if you didn't want to), but it allowed players to take their progress and levels from the original LittleBigPlanet and import them into the sequel. The levels already pre-made by Media Molecule were insanely clever and inspired us to try to do even better. We've lost so many hundreds of hours concocting our own creations-- more than we care to admit, really, but when you have a game that is as compelling as LittleBigPlanet 2, you learn to live wit hit.

1) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Metacritic's most critically acclaimed game of 2009, the year of its release, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the pinnacle of the PlayStation 3 platform. While the original Uncharted was an intense thrill ride, Uncharted 2 came along and made everything more astounding and amazing. From taking cover while a tank bombards you with shelling to running atop a speeding train while a helicopter targets you, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is certainly not lacking in the thrills department. The game didn't stop with the single-player campaign. Naughty Dog implemented two multiplayer functions: one for up to three players to play cooperatively and one for competitive play, so long after you completed the campaign you could log even more hours into Uncharted 2. "Masterpiece" is a word that is thrown around so casually these days, but we think we're safe in giving that title to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

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Did we leave out one of your favorite exclusives for the PlayStation 3? Set us straight in the comments section below.