#48: God of War

It's a heralded game for a reason.  God of War was a major reason behind PS2's longevity.  Its graphics were excellent for its time.  Its action was brutal and unrelenting.  Its platforming was... ok.  The poor jumping mechanics were my only true problem with the game.

Don't forget, while Resident Evil 4 used quick-time elements here and there, God of War was the first mainstream game that fully embraced quick-time button presses as a major part of its gameplay.  It was a very intelligent design implementation.  The most powerful moments in Kratos's adventure weren't solved by blind button mashing.  It was done by watching the screen the entire time waiting for specific button prompts.  In doing so, you got to watch some great cinematics while focusing on the screen.  It was the first game to do it great, and it paved the way for many other games to mimic it.  For example, I recently beat Bulletstorm, whose plot cutscenes were peppered with quick-time moments.  Thank you God of War.

A special note has to be given to the plot.  For a game that's generally only known for its action.  God of War made a very intriguing alternate universe of mythology.

Keep on raging, Kratos.