Have you ever bought a book because of the cover? Maybe watched a film because of who was in it? Something the first thing we see about a piece of content can influence how we view it, and games are no different in that regard.
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A title has a lot of power.Dragon Ageis self-explanatory for what it is;The Legend of Zeldasounds epic like an old folktale. Names can draw you in, though some games like to go a step forward, making their names a bit more literal. This really is the Best Title Drops In Games.
9Devil May Cry
Aside from being one of the greatest character-action games and packed with unforgettable characters,Devil May Crycomes with an imposing title. It’s the name of Dante’s demon-hunting business, a joke that even he could make devils cry.
The title of the game is actually dropped in the very first game when Dante is called with a job, though it’s announced in a more deliberate way in Devil May Cry 3, when Lady says, “Maybe somewhere out there even a devil may cry when he loses a loved one.” This is a line delivered at the very end of the game too, to really make sure you haven’t forgotten what game you’re playing.
8Control
Remedy makes a very specific genre of game, and those are ones shrouded in absurdism.Alan Wake, for example, is just Twin Peaks with more direct supernatural elements. Plenty of title drops there, for obvious reasons.Controlfollows this up with its own brand of surrealism.
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In a game called Control, you’re able to very much assume you have great control over things, and the game wants you to know it. Anyone who’s played the game remembers the Ashtray Maze, and the very first words sung are “Take Control.” It sets the scene perfectly.
7Thomas Was Alone
In an industry increasingly pushing for unrealistic degrees of hyper-realism, Thomas Was Alone is like a balm for the eyes. The hyper-density of polygons reduced to the simple, sharp angles of shapes. Just simply shapes. But even a little shape can have a great personality.
Being simple shapes, each has its own function. Some are long, others tall. While some are odd shapes, others are more standard. Yet at the beginning, Thomas is alone. In fact, the very first line uttered in the game is “Thomas Was Alone.” Poor little guy. Eh, square.
6Life Is Strange
Developed originally by Dontnod,Life is Strangehas captured the hearts of players all over the world. What felt like it might have been simple teen drama turned into a game that peeled away the layers in life,showcasing the scars people can manifest over their lives, and how no amount of time manipulation can solve it.
Life is Strange tackles plenty of heavy topics, but also isn’t afraid to take some time to be more lighthearted, and even made fun of itself. It’s a little cheeky in that regard because in the final episode, Max travels to an art exhibition and says the phrase, “Life is… weird.” It isn’t strictly the title, but was said in a way that feels like an intentional betrayal.
5The Evil Within 2
Though Tango Gameworks has become acclaimed for the upbeatHi-Fi Rush, they originally came to fame withThe Evil Within, Shinji Mikami’s stab at blending elements ofResident EvilandSilent Hill. It’s an odd, disjointed game, and the sequel builds upon it in many ways.
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If you return to O’Neal’s safehouse in Chapter 8, you get to have an interesting conversation where the words “That may be… but there’s EVIL WITHIN, TOO…” before staring at the camera. One of the creepiest parts of the game, honestly.
4Resident Evil - Code: Veronica
Code: Veronica falls in a funny place forResident Evil. It takes place after Resident Evil 2 and 3, and shifts towards gothic horror rather than the more American styling used previously. Yet it also remains as the one major game that hasn’t had a major release or remake in more recent years, despite being one of the most beloved entries.
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All that said, the game has you playing as both Claire and Chris Redfield on a remote prison island. Without getting too deep into the story, there is a moment quite far in that requires inputting a code. That code? Veronica. Even better, the game doesn’t especially hint at this either.
3Dark Souls
Ah,Dark Souls. Famed for its combat, enemies and world-building, the eponymous Dark Soul is actually mentioned very little despite being the game’s namesake. You could go the whole series gathering Lord Souls before even realising what the Dark Soul even is.
The Dark Soul is mentioned on two occasions. The first is in the opening cinematic of the first game, saying “Your progenitor found the fourth soul…The Dark Soul.” More directly, you discover the remaining Dark Souls in the third game, with Slave Knight Gael remarking “The blood of the Dark Soul?” Fitting for a final encounter.
2Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gearis a series that relishes in names and words. It’s hard enough to keep track of how many different Snakes there are, butcodewords and signature phraseslitter the series, holding as much weight in symbolism as they do in intentional humour.
For example, every game has Snake or others say “Metal Gear” in some form. That’s not enough, of course, and the subtitles usually find a way too. Solidus proclaiming “And we will become The Sons of Liberty,” or Ocelot shouting, “Behold! The Guns of the Patriots.” They’re far from what you might call subtle, which is fitting for the series.
1Kingdom Hearts
This one almost feels unfair.Kingdom Heartsis already an oddity, existing because of a literal elevator pitch by Tetsuya Nomura. But the series drops its titles so much you’d almost forget it’s happening. Almost, but for the fact that the subtitles of each game are just absurdly named.
Sure, every game says “Kingdom Hearts!” with extreme tenacity. Yet hearing Namíne say “You would knowingly shackle your heart with a Chain of Memories born of lies,” or Aqua having a nice chat with Ansem, where he says, “So many are still waiting for their new beginning, their Birth By Sleep.” There are so many more, enough to fill their own dedicated article.
