There you have it. Each of these gaming moms have shown us something different in what it means to be a mother, but all of them are portraying the same thing -- the love they have for their children.

Mother's day is coming round once again, so with that in mind, why don't you take the words from the picture above and say them to your mom. I think it's fair to say that we often don't say them enough, and this time of year is a great reminder of everything they do for us. If a person in a game is able to resonate love more so than we do in the real world, then we need to step up! I challenge you all to give your mother a hug today. Go on, do it.

Are there any mothers in games that you love? Heck, you may just want to tell everyone how much you love your own mother. Sound off in the comments, and happy Mother's Day!

Bonus: Jun Kazama - Tekken Series

Jun may be from a fighting series rather than an RPG, but that doesn't make her any less of a great mother, so she manages to sneak in at the end of this list as bonus entry -- yes I know I've cheated a bit, but she is a bonus mom.

At face value, Jun plays an extremely minimal role throughout the series, as she only appears in one canon game -- Tekken 2. However, this role portrays who she was as a person and what she meant to her son, Jin.

The Mishima/Kazama saga throughout the fighting franchise has been one of hatred, evil plotting, bloodshed and devil related mishaps. Both Jin and Kazuya have been plagued by the devil gene for the entire duration of the series, but sadly Jun, the only ounce of purity and goodness in the family, died, or at the very least, disappeared.

Jun was determined to guide Jin and Kazuya through their struggle with the demonic gene. So much so that her very presence kept it at bay. As a character she is wildly juxtaposed to her family as a nature loving, calming influence.

A lesson to be learned here is that amidst the chaos of our lives, a mother can sometimes be the only source of happiness in our lives. Don't take that for granted.

Allie - Ni No Kuni

Allie is an example of a mother who puts her life in extreme danger for the sake of her son.

Spoilers incoming. Although she ultimately dies from a heart condition, Allie is quick to rescue Oliver from a river before he drowns at the start of the game. For a mother to put her own life on the line and do something like this is the ultimate sacrifice. It's a personification of the love that they have for their children.

Throughout Oliver's adventures, although Allie is not physically with him, she is what keeps him going. He may not see her, but on a transcendental level, she has never left. It is this that makes Ni No Kuni a truly touching story.

This game teaches all of us an important and heartfelt lesson. Even when our mothers might not be with us, the legacy they leave behind always lives on. It sounds cheesy, but it's most definitely true. Through our memories and abundant love for our mothers, they will always remain close.

Lara - Chrono Trigger

Lara is a mother who, while not doing much herself, indirectly represents a loving mother through the actions of her daughter, Lucca.

Once Lucca is able to time travel with her friends, the option to revisit her mother in a heartwarming side quest becomes available. Lara is a paraplegic who unfortunately became paralyzed after a tragic incident with a sewing machine but Lucca is able to erase any memory of this happening if you are quick enough.

This quest in Chrono Trigger will take you back before the moment occurred, and if Lucca enters a specific password (L-A-R-A, for the record -- how touching), history will be rewritten and her mother will be forever cured of paralysis, or rather, it will have never even happened.

For a child to go to lengths such as this to help their mother is proof enough that they love her to pieces. Going back in time to save our mothers from something is probably out of the equation, but doing something to relay that love will always be received with adoration.

Ness' Mother - Earthbound

Whereas a mother's love is able to keep the mother herself going in King's Quest VII, it is also what keeps the child going, as Earthbound alludes to.

Ness' mother, who has no name, will regularly feed Ness' favorite food and give him a place to sleep so that he can be fully rejuvenated for the next fight. It's the simple stuff that counts, am I right?

Better yet, if Ness doesn't come by and say hello to his mother enough, either through visiting or a by calling her, he will eventually become homesick. This can occasionally cause him to miss a turn in battle, so it just goes to show that a child needs their mother in order to keep enduring the hard times. 

Without our mothers, we aren't a strong as we should be. They can do a world of good for all of us, so just remember, if your mother makes you some food, be sure to thank her for it afterwards.

Valanice - King's Quest VII

Queen Valanice was proclaimed as a compassionate soul to just about everyone she met. Her loving heart relayed to her own daughter, and when she was sadly kidnapped, Valanice leaped into action to save her in King's Quest VII.

Being the protagonist of the seventh entry in the series, Valanice braves harsh climates and environments in order to be reunited with her daughter. A face of beauty couldn't quite cut it when going up against giant scorpions and other nasties, but Valanice's sheer love and desperation to see her daughter again won the day.

It's a clichéd term, but love does conquer all. In Valanice's case, it allowed her to courageously venture across dangerous lands for the sake of her child. Would your mother do that for you? You may be inclined to say no, but when push comes to shove, you'd be surprised at what a mother would be willing to do to keep their child out of harm's way.

Lirum - Lost Odyssey

Now we're moving on from Flemeth and going right to the other end of the spectrum. Lirum is a shining example of a mother who loves her children unconditionally despite having a truly hard life.

After being separated from her parents when she was only a young child, Lirum spent almost her entire life searching for them so she could be with them once more. In that time, she bore children, Cooke and Mack. The quirky twins may have opposing personalities, but they both love their mother more than anything else.

Once Kaim was able to be reunited with his daughter, it was too late to conventionally cure Lirum from the condition that she had been stricken with. Get ready for some gut wrenching spoilers here... In her final moments, Lirum wearily addresses her loved ones saying how much of a joy they were to her, before passing away in front of them.

If this isn't enough to have you crying yourself to sleep, then do yourself a favor and go and tell your mother how much you love her. Seriously. Do it right now. Lirum's final moments in the Lost Odyssey compels you to!

Dishonorable Mention: Flemeth - Dragon Age Series

As a bonus before we begin, let's take a lot at a mother who acts as a very bad role model for every child-bearing parent across the globe.

Morrigan's life was made much harder thanks to this witch. The not-so loving Flemeth literally absorbs the souls of her daughters in order to extend her own life. That right there is not a compassionate act of motherhood. 

Morrigan fortunately escaped her, much to our delight, and then sees her somewhat estranged mother once again in Dragon Age: Inquisition. She isn't too thrilled with this reunion, and spares no expense in showing her disgust but Flemeth toys with her nonetheless.

We still have to give Flemeth a little credit. She recognizes Morrigan's potential and isn't villainous to her outright, but if you're looking for a mother brimming with compassion, this isn't the lady you should be seeking.

Who doesn't love their own mother?

The very person who brought all of us into this world is someone we should always look up to. A special bond between mother and child is something to be cherished and with Mother's Day just around the corner in the States, it's something that should be on many people's mind right about now.

Although it may not be seen as important in the world of gaming, RPGs throughout the years have given us a glimpse into the (sometimes harsh) reality of being a mother and how their love for their child resonates with other characters, whether it's through their words or actions.

To get us into that Mother's Day spirit (not that we should need it anyway), here is a list of 5 mothers in RPGs whose love for their children is too big for words.

Suikoden III

Suikoden 3 continues the series legacy of the 108 Stars Of Destiny and its near perfect yet mature storytelling and character development.

The opening for Suikoden 3 is a favorite of mine just slightly edging out FInal Fantasy VIII. The music is by Japanese band Himekami and the song is called Exceeding Love. The animation and the music really help show the game's different protagonists, characters, races and it's serious tone. Showcasing conflicts of war and love it captures the mood of the series perfectly.

Do you have a different opening cinematic which you consider the best? If so let me know below.

Final Fantasy VIII

Final Fantasy VIII is when Squaresoft really started to show a mastery of the CGI cinematics we first saw in Final Fantasy VII. It still holds up well today and showcases the flair and the art style the developers became known for.

Perhaps what the opening is better known for the is music. The Latin choral piece is called "Liberi Fatalli" that translates to "fated children" remains one of the most recognisable pieces of music from the Final Fantasy series and is still played regularly on the Distant Worlds orchestral tours to this day.

Suikoden II

Suikoden 2 is without a doubt one of the best RPG's ever made, the story is full of betrayal and loss, and the music is amazing. The villain Luca Blight is one of the most evil, bloodthirsty and sadistic antagonists you'll see in any game.

The intro for this game is quite basic in its animation showing more or less static images of some of the key characters with Luca Blight in particular standing out. There is some CGI animation and it carries quite a bit of impact in line with the beautiful music that tells as much of tale the scenes on the screen. There's a standout scene that symbolises hope in amongst all the ruins of a war at around 1.15 seconds. Beyond the great intro Suikoden 2 is a game every RPG fan young or old should play.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant

The dark and gothic Shadow Hearts series started back on the original PlayStation with Koudelka but the real stand out title was Shadow Hearts: Covenant it was set after the events of the first Shadow Hearts game and takes place in an alternative earth during the early days of the first World War.

The opening reintroduces us to the protagonist Yuri who is a Harmonixer in demon form fighting off soldiers there to exorcise him. The cinematography is really well done, and has a really filmic and cinematic feel to the entire scene, and sets up a fantastic story full of twists and turns in an original setting. It also gives you a glimpse of the the most interesting protagonists the JRPG genre.

Xenogears

Xenogears is an intelligently told science fiction JRPG that deals with different religious practices particularly Gnostic spirituality. The plot relies heavily on the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Psychological issues such as dissociative identity disorder also play a major role in the game's plot. If this makes the game sound complex and way ahead of its time back in 1998, it's because it was.

The intro here is a stunning mix of CGI and anime which gives you a small but intriguing taste of what is to come in the journey ahead in this sci fi universe.

The Xeno name lives on in Monolith Soft's current Nintendo series Xenoblade and the Xenosaga trilogy prior to that on Playstation 2.

Lost Odyssey 

Lost Odyssey was a dream team collaboration that was written and directed by the father of Final Fantasy Hironobu Sakaguchi at his own development studio Mistwalker. The soundtrack was by the famed Final Fantasy composer Nobou Uematsu, and Feelplus was also brought in for the gameplay mechanics. Feelplus were made up by a large part of the original Nautilus team that worked on the Shadow Hearts series, and was a true traditional Japanese RPG in every sense of the word. For many fans it was a Final Fantasy game in all but the name.

The opening cinematics in the game showcase an absolutely epic battle sequence that give the player a idea of what the lead character Kaim is capable of and the kind of a warrior he is. Similarly to FF7 you're thrust straight into that action about 3 minutes into the sequence.

Lost Odyssey for me was one of the reasons to own an Xbox 360 but it was unfortunately doomed to obscurity on a platform that was once only associated with space marine shooters in the West. As a result many gamers missed out on a game that I can't recommend enough. If you're a fan of traditional JRPG's then you owe to yourself to play this game.

Final Fantasy VII 

Final Fantasy VII marked a new era for the FF series and helped push JRPG's into the mainstream. Like many others it was the first game in the genre I had ever played and I love the JRPG as much now as I did back then.

This introduction still gives me nostalgic goosebumps; it provided the player with a sense of scale and that you were about embark on a huge journey. As the camera slowly pans out showing the massive world around you -- something we saw again in the FInal Fantasy XV intro. During the intro we get a first glimpse at Aeris/Aerith as the flower girl and the bustling cyberpunk metropolis of Midgar, before it thrusts you straight into the action as the hero Cloud.

Final Fantasy Tactics: War Of The Lions 

Final Fantasy: Tactics is a tremendous tactical JRPG, and the remaster on the PlayStation Portable War Of The Lions really showcases what kind of great storytelling Square-Enix is capable of. The events take place in Ivalice the same setting Final Fantasy XII and Vagrant Story the game is full of twists, turns and political intrigue.

The beautifully cell shaded opening cinematics look like they've been hand drawn which helps set the game apart from other games in the FF series. The cinematics provide you with a great opening and show you glimpse of some of the characters you encounter in the game.

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete Complete was remastered from the Sega CD original with added characters and scenes it was then ported again to the Sega Saturn and the PlayStation. It's a light hearted tale but at it's center is a story of love, heroism and adventure.

The amazing introduction sequence has certainly stood the test of time from its 1992 origins and shows a good glimpse of what to expect from the game's story and overall themes -- this is especially true for the relationship between Luna and Alex. The character designs and video sequences were by Toshiyuki Kubooka and rightly received a lot of praise from critics and fans alike.

Chrono Cross 

Chrono Cross was developed as a spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger, where instead of time travelling we're given a new direction with parallel worlds instead and it does a great job of intertwining the world's events and stories.

Chrono Cross has one of the most beautiful opening cinematics, and contains some of the most stunning music that really hits all the right emotional notes. The cinematics do a great job of introducing all the lead characters within the game.

Grandia III 

The Grandia series has been on my favorite series lists ever since I played the first one on the original PlayStation, and its sequel on the Dreamcast. The stories really drew me in and the battle system was one of the best I'd seen in a turn based RPG. While Grandia 3 didn't quite have the great the storyline of the first two games it was still a fun fairytale in its own right and did a fine job of taking you on a rather grand adventure. It's battle system was definitely more refined.

The introduction to Grandia 3 is rather beautiful from a visual perspective and the song is extremely catchy, so be warned it may play around in your head for a while afterward. The cinematics give you a good idea of what to expect from the game, especially with the protagonists ambitions to take flight.

Tales of the Abyss 

Tales Of The Abyss is one the best games in the series, and had an excellent story that pulls the player in from its early stages with it's great cast of characters and cutscenes.

This beautiful anime introduction really helps to set the tone of the game, and expectations for what is come. It's fun, exciting and introduced you to the heroes of the story who grow and develop greatly throughout the massive story. None more so than the main protagonist Luke, who starts out as quite an unlikeable and overly privileged brat but is in a way broken down as character and is rebuilt as a hero who learns how to put others before himself.

Final Fantasy XV's opening theme is memorable for all the right reasons, it definitely sets the scene and the tone of the game. You immediately get that it's a roadtrip tale of brotherhood and friendship. If you look very closely you'll see a subtle nod or two to the past games introductions too.

The opening cinematics in the JRPG's especially during the PlayStation 1 and 2 eras of RPG's became a tradition with many being memorable enough to still make us nostalgic and strike the right emotional chords 20 years later.

Here I have listed some of the more memorable cinematic openings that still have the emotional impact today as they did back then.

An ancient classic has risen from the dust and ashes. Lost Odyssey, developed by Feelplus and Mistwalker, and published by Microsoft, is now available on backwards compatibility on Xbox One. 

It was published by Microsoft Game Studios in 2007 in Japan and 2008 in western countries later. Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg, head of Xbox marketing, announced the backwards compatible version on Twitter earlier this week:

You asked for it and the team responded! We are bringing Lost Odyssey to @Xbox One with back compat today! pic.twitter.com/B9A3qO7UNe

— Aaron Greenberg (@aarongreenberg) September 29, 2016

There's a catch though -- you'll have to have a physical copy of the game in order to play it, as there's no digital option on the store.

Lost Odyssey is a Japanese turn-based RPG, praised in its time for a strong focus on story. Unfortunately the load times and formulaic gameplay held it back for many as well. 

The game wasn't a massive commercial success in western countries, so finding the game (instead of already owning it) will be a more difficult challenge.

In an RPG, a boss battle is like a punctuation mark at the end of a dungeon or event. They can be a defining moment of a game, creating tense feelings in a player who may not have been expecting a tough battle or driving the narrative through an encounter with the primary antagonist. You tend to remember boss battles more than others, and you usually spend a lot more time in a boss battle than your run-of-the-mill encounters.

This is what makes a great boss battle soundtrack all the more important. The change from the standard battle theme to something more intense can give the player a real feeling of "shit just got real." Below are ten examples of some of the greatest boss battle themes.

Warning: This list contains mild to severe spoilers, read at your own risk.

Laughter

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium

Uploaded by SNESosT

When this song starts, you know you're in for the real deal. The rockin' beat of the synthetic instruments playing the foreboding melody of this song really gets you amped up. You can just feel the intensity of this boss battle just from the song, and if you haven't been properly training or preparing for a tough boss fight this is certainly going to be the song that heralds your Game Over. I hope you saved recently!

Fight With Seymour

Final Fantasy X

Uploaded by CrazyMan03

Nobuo Uematsu really knows what he's doing, and this is why he's considered one of the most legendary video game composers in the business. Final Fantasy X features one of the greatest boss battle themes in the entire series, "Fight with Seymour". The spine-tingling electronic buildup at the beginning of the song that leads into the operatic vocals and finally into the intense percussion just gets you fired up when the blue haired antagonist of FFX engages you for what promises to be a challenging battle.

The pacing of the song keeps it upbeat, but the underlying theme of a dark and foreboding ambition really sinks in as the song progresses. There's nothing bad to say about this song, except that it only plays once or twice in the entire game.

Best Friend

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

Uploaded by VGMOST

With a title like "Best Friend", how could you predict such a dark and ominous song would follow? This song plays as you battle the boss at the finale of the first half of Persona Q. In a game as difficult as Persona Q you know to look forward to bosses, and the game adequately warns you as you approach the chamber of each boss, providing a save point and a chance to return to the shops and heal up. However, when "Best Friend" starts playing at the beginning of the battle with this boss, you know something is seriously different.

Compared to the previous bosses, this one is no joke, and you better take it even more seriously than the others. The dread this rock song instills in you will haunt you every time you hear it afterwards, even with the tinges of hope it might include with its more upbeat sections.

Battle! (Gym Leader)

Pokemon X & Y

Uploaded by utuber6061backup

Pokemon games are about a journey through the land, taming wild creatures and bonding with them as you face the challenges of the gyms and the threat of the organized crime gangs you might encounter along the way. This journey culminates at the Elite Four, where you'll battle to become the champion of the league. This song is the anthem that plays as you battle your way through those Gyms, facing their various themed leaders.

The introduction of this song can get your skin crawling in anticipation of the challenge you're about to face from some of the most skilled trainers in Kalos. The meat of the song keeps up a steady toe-tapping beat and the uplifting music can help you focus on overcoming the difficult battle you're in. The excitement as it builds into a full fledged anthem can instill you with the confidence you need.

Dante Battle

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

Uploaded by wpellot

Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series! This tag on the cover of the North American and European versions of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne has spawned a meme that echos across the internet. However, Dante's addition to Nocturne added one of the greatest battle themes in the series to the game. The first time you meet Dante you'll have to fight him, in a very unexpected encounter.

When the song fires up you know the Devil Hunter means serious business, capable of clearing out your entire team in a single round if you aren't careful. In a game as unforgiving as Nocturne, this is a serious threat. The rock tune is very befitting of both games, I could easily picture Dante flipping around and juggling a half dozen demons with his signature stylish skills in his own game as well as I can picture the Protagonist of Nocturne facing up in turn-based combat with him.

Battle Conditions

Lost Odyssey

Uploaded by Zapper101

Right from the beginning of this song you can feel the intensity, and it never drops. Nobuo Uematsu didn't screw around when he composed this brilliant piece for Lost Odyssey. Lost Odyssey can be a very punishing game if you aren't prepared properly for what lies ahead of you, and bosses are the prime example of such preparedness being mandatory!

When you hear this song kick in, you'd better hope your immortals are healed up and your mortals are well prepared to support them -- or else you're in for a beating that the main character, Kaim, will never forget. The frantic beat of the song is really emphatic about how desperate the struggle you're about to face could be, and it really sets the tone for the boss battles.

Uncontrollable

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Uploaded by Napon [OST Uploads]

This is both the first vocally driven track and the first non-turn based RPG to pop up on the list. Xenoblade X plays this track whenever you engage in combat with one of the optional bosses wandering around the world of Mira. Ranging from small to exceptionally large, these creatures are all deadly for one reason or another -- and without proper care you can find yourself walking directly into the maw of a particularly deadly monster without realizing it.

Hearing this song start up as you're wandering around the world gives you a sense of panic as you try to gauge what your best option would be, running away or standing and fighting. The vocals are gorgeous, and you just can't help but sing along once this song buries itself into your ear. Just let the beat carry you as you struggle against the hostile world of Mira.

Battle of Tribulations

Bravely Second: End Layer

Uploaded by EightGiratina

I knew I wanted to include one of the various boss themes from the Bravely series but I had a hard time choosing, they're all so good. I settled for Bravely Second's "Battle of Tribulations", as I feel it emphasizes the mood of the battle the best. As your party struggles in battle with one of the various new Asterisk -- symbols of power that grant you the ability to use special jobs -- holders in the game.

The frenetic pace of the drums and the sense of desperation the song gives off is augmented with its operatic vocal backings and glorious guitar riffs. As the song goes on, you notice that there is an underlying tone of hope that builds the more you listen to it. This song just has the perfect blend of emotional messages in it that makes it so fitting for a boss fight. Instant classic.

The Edge of Green

Radiant Historia

Uploaded by James Turner

Radiant Historia is one of those RPGs I never hear people talk about in conversations regarding the best RPGs of all time. I don't think enough people give this game the credit it deserves, and this track is a perfect example of what the game is capable of.

This boss theme is mellow compared to my previous entries, featuring both piano and violin synchronizing in perfect harmony over a heart-pounding beat that leaves you ready to do battle with the deadliest foes. Yoko Shimomura's composing work is brilliant and this is just another note on the ever expanding list of fabulous work she has done.

Megalovania

Undertale

Uploaded by Hawelo92

You know you're in for a bad time when you hear this glorious track. Honestly, I had a hard time settling on a song to pick from Undertale, as all the boss songs are just so great. They are all perfectly thematic for their respective boss along with the tone of the story at that particular point in the game. I decided to go with "Megalovania" for a couple reasons.

I feel as if this song really drives home my point about a boss song setting a mood that should make a player feel like something serious is about to happen. Additionally to my previous point, I feel as though this song is one of the best composed in the game, as well as being memorable for having appeared in Toby Fox's other work. It is simply overall just a great track, and the battle that goes with it is one of the most well coordinated and intense fights in Undertale.

These are just a fraction of the great selection of boss tunes out there to find in all the various RPGs available to us. Did I include your favorite game? Share some of your favorites in the comments.

These were only 10 of the absolutely astounding number of gaming mothers, and there's plenty more we could have looked at that deserved to be nominated for "best," "worst," or even "most insane."

What did you think of our picks, and who would you choose for the best and worst moms in gaming?

The Absolute Worst Mom Of Gaming: The Mom From Binding Of Isaac

Somehow even more visually terrifying than Alma and Queen Brahne put together, Isaac's mom is the epitome of bad motherhood. Much like Abraham, this parent hears god's voice telling her to kill her child... and she listens to it.

Whether by stabbing, stomping, or crushing, she's hell-bent on ending her own offspring in a very unpleasant way. Even if he lives, Isaac will forever have those fleshy leg-folds branded into his memory!

Dahlia Gillespie Silent Hill

A fanatical cultist, Dahlia is more concerned with what her daughter Alessa can offer their religion than with her daughter's actual well-being.

She tries to use Alessa as an incubator to birth an evil god, and when Alessa is terribly burned, Dahlia keeps her alive despite the extreme pain - not out of love, but out of a desire to keep her mad plot going.

Fortunately, the tables are turned at the end of the first Silent Hill. Of course, in the movie adaptation, Dahlia is a much more sympathetic character rather than an outright villain.

Deadbeat mom: YOU

It absolutely doesn't matter how hard you try, you're going to end up a deadbeat parent in any Fable game. All that adventuring and real estate buying will always have you leaving your spouse and kid at home, wishing you'd come around more often.

Divorce seems inevitable, unless you really put in a lot of time at the dinner table. Fable 3 in particular lets you be pretty terrible on the parenthood front... by allowing devastating child labor to continue to run rampant in your home city.

Since the Fable series lets you keep marrying and having more children as often as you'd like (in fact, some achievements require you to be polygamous or kill previous spouses!), you can end up with a ridiculous number of children, as seen below.

Living Through Your Children: Flemeth

If you want to be a powerful apostate witch who can shapeshift and sling spells, then Flemeth is a great mom... until you reach a certain age. Turns out Flemeth is so exceedingly long-lived because she keeps overtaking the bodies of her daughters to start life anew. Still, up till the whole “killing you” part, it seems like she'd be a useful mom to have.

Not Around Enough To Be Awful: Jimmy's Mom

Not only does this parental figure from Bully commit crimes against fashion, but she's not a great mother either. On the up side, she's as distant and uncaring as they come. Normally that would be a bad thing, but when you consider some of the other mothers on this list, essentially staying out of Jimmy's life isn't nearly the worst thing that could have happened.

A Thousand Lifetimes And Never Learned Parenting Skills: Sarah Sisulart

Both of the immortal moms in Lost Odyssey aren't going to be contenders for any “mother of the year” awards. Seth turns her son onto the criminal path, raising him as a pirate, and then abandons him for years (decades? It's not clear). The fact that he calls her “Maaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” as a middle-aged man is also of concern...

Sarah sort of takes the cake though. Thinking (erroneously) that her daughter has died, she becomes an evil witch haunting a mansion and kills anyone who comes inside – even attacking her own husband! Since she's immortal, the death of her child during her lifetime was a foregone conclusion and would have happened down the line anyway, so this was always going to happen.

After being talked down from psycho witch mode, she goes on incredibly dangerous adventures... with her two underage grandchildren. That's just bad parenting all around. I shutter to think of how nuts she'll go when they eventually die.

Pretty Awful But Sorta Redeems Herself: Queen Brahne

Definitely giving a run for her money on the “most horrifyingly obese mother” front, Queen Brahne from Final Fantasy IX was once kind and benevolent but was turned wicked and greedy after the death of her husband. She's pretty much every wicked stepmother ever, but taken to an even higher degree.

Nearly everyone hates her by the time she finally gets her comeuppance, having conquered a huge swathe of the world, turning on anyone who aided her, and even trying to kill her own adopted daughter, Garnet.

In her dying moments, she does admit all her wrongdoing and seeks forgiveness. Too little, too late?

Totally Up In The Air: Chrono's Mom

There are a couple of contenders on the mom front to be found in the hallowed RPG classic Chrono Trigger, from Lucca's disabled mother to the diabolical mother brain boss fought in the far future.

Chrono's unnamed mother is easily the most iconic, however, with her “Good morning Chrono!” line forever etched into the memories of kids who grew up in the '90s.

Despite giving her kid the only bed in the house and watching his cat while he goes on extended adventures, she's actually pretty inattentive, not seeming to realize or care when he's gone for months at a time. She does manage to finally ask about his whereabouts once... after he's been killed by Lavos.

In one ending, she foolishly chases a cat into a time portal that will never re-open, at which point Chrono strikes his victory pose, apparently happy with the turn of events.

Somehow The Best AND Worst: Alma

Whether Alma is an amazing mom or a terrible one is definitely up for debate. She's not happy that her children have been taken from her, and goes on a murderous revenge rampage against those who took them – although she goes more than a little overboard on that front.

She just wants her boys to get along, even if that means they have to become proficient killers together, and she's so enamored with being a mother that she rapes Becket at the end of F.E.AR. 2 to become pregnant again.

Totally The Best Mother: Mrs. Chu

This totally badass mom from Sleeping Dogs works hard to help her son in everything he does – including becoming a better criminal! When her son is killed, she tortures people with her meat cleaver to find out who was responsible.

When the real perpetrator is brought to her, she makes the murderer eat human meat and then viciously dismembers him. Now that's dedication to your kid's memory! How many kids can really say their mom would go that far to avenge their deaths?

With all the hardened soldiers, fantasy world saviors, and ace starship pilots across gaming, you might not expect "moms" to be a big character category, but you'd be wrong on that front.

There's hundreds of memorable mother characters across every genre of gaming, from loving and nurturing caregivers... to homicidal maniacs intending to eradicate their own offspring.

In honor of the impending Mother's Day celebrations, we're going to count down the best and worst moms of gaming, and even look at a few that blend those two extremes.

That is my top 5 most unappreciated games of the last generation.

Would you agree with the list? All the titles mentioned in the list are those of games which I have played. There may be many others out there which I am simply not aware of. Do you know of any titles from the last generation that are highly unappreciated? Why not share them in the comments?

1. Bulletstorm

I loved People Can Fly as a developer before they had even begun developing Bulletstorm after their awesome old school FPS title Painkiller. When Bulletstorm was released, it was a must buy for me and it was one I certainly didn't regret.

It was everything that I love about the '80s and '90s action movies but in a video game. It was ridiculous, over the top, action-packed, gruesome, and had more swearing than I could say in several months. The addition of the skill shot system that encouraged the player to kill enemies in the most imaginative and gruesome fashion possible with each weapon available was fun as hell to use.

If there was ever a logical reasoning for this being so unappreciated, it was most likely due to it's multiplayer having no competitive mode. As of July 2011, Bulletstorm had sold just under a 1,000,000 units a number far below what would be expected of such a fantastic game. It was a game with solid combat that was something different to the norm and still remains one of my favorite games of all time.

2. Shadows of the Damned

Shadows of the Damned was an extremely weird game, to say the least, perhaps even too weird to the point that it put players off the title. When I say weird, this game was completely off the rails to the point it was as if the developers just let their imagination fly.

It was gruesome, completely over the top, full of references, dark and sometimes immature humour, tons of swearing, never took itself serious, and I loved every minute of it. It had a bit of that old school '90s action adventure to it both in combat and in collecting of gems for upgrades. Sadly, despite critics giving the game good review scores, it sold very few copies by general AAA standards. Only 24,000 units were sold in America, Xbox and PS3 combined and 9,145 unit in Japan within a week of its release.

After the sales, it was announced that there will most likely not be a sequel to this great game. It is a shame as I would love to see a sequel developed for the current generation consoles.

3. Lost Odyssey

It bewilders me as to why Lost Odyssey was such an unappreciated game. It has one of the most wonderful stories of any game and a beautiful world to go with it. I admit it's combat system and mechanics was somewhat dated by general RPG standards of its time and at times felt a bit stale, never the less it was a most enjoyable and original IP.

If there was ever a game I would love to have a remake for this video game generation, Lost Odyssey would be it. Despite being a good game and highly praised by critics, it didn't sell very well by typical AAA standards. It sold only 104,417 units in Japan as of 17th February 2008, several months after its release, and sold only 348,000 units in America by 2009.

4. Blue Dragon

Blue Dragon was one of the first games I remember playing on the Xbox 360. A good old-styled JRPG in the veins of Final Fantasy, with an interesting story and wonderfully designed world. Despite its character development and combat being somewhat dated, it was overall a very enjoyable title with plenty of hidden secrets to find.

Upon release, it was received with very mixed review scores. Some being in the 70s while others in the 40s, 50s or 60s. It sold just under 200,000 units in America. Despite this being the goal for sales of both Microsoft and developer Mistwalker, I feel that Blue Dragon deserved so much more than both the scores and sales that it received.

5. Duke Nukem Forever

There is no denying that Duke Nukem Forever was not a great game. It had its issues such as long loading times, graphical glitches, dated graphics, bad level design, and it just tried too hard to be controversial. The reason I defend it is that from a game that had a development hell of thirteen years - was Duke Nukem Forever, ever going to be a great game?

Despite it's obvious issues it nevertheless caught the essence of Duke Nukem beautifully and it was great to take on the role of the '90s-style, over the top, egotistic, one liner, action hero after so many years without a Duke Nukem first person shooter. Upon release, Duke Nukem Forever received an average score of 50% or below. The game sold only 376,300 units upon its first month of release, half the initial expectations of the developer and publisher.

The last generation of video games certainly had many fantastic titles. There are however numerous great titles that simply didn't get the attention or sales that they deserved or were undeservedly disliked. Here are our Top 5 Most Unappreciated games of the last generation.

Time to sound off. What are some of the hardest and longest battles in gaming that you have faced? Which have you beat and which ones still elude you? 

Pandemonium Warden

Final Fantasy XI

Don't worry, this is the last Final Fantasy boss that will be gracing the list of ridiculously long boss fights. However, it isn't far from the truth that the other FF bosses don't even touch the Pandemonium Warden. 

The guy is so hard (and such a health hazard) that Square Enix was forced to not only adjust the Warden's difficulty level, but they also had to put a time limit on the battle to prevent players from overexerting themselves. So if you can't defeat the guy in two hours or less, kiss your chance of victory goodbye, as he will grow bored and leave the field of battle.

While that is unfortunate for most competitive of gamers, it is good to know that Square Enix valued the well-being of their customers over the ability of being able to boast about having an impossible-to-beat boss. 

The Immortal One

Lost Odyssey 

Lost Odyssey may not be as popular as previously mentioned titles, but when it comes to the hardest battle within the game, The Immortal One is the most popular. 

If you want to have a snow ball's chance in hell with this guy, all your Immortals need to be at least level 75. Even still, just hacking and slashing until the thing's dead isn't going to get you anywhere; it's only going to prolong this already tedious fight. If you're not a tactician, good luck, because you're going to need it. 

Penance

Final Fantasy X

Honestly, this whole list could have been Final Fantasy monsters but, to keep interesting and fair to other franchises with despicably long battles, I couldn't possibly have done that. 

If you've never fought Penance, you should be thankful - you have more than likely avoided an aneurysm. Penance is a boss only available in the PAL and International versions of FFX. While he isn't quite up to Yiazmat's ability, he does boast 12 million HP, while his arms have 500,000 HP each.

That might seem like nothing compared to other FF bosses, but Penance has the honor of being the only boss in Final Fantasy X that hasn't been defeated without the use of Yojimbo's Zanmato, which administers an instant kill. 

Melbu Frahma

The Legend of Dragoon

After several - and I mean several - hours of gameplay, you don't know how happy I was to finally get to the fourth disk of The Legend of Dragoon. That is, until Melbu Frahma dashed all my hopes of ever finishing the game. 

I did it though. Granted not before turning the game off several times, because it just wasn't fair. Frahma has to be one of the most staged bosses in gaming history. He warps through the ages of creation specific to the Legend of Dragoon history, each stage having you praying between combos that this is the last one. 

Much like Yiazmat, the fight against Melbu Frahma leaves you susceptible to instant kills and stuns, thanks to the several Virages that you face in various forms throughout the entire game. Still to this day, I shake my fist at this battle.

The Caranthir

The Witcher 3

If you haven't got this far in The Witcher 3, I won't spoil it for you but I will say you are in for a long one. 

The Caranthir may not be the longest boss fight in video game history, but it is certainly one of the longest in the latest The Witcher installment. The good news, however, is that once you disband The Caranthir, you are just about done with the game. 

Absolute Virtue

Final Fantasy XI

Absolute Virtue? More like Absolute Horror! As I have stated before, Final Fantasy bosses are no joke, especially when they start causing players to vomit and even faint because they're that hard. 

There's only 24 hours in a day, but with a lot of persistence and strategy, a group of 18 people managed to defeat this nightmare in 18 hours. Absolute Virtue holds a video game record for being the single longest enemy that doesn't have any change in form. 

The End

Metal Gear Solid 3

Less of a battle and more of a test of endurance and skill, some might call facing The End boring. But either way, it is long.

This not-so-real battle requires you to tap into your stealth ability to face off against The Boss's mentor and world's greatest sniper in something of a snipe-off. But be careful - one wrong move can send you right back to the beginning. That's why this fight winds up being so long. It requires precision and patience, and if you don't have it, you're likely to end the fight early via rage quitting. But if you take your time, you're sure to get the job done within an hour or two. 

Yiazmat

Final Fantasy XII

Final Fantasy is known for creative and sometimes ridiculous bosses, so it should come as no surprise that the series features some rather long-winded boss battles. 

Yiazmat from the twelfth game is one of the most recent of these famously long fights. This bad boy has an HP that is over 50 million -- sorry, not even a Vegeta 9000 joke can touch this. Out of all the bosses to grace the franchise, Yiazmat gets honorable mention because he holds the record for the most health out of any of the bosses - now that's serious. 

Thanks to his out-of-this-world HP, the ability to administer sudden death hits and moves that petrify your character, Yiazmat takes gamers and average of 2-4 hours to defeat. 

Have you ever encountered a boss and just thought halfway through; "would you die already!?" Surely I'm not the only one.

Boss battles are an integral part of gameplay and video games as a whole. They help push stories along, as well as test your skill level and ability as a gamer,. But even then, there are times where you find yourself asking "why?"

Sometimes boss battles are too easy, and merely an insult to the intellect and skill of seasoned gamers. But other times they're nearly impossible and ridiculously long. Luckily this isn't a habit in games, but when it does happen it is worth mentioning.

Keep reading for 8 of the longest boss battles gamers have faced in the last several years. 

Lollipop Chainsaw

Lollipop Chainsaw was a short and sweet game. This was another title made by Suda, so naturally it comes in as underrated. This game combines the fun of dismembering zombies with the amazing style of a cheerleader. Using Juliet Starlings flips, kicks, and spins, you hack zombies apart using her chainsaw.

Of course her boyfriend, or what's left of him, can help you out as well. He is nothing but a talking head attached to Juliet's hip. Lollipop Chainsaw was also launched in 2012 and was available on the 360 and PS3. This game has an amazing soundtrack and doesn't take much to beat, but the replay value is there without a doubt. 

Lost Odyssey

Lost Odyssey is a game that I actually didn't finish. This game was available on 360 only. It was also a massive game; it was packed onto four discs. Lost Odyssey has the traditional turn-based JRPG style with a few minor tweaks. This title had mixed reviews when it launched. It is going to be remembered for a while as one of the great RPGs by those who have played it.

The Club

The Club was a game that I had looked forward to prior to it's launch. Before the game released, I watched gameplay footage that discouraged my purchase; in turn I waited for a price drop. After finally making the purchase months after the launch, I realized that I missed out on a great game. The Club was launched in 2008 on 360, PS3, and PC. The aspect that seemed to give people a sour taste is the fact that you must run through levels in order to do well. This aspect of the game actually added a lot of fun to the shooter genre in this case.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Kingdoms of Amalur was launched early 2012 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. It was the first game developed by Big Huge Games. There were a lot of big names working on this title, including Ken Rolston and Todd McFarlane. Kingdoms had a lot of gameplay included with the retail disc. This game seemed like a beefed-up Fable game, due to the character and environment ascetics. This was by far one of my favorite games that I feel had been overlooked by many.

Killer is Dead

Killer is Dead is a game by Suda51 and was launched late in the life cycle of PS3 and 360. Killer is Dead was launched in 2013 and is also available on PC.

As most of Suda's games are; Killer is Dead is an beautiful piece of abstract art. Suda's games are typically a niche market and Killer is Dead is no different. However, because of the hype for next gen and a massive amount of other games being launched around the same time Killer is Dead had been brushed under the rug fairly quick.

Recently I've been reliving the past by playing Lost Odyssey again, a game I haven't played for a long time, I had no real interest in playing it again and in fact, the first time I played it I didn't really enjoy it.

After a few weeks of playing I found that as well as the game reminding me of my younger years, I actually enjoyed playing it this time, but is it really worth buying something just for the memories? And why does replaying an old game give us this nostalgic feeling?

In the same way that looking at photographs or messages from friends can bring back fond memories of the past, we tend to hold memories of the games we've played years ago and even who we played them with.

So when I'm in the game shop browsing the shelves and I see a game I used to play as a child, I'll pick it up, remember when I used to play it and want to relive that feeling of excitement I got as a child.

Sometimes this this can be dissapointing though, wanting to play an old game is fine but when that game isn't as fun as you remember, well it sucks but with the impriced graphics of games today and better consoles to play them on, can an old game really ever be as good as what we have now?

Of course there are always remakes that bring the old games we love (Sonic, Mario, LoZ etc.) back to life with great improvement, but with gaming today, across all platforms, we expect a certain quality that the games we used to play wouldn't be able to match.

So gamers, maybe it's better to leave the past where it is and save yourself the possibility of disappointment. But it really depends on the person.

Z is for The Legend of Zelda.

Y is for Yuna, summoner and beauty of Final Fantasy X.

X is for Xenosaga.

W is for Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War.

V is for Vagrant Story.

U is for Ultima Online.

T is for Titanfall.

S is for Super Mario Bros. 

S is for Super Mario Bros. Well, maybe not this one.

R is for Resident Evil.

Q is for Quake.

P is for Phantasy Star Online.

O is for Otacon of Metal Gear Solid fame. He will follow Snake in to any situation... From the safety of a plane.

N is for Duke Nukem.

M is for Mass Effect

L is for Lost Odyssey.

K is for Kingdom Hearts.

J is for JC Denton of the Deus Ex universe.

I is for Ikaruga.

H is for .Hack 

G is for Goat Simulator.

F is for Final Fantasy. Yes, even those ones.

E is for The Elder Scolls.

D is for Dark Souls.

C is for Cortana. The faithful companion of Halo's Master Chief.

B is for Bravely Default.

A is for Alone in the Dark. 

A is for Alone in the Dark. Okay, not this one!

The Alphabet Soup of Video Games tastes different to everyone. Here is my mix, I hope it tastes good to you.

Another great title by Starbreeze Studios and published by EA. Syndicate is a reboot from 1993 and is now a first-person tactical shooter laced with great weapons and fun co-op play. This is another game that went under many peoples radar and deserves a shot before the current generation of consoles officially ends.

Starbreeze Studios was known for it's awesome FPS The Darkness before making this emotionally startling and innovative title. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was published by 505 Games and utilizes the controller to really immerse you into the story. Post release of the game, the designer admits to true events directly inspired this gripping piece, this is my personal Game of The Year for 2013.

Humble Hearts, which is basically just an artist/designer named Dean Doddrill made, Dust: An Elysian Tail. A game that captured my heart and re-vitalized my faith in 2D action/platformers. Published by Microsoft Studios, this game has a very distinct look and feel to it. With combos into the thousands, this is a must play for anyone who enjoys the genre.

Bulletstorm is a fun FPS that has a distinct arcade feel, the kind where you get points for shooting a guy in the groin, and then finishing him off with a swift kick into a gigantic man-eating plant. This odd mash-up of a game comes from an odd pairing with Electronic Arts (EA) as the publisher, but People Can Fly and Epic Games actually made the product. If an abundance of foul language doesn't bother you, then this is just a fun shooter to have.

Valve self published and made one of the best, and unique first-person shooters (FPS) to date with Portal 2. This game has no real violence, just simply overcoming increasingly complex physics based puzzles. Hurling yourself across a room has never been so fun, and with a co-op buddy, the good times almost never end.

The Fallout series needs little introduction, but the latest entry from Obsidian Entertainment, Fallout: New Vegas has all the makings of what has made this franchise sell so well in the past. It's color's are a bit brighter than the normal drab environments associated with post-apocalyptic games. The gameplay as always is so much fun, and with multiple outcomes, the replay ability is almost endless.

High Moon Studios recreated my childhood in a playable format. From chapter to chapter you embody legendary Transformer's like Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Starscream just to name a few. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron was published by Activision. And those multiplayer lobbies are just as busy now, as the day it launched.

Mistwalker and feelplus launched Lost Odyssey in 2007-2008 and was published by Microsoft Game Studios. This JRPG took around 40-50 hours to complete, and with a wonderfully written story and score to make it as smooth of a ride as the timed combat was. Be sure to grab this game if you see it.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is probably one of the most overlooked third-person hack-n-slash/shooter of the generation. The game is very basic in its story and graphic fidelity, but one of the funniest games around. For some reason it's greatly satisfying. Relic Entertainment created this underdog and was published by THQ (who's out of business now).

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is one of the best Role-Playing Games (RPG's) I've played in a long time. CD Projekt RED is the studio who developed The Witcher 2, and was published by several companies; Atari, Namco Bandai Games, Cyberfront, Warner Bros. Interactive, and Spike Chunsoft.This glorious game will see a sequel on next-generation consoles, so be sure to keep an eye out for it's release in 2014.