NipplesAndToes23
Member
I try to get people to post in this every time, but they won't. Say gaming side sucks because of the fighting and stuff going on, but even when I point out none of that happens in these threads they still won't come in.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
GAF Games o' Gen 7 (360/PS3/Wii/DS/PSP and more) Voting Over
- Thread starter AniHawk
- Start date
I try to get people to post in this every time, but they won't. Say gaming side sucks because of the fighting and stuff going on, but even when I point out none of that happens in these threads they still won't come in.
I agree. Would be better than having the thread constantly off the front page.
problem is this thing is running for a month, and it ends during the week of e3. i feel like it would be a bit selfish to do that when people are going to be excited for other things. on the other hand, it would be nice if could get a sticky for the last day, when e3 is over, so that people can get in their votes.
1. Metal Gear Solid 4: an emotional end to a beloved character. Completely revamped the stealth gameplay, which remained the best the genre had to offer until MGSV. Metal Gear Online is one of the best multiplayers of all time.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles: possibly my favorite JRPG of all time. A great story, excellent soundtrack and a massive world that is simply a joy to explore.
3. The Last of Us: A wonderful, gripping tale with satisfying gameplay ad top notch graphics. Everything works and is polished to the highest level.
4. Red Dead Redemption: the best open world of last generation, with a surprisingly good story, excelent characters, great gameplay and very well designed missions. Plus, the it's wild west done right.
5. Super Mario Galaxy: Best 3D platformer of all time. Gameplay is pure bliss, and everything about the presentation is magical.
6. Monster Hunter Tri: My first significant contact with the series, made me a fan. Exquisite, weighty gameplay, incredibly well designed monsters to fight. Fighting a giant dragon, cutting it's tail and pursuing it into the ocean is one of the most epic feelings I had in the entire generation.
7. Nier: I'm not an emotional person, but if one game almost made me cry, this was the one. The soundtrack is absolutely unrivaled.
8. Assassin's Creed IV: "Pirates: the game". Ship combat and exploration was a revelation at the time. It makes you feel like a pirate. The core Assassin's Creed on foot gameplay was getting a little long in the tooth, but doing cool assassinations was still hella fun.
9. Metroid Prime 3: the first game to show how well first person shooters could work with wiimote. The fun and satisfying exploration staple of Metroid series coupled with wonderful controls that made shooting and moving around smooth and fun.
10. Bioshock: superb atmosphere and a story that, at the time, blew my mind. Bioshock felt like an event at the time, it was different that anything I had played before. It gripped me and didn't let go until the end.
Honorable mentions:
x. Mass Effect 2
x. Uncharted 2
x. Red Steel 2
x. Assassin's Creed 2
x. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
x. Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn
x. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
x. Super Mario Galaxy 2
x. Valkyria Chronicles
x. God of War 3
x. Donkey Kong Country Returns
x. Batman: Arkham City
x. Fallout 3
What a fantastic generation.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles: possibly my favorite JRPG of all time. A great story, excellent soundtrack and a massive world that is simply a joy to explore.
3. The Last of Us: A wonderful, gripping tale with satisfying gameplay ad top notch graphics. Everything works and is polished to the highest level.
4. Red Dead Redemption: the best open world of last generation, with a surprisingly good story, excelent characters, great gameplay and very well designed missions. Plus, the it's wild west done right.
5. Super Mario Galaxy: Best 3D platformer of all time. Gameplay is pure bliss, and everything about the presentation is magical.
6. Monster Hunter Tri: My first significant contact with the series, made me a fan. Exquisite, weighty gameplay, incredibly well designed monsters to fight. Fighting a giant dragon, cutting it's tail and pursuing it into the ocean is one of the most epic feelings I had in the entire generation.
7. Nier: I'm not an emotional person, but if one game almost made me cry, this was the one. The soundtrack is absolutely unrivaled.
8. Assassin's Creed IV: "Pirates: the game". Ship combat and exploration was a revelation at the time. It makes you feel like a pirate. The core Assassin's Creed on foot gameplay was getting a little long in the tooth, but doing cool assassinations was still hella fun.
9. Metroid Prime 3: the first game to show how well first person shooters could work with wiimote. The fun and satisfying exploration staple of Metroid series coupled with wonderful controls that made shooting and moving around smooth and fun.
10. Bioshock: superb atmosphere and a story that, at the time, blew my mind. Bioshock felt like an event at the time, it was different that anything I had played before. It gripped me and didn't let go until the end.
Honorable mentions:
x. Mass Effect 2
x. Uncharted 2
x. Red Steel 2
x. Assassin's Creed 2
x. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
x. Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn
x. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
x. Super Mario Galaxy 2
x. Valkyria Chronicles
x. God of War 3
x. Donkey Kong Country Returns
x. Batman: Arkham City
x. Fallout 3
What a fantastic generation.
Boy, no wonder there aren't more posts, this is quite the ordeal. I've managed to whittle about 120 contenders down all the way to... 33. And it's already getting impossible to choose between them. What an astonishing generation it was.
I'm having the same problem I always have with these kinds of votes - how much do I assess the game based on my current feelings of its quality vs the experience I had at the time? The classic example for me is one I actually have to deal with in this vote - Fallout 3 vs Fallout New Vegas.
I have never been more enthralled by a game than I was by Fallout 3 on release. I had no idea what I was getting into at all and was sucked into that world for 10 hours a day. Playing a first person RPG like that in an environment that interested me - it was sheer joy. I simply couldn't believe the scope of the options you had, how much content there was in the world, how interactive it all was. It blew my mind.
With hindsight, though, I see all the flaws. That kind of game design is no longer amazing to me. Most importantly, though, New Vegas blew Fallout 3 out of the water. But did I have as good a time playing New Vegas as I did Fallout 3? Not at all, because you can only have that kind of magical introduction to a genre like that once. But if I was to replay only one of them, you can be damn sure that it would be the superior game - New Vegas. So what do I pick? The better game or the game that I had the best experience with?
It's such a tough call. I'm sure many people will be wrestling with similar feelings with Mario Galaxy 1 vs 2. (For me that's an easier one - I simply prefer Galaxy 1 all ends up.)
EDIT: Also, I'm not going to vote on cross-gen games I played on PS4. Rules out GTA V and ACIV for me. Who knows what the experience would have been like on PS3. The increased visuals of the new gen were a big part of enjoying both of those games.
And some quality trolling going on in here too. These two would make my top 5 worst of the generation, consider me well triggered.
I'm having the same problem I always have with these kinds of votes - how much do I assess the game based on my current feelings of its quality vs the experience I had at the time? The classic example for me is one I actually have to deal with in this vote - Fallout 3 vs Fallout New Vegas.
I have never been more enthralled by a game than I was by Fallout 3 on release. I had no idea what I was getting into at all and was sucked into that world for 10 hours a day. Playing a first person RPG like that in an environment that interested me - it was sheer joy. I simply couldn't believe the scope of the options you had, how much content there was in the world, how interactive it all was. It blew my mind.
With hindsight, though, I see all the flaws. That kind of game design is no longer amazing to me. Most importantly, though, New Vegas blew Fallout 3 out of the water. But did I have as good a time playing New Vegas as I did Fallout 3? Not at all, because you can only have that kind of magical introduction to a genre like that once. But if I was to replay only one of them, you can be damn sure that it would be the superior game - New Vegas. So what do I pick? The better game or the game that I had the best experience with?
It's such a tough call. I'm sure many people will be wrestling with similar feelings with Mario Galaxy 1 vs 2. (For me that's an easier one - I simply prefer Galaxy 1 all ends up.)
EDIT: Also, I'm not going to vote on cross-gen games I played on PS4. Rules out GTA V and ACIV for me. Who knows what the experience would have been like on PS3. The increased visuals of the new gen were a big part of enjoying both of those games.
And some quality trolling going on in here too. These two would make my top 5 worst of the generation, consider me well triggered.
Version 3.0
Member
There's no right answer to that question, of course. I flip-flop on it myself, all the time.
If you care how they place, you could use that as a tiebreaker. Vote for the one more likely to do well. And remind yourself that posting here doesn't really mean anything. In my heart, all my "Top 10" lists have a lot more than 10 entries.
1. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky ; There are only a few games I've ever played that resonated so well with me. Almost as if the developers tailored the game specifically for me. This is one of them. It's hard to put into words just how amazing this game is (and, honestly, the entire collection of Legend of Heroes games). The story, characters, dialogue, music, and combat are all high notes. Also, Estelle is quite possibly my favorite video game character of all-time.
2. Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions ; Much like TiTS in the #1 spot, I immediately fell in love with FFT the first time I played it on the PSX. This updated version makes one of my favorite games ever even better. Not an easy feat. The SRPG combat is simply sublime. I've lost count how many hours I've poured into this over the years, and I've not tired of it yet. Square's masterpiece.
3. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; I'll be honest. When I first heard about this game, I didn't care for it. The first time I played it? Same thing. However, once Dark Arisen released I decided to revisit it. Thank goodness for that. This is one of those games that didn't click for me at first, but once it did it really clicked. Scaling giant monsters felt so epic. The pawn system was a really fun way to customize your party AND feel like you were adventuring with your friends. I can't wait to play this again on PS4 Pro this fall.
4. NieR ; The recent release of Automata has breathed new life and interest in this game, but I'm glad I got to experience it when it first released. The combat is not the best, but the atmosphere of the game is where it truly excels. If that's not enough, the OST should convince people to try this one out. I'm not lying when I say it is the best soundtrack to any videogame ever made (IMHO, of course). However, #7 on this list is pretty darn good, too.
5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; I get it. GAF seems pretty divided on TES games (and Bethesda open world games as a whole). However, Skyrim is my favorite offering in this game universe to date. Yes, I liked it even more than Morrowind (which is also fantastic). You have to dig to find the true beauty of a game like this, as my hundreds of hours can attest (I've read every page of every book in the game more than once). Now, sure... mods help. They help A LOT. But the base game is more than enough to secure its place on my list.
6. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together ; Almost as good as FFT, and still better than every other SRPG out there. The definitive version of this game.
7. Xenoblade Chronicles ; It will forever be Reyn time. Amazing cast, great VAs, and the best combat since FFXII. Oh, and in case you didn't read it above, it has a fantastic OST. Filling out the item encyclopedia for each area was both fun and irritating as hell at the same time. I wouldn't change it, though.
8. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch ; I mean, come on. Level-5 and Studio Ghibli. What a fantastic combination. Also, bonus points from me because I can safely play it in front of my enthralled 5 year old son and it counts as us bonding together. Score!
9. Assassin's Creed 2 ; One of the best new IPs to come out of generation 7. I kinda debated on if I should replace it with Brotherhood, but in the end 2 was my favorite all-around AC game. I've kinda lost interest in the series over the years, but this one was solid.
10. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn ; My absolute favorite Fire Emblem game. Fun tactical combat and the difficulty can blindside you if you're not careful. I think the series peaked with Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, though the latest offerings aren't too bad.
x. Mass Effect 2 ; Mass Effect, as a whole, is really fun. But there are lots and lots of little things in each game that bug me. 2 is probably the best game in the series, though. Dialogue is pure Bioware, even though the choices you are presented with could be more fleshed out and have more of an impact. Commander Shepherd was a good protagonist (I enjoyed playing both MaleShelp and FemShep). Shame the series is on hiatus after the poor reception of Andromeda.
x. Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed ; The best kart racer since Mario Kart on the SNES. Hell, it even gives it a run for its money (I know, blasphemy!). Seriously though, this is a super fun game and I hope we get more of them in the future.
2. Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions ; Much like TiTS in the #1 spot, I immediately fell in love with FFT the first time I played it on the PSX. This updated version makes one of my favorite games ever even better. Not an easy feat. The SRPG combat is simply sublime. I've lost count how many hours I've poured into this over the years, and I've not tired of it yet. Square's masterpiece.
3. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; I'll be honest. When I first heard about this game, I didn't care for it. The first time I played it? Same thing. However, once Dark Arisen released I decided to revisit it. Thank goodness for that. This is one of those games that didn't click for me at first, but once it did it really clicked. Scaling giant monsters felt so epic. The pawn system was a really fun way to customize your party AND feel like you were adventuring with your friends. I can't wait to play this again on PS4 Pro this fall.
4. NieR ; The recent release of Automata has breathed new life and interest in this game, but I'm glad I got to experience it when it first released. The combat is not the best, but the atmosphere of the game is where it truly excels. If that's not enough, the OST should convince people to try this one out. I'm not lying when I say it is the best soundtrack to any videogame ever made (IMHO, of course). However, #7 on this list is pretty darn good, too.
5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; I get it. GAF seems pretty divided on TES games (and Bethesda open world games as a whole). However, Skyrim is my favorite offering in this game universe to date. Yes, I liked it even more than Morrowind (which is also fantastic). You have to dig to find the true beauty of a game like this, as my hundreds of hours can attest (I've read every page of every book in the game more than once). Now, sure... mods help. They help A LOT. But the base game is more than enough to secure its place on my list.
6. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together ; Almost as good as FFT, and still better than every other SRPG out there. The definitive version of this game.
7. Xenoblade Chronicles ; It will forever be Reyn time. Amazing cast, great VAs, and the best combat since FFXII. Oh, and in case you didn't read it above, it has a fantastic OST. Filling out the item encyclopedia for each area was both fun and irritating as hell at the same time. I wouldn't change it, though.
8. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch ; I mean, come on. Level-5 and Studio Ghibli. What a fantastic combination. Also, bonus points from me because I can safely play it in front of my enthralled 5 year old son and it counts as us bonding together. Score!
9. Assassin's Creed 2 ; One of the best new IPs to come out of generation 7. I kinda debated on if I should replace it with Brotherhood, but in the end 2 was my favorite all-around AC game. I've kinda lost interest in the series over the years, but this one was solid.
10. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn ; My absolute favorite Fire Emblem game. Fun tactical combat and the difficulty can blindside you if you're not careful. I think the series peaked with Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, though the latest offerings aren't too bad.
x. Mass Effect 2 ; Mass Effect, as a whole, is really fun. But there are lots and lots of little things in each game that bug me. 2 is probably the best game in the series, though. Dialogue is pure Bioware, even though the choices you are presented with could be more fleshed out and have more of an impact. Commander Shepherd was a good protagonist (I enjoyed playing both MaleShelp and FemShep). Shame the series is on hiatus after the poor reception of Andromeda.
x. Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed ; The best kart racer since Mario Kart on the SNES. Hell, it even gives it a run for its money (I know, blasphemy!). Seriously though, this is a super fun game and I hope we get more of them in the future.
I like RPGs...
i thought both were fine. didn't make my honorable mentions list, but i enjoyed both for what they were.
i had a tough time between mirror's edge and smg2. mirror's edge was a brand new, fresh experience with some details i didn't like, while smg2 is a super polished version of a really good super mario 3d platformer. in the end, mirror's edge defined the generation a bit better in what 'new' felt like to me in that generation, and a lot of the games on my list do the same thing.
These games of the generation are always so tough to do because there is just so many games to consider. My honorable mentions goes on to list an additional 15 games but Christ I feel like I can list off an additional 15 games no sweat.
1. The Last of Us ; Naughty Dog's finest game. It came as a surprise after coming off of 3 Uncharted games, but it is absolutely an amazing game. Story, Setting, Gameplay, everything about it was superb. Hell even the multiplayer, which I assumed was going to be some tacked on thing, was great and one of the more unique multiplayer modes I played last gen.
2. Demon's Souls ; My entry into the Souls franchise. I was morbidly curious about this game after hearing so many people talk about it; so I took a chance and bought the game without knowing much about it besides "It's really hard". Boletarian Palace discouraged me so much that I dropped the game. I would come back to it years later, determined to actually get through the game and it just...clicked. I was excited to see the next area, the next boss, what lore I could gain from just talking to people or venturing off the beaten path. It's funny to think back on how negative my first impression of the game was.
3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots ; Snake had a hard life. I know this is a very devisive game but my god I really, really loved going through it. It gets absolutely absurd as hell but man does it have a lot of heart and I just love it for that. There are just so many great moments in the game; including a pretty amazing final end boss. Also shout out to the Mt. Rushmore of Snakes.
4. Journey ; Journey is such a beautiful game. From the stunning visuals to the great soundtrack, thatgamecompany was really able tell a story strickly through visual and musical presentation. They somehow even managed to ge tplayers to feel connected to random folks online when the only communication tool you have is a series of chimes.
5. Mass Effect 2 ; So Mass Effect 2 is my favorite entry in the ME series. I can concede that there were times where the main plot falters a bit, especially when compared to it's predecessor. But Mass Effect 2 has the BEST squad mates in the series and not only that their loyalty missions are all super well done. The characters are really the standout thing in ME2 (along with the improved combat) and I just loved every moment getting to know all the characters. So that is what pushes ME2 over the original for me. Also Lair of the Shadow Broker is an absolutely amazing piece of DLC.
6. Bayonetta ; One of the best character action games of all time. Despite my love of the genre since the original Devil May Cry, Bayonetta was the first one where I actually sat down and tried being GOOD at the game rather than just beat the game and then put it aside. I spent hours experimenting with different weapons and combos and I like to think I actually did get pretty good at it.
7. Portal 2 ; Great, great puzzle game. Not sure what else to say besides it just builds upon everything the original Portal did and is just super fun, even if there were times where I got completely lost as to what I was suppose to do. The addition of a separate co-op campaign was also a really cool addition.
8. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep ; Birth by Sleep is probably my favorite game in the series. I enjoyed the break away from Sora and company and mostly found the trio of new protagonist to be enjoyabl; particularly Aqua. Master Xehanort is also a much more interesting villian outside of Ansem from the original Kingdom Hearts.
9. Civilization V ; Just one more turn. According to my Steam profile I've spent nearly 200 hours playing this game though it feels like it's been more than that. Civilization is one of those franchises where you can waste an entire afternoon and night without realizing it and Civ V is no exception to that.
10. Rock Band 3 ; It was hard to decide what Rock Band to put up here so I ended up just putting up the one I put the most hours into. Rock band was, for a time, a staple at parties and even when it's popularity waned, Harmonix's commitment to getting the game updated with new songs and ensuring that songs from previous titles would carry over meant that game was just full of content and fun to play even if you are doing it by yourself. Rock Band 3 is really just the culumination of all that Harmonix has learned with the genre since the original Rock Band and is just super polished and sleek in comparison to it's predecessors
Honorable Mentions:
x. God of War III ;
x. Uncharted 2 ;
x. Burnout Paradise ;
x. Wipeout HD ;
x. Catherine ;
x. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 ;
x. Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time ;
x. Assassin's Creed II ;
x. Bioshock ;
x. Valkyria Chronicles ;
x. Mirror's Edge ;
x. Lumines ;
x. Red Dead Redemption ;
x. Pixeljunk Eden ;
x. Limbo ;
1. The Last of Us ; Naughty Dog's finest game. It came as a surprise after coming off of 3 Uncharted games, but it is absolutely an amazing game. Story, Setting, Gameplay, everything about it was superb. Hell even the multiplayer, which I assumed was going to be some tacked on thing, was great and one of the more unique multiplayer modes I played last gen.
2. Demon's Souls ; My entry into the Souls franchise. I was morbidly curious about this game after hearing so many people talk about it; so I took a chance and bought the game without knowing much about it besides "It's really hard". Boletarian Palace discouraged me so much that I dropped the game. I would come back to it years later, determined to actually get through the game and it just...clicked. I was excited to see the next area, the next boss, what lore I could gain from just talking to people or venturing off the beaten path. It's funny to think back on how negative my first impression of the game was.
3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots ; Snake had a hard life. I know this is a very devisive game but my god I really, really loved going through it. It gets absolutely absurd as hell but man does it have a lot of heart and I just love it for that. There are just so many great moments in the game; including a pretty amazing final end boss. Also shout out to the Mt. Rushmore of Snakes.
4. Journey ; Journey is such a beautiful game. From the stunning visuals to the great soundtrack, thatgamecompany was really able tell a story strickly through visual and musical presentation. They somehow even managed to ge tplayers to feel connected to random folks online when the only communication tool you have is a series of chimes.
5. Mass Effect 2 ; So Mass Effect 2 is my favorite entry in the ME series. I can concede that there were times where the main plot falters a bit, especially when compared to it's predecessor. But Mass Effect 2 has the BEST squad mates in the series and not only that their loyalty missions are all super well done. The characters are really the standout thing in ME2 (along with the improved combat) and I just loved every moment getting to know all the characters. So that is what pushes ME2 over the original for me. Also Lair of the Shadow Broker is an absolutely amazing piece of DLC.
6. Bayonetta ; One of the best character action games of all time. Despite my love of the genre since the original Devil May Cry, Bayonetta was the first one where I actually sat down and tried being GOOD at the game rather than just beat the game and then put it aside. I spent hours experimenting with different weapons and combos and I like to think I actually did get pretty good at it.
7. Portal 2 ; Great, great puzzle game. Not sure what else to say besides it just builds upon everything the original Portal did and is just super fun, even if there were times where I got completely lost as to what I was suppose to do. The addition of a separate co-op campaign was also a really cool addition.
8. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep ; Birth by Sleep is probably my favorite game in the series. I enjoyed the break away from Sora and company and mostly found the trio of new protagonist to be enjoyabl; particularly Aqua. Master Xehanort is also a much more interesting villian outside of Ansem from the original Kingdom Hearts.
9. Civilization V ; Just one more turn. According to my Steam profile I've spent nearly 200 hours playing this game though it feels like it's been more than that. Civilization is one of those franchises where you can waste an entire afternoon and night without realizing it and Civ V is no exception to that.
10. Rock Band 3 ; It was hard to decide what Rock Band to put up here so I ended up just putting up the one I put the most hours into. Rock band was, for a time, a staple at parties and even when it's popularity waned, Harmonix's commitment to getting the game updated with new songs and ensuring that songs from previous titles would carry over meant that game was just full of content and fun to play even if you are doing it by yourself. Rock Band 3 is really just the culumination of all that Harmonix has learned with the genre since the original Rock Band and is just super polished and sleek in comparison to it's predecessors
Honorable Mentions:
x. God of War III ;
x. Uncharted 2 ;
x. Burnout Paradise ;
x. Wipeout HD ;
x. Catherine ;
x. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 ;
x. Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time ;
x. Assassin's Creed II ;
x. Bioshock ;
x. Valkyria Chronicles ;
x. Mirror's Edge ;
x. Lumines ;
x. Red Dead Redemption ;
x. Pixeljunk Eden ;
x. Limbo ;
this is really minor, but could you please clarify which gears of war you meant for the other gears of war 2?
TheRedSnifit
Member
Bump
i appreciate the help in trying to get more eyes on this, but i wouldn't recommend doing this. if you'd like, try to start a conversation with someone about their choices, or talk about your experiences in this generation.
NoPiece
Member
It's fun to look back through this generation because there is just so many great games. But also makes me a little sad because the industry has changed quite a bit, and don't think we'll ever see as many big budget creative high quality games again.
1. Mass Effect ; The only easy choice for me. The best world building, the best characters, the best story, great voice acting, beautiful graphical homage to 70's sci-fi, and the best score. Easily the best game of the generation, best RPG of the generation, and it is up there in writing with the all time best RPGs like Planescape Torment. Vigil is so damn evocative...
2. Spelunky ; I have played this more than any other game in my life, and I still do the daily challenge almost every day. Procedural done right, platforming done right. Hugs to Derek Yu and Andy Hull
3. Dark Souls ; Respect the player, don't hold their hand. Could have put Demon's Souls here, but I slightly prefer the connected semi-open world of Dark Souls.
4. Dishonored ; Bringing back the Looking Glass style systems driven FPS. The anecdote to the bombastic CoD style on rails FPS.
5. Red Faction Guerrilla ; The destructibility was pure video game fun.
6. Red Dead Redemption ; Rockstar's best game, best ending, one of the first open world games that really flt alive.
7. Assassin's Creed 2 ; The promise of the first game fulfilled. Nothing better than seeing Renaissance Florence and Venice realized. Great score by Jesper Kyd.
8. The Last of Us ; The best game that wants to be a movie. The chemistry between Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson is insane, and made it feel real. The transition from Fall to Winter is one of the best moments in gaming history.
9. Alan Wake ; Sadly overshadowed by Red Dead which released on the same day(!?!), but the best horror game of the generation. Thoughtful, quirky, and scary at times.
10. Journey ; The only arty/indie game that lived up to the hype for me. The seamless multiplayer was amazing, and I found the final climb up the mountain through the snow truly moving.
x. Portal ; Closest to making top 10 - great blend of story/humor gameplay
x. Prince of Persia ; People hate it, but it was beautiful, fun, great score, and Elika saving you was just a good auto-checkpoint restore system.
x. Demon's Souls ; Coin toss between this and Dark Souls for top 5.
x. Half Life 2 Episode 2 ; Might be higher if Valve hadn't abandoned the series. Great game, but I'm bitter.
x. Saints Row the Third ; Fun, funny, whimsical, gross.
x. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; Like Dishonored, a throwback to more complicated, open, thoughtful, systems driven games.
x. Just Cause 2 ; A chaos simulator
x. Lumines ; best puzzle game, great music
x. XCOM Enemy Unknown ; Would be higher, but still prefer X-Com
x. Uncharted 2 ; Best game of its style after The Last of Us
x. Uncharted 3 ; Best game of its style after The Last of Us and Uncharted 2
Worst game on anyone's list on page 1-6: SSX - what a disappointment.
1. Mass Effect ; The only easy choice for me. The best world building, the best characters, the best story, great voice acting, beautiful graphical homage to 70's sci-fi, and the best score. Easily the best game of the generation, best RPG of the generation, and it is up there in writing with the all time best RPGs like Planescape Torment. Vigil is so damn evocative...
2. Spelunky ; I have played this more than any other game in my life, and I still do the daily challenge almost every day. Procedural done right, platforming done right. Hugs to Derek Yu and Andy Hull
3. Dark Souls ; Respect the player, don't hold their hand. Could have put Demon's Souls here, but I slightly prefer the connected semi-open world of Dark Souls.
4. Dishonored ; Bringing back the Looking Glass style systems driven FPS. The anecdote to the bombastic CoD style on rails FPS.
5. Red Faction Guerrilla ; The destructibility was pure video game fun.
6. Red Dead Redemption ; Rockstar's best game, best ending, one of the first open world games that really flt alive.
7. Assassin's Creed 2 ; The promise of the first game fulfilled. Nothing better than seeing Renaissance Florence and Venice realized. Great score by Jesper Kyd.
8. The Last of Us ; The best game that wants to be a movie. The chemistry between Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson is insane, and made it feel real. The transition from Fall to Winter is one of the best moments in gaming history.
9. Alan Wake ; Sadly overshadowed by Red Dead which released on the same day(!?!), but the best horror game of the generation. Thoughtful, quirky, and scary at times.
10. Journey ; The only arty/indie game that lived up to the hype for me. The seamless multiplayer was amazing, and I found the final climb up the mountain through the snow truly moving.
x. Portal ; Closest to making top 10 - great blend of story/humor gameplay
x. Prince of Persia ; People hate it, but it was beautiful, fun, great score, and Elika saving you was just a good auto-checkpoint restore system.
x. Demon's Souls ; Coin toss between this and Dark Souls for top 5.
x. Half Life 2 Episode 2 ; Might be higher if Valve hadn't abandoned the series. Great game, but I'm bitter.
x. Saints Row the Third ; Fun, funny, whimsical, gross.
x. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; Like Dishonored, a throwback to more complicated, open, thoughtful, systems driven games.
x. Just Cause 2 ; A chaos simulator
x. Lumines ; best puzzle game, great music
x. XCOM Enemy Unknown ; Would be higher, but still prefer X-Com
x. Uncharted 2 ; Best game of its style after The Last of Us
x. Uncharted 3 ; Best game of its style after The Last of Us and Uncharted 2
Worst game on anyone's list on page 1-6: SSX - what a disappointment.
Psychoward
Banned
Wait why is the cutoff for pc so early? The ps4 didn't come out until November 2013 and the cutoff for PC games is 2011?
Version 3.0
Member
Because that's when Anihawk upgraded his PC. Duh.
01. Rock Band 3 - I have spent so much time playing any game with plastic instruments that I probably but some DOTA 2 players to shame with hour counts. This game made me buy an XBOX ONE S recently just so I could keep my DLC. GOAT.
02. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Before The Last of Us, Naughty Dog showed us characters with life in the sequel to the good but not great Uncharted: Drake's Forturne. It's hard after Uncharted 4 to think back, but without this game that game wouldn't exist. The true rise of Naughty Dog to a Premiere developer started here.
03. Dark Souls - Hard games need not be punishing. A patience game, yet I'll still throw my controller when I got one-shot'd. Created a whole new genre.
04. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - The most batshit insane video game story comes to it's perfectly ridiculous and rightful conclusion. It couldn't (and shouldn't) have ended any other way.
05. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Since Nintendo seems adamant that they will never make another metroid game ever (or at least another good one :cough:Other M:cough, everyone else gave it a try instead. Turns out developer Rocksteady came out of nowhere to not only make one of the best metroid games ever but maybe the best licenced game ever.
06. Bioshock - Would You Kindly...
07. Mortal Kombat (2011) - Brought back my favorite fighting game franchise to it's rightful place, a great alternative to Street Fighter. With it's plethora of single player modes, including the coolest fighting game story ever, and a revamped 2D fighting system it was once again time to FINISH HIM! (or HER!)
08. Picross 3D - The best puzzle game of all time, it took most of the generation to finish all the many, many, many puzzles in here. Just in time for Round 2.
09. Street Fighter IV - After years of waiting it's amazing how good and well received the fourth Street Fighter really was. This game made me start watching EVO which has become a one of my favorite gaming things every year. Was still playing Ultra up until Street Fighter V came out.
10. Saints Row: The Third - One of the funiest games I have ever played, with ridiculous weapons, story, characters, and an open world full of stuff to fuck around with. I still can't decide which ending I liked better.
Honorable Mentions
x. Banjo Kazooie: Nuts n' Bolts - Best Banjo game ever.
x. Bioshock Infinite - I know this games as not aged well in people's minds but if for nothing else than the very end mindfuck, it deserves some mention
x. Burnout Paradise: The open wold format wasn't my favorite but being able to instantly go into crash mode whenever was awesome.
x. Gone Home - Great use of a familiar setting to tell what seems like one type of scary story, only to filp it and tell the scariest story of all: a story about love, those we give it to and those that refuse to give back.
x. Journey - A simple but effective experience everyone should try once.
x. The Last of Us - If not for the somewhat disappointing combat this would be one of the greatest games ever made. Still one of the best ending moments in any fiction.
x. Lost Odyssey - The best JRPG of this era, showing Square-Enix they can still be great. Backwards Compatiblity on XBOX One means if you haven't played this you have no excuse.
x. Sleeping Dogs - Did open world and crime story better than GTA.
02. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Before The Last of Us, Naughty Dog showed us characters with life in the sequel to the good but not great Uncharted: Drake's Forturne. It's hard after Uncharted 4 to think back, but without this game that game wouldn't exist. The true rise of Naughty Dog to a Premiere developer started here.
03. Dark Souls - Hard games need not be punishing. A patience game, yet I'll still throw my controller when I got one-shot'd. Created a whole new genre.
04. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - The most batshit insane video game story comes to it's perfectly ridiculous and rightful conclusion. It couldn't (and shouldn't) have ended any other way.
05. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Since Nintendo seems adamant that they will never make another metroid game ever (or at least another good one :cough:Other M:cough
, everyone else gave it a try instead. Turns out developer Rocksteady came out of nowhere to not only make one of the best metroid games ever but maybe the best licenced game ever.06. Bioshock - Would You Kindly...
07. Mortal Kombat (2011) - Brought back my favorite fighting game franchise to it's rightful place, a great alternative to Street Fighter. With it's plethora of single player modes, including the coolest fighting game story ever, and a revamped 2D fighting system it was once again time to FINISH HIM! (or HER!)
08. Picross 3D - The best puzzle game of all time, it took most of the generation to finish all the many, many, many puzzles in here. Just in time for Round 2.
09. Street Fighter IV - After years of waiting it's amazing how good and well received the fourth Street Fighter really was. This game made me start watching EVO which has become a one of my favorite gaming things every year. Was still playing Ultra up until Street Fighter V came out.
10. Saints Row: The Third - One of the funiest games I have ever played, with ridiculous weapons, story, characters, and an open world full of stuff to fuck around with. I still can't decide which ending I liked better.
Honorable Mentions
x. Banjo Kazooie: Nuts n' Bolts - Best Banjo game ever.
x. Bioshock Infinite - I know this games as not aged well in people's minds but if for nothing else than the very end mindfuck, it deserves some mention
x. Burnout Paradise: The open wold format wasn't my favorite but being able to instantly go into crash mode whenever was awesome.
x. Gone Home - Great use of a familiar setting to tell what seems like one type of scary story, only to filp it and tell the scariest story of all: a story about love, those we give it to and those that refuse to give back.
x. Journey - A simple but effective experience everyone should try once.
x. The Last of Us - If not for the somewhat disappointing combat this would be one of the greatest games ever made. Still one of the best ending moments in any fiction.
x. Lost Odyssey - The best JRPG of this era, showing Square-Enix they can still be great. Backwards Compatiblity on XBOX One means if you haven't played this you have no excuse.
x. Sleeping Dogs - Did open world and crime story better than GTA.
1. Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep; Still the best Kingdom Hearts game yet. Loved the characters, story and gameplay. Pretty much sets the bar for Kingdom Hearts 3 to cross in my case.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Metal Gear Solid 4
4. Tekken Tag Tournament 2
5. Final Fantasy XIII-2
6. Final Fantasy XIII
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Metal Gear Solid 4
4. Tekken Tag Tournament 2
5. Final Fantasy XIII-2
6. Final Fantasy XIII
List is heavily Wii-centered, loved that little white box (and most of all the wiimote)
1. Super Mario Galaxy - a fresh spin (no pun intended) on the 3D platform, literally played most of the time with a big smile
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - as good as the first game from a pure gameplay perspective, I didn't like the fact they removed the fairytale but it's clearly an extremely solid 3D platform
3. Donkey Kong Country Returns - one of the best 2D platformers ever released, from a team almost nobody expected to do that!
4. Xenoblade Chronicles - let's just say it made me play a JRPG (basically never ever did so until then) - a huuuge open world, a very fun, non-turn based combat system, and a wonderful soundtrack... what else does it need?
5. Okami Wii - perfected the original with two simple changes, the option to skip dialogues and IR pointing to draw, which made the Celestial Brush easier and faster to use - too bad for the missing credits (altough IIRC they put them back in the japanese re-release)
6. Resident Evil 4 Wii - a great classic made even funnier to play thanks to the wiimote, had a blast with it
7. Metroid Prime Corruption - classic Metroid Prime with an even stronger emphasis on shooting, arguably among the first serious proof of concept of IR aiming... at rock-solid 60fps!
8. Braid - puzzle/platforming extremely cleverly designed
9. Portal - a refreshing physics-based experience among the best in its genre
10. Just Cause 2 - a compelling, properly designed (i.e. despite being basically repetitive) open world, destroying stuff had never been so fun to me
Honorable mentions:
x. Zelda Skyward Sword - some questionable design/control choices (no IR pointing... yeah I know they used it to recalibrate motion+ on the fly but still) yet arguably THE game that proved motion sensing could work very well with core concepts, too
x. Mario Kart Wii - had lots of fun with motion steering, objectively revitalized the brand in the home console market after MK DS did the same with portable
x. Excite Truck - among the most underrated arcade racing games EVER, definitely deserves a true modern sequel, possibly @60fps
x. Wii Music - yeah yeah I know, people hated it... but with the right people the musical improvisation mode was surprisingly fun
1. Super Mario Galaxy - a fresh spin (no pun intended) on the 3D platform, literally played most of the time with a big smile
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - as good as the first game from a pure gameplay perspective, I didn't like the fact they removed the fairytale but it's clearly an extremely solid 3D platform
3. Donkey Kong Country Returns - one of the best 2D platformers ever released, from a team almost nobody expected to do that!
4. Xenoblade Chronicles - let's just say it made me play a JRPG (basically never ever did so until then) - a huuuge open world, a very fun, non-turn based combat system, and a wonderful soundtrack... what else does it need?
5. Okami Wii - perfected the original with two simple changes, the option to skip dialogues and IR pointing to draw, which made the Celestial Brush easier and faster to use - too bad for the missing credits (altough IIRC they put them back in the japanese re-release)
6. Resident Evil 4 Wii - a great classic made even funnier to play thanks to the wiimote, had a blast with it
7. Metroid Prime Corruption - classic Metroid Prime with an even stronger emphasis on shooting, arguably among the first serious proof of concept of IR aiming... at rock-solid 60fps!
8. Braid - puzzle/platforming extremely cleverly designed
9. Portal - a refreshing physics-based experience among the best in its genre
10. Just Cause 2 - a compelling, properly designed (i.e. despite being basically repetitive) open world, destroying stuff had never been so fun to me
Honorable mentions:
x. Zelda Skyward Sword - some questionable design/control choices (no IR pointing... yeah I know they used it to recalibrate motion+ on the fly but still) yet arguably THE game that proved motion sensing could work very well with core concepts, too
x. Mario Kart Wii - had lots of fun with motion steering, objectively revitalized the brand in the home console market after MK DS did the same with portable
x. Excite Truck - among the most underrated arcade racing games EVER, definitely deserves a true modern sequel, possibly @60fps
x. Wii Music - yeah yeah I know, people hated it... but with the right people the musical improvisation mode was surprisingly fun
petran79
Banned
Considering the amount of indie games like Aquaria and various doujin games, choices are vast even within that timeframe
So, considering we're talking Gen 7 (that is consoles for me), I'm basing my list only on games I planed on Console during that time. For instance, loved Mass Effect, but played the trilogy on PC (same with dragon age etc.) Even though PC "can be listed" according to OP.
Disclaimer 2, a lot of people are going to be shaking their heads at this list.
1. The Last of Us
2. Heavenly Sword ; The first game I played on the PS3, and the reason I bought a console to begin with. Fantastic visuals, great -and appropiately over the top at times- voice acting, compelling story, and a wonderful set of characters. I've made my love for this game known countles times in different threads, regarding games I'd like to see remastered. Now, I don't think they ever could (and probably never should) remaster it, considering how gaming has evolved (for a lack of a better word), and the reason is Nariko. This game is a great example of how you can love alot, if not all things about a game, and still absolutely acknowledge the very problematic visual portrayal of the MC, in this case, the hypersexualized Nariko, that really doesn't fit with the rest of the aesthetics of the world, or the character herself. And honestly, this isn't something I even reflected on back when the game was released, so I acknowledge this in many ways thanks to the conversations started by the likes of Anita.
3. Prince of Persia (2008)
4. Journey
5. Infamous 2
6. Burnout Paradise
7. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light ; In a time when couch co-op games are going the way of the dodo, this was such an awesome game to play with friends, lots of laughs had at failuers, and lots of high fives at wins.
8. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
9. Infamous
10. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Disclaimer 2, a lot of people are going to be shaking their heads at this list.
1. The Last of Us
2. Heavenly Sword ; The first game I played on the PS3, and the reason I bought a console to begin with. Fantastic visuals, great -and appropiately over the top at times- voice acting, compelling story, and a wonderful set of characters. I've made my love for this game known countles times in different threads, regarding games I'd like to see remastered. Now, I don't think they ever could (and probably never should) remaster it, considering how gaming has evolved (for a lack of a better word), and the reason is Nariko. This game is a great example of how you can love alot, if not all things about a game, and still absolutely acknowledge the very problematic visual portrayal of the MC, in this case, the hypersexualized Nariko, that really doesn't fit with the rest of the aesthetics of the world, or the character herself. And honestly, this isn't something I even reflected on back when the game was released, so I acknowledge this in many ways thanks to the conversations started by the likes of Anita.
3. Prince of Persia (2008)
4. Journey
5. Infamous 2
6. Burnout Paradise
7. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light ; In a time when couch co-op games are going the way of the dodo, this was such an awesome game to play with friends, lots of laughs had at failuers, and lots of high fives at wins.
8. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
9. Infamous
10. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
3DS launched in 2011.
strangely, i think if i could recommend one game in this thread, it might be infinite space. it seems like a lot of the other stuff i voted for got covered pretty thoroughly or at least has some decent representation, but i'm the only one who mentioned the game at all. it's a really fun space opera rpg that has no business being a fantastic japanese version of mass effect, or alternatively, skies of arcadia except in space (before turning into japanese mass effect). the battle system itself is simple, but exciting, and building your fleet, stocking your ships with parts, and staffing them with crew is really satisfying to see pay off in battles.
game had a pretty low run and released in the west in 2010. unlike 999 it didn't really get the cult following that turned it into a franchise. the us version still goes for a minimum of $40, but the european version is slightly easier to find - which is nice because the ds is region free.
game had a pretty low run and released in the west in 2010. unlike 999 it didn't really get the cult following that turned it into a franchise. the us version still goes for a minimum of $40, but the european version is slightly easier to find - which is nice because the ds is region free.
Psychoward
Banned
But it doesn't make sense that I can pick Gta v which came out in like September 2013 but not Civ v brave new world which came out in July of that same year.
Of course if I can pick Civ v and just have that count and put a disclaimer that I'm talking about the edition with both expansions then it shouldn't be an issue
you also wouldn't be able to choose super mario 3d world, tearaway, or killzone shadow fall.
expansions get their own listing. so if you were specifically talking about burning crusades, then the vote goes to that and not world of warcraft as a whole. if you want to talk about civ v: brave new world, there's always next gen.
Psychoward
Banned
Well yeah because those are on current gen/mid gen systems and shadow fall is after the cutoff date of when the ps4 launched idk
yeah, just pm me the original and the modified list.
the ps4 isn't the cutoff date. ps4 is one of the last platforms to enter the current generation. it would be like cutting off gen 5 for pc at 2001 because xbox is the 'cutoff date' but i think having the period for that run from 2002-2005 would have looked really weird.
Bits N Pieces
Member
1. Halo 3
I was already a huge Halo fan but this game took it to another level, the amount of content, the sprawling campaign and most importantly the fun I had teaming up with others is still hard to beat today.
2. Alan Wake
Love it love it love it! Just everything about it: the story, the graphics, the characters, the gameplay, the sound track, the production values. Such a shame it was overlooked but releasing on the same day as RDR will do that to you.
3. Gears of War
This is when the generation started, this was an action of intent and Epic and MS nailed it.
4. BioShock
5. GTA IV
6. Mass Effect
7. Batman: Arkham Asylum
8. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
9. The Orange Box
10. Red Dead Redemption
I have loads of honourable mentions as well, too many to list actually but I need to mention Forza Motorsport 4, Dead Space, Braid, Shadow Complex, Portal, Skyrim and dozens more.
For me it really was the best generation and I've been gaming for over thirty years.
I was already a huge Halo fan but this game took it to another level, the amount of content, the sprawling campaign and most importantly the fun I had teaming up with others is still hard to beat today.
2. Alan Wake
Love it love it love it! Just everything about it: the story, the graphics, the characters, the gameplay, the sound track, the production values. Such a shame it was overlooked but releasing on the same day as RDR will do that to you.
3. Gears of War
This is when the generation started, this was an action of intent and Epic and MS nailed it.
4. BioShock
5. GTA IV
6. Mass Effect
7. Batman: Arkham Asylum
8. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
9. The Orange Box
10. Red Dead Redemption
I have loads of honourable mentions as well, too many to list actually but I need to mention Forza Motorsport 4, Dead Space, Braid, Shadow Complex, Portal, Skyrim and dozens more.
For me it really was the best generation and I've been gaming for over thirty years.
thanks for the list - please be sure to include a comment explaining at least one of your choices for it to be included in the final tally though.
Scully Scully Scoo
Member
best gen of games imo.
1. bad company 2 = greatest multiplayer experience of my life, still play this game. simply the best
2. gears 3 = best multiplayer tps of last gen, refined the gears experience perfectly (has now been topped by gears 4).
3. halo 3 = best overall campaign + great multiplayer that i played for hundreds of hours. last great halo game.
4. team fortress 2 = amazing community led game, so fun to play all the different classes.
5. bioshock = masterpiece of gaming. best story ever.
6. the last of us = incredible story and gameplay
7. arkham city = don't usually play this genre, asylum was great fun but city took it to a new level. best superhero game i've ever played (have yet to play knight or origins)
8.sonic racing transformed = my fav racer of all time, please make a sequel
9. portal = not my genre but this was amazing game. story really imer
10. hitman blood money = amazing stealth sandbox, perfected the hitman formula.
Honourable mentions
splinter cell black list (one of the best stealth games ever made, started off a little dodgy but gets better and better)
splinter cell conviction (jason bourne = this game. got me interested in stealth which is a little weird considering it is the least stealthy game. the gunplay is ridiculously satisfying)
dishonoured (awesome game, best stealth fps)
max payne 3 (very underrated, great gameplay/story and the narration is so funny
uncharted 2 (felt like an indianna film)
assassin creed 2 (best assin creed game, what the 1st should have been)
gears 1 (started tps revolution)
mass effect trilogy (gameplay is crap but it really was the star wars of gaming)
just cause 2 (so fun to glide through the world)
red dead redemption (boring gameplay but story was great)
bioshock infinite (best opening of any game + great story + best dlc ever)
1. bad company 2 = greatest multiplayer experience of my life, still play this game. simply the best
2. gears 3 = best multiplayer tps of last gen, refined the gears experience perfectly (has now been topped by gears 4).
3. halo 3 = best overall campaign + great multiplayer that i played for hundreds of hours. last great halo game.
4. team fortress 2 = amazing community led game, so fun to play all the different classes.
5. bioshock = masterpiece of gaming. best story ever.
6. the last of us = incredible story and gameplay
7. arkham city = don't usually play this genre, asylum was great fun but city took it to a new level. best superhero game i've ever played (have yet to play knight or origins)
8.sonic racing transformed = my fav racer of all time, please make a sequel
9. portal = not my genre but this was amazing game. story really imer
10. hitman blood money = amazing stealth sandbox, perfected the hitman formula.
Honourable mentions
splinter cell black list (one of the best stealth games ever made, started off a little dodgy but gets better and better)
splinter cell conviction (jason bourne = this game. got me interested in stealth which is a little weird considering it is the least stealthy game. the gunplay is ridiculously satisfying)
dishonoured (awesome game, best stealth fps)
max payne 3 (very underrated, great gameplay/story and the narration is so funny
uncharted 2 (felt like an indianna film)
assassin creed 2 (best assin creed game, what the 1st should have been)
gears 1 (started tps revolution)
mass effect trilogy (gameplay is crap but it really was the star wars of gaming)
just cause 2 (so fun to glide through the world)
red dead redemption (boring gameplay but story was great)
bioshock infinite (best opening of any game + great story + best dlc ever)
Psychoward
Banned
Ok so just to be clear one of my games was going to be XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012) with the Enemy Within expansion especially (2013)
both games came out on 360 and I played the vanilla game first on 360 but I played the game with the expansion on PC. So uh, would this not count because it's a PC game after 2011?
Sample Ballot
1. Mass Effect 2 ; One of my favs. Perfect bland of characters and gameplay. The direction was beyond.
2. The Last of Us ; Solid campaign. Best multiplayer of alltime.
3. Grand Theft Auto V ; Sprawling and beautiful with an fairly entertaining campaign.
4. Mass Effect ; Fantastic campaign with the promise of mystery and excitement behind every corner.
5. Dragon Age: Origins ;
6. Assassins Creed 2 ; Loved the mystery, the city, the improved gameplay. And most importantly: Had a kick-ass hub, which reminded me of the Tomb Raider Mansion.
7. Journey ; Beautiful.
8. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves ; Frustrating gameplay, but a thrilling story-ride with some mind-blowing set pieces.
9. Super Mario Galaxy ; Wonderous - The Game.
10. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; Quit after 30 hours, but the combat was amazing. And the night, god almighty, the pitch-black night. Glorious.
x. Call of Duty: Black Ops ; Poured over a 100 hours into this one. Great campaign and fun maps.
x. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ; My LAN-game of 2011 during army service. Wohoo!
x. Final Fantasy Tactics A2 ; My first serious SRPG experience, and it was a great one.
x. The World Ends With You ; Story was beyond blah and ultimately disappointing, but the gameplay and the style was amazing and like nothing I personally have ever seen. Later draw to games like Persona or Catherine, or even Hotline Miami - games that ooze style through every element of design.
x. Xenoblade Chronicles ; I have my issues with this game (Damn you friggin side quests, and that damn tree town!), but overall absolutely impressive in scale and epicness.
x. Assassin's Creed ; AssCreed2 did everything better, but I still like the methological nature of the first one. Immediately drew me into its universe. I was very sad to see what later became of the series in that sense.
1. Mass Effect 2 ; One of my favs. Perfect bland of characters and gameplay. The direction was beyond.
2. The Last of Us ; Solid campaign. Best multiplayer of alltime.
3. Grand Theft Auto V ; Sprawling and beautiful with an fairly entertaining campaign.
4. Mass Effect ; Fantastic campaign with the promise of mystery and excitement behind every corner.
5. Dragon Age: Origins ;
6. Assassins Creed 2 ; Loved the mystery, the city, the improved gameplay. And most importantly: Had a kick-ass hub, which reminded me of the Tomb Raider Mansion.
7. Journey ; Beautiful.
8. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves ; Frustrating gameplay, but a thrilling story-ride with some mind-blowing set pieces.
9. Super Mario Galaxy ; Wonderous - The Game.
10. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; Quit after 30 hours, but the combat was amazing. And the night, god almighty, the pitch-black night. Glorious.
x. Call of Duty: Black Ops ; Poured over a 100 hours into this one. Great campaign and fun maps.
x. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ; My LAN-game of 2011 during army service. Wohoo!
x. Final Fantasy Tactics A2 ; My first serious SRPG experience, and it was a great one.
x. The World Ends With You ; Story was beyond blah and ultimately disappointing, but the gameplay and the style was amazing and like nothing I personally have ever seen. Later draw to games like Persona or Catherine, or even Hotline Miami - games that ooze style through every element of design.
x. Xenoblade Chronicles ; I have my issues with this game (Damn you friggin side quests, and that damn tree town!), but overall absolutely impressive in scale and epicness.
x. Assassin's Creed ; AssCreed2 did everything better, but I still like the methological nature of the first one. Immediately drew me into its universe. I was very sad to see what later became of the series in that sense.
1. Dark Souls ; The best game ever made for me and it changed how i look at and for games for ever
2. Bayonetta ; I bought it 4 times and I will buy the Steam version. Yeah I love this game that much
3. The Last of Us ; ND's magnum opus and possibly the best written game i've played yet.
4. Uncharted 2 ; Great and mind blowing adventure.
5. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; Possibly the best platformer for me alongside with Crash Warped.
6. Demon's Souls ; The game that started my favorite series ever.
7. Xenoblade Chronicles ; A truly masterpiece of a JRPG. I hope the second one takes notes from it.
8. Catherine ; A great, challenging and unique puzzle game. I hope Atlus try something as fresh in the future.
9. Alan Wake ; Fun and unique gameplay and great atmosphere. Enjoyed the story alot too.
10. Assassin's Creed ; Alot of people consider it mediocre, but it's the second best i the series for me and it being my first last gen game puts it in special place in my heart.
2. Bayonetta ; I bought it 4 times and I will buy the Steam version. Yeah I love this game that much
3. The Last of Us ; ND's magnum opus and possibly the best written game i've played yet.
4. Uncharted 2 ; Great and mind blowing adventure.
5. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; Possibly the best platformer for me alongside with Crash Warped.
6. Demon's Souls ; The game that started my favorite series ever.
7. Xenoblade Chronicles ; A truly masterpiece of a JRPG. I hope the second one takes notes from it.
8. Catherine ; A great, challenging and unique puzzle game. I hope Atlus try something as fresh in the future.
9. Alan Wake ; Fun and unique gameplay and great atmosphere. Enjoyed the story alot too.
10. Assassin's Creed ; Alot of people consider it mediocre, but it's the second best i the series for me and it being my first last gen game puts it in special place in my heart.
Bits N Pieces
Member
Kevin Shields
Member
1. Super Mario Galaxy; I don't know if I can disconnect this game from what it meant to me when it came out. It brought me through a rough time and really made me fall in love with gaming. I have been chasing the feelings this game gave me ever since it came out.
2. The Last of Us;
3. Batman Arkham City ; Best superhero game with amazing combat, good stealth, and as close to a superhero Zelda we will ever get.
4. Rayman Origins; such a darn good platformer. Perfect challenge, level design and charm
5. Dark SoulS ;
6. Deus Ex Human Revolution;
7. Batman Arkham Asylum;
8. Mass Effect ;
9. Rayman Legends ;
10. Red Dead Redemption
2. The Last of Us;
3. Batman Arkham City ; Best superhero game with amazing combat, good stealth, and as close to a superhero Zelda we will ever get.
4. Rayman Origins; such a darn good platformer. Perfect challenge, level design and charm
5. Dark SoulS ;
6. Deus Ex Human Revolution;
7. Batman Arkham Asylum;
8. Mass Effect ;
9. Rayman Legends ;
10. Red Dead Redemption
for this gen, the vote would count towards the 360 version. then the expansion pack would count during next gen.
1. Halo 3
Bungie (2007, Xbox 360)
I've said a couple of times that Halo 3 was the last Halo and the last FPS release I needed. It covers all aspects so well that it's almost impossible to find a better game. The story was not perfect, but it was a great conclusion to the trilogy and the whole Halo storyline - everything that has happened in the universe after Halo 3 is irrelevant. The gameplay was and is my favourite of all Halo games. It was simple to learn but hard to master, fast enough, and the balance and design choises were spot on. It's amazing how both the single player and multiplayer can be so engaging and fun no matter what your skill level is. The graphics have aged so well that it's hard to believe it's been a few months short of ten years since the release. The sound design might lack some depth, but the soundtrack refined the Halo formula to perfection.
The amount of content Halo 3 had was unheard of at the time: it had a campaign with amazing gameplay and story, expansive multiplayer with competitive and casual modes and separate matchmaking, map and custom game editors, split-screen and online co-op in all modes, and the Theater to capture and replay all of it. In my opinion no game comes close to what Halo 3 was able to achieve in a single package.
2. Mass Effect
BioWare (2008, PC)
The first Mass Effect remains the best because of its awesome standalone storyline and great pacing of the main missions. The gameplay hasn't aged perfectly, but remains interesting and has better PC playability than the latter two games of the trilogy. The art and design is by far the best in the series: from the utopian Citadel to barren moons and pseudo-utopian Noveria the game feels and looks realistically futuristic unlike almost any other. The later games abandoned the retroish approach with a heavier aesthetic which isn't as unique. The soundtrack also stands out with its combination of ambient , synth, and orchestral.
3. Halo 3 ODST
Bungie (2009, Xbox 360)
ODST's short campaign is a great example of a different approach to a familiar subject. Rain covered streets, neon lights, and hunting packs of dangerous aliens created an atmosphere that I haven't experienced since. The feeling of loneliness the player experiences as the Rookie is balanced with more traditional Halo setpieces in the form of flashbacks. The soundtrack is yet another masterpiece from Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori, with such classics as Deference for Darkness and More Than His Share. Firefight is still one of the go-to couch multiplayers for me and my friends.
4. Mass Effect 2
BioWare (2010, PC)
I think ME2 is still the best example of what a movie-like game can achieve. It has a strong cast of characters and a good plot, but the player choice is what makes the difference. The choice system isn't as complex and the story as nuanced as in some other games, but it does what's important: it makes the player care about the squadmates and creates an emotional connection to the story. Gameplay was perhaps the best in the series so far: it wasn't too shootery, and it was difficult enough.
5. Halo: Reach
Bungie (2010, Xbox 360)
I said that Halo 3 is a package that cannot be matched, but in the amount of content Reach could be even better. Gameplay changes such as bloom and armor abilities almost ruin competitive multiplayer, but the campaign remains one of the strongest in FPS gaming. Forge is miles better than 3's, and everything from the UI to the sound design is almost over-engineered. As a compilation of a staggering amount of content, refined graphics technology, and epic music Halo: Reach remains a fitting farewell to Bungie's Halo.
6. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - DICE (2010, PS3)
My favourite Battlefield game. Fun and engaging gameplay that wasn't trying to be too realistic. Good balance between infantry and vehicles and many great map designs for smaller console player count. Terrific Vietnam expansion, too.
7. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Bethesda (2011 - PC)
Best fantasy game out there. The feeling of being there is unmatched.
8. Uncharted 2 - Naughty Dog (2009, PS3)
The best Uncharted, and the best Naughty Dog achieved with PS3.
9. The Orange Box - Valve (2007, PC)
Content, content, and more content. Portal is the most enjoyable puzzle game I've played. And Half-Life 2 is, well, Half-Life.
10. Killzone 2 - Guerrilla (2009, PS3)
WWII in space. Not the PS3 equivalent of Halo but rather of Gears of War.
Honourable mentions:
x. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
x. Crysis
x. Far Cry 2
x. Far Cry: Blood Dragon
x. Journey
x. Uncharted 3
x. Battlefield 3
x. Battlefield 1943
x. Wipeout HD
x. Elder Scrolls V
x. God of War 3
x. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
In a way, Gen 7 was the end of my gaming honeymoon. Since then I've grown more cynical about the whole industry, and new games rarely catch my attention the same way anymore. Luckily this generation saw many of the best releases in history, and there's still lots to play.
Sure thing
thanks, added!
Psychoward
Banned
Could I just say the expansion pack on 360 then since it never came out on PS4/XB1/Wii U/3DS/Switch/Vita what have you?
Edit: I'll just say Enemy Unknown lol, the expansion is too specific anyway and it'll mess up the totals
Zambayoshi
Member
Yep, shaking my head. I only just finished playing through Heavenly Sword the other day, and a few things stood out to me:
1. Graphics aside, the art direction for the game is pretty high quality. I love the character designs as well.
2. Motion capture is fantastic. Andy Serkis does some really great facial expressions as Bohan. The actor who did General Flying Fox's mocap was awesome as well.
3. I particularly liked Kai's missions. They were suitably tense, and the sixaxis after-touch on the crossbow bolts was quite fun.
4. But the melee combat in general including the combo system and the counter-attack system was a real let-down for me. It felt really arbitrary to me whether Nariko countered an attack of not, and some of the boss battles (the first Flying Fox battle in particular) had really difficult telegraphing for counters. I ended up doing a lot of dodging rather than blocking melee attacks. There were a few rage moments such as during the Whiptail fight, the aforementioned first Flying Fox fight (those excessive QTEs!) and a few other places.
All in all, I the game just didn't click with me, although as I mentioned above there were elements that were really cool.
it's really up to you to make your list within the rules set out on the first post.
as much as i heard about it early in the ps3's life, this was actually the only mention of heavenly sword so far. a lot of the early-gen stuff isn't getting any play though. probably the earliest game being mentioned the most is 2004's lumines.
and i think it was a good idea to wait. waiting didn't hurt the gen 6 one at all when that would have been fresh in 2007 or so.
brickarts295
Member
GEN 7 is a personal favorite gen for me because it was the gen where gaming became a hobby/passtime for me (was not allowed to play or have video games during my childhood). These games are more like my personal favorites than the one's I cosnider the best GEN 7 had to offer.
1. The Last of Us ; A Masterpiece in every category specially the MP.
2. Red Dead Redemption ; A Masterpiece in Open World Design and the Definitive Western game.
3. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves ; A Perfect Sequel with near perfect Pacing.
4. Modern Warfare 2 ; An Excellent sequel with a Very Addicting MP. -it was my introduction to online MP.
5. The Elder's Scrolls V: Skyrim ;An Addicting Open World RPG with a very Mod friendly community. -first RPG game for me.
6. Sleeping Dogs ; Open World Action at it's best.
7. Portal 2 ; Best Puzzle Game of the 7th gen. -first Valve game.
8. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney ; An excellent and timeless Visual Novel. -first VN for me.
9. Heavy Rain ; Defined the interactive drama/cinema/storytelling genre. -huge fan of films, loved how film like this felt.
10. Grand Theft Auto V ; A Technical Marvel in Open World Design.
1. The Last of Us ; A Masterpiece in every category specially the MP.
2. Red Dead Redemption ; A Masterpiece in Open World Design and the Definitive Western game.
3. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves ; A Perfect Sequel with near perfect Pacing.
4. Modern Warfare 2 ; An Excellent sequel with a Very Addicting MP. -it was my introduction to online MP.
5. The Elder's Scrolls V: Skyrim ;An Addicting Open World RPG with a very Mod friendly community. -first RPG game for me.
6. Sleeping Dogs ; Open World Action at it's best.
7. Portal 2 ; Best Puzzle Game of the 7th gen. -first Valve game.
8. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney ; An excellent and timeless Visual Novel. -first VN for me.
9. Heavy Rain ; Defined the interactive drama/cinema/storytelling genre. -huge fan of films, loved how film like this felt.
10. Grand Theft Auto V ; A Technical Marvel in Open World Design.
I'm dedicating all my gaming time to finishing off potential candidates for my list and... Well, I didn't complete it just yet (I'm close) but I'm completely writing off Deus Ex: Human Revolution as a contender. The world building and story are pretty good but the gameplay is really not. Oh well, it wasn't bad enough to be considered a waste of time in any way.
These remain:
999
Batman Arkham Asylum/City
Catherine
Dishonored
Radiant Historia
Valkyria Chronicles
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Is 999 available anywhere other than DS? I think it's between that and SMG2 at this point.
These remain:
999
Batman Arkham Asylum/City
Catherine
Dishonored
Radiant Historia
Valkyria Chronicles
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Is 999 available anywhere other than DS? I think it's between that and SMG2 at this point.
2008 was a pretty bad year for games (as evidenced by the GotY votes) but going off history I'll guess Metal Gear Solid 4?
you can play it on 3ds (obviously). it's also on ps4 and vita as part of the nonary games collection.
this is a game i very very very strongly advise on the ds or 3ds though. it's a game made with the ds hardware in mind and the storytelling is diminished on other platforms as a result of what they are inherently unable to do.
i think super mario galaxy 2 and valkyria chronicles are really top-tier quality games from your remaining list, aside from 999 (which i also think is fantastic). radiant historia was way too linear for my time-traveling rpg needs, dishonored is good but an 'honorable mentions' kind of thing in a goty thread (but if stealth is your thing, it's probably a lot more fun). never got into catherine but i gave it the ol' college try. the batman games are pretty good.
yep! though i think 2008 had some real gems in there - mirror's edge and braid in particular stand out to me.
I'm going on a quick trip next weekend so a handheld game is a huge plus. Guess it's time to dig out my wife's old DS then!
And I absolutely adore Mirror's Edge and have played it countless times (I even think the time attack modes are fantastic fun and used to be pretty highly ranked once upon a time). However, I still think it's a weird kind of game to hold as the best for an entire year as I usually appreciate the bigger budget releases.