-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
ResetEra Game of the Decade 2010-2019 (NO 2020 games) -Voting Thread (READ THE OP)- [Voting Ends October 4th, 12PM EST]
- Thread starter B-Dubs
- Start date
- Status
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dishonored 2
[x] Half Life: Alyx
[x] Her Story
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Outer Wilds
[x] Overwatch
[x] Portal 2
[x] Prey
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Rimworld
[x] Sekiro
[x] Subnautica
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Walking Dead
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Undertale
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dishonored 2
[x] Half Life: Alyx
[x] Her Story
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Outer Wilds
[x] Overwatch
[x] Portal 2
[x] Prey
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Rimworld
[x] Sekiro
[x] Subnautica
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Walking Dead
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Undertale
I was planning to do a whole write-up but I don't think I'll have the time for it, so here's my vote. RDR2 is easily the most impressive achievement in gaming this past generation. I was debating making Witcher 3 my GOTG since I do love that game a lot, but I think RDR2 just does so much more in creating a fully realized living, breathing world. It's truly impressive.
[x] Batman: Arkham City
[x] Batman: Arkham Knight
[x] Borderlands 2
[x] Civilization VI
[x] Dishonored
[x] Dishonored 2
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Rainbow Six: Siege
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Resident Evil HD Remaster
[x] Shadow of the Tomb Raider
[x] Splinter Cell: Blacklist
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Tomb Raider (2013)
[x] Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
[x] XCOM 2
[x] Batman: Arkham City
[x] Batman: Arkham Knight
[x] Borderlands 2
[x] Civilization VI
[x] Dishonored
[x] Dishonored 2
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Rainbow Six: Siege
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Resident Evil HD Remaster
[x] Shadow of the Tomb Raider
[x] Splinter Cell: Blacklist
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Tomb Raider (2013)
[x] Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
[x] XCOM 2
Voting for 20, but decided to include my Top 50 in the write-up. So many great games have come out in the last ten years, and I felt bad about how many were going to go unrecognized.
(In the interest of saving some time, rather than going back and revisiting each of these games, I've dug up some of my old comments from past "Game of the [X]" threads to capture what I felt about each game in the moment, as well as some of my best gameplay clips from PS4.)
50. Fallout: New Vegas (2010, Obsidian Entertainment) - "I enjoyed it a whole heck of a lot more than Fallout 4, which was my first Fallout game. The quest design and writing, in particular, were outstanding [...] The game becomes Glitch City the longer it goes on [...] this really soured me on an experience that, otherwise, I wholeheartedly enjoyed."
49. The Talos Principle (2014, Croteam) - "A first-person puzzler that expects a lot out of you as a player, The Talos Principle admirably fills the void left by the lack of Portal since 2011 [...] It's clever and challenging and offers a lot of things to think about, both in terms of its puzzles and its better-than-expected story."
48. Gone Home (2013, The Fullbright Company) - "[...]What makes Gone Home so special is something that could only be achieved through this medium. In an era dominated by cutscene-driven storytelling, here's a game that allows the setting to tell its own story [...] While it could be considered just a "nostalgia trip" in a way, it made the story, characters and setting come across as more intimate and personal to me. It's a level of sincerity and realism that you just don't find in most mediums."
47. Mark of the Ninja (2012, Klei Entertainment) - "The ways in which it portrays information to you based on your line of sight are incredibly novel, and it gives you the right amount of observable data that a master ninja would make use of, without putting the enemies at too much of a disadvantage. [...] The game is every bit as enjoyable and satisfying when taking enemies out undetected with a wide-array of executions, as it is when passing through a level undetected and without killing anyone. [...] Mark of the Ninja gave me just about everything I would want out of a stealth game."
46. NieR:Automata (2017, PlatinumGames) - "Right from the beginning of my very first playthrough, I knew what I was signing up for: that I was going to have to put up with a lot of bullshit, but that I was also going to be taken on a wild ride unlike anything else I've ever played. [...] I never would have thought I'd be up for a game that asked me to stay with it through multiple playthroughs, but NieR:Automata offered enough one-of-a-kind content to have made it all seem worthwhile."
45. Grand Theft Auto V (2013, Rockstar North) - "[...] In a vacuum GTA V is hands-down the best Grand Theft Auto game Rockstar has made [...] It is an amazing technological achievement that constantly leaves you wondering how they pulled it off on this generation of consoles. [...] But the open world aspect of this game...it just doesn't feel very different from what I've been playing for over a decade now. [...] It's all incredibly long-in-the-tooth at this point."
44. Rayman Origins (2011, Ubisoft Montpellier) - "2D platforming goodness. [...] A fun, addicting and downright gorgeous platformer which boasts some of the most thrilling levels built around speed and fluidity."
43. BioShock Infinite (2013, Irrational Games) - "The game design may not have been as ambitious as when the game was first shown off, and the combat may not have been quite as good as previous entries in the franchise. But BioShock Infinite still managed to meet my sky high expectations by delivering an unbelievable thrill ride, one that had me fully engaged from the opening quote all the way through to the unforgettable ending. [...] An experience that I'll remember for a very long time."
42. Batman: Arkham City (2011, Rocksteady Studios) - "Arkham City does some things with its open-world that make it better than the first game, but it does lose some of what was so great about Asylum. In the end, I prefer the Asylum-style (Metroidvania-inspired) but I still really liked City almost as much."
41. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017, Capcom) - "After bottoming-out with RE6, Capcom revisits old-school RE. [...] The transition to first-person takes a tried-and-true but unquestionably old style of game design, and makes it feel fresh in a way that I wasn't sure would work. This is easily their best effort since RE4. [...] For the first time in years, I can honestly say I'm excited about the future of Resident Evil."
40. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (2013, Starbreeze Studios) - "It's over and done with in the span of 3-to-4 hours, but Brothers may very well represent the strongest 3 or 4 hours from any game this year. In its short running-time, Brothers trims the fat and makes every second count, creating an excellently-paced adventure that hits every note with a high-degree of confidence and focus. [...] Starbreeze rejects the separation of gameplay and narrative by taking what constitutes the bond between player and game (the controller), and having that represent the emotional bond between the two brothers."
39. The Walking Dead (2012, Telltale Games) - "No game has ever had me as emotionally invested on a minute-by-minute basis. [...] Playing this over the course of just 5 days, the number of successive gut-punches delivered in such a short span really put me into a dark place, all the while feeling regret over not doing something differently. [...] When it comes to interactive storytelling, the industry could take plenty of notes from Telltale's achievement."
38. Soma (2015, Frictional Games) - "A tremendous achievement in video game storytelling, pacing, and creating suspense. And by bringing all of these elements together in a well-crafted and believable world, SOMA succeeds in being one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played. [...] It offers a thought-provoking narrative where choices are less about how in-game events will play out, and hits more on a personal level about whether or not these choices line up with what you'd consider moral or ethical."
37. Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014, MachineGames) - "The shooting feels great, as do the stealth mechanics, and each mission practically can be played with either approach or a mix of both styles interchangeably. Each level is designed smartly with multiple routes that you can take and oftentimes allowing you to be as stealthy as you'd like, but the game doesn't miss a beat once everything degenerates into a shootout. [...] But on top of all of that, it has an unexpectedly well-written narrative that includes a number of characters that I actually cared about [...] It's the best first-person shooter I've played in several years."
36. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011, Bethesda Game Studios) - "The game where Bethesda finally won me over with their world design. I had a blast adventuring from place-to-place while discovering something new or interesting on the way. [...] Unquestionably one of the most influential games of its era, albeit not their strongest game in the role-playing department."
35. Bayonetta (2010, PlatinumGames) - "One of the most fun and varied character-action games I've played. There are so many different tools and techniques at Bayonetta's disposal, and each and every one of these are worthwhile and fun to use. [...] It's beautiful, it's stylish, it's got a ton of variety, and it features some absolutely phenomenal boss fights that serve as entire levels in their own right. [...] At no point did I want to put the controller down."
34. What Remains of Edith Finch (2017, Giant Sparrow) - "In its short running time, What Remains of Edith Finch provided several of the most memorable moments I had in a video game last year. [...] These vignettes all serve the basic purpose of telling a story, but here it's all done through player interactivity. They do things that are only possible through the medium of video games, and the stories made a much stronger impression on me as a result."
33. The Last Guardian (2016, SIE Japan Studio) - "The Last Guardian is an unforgettable adventure that is beautiful, fascinating and emotional all at once. I smiled a lot, I cried a lot, and once the words "The End" came up on the screen I did a lot of both. It's a game that I don't expect to ever go back to. My one and only playthrough was something special, and it's something that I'll be able to carry with me for the rest of my life. I would have never believed that this game could come out after so long and manage to live up to all of the lofty expectations, but it did. It was absolutely worth the wait."
32. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014, Retro Studios) - "Saying it's just more DKC Returns is selling it a bit short. [...] There's more variety, with new playable characters and new types of stages [...] David Wise's soundtrack is an unequivocal highlight, and is without question the best collection of music I've heard in a game all year. But it's the little things that make this game great too. [...] Ultimately, it's not as impressive of a game now as Donkey Kong Country Returns was back on the Wii."
31. Death Stranding (2019, Kojima Productions) - "Kojima is finally unchained from Metal Gear, and his greatest strengths and worst tendencies are both on full display. [...] I never thought I'd ever get this addicted to making deliveries and rebuilding a fractured infrastructure, but I've had hours and hours just straight-up disappear on me as I lost myself in the experience. [...] I've never played anything quite like this: a AAA major publisher release which emphasizes non-violence and helping others in lieu of being yet another murder simulator, and to that end it was undeniably a success in spite of its numerous missteps."
30. Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011, Eidos Montréal) - "[...] In many respects this game felt tailor-made for me. As if the design document was simply "Make Big G happy". As the game allowed me to play my specific style of stealth gameplay unabated, as well as allowing me to maximize my effectiveness in doing so, I had a great time playing this for the majority of the 60 or so hours I spent with it. Human Revolution excels in a number of areas, whether it's the excellence in world-building that brings the cities of 2027 to life. Or how the decisions that you make seem to make a tangible impact on the characters that populate this game's world. Or the well-designed levels and hub worlds that encourage exploration and provide numerous different avenues to traverse.
I also really liked the way this game did side quests in contrast to many other modern games. Instead of being littered with a number of shallow, repetitive missions, you get a pretty good bang for your buck here. There aren't a ton of them, but they are all pretty unique and have plenty of substance to them. The side missions never felt either superfluous or "lesser" than the main story missions. And even though the story eventually drifted into Metal Gear Solid territory, there were still enough revelations and twists and turns to keep me engaged beginning to end."
29. Bayonetta 2 (2014, PlatinumGames) - "The original Bayonetta is one of my favorite games of the prior generation, and up until that point was certainly my favorite character-action game. [...] It was amazing, and I didn't think it was possible to perfect it any further. Well, I was wrong. Bayonetta 2 not only plays better than the first game, it actually plays a lot better. There's more variety to the gameplay on top of a foundation that was already quite varied, while combat is faster and smoother and just feels great overall. Each new enemy encounter is a lot of fun, and it never gets old because of how many different abilities you have (all of which are equally awesome), and because of how enjoyable it is to have all of that power while never feeling overwhelmed at the same time. The ease and intuitiveness involved with mixing up your arsenal is very liberating, making it more possible now to dominate as Bayonetta while doing it just as stylishly as she does it in the cinematics.
The sequel also trims out a lot of the filler that the first game had, smartly focusing on making the whole experience faster and crazier. Hands down, it's one of the best-paced action games I've ever played. I didn't find the humor to be at the level of the first game, but in every other respect, Bayonetta 2 is a resounding improvement over the original. I've never had more fun kicking ass in a video game."
28. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, Bandai Namco Studios/Sora Ltd.) - "[...] The "World of Light" Adventure Mode has been an absolute delight, a real revelation as far as Smash Bros. single-player modes go. I really wasn't expecting much on that front. But not only is World of Light ridiculously massive for a fighting game story mode - I put just over 30 hours into it - it's an awesome nostalgia trip that celebrates so many classic video games, Nintendo and non-Nintendo alike. It's a really special, almost powerful feeling that swept over me whenever I'd recognize references to games I may not have played in over 20 years.
As far as the rest of the game goes, it's more Smash Bros. and I'm playing and enjoying the heck out of it. [...] This is the multi-player game on Switch that I've been waiting for. I've already played more single-player and local multiplayer than I ever did with the Wii U game, and it won't be too long before I can say the same for online multiplayer. It's the first one since Melee that I'm looking forward to completing 100%. And I've been playing online with friends who I used to play 64/Melee/Brawl with that skipped out on the Wii U, and everyone is having a really good time. As the old saying goes, "Nothing brings friends together more than Smash Bros." This one's a keeper."
27. Prey (2017, Arkane Studios) - "[Prey] knows exactly what it is and what it wants to be, and that's the spiritual successor to System Shock. The space station Talos-I which serves as Prey's setting is the year's best example of great world-design meeting great world-building. The entire station is largely open to explore from the get-go, and the order in which you complete objectives is largely in your own hands. There's no right or wrong way to play, because of how many tools and abilities you're given to play around with. Certain areas are gated off via locks or other obstructions, and the game's progression is Metroid-esque in that regard. But the twist is that while these areas are gated by what abilities and skills you do or don't have, there's never only one way of getting around them.
It really is the "System Shock meets Metroid" that was promised by the developer. [...] I spent so many hours just exploring every square inch of the station just to see what I might discover, and it never disappointed. They've crafted one of the more convincing worlds of this magnitude, with the station truly feeling lived-in for years and years prior to the start of the game. Numerous secondary characters come to life through found recordings and e-mails, even though many of them are already dead or missing. Through the strength of the writing, you really come to know these people and their personalities and what they were like before the shit hit the fan, and there's so much of that throughout the entire station. [...] All of these things add up to make a well-designed setting like Talos-I feel even more believable and real. [...] Prey is Arkane's best game yet, and it's the best immersive sim to come out since the genre's heyday in 1999/2000."
26. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015, CD Projekt Red) - "[...] As someone who has developed open-world fatigue over the last few years, I wasn't sure if I would like this game. Especially early on, as it became clear that this game was a staunch follower of modern open-world design -- no towers to climb here, but bulletin boards serve the same purpose of cluttering the map with "---> **GO HERE THIS IS IMPORTANT** <---" icons. So, what's different about The Witcher 3?
It's because out of all of the things there are to see and do in this game -- and there's a ton of it -- very little felt like a throwaway. And that's what separates The Witcher 3 from the bulk of open-world games, which often fill the world with shallow, repetitive busywork. Here, even the most insignificant of quests has a worthwhile story associated with it. Main quests, side quests and everything in between often intertwine and overlap, establishing a world that truly feels real and lived-in. Consequently, I did everything that I could do in this game, because if I didn't, I'd have felt like I was missing out on something that was worth my time. Within the constraints of a traditional open-world structure, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt puts forth an impressive display of writing and world-building that runs laps around its peers. It has set the bar for all story-driven, open-world games going forward."
25. Hollow Knight (2017, Team Cherry) - "[...] The fusing of Metroidvania and Souls-like games not only felt inevitable to me, it also made a lot of sense. It's two schools of design that seem to mesh perfectly together. Enter Hollow Knight. It's as much one as it is the other, and it brings them together just about flawlessly. Admittedly, this game doesn't reveal its strengths right away. It's not a superbly-paced game like Super Metroid from beginning to end, it's a 40-50 hour journey that demands a slower, cautious play style.
[...] The more I played of Hollow Knight, the better it got. Once I reached the City of Tears and the map really started to open up, it took on a new life for me. It became less about "where do I have to go next?" and more about "where shall I go next?" It had become a game about exploring as much as it was about getting from one room to the next without dying. Everything from discovering new paths to finding hidden secrets to figuring out how to defeat a challenging boss, all of it is equally rewarding and satisfying. It's truly the best of both worlds. [...] However, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the aesthetics, without which I'm not sure Hollow Knight would work quite as well as it does. The visuals and music are on the exact same page throughout, and after a while you really start to sense just how damp, dark, and depressing the world of Hallownest is. It's among the moodiest and most atmospheric games I've ever played."
24. Doom (2016, id Software) - "The Doom campaign is a rare one, in that I can't really point to anything that it didn't do very well. The gameplay is ultra-fast and ultra-violent, finding a perfect balance between being incredibly fun and incredibly intense at the same time. [...] The gunplay/glory kills/chainsaw "choice" approach to combat encounters adds an additional level of strategy to each enemy encounter beyond just entering a room and blowing everything apart (although that is still very much an acceptable approach to take sometimes). [...] The level design is excellent, with missions generally playing out non-linearly with plenty of reasons to explore for secrets. Both the writing and the soundtrack embrace what the Doom series is, and they throw all of their weight into both. This is fucking DOOM, and while it appeared that at some point during development they did not grasp this concept, the final product leaves no doubt.
Doom meshes old school design ethos that are largely missing from today's FPS games, with a number of smart additions to the combat and platforming mechanics, such that it feels fresh in the modern landscape while still being undeniably a Doom game. I'd have to go back to the original Bioshock, or perhaps even as far back as Half-Life 2, to find a first-person shooter campaign that I enjoyed as much as this one."
23. Life is Strange (2015, Dontnod Entertainment) - "As it was releasing episodically over the course of the year, I didn't pay much attention to Life is Strange. It just seemed like it was "another one of those games", and one that was late to the party. [...] It wasn't hard to be dismissive. I loved Telltale's The Walking Dead -- it was my 2012 game of the year. But after playing several games like that since, many of them underwhelming, I was reluctant to give Life is Strange a chance. However, several months back I decided to pick it up. I started it on a Friday night. I finished it on Sunday afternoon. What happened in the intervening hours was something special. Flawless? Hardly. But it didn't need to be. It was an experience that I will never forget.
I went into work Monday morning, and I had this feeling that was tough to describe. And it didn't really subside until the end of the week. It was a sense of emptiness, of longing, and of regret, all rolled into one. This was my one playthrough, and there's no way that I would ever consider going back and doing it again. The friendship between Max and Chloe, initially introduced as a bit of backstory, was something that became genuine over the course of those five episodes. That town, Arcadia Bay and its residents, those that I had come to know well over the course of just one weekend, I'll never go there and see them again. I left, and it's over. I've never, ever had that sort of reaction after finishing a video game."
22. God of War (2018, SIE Santa Monica Studio) - "[...]God of War is as enjoyable to play as third-person action games get. It looks and sounds fantastic at every turn. The combat is a whole lot of fun, and strikes a perfect balance where the enemy encounters are challenging, while at the same time Kratos feels every bit as powerful as he should. The game encourages exploration of its world, which there's a lot of, and doesn't nag at you for straying away from the golden path. There are very few games out there that are this well-made in every single respect. [...] Barlog and his team smartly looked at what other similar games were doing right, and brought some of those ideas under the God of War umbrella. [...] But it's the combat, and the mammoth boss encounters, and the epic set pieces that are still eminently God of War. It's why this game succeeds where a game like Tomb Raider 2013 did not.
More than anything else, I appreciated how it was willing to break away from a number of video game contrivances when it came to telling a coherent story while letting you just play the game however you see fit. There's no pressing "you must save the world!" objective constantly looming over your head, nudging you away from all of the game's side content. Instead, God of War has a story that feels "small" (at least, as small as a story revolving around Greek gods facing off against Norse gods can possibly be!) and personal. And there are actual in--story reasons presented for why Kratos and Atreus should go off and explore the world instead of going straight to the next main quest. There are a lot of these little, nice touches that add up to make it an even better game. I can't reiterate this point enough: very few games are this well-designed and well-made across the board. It's the complete package."
21. Yakuza 0 (2017, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio) - "I had never played a Yakuza game before, and didn't really know a whole lot about the series [...] However with Yakuza 0 being a prequel to the whole series, if there was ever a time to jump in, this was it. [...] So, I decided to take a chance on it, and boy am I glad that I did! Where do I begin? There's the main crime saga, which alternates between cities and protagonists (Kiryu and Majima), that smartly starts off as two unrelated origin stories that eventually bleed together. You get to know exactly who these characters are to the point that there's no mistaking them for one another as you switch between scenarios. The main story has multiple layers, with several key players that have allegiances to one or more crime families; it's initially all a bit difficult to keep track of, but it all works itself out due to how effectively the game develops each of its supporting characters.
This gritty, at times noir-ish main narrative is balanced by the side missions, which couldn't be further on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are funny, and I don't mean funny in the way that this is a Japanese script that became funny due to localization, but actually legitimately funny. Seriously, I don't think I've ever laughed out loud playing a video game as often as I have with Yakuza 0. Walking around town as Kiryu or Majima, many of the quests just start automatically. And if I was on my way to go do something else, too bad, I was doing the side mission because I knew it would be a great time. I felt bad that there were still blank spots in the side mission checklist after beating the game, so I looked them up and did them all anyway. I didn't want to miss a single thing that this game had to offer. [...] I could go on and on and on about my time with Yakuza 0. It is one of the most thoroughly entertaining games I've played in years.
20. Super Mario 3D World (2013, Nintendo) - "Ever since Mario made his 3D debut with Super Mario 64, there's been a conscious effort on Nintendo's part to figure out how to translate classic 2D Mario gameplay into 3D. As a first effort, 64 wasn't that game, but subsequent installments have led us to where we are today. [...] And this brings us to Super Mario 3D World, which finished the job that 3D Land started and could very well be the full realization of Nintendo's initial vision.
It may sound cliché, but 3D World is built all around having fun, moreso than any Mario game I can remember. It doesn't have the most creative Mario stages ever, but very few of them feel like throwaways and there's a lot of variety in each world -- you never play two stages in a row that feel too similar. The power-ups may not necessarily be the best in the series, but I think they are without a doubt the most fun set of power-ups. In particular, the Cat Suit is probably my new favorite Mario power-up.
It really goes without saying that I had an absolute blast playing this game, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the excellent and extremely catchy soundtrack, the very polished and pleasing graphical look, and some really strong (and challenging!) post-game content. Super Mario 3D World is Mario game design done at its highest level."
19. Deadly Premonition (2010, Access Games) - "Deadly Premonition is objectively the worst game on this list. I don't care what anyone says: "So bad, it's good" does not apply to this game. The bad stuff - especially the horrible combat - is rotten. But the things that it excels at are legitimately great, and it even puts many high-budget AAA open-world games to shame. I like to sell it as Twin Peaks meets Majora's Mask meets Silent Hill meets Shenmue, and if that sounds real good, it is.
It's foremost a fascinating, bizarre love letter to Twin Peaks, and is without a doubt the closest thing to a video game version of that show. It's much more than that, though. The game features an excellent storyline full of all sorts of twists and turns, characters that are memorable and can genuinely be cared about, an open-world environment that I can actually feel like I am a part of, and dialogue that is always entertaining and, at times, downright hilarious (not to mention an shamelessly-addicting soundtrack). [...] Greenvale is a place I really felt a part of during my two weeks playing this game; where so many games feel lifeless, this one couldn't feel more alive.
My time spent playing Deadly Premonition is among the most memorable experiences I've had with any video game, and one that I still think about on a regular basis."
18. Astro Bot Rescue Mission (2018, SIE Japan Studio) - "[...]It's not hard to envision an alternate reality where Nintendo followed up the Wii's success with a VR-based console instead of the disastrous Wii U, one where the "Nintendo On" was a real thing and not just a fan-made hoax. And in this alternate universe, their big showcase game to legitimize the VR platform would probably look a lot like Astro Bot Rescue Mission. A few months back, I never would have envisioned "Super Mario VR" as something I would even want; now, it's something that I feel like needs to happen someday.
I've mentioned Super Mario and Nintendo a lot when writing about this game that they had nothing to do with, and that's intentional. That's because in every way imaginable, this feels like a Nintendo product. It runs and plays like a dream. It has a vibrant and colorful look to it, and a memorable and charming soundtrack. Each stage offers something new and different, either mechanically or thematically, that allows it to stand on its own. On a moment-to-moment basis, from the beginning of the game all the way to the end, I'd encounter things that I had never seen or done before in any medium. And the game takes full advantage of the hardware it runs on, proving the viability of the technology and showing off just how much potential it has across all types of games.
Playing Astro Bot Rescue Mission was to have the feeling of being transported to another world, something I haven't felt since playing my first 3D games as a child. When the game took me down to the ocean floor, and as I swam among the wreckage of sunken pirate ships and began to feel like I was actually there, it was like diving down to the sunken ship in Jolly Roger Bay for the first time. This game managed to make me - at 32 - feel like a 10-year-old kid again. Astro Bot is chock full of these moments, whether it's when ducking out of the way of incoming cannon fire, to navigating my way through massive sky forests and haunted mansions, or something as simple as blowing the seeds off of a dandelion and seeing it all happen in front of you. It's one of the most magical gaming experiences I've had in my life."
17. Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010, Retro Studios) - "No Metroid? No problem, as Retro Studios' track record for making excellent games continued unabated with Donkey Kong Country Returns. In many respects, you can see a lot of the same design ethos carried over from the Prime games: Excellent art direction, crazy level design, and boss fights that you don't want to screw around with.
It's a challenging game, but it's not hard to the point of being frustrating or unfair. The game expects the player to hold up their end of the bargain, and that's where most of the game's fun comes from. Nothing comes easy, and clearing through the levels without failing while also getting the puzzle pieces and KONG letters is so much fun to do when you've also nailed the platforming part of a difficult stage. And as it goes along, it continues to get better and better (and crazier and crazier), peaking at a point where three straight worlds were stacked with great stage after great stage.
I really can't say enough about this game...in fact, I've probably already written a lot more than I had to. [...] It is certainly among the best 2D platformers I've ever played, if not my favorite overall."
16. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019, FromSoftware) - "I've never struggled this badly with one of their games. Not like this. [...] In Sekiro, each new boss or mini-boss felt like I was fucked and completely helpless and there was nothing I could do about it. [...] This went on for the better part of two nights. I liked this game, but if I couldn't get any better at it, I didn't see any reason to keep playing. It was now or never:
"Git gud". [...] This was the turning point of the game for me, the moment where everything about the combat fell into place. The defensive, Dark Souls style of play that I was still clinging to wasn't going to work anymore. I had to be aggressive. I had to respect the enemy's posture as much as its health. I had to take advantage of every opportunity to counter. I had to re-train myself to parry instead of blocking or dodging. I had to relearn everything that I thought I knew about this type of game. The rest of the game was still challenging, but I never hit what felt like another roadblock. I had discovered a newfound confidence.
After beating the game, I played through it two more times and got the platinum trophy. For reference, I've never played through any FromSoft game more than once. I love those games, but I never felt compelled to keep going after 50+ hours. I think that speaks volumes about Sekiro. I found the combat to be so much more engrossing than in any of their prior games, as each individual enemy encounter would garner my full attention, and felt like a new opportunity to improve my fighting skills. [...] I can't name another game that I was this terrible at where I eventually managed to play at a high level. I couldn't put Sekiro down after finishing it, because I was constantly feeling myself getting better and better, and I wanted to go prove it against every single enemy I had struggled against. Especially to get another shot at the best, most challenging bosses in years."
15. Red Dead Redemption (2010, Rockstar San Diego) - "For a long time now, I've had a desire to play another great western-themed video game, and Red Dead Redemption scratched that particular itch. To me, this is my favorite of all of the open-world games that Rockstar has made, and here's why: the economy of scope really allowed me to become immersed in the game world, and in turn, led me to want to do and see everything that there was to do and see -- not because I felt like I had to, but because I wanted to.
Too often, open-world games consist of these enormous city-scapes that I feel no attachment to, and are filled to the brim with activities that are unrelated to both the narrative and the game world; they are just there for you to waste time on. Red Dead Redemption was one of the rare open-world games where I really looked forward to completing everything 100%, and in the end, I felt fulfilled in doing so. Everything that there is to see and do feels so well integrated into the sandbox, and while geographically this is a large game, it doesn't necessarily feel that way. This is because the game's structure was set up in such a way that you could familiarize yourself with each of the areas spread out across the map, and not feel overwhelmed by the environments or detached from the overall experience.
It's an open-world game that really capitalizes on the aspect of being an open world setting, working hand-in-hand with the story, characters and activities to establish a place that, as a player, you'll want to feel like you're a part of."
14. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016, Naughty Dog) - "I enjoyed the PS3 Uncharted trilogy, but I didn't find any of them to be outstanding in the same way that I did The Last of Us. So when it came to light that Naughty Dog -- and more specifically, Directors Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann -- were helming another Uncharted game, I had mixed emotions about it. I've always liked the characters in the series, all of the big set pieces, and the tremendous visuals. And in that regard, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End doesn't disappoint. It's the best-looking game I've ever played, and from an overall presentation standpoint, it's the most-impressive game I've ever played. The voice acting and performance capture is top-notch, and the writing and storytelling is as good as it's ever been (it's easily my favorite story in an Uncharted game). [...] As far as Nathan Drake goes, Uncharted 4 is about as good of a conclusion for a video game character as you could ever hope for.
The one big thing that I've never really liked about the series has been the combat. It was easily my least-favorite aspect of the first three games, and something that I essentially "had to put up with" to see everything else. [...] Not this time. This is what makes Uncharted 4 not just a great Uncharted game, but unquestionably the best Uncharted game. [...] Between the addition of the grappling hook and the increased viability of a stealth-based approach, the combat encounters in this game became something that I began actually looking forward to. The grappling hook opens up so many possibilities that weren't there previously. It got me to stop hiding behind cover, and just swing all over the stage until no one was left. There's now a greater sense of fluidity when going from one enemy to the next, bridging together cover fire, stealth takedowns, melee, aerial attacks, and just running around guns blazing. I had so much more fun with the combat in this game that I went back and replayed many of those encounters again, just to see how much of a badass I could be.
Uncharted posits itself as the video game equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster action film, but for the first time I really felt like an action hero during the entirety of the gameplay, and not just during the highly-directed set pieces. Naughty Dog took the weak link of the Uncharted games, and brought it up to the same high standard as everything else. As a result, Nathan Drake's final hour happens to also be his finest one."
13. Alien: Isolation (2014, Creative Assembly) - "I had high hopes for this game since it was first announced and shown, but I was always a little nervous about it; like it was too good to be true. A triple-A survival horror game with little emphasis on combat -- in 2014? 'Yeah, right. It will end up being all action-y, just wait and see.' You'll truly feel like you're fighting for survival, when being stalked by an unstoppable enemy with nothing to defend yourself with? 'Nah, there's no way they'll pull that off. The creature's AI will undoubtedly suck, you'll be able to predict what happens, it'll end up being really scripted, yada yada yada.' Oh, and it's an ALIEN game??? 'Yup, it's totally gonna suck.' But lo and behold, Alien: Isolation is everything it was cracked up to be, and then some.
Alien: Isolation is survival horror at its finest, emphasizing the need for patience and careful decision-making, and the result is a game that is incredibly intense throughout and, at times, downright terrifying. The persistent threat of the alien coupled with a fantastic representation of the original film's sci-fi aesthetic works to create an unbelievably strong atmosphere, making this relentless cat & mouse game even more exhilarating.
But in spite of the sometimes unforgiving difficulty, the game and its enemy AI was absolutely fair, and my ability to survive through to the end really felt largely predicated on the slow and methodical play-style that the game allowed me to carry out. It's not perfect, but Creative Assembly delivered about as well as you could have asked for. [...] As a 20+ hour white-knuckle affair, it's one of the scariest games I've ever played, and a true fight for survival. It's the real deal."
12. Dark Souls (2011, FromSoftware) - "Without a doubt, one of the landmark titles of its generation. Released back when excessive hand-holding was the norm, and most big single-player games were either fully open-world or completely linear, it was the right game at exactly the right time. Having played the rest of the Souls series since then, they've all surpassed the first Dark Souls in most areas. But none of them come close to matching its world design and, building off of that, they don't offer nearly the same element of discovery and adventure. Very few video games have in the years since.
While a major staple of the series is the great satisfaction that comes from overcoming challenging obstacles and feeling the sense of actual progression that comes along with it, it's just as rewarding to explore the world of Lordran and discover just how intricately most of it is interconnected. I consistently had a mental checklist going of where I could go explore next, right from the moment I got to Firelink Shrine. There's very little waiting for the game to "open up".
Dark Souls may not be the best game of the generation, but it's unarguably one of the most important, and its impact and influence is still being reflected today, among AAA and indie games alike."
11. Resident Evil 2 (2019, Capcom) - "The original REmake is my favorite Resident Evil game, my favorite horror game and my third-favorite game of all time. My adoration for that game knows no bounds. So I had very high expectations for the remake of RE2, a game that fans have been clamoring for ever since those GameCube days when further remakes seemed not only possible, but likely. A lot has happened with the RE series since then, some good, but mostly bad. RE7 gave me hope that Capcom could still make a really good, modern horror game, but an RE2 remake had to be much more than that. This couldn't be just really good or even great. It had to be exceptional.
And it is. [...] The RE2 remake captures the essence of the original game and successfully modernizes it in a number of ways, from the controls and camera to the writing and presentation, each of which marks a massive improvement over the original. This game looks and plays wonderfully, and at a high level of polish unmatched by any other 2019 release. The R.P.D. Building, the most prominent and iconic location from RE2, has been further fleshed out and tweaked in positive ways, as has the more lackluster Sewers level. Mr. X's increased role in the remake is undoubtedly the most significant alteration. His omnipresence during key stretches of the game recontextualizes much of the experience, forcing you to approach many parts of this game differently than if it were a straight remake; he's this remake's version of the crimson heads.
What impressed me the most is how well-designed this game is. [...] There are so many attributes of the game's design that I've picked up on with each playthrough, things which I've incorporated into my strategy: planning my routes through the police station ahead of time; deciding when to use certain items, which windows to board up, which zombies to kill and which ones to not waste ammo on; and how to mitigate the amount of stress in having to deal with Mr. X or lickers. All of these factors go into making every subsequent run through the game feel different from the rest. These elements have always been a part of classic RE and survival horror at large, but they've never been implemented as effectively. [...] There are so many possible ways to play through this game, and it's almost like the designers accounted for all of them. I found it fascinating to take a step back and really think about how well this game was put together. [...] It's right up there with RE4 in my book, fighting for the title of 'Second-Best Resident Evil Game'."
10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013, Nintendo)
9. Hitman (2016, IO Interactive)
8. Outer Wilds (2019, Mobius Digital)
7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015, Kojima Productions)
6. The Last of Us (2013, Naughty Dog)
5. Portal 2 (2011, Valve)
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017, Nintendo)
3. Bloodborne (2015, FromSoftware)
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Nintendo)
1. The Witness (2016, Thekla, Inc.)
[x] Alien: Isolation
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Deadly Premonition
[x] Donkey Kong Country Returns
[x] Hitman
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Outer Wilds
[x] Portal 2
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Super Mario 3D World
[x] Super Mario Galaxy 2
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witness
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
(In the interest of saving some time, rather than going back and revisiting each of these games, I've dug up some of my old comments from past "Game of the [X]" threads to capture what I felt about each game in the moment, as well as some of my best gameplay clips from PS4.)
49. The Talos Principle (2014, Croteam) - "A first-person puzzler that expects a lot out of you as a player, The Talos Principle admirably fills the void left by the lack of Portal since 2011 [...] It's clever and challenging and offers a lot of things to think about, both in terms of its puzzles and its better-than-expected story."
48. Gone Home (2013, The Fullbright Company) - "[...]What makes Gone Home so special is something that could only be achieved through this medium. In an era dominated by cutscene-driven storytelling, here's a game that allows the setting to tell its own story [...] While it could be considered just a "nostalgia trip" in a way, it made the story, characters and setting come across as more intimate and personal to me. It's a level of sincerity and realism that you just don't find in most mediums."
47. Mark of the Ninja (2012, Klei Entertainment) - "The ways in which it portrays information to you based on your line of sight are incredibly novel, and it gives you the right amount of observable data that a master ninja would make use of, without putting the enemies at too much of a disadvantage. [...] The game is every bit as enjoyable and satisfying when taking enemies out undetected with a wide-array of executions, as it is when passing through a level undetected and without killing anyone. [...] Mark of the Ninja gave me just about everything I would want out of a stealth game."
46. NieR:Automata (2017, PlatinumGames) - "Right from the beginning of my very first playthrough, I knew what I was signing up for: that I was going to have to put up with a lot of bullshit, but that I was also going to be taken on a wild ride unlike anything else I've ever played. [...] I never would have thought I'd be up for a game that asked me to stay with it through multiple playthroughs, but NieR:Automata offered enough one-of-a-kind content to have made it all seem worthwhile."
45. Grand Theft Auto V (2013, Rockstar North) - "[...] In a vacuum GTA V is hands-down the best Grand Theft Auto game Rockstar has made [...] It is an amazing technological achievement that constantly leaves you wondering how they pulled it off on this generation of consoles. [...] But the open world aspect of this game...it just doesn't feel very different from what I've been playing for over a decade now. [...] It's all incredibly long-in-the-tooth at this point."
44. Rayman Origins (2011, Ubisoft Montpellier) - "2D platforming goodness. [...] A fun, addicting and downright gorgeous platformer which boasts some of the most thrilling levels built around speed and fluidity."
43. BioShock Infinite (2013, Irrational Games) - "The game design may not have been as ambitious as when the game was first shown off, and the combat may not have been quite as good as previous entries in the franchise. But BioShock Infinite still managed to meet my sky high expectations by delivering an unbelievable thrill ride, one that had me fully engaged from the opening quote all the way through to the unforgettable ending. [...] An experience that I'll remember for a very long time."
42. Batman: Arkham City (2011, Rocksteady Studios) - "Arkham City does some things with its open-world that make it better than the first game, but it does lose some of what was so great about Asylum. In the end, I prefer the Asylum-style (Metroidvania-inspired) but I still really liked City almost as much."
41. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017, Capcom) - "After bottoming-out with RE6, Capcom revisits old-school RE. [...] The transition to first-person takes a tried-and-true but unquestionably old style of game design, and makes it feel fresh in a way that I wasn't sure would work. This is easily their best effort since RE4. [...] For the first time in years, I can honestly say I'm excited about the future of Resident Evil."
39. The Walking Dead (2012, Telltale Games) - "No game has ever had me as emotionally invested on a minute-by-minute basis. [...] Playing this over the course of just 5 days, the number of successive gut-punches delivered in such a short span really put me into a dark place, all the while feeling regret over not doing something differently. [...] When it comes to interactive storytelling, the industry could take plenty of notes from Telltale's achievement."
38. Soma (2015, Frictional Games) - "A tremendous achievement in video game storytelling, pacing, and creating suspense. And by bringing all of these elements together in a well-crafted and believable world, SOMA succeeds in being one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played. [...] It offers a thought-provoking narrative where choices are less about how in-game events will play out, and hits more on a personal level about whether or not these choices line up with what you'd consider moral or ethical."
37. Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014, MachineGames) - "The shooting feels great, as do the stealth mechanics, and each mission practically can be played with either approach or a mix of both styles interchangeably. Each level is designed smartly with multiple routes that you can take and oftentimes allowing you to be as stealthy as you'd like, but the game doesn't miss a beat once everything degenerates into a shootout. [...] But on top of all of that, it has an unexpectedly well-written narrative that includes a number of characters that I actually cared about [...] It's the best first-person shooter I've played in several years."
36. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011, Bethesda Game Studios) - "The game where Bethesda finally won me over with their world design. I had a blast adventuring from place-to-place while discovering something new or interesting on the way. [...] Unquestionably one of the most influential games of its era, albeit not their strongest game in the role-playing department."
35. Bayonetta (2010, PlatinumGames) - "One of the most fun and varied character-action games I've played. There are so many different tools and techniques at Bayonetta's disposal, and each and every one of these are worthwhile and fun to use. [...] It's beautiful, it's stylish, it's got a ton of variety, and it features some absolutely phenomenal boss fights that serve as entire levels in their own right. [...] At no point did I want to put the controller down."
34. What Remains of Edith Finch (2017, Giant Sparrow) - "In its short running time, What Remains of Edith Finch provided several of the most memorable moments I had in a video game last year. [...] These vignettes all serve the basic purpose of telling a story, but here it's all done through player interactivity. They do things that are only possible through the medium of video games, and the stories made a much stronger impression on me as a result."
33. The Last Guardian (2016, SIE Japan Studio) - "The Last Guardian is an unforgettable adventure that is beautiful, fascinating and emotional all at once. I smiled a lot, I cried a lot, and once the words "The End" came up on the screen I did a lot of both. It's a game that I don't expect to ever go back to. My one and only playthrough was something special, and it's something that I'll be able to carry with me for the rest of my life. I would have never believed that this game could come out after so long and manage to live up to all of the lofty expectations, but it did. It was absolutely worth the wait."
32. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014, Retro Studios) - "Saying it's just more DKC Returns is selling it a bit short. [...] There's more variety, with new playable characters and new types of stages [...] David Wise's soundtrack is an unequivocal highlight, and is without question the best collection of music I've heard in a game all year. But it's the little things that make this game great too. [...] Ultimately, it's not as impressive of a game now as Donkey Kong Country Returns was back on the Wii."
31. Death Stranding (2019, Kojima Productions) - "Kojima is finally unchained from Metal Gear, and his greatest strengths and worst tendencies are both on full display. [...] I never thought I'd ever get this addicted to making deliveries and rebuilding a fractured infrastructure, but I've had hours and hours just straight-up disappear on me as I lost myself in the experience. [...] I've never played anything quite like this: a AAA major publisher release which emphasizes non-violence and helping others in lieu of being yet another murder simulator, and to that end it was undeniably a success in spite of its numerous missteps."
I also really liked the way this game did side quests in contrast to many other modern games. Instead of being littered with a number of shallow, repetitive missions, you get a pretty good bang for your buck here. There aren't a ton of them, but they are all pretty unique and have plenty of substance to them. The side missions never felt either superfluous or "lesser" than the main story missions. And even though the story eventually drifted into Metal Gear Solid territory, there were still enough revelations and twists and turns to keep me engaged beginning to end."
29. Bayonetta 2 (2014, PlatinumGames) - "The original Bayonetta is one of my favorite games of the prior generation, and up until that point was certainly my favorite character-action game. [...] It was amazing, and I didn't think it was possible to perfect it any further. Well, I was wrong. Bayonetta 2 not only plays better than the first game, it actually plays a lot better. There's more variety to the gameplay on top of a foundation that was already quite varied, while combat is faster and smoother and just feels great overall. Each new enemy encounter is a lot of fun, and it never gets old because of how many different abilities you have (all of which are equally awesome), and because of how enjoyable it is to have all of that power while never feeling overwhelmed at the same time. The ease and intuitiveness involved with mixing up your arsenal is very liberating, making it more possible now to dominate as Bayonetta while doing it just as stylishly as she does it in the cinematics.
The sequel also trims out a lot of the filler that the first game had, smartly focusing on making the whole experience faster and crazier. Hands down, it's one of the best-paced action games I've ever played. I didn't find the humor to be at the level of the first game, but in every other respect, Bayonetta 2 is a resounding improvement over the original. I've never had more fun kicking ass in a video game."
28. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, Bandai Namco Studios/Sora Ltd.) - "[...] The "World of Light" Adventure Mode has been an absolute delight, a real revelation as far as Smash Bros. single-player modes go. I really wasn't expecting much on that front. But not only is World of Light ridiculously massive for a fighting game story mode - I put just over 30 hours into it - it's an awesome nostalgia trip that celebrates so many classic video games, Nintendo and non-Nintendo alike. It's a really special, almost powerful feeling that swept over me whenever I'd recognize references to games I may not have played in over 20 years.
As far as the rest of the game goes, it's more Smash Bros. and I'm playing and enjoying the heck out of it. [...] This is the multi-player game on Switch that I've been waiting for. I've already played more single-player and local multiplayer than I ever did with the Wii U game, and it won't be too long before I can say the same for online multiplayer. It's the first one since Melee that I'm looking forward to completing 100%. And I've been playing online with friends who I used to play 64/Melee/Brawl with that skipped out on the Wii U, and everyone is having a really good time. As the old saying goes, "Nothing brings friends together more than Smash Bros." This one's a keeper."
27. Prey (2017, Arkane Studios) - "[Prey] knows exactly what it is and what it wants to be, and that's the spiritual successor to System Shock. The space station Talos-I which serves as Prey's setting is the year's best example of great world-design meeting great world-building. The entire station is largely open to explore from the get-go, and the order in which you complete objectives is largely in your own hands. There's no right or wrong way to play, because of how many tools and abilities you're given to play around with. Certain areas are gated off via locks or other obstructions, and the game's progression is Metroid-esque in that regard. But the twist is that while these areas are gated by what abilities and skills you do or don't have, there's never only one way of getting around them.
It really is the "System Shock meets Metroid" that was promised by the developer. [...] I spent so many hours just exploring every square inch of the station just to see what I might discover, and it never disappointed. They've crafted one of the more convincing worlds of this magnitude, with the station truly feeling lived-in for years and years prior to the start of the game. Numerous secondary characters come to life through found recordings and e-mails, even though many of them are already dead or missing. Through the strength of the writing, you really come to know these people and their personalities and what they were like before the shit hit the fan, and there's so much of that throughout the entire station. [...] All of these things add up to make a well-designed setting like Talos-I feel even more believable and real. [...] Prey is Arkane's best game yet, and it's the best immersive sim to come out since the genre's heyday in 1999/2000."
26. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015, CD Projekt Red) - "[...] As someone who has developed open-world fatigue over the last few years, I wasn't sure if I would like this game. Especially early on, as it became clear that this game was a staunch follower of modern open-world design -- no towers to climb here, but bulletin boards serve the same purpose of cluttering the map with "---> **GO HERE THIS IS IMPORTANT** <---" icons. So, what's different about The Witcher 3?
It's because out of all of the things there are to see and do in this game -- and there's a ton of it -- very little felt like a throwaway. And that's what separates The Witcher 3 from the bulk of open-world games, which often fill the world with shallow, repetitive busywork. Here, even the most insignificant of quests has a worthwhile story associated with it. Main quests, side quests and everything in between often intertwine and overlap, establishing a world that truly feels real and lived-in. Consequently, I did everything that I could do in this game, because if I didn't, I'd have felt like I was missing out on something that was worth my time. Within the constraints of a traditional open-world structure, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt puts forth an impressive display of writing and world-building that runs laps around its peers. It has set the bar for all story-driven, open-world games going forward."
[...] The more I played of Hollow Knight, the better it got. Once I reached the City of Tears and the map really started to open up, it took on a new life for me. It became less about "where do I have to go next?" and more about "where shall I go next?" It had become a game about exploring as much as it was about getting from one room to the next without dying. Everything from discovering new paths to finding hidden secrets to figuring out how to defeat a challenging boss, all of it is equally rewarding and satisfying. It's truly the best of both worlds. [...] However, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the aesthetics, without which I'm not sure Hollow Knight would work quite as well as it does. The visuals and music are on the exact same page throughout, and after a while you really start to sense just how damp, dark, and depressing the world of Hallownest is. It's among the moodiest and most atmospheric games I've ever played."
24. Doom (2016, id Software) - "The Doom campaign is a rare one, in that I can't really point to anything that it didn't do very well. The gameplay is ultra-fast and ultra-violent, finding a perfect balance between being incredibly fun and incredibly intense at the same time. [...] The gunplay/glory kills/chainsaw "choice" approach to combat encounters adds an additional level of strategy to each enemy encounter beyond just entering a room and blowing everything apart (although that is still very much an acceptable approach to take sometimes). [...] The level design is excellent, with missions generally playing out non-linearly with plenty of reasons to explore for secrets. Both the writing and the soundtrack embrace what the Doom series is, and they throw all of their weight into both. This is fucking DOOM, and while it appeared that at some point during development they did not grasp this concept, the final product leaves no doubt.
Doom meshes old school design ethos that are largely missing from today's FPS games, with a number of smart additions to the combat and platforming mechanics, such that it feels fresh in the modern landscape while still being undeniably a Doom game. I'd have to go back to the original Bioshock, or perhaps even as far back as Half-Life 2, to find a first-person shooter campaign that I enjoyed as much as this one."
23. Life is Strange (2015, Dontnod Entertainment) - "As it was releasing episodically over the course of the year, I didn't pay much attention to Life is Strange. It just seemed like it was "another one of those games", and one that was late to the party. [...] It wasn't hard to be dismissive. I loved Telltale's The Walking Dead -- it was my 2012 game of the year. But after playing several games like that since, many of them underwhelming, I was reluctant to give Life is Strange a chance. However, several months back I decided to pick it up. I started it on a Friday night. I finished it on Sunday afternoon. What happened in the intervening hours was something special. Flawless? Hardly. But it didn't need to be. It was an experience that I will never forget.
I went into work Monday morning, and I had this feeling that was tough to describe. And it didn't really subside until the end of the week. It was a sense of emptiness, of longing, and of regret, all rolled into one. This was my one playthrough, and there's no way that I would ever consider going back and doing it again. The friendship between Max and Chloe, initially introduced as a bit of backstory, was something that became genuine over the course of those five episodes. That town, Arcadia Bay and its residents, those that I had come to know well over the course of just one weekend, I'll never go there and see them again. I left, and it's over. I've never, ever had that sort of reaction after finishing a video game."
22. God of War (2018, SIE Santa Monica Studio) - "[...]God of War is as enjoyable to play as third-person action games get. It looks and sounds fantastic at every turn. The combat is a whole lot of fun, and strikes a perfect balance where the enemy encounters are challenging, while at the same time Kratos feels every bit as powerful as he should. The game encourages exploration of its world, which there's a lot of, and doesn't nag at you for straying away from the golden path. There are very few games out there that are this well-made in every single respect. [...] Barlog and his team smartly looked at what other similar games were doing right, and brought some of those ideas under the God of War umbrella. [...] But it's the combat, and the mammoth boss encounters, and the epic set pieces that are still eminently God of War. It's why this game succeeds where a game like Tomb Raider 2013 did not.
More than anything else, I appreciated how it was willing to break away from a number of video game contrivances when it came to telling a coherent story while letting you just play the game however you see fit. There's no pressing "you must save the world!" objective constantly looming over your head, nudging you away from all of the game's side content. Instead, God of War has a story that feels "small" (at least, as small as a story revolving around Greek gods facing off against Norse gods can possibly be!) and personal. And there are actual in--story reasons presented for why Kratos and Atreus should go off and explore the world instead of going straight to the next main quest. There are a lot of these little, nice touches that add up to make it an even better game. I can't reiterate this point enough: very few games are this well-designed and well-made across the board. It's the complete package."
21. Yakuza 0 (2017, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio) - "I had never played a Yakuza game before, and didn't really know a whole lot about the series [...] However with Yakuza 0 being a prequel to the whole series, if there was ever a time to jump in, this was it. [...] So, I decided to take a chance on it, and boy am I glad that I did! Where do I begin? There's the main crime saga, which alternates between cities and protagonists (Kiryu and Majima), that smartly starts off as two unrelated origin stories that eventually bleed together. You get to know exactly who these characters are to the point that there's no mistaking them for one another as you switch between scenarios. The main story has multiple layers, with several key players that have allegiances to one or more crime families; it's initially all a bit difficult to keep track of, but it all works itself out due to how effectively the game develops each of its supporting characters.
This gritty, at times noir-ish main narrative is balanced by the side missions, which couldn't be further on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are funny, and I don't mean funny in the way that this is a Japanese script that became funny due to localization, but actually legitimately funny. Seriously, I don't think I've ever laughed out loud playing a video game as often as I have with Yakuza 0. Walking around town as Kiryu or Majima, many of the quests just start automatically. And if I was on my way to go do something else, too bad, I was doing the side mission because I knew it would be a great time. I felt bad that there were still blank spots in the side mission checklist after beating the game, so I looked them up and did them all anyway. I didn't want to miss a single thing that this game had to offer. [...] I could go on and on and on about my time with Yakuza 0. It is one of the most thoroughly entertaining games I've played in years.
It may sound cliché, but 3D World is built all around having fun, moreso than any Mario game I can remember. It doesn't have the most creative Mario stages ever, but very few of them feel like throwaways and there's a lot of variety in each world -- you never play two stages in a row that feel too similar. The power-ups may not necessarily be the best in the series, but I think they are without a doubt the most fun set of power-ups. In particular, the Cat Suit is probably my new favorite Mario power-up.
It really goes without saying that I had an absolute blast playing this game, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the excellent and extremely catchy soundtrack, the very polished and pleasing graphical look, and some really strong (and challenging!) post-game content. Super Mario 3D World is Mario game design done at its highest level."
19. Deadly Premonition (2010, Access Games) - "Deadly Premonition is objectively the worst game on this list. I don't care what anyone says: "So bad, it's good" does not apply to this game. The bad stuff - especially the horrible combat - is rotten. But the things that it excels at are legitimately great, and it even puts many high-budget AAA open-world games to shame. I like to sell it as Twin Peaks meets Majora's Mask meets Silent Hill meets Shenmue, and if that sounds real good, it is.
It's foremost a fascinating, bizarre love letter to Twin Peaks, and is without a doubt the closest thing to a video game version of that show. It's much more than that, though. The game features an excellent storyline full of all sorts of twists and turns, characters that are memorable and can genuinely be cared about, an open-world environment that I can actually feel like I am a part of, and dialogue that is always entertaining and, at times, downright hilarious (not to mention an shamelessly-addicting soundtrack). [...] Greenvale is a place I really felt a part of during my two weeks playing this game; where so many games feel lifeless, this one couldn't feel more alive.
My time spent playing Deadly Premonition is among the most memorable experiences I've had with any video game, and one that I still think about on a regular basis."
I've mentioned Super Mario and Nintendo a lot when writing about this game that they had nothing to do with, and that's intentional. That's because in every way imaginable, this feels like a Nintendo product. It runs and plays like a dream. It has a vibrant and colorful look to it, and a memorable and charming soundtrack. Each stage offers something new and different, either mechanically or thematically, that allows it to stand on its own. On a moment-to-moment basis, from the beginning of the game all the way to the end, I'd encounter things that I had never seen or done before in any medium. And the game takes full advantage of the hardware it runs on, proving the viability of the technology and showing off just how much potential it has across all types of games.
Playing Astro Bot Rescue Mission was to have the feeling of being transported to another world, something I haven't felt since playing my first 3D games as a child. When the game took me down to the ocean floor, and as I swam among the wreckage of sunken pirate ships and began to feel like I was actually there, it was like diving down to the sunken ship in Jolly Roger Bay for the first time. This game managed to make me - at 32 - feel like a 10-year-old kid again. Astro Bot is chock full of these moments, whether it's when ducking out of the way of incoming cannon fire, to navigating my way through massive sky forests and haunted mansions, or something as simple as blowing the seeds off of a dandelion and seeing it all happen in front of you. It's one of the most magical gaming experiences I've had in my life."
17. Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010, Retro Studios) - "No Metroid? No problem, as Retro Studios' track record for making excellent games continued unabated with Donkey Kong Country Returns. In many respects, you can see a lot of the same design ethos carried over from the Prime games: Excellent art direction, crazy level design, and boss fights that you don't want to screw around with.
It's a challenging game, but it's not hard to the point of being frustrating or unfair. The game expects the player to hold up their end of the bargain, and that's where most of the game's fun comes from. Nothing comes easy, and clearing through the levels without failing while also getting the puzzle pieces and KONG letters is so much fun to do when you've also nailed the platforming part of a difficult stage. And as it goes along, it continues to get better and better (and crazier and crazier), peaking at a point where three straight worlds were stacked with great stage after great stage.
I really can't say enough about this game...in fact, I've probably already written a lot more than I had to. [...] It is certainly among the best 2D platformers I've ever played, if not my favorite overall."
"Git gud". [...] This was the turning point of the game for me, the moment where everything about the combat fell into place. The defensive, Dark Souls style of play that I was still clinging to wasn't going to work anymore. I had to be aggressive. I had to respect the enemy's posture as much as its health. I had to take advantage of every opportunity to counter. I had to re-train myself to parry instead of blocking or dodging. I had to relearn everything that I thought I knew about this type of game. The rest of the game was still challenging, but I never hit what felt like another roadblock. I had discovered a newfound confidence.
After beating the game, I played through it two more times and got the platinum trophy. For reference, I've never played through any FromSoft game more than once. I love those games, but I never felt compelled to keep going after 50+ hours. I think that speaks volumes about Sekiro. I found the combat to be so much more engrossing than in any of their prior games, as each individual enemy encounter would garner my full attention, and felt like a new opportunity to improve my fighting skills. [...] I can't name another game that I was this terrible at where I eventually managed to play at a high level. I couldn't put Sekiro down after finishing it, because I was constantly feeling myself getting better and better, and I wanted to go prove it against every single enemy I had struggled against. Especially to get another shot at the best, most challenging bosses in years."
15. Red Dead Redemption (2010, Rockstar San Diego) - "For a long time now, I've had a desire to play another great western-themed video game, and Red Dead Redemption scratched that particular itch. To me, this is my favorite of all of the open-world games that Rockstar has made, and here's why: the economy of scope really allowed me to become immersed in the game world, and in turn, led me to want to do and see everything that there was to do and see -- not because I felt like I had to, but because I wanted to.
Too often, open-world games consist of these enormous city-scapes that I feel no attachment to, and are filled to the brim with activities that are unrelated to both the narrative and the game world; they are just there for you to waste time on. Red Dead Redemption was one of the rare open-world games where I really looked forward to completing everything 100%, and in the end, I felt fulfilled in doing so. Everything that there is to see and do feels so well integrated into the sandbox, and while geographically this is a large game, it doesn't necessarily feel that way. This is because the game's structure was set up in such a way that you could familiarize yourself with each of the areas spread out across the map, and not feel overwhelmed by the environments or detached from the overall experience.
It's an open-world game that really capitalizes on the aspect of being an open world setting, working hand-in-hand with the story, characters and activities to establish a place that, as a player, you'll want to feel like you're a part of."
The one big thing that I've never really liked about the series has been the combat. It was easily my least-favorite aspect of the first three games, and something that I essentially "had to put up with" to see everything else. [...] Not this time. This is what makes Uncharted 4 not just a great Uncharted game, but unquestionably the best Uncharted game. [...] Between the addition of the grappling hook and the increased viability of a stealth-based approach, the combat encounters in this game became something that I began actually looking forward to. The grappling hook opens up so many possibilities that weren't there previously. It got me to stop hiding behind cover, and just swing all over the stage until no one was left. There's now a greater sense of fluidity when going from one enemy to the next, bridging together cover fire, stealth takedowns, melee, aerial attacks, and just running around guns blazing. I had so much more fun with the combat in this game that I went back and replayed many of those encounters again, just to see how much of a badass I could be.
Uncharted posits itself as the video game equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster action film, but for the first time I really felt like an action hero during the entirety of the gameplay, and not just during the highly-directed set pieces. Naughty Dog took the weak link of the Uncharted games, and brought it up to the same high standard as everything else. As a result, Nathan Drake's final hour happens to also be his finest one."
13. Alien: Isolation (2014, Creative Assembly) - "I had high hopes for this game since it was first announced and shown, but I was always a little nervous about it; like it was too good to be true. A triple-A survival horror game with little emphasis on combat -- in 2014? 'Yeah, right. It will end up being all action-y, just wait and see.' You'll truly feel like you're fighting for survival, when being stalked by an unstoppable enemy with nothing to defend yourself with? 'Nah, there's no way they'll pull that off. The creature's AI will undoubtedly suck, you'll be able to predict what happens, it'll end up being really scripted, yada yada yada.' Oh, and it's an ALIEN game??? 'Yup, it's totally gonna suck.' But lo and behold, Alien: Isolation is everything it was cracked up to be, and then some.
Alien: Isolation is survival horror at its finest, emphasizing the need for patience and careful decision-making, and the result is a game that is incredibly intense throughout and, at times, downright terrifying. The persistent threat of the alien coupled with a fantastic representation of the original film's sci-fi aesthetic works to create an unbelievably strong atmosphere, making this relentless cat & mouse game even more exhilarating.
But in spite of the sometimes unforgiving difficulty, the game and its enemy AI was absolutely fair, and my ability to survive through to the end really felt largely predicated on the slow and methodical play-style that the game allowed me to carry out. It's not perfect, but Creative Assembly delivered about as well as you could have asked for. [...] As a 20+ hour white-knuckle affair, it's one of the scariest games I've ever played, and a true fight for survival. It's the real deal."
While a major staple of the series is the great satisfaction that comes from overcoming challenging obstacles and feeling the sense of actual progression that comes along with it, it's just as rewarding to explore the world of Lordran and discover just how intricately most of it is interconnected. I consistently had a mental checklist going of where I could go explore next, right from the moment I got to Firelink Shrine. There's very little waiting for the game to "open up".
Dark Souls may not be the best game of the generation, but it's unarguably one of the most important, and its impact and influence is still being reflected today, among AAA and indie games alike."
11. Resident Evil 2 (2019, Capcom) - "The original REmake is my favorite Resident Evil game, my favorite horror game and my third-favorite game of all time. My adoration for that game knows no bounds. So I had very high expectations for the remake of RE2, a game that fans have been clamoring for ever since those GameCube days when further remakes seemed not only possible, but likely. A lot has happened with the RE series since then, some good, but mostly bad. RE7 gave me hope that Capcom could still make a really good, modern horror game, but an RE2 remake had to be much more than that. This couldn't be just really good or even great. It had to be exceptional.
And it is. [...] The RE2 remake captures the essence of the original game and successfully modernizes it in a number of ways, from the controls and camera to the writing and presentation, each of which marks a massive improvement over the original. This game looks and plays wonderfully, and at a high level of polish unmatched by any other 2019 release. The R.P.D. Building, the most prominent and iconic location from RE2, has been further fleshed out and tweaked in positive ways, as has the more lackluster Sewers level. Mr. X's increased role in the remake is undoubtedly the most significant alteration. His omnipresence during key stretches of the game recontextualizes much of the experience, forcing you to approach many parts of this game differently than if it were a straight remake; he's this remake's version of the crimson heads.
What impressed me the most is how well-designed this game is. [...] There are so many attributes of the game's design that I've picked up on with each playthrough, things which I've incorporated into my strategy: planning my routes through the police station ahead of time; deciding when to use certain items, which windows to board up, which zombies to kill and which ones to not waste ammo on; and how to mitigate the amount of stress in having to deal with Mr. X or lickers. All of these factors go into making every subsequent run through the game feel different from the rest. These elements have always been a part of classic RE and survival horror at large, but they've never been implemented as effectively. [...] There are so many possible ways to play through this game, and it's almost like the designers accounted for all of them. I found it fascinating to take a step back and really think about how well this game was put together. [...] It's right up there with RE4 in my book, fighting for the title of 'Second-Best Resident Evil Game'."
10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013, Nintendo)
Big G said:
9. Hitman (2016, IO Interactive)
Big G said:
8. Outer Wilds (2019, Mobius Digital)
Big G said:
7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015, Kojima Productions)
Big G said:
6. The Last of Us (2013, Naughty Dog)
Big G said:
5. Portal 2 (2011, Valve)
Big G said:
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017, Nintendo)
Big G said:
3. Bloodborne (2015, FromSoftware)
Big G said:
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Nintendo)
Big G said:
1. The Witness (2016, Thekla, Inc.)
Big G said:
[x] Alien: Isolation
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Deadly Premonition
[x] Donkey Kong Country Returns
[x] Hitman
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Outer Wilds
[x] Portal 2
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Super Mario 3D World
[x] Super Mario Galaxy 2
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witness
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Last edited:
[x] Animal Crossing: New Leaf
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Fire Emblem Awakening
[x] Forza Horizon 3
[x] Forza Horizon 4
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Golf Story
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Skyrim
[x] Sonic Mania
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Fire Emblem Awakening
[x] Forza Horizon 3
[x] Forza Horizon 4
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Golf Story
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Skyrim
[x] Sonic Mania
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Last edited:
I tried to make my list limited to only one game per franchise (otherwise this list would be full of Pokemon and Zelda XD) as well as my top10 games of the decade and dang this was really difficult. Some honorable mentions to the following: Kirby Planet Robobot, Mario Odyssey, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze, Ori and the Blind Forest, Splatoon, Hollow Knight, Bravely Default, Final Fantasy 13 trilogy, Zelda A Link Between Worlds and Skyward Sword as well as the Link's Awakening Remake, Pokemon Sun/Moon and Sword/Shield, SOMA, Life is Strange, Alien Isolation, the Dark Souls Games, Etrian Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey, Dishonored 1 and 2.
If I had to pick favorites among my top 10 the winner would propably be Octopath Traveler, followed closely by Zelda Breath of the Wild and Fire Emblem Three Houses. I did decide to add a 11th vote with Ring Fit Adventure because it is so different from everything else and defenitely changed my habits regarding a more healthy lifestyle. :D
The other ones are games that particularly stuck with me or are from franchises I am a huge fan of (like Tales of and Pokemon)
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] Octopath Traveler
[x] Overwatch
[x] Pokemon Black 2/White 2
[x] Prey
[x] Ring Fit Adventure
[x] Tales of Berseria
[x] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
If I had to pick favorites among my top 10 the winner would propably be Octopath Traveler, followed closely by Zelda Breath of the Wild and Fire Emblem Three Houses. I did decide to add a 11th vote with Ring Fit Adventure because it is so different from everything else and defenitely changed my habits regarding a more healthy lifestyle. :D
The other ones are games that particularly stuck with me or are from franchises I am a huge fan of (like Tales of and Pokemon)
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] Octopath Traveler
[x] Overwatch
[x] Pokemon Black 2/White 2
[x] Prey
[x] Ring Fit Adventure
[x] Tales of Berseria
[x] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Bloodborne - Best 3rd person game this decade. Incredible everything.
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen - Around 1000 hours. Best Tactical ever.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Very nice combat system, story and art direction.
Death Stranding - A very special experience. So contemplative and interesting.
Resident Evil 2 Remake - The best RE game in my book. I mean, in term of gameplay, anyway. I still prefer OG RE (on PS1), but that's mostly nostalgy I think.
Dark Souls - A revolution. That level design, wow.
Dark Souls III - The second half of this amazing duology. No, Dark Souls II doesn't exist.
Shin Megami Tensei IV - Best J-RPG this decade. That atmosphere.
Dragon Ball FighterZ - Best fighting game this decade.
It's kind of unfair for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. I mean, I know it has no chance to win whatsoever, but it came out in November 2019 in Japan and will release in 10 days in the West.
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Dragon Ball FighterZ
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Shin Megami Tensei IV
[x] XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen - Around 1000 hours. Best Tactical ever.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Very nice combat system, story and art direction.
Death Stranding - A very special experience. So contemplative and interesting.
Resident Evil 2 Remake - The best RE game in my book. I mean, in term of gameplay, anyway. I still prefer OG RE (on PS1), but that's mostly nostalgy I think.
Dark Souls - A revolution. That level design, wow.
Dark Souls III - The second half of this amazing duology. No, Dark Souls II doesn't exist.
Shin Megami Tensei IV - Best J-RPG this decade. That atmosphere.
Dragon Ball FighterZ - Best fighting game this decade.
It's kind of unfair for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. I mean, I know it has no chance to win whatsoever, but it came out in November 2019 in Japan and will release in 10 days in the West.
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Dragon Ball FighterZ
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Shin Megami Tensei IV
[x] XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
[x] Hypnospace Outlaw
[x] Rez Infinite
[x] Spelunky
[x] Tetris Effect
[x] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Frog Fractions
[x] Rez Infinite
[x] Spelunky
[x] Tetris Effect
[x] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Frog Fractions
Dark Souls
Is the best game of the generation. Dark Souls at launch had the best sense of discovery and mystery in unraveling and mastering the game that has never been matched since (although Demon's Souls previously provided a similar experience.) Getting cursed in the depths.. and then helping others get through, dropping purging stones. Following a summon across the invisible bridge in Duke's Archives. Fast forward to fighting O&S at level 1 naked. Endless PVP and Co-Op. Lordran feels like my backyard and going through the game again is comfort food.
Resident Evil 2
This dethroned RE4 as my favorite RE, but RE4 is also one of the best games ever. So is the RE2 remake. I have beaten it probably over a hundred times. I was never into speedrunning RE until this game, and I played every permutation of Leon/Claire/difficulty/campaign over and over. The graphics are incredible to the point where I've done playthroughs just to stare at certain things again.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Larian deserves props for making such an incredibly deep, lengthy game that you can play by yourself or with up to 3 other people. You can embark on a 100 hour RPG with some strangers online if you want. Playing with a friend opens up the game in unexpected ways. It's the most impressive co-op implementation I've ever seen in a game. And most of my time with it is single player. In single player, the writing & quest design shines more (for me) as I'm able to take in the game at my own pace. Similar to Breath of the Wild, there's a lot of complexity in game mechanics interacting with each other.
XCOM 2 / XCOM 2 War of the Chosen
I keep reinstalling this game and adding another 100 hours. It's my go-to tactical game and the game to which I compare every similar game. I enjoy other XCOM-likes but I just wind up playing this again.
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Resident Evil 2
[x] Divinity: Original Sin 2
[x] XCOM 2
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Fallout: New Vegas
[x] DOOM
[x] Slay The Spire
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] Resident Evil 7
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy
[x] Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled
[x] Overwatch
Is the best game of the generation. Dark Souls at launch had the best sense of discovery and mystery in unraveling and mastering the game that has never been matched since (although Demon's Souls previously provided a similar experience.) Getting cursed in the depths.. and then helping others get through, dropping purging stones. Following a summon across the invisible bridge in Duke's Archives. Fast forward to fighting O&S at level 1 naked. Endless PVP and Co-Op. Lordran feels like my backyard and going through the game again is comfort food.
Resident Evil 2
This dethroned RE4 as my favorite RE, but RE4 is also one of the best games ever. So is the RE2 remake. I have beaten it probably over a hundred times. I was never into speedrunning RE until this game, and I played every permutation of Leon/Claire/difficulty/campaign over and over. The graphics are incredible to the point where I've done playthroughs just to stare at certain things again.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Larian deserves props for making such an incredibly deep, lengthy game that you can play by yourself or with up to 3 other people. You can embark on a 100 hour RPG with some strangers online if you want. Playing with a friend opens up the game in unexpected ways. It's the most impressive co-op implementation I've ever seen in a game. And most of my time with it is single player. In single player, the writing & quest design shines more (for me) as I'm able to take in the game at my own pace. Similar to Breath of the Wild, there's a lot of complexity in game mechanics interacting with each other.
XCOM 2 / XCOM 2 War of the Chosen
I keep reinstalling this game and adding another 100 hours. It's my go-to tactical game and the game to which I compare every similar game. I enjoy other XCOM-likes but I just wind up playing this again.
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Resident Evil 2
[x] Divinity: Original Sin 2
[x] XCOM 2
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Fallout: New Vegas
[x] DOOM
[x] Slay The Spire
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] Resident Evil 7
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy
[x] Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled
[x] Overwatch
Narrowed it down to 10 titles. Not sure if I may have forgotten any, but it is what it is. Some brief comments.
Batman: Arkham City - The boss battle with Mr. Freeze remains as one of my favorite boss battles of all time. It really was the moment where this game became very memorable to me.
God of War (2018) - I was one of those people who wanted a fresh reboot with no Kratos. Yet somehow this game turned me around on that and now I'm glad Kratos remained as the MC. The battle system was great, and the change in design didn't harm the game at all. Its sequel is my most anticipated game now.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - I think it's the best multiplayer game made in the last decade. A tremendous amount of fun with friends and family and a good example of why local co-op will always be important. So many tracks, vehicles, characters etc. that it's easy to play when and wherever. The only thing I ask for with MK9 is some further enhancement with a possible tag team mode that would allow us to play with 8 people at once. Maybe allow us to switch between who uses items and races on the fly.
Persona 5 Royal - My first Persona game, and aside from some quibbles with the writing and storytelling, it was fresh and engaging. A huge compliment considering how long this game is. I didn't really start feeling that length until I was 90 hours in. More than anything, the game made it quite easy to deal with all its system and time management by not placing excessive restrictions, and the load times being minimal. The formula works.
Resident Evil 2 Remake - This one is a bit of a cheat. I played this and RE3 back to back, and combined, they might just be my favorite gaming experience on the PS4. Just all round fantastic to play through and felt like I'd just gone through a horror/action epic by the time I was done. But even disregarding RE3, RE2 remains as one of my favorite games on the PS4.
The Last of Us - The idea of a protagonist not having to rely on his likability was a pretty novel thing in videogames back when this was released. It's something you often see in books and movies, but not so much in this field. The strength of a character is not how much you like him, but if he's compelling, interesting, and resonant. And Joel perfectly captures that, with his dynamic with Ellie giving him the humanity he needed to help this game become one of the best single player games I've played. The game-play was also really good, and laid the foundation for the wide-linear approach ND has continued to evolve since then.
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - Uncharted 2 is one of my favorites games ever. Uncharted 3 is basically Uncharted 2, but with a different coat of paint, and with not as good pacing. The end result is still something fantastic.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - A good end to Drake's journey, and the combat was excellent. My only disappointment with this game was the fact that I didn't get as much combat as I would've liked.
Virtue's Last Reward - One of the very first adventure games I played (I'd have to go all the way back to the 90s with Broken Sword for my last), and it was brilliant. Coming off 999, another fantastic game, this was a tremendous sequel with one of the best endings I've seen in a video game. It's like reading a book, but with pictures and puzzles. What's not to like?
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 - My favorite fighting game since Tekken 3. Dozens of characters, numerous stages, and engaging game-play. One of the best multiplayer games ever made. I await the arrival of TTT3 one day.
[x] Batman: Arkham City
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
[x] Persona 5 Royal
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Virtue's Last Reward
[x] Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Batman: Arkham City - The boss battle with Mr. Freeze remains as one of my favorite boss battles of all time. It really was the moment where this game became very memorable to me.
God of War (2018) - I was one of those people who wanted a fresh reboot with no Kratos. Yet somehow this game turned me around on that and now I'm glad Kratos remained as the MC. The battle system was great, and the change in design didn't harm the game at all. Its sequel is my most anticipated game now.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - I think it's the best multiplayer game made in the last decade. A tremendous amount of fun with friends and family and a good example of why local co-op will always be important. So many tracks, vehicles, characters etc. that it's easy to play when and wherever. The only thing I ask for with MK9 is some further enhancement with a possible tag team mode that would allow us to play with 8 people at once. Maybe allow us to switch between who uses items and races on the fly.
Persona 5 Royal - My first Persona game, and aside from some quibbles with the writing and storytelling, it was fresh and engaging. A huge compliment considering how long this game is. I didn't really start feeling that length until I was 90 hours in. More than anything, the game made it quite easy to deal with all its system and time management by not placing excessive restrictions, and the load times being minimal. The formula works.
Resident Evil 2 Remake - This one is a bit of a cheat. I played this and RE3 back to back, and combined, they might just be my favorite gaming experience on the PS4. Just all round fantastic to play through and felt like I'd just gone through a horror/action epic by the time I was done. But even disregarding RE3, RE2 remains as one of my favorite games on the PS4.
The Last of Us - The idea of a protagonist not having to rely on his likability was a pretty novel thing in videogames back when this was released. It's something you often see in books and movies, but not so much in this field. The strength of a character is not how much you like him, but if he's compelling, interesting, and resonant. And Joel perfectly captures that, with his dynamic with Ellie giving him the humanity he needed to help this game become one of the best single player games I've played. The game-play was also really good, and laid the foundation for the wide-linear approach ND has continued to evolve since then.
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - Uncharted 2 is one of my favorites games ever. Uncharted 3 is basically Uncharted 2, but with a different coat of paint, and with not as good pacing. The end result is still something fantastic.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - A good end to Drake's journey, and the combat was excellent. My only disappointment with this game was the fact that I didn't get as much combat as I would've liked.
Virtue's Last Reward - One of the very first adventure games I played (I'd have to go all the way back to the 90s with Broken Sword for my last), and it was brilliant. Coming off 999, another fantastic game, this was a tremendous sequel with one of the best endings I've seen in a video game. It's like reading a book, but with pictures and puzzles. What's not to like?
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 - My favorite fighting game since Tekken 3. Dozens of characters, numerous stages, and engaging game-play. One of the best multiplayer games ever made. I await the arrival of TTT3 one day.
[x] Batman: Arkham City
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
[x] Persona 5 Royal
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Virtue's Last Reward
[x] Tekken Tag Tournament 2
[x] Bayonetta 2
[x] Black Mesa
[x] Deadly Premonition
[x] Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
[x] Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
[x] Minecraft
[x] Mortal Kombat
[x] The Beginner's Guide
[x] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Stanley Parable
[x] Undertale
[x] Black Mesa
[x] Deadly Premonition
[x] Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
[x] Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
[x] Minecraft
[x] Mortal Kombat
[x] The Beginner's Guide
[x] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Stanley Parable
[x] Undertale
Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Favourite video game of 30+ years, bar none
Super Mario Odyssey - Epitome of 3D adventure collect-a-thons. A genuine joy to play
Super Smash Bros Ultimate - The greatest love letter to gaming in history. Never gets boring
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Incredible narrative and a simply ludicrous open-world. RDO is light on content but offers maximum fun
Persona 5 - Best JPRG ever. This is really a vote for P5 Royal given it launched last year in Japan
The Witcher 3 - A hallmark achievement in open-world design and a game i've played to completion several times over
Rocket League - 300+ hours later and I still suck, but i'll keep coming back for more
Diablo 3 - 500+ hours over four different consoles. Adventure mode saved this for me. Wish it received more content, but at least D4 is on the way
Yakuza 0 - Super game from one of my all-time favourite series. Judgment is the better beginner game, but Y0 charm is undeniable. Bakamitai
Bloodborne - My first foray into the otherworldly From games. Six platinums later and they are some of my all-time favs, but BB reigning supreme
Bioshock Infinite - Everyone hates this game but me. I seriously love the stylistic graphics, setting, music, gunplay, and traversal
Uncharted 4 - Best game in the series, and only recently topped by TLOU2 as ND's best game. Didn't love Lost Legacy
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Played 250 hours so feel obliged to list it. No interest when it was revealed, but became a six month obsession shortly after launch
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Persona 5
[x] The Witcher 3
[x] Rocket League
[x] Diablo 3
[x] Yakuza 0
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Bioshock Infinite
[x] Uncharted 4
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Super Mario Odyssey - Epitome of 3D adventure collect-a-thons. A genuine joy to play
Super Smash Bros Ultimate - The greatest love letter to gaming in history. Never gets boring
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Incredible narrative and a simply ludicrous open-world. RDO is light on content but offers maximum fun
Persona 5 - Best JPRG ever. This is really a vote for P5 Royal given it launched last year in Japan
The Witcher 3 - A hallmark achievement in open-world design and a game i've played to completion several times over
Rocket League - 300+ hours later and I still suck, but i'll keep coming back for more
Diablo 3 - 500+ hours over four different consoles. Adventure mode saved this for me. Wish it received more content, but at least D4 is on the way
Yakuza 0 - Super game from one of my all-time favourite series. Judgment is the better beginner game, but Y0 charm is undeniable. Bakamitai
Bloodborne - My first foray into the otherworldly From games. Six platinums later and they are some of my all-time favs, but BB reigning supreme
Bioshock Infinite - Everyone hates this game but me. I seriously love the stylistic graphics, setting, music, gunplay, and traversal
Uncharted 4 - Best game in the series, and only recently topped by TLOU2 as ND's best game. Didn't love Lost Legacy
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Played 250 hours so feel obliged to list it. No interest when it was revealed, but became a six month obsession shortly after launch
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Persona 5
[x] The Witcher 3
[x] Rocket League
[x] Diablo 3
[x] Yakuza 0
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Bioshock Infinite
[x] Uncharted 4
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Last edited:
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Bloodbourne
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Bloodbourne
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Ace Attorney Investigations 2
[x] Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
[x] Deus Ex: Human Revolution
[x] Ghost Trick
[x] Grand Theft Auto V
[x] Persona 5
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
[x] Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
[x] Deus Ex: Human Revolution
[x] Ghost Trick
[x] Grand Theft Auto V
[x] Persona 5
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
Here is a comment.
[x] Bayonetta 2
[x] DOOM
[x] Doom Eternal
[x] Final Fantasy VII Remake
[x] Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
[x] Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles X
[x] Bayonetta 2
[x] DOOM
[x] Doom Eternal
[x] Final Fantasy VII Remake
[x] Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
[x] Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles X
Lasped gamer that got brought back into gaming by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
[x] Baba is You
[x] Celeste
[x] Cuphead
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Dragon Quest Builders 2
[x] Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age S
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] Hollow Knight
[x] Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
[x] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
[x] Octopath Traveler
[x] Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver
[x] Splatoon 2
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
[x] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
[x] Baba is You
[x] Celeste
[x] Cuphead
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Dragon Quest Builders 2
[x] Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age S
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] Hollow Knight
[x] Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
[x] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
[x] Octopath Traveler
[x] Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver
[x] Splatoon 2
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Can we maybe add a larger disclaimer about having to write a comment for your votes to be counted? Judging by the majority of the posts here, including mine, that specific requirement isn't clear.
Bloodborne: From Software's masterpiece. Unforgettable game set in a world full of nightmares, where most of things will kill you in two seconds if you are not ready for them.
Dark Souls: would rather vote for Demon's, but unfortunately the game's a little too old. However, Dark Souls is also one of the best games I've ever played, and nothing will ever be better than exploring From Software's worlds for the first time, when you have no idea what is ahead.
Death Stranding: another innovative title with amazing atmosphere. Unique gameplay focused on delivering cargo from point A to B, set on a future Earth imagined by Hideo Kojima. As coronavirus continues to spread, unfortunately his vision is not as insane as it seemed in the beginning...
Disco Elysium: I literally finished the game yesterday, but I'm sure it belongs in this list. It's probably my favourite isometric RPG since Baldur's Gate II, with the best writing I've ever seen in a videogame. I also learned quite a few new English words (it's not my native language) and I can't remember the last time a game made me do that. It's funny, it's engaging, it's clever, it's smart, it's innovative, it's beautiful. It's everything I want from a videogame and then some.
Divinity: Original Sin 2: the most fun turn-based combat system I've ever encountered in a game. If a fight is too hard for a direct approach, you most certainly can find a different way of beating it - using spells, items & terrain to your advantage. It's not afraid of letting your imagination go wild, and that it a rare, precious thing in this industry.
DOOM: Shooting demons in the face until they die, perfected.
God of War: I was not sure if a sequel that bold & different would work, but hey, it's on this list. These mad men from Sony Santa Monica proved me wrong, made me care about Kratos and see him as more than a killing machine.
Hollow Knight: I completed the base game with the easier (bad) ending, tried my luck with Nightmare Grimm, hit a wall and I have no intention of going back. Still, even if I did not see most of the end-game content, it deserves a spot here. Because the base game is perfect, and I was glued to the screen until I saw the ending cutscene.
Horizon Zero Dawn: This is my childhood dream come true. Mechanical dinosaurs in AAA open world game? Are you serious? And fortunately it's not only the idea that's good, the execution is also top-notch.
Kentucky Route Zero: The only game from this list I haven't completed yet, but what I played, I loved so, so much. I just need to be in a certain... melancholic mood to want more of it.
Life is Strange: TV show you can play! Yes, that was not anything new, but it was the first one that really stayed with me for a long time. I think it's because of its perfect symbiosis of story and music. Music (as a whole) is really damn important to me, and it's similarly important to the people that made this game - I can feel it.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain: I know that the story is nothing to write home about, but I stayed with it for around 200 hours for the state-of-the-art gameplay. No other game (well, maybe besides Hitman, but I never could get into the series, and I tried) gives you this many options regarding how you want to approach the enemy.
Ori and the Blind Forest: I prefer the graphic style of Hollow Knight, but this game is also unbelievably beautiful and flows just as good, if not better. Pure metroidvania bliss.
Prey: Probably my favourite Arkane Studios game, and one of the few non-RPGs that I completed more than once in my life. The space station they created here is one of my favourite locations in a videogame. Can I have a sequel, please?
Rayman Origins: My favourite platformer. Legends was also stellar, but it was... too big for me, if that can be an issue. I was just overwhelmed with how much they put into the game, and lots of levels were too hard. But here, the game is not too long, and it's just a joy to play.
The Last Guardian: The game is not perfect, and I guess I was lucky to not experience any big AI issues in my playtrough - I understand others had way worse regarding Trico listening to them. Still, it's about my personal experience, and that was stellar. for me, it's better than ICO and almost as good as SotC. and it has really, really powerful ending.
The Last of Us: A masterpiece in videogame storytelling. There are few things that could be better regarding gameplay, but when you're so invested in the characters and their fate, you can forgive a lot.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: I may be biased, because I'm from Poland and I love The Witcher books, but this is my favourite 3D RPG. CDP did an outstanding job adapting Sapkowski's world to the interactive medium, and they deserve all the awards & sales they got and more. Never understood the complaints about battle system, either. It was fun in the beginning, and it was still fun after 200 hours of play.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End: Not many action games made me cry tears of joy, but this one did. It was a fitting end of Nathan Drake's story. Thank you, Naughty Dog, for all the beautiful memories!
Wolfenstein: The New Order: I love the world Machinegames created for this reboot. It's brutal and terrifying, but also stylish and beautiful. It's also serious, but not too serious - like a pulpy action movie that pulls all the right strings. Hopefully it's not over for this version of B.J. and all the other characters, please give them a chance to shine next gen, too!
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] Divinity: Original Sin 2
[x] DOOM
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Hollow Knight
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] Kentucky Route Zero
[x] Life is Strange
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Ori and the Blind Forest
[x] Prey
[x] Rayman Origins
[x] The Last Guardian
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Wolfenstein: The New Order
Dark Souls: would rather vote for Demon's, but unfortunately the game's a little too old. However, Dark Souls is also one of the best games I've ever played, and nothing will ever be better than exploring From Software's worlds for the first time, when you have no idea what is ahead.
Death Stranding: another innovative title with amazing atmosphere. Unique gameplay focused on delivering cargo from point A to B, set on a future Earth imagined by Hideo Kojima. As coronavirus continues to spread, unfortunately his vision is not as insane as it seemed in the beginning...
Disco Elysium: I literally finished the game yesterday, but I'm sure it belongs in this list. It's probably my favourite isometric RPG since Baldur's Gate II, with the best writing I've ever seen in a videogame. I also learned quite a few new English words (it's not my native language) and I can't remember the last time a game made me do that. It's funny, it's engaging, it's clever, it's smart, it's innovative, it's beautiful. It's everything I want from a videogame and then some.
Divinity: Original Sin 2: the most fun turn-based combat system I've ever encountered in a game. If a fight is too hard for a direct approach, you most certainly can find a different way of beating it - using spells, items & terrain to your advantage. It's not afraid of letting your imagination go wild, and that it a rare, precious thing in this industry.
DOOM: Shooting demons in the face until they die, perfected.
God of War: I was not sure if a sequel that bold & different would work, but hey, it's on this list. These mad men from Sony Santa Monica proved me wrong, made me care about Kratos and see him as more than a killing machine.
Hollow Knight: I completed the base game with the easier (bad) ending, tried my luck with Nightmare Grimm, hit a wall and I have no intention of going back. Still, even if I did not see most of the end-game content, it deserves a spot here. Because the base game is perfect, and I was glued to the screen until I saw the ending cutscene.
Horizon Zero Dawn: This is my childhood dream come true. Mechanical dinosaurs in AAA open world game? Are you serious? And fortunately it's not only the idea that's good, the execution is also top-notch.
Kentucky Route Zero: The only game from this list I haven't completed yet, but what I played, I loved so, so much. I just need to be in a certain... melancholic mood to want more of it.
Life is Strange: TV show you can play! Yes, that was not anything new, but it was the first one that really stayed with me for a long time. I think it's because of its perfect symbiosis of story and music. Music (as a whole) is really damn important to me, and it's similarly important to the people that made this game - I can feel it.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain: I know that the story is nothing to write home about, but I stayed with it for around 200 hours for the state-of-the-art gameplay. No other game (well, maybe besides Hitman, but I never could get into the series, and I tried) gives you this many options regarding how you want to approach the enemy.
Ori and the Blind Forest: I prefer the graphic style of Hollow Knight, but this game is also unbelievably beautiful and flows just as good, if not better. Pure metroidvania bliss.
Prey: Probably my favourite Arkane Studios game, and one of the few non-RPGs that I completed more than once in my life. The space station they created here is one of my favourite locations in a videogame. Can I have a sequel, please?
Rayman Origins: My favourite platformer. Legends was also stellar, but it was... too big for me, if that can be an issue. I was just overwhelmed with how much they put into the game, and lots of levels were too hard. But here, the game is not too long, and it's just a joy to play.
The Last Guardian: The game is not perfect, and I guess I was lucky to not experience any big AI issues in my playtrough - I understand others had way worse regarding Trico listening to them. Still, it's about my personal experience, and that was stellar. for me, it's better than ICO and almost as good as SotC. and it has really, really powerful ending.
The Last of Us: A masterpiece in videogame storytelling. There are few things that could be better regarding gameplay, but when you're so invested in the characters and their fate, you can forgive a lot.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: I may be biased, because I'm from Poland and I love The Witcher books, but this is my favourite 3D RPG. CDP did an outstanding job adapting Sapkowski's world to the interactive medium, and they deserve all the awards & sales they got and more. Never understood the complaints about battle system, either. It was fun in the beginning, and it was still fun after 200 hours of play.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End: Not many action games made me cry tears of joy, but this one did. It was a fitting end of Nathan Drake's story. Thank you, Naughty Dog, for all the beautiful memories!
Wolfenstein: The New Order: I love the world Machinegames created for this reboot. It's brutal and terrifying, but also stylish and beautiful. It's also serious, but not too serious - like a pulpy action movie that pulls all the right strings. Hopefully it's not over for this version of B.J. and all the other characters, please give them a chance to shine next gen, too!
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] Divinity: Original Sin 2
[x] DOOM
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Hollow Knight
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] Kentucky Route Zero
[x] Life is Strange
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Ori and the Blind Forest
[x] Prey
[x] Rayman Origins
[x] The Last Guardian
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Wolfenstein: The New Order
Last edited:
At a later date.
[x] Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] NieR
[x] NieR: Automata
[x] Pikmin 3
[x] Rocket League
[x] Super Mario 3D World
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles X
[x] Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] NieR
[x] NieR: Automata
[x] Pikmin 3
[x] Rocket League
[x] Super Mario 3D World
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles 2
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles X
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission - The VR game that redefined platforming. Also, that music is so good. Just typing this is making me want to go play some more.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - My favorite cart racer ever, redone with TONS of added content. And online multiplayer. And customization.
Destiny 2 - The best shooter since Halo 3.
Detroit: Become Human - I was super impressed by the branching paths and I really dug the overall story. Hank, Connor and Kara were also great characters.
Dreams - An infinite game generator. Plus, you can make art. And it's in VR.
Horizon Zero Dawn - This is one of my favorite games this gen. What's not to like about fighting robot dinosaurs with bows and spears?
inFamous: Second Son - This was my first taste of current gen and I have such fond memories zipping around Seattle.
Life is Strange - Such a great story, characters and game mechanic.
Marvel's Spider-Man - If this game was ONLY swinging around New York, it would still be in this list. Add in the combat and story and it's one of the best superhero games of all time.
Mass Effect 2 - Mass Effect is still one of my favorite franchises of all time. I still prefer Mass Effect 1, but that game wasn't eligible, so here is #2.
Mass Effect: Andromeda - I don't care what people say about this game, I loved it and am still angry we never got the Lost Ark DLC.
Portal 2 - Arguably one of the greatest puzzle games of all time plus humor.
Rock Band 3 - I put so many hours into this game. Add in the fact that you could import songs from previous games and this version had almost endless content.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 - I'm a huge Star Wars fan and this game covered all the movies and had great graphics. Strarfighter Assault was a blast.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - A great story set in the Star Wars universe and fun gameplay.
The Last Guardian - A touching story that I couldn't put down and had my eyes watering by the end.
The Last of Us - This and its sequel are two of the best made games in all of gaming history.
The Witness - Next to Portal, this game had the best puzzles and environment to explore.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - When Tomb Raider went exclusive to Xbox, I played this instead. And I regret nothing. This had everything Tomb Raider had, but also with humor.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - Having a side story with two amazing female leads made this shorter game better than some "full" AAA titles.
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Destiny 2
[x] Detroit: Become Human
[x] Dreams
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] inFamous: Second Son
[x] Life is Strange
[x] Marvel's Spider-Man
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Mass Effect: Andromeda
[x] Portal 2
[x] Rock Band 3
[x] Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order
[x] The Last Guardian
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witness
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
[x] Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
[x] Star Wars Battlefront 2
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - My favorite cart racer ever, redone with TONS of added content. And online multiplayer. And customization.
Destiny 2 - The best shooter since Halo 3.
Detroit: Become Human - I was super impressed by the branching paths and I really dug the overall story. Hank, Connor and Kara were also great characters.
Dreams - An infinite game generator. Plus, you can make art. And it's in VR.
Horizon Zero Dawn - This is one of my favorite games this gen. What's not to like about fighting robot dinosaurs with bows and spears?
inFamous: Second Son - This was my first taste of current gen and I have such fond memories zipping around Seattle.
Life is Strange - Such a great story, characters and game mechanic.
Marvel's Spider-Man - If this game was ONLY swinging around New York, it would still be in this list. Add in the combat and story and it's one of the best superhero games of all time.
Mass Effect 2 - Mass Effect is still one of my favorite franchises of all time. I still prefer Mass Effect 1, but that game wasn't eligible, so here is #2.
Mass Effect: Andromeda - I don't care what people say about this game, I loved it and am still angry we never got the Lost Ark DLC.
Portal 2 - Arguably one of the greatest puzzle games of all time plus humor.
Rock Band 3 - I put so many hours into this game. Add in the fact that you could import songs from previous games and this version had almost endless content.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 - I'm a huge Star Wars fan and this game covered all the movies and had great graphics. Strarfighter Assault was a blast.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - A great story set in the Star Wars universe and fun gameplay.
The Last Guardian - A touching story that I couldn't put down and had my eyes watering by the end.
The Last of Us - This and its sequel are two of the best made games in all of gaming history.
The Witness - Next to Portal, this game had the best puzzles and environment to explore.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - When Tomb Raider went exclusive to Xbox, I played this instead. And I regret nothing. This had everything Tomb Raider had, but also with humor.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - Having a side story with two amazing female leads made this shorter game better than some "full" AAA titles.
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Destiny 2
[x] Detroit: Become Human
[x] Dreams
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] inFamous: Second Son
[x] Life is Strange
[x] Marvel's Spider-Man
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Mass Effect: Andromeda
[x] Portal 2
[x] Rock Band 3
[x] Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order
[x] The Last Guardian
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witness
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
[x] Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
[x] Star Wars Battlefront 2
Last edited:
For this list I'm only counting games I fully completed. So while games like Skyrim and The Witcher were really good, they couldn't hold my interest long enough for me to complete them. I rather have games that stay fun, interesting, original, and well paced throughout the entire playtime.
In Release Date Order:
Heavy Rain: When this came out there wasn't much like this with this kind of production level. While the story in retrospect is just plain funny, the moment of playing it was intense and had some great moments. Sawing your arm off was unforgettable. The fact that any character could die, made decisions tense. This was a game you could play with a group of friends all arguing over what to do next. Maybe beyond and detroit were better games, but by then the magic had worn off. Nothing beats the experience of playing a game like this for the first time.
Red Dead Redemption: One of the most fun open worlds to run around it, with a story that kept you hooked the whole way through. A rare feat for an open world game. Undead Nightmares is still one of the best expansions of a game ever.
Civilization V: At first, I hated all the changes it made from CivIV, but along the years I started appreciating how different from CIV IV the game felt. It felt like it's own thing, and allows both games to coexist. Sometimes I'm in mood for IV and sometimes in the mood for V.
Game Dev Story: My most played mobile game of all time. Infinitely fun and a great game to squeeze anywhere. One of the most perfect mobile games, no microtransactions, no large waiting periods, just pure fun.
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Remains the high point of the series. A great story. A fun multiplayer mode. And the best the zombies mode has ever been. Fun but not convoluted.
Total War: Shogun 2: I thought it was impossible for CA to top Rome. New total wars would come and go, but I would always end back up at Rome. But Shogun 2 changed that by being one of the best games in the genre that still holds up. Beautiful, Fun, and FotS is great DLC.
To The Moon: One of the most beautiful games I have ever played. From story to music, it still makes me emotional just trying to remember the game. If you love story based games, you owe it yourself to experience one of the best games of decade.
Crusader Kings 2: The dream game. The one I would wish for it's existence every day, but thankfully it already exists. Imagine being in the world of game of thrones, lord of the rings, or braveheart. But instead of playing the heroes, you're playing as some lowly count in the corner of the world away from all the action, trying to figure out who to marry your son off to create the perfect grandchild. Or you could play as the heroes and raise epic armies for conquest. Or you could play as the villains, plotting assassinations and blinding the family of your enemies. The possibilities are endless. The most role playing of role playing games.
Sleeping Dogs: An open world that is well paced, tells a good story, has good fighting, shooting, and driving activities. And has a minority as the lead instead of a white dude!??! All very rare for an open world game.
The Last of Us: Perfectly paced and hauntingly told. One of the greatest of all time.
South Park: The Stick of Truth: This was actually goood
Marvel's Spider-Man: Another rare open world game with great pacing, great story and with all side content being extremely fun and not tedious to do. Because of the incredibly fun gameplay. Spider-Man has never been this fun to play as.
And that's all I could think of for now! I'll add more later.
[x] Call of Duty: Black Ops
[x] Civilization V
[x] Crusader Kings II
[x] Heavy Rain
[x] Marvel's Spider-Man
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] The Last of Us
[x] To The Moon
[x] Total War: Shogun 2
[x] Game Dev Story
[x] South Park: The Stick of Truth
[x] Sleeping Dogs
In Release Date Order:
Heavy Rain: When this came out there wasn't much like this with this kind of production level. While the story in retrospect is just plain funny, the moment of playing it was intense and had some great moments. Sawing your arm off was unforgettable. The fact that any character could die, made decisions tense. This was a game you could play with a group of friends all arguing over what to do next. Maybe beyond and detroit were better games, but by then the magic had worn off. Nothing beats the experience of playing a game like this for the first time.
Red Dead Redemption: One of the most fun open worlds to run around it, with a story that kept you hooked the whole way through. A rare feat for an open world game. Undead Nightmares is still one of the best expansions of a game ever.
Civilization V: At first, I hated all the changes it made from CivIV, but along the years I started appreciating how different from CIV IV the game felt. It felt like it's own thing, and allows both games to coexist. Sometimes I'm in mood for IV and sometimes in the mood for V.
Game Dev Story: My most played mobile game of all time. Infinitely fun and a great game to squeeze anywhere. One of the most perfect mobile games, no microtransactions, no large waiting periods, just pure fun.
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Remains the high point of the series. A great story. A fun multiplayer mode. And the best the zombies mode has ever been. Fun but not convoluted.
Total War: Shogun 2: I thought it was impossible for CA to top Rome. New total wars would come and go, but I would always end back up at Rome. But Shogun 2 changed that by being one of the best games in the genre that still holds up. Beautiful, Fun, and FotS is great DLC.
To The Moon: One of the most beautiful games I have ever played. From story to music, it still makes me emotional just trying to remember the game. If you love story based games, you owe it yourself to experience one of the best games of decade.
Crusader Kings 2: The dream game. The one I would wish for it's existence every day, but thankfully it already exists. Imagine being in the world of game of thrones, lord of the rings, or braveheart. But instead of playing the heroes, you're playing as some lowly count in the corner of the world away from all the action, trying to figure out who to marry your son off to create the perfect grandchild. Or you could play as the heroes and raise epic armies for conquest. Or you could play as the villains, plotting assassinations and blinding the family of your enemies. The possibilities are endless. The most role playing of role playing games.
Sleeping Dogs: An open world that is well paced, tells a good story, has good fighting, shooting, and driving activities. And has a minority as the lead instead of a white dude!??! All very rare for an open world game.
The Last of Us: Perfectly paced and hauntingly told. One of the greatest of all time.
South Park: The Stick of Truth: This was actually goood
Marvel's Spider-Man: Another rare open world game with great pacing, great story and with all side content being extremely fun and not tedious to do. Because of the incredibly fun gameplay. Spider-Man has never been this fun to play as.
And that's all I could think of for now! I'll add more later.
[x] Call of Duty: Black Ops
[x] Civilization V
[x] Crusader Kings II
[x] Heavy Rain
[x] Marvel's Spider-Man
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] The Last of Us
[x] To The Moon
[x] Total War: Shogun 2
[x] Game Dev Story
[x] South Park: The Stick of Truth
[x] Sleeping Dogs
- Bloodborne
I love the souls series and it was a close battle between this and Sekiro, but BB just edged it with its superior art design (IMO). The environments and characters are soaked in this horrific atmosphere that I'd gladly drop back into again. The combat is fluid and exciting and the mechanic of gaining back lost health, to encourage aggressive play, is top-notch. - The Return of the Obra Dinn
Super inventive and fun game with an insanely unique premise. I loved this game and everything it did. Yet there's nothing else like it. - God of War
A cinematic masterpiece that managed to rebrand one of gaming's most annoying characters. As much as I loved the old games, this one firmly cemented Kratos as a man trying to hide/forget his past. The game became one of my favorites with some of the best bosses I've seen in a long time. - The Last of Us
I loved this game as it makes story decisions that it knows may annoy/confuse players but in a way that makes sense for characters. The narrative is key here and when paired with amazing graphics and animations, it makes for a gripping ride. - Resident Evil 7
Playing this in VR was immense. The game from start to finish is heart racing and there's no other gaming experience that has kept me on-edge for so long. It's definitely not the same game outside of VR, but with that extra immersion, they did some fantastic stuff. - Prey
This is one of my favorite games ever. I came to play Prey after seeing multiple threads here saying it was underrated. I genuinely feel it far surpasses Bioshock and other games that are listed alongside it. The art, design, and story are amazing. - Persona 4: The Golden
No game has ever made me an like the end of P4: The Golden did. The game is such a nice wholesome title in general. It can be a grind at the start, but when things click and you get the idea of social links and matching them to improve playstyle, it made for a highly addictive game where I was concerned about everything I did, both via narrative and from bulking my team up for battles. - The Witcher 3
An RPG with really good side missions and writing that morally ambiguous? TW3 was an amazing game and a fitting way to close the series. The DLC expansions were amazing too. Plus playing Gwent :) - Hollow Knight
Weird and cute bugs alongside an insanely nuts/tough/fun bunch of platforming and bosses. - What Remains of Edith Finch
Amazingly made, I don't want to spoil much. But this is handsdown the best 'walking sim' (if you can call it that). The game tells a story in such inventive ways.
[x] Bloodborne
[x] The Return of the Obra Dinn
[x] God of War
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Resident Evil 7
[x] Prey
[x] Persona 4: The Golden
[x] The Witcher 3
[x] Hollow Knight
[x] What Remains of Edith Finch
Last edited:
What an incredible decade.
My ballot:
[x] Bioshock: Infinite
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Catherine
[x] Civilization V
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Fire Emblem: Awakening
[x] Kingdom Hearts 3
[x] Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Rayman Origins
[x] Rock Band 3
[x] Super Mario Galaxy 2
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Binding of Isaac
[x] Undertale
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
[x] P.T.
[x] DmC: Devil May Cry
[x] Guitar Hero Live
[x] Outlast 2
- Rock Band 3: The greatest music game to ever exist and my fifth favorite game of all time. Incredibly ambitious and masterfully executed, I don't think we'll ever get a music game as good as this ever again.
- Super Mario Galaxy 2: The greatest 3D platformer of all time. Mindblowing level design and music. Mario games have never been better.
- Fire Emblem Awakening: My second favorite Fire Emblem game, Awakening was a breath of incredible fresh air after the tyranny of the DS era. We're in the golden age of Fire Emblem and it's all thanks to Awakening.
- Undertale: Closest to a game that made me cry. Unforgettable cast and masterful gameplay and music. It's beautiful and haunting.
- Bloodborne: My first and favorite From game. Awe inspiring in the greatest way, with a magnificent scope and gameplay that's unrivaled.
- Persona 4 Golden: My second favorite Persona game. Taking a flawed, but lovable game and drowning it in incredible content makes the flaws sting a lot less. And it added Marie, one of my favorite characters in fiction. Ever.
- Rayman Origins: The greatest 2D platformer since Super Mario World. Probably even better. Bold and incredible art mixed with daring level design. It's creative in the best of ways.
- P.T.: My third favorite Silent Hill game, and third favorite horror game ever. P.T. was a daring punch to the face, with such vision that even as a free game, it eclipses most games to ever exist.
- The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth: A 10/10 expansion to a 10/10 game, Rebirth is infinitely fun with the best "pick up and play" feel to it of any game I've ever played.
- DmC: Devil May Cry: Insane gameplay featuring one of the most creative and impressive art styles in gaming. Features my favorite character design of all time with Dante, who is the perfect mix of badass and relatable.
- Bioshock Infinite: Masterful gunplay, art direction, and story. I loved every moment of this masterpiece.
- Kingdom Hearts 3: An extremely flawed but mindblowing game, Kingdom Hearts 3 puts a wonderful bow on one of the greatest sagas in gaming.
- Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep: Less flawed than Kingdom Hearts 3, Birth By Sleep has innovative and deep combat with a tragic but unforgettable story.
- Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward: Has the greatest twist in video games. Ever.
- Guitar Hero Live: The second most immersive game of all time. While flawed, Guitar Hero Live captures the fantasy of playing a music game in a way that no other game has ever accomplished before.
- Super Smash Bros Ultimate: While more of the same, Super Smash Bros Ultimate's philosophy seems to be overwhelming meaningful additions to my favorite Nintendo franchise.
- Civilization V: The perfect mix of accessible and addicting, Civilization V is the quintessential "just one more turn" game.
- Catherine: One of the most bizarrely charming games I've ever played. For all of its faults, Catherine delivers on unforgettable gameplay and story.
- Dark Souls: Beautiful and epic beyond imagination. Dark Souls is quite possibly one of the most well realized games I've ever played.
- Outlast 2: An astronomically on brand game, Outlast 2 delivers an amazing story with quite possibly the most gripping levels of extremism I've seen in a modern game.
My ballot:
[x] Bioshock: Infinite
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Catherine
[x] Civilization V
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Fire Emblem: Awakening
[x] Kingdom Hearts 3
[x] Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Rayman Origins
[x] Rock Band 3
[x] Super Mario Galaxy 2
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Binding of Isaac
[x] Undertale
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
[x] P.T.
[x] DmC: Devil May Cry
[x] Guitar Hero Live
[x] Outlast 2
As many of you might've noticed, we've been reviewing every year of the past decade in gaming (2010-2019) and it's all been leading to this. Game of the Year votes have always been popular, but now we're doing something special: The community will have the chance to decide the GAME OF THE DECADE!
The same team behind our retrospective of notable games from the past decade (shout out to tgr_williams) are to thank for this event as well. We'd like to thank not only tgr_williams, but Muzy, Hecht, Rösti, DownUnderCoder, ColdSun and B-Dubs for their contributions to this effort.
Furthermore, this vote marks the first time that we will be using our new Ballots voting tool! Previously we relied on a hodgepodge collection of bots and scrapers to run Game of the Year votes; this involved a lot of work and manual effort every time. Thanks to our tech team we have now developed a native voting tool incorporated directly into the forum software which will make it easier to vote and easier to organize votes.
Please review the announcement thread and/or the instructions below, as the new tool works differently and has necessitated some changes in the rules (most notably, ballots are no longer ranked choice due to the way the software counts votes).
InformationWe ask each user to limit their choices to their 15-20 favorite games of the last decade. Any more than that and the vote will get far too unwieldy for everyone involved.
Pay attention to the instructions below because voting works very differently this year as a result of the new vote counting method.
As you can see, with Ballots active the thread now runs a constant countdown until the end of the vote tally. This countdown is available at the top and bottom of each page, so it is impossible to miss. If need be, the length can be adjusted at our discretion (if members are having a hard time making their choices, for example).
If we zoom in on the Quick Reply Box at the bottom of the page, we will see a small button marked [Vote]. If you click that you will be brought to the section of your post where you input the games you want to vote for.
It is a simple fill-in field that will create another fill-in once text appears in it. Just click to the next box and fill in your choices.
There is a special feature here though.
You'll be able to see the choices that everyone has made so far. So if someone has already voted for the one of the games on your list, all you need to do is find it and check the box in order to vote for it!
When you're all done a post will be created that looks like this. No more worrying about how to format your posts, Ballots will do that for you.
When you are putting in how you feel about the games on your list, just put your thoughts in the basic reply box. They will appear above your list and will not affect how your vote is counted at all.
InformationIf you decide part way through the voting that you would like to change your vote, just use the vote tool to cast another vote. The tool will only count a user's most recent vote in the thread, so even if you cast multiple ballots only a single one will be counted.
IN ADDITION: There is no more ranked choice in voting. The order you choose does not matter. While this tool greatly simplifies the amount of effort all of you need to go through in order to vote, it does not allow for a point value to be awarded to individual votes. So picking something first on your list isn't going to affect how well it does, just pick your favorites games as you think of them.
------ FAQ ------
Is (insert game here) eligible?
So long as the game was originally published in the last decade (2010-2019) it is eligible. Ports don't count, so if an Xbox360 game was published in 2009 and it's PC port was published in 2010 it is not eligible.
Are Early Access games eligible?
No, Early Access, beta, demo, and Greenlight games are not eligible. PC games must reach full release, or version 1.0 in order to be eligible.
Can I talk about somebody else's list?
Discussion is encouraged! Want to talk about another poster's list? Quote it.
Can I use images in my ballot? I want it to be BEAUTIFUL!
Absolutely. You can do whatever you want to your voting post, so long as you DO NOT touch the actual vote created by the vote tool. If you do, it will likely cause a bug and your vote might not be counted.
My ballot is too long! Can I split it into two posts?
You should NOT split your ballot into two posts as the vote tool will only count the most recent post's vote.
I want to change my list. Do I have to make a new post?
No, but it would probably be easier for you if you did.
My ballot was disqualified! Why?
Most likely, you didn't follow the rules above. What you probably did: You didn't number things correctly. You didn't write any comments. You listed the same game more than once. You didn't follow the formatting rules.
Can I order my list from 10 to 1?
It doesn't matter, so go nuts.
OMG what about Resident Evil 2 and Kingdom Hearts III? Lots of people are using Arabic numerals. Will they be counted?
We'll be fairly lenient on variations, but the only way to guarantee that your vote will be counted is to copy-and-paste from the spreadsheet. But again, just because a game isn't listed doesn't mean you can't vote for it if you're sure it's a 2010-2019 title. Just use the most complete and official title available.
When will the results be posted?
As soon as is possible given the copy-paste technology at our disposal.
Happy voting, everyone!
[x] 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 2
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] FEZ
[x] Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
[x] Hyper Light Drifter
[x] Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
[x] LISA: The Painful
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Portal 2
[x] Return of the Obra Dinn
[x] Ring Fit Adventure
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] Tetris 99
[x] Undertale
[x] The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 2
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] FEZ
[x] Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
[x] Hyper Light Drifter
[x] Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
[x] LISA: The Painful
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Portal 2
[x] Return of the Obra Dinn
[x] Ring Fit Adventure
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] Tetris 99
[x] Undertale
[x] The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
[x] Death Stranding
Last edited:
[x] 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
[x] A Short Hike
[x] Bravely Default
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Donkey Kong Country Returns
[x] Enter the Gungeon
[x] Hollow Knight
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] Pikmin 3
[x] Pokemon Black 2/White 2
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Sayonara Wild Hearts
[x] Slay the Spire
[x] Splatoon 2
[x] Stardew Valley
[x] Super Mario Maker
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
[x] Thumper
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
[x] ZombiU
[x] Yoshi's Woolly World
[x] Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon
[x] A Short Hike
[x] Bravely Default
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Donkey Kong Country Returns
[x] Enter the Gungeon
[x] Hollow Knight
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] Pikmin 3
[x] Pokemon Black 2/White 2
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Sayonara Wild Hearts
[x] Slay the Spire
[x] Splatoon 2
[x] Stardew Valley
[x] Super Mario Maker
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
[x] Thumper
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
[x] ZombiU
[x] Yoshi's Woolly World
[x] Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon
[x] 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Call of Duty: Black Ops
[x] Danganronpa
[x] Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
[x] Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Darksiders
[x] Demon's Souls
[x] Firewatch
[x] Forza Horizon
[x] Ghost Trick
[x] Guacamelee!
[x] inFamous: Second Son
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Max Payne 3
[x] NieR
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Portal 2
[x] Rayman Legends
[x] Rayman Origins
[x] Rime
[x] Shadow of the Tomb Raider
[x] Sleeping Dogs
[x] Spec Ops: The Line
[x] Split/Second Velocity
[x] Steins;Gate
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Tomb Raider (2013)
[x] Transistor
[x] Until Dawn
[x] Vanquish
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Call of Duty: Black Ops
[x] Danganronpa
[x] Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
[x] Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Darksiders
[x] Demon's Souls
[x] Firewatch
[x] Forza Horizon
[x] Ghost Trick
[x] Guacamelee!
[x] inFamous: Second Son
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Max Payne 3
[x] NieR
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Portal 2
[x] Rayman Legends
[x] Rayman Origins
[x] Rime
[x] Shadow of the Tomb Raider
[x] Sleeping Dogs
[x] Spec Ops: The Line
[x] Split/Second Velocity
[x] Steins;Gate
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Tomb Raider (2013)
[x] Transistor
[x] Until Dawn
[x] Vanquish
[x] Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
[x] Deadly Premonition
[x] Detroit: Become Human
[x] Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
[x] Final Fantasy XV
[x] Ghost Trick
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Grand Theft Auto V
[x] Heavy Rain
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Night in the Woods
[x] Persona 5
[x] South Park: The Stick of Truth
[x] Steins;Gate
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Yakuza 0
[x] Shenmue III
[x] Detroit: Become Human
[x] Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
[x] Final Fantasy XV
[x] Ghost Trick
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Grand Theft Auto V
[x] Heavy Rain
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Night in the Woods
[x] Persona 5
[x] South Park: The Stick of Truth
[x] Steins;Gate
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Yakuza 0
[x] Shenmue III
In terms of reach, influence, number of players, and basically everything, in fact, it has to be objectively Minecraft.
No other game even begins to come close.
[x] Minecraft
No other game even begins to come close.
[x] Minecraft
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] Doom Eternal
[x] Far Cry 4
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Journey
[x] Kentucky Route Zero
[x] Lumines: Electronic Symphony
[x] Nex Machina
[x] Outer Wilds
[x] Persona 5 Royal
[x] Rez Infinite
[x] Tetris Effect
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Vanquish
[x] Yakuza 0
[x] Bloodborne
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dark Souls 3
[x] Disco Elysium
[x] Doom Eternal
[x] Far Cry 4
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Journey
[x] Kentucky Route Zero
[x] Lumines: Electronic Symphony
[x] Nex Machina
[x] Outer Wilds
[x] Persona 5 Royal
[x] Rez Infinite
[x] Tetris Effect
[x] The Last of Us
[x] Vanquish
[x] Yakuza 0
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Bayonetta
[x] Bayonetta 2
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] Kingdom Hearts 3
[x] Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Metroid: Samus Returns
[x] NieR: Automata
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Super Mario 3D World
[x] Super Mario Galaxy 2
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
[x] Bayonetta
[x] Bayonetta 2
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] Kingdom Hearts 3
[x] Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
[x] Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
[x] Metroid: Samus Returns
[x] NieR: Automata
[x] Resident Evil 2 Remake
[x] Super Mario 3D World
[x] Super Mario Galaxy 2
[x] Super Mario Odyssey
[x] The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
[x] Celeste
[x] Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
[x] Inside
[x] Ori and the Blind Forest
[x] Overwatch
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Slay the Spire
[x] Stardew Valley
[x] Super Mario Maker
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
[x] Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
[x] Inside
[x] Ori and the Blind Forest
[x] Overwatch
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Slay the Spire
[x] Stardew Valley
[x] Super Mario Maker
[x] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Xenoblade Chronicles
As many of you might've noticed, we've been reviewing every year of the past decade in gaming (2010-2019) and it's all been leading to this. Game of the Year votes have always been popular, but now we're doing something special: The community will have the chance to decide the GAME OF THE DECADE!
The same team behind our retrospective of notable games from the past decade (shout out to tgr_williams) are to thank for this event as well. We'd like to thank not only tgr_williams, but Muzy, Hecht, Rösti, DownUnderCoder, ColdSun and B-Dubs for their contributions to this effort.
Furthermore, this vote marks the first time that we will be using our new Ballots voting tool! Previously we relied on a hodgepodge collection of bots and scrapers to run Game of the Year votes; this involved a lot of work and manual effort every time. Thanks to our tech team we have now developed a native voting tool incorporated directly into the forum software which will make it easier to vote and easier to organize votes.
Please review the announcement thread and/or the instructions below, as the new tool works differently and has necessitated some changes in the rules (most notably, ballots are no longer ranked choice due to the way the software counts votes).
InformationWe ask each user to limit their choices to their 15-20 favorite games of the last decade. Any more than that and the vote will get far too unwieldy for everyone involved.
Pay attention to the instructions below because voting works very differently this year as a result of the new vote counting method.
As you can see, with Ballots active the thread now runs a constant countdown until the end of the vote tally. This countdown is available at the top and bottom of each page, so it is impossible to miss. If need be, the length can be adjusted at our discretion (if members are having a hard time making their choices, for example).
If we zoom in on the Quick Reply Box at the bottom of the page, we will see a small button marked [Vote]. If you click that you will be brought to the section of your post where you input the games you want to vote for.
It is a simple fill-in field that will create another fill-in once text appears in it. Just click to the next box and fill in your choices.
There is a special feature here though.
You'll be able to see the choices that everyone has made so far. So if someone has already voted for the one of the games on your list, all you need to do is find it and check the box in order to vote for it!
When you're all done a post will be created that looks like this. No more worrying about how to format your posts, Ballots will do that for you.
When you are putting in how you feel about the games on your list, just put your thoughts in the basic reply box. They will appear above your list and will not affect how your vote is counted at all.
InformationIf you decide part way through the voting that you would like to change your vote, just use the vote tool to cast another vote. The tool will only count a user's most recent vote in the thread, so even if you cast multiple ballots only a single one will be counted.
IN ADDITION: There is no more ranked choice in voting. The order you choose does not matter. While this tool greatly simplifies the amount of effort all of you need to go through in order to vote, it does not allow for a point value to be awarded to individual votes. So picking something first on your list isn't going to affect how well it does, just pick your favorites games as you think of them.
------ FAQ ------
Is (insert game here) eligible?
So long as the game was originally published in the last decade (2010-2019) it is eligible. Ports don't count, so if an Xbox360 game was published in 2009 and it's PC port was published in 2010 it is not eligible.
Are Early Access games eligible?
No, Early Access, beta, demo, and Greenlight games are not eligible. PC games must reach full release, or version 1.0 in order to be eligible.
Can I talk about somebody else's list?
Discussion is encouraged! Want to talk about another poster's list? Quote it.
Can I use images in my ballot? I want it to be BEAUTIFUL!
Absolutely. You can do whatever you want to your voting post, so long as you DO NOT touch the actual vote created by the vote tool. If you do, it will likely cause a bug and your vote might not be counted.
My ballot is too long! Can I split it into two posts?
You should NOT split your ballot into two posts as the vote tool will only count the most recent post's vote.
I want to change my list. Do I have to make a new post?
No, but it would probably be easier for you if you did.
My ballot was disqualified! Why?
Most likely, you didn't follow the rules above. What you probably did: You didn't number things correctly. You didn't write any comments. You listed the same game more than once. You didn't follow the formatting rules.
Can I order my list from 10 to 1?
It doesn't matter, so go nuts.
OMG what about Resident Evil 2 and Kingdom Hearts III? Lots of people are using Arabic numerals. Will they be counted?
We'll be fairly lenient on variations, but the only way to guarantee that your vote will be counted is to copy-and-paste from the spreadsheet. But again, just because a game isn't listed doesn't mean you can't vote for it if you're sure it's a 2010-2019 title. Just use the most complete and official title available.
When will the results be posted?
As soon as is possible given the copy-paste technology at our disposal.
Happy voting, everyone!
[x] Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
[x] Zelda: Beath of the Wild
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (if I had to pick one game it would be this one)
[x] Assassin's Creed Origins
[x] Bioshock: Infinite
[x] Crusader Kings II
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dead Cells
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] NieR: Automata
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Driveclub
[x] Bioshock: Infinite
[x] Crusader Kings II
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Dead Cells
[x] Death Stranding
[x] Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
[x] Fire Emblem: Three Houses
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] NieR: Automata
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Driveclub
Edited vote. See original post for game thoughts.
[x] Astro Bot
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Days Gone
[x] Dreams
[x] Far Cry 3
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] Just Cause 2
[x] Marvel's Spider-Man
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Sleeping Dogs
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Walking Dead: Season One
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
[x] Wolfenstein: The New Order
[x] Astro Bot
[x] Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
[x] Days Gone
[x] Dreams
[x] Far Cry 3
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Horizon Zero Dawn
[x] Just Cause 2
[x] Marvel's Spider-Man
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Red Dead Redemption
[x] Sleeping Dogs
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Walking Dead: Season One
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Uncharted 4
[x] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
[x] Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
[x] Wolfenstein: The New Order
[x] Bayonetta
[x] Celeste
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Divinity : Original Sin II
[x] Divinity: Original Sin 2
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Half Life: Alyx
[x] Hyper Light Drifter
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] LISA: The Painful
[x] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
[x] Persona 5 Royal
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Sekiro
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Sonic Mania
[x] Stardew Valley
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Undertale
[x] Celeste
[x] Dark Souls
[x] Divinity : Original Sin II
[x] Divinity: Original Sin 2
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Half Life: Alyx
[x] Hyper Light Drifter
[x] Kid Icarus: Uprising
[x] LISA: The Painful
[x] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
[x] Persona 5 Royal
[x] Red Dead Redemption 2
[x] Sekiro
[x] Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
[x] Sonic Mania
[x] Stardew Valley
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
[x] The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
[x] Titanfall 2
[x] Undertale
Will add comments later.
[x] Civilization V
[x] Death Stranding
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Overwatch
[x] P.T.
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Portal 2
[x] Rayman Legends
[x] Superhot VR
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
[x] Civilization V
[x] Death Stranding
[x] God of War (2018)
[x] Mass Effect 2
[x] Overwatch
[x] P.T.
[x] Persona 4 Golden
[x] Portal 2
[x] Rayman Legends
[x] Superhot VR
[x] The Last of Us
[x] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Status