OoT and RE4 were definitive #1 games of their decade. This decade belongs to...

[HyperDimension]

Without Skyrim and arguably Dark Souls, you don't have BotW.

I'd lean towards the former being the definitive game of the decade. We've had so many open world games this gen trying to capture the magic of Skyrim and not many have succeeded.

For the 2000s, I'd argue that Call of Duty 4 is the defining game. It singlehandedly transformed the control scheme for FPS games on controller and every FPS game afterwards tried to emulate what it did in multiplayer. To this day, CoD sells tons and tops charts constantly.

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Skyrim wasn't revolutionary though. Its open-world format was already popular with Morrowind and Oblivion in the 2000s. In contrast, Dark Souls and BOTW were both revolutionary. Dark Souls established the Soulslike genre and asymmetric multiplayer, while BOTW established the chemistry engine and intuitive world physics.

For the 2000s, I'd have to agree with OP. COD's dual-stick controls were already popular with FPS games like Halo before it. In contrast, RE4 established the over-the-shoulder camera system in third-person action games. Ever since RE4, almost every third-person action game has adopted its over-the-shoulder camera system. The impact of RE4 on third-person action games is bigger than the impact of COD on FPS games.

 

[RossoneR]

Love witcher....but Dark souls. Still love you demons and wont forget u who started it all.

 

[Tobor]

Without Skyrim and arguably Dark Souls, you don't have BotW.

I'd lean towards the former being the definitive game of the decade. We've had so many open world games this gen trying to capture the magic of Skyrim and not many have succeeded.

For the 2000s, I'd argue that Call of Duty 4 is the defining game. It singlehandedly transformed the control scheme for FPS games on controller and every FPS game afterwards tried to emulate what it did in multiplayer. To this day, CoD sells tons and tops charts constantly.

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The answer is Skyrim, for sure. Love it or hate it, the impact Skyrim has had on the industry is undeniable.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

If you're talking about the games which most defined this decade then it's probably Dark Souls or Fortnite/PUBG.

 

[Zonal Hertz]

If Witcher 3 is gotg then this is truely the generation the gameplay died.

Completely disagree with RE4 being the game of previous decade too. I love it but it's not a standout among its great peers.

 

[SofNascimento]

 

[Raide]

Minecraft. Or Fortnite.

 

[Deleted member 2809]

The answer is Skyrim, for sure. Love it or hate it, the impact Skyrim has had on the industry is undeniable.

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Nobody is talking impact here

 

[NuclearCake]

Halo: CE did everything you just said about COD4 years before and Halo: CE still better game than all the CODs.

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Well you had Goldeneye and Perfect Dark which pretty much already did what Halo CE did. Sure Halo was a great game but not that great. Wasn't even the he definitive game of that console generation. You could even make an argument that Halo 2 was better for what it did for online shooters on consoles.

 

[HyperDimension]

If you're talking about the games which most defined this decade then it's probably Dark Souls or Fortnite/PUBG.

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Much like Dark Souls, PUBG is also a good choice. It popularized battle-royale games. However, it came quite late in the 2010s. It defined the last few years of this decade, but not the entire decade.

As for Fortnite, that just jumped on the battle-royale bandwagon that PUBG had already popularized. And on a worldwide sale, PUBG still has a larger player base than Fortnite, thanks to PUBG's huge popularity in Asia. Fortnite doesn't deserve any honours for bandwagon-jumping.

 

[PKrockin]

Nothing strange. Give us a name of a game that made its own identity by having it's own genre this generation like Souls.

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PUBG?

 

[Tobor]

Nobody is talking impact here

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"Definitive" should include impact.

Regardless, Skyrim is still my pic. I've purchased it four times in 8 years and still play it to this day. I'm going to play it today. It's the game of the decade.

 

[Tetra-Grammaton-Cleric]

Y'all arguing about this generation and I'm trying to figure out when did RE4 become the #1 of the PS2/Xbox/Gamecube generation with other titles like Half Life 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Halo 2, God of War 2, GTA Vice City and San Andreas, etc.

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Thank you.

RE4 is definitive of that groundbreaking console cycle?

I don't think so.

 

[Tetriso]

dark souls

 

[Tobor]

Thank you.

RE4 is definitive of that groundbreaking console cycle?

I don't think so.

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Yeah, RE4 isn't even in my top five of that generation.

 

[Deleted member 56580]

yeah its minecraft and its not up to debate I think ? so many online open world games followed its formula and very few succeeded. Nowadays its influence is still beyond crazy

Without Skyrim and arguably Dark Souls, you don't have BotW.

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Laughing so hard right now. Without MORROWIND, you don't have Botw

Without SEVERANCE BLADE OF DARKNESS AND TEAM NINJA'S GAME DESIGN, you don't have Dark Souls

Folks really trying too hard with From Software

 

[PapaJustify]

RE4 was of the GameCube generation not the PlayStation 3 generation. Regardless UC2 became a foot note for that generation once I played Mass Effect 2.

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Well, I was thinking we are talking decades, not console generations.

 

[Tobor]

Well, I was thinking we are talking decades, not console generations.

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RE4 isn't definitive #1 either way.

 

[krlitros87]

Botw, but I guess the Witcher 3 is a valid choice too.

 

[Deleted member 45414]

Dark Souls is definitely my personal no. 1 of the decade... but if we're talking impact on the game industry then PUBG has probably had the biggest of any singular game that I can think of in the last 10 years.

 

[Copper]

I'm a Nintendo /PC dude andthe game of the decade is dark souls without a doubt in my mind. It demanded comparison for years, created a genre, reinvigorated good gameplay storytelling vs bad expository storytelling and did so while also selling a ton.

 

[Edgar]

My my you're brave OP. And I think dark souls is probably most influential as far as decades go.
Tho Witcher 3 is best game this generation, with RDR2 falling behind.
And for people saying w3 did not influence anything. You're not entirely right.

 

[Caspar]

Dark Souls and not even close. It's been the decade of Souls.

 

[Ushay]

Narrative yes I agree with Witcher 3, it set a new bar.
But in terms of gameplay it goes to Breath of the Wild and Souls for me. Just look at how many other series Dark Souls has inspired? The Surge, Remnant and numerous others, its become a genre.

Also Remnant is shaping up to be special game for me. Exited what they could do if the series grows from here.

 

[Pimienta]

It is Dark Souls, easily. It influenced the industry greatly, just like OoT and RE4 did before.

 

[werezompire]

This thread seems to prove that there is no definitive game.

 

[Deleted member 41520]

common sense?

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I wouldn't say "definitive" has to mean ground breaking it innovative. It just "defined" the generation.

Which applies to how many games? Precisely zero. Ever.

 

[GamingRobioto]

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Dark Souls
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

These three games are in a league of their own IMO. True masterpieces.

 

[Rouk']

This thread seems to prove that there is no definitive game.

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Usually, when there is a poll concerning the best game of the decade, BotW wins, but not by much. So there really is no game that can be universally called the #1 game of this decade.
But tbh, if we made a poll for the 90s and the 00s, I don't think that any game would come out on top by a huge margin either.

 

[Pimienta]

Game of the decade should be about the quality of said title and its influence beyond its genre and fandom. So Dark Souls and Skyrim are the defining games of this decade.

Get past your tastes for a minute there.

 

[Elephant]

Ooo this is some bait territory, especially when I don't agree with your "definitive" picks for the 90's and 00's either.

I'm not biting, I refuse. Have I bitten by replying anyway? Fuck.

 

[Blade Wolf]

The greatest and the most influential game of the decade. The most brilliant design I've ever seen in a video game, completely goes beyond any imagination.
Video game is art, and Dark Souls is high art.

 

[A New Beginning]

Dark Souls is objectively the most influencial game of the decade.
The top 5 looks like this imo.
1.DS
2.Skyrim
3.BoTW
4.Witcher 3
5.TLoU

 

[takriel]

Why not three?

Dark Souls, Witcher 3, and Breath of the Wild all deserve it equally imo.

If only one, then it's Dark Souls.

Edit: Skyrim absolutely deserves at least an honorary mention.

 

[paradox85]

Yup, it's Dark Souls.

 

[Deleted member 2809]

Dark Souls is objectively the most influencial game of the decade.

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No Skyrim is

 

[Goda]

I was going to say league but it released in 2009. So I'll say Dark Souls because it spawned games like nioh, bloodborne, and sekiro. It's truly the pinnacle of action rpg at this point.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

Minecraft, or Skyrim, or Fortnite, or maybe Breath of the Wild (the way it sort of took over the world was insane).

Dark Souls is too inaccessible to have that title, IMO.

 

[Rodelero]

Whether it was ever remotely reasonable to suggest that one or two games 'defined' a generation or decade (imo no way) it certainly isn't now. Far too many good games.

 

[A New Beginning]

No Skyrim is

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It's the second one most influencal. That's why I placed it 2 on my list.
Skyrim influenced many open world games like Witcher 3 or BotW but DS influence is felt in so many genres (even indie games) it's not even comparable. Imo Skyrim become obsolete after Witcher 3's release that's why Ubisoft and Guerilla citied Witcher 3 as their inspiration for Oddyssey and Horizon respectively not Skyrim.

 

[Damn Silly]

Yeah, nah. There's so many strong candidates for what could be called the "best game of the decade" that The Witcher 3 could in no way be called definitive. Like, I could still see it being voted as the best game in a poll on here, but the gap between it and other choices would never be such that it would be "definitive"

And if you're going for games that define a decade instead, there are better choices than The Witcher 3, which is "only" a good/great/[insert superlative here] RPG. The oft-mentioned Dark Souls would be a better choice, as would Minecraft, Telltale's The Walking Dead, PUBG or Destiny (or others).

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

For people who claim Dark Souls why is Demon's Souls never brought up? Wasn't that more of an instrumental title that landed in the previous decade?

 

[Deleted member 2809]

For people who claim Dark Souls why is Demon's Souls never brought up? Wasn't that more of an instrumental title that landed in the previous decade?

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Not even close to having the same impact as dark souls

 

[Lentic]

Dark Souls without a doubt. So many aspects of those games crept into everything this gen.

It's crazy to me how many people are saying BOTW. The level of praise that game gets still perplexes me. Sure, you might think it's well executed, but I didn't come away thinking it was particularly innovative.

 

[Deleted member 2809]

Dark Souls without a doubt. So many aspects of those games crept into everything this gen.

It's crazy to me how many people are saying BOTW. The level of praise that game gets still perplexes me. Sure, you might think it's well executed, but I didn't come away thinking it was particularly innovative.

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Good thing pretty much the entirety of the gaming press also agrees on BOTW then

 

[ZSeibar]

You spelled Dark Souls wrong.

 

[Tomasoares]

90's - Doom (still the best game of the genre)
2000's - RE4
2010's - Dark Souls

 

[AuthenticM]

Skyrim has sold over 30 million units. Skyrim has influenced the entire gaming industry, including Nintendo.

It's Skyrim.

 

[Deleted member 176]

Witcher 3 didn't even win GOTY at the old place

 

[Bansai]

100% agree OP. :)

Next up would be Demon's Souls for me.

Also lmao at anybody saying "objectively".