We have a decent amount of time before the next generation of consoles arrive so lets stop looking ahead for a second. The PlayStation 4 was announced a couple months ago and now Microsoft has revealed the Xbox One, the last piece to the next-gen puzzle. Now it seems like everyone looking forward, lets slow down a bit and look back.
I know theres still a few Game of the Year candidates releasing this year that could earn some decent recognition (fingers crossed for The Last of Us) but it’s time for people to start crossing off some titles off of their video game bucket list before it’s too late and everyone falls behind trying to hop onto the next-gen train.
Here’s my top 12 (In no particular order).
A classic in every sense of the word. Red Dead Redemption was a well-balanced piece of art, this game is really one of a kind. The genre of western-themed games isn’t that large to begin with, but Red Dead Redemption makes up for the drought of westerns in gaming. The story is gripping and the extremely detailed westernized environment begs for exploration until you’ve turned over every tumbleweed.
This whole series was fantastic but the second installment stood out the strongest amongst the trilogy. This is one of the best action/adventure games that you’ll ever play. The cinematic presence this game carries also sets it apart from many other games from this generation. Right now it’s the closest you’ll ever get to an "Indiana Jones" game.
If The Elderscroll IV: Oblivion put its foot in the door of the 360 era for open world RPG’s, then Skyrim kicked it wide open when it was released. Dozens of options await your created character, along with what feels like endless amounts of quest. This game isextremely beautiful and it’s impossible to restrict yourself from sidetracking and exploring. Plus dragons!
Bioshock blends so many different elements into one game, you might think it comes off a little cluttered, but they all flow together perfectly. The story, the characters, the super-powered first person shooting style of gameplay, and the ambience of the underwater city of Rapture is eerie and magnetic at the same time. It’s original and unforgettable.
If you want to lose yourself in a game, Fallout 3 can help you do that effortlessly. Along with a lengthy campaign--you can easily overstuff yourself with supplementary content for this massive world. I never thought I would find so much joy romping through a decrepit, post-apocalyptic wasteland but this standout RPG made it one of my favorite places I ever visited in a video game.
The second installment of this series is one of the most engrossing stories I’ve ever played. This space odyssey blends the perfect amount of critical thinking encompassed in an RPG along with some thrilling sci-fi action. The decisions you make shape the path you walk. This is one most fulfilling games of this current generation. If you want to watch a game grow from beginning to end Mass Effect to is your jam.
When Halo 3 arrived I was already prepared for an epic game after the conclusion of Halo 2 and I wasn’t disappointed. Master Chief was back and better than ever. Although we all play Halo to follow Mater Chief through his epic intergalactic battles with crazy aliens, Halo 3 gave us an amazing innovative multiplayer experience along with the Forge game type, a map editor that led to creative and endless amounts of fun.
You can’t go wrong with GTA, each chapter of the series has something special about it and GTA 4 is no different. It’s a compelling story and the gameplay is some of the best that Rockstar has given us so far. You don’t step away from a game like GTA 4, it offers too much. If you get bored with one thing there’s a hundred other routes you can follow. Also watch out for pedestrians if you like to drive fast. They like to jaywalk!
Horror-based games aren’t too easy to come by, well the good ones aren’t at least. I had totally given up on the genre until Dead Space came along. The atmosphere this game cast truly forces you to look over your shoulder while your playing. That experience alone warrants at least one play-through...if you're not too much of a baby to try.
It all started here, Marcus Fenix and his gang of trash talking, chain-sawin’, ass kickers, joined together and lit the fuse for what would become one of Xbox’s flagship games. It’s simple story, one that you can just follow from beginning to end but it carries a great deal of emotional weight that forces you to shadow these characters until they finally complete their mission. The multiplayer was also a new experience, Gears of War redefined third-person shooters with a cover-based style that you see in dozens of games now. This game also taught me what "Chainsaw tag" was...not as fun as it sounds.
The first game of this series as a huge sigh of relief for those of us who were still in search of a decent superhero game. After I finished Batman Arkham Asylum, I didn’t think Rocksteady could top it, but they did when they developed its sequel. Batman: Arkham City is a step up not only in comic-based games, but the way the combat flows is an entirely innovative experience that is absent in other brawl-style video games. Everything from the voice acting to, the subtle nods to the comics that were sprinkled around made my the comic-geek in me scream like a school girl.
Call of Duty 4 is the reason that we have a new Call of Duty coming out every year. This game was and still is one the best first-person shooters that you will ever play. It also turned a lot of us into lovers of online competition with its polished multiplayer modes and extremely addictive ranking system.
Honorable Mention:
Killzone 2, Bioshock Infinite, L.A. Noire, Metal Gear Solid 4, Assassin's Creed 2, Heavy Rain.
for me i enjoyed these when they were released
Uncharted DF
COD Black ops
NFS Most Wanted 2005
Dead Rising
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