Generation's Greatest

Since 2005 from Call of Duty 2 to 2013's great lineup, this generation of gaming has been filled with a ton of notable works by hundreds of developers, and this generation is finally coming to a close with rumors for the next Xbox and Playstation, along with the release of the Wii U. I believe what we should do to commemorate is to discuss what the greatest games you've played this generation.

Here are the rules about rating your top greatest games:
-You must have played the game all the way through.
-They must have been released after 2005.
-Handhelds count including iOS device games.
-No rereleases from previous generations (Such as DMC's HD Collection or Resident Evil Code Veronica HD.)
-The game doesn't necessarily need a story.
-Make sure you give a reason why this particular game stands out above all the rest.
-No games from the Wii U. It's technically Nintendo's next generation and therefore doesn't count.
-Single games only, if the game has a sequel, you cannot bunch the games together.

For me, I'd like to give my recognition to Gears of War. I was immersed in the gameplay, the sound design was spectacular, the graphics were stunning (the greatest I've ever seen at the time,) and though I had no idea what was going on, I didn't need to. It was the best multiplayer experience I've ever had, and it launched me into this game's generation. Compared to games like Red Steel and Twilight Princess, it made me feel like those games were dated and obsolete.

My favorite game of the generation was God of War III. Good, it had absolutely AWESOME graphics and visuals. The story was beast, the gameplay was so good every time I sliced someone in half it felt real, and the boss fights were the greatest I've ever played. To me, I think God of War III was one of the best games to come out.

I heard the fight with Hercules was really epic in that game.

I would also like to give mention to Dead Space 2. Where the first one gave popularity to the name, I felt that the second one was more engaging. In Dead Space, Visceral Games introduced survival horror with paychological twists to it without having to say that on the box cover (Alan Wake…), but it lacked Isaac's entire character. They tried to make you feel sorry for this character that you had no attachment to because he practically never took off the helmet and he never spoke. Not to mention at some parts of the game, I got bored. I would have put Dead Space as the one of the generation's greatest, but it has so much that's holding back that Dead Space 2 does right. This is the case where the sequel is actually better because they learned from their mistakes. Gears of War was a surprising success, Gears of War 2, Epic didn't know what made it so good, Gears of War 3, they fixed their mistakes. Lets just hope that Dead Space 3 improves on Dead Space 2's effort for a quality game.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I cant think of the greatest game this gen.......I never bet a lot lol If I think of one Ill be back lol

It has to be Red Dead Redemption for me, it is easily Rockstar's greatest ever game and could be one of the few games that could be considered art IMO. The gameplay perfectly encapsulated the western genre and the characters specifically Marston all are top notch.

I'm always hearing great things about that game, but I just can't get past the gameplay. I found it fighting me whenever I played it. Heard the story was a remarkable achievement in gaming though.

Batman: Arkham Asylum.

After a slew of horrible Batman games, new European studio Rocksteady takes up popular graphic novel Batman: Arkham Asylum and turns it into a game. Being praised for the achievement that this game calls for, a sequel was rushed out after the enormous success from the title. This game set new standards for action adventure, other games taking up elements from the combat and survivalist gameplay this groundbreaking title. The reason why Arkham City doesn't get my choice in this is because Arkham Asylum really did kick it off for the game. It set the stage on many levels, alone Asylum is a more focused game than City. Where Arkham City is like a shotgun, Arkham Asylum is like a sniper rifle.

The title offers everything for everyone. There's horror when fighting Scarecrow or Killer Croc, action when fighting big groups of thugs, steath when taking down a thug one by one and watching them slowly get more scared by the Dark Knight's trail of unconsious bodies, exploration when you have a huge playground before you with hundreds of secrets to discover, and puzzles, not all of them are terribly hard to figure out, but you feel like a detective once you overcome them. The satasfying versitility with the game and the seamless mixture doesn't feel like the game is ever going through an idetity crisis like Resident Evil Revelations has from switching from action to horror. Everything blends in so perfectly, you hardly notice the change of pace. And since we're dealing with an iconic figure that's been with us for over 75 years, a lot of ground is covered in Batman's lore and overall genre.

If you haven't finished the game, I highly recommend you. If you haven't picked it up yet, something is wrong with you.

Mass Effect 2


Without a doubt, this game is my ALL TIME FAVORITE!!! Ok where do I start? Oh I know: Commander Shepard



(my Paragon and Renegade Shepards)

Commander Shepard is such a dynamic character. She's whatever you want her to be--honest, bitchy, compassionate, narcissistic, her personalities is determined by the player. Though at the core, she is a fearless leader, one who people can depend on when things get tough; the greatest soldier in the galaxy. ME2 provided the best Paragon/Renegade experience in the series.

Now, I'll get into why Mass Effect 2 is my favorite in the series. Simply put, it was the perfect blend of action and rpg. It was the balance that it's predecessor and successor lacked. Mass Effect 2 told a great story while providing fun combat. 



The story......WOW! Epic from start to finish. Though, not as epic as ME1 but a  fantastic story nonetheless.




The game's class system was at it's best here in ME2. Six different classes, each of them required a different playstyle. This in it self made the game worth playing more than once. 

The combat system was also exceptional. Each enemy faction had their own strengths and weaknesses. The player had to learn what these weakness were in order to be effective on the battlefield. This resulted in a more strategic style of gameplay. 

In the end, the entire Mass Effect series is legendary but 2 was definitely it's highest point. 

EDIT: I forgot to mention the soundtrack. Fantastic!!!!!! Epic!!!!!!

Slender was scary as hell.
I loved MK9
RE6 was a fun ride.
Alas, I didn't see contra fives release. What shame.

I am in able to answer this question.

PWNERX wrote:

RE6 was a fun ride.

I don't think any Resident Evil this generation deserves to be on this list. As much as I love Resident Evil, the games were either too much of something, too little of something, not enough this, could have been better here and there. No.

This thread is for games by the time you finished the game you stood up from your chair and applauded the game as the credits began rolling. A game that sharply defined this generation and will always be memorable. A landmark of a game that it influenced other games in style, mechanics, and gameplay. A game so great that you don't want to trade it in and constantly play it. A game where you find something new every time you play it.

Resident Evil 4 perfectly fits this description, but Resident Evil 6? Not so much.

Mercy wrote:

PWNERX wrote:

RE6 was a fun ride.

I don't think any Resident Evil this generation deserves to be on this list. As much as I love Resident Evil, the games were either too much of something, too little of something, not enough this, could have been better here and there. No.

This thread is for games by the time you finished the game you stood up from your chair and applauded the game as the credits began rolling. A game that sharply defined this generation and will always be memorable. A landmark of a game that it influenced other games in style, mechanics, and gameplay. A game so great that you don't want to trade it in and constantly play it. A game where you find something new every time you play it.

Resident Evil 4 perfectly fits this description, but Resident Evil 6? Not so much.

Yes Mercy, we all know you have no soul. At least you are safe from shang tsung.

Id vote for Modern Warfare 2, its one of the best shooters i've played, gameplay is brilliant, lots of weapons and ammunition (much better then in MW3), graphics are amazing and story, simply brilliant.

PWNERX wrote:

Mercy wrote:

PWNERX wrote:

RE6 was a fun ride.

I don't think any Resident Evil this generation deserves to be on this list. As much as I love Resident Evil, the games were either too much of something, too little of something, not enough this, could have been better here and there. No.

This thread is for games by the time you finished the game you stood up from your chair and applauded the game as the credits began rolling. A game that sharply defined this generation and will always be memorable. A landmark of a game that it influenced other games in style, mechanics, and gameplay. A game so great that you don't want to trade it in and constantly play it. A game where you find something new every time you play it.

Resident Evil 4 perfectly fits this description, but Resident Evil 6? Not so much.

Yes Mercy, we all know you have no soul. At least you are safe from shang tsung.

Of all the games you played, how does Resident Evil 6 rise above the fold?

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Most perfect game I've ever played. I mean like, 99.9% perfect. I couldn't come up with anything that would make it better if my life depended on it.

Ya know, I've been thinking about this myself recently. I was tempted to nominate Mass Effect, as I've put an ungodly amount of hours into the first two (3 was.....eh. Good but not great). But I recently went back and tried to replay them, and I don't know. When you know what's coming, those games just become so boring. The storylines really aren't anything special, and with the way the game is built there are severe pacing issues. They're very dense, heavy-going affairs as well. Great the first few times but I feel they lose a lot of the charm after that. I feel the same way about Red Dead Redemption, Skyrim, Fallout 3/New Vegas et al. When a game is too open-world, it loses focus.

So, I'm going to go with:

Deus Ex: Human Revolution - I'm a massive fan of anything cyberpunk, and the first game still to this day has one of the greatest gaming stories ever told. Gameplay-wise it hasn't held up, but the story is still top notch. So DE:HR for me was like a (wet) dream come true - it really captured the feel of the first game and updated it for the new generation, all while (and this is the important part) remaining respectful of its origins and maintaining the atmosphere and mood that the original evoked. It has great stealth mechanics, highly immersive hub areas, and a really well-told storyline, that doesn't hand-hold, and treats its players like adults. Really great music too. The mandatory boss fights were slightly dodgy, but I didn't have as many problems with them as most people seemed to. I've finished it 4 times so far, all 100% playthroughs, and I know I'll do it again. As close to flawless as a game will be this gen for me.

I'll give honourable mentions to:

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Just for the sheer spectacle of it. Some may hate him, but I love Kojima and his silly bullshit. An unforgettable experience.

Mirror's Edge - Original, addictive, and has a great visual style. Also, it has a stellar soundtrack, by one of my favourite electronic artists, Solar Fields.

Super Street Fighter IV - Because I've sank 180+ hours into it and still I come back for more ass-kickings.

Mercy is right, no RE this gen has been top tier (haven't played Revelations yet, mind you). Which is a shame. The past 2 gens, my greatest games lists would both have been topped by RE games.

My top 5 from this generation. Out of the one's I've played, of course.

1. Uncharted One of the best games I have ever played and the start of a fantastic franchise for my favorite console.
   
2. Tomb Raider The best reboot anyone could have envisioned. A really fun game and has me actually looking forwards a sequel even though I've never been a fan of the series.
   
3. Resident Evil 5 I've played this game about as much as I've played RE2 and that's a lot. Lots of fun memories from the co-op and the best Mercenaries mode out of all the games.
   
4. Double Dragon Neon WayForward. They just cannot fail. When I thought there would never be a good sequel to a retro game...
   
5. Grand Theft Auto IV The best GTA game thus far. I don't think I've ever played Vice City or GTA3 as much as I have played this one. Add in the DLC episodes and you'ce got a sandbox game that can only be topped by the next entry in the series.

@Cyberization

I never completed Deus Ex: HR. It's a great game but Adam Jensen completely ruins the experience for me. The guy is such a stiff. Terrible job by the VA.

ALL HAIL MK (2011)!!!!!

Known_Hero wrote:

@Cyberization

I never completed Deus Ex: HR. It's a great game but Adam Jensen completely ruins the experience for me. The guy is such a stiff. Terrible job by the VA.

I hear ya. I think it's the fact that he seems to be trying to imitate the original DE's JC Denton, by way of Christian Bale's Batman. It's a very grating voice to have to listen to all game.

I managed to get past it though. You should give it another shot, the story is fantastic.

I can't believe I haven't posted my favorite game of 2013 so far…

Bioshock: Infinite (2013)

Not only the best game I've played this year, but definitely the game that most deserves to be played. From the foundations of the game, everything was done right about this game. The story, the sound design, the art direction, the graphics, the music, the gameplay, every aspect of this game is, if not perfect, respectable. The entire experience doesn't need the prior titles to understand what is going on in the story--which is the absolute main aspect of the game. 

I can say with confidence, that this has the best story this gaming generation has to offer. Confusing? Very confusing, but by the end it feels like a Sherlock Holmes story, and everything gets woven together without any loose ends. It's by far the game that took my breath away.

I haven't finished it but The Last of Us deserves to be mentioned in this thread. 

Graphically, this is the BEST looking game on the PS3. No equal!

The gameplay is viscerally satisfying. Bashing someone's head in with a steel pipe,slugging it out or watching their chest explode from a shotgun blast never gets old. The survival aspect was perfectly implemented as well. The gameplay revolves around resourceful item management. Basically, you are provided with salvage items like blades, tape and alcohol which can be crafted into usable items such has Molotov Cocktail, Health Kit, Bomb, etc. Salvage items and bullets are VERY limited in this game so it's important to use them only when needed and to make EVERY bullet count. This is the most fun I've ever had with a TPS. 

The story itself isn't ground breaking(it's very good though), but the pace of the game is what separates it from the rest of the pack. This is definitely a roller coaster ride.

Overall, this is really one of the best games I've ever played.

Heavy Rain.
The depth behind the creation of the characters was truly amazing, and the story line intrigued me. Playing as four different characters, you're given plenty of choices to decide how you want them to end the game. Plus, putting together all the facts about the Origami Killer thrilled me, and I'd have to say I prefer this mass murderer much over the Zodiac Killer.

Not gonna lie, I dislike and am uninterested in most of the new games out there today. However, I will praise Deus Ex: Human Revolution as one game that is made of awesome. There are a few others, but, some other time when I have time to go into detail.

Journey - Absolutely amazing game. Very mysterious, atmospheric, beautiful music, beautiful art style, just a beautiful game overall. Short, but very replayable because of the collectibles and the co-op, which is, in my opinion, the best co-op in any game I've played, because of the bond you get with your companion. No voice communication, no gamertag (you only get to see it AFTER the game), you don't need each other, you can basically choose to stick together or experience your journey seperately, but the journey community is very friendly and patient overall, I've played the game a lot of times and I've never met an immature asshole.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Like GL said, one of the most perfect games out there. The graphics are still some of the best I've seen in a game, the environments had a lot of variety and were so much better than 3's. The voice acting is fantastic, story is good and the characters likable. Technologically it's pretty much unbeatable. It has a decent length (especially compared to UC1), but the game is a bit on the easy side. Love the combination of action, platforming, puzzles and cutscenes.

Assassin's Creed 2 - This game is really one of the best sequels in this gen. It pretty much improved everything in the original. It had a great length, amazing locations (Venice and Florence are still my favorite AC locations), a great story. It was great seeing Ezio grow throughout the game. The game also had great variety compared to the original. A lot of side quests and stuff to do and more ways than ever to kill your targets.