It’s been a great ride, but the seventh generation of game consoles is coming to a close. Now that the Playstation 4 has been announced (and with the new Xbox reveal presumably hot on its heels) it’s time to take a look back at the ten best games we’ve experienced over the last 7 years.
Note: For the purpose of this list, we only included games that were originally released after the launch of the Xbox 360 (sorry, Half-Life 2!). If the game was part of a franchise with multiple eligible titles, we only included one entry to give as many IPs as possible a spot, hence the exclusion of games like Portal 2 and Batman: Arkham City.
Mass Effect 2
The Mass Effect franchise has had its share of ups and downs but it is generally acknowledged that the vast universe created by Bioware is one of the most rich and robust in all of science fiction history. From the pansexual blue skinned Asari and squat pressure suit wearing Volus to the hulking quadrapedal Elcor and militaristic Turian, the range of believable alien races complete with fully fleshed out histories and cultures is in a class all its own. The series hit its high note in 2010 when Mass Effect 2 was released. Learning from its missteps in the previous entry, Mass Effect 2 featured better graphics, more refined combat mechanics and even greater emphasis on player choice then either its predecessor or hotly debated sequel managed to pull off. When a series of games can be spoken of with the same reverence as franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek you know you’ve got something special. – Ryan
Bioshock
While Bioshock’s gameplay was action packed and went well beyond the typical FPS, most of that ground had been broken before with Irrational’s previous release, System Shock 2. But Bioshock’s vision of a steampunk utopia turned dystopian nightmare was a wonderful in execution and bold in the political and philosophical ideas it explored. Aside from its biting satire of Objectivism, it was a clever deconstruction of FPS games, asking us what sort of person would actually blindly follow quest objectives while slaughtering hundreds. And yet, it still managed to be fun to play. – DPW
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Most companies would have been content to just make Uncharted again. Not Naughty Dog. Instead, they tore out the game’s guts – controls, graphics, and overall game design – and assembled them into what has become the standard in 3rd person action/adventure games. The characters practically have heartbeats, the set pieces are spectacular, and the combat is a thrill – yes, but more than that, Uncharted 2 took us to amazing places. Who could forget the Tibetan village perched atop the Himalayas or the (very well-staffed) museum in Istanbul? The character and vitality of Naughty Dog’s world elevate its locales above the robotic funhouses found in other games and into something that feels genuinely alive. If there’s any single adjective to describe Uncharted 2, it’s unforgettable. – Rob
Journey
Journey, developed by thatgamecompany in 2012 was surprisingly one of the most unique and creative game experiences of the last generation. Journey tells a story without saying a word. It is a very special game that blends stunning visuals with a heartfelt tale and what can only be described as a beautiful and touching use of multiplayer. A game that redefined what games can aspire to be as not only an interactive medium for us to share and play together but as art. At just over two hours of gameplay, it’s a difficult sell but the reward and experience will never be forgotten. – Colin
Dark Souls
Dark Souls, brought to us by developer From Software in 2011, was a stroke of gaming brilliance. The incredibly inventive game not only brought one of the most difficult and rewarding campaigns in modern gaming, but also created one of the deepest and most interesting worlds in gaming fiction. From Software mixed a solitary sense of awe and accomplishment with a multiplayer element unlike any other. A mysterious world full of danger, action and hands down the best third person combat system to date. A truly immersive and rewarding experience, Dark Souls is one of the strongest titles ever made. – Colin
Super Mario Galaxy
Someone needs to send Japan’s Anti-Doping Agency after game director Shigeru Miyamoto and the rest of Nintendo. I strongly suspect the use of performance-enhancing drugs. How else can you explain the company’s consistent run of masterpieces over the last 30 years? Wii Sports may have been the game that sold your grandma a Wii, but it was Mario Galaxy that proved that the system could be a hit with “core” gamers as well. Mario Galaxy’s unique take on the platforming genre makes it a must-own for anyone with a Wii. – Rob
Batman: Arkham Asylum
The best thing that Arkham Asylum has going for it – other than great gameplay, an effectively dark atmosphere, and probably the closest thing we have to actually feeling like Batman right now – is that the entire game is tight. Nothing was wasted in order to drag out the experience or simply because the developers felt like it needed to be there, resulting an embodiment of an action game that gets everything it needs to get right. Not only does it have great gameplay, it seamlessly blends together two gameplay mechanics with combat and stealth. The pacing is fantastic, making everything you do actually feel like it matters. And the writing, while not great, does enough to make sure everything fits together. And to top it all off, Kevin Conroy is back as Batman and Mark Hamill comes back to remind us why people considered him to be the best Joker. – Sean
The Walking Dead
The final chapter was only released a few months ago, but it’s already clear that The Walking Dead will be remembered as a classic. Here the undead apocalypse isn’t just set dressing for a shooter: it is a cold, constant march of death that can only be staved off by cooperation, compromise, and tough decision making. Forget what other games taught you about right and wrong. The Walking Dead’s moral landscape is as gray and uninviting as zombie flesh. There are no quest arrows, no paragon and renegade points, and many decisions must be made on a timer. There’s nothing else out there like it. – Rob
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
I could easily come up with 10 reasons why The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim deserves to be on this list yet there is one thing that makes the game worthy of this list. It is the Skyrim universe that makes the game; an immerse fantasy universe that rivals good books from fantasy authors. Travelling through mountain ranges from dusk till dawn, butchering of dragons of old and spreading the love of compassionate deities are just few things you can do in the game. The never-ending amount of things to do is just phenomenal. Breathtaking environments combined with excellent gameplay and interactive characters will bring you back time after time. In addition, console platforms have never experienced anything like it before. Miss this game and miss a part of the industry. – Marko
Portal
Valve created an experimental masterpiece that breathed genius into first person puzzle-platformers. Portal is fantastic from the ingenious level design and uniquely engaging premise, to the sociopathic sarcasm of GLaDOS and her masochistic levels. To include this in the Orange Box, one of the greatest deals in gaming history, makes this game totally awesome. Portal is an amazing gem within puzzle games that also managed to freak me out when I played it. How could anyone have known the cake was a lie?! – Kevin
Rob Petersen
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