Ten years have passed since the dawn of this new century. Time passes away so quickly, it only seems yesterday that we were playing the PlayStation one on our old, non HD TV’s. The last ten years have seen two generation of gaming unfold before us. There were thousands of games released that wowed us during the period of ten years. We try our best to pick those games which redefined the standards of gaming and set a benchmark for future games. So here are the top ten games that made us say: WOW!
Please Note: Given the amount of games released during the period of 2000-2009, it’s more than likely that your favorite game may not be listed here, but you can always mention it in the comments section below.
2000: Deus EX
Platform: PC
Deus Ex was met with resounding awe when it was first released 10 years ago. Many PC gamers still believe it to be the best PC game ever made. It combined First Person Shooter action with RPG style moral choices. The fact that you earned skill points for completing objectives which allowed you to enhance your weapons made it even better. One of the main draws of the game was its ability to present you with several different ways of approaching a mission. Do you go in all guns blazing through the front door? Or do you look for the back door and sneak in undetected? Deus Ex is not a game that can be ‘pigeon-holed’ into one category; it is simply a fantastic game, in a genre and league of its own.
2001: Halo: Combat Evolved
Platform: Xbox
Back in 2001 the PlayStation 2 had some really strong games such as Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Grand Theft Auto III and against those heavyweights what did Microsoft do? They -along with Bungie- released Halo: Combat Evolved, the first game in the renowned franchise. On its release the game started to break records, within six months of its release the game had sold more than one million copies worldwide, which was faster than any of the current games during that generation. The game finally sold over 5 million copies worldwide and laid the foundation of a huge fan base that was anxiously awaiting the release of the next Halo game.
2002: Metroid Prime
Platform: GameCube
Metroid Prime was one of those rare games on the GameCube which was praised for its detailed graphics, with special effects and varied environments, moody soundtrack and sound effects, immersive atmosphere and sensational level design. No wonder it got re-released for the Wii this year. If you are lucky enough to still own a GameCube than you should pick this up or if you are a Nintendo fan then chances are you already have a Wii and have played this game, and I am saying this with utter confidence-you guys must have loved this game.
2003: Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Platform: PlayStation, Xbox and GameCube
One of the most beautiful games to look at; the game was praised for its visual design, finely tuned game mechanics, and intriguing storyline. This game was the pioneer of amazing platforming abilities of the Prince, such as swinging from a ledge or running on a wall, a feature that Ubisoft will continue to use in games like Assassins Creed and the new Prince of Persia series. One of the unique features of the game was the ability to use time which would bring the Prince back to his normal state if he would have fallen from a cliff or would have died from a slash from an enemy.
2004: Grand Theft Auto IV: San Andreas
Platform: PlayStation 2
One of the most controversial games of this decade if not of all time, San Andreas deserves to be on this list, not for the controversies but for the brilliancy in the game play elements the game included. The game was all about the open-endedness, the size of the state of San Andreas, and the engaging storyline and voice acting. Obviously the amount of violence and the brutal ways you can take “care” of a person was raised even higher in the sequel.
2005: Resident Evil 4
Platform: GameCube and PlayStation 2
Easily one of the best horror-survival-action-adventure games of all time, Resident Evil 4 was released on GameCube followed by the PlayStation 2. You will take up the role of Leon Kennedy, the same old dude from Resident Evil 2. Your mission is to get hold of the President’s daughter who is been held captive by the Las Plagas, a new species of zombies who are supposedly more active and intelligent than the ones found in the previous games. The game was very challenging, featured some really tough boss battles and some crazy on rail sequences and many brutal ways your character can die.
2006: Gears of War
Platform: Xbox 360
Xbox 360 was on a roll in 2006 and it got that impetus by Epic’s sensational shooter: Gears of War. The game puts you in the shoes of Marcus Fenix, specializing in taking out the Locust Hordes, the main antagonists of the game. You will have cool weapons at your disposal like the chainsaw to slice through your enemies. Couple that with stunning vistas (one of the best on the 360) and an intriguing online mode, Gears of War is easily one of the best games out there in this decade.
2007: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
PlatForm: Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
First person shooters before November 2007 were getting repetitive and more of the same thing. That all changed when Infinity Ward came up with a new game in the Call of Duty franchise: Modern Warfare. Featuring one of the best visuals in a first person shooter game along with an intruiging plot, Modern Warfare was a game that you had to play no matter which platform you owned. Multiplayer and various online modes are still a blast to play even after two years easily making it the best first person shooter game of this decade.
2008: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Platform: PlayStation 3
Quite easily the best game in the franchise, Guns of the Patriots is a pinnacle of storytelling, drama and action in a video game. Solid Snake’s last hurrah was an amazing treat featuring mind boggling chase sequences, superlative boss fights and one of the best scores of 2008. Guns of the Patriots was a fitting end to Solid Snake’s story and the most appropriate farewell to one of the greatest and the legendary heroes of all time in video games.
2009: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Platform: PlayStation 3
Among Thieves was a phenomenal achievement for the PlayStation 3. Featuring a very strong plot and one of the most technically proficient visuals you will ever see in a video game, it will be interesting to see how other developers would be able to better what Naughty Dog have achieved. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves won several awards from various outlets and almost a dozen of awards from us. If you still don’t have a PlayStation 3 yet, than Uncharted 2 is one of the best reasons to buy one this holiday season.
GAME OF THE DECADE:
Resident Evil 4
Platform: PlayStation 2 and GameCube
Well it was a tough choice for me in the end. I was jumping from one bandwagon to another, wondering whether Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots deserves this award or not, but ultimately I went with Capcom’s Resident Evil 4. Mind you this in no way makes Guns of the Patriots or for that matter any other game listed above inferior as compared to Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil 4 not only revolutionized the franchise, but also set a new benchmark for future horror games in the series as well some of the future hits like Gears of War who in fact used the idea of over the shoulder view from Resident Evil 4. Also, that is not the only reason this great game won. The game was lengthy, almost 30 hours, and had a ton of extras which get unlocked when you finish the game. In all, Resident Evil 4 is a game that you have to play because the reason is simple…It’s the game of the decade (2000-2009).
Honorable Mentions
- Shadow of the Colossus (2005)
- BioShock (2007)
- The Orange Box (2007)