 |
Choosing the best games of a decade is a tricky thing. It's tempting to simply pick your favorite games, but that's not considering the question deeply enough. The following titles were picked for the Top Ten Games of the Decade based on quality, innovation, and cultural influence. All ten of these games are titles that gamers will still be talking about in another ten years. With that, enjoy the list!
 |
| JC Denton: Badass |
10. Deus Ex (2000)
When Deus Ex came out in the summer of 2000, the PC world went nutso. They were met with a hybrid RPG/FPS that blends excellent overall game design with a remarkable story and absorbing atmosphere. A big hit with the critics was the game's ability to weave in morality-based decisions and the multiple branches of storyline that go with it. Still largely regarded as one of the best PC games of all time, Deus Ex's influence over the RPG genre is undeniable.
Influenced: Hitman, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, long line of cool protagonists
 |
| Pick up that can! |
9. Half-Life 2 (2004)
Gordon Freeman is the king of video game heroes. The crowbar, his scepter. When this highly-anticipated sequel to 1998's Half-Life dropped in stores, it garnered universal acclaim and enormous sales. The production and gameplay were phenomenal. The characters and story were awesome. It also proved that superbly written dialogue and skilled voice acting make a huge difference in the video game world. The story of The Free Man has kept even the most stoic gamers fist-pumping like hooligans for years.
Influenced: Portal, Half-Life 2: Episode 1 & 2, anything with a sweet-ass crowbar
 |
| Pretend you rule at music! Rock and Roleplay! |
8. Guitar Hero (2005)
Guitar Hero redefined the term 'Party Game'. It redefined the phrase 'Anyone can play guitar'. From 11 year old internet sensation virtuosos to AC/DC wannabe's, Guitar Hero has changed the landscape of gaming. No longer are video games limited to saving princesses and slaying zombies. Expect this franchise to stick around for a long, long time.
Influenced: Guitar Hero: (insert heavy metal band name here), Rock Band, quitting your job/growing out your hair
 |
| It's-a Wii, Mario |
7. Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Yep. That over-worked Italian plumber made the jump to next-gen. And oh, what a jump it was. First and foremost, the game utilized the Wii's less-than-blue-chip hardware to its full potential -- it looked fantastic and, with the integration of the Wii remote, played smoothly. The game also featured creative uses of gravity and physics, along with a typically awesome story. I would venture to speculate that no matter what decade, past or future, there will be a Super Mario game on most top ten lists.
Influenced: What hasn't the Super Mario franchise influenced? This one restores our faith in the platformer making every jump, no matter what the generation.
 |
| No one does it like Master Chief. |
6. Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
Once in a very great while, a game will take the industry by storm. When Halo: Combat Evolved was released with the Xbox, it changed the way we gamers look at first person shooters. The graphics were outstanding and the physics made the game about as fun to play as conceivably possible. Throw in a cool story with great replayability, along with an addictive-like-crack multiplayer experience, and you have a giant step in the evolution of gaming. Halo: Combat Evolved became a household name, probably to a degree not seen by first person shooters since GoldenEye.
Influenced: The rest of the Halo franchise, online multiplayer gaming as a whole, movies like District 9, headshots
Tags: Games of the Decade, Top Ten
Join The Joystick Division!
Become part of the Joystick Division community by following us on Twitter and Digg and Liking us on Facebook.
